The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘jazz’ as a type of music of black American origin characterized by improvisation, syncopation, and usually a regular or forceful rhythm. The same definition could be applied to Nambi E. Kelley’s Jazz, her theatrical adaptation of Toni Morrison’s 1992 novel of the same name. Awoye Timpo directs the Marin Theatre Company…
The theatrical treatments of two great American novels come alive on North Bay stages with mixed results in productions running through May 19. 6th Street Playhouse is presenting Christopher Sergel’s adaptation (not Aaron Sorkin’s) of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Sergel had an agreement with Lee to produce a theatrical version of her novel…
Most folk’s exposure to Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory came through reading the book or watching the somewhat renamed 1971 Gene Wilder film. “Charlie” purists rejected Tim Burton’s 2005 cinematic take on the tale as too dark and weird. Well folks, you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet. San Francisco’s SHN Golden Gate Theatre is…
My guests on the Thursday, May 2 theatre segment on KSRO’s The Drive with Steve Jaxon were Phoebe Moyer and Paige Picard from the Left Edge Theatre production of This Random World. Click below to listen: **********
Siblings and significant others do battle in two comedies running now on North Bay stages. Healdsburg’s Raven Players take you to rural Pennsylvania where Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike gather at the family homestead. Vanya (Steven David Martin) and Sonia (Diane Bailey) have held down the family fort and taken care of their…
My guests on the Thursday, April 25 theatre segment on KSRO’s The Drive with Steve Jaxon were Jaime Love and Melissa Claire from the Sonoma Arts Live production of Born Yesterday. Click below to listen: **********
Santa Rosa Junior College’s Theatre Arts Department closes out their second season ‘on the road’ with a production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s 1971 rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar. With the Burbank Auditorium still undergoing renovations, the Maria Carrillo High School theatre hosts this production through May 5. Director Leslie McCauley has gathered…
My guests on the Thursday, April 18 theatre segment on KSRO’s The Drive with Steve Jaxon were Leslie McCauley and Ariana LaMark from the Santa Rosa Junior College Theatre Arts production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Click below to listen: **********
My guests on the Thursday, April 11 theatre segment on KSRO’s The Drive with Steve Jaxon were Sandra Ish and Steven David Martin from the Raven Players production of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Click below to listen: **********
The venerable Ross Valley Players have a long history of presenting new works to their audiences. In 1984, they initiated the Ross Alternative Works (RAW) program, dedicated to staged readings and full productions of original works by Bay Area playwrights. This season brings Scott & Zelda: The Beautiful Fools, running now through April 28. Written…
North Bay Stage and Screen 