by Harry Duke * Audiences don’t go to jukebox musicals for their plots. The often threadbare and/or ridiculous storylines used as bridging material between popular songs by an artist or group are tolerated by audiences waiting to hear the next in a series of greatest hits, be they by Patsy Kline, the Go-Gos, or Neil…
by Cari Lynn Pace * Marin County’s Larry Sultan took photos of his parents over a decade, creating a loving tribute to them and an often-annoying pain in the neck for them. Sultan travelled to his childhood home in Southern California each month seeking conversations and photographing his parents’ lives in search of a deeper…
by Cari Lynn Pace * When a stage musical is made into a hit movie, can local singers, actors, and the painted scenery match the excitement of the film’s special effects and celebrity cast? If the production is Mamma Mia!, now being presented by the Novato Theater Company through June 7, the answer is “Yes,…
North Bay artists and productions recognized by the SFBATCC North Bay theatre artists and companies received significant recognition at the 49th San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Excellence in Theatre Awards Gala. Hundreds of theatre artists from throughout the Bay Area attended the event which was held on Monday, March 30, 2026 at the…
by Cari Lynn Pace * If you expect this rock music show to be loud and in-your-face, you are correct. What you may not expect is how Alanis Morissette’s emotional songs resonate in today’s angry world. Drug use? Sexual predators? Political privilege? Color bias? Lover infidelity? They’re all here, exploding from the intimate Novato Theater…
by Cari Lynn Pace * If you are a fan of Stephen Sondheim, you will be delighted with this Throckmorton Theatre production of Company. If you don’t care for Sondheim’s repetitive musical style, you will still be delighted with this production. It’s a show filled with non-stop energy. Company focuses on bachelor Bobby’s 35th birthday…
by Cari Lynn Pace * Marin Theatre’s Boyer stage holds a magnificent set by Nina Ball populated with characters from somewhere in Russia. They lounge around while gossiping about their expected guests. When the house guests arrive, their long-absent relationships are sorted out. The arriving drama queen is Liubov, in a flighty and capricious role…
by Cari Lynn Pace * During WWI, communication in the field of battle was critical to the Army. Soldiers could not work the plug-and-cord switchboards fast and efficiently, causing poor results and failed coordination with our Allies in Europe. Desperate, the Army reluctantly recruited female switchboard operators who could translate calls between English and French.…
by Cari Lynn Pace * Novato Theater Company’s highly imaginative presentation of Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth, running now through February 15, opens with a clever B&W film reel, spoofing the actors, establishing the mood, and setting the time squarely in the 1940’s. This inventive intro is just one of several creative special…
Marin theatre companies reach back to 1904,1942, and 2018 for shows to draw audiences into their houses in 2026. A classic drama, a Pulitzer Prize-winning allegory, and a modern musical look at the U.S.’s first women soldiers are what’s on tap for the New Year. The Novato Theater Company is first out of the gate…
North Bay Stage and Screen 