Review: “Romeo & Juliet” in Mill Valley

Mill Valley’s Curtain Theatre must not have gotten the memo about Summer Shakespeare al fresco in Marin requiring a production of Twelfth Night (two other companies are doing it.) Instead of a comedy, Mill Valley’s Old Mill Park Amphitheatre is the scene of great tragedy as the company presents Romeo & Juliet through Sept. 4.…

Review: “The Comedy of Errors” in Healdsburg

North Bay fans of Shakespeare “under the sun” have at least four options this summer including two – count ‘em – two different productions of Twelfth Night going up in Marin. Sonoma County’s entry in this summer of Shakespeare ‘fest’ is The Comedy of Errors. Healdsburg’s Raven Players return to West Plaza Park with a…

Review: “The Full Monty” in Glen Ellen

There was a period of time when musical theatre creators temporarily averted their gaze from Hollywood as a prime source for material and looked to the British film industry instead. Films like Billy Elliot and Kinky Boots had very successful musical adaptations on Broadway, but the trend started with The Full Monty. Transcendence Theatre Company…

Review: “Guys and Dolls” in Sonoma

The name Damon Runyon probably means little to most today, but in the early to mid-twentieth century he was a celebrated journalist, sports columnist, and author. His short stories about New York and Broadway contained such colorful characters that the term “Runyonesque” was coined to describe the type of gamblers, gangsters, hoods, and show people…

Review: “Something Rotten!” in Santa Rosa

The Venn diagram that displays the relationship between lovers of the works of William Shakespeare and musical theatre probably shows very little overlap. Nevertheless, if you’re in either category – and especially if you’re in that overlap – you should head to Santa Rosa’s 6th Street Playhouse and catch one of their remaining performances of…

Review: “Chapatti” in Healdsburg

The 222 is a non-profit, member-supported arts, culture, and entertainment venue that’s housed in the Paul Mahder Gallery in Healdsburg. Open since 2021, to date it’s presented musical programs, literary readings, film presentations, and other community events. Professional theatre now enters that mix with a series of productions programmed by well-known Bay Area theatre artist…

Review: “Kinky Boots the Musical” in Mill Valley

Watch it, Mill Valley! Your quiet little burg is currently under siege from what may be (according to some pundits and politicians) the greatest threat our nation faces in these troubled times. Lock your windows and bolt your doors because attendees of the latest show at the Throckmorton Theatre have reported multiple sightings of… drag…

Review: “Smart People” in Santa Rosa

Conversations overheard during the intermission of a show often provide fascinating insights into an audience’s immediate reaction to what they’re experiencing. Topics can range from the temperature in the theater (“too cold”) to the running time of the first act (“too long”) to the volume level of the actors when delivering dialogue (“too low.”). All…

Review: “Hay Fever” in Healdsburg

Eccentric families have long been a source of humor for popular entertainments from TV’s Addams Family to film’s Royal Tenenbaums. Kaufman and Hart’s You Can’t Take It with You may be the preeminent stage production on the subject and is one of the most produced plays since its premiere in 1936, but Noël Coward beat…