by Harry Duke* Local audiences seeking a solid presentation of an American theatrical classic actually have two very diverse choices right now. The Raven Performing Arts Theater hosts the Raven Players’ production of Stephen Sondheim’s massive macabre musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street while The 222 offers Sam Shepard’s more intimate fraternal…
My guests on the 10/22/25 “Theatre Thursday” segment on The Drive on 95.5 were Garet Waterhouse and Katie Watts-Whitaker from the Raven Players production of the Stephen Sondheim classic Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The macabre musical runs at the Raven Performing Arts Theater in Healdsburg through November 8. Click below to…
by Cari Lynn Pace * Don’t hate me, but I have never been much of a fan of Stephen Sondheim musicals (except for West Side Story.) Sondheim’s Follies, now being presented by Sonoma Arts Live through September 27 on the Rotary Stage at the Sonoma Community Center, changed my sentimental mind. James Goldman wrote the…
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 * With a book by James Lapine and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Into the Woods involves crossing the paths of multiple characters from several Brothers Grimm fairy tales. It’s an ambitious undertaking for any theater. Challenges include strong solo voices, complex lyrics, live orchestral music, clever choreography, creative costumes,…
by Cari Lynn Pace * Sweeney Todd is the malevolent plot likely inspired by the campfire song “Dunderbeck’s Machine” which my Dad sang to us as youngsters. We boisterously sang along as mean old Dunderbeck turned critters into sausages, ultimately getting his just reward. Stephen Sondheim created an amped-up plot of human gruesomeness in this…
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… Into the Woods – Spreckels Theatre Company Pluses: cast, live orchestra, costumes, puppetry work Minuses: show length, repetiveness, audio issues Long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe started to…
My guests on the 05/01/25 “Theatre Thursday” segment on The Drive on 95.5 were Andrew and Maeve Smith, cast members from the Spreckels Theatre Company production of Company. The musical runs in the Codding Theatre at the Spreckels Performing Arts Center in Rohnert Park through May 18. Click below to listen: ********** Click HERE for…
My guests on the June 27 “Theatre Thursday” segment on The Drive on 95.5 were Anthony Martin and Molly Larsen-Shine from the Raven Players production of Company. The show runs at The Playhouse in the Windsor High School Theater Building through July 21. Click below to hear the interview: ********** Click HERE for more information.
My guest on the May 11 “Theatre Thursday” segment on The Drive on KSRO was Jennifer Boesing from the Mountain Play production of Into the Woods. Click below to listen: ********** Click the graphic below for more information:
