Tuesday, October 30, 2018

LA Phil's THE TEMPEST Brings Sibelius and Shakespeare Together on Stage


A storm is brewing in Walt Disney Concert Hall and on November 8, 9 & 10th it will ring to the rafters with gale-force intensity. That’s when director Barry Edelstein and The Old Globe’s major new production of THE TEMPEST lands on stage.

Susanna Mälkki conducts Sibelius’ evocative music for Shakespeare’s masterpiece about a shipwreck on a magical island, featuring a cast of 27 actors, singers, and dancers, plus the Los Angeles Master Chorale. The fully-staged performance stars Lior Ashkenazi as Prospero with Tony Award nominees Beth Malone (Ariel) and Tom McGowan (Caliban), and award-wining stage and screen actor Peter MacNicol (Sebastian) among its cast.

Drinks in The  Garden special discount:
For the Friday, November 9th performance, use promo code SOUNDINGPOINT for 20% off terrace-section seats. Then come early Friday night (beginning at 6:30 pm) and enjoy complimentary drinks and a unique view of the DTLA skyline from the Garden. It’s a great way to end your week on a high note.


SIBELIUS AND SHAKESPEARE: THE TEMPEST
LA Phil at Walt Disney Concert Hall
111 South Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90012
CLICK HERE for tickets and more information.

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Saturday, September 23, 2017

Review: BENNY AND JOON, A Breath of Fresh Air for your Musical Senses

Hannah Elless and Bryce Pinkham

The Old Globe has opened a window and let in a beautiful breath of fresh air in its latest world premiere musical, Benny and Joon, by bookwriter Kirsten Guenther, composer Nolan Gasser, and lyricist Mindi Dickstein. Based on the 1993 MGM film starring Johnny Depp, Mary Stuart Masterson and Aidan Quinn, it focuses on three characters, each insulated by their unique circumstances, and how they ultimately overcome their limitations to live the life they’ve always wanted. Love, family, compassion, and understanding are the foundation of the piece and, as they grow, so do we. 

Joon (Hannah Elles) suffers from a form of mental illness that means she hears voices when she’s off her meds. Order is the key to her world and when that order is interrupted, it prompts uncontrollable outbursts, making her a danger to herself and others. Benny (Andrew Samonsky) is the older brother who has taken care of her ever since their parents died in a car accident ten years earlier. A mechanic with plenty of guy friends, but no love life, he dutifully shoulders his responsibility because he loves his sister but he also uses it as a reason not to get close to people. Outside of poker nights with the guys, his world consists of managing interruptions from Joon and little else.

Enter Sam (Bryce Pinkham), the eccentric cousin of one of Benny’s poker buddies, and the catalyst who turns everything upside down. Sam’s unusual way of navigating through life helps Benny and Joon see that sometimes you have to look at the world a little differently in order to make it all work out. He uses humor and classic movie bits to diffuse tension in others and he does it so spontaneously that it works every time.

Bryce Pinkham

The musical’s task is accomplished with a fair amount of whimsy and a sensitive hand by the writers and director Jack Cummings III. They establish it from the get-go, with a paper origami bird, a miniature train, and the promise of a journey slightly askew. The beauty of the opening is that you know immediately what kind of musical you’re going to see and then it follows through and delivers on what it sets up.

All of the film’s best moments are here, several of them staged so sweetly and with such a light touch that they seem to dance, even when there is no musical accompaniment. Some – like Sam’s famous dancing roll scene in the diner and his method of cooking grilled cheese sandwiches with an iron – are set quite effectively to instrumental music. Others receive full-on song development and move the story forward at an accelerated clip while expressing the characters’ inner dialogue in a way not available to their film counterparts. So many of the songs are winners.

Dickstein’s lyrics are rich with insight and Gasser’s melodies capture the vastly different rhythms of each character, a complicated task in any musical but in this one it defines the characters on a whole other level. In “Safety First” we see why Joon feels compelled to stand in the middle of a busy intersection and direct traffic even though it makes her look crazy, and in “In My Head” we begin to understand the real reason Sam is obsessed with the movies. The driving rock inflections in the song express the pounding desperation inside Sam’s head and the escape that celluloid provided from a cruel world.

