Marquee Theater Journalists Association Announces Award Nominees for 2018

The Marquee Theater Journalists Association has released the list of nominees for its 3rd Annual MTJA Awards. The Association recognized the exemplary work of Sonoma County theater artists with nominations in seventeen categories that were culled from the sixty-six productions attended by MTJA members. Recipients will be announced at the 2018 MTJA Awards – A Celebration of Sonoma…

Review: “A Chorus Line” in Novato

A Chorus Line really isn’t done much by community theatres these days. The 1976 multi-award-winning musical requires about two dozen experienced dancer/singers to fill out the cast; a requirement that’s tough to fulfill.  If you’re gonna do it, best to start with a director with over four decades of experience in dance and choreography and…

Review: “Into the Woods” in Napa

In his ‘Director’s Notes’ for the Lucky Penny Production of Into the Woods, James D. Sasser discusses why directors often try to bring different approaches to popular works beginning with the old axiom that ‘familiarity breeds contempt.’ For someone who, in the role of theater critic, sees upwards of sixty shows a year, it’s a…

‘Dear Evan Hansen’ musical creators to perform in Petaluma

Popular Broadway musicals are often inspired by classic books. For example, next month’s Spreckels Theater Company production of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime,” written by Mark Haddon and adapted for the stage by Simon Stephens. Kander and Ebb’s ‘Cabaret,’ opening August 31 at Cinnabar Theater, is based on John Van Druten’s…

Review: “Shall We Dance” in Glen Ellen

Transcendence Theatre Company’s seventh season of “Broadway Under the Stars” continues with a dance-centric production entitled, appropriately enough, Shall We Dance. The show runs through August 19 at Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen. Transcendence imports Broadway and national touring professionals to populate their productions so the caliber of performance is always quite…

KSRO Interview: Directors of “The Super Trio”

My guests on the Thursday, July 26 theatre segment on KSRO’s The Drive with Steve Jaxon were playwright/composer/co-director/actor Brett Mollard and co-director/actor Ezra Hernandez from the Redwood Theatre Company’s original production of The Super Trio. Click below to hear that interview. *** For more information, go to redwoodtheatrecompany.com