by Harry Duke *

When I see a show late in its run, or the run itself is short, I’ll take some time and provide a short take on the production…

Dear Evan Hansen – Spreckels Theatre Company, Rohnert Park

Pluses: excellent performances by veterans and new talent, technical elements

Minuses: a wretchedly irresponsible book

Few shows have pissed me off in the last ten years as much as Dear Evan Hansen. I won’t run through the litany of issues I have with the book of the show, but you can read my review of the 2018 touring company production HERE for more detail.

Having clearly stated my position on the show as a piece of theatre, I will say the production now running at the Spreckels Performing Arts Center is well cast and the vocal work done by all is excellent.

It’s good to see fresh, upcoming talent on North Bay stages, particulary when they can hold their own against veteran performers. Addison Brown, Nathaniel Howe, Jacqueline Lee, Neil Northrop, and Aliya Webb all do well, particularly with the demanding singing.

The same can be said for veterans Bradbury, Pagano, and Kealy. It is an excellent ensemble.

I get why this particular show has hit for some. The songs do speak to the pain of being an outsider and the desire to be seen, but the dreck that surrounds them in the book by Steve Levenson negates a good deal of that. The disconnect between story and score is mind-boggling. Words fail.

Concert version, anyone?

See it before it closes? If you can get past the terrible book and focus on the musical performances.

‘Dear Evan Hansen’ runs through October 11 in the Codding Theatre at the Spreckels Performing Arts Center, 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. Fri, 7:30pm; Sat & Sun, 2pm. $20 – $54. 707.588.3400. spreckelsonline.com

Emilia – Santa Rosa Junior College Theatre Arts, Santa Rosa

Pluses – an interesting, not-often-produced script, key performances, costumes

Minuses – a tendency to speechify

I’m always on the lookout for a show that I haven’t seen before, and as this particular play’s licensing seems to be limited to educational institutions it seems as if the SRJC production may be the only chance folks will get to see it in this area.

Morgan Lloyd Malcolm retells the story of Emilia Bassano, a somewhat neglected and forgotten Elizabethan author and poet who some surmise may have been the “dark lady” of Shakespeare’s sonnets. There are over two dozen roles of various genders and ages and Malcolm insists the storytellers be an all-female, ethnically-and-physically diverse group of performers. Director Emily Hansen has cast some North Bay veteran talents to work alongside the student performers in those roles.

The role of Emilia is essayed by three performers: Liliana Vera, Jeremias Castillo, and Mercedes Murphy. Murphy’s Emilia narrates the story, while Vera plays Emilia in her younger years followed by Castillo as mid-age Emilia. Shakespeare (Bella Farrell) plays a big role in Emilia’s life and not a particularly pleasant one, at least according to Malcolm’s conjecture. It’s an interesting take.

It mostly succeeds as an historical drama but rather than trust the audience, Morgan’s script tends to beat you over the head with its feminist message rather than simply tell the story and let the outrage build organically.

It’s nice to have veterans like Murphy and Gina Alvarado (who swoops in for a Judi Dench-like Shakespare in Love type cameo as friend-to-Emilia Lady Margaret Clifford) to support the student performers as they continue their training. Particularly promising work was done by Vera and Haley Ayaad as Lady Katherine.

See it before it closes? Shakespeare enthusiasts may leave aghast, but supporting local theatre arts students is always a worthy investment.

‘Emilia’ runs through October 10 in the Studio Theater in the Burbank Auditorium at Santa Rosa Junior College, 1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. Thurs-Sat, 7:30pm. $15-$30. 707.523.4185. theatrearts.santarosa.edu