Hannah Elless and Bryce Pinkham

The choice to have Joon play the ukulele while singing “Happy” perfectly captures the gentle joy she feels in the moment (is there any friendlier sound than a ukulele?) and in the most unconventional of love songs, “It’s a Shame” sung by Joon and Sam, reveals just how perfect for each other these two unusual individuals really are.

On the outside, Joon often seems “normal” and Elless achieves an interesting dichotomy with the character. When she is not completely in control of her surroundings or is showing a softer, more childlike side, Elless still includes Joon’s internal durability, just as when she is exercising her strength of will she also retains her fragility. It is a wonderful play on personality that creates a complex character the audience roots for without hesitation. She is delicate, determined, and delightful.

As Sam, Pinkham takes the Johnny Depp role and reinvents the character into one audiences will talk about for years to come. For that reason alone you need to see the show. He sings beautifully, possesses the kind of comic and physical timing that can’t be taught, and does everything so effortlessly that you want him to repeat every scene again and again. Whether he’s rolling in on skates and pushing a kitchen cabinet or dancing with a mop, defending the rights of Baked Alaska or summoning up the courage to get a job, he is the imaginative link that fuels the show. Pinkham’s progression from insecure to confident in a single song (“I Can Help”) is a showstopper and his onstage chemistry with Elless is immediate. It is a darling performance, never precious, and so memorable there are sure to be award bells ringing in the future for the actor.

Jason SweetTooth Williams and Bryce Pinkham

In the category of things that need rethinking: Benny’s translation from film to stage doesn’t yet work. In the movie, it was always clear that Benny’s love for Joon was more important than anything else. Even at his most frustrated point, Aidan Quinn’s sincerity allowed the audience to remain sympathetic to him. Here, Benny turns into a phenomenal jerk when the conflict is highest and Samonsky hits the beat so viciously that he isn’t able to recover from alienating the audience, even with a song that explains his actions after the fact. Of course the frustrations he lets out in his tirade toward June are legitimate but it’s a fine line that still needs to be tuned.

That, coupled with a lack of chemistry between he and Ruthie (January LaVoy) and LaVoy’s lackluster performance, makes this couple fizzle out before they even begin. She is the weak vocal link in an otherwise strong vocal ensemble. Without a more believable attraction, this secondary romantic storyline falls flat. 

The supporting characters are also trying hard to make as much of their short stage time as possible but some of their performances come off as forced. Scenes with Dr. Cruz (Natalie Toro), in particular, could benefit from significant cutting. Her advice song “There Is No Secret” feels like it is inserted just to give her a solo and that’s not a good enough reason. Make the point in short dialogue and move on rather than turning it into a downer orchid sequence that may have looked good on paper but doesn’t translate well to the stage. The office scene and song “Wonder” is also too drawn out to hold our interest, and a reprise of the song sung by the doctor is an unnecessary comment.

Hannah Elless and Andrew Samonsky

The crux of the show is the relationship between Benny and Joon and Sam. When the focus stays on them the musical’s inherent sweetness blossoms and, when it doesn’t, it fades.

Dane Laffrey’s primary set piece – a Google Earth-inspired map of Benny and Joon’s neighborhood – is a sleek and dramatic way to represent how the orderly appearance of a thing may not tell the whole story. There are times the three dimensional backdrop even resembles a storybook pop-up or a board game with the players all advancing according to the roll of the dice – two steps forward, one step back. A rolling track in the floor allows for the smooth transition of furniture and other items that set the individual scenes. Once you accept the repetitive device, you see how effectively it solves the question of how to cut quickly between many different locations.

R. Lee Kennedy’s lighting lends intimacy as it creates the parameters of each space in the absence of actual walls. A breathtaking reveal late in the show takes the visual representation of freedom to a new level. The creative team’s thoughtful use of color, order, and function works for the kind of story being told. It should feel unexpected and it does.

Regardless of our circumstances, we're all in search of a happy ending. Benny and Joon is a quirky new musical that will make you believe a happy ending is possible no matter what stands in your way. Fresh, inventive, and full of charm, it's a feel-good musical that will warm your heart.  

BENNY AND JOON
September 7 – October 22, 2017
The Old Globe
1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park
San Diego, CA
www.theoldglobe.org

L-R: Paolo Montalban, Jason SweetTooth Williams, Colin Hanlon, Andrew Samonsky,
Hannah Elless and Bryce Pinkham

Hannah Elless

January LaVoy, Andrew Samonsky, Bryce Pinkham and Hannah Elless

January LaVoy, Andrew Samonsky, Bryce Pinkham and Hannah Elless

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Monday, July 10, 2017

Photo Blast: The Old Globe's GUYS AND DOLLS

(Center) J. Bernard Calloway as Nathan Detroit and the cast of Guys and Dolls.
All photos by Jim Cox

Frank Loesser’s Guys and Dolls is making a splash on stage at The Old Globe in San Diego now through August 13. Nathan Detroit’s (J. Bernard Calloway) floating crap game is on the move and Sky Masterson (Terence Archie) needs to win big in this high energy singing and dancing classic musical masterpiece. But when Nathan’s long suffering fiancé Miss Adelaide (Veronica J. Kuehn) gives him an ultimatum and Sky accidentally falls in love with Sarah Brown (Audrey Cardwell) of the Save -a-Soul Mission, all bets are off as to who will win in the end. Based on Damon Runyon’s famous tales of small-time hoods and showgirls, the show is filled with some of the most singable tunes ever, including “Luck Be a Lady,” “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” and “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.” Get your tickets now at www.theoldglobe.org.

Audrey Cardwell (Sarah Brown) and Terence Archie (Sky Masterson)

Veronica J. Kuehn (Miss Adelaide) and the Hot Box Girls

L-R: Matt Bauman (Benny Southstreet) and Todd Buonopane (Nicely-Nicely Johnson)

Crapshooters Ballet

"Sit Down You're Rockin' Th Boat with Todd Buonopane (Nicely-Nicely Johnson)
and the cast

L-R: Veronica J. Kuehn (Miss Adelaide) and Audrey Cardwell (Sarah Brown)

"Luck Be A Lady" with Terence Archie and the cast


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Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Discount for a New Musical, National Dance Day Instruction Video, and a New Guys and Dolls

The Broad Stage is offering a special Independence Day Sale through today only for The BeBe Winans Story, which runs July 11 – August 6. You can save 50% on select preview performances (7/11-7/14 and 7/16 (7:30 pm) -7/19) with the code FAITH. Limit of 4 tickets per account. The musical is the story of Detroit natives BeBe and CeCe Winans, who joined Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker’s Praise the Lord television show, and became television celebrities. But with success comes challenges and BeBe must learn to balance his desire for success with his true calling. Watch Nita Whitaker sing “Seventh Son” in the rehearsal video below and then get your tickets at Thebroadstage.org/bornforthis


On July 29, The Music Center partners with The Dizzy Feet Foundation to present its 6th annual FREE celebration of National Dance Day place in Grand Park from 10am – 2pm. The day includes music, dance workshops, performances and other activities hosted by some of LA’s best dance companies. The Dizzy Feet Foundation also produces an instructional video online so participants can learn the routines and perform them on National Dance Day. Check out Jade Chynoweth and Carlito Olivero from Step Up: High Water, who teach the simple routine below and get ready to have some fun! Musiccenter.org/ndd


And in San Diego, audiences can enjoy an American classic this summer as Josh Rhodes returns to direct and choreograph Frank Loesser’s Guys and Dolls at The Old Globe. Previous Globe audiences saw his directorial work in Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, and choreography in the new musical, Bright Star, and this one looks great! Show runs through August 13. Tickets: www.TheOldGlobe.org


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Wednesday, August 17, 2016

MUSICAL NEWS for Wednesday, August 17, 2016

NEW SEASONS
Valley Performing Arts Center launches its 2016-2017 season with a one night only performance of Jerry Herman’s Dear World starring Tyne Daly as Countess Aurelia, Friday, Sept 30 at 8pm. This concert version of the show was created specifically for VPAC by veteran producer Suzi Dietz and will be directed by Emmy Award winner David Lee. Darryl Archibald will make his VPAC debut as musical director. Daly leads a cast of 13 performers, accompanied by a live 25-piece orchestra and a student chorus. The Broadway Series at Valley Performing Arts Center continues with Kelli O’Hara in concert, October 14, West Side Story, March 10 – 12, 2017 and Man of La Mancha May 5 – 7, 2017. www.valleyperformingartscenter.org

Latino Theatre Company celebrates its 30th anniversary by presenting Evelina Fernández’s award-winning trilogy, Faith, Hope and Charity, in its entirety as one unforgettable tour de force - A Mexican Trilogy: An American Tale. You can choose to experience the epic adventure over the course of two evenings or as one all-day immersive experience (box dinners available for purchase). Directed by Latino Theater Company’s artistic director José Luis Valenzuela, it features musical direction by Rosino Serrano and choreography by Urbanie Lucero. A Mexican Trilogy runs Sept 8 – Oct 9 (opening night 9/15).


A Mexican Triilogy: Faith. Photo by Pablo Santiago

The story follows the Morales family through decades of the Mexican-American experience, from a remote mining town in Arizona during World War II, to the Phoenix family home during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and, finally to Los Angeles following the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005. Compelling, funny, with songs and a splash of magical realism, it touches on aspects of tradition, religion, labor issues, war and the clash between immigrants and their first and second generation American offspring. In just five hours, the twelve-actor ensemble portrays members of the Morales family over the course of 90 years and four generations. As the years fly by, we recognize the music of each era in classic songs ranging from the Andrews Sisters and Glenn Miller, to the Isley Brothers and Elvis, to Jimi Hendrix, all sung live. Cast stars Lucy Rodriguez, Olivia Cristina Delgado, Esperanza America, Ella Saldaña North, Sal Lopez, Kenneth Miles Ellington Lopez, Julio Macias, Sam Golzari, Evelina Fernández, Robert Beltran, Xavi Moreno, and Geoffrey Rivas. For a complete schedule of dates and times visit www.thelatc.org.

Panic! Productions kicks off its 2016-2017 season with Alfred Uhry and Jason Robert Brown’s Parade, Sept 9 – 24 at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts in Thousand Oaks. David Daniels directs, with music direction by Ben Ginsberg, vocal direction by Marilyn Anderson, and choreography by Brance Souza. Broadway veteran Joshua Finkel stars as Leo Frank, with Dana Shaw playing his wife, Lucille. The musical dramatizes the trial of Leo Frank, a Jewish factory owner accused of murdering a young girl in Atlanta, Georgia in 1913. It was sensationalized by the media and aroused anti-Semitic tensions in Atlanta and beyond. www.hillcrestarts.com

NEW WORKS
Overtone Industries, known for its development of contemporary music theatre and experimental opera, presents the next phase of its epic new multidisciplinary production, Iceland, in concert form, at the Ford Theatres’ newly renovated amphitheatre on Friday, October 7, 8:30pm. The new work is written and composed by O-Lan Jones, in collaboration with acclaimed Irish singer-songwriter Emmett Tinley. It is a modern love story, set in a mythical and timeless world, where ancient creatures challenge the hero and heroine on an archetypal journey. The work begins in an Icelandic airport before journeying off the map of the known world, into the realm of “The Hiddenfolk” and the vast mythic inner landscapes of Iceland.

Cesili Williams and the Hiddenfolk. Photo by Martha Benedict

I saw the first half hour of the piece during REDCAT’s New Works Festival in 2014 and was quite taken with it. I’m excited to see this next phase of its development. This performance at The Ford will be the first time it will be heard with full orchestration and complete score. The performance is directed and choreographed by Ken Roht, with musical direction by David O. Cast includes Emmett Tinley as Mundi and Cesili Williams as Vala, with Patty Cornell, Matthew McCray, MJ Silva, and Silvie Zamora. www.fordtheatres.org

The Old Globe’s 2016–2017 Season begins with October Sky, a tale of boys, rockets, and big dreams inspired by the beloved 1999 Universal Pictures film and Rocket Boys by Homer H. Hickam, Jr. Book is by Drama Desk nominee Brian Hill (The Story of My Life) and Aaron Thielen (Hero) and music is by Michael Mahler (Diary of a Wimpy Kid). It is directed by Rachel Rockwell and produced in association with Universal Stage Productions. Kyle Selig stars as Homer Hickam, Ron Bohmer as John Hickam, and Kerry O’Malley as Elsie Hickam. Cast also includes Rebecca Bellingham, Joel Blum, Will Branner, James Royce Edwards, Steve Gouveia, Kevyn Morrow, Austyn Myers, Destan Owens, Liam Quealy, Patrick Rooney, Connor Russell, Lance Arthur Smith, Betsy Stewart, Nick Sullivan, and more. Show runs Sept 10 - Oct 23.  www.TheOldGlobe.org

El Molino Viejo celebrates its 200th year with a new adaptation of Zane Grey’s western romance The Light of Western Stars. The two hour world premiere play with music is adapted by Bob Colleary and directed by Billy Gill, produced by Allison Darby Gorjian and Betsy Roth, and developed and presented by Little Candle Productions. Can East Coast socialite Madeline Hammond tame the last corners of the Wild West when she follows in the footsteps of her runaway brother? Set in 1912 Arizona, see what happens when an independent, high-society woman and one of America’s last cowboys tussle. Performances are August 19, 20 & 21 at 7:30 pm at El Molino Viejo, 1120 Old Mill Road in San Marino. www.littlecandleproductions.com

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Saturday, July 23, 2016

Review: It's Austen Time - Sense and Sensibility / I Love You Because

L-R: Megan McGinnis (Marianne Dashwood) and Sharon Rietkerk (Elinor Dashwood)
Photo by Liz Lauren, courtesy of Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

This past week I saw two different musicals that have taken their inspiration from classic Jane Austen novels and, while completely different in size and scale, both have considerable merits. The first is in San Diego where Paul Gordon’s to-die-for new musical Sense and Sensibility is gracing the stage at The Old Globe.

Produced in association with Chicago Shakespeare Theater and directed by Barbara Gaines, it is a gold mine for lovers of Austen’s epic romances, and this gorgeously appointed production soars.

With only a few bold strokes, scenic designer Kevin Depinet captures the sweeping elegance of Austen’s late 18th century England before the performance even begins. The effect of his choices, such as a swirling floor-to-ceiling flourish and oversized gilt-framed portraits that dramatically fly in and out, create movement and a seamless integration with the storytelling that somehow feels just right.

Add Susan E. Mickey’s absolutely ravishing costumes and a rich lighting design by Donald Holder and this three dimensional cutout world literally springs to life out of the darkness.

The adaptation centers all of its attention on the two elder Dashwood sisters and their tenuous situation following the death of their father. Elinor (Sharon Rietkerk) is the sensible one, somewhat reserved and always responsible, while the younger Marianne (Megan McGinnis) is of a more passionate and willful nature. By story’s end, each will need to expand her view of the world to include a bit of the other’s outlook on life in order to find love. But no matter their trials, this is Austen so we know where we’re headed. It’s the getting there that makes the story so much fun.

Gordon’s gift for bringing characters to life is evident in the way he has written the sisters. Their relationship is honest and believable, their loyalty to each other sincere. Rietkerk and McGinnis also sing beautifully and when their voices come together in duets like “Lavender Drops” and “Somewhere in Silence,” we hear some of Gordon’s most satisfying harmonies.

Sean Allan Krill. Photo by Liz Lauren

The men are equally as distinct, from the dashing but ultimately fickle Willoughby (Peter Saide), to the easily flustered Edward Ferrars (Wayne Alan Wilcox) to the somewhat stiff Colonel Brandon (Sean Allan Krill, whose comic ability is on full display in “Wrong Side of Five and Thirty.”) He is irresistible.

Without a doubt, this lovely Austen musical will easily win over even the least hopeless romantic in the audience with its heavenly music, gorgeous voices, quirky comedy, and a story that will make you tear up more than once. A road trip south for this Austen musical is just the flight of fancy you need. Through August 14, 2016. www.theoldglobe.org

Closer to home, the scrappy young After Hours Theatre Company is mounting a contemporary twist on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice at the Hudson Backstage Theatre in Hollywood. It’s titled I Love You Because and features book & lyrics by Ryan Cunningham and music by Joshua Salzman.

In this version the writers have done a gender switch with Elizabeth Bennet becoming Austin Bennett and Mr. Darcy now Marcy Darcy. Their approach is a modern one with the story set in New York City, present day, as it takes on the judgements and complications of the dating world.

Austin MacPhee and Aly French. Photo by Bryan Carpender

It isn’t nearly as sophisticated as Gordon’s Sense and Sensibility and its more loosely-adapted book does feel a bit dated (the musical was first presented at the National Alliance for Musical Theatre Festival in 2005). What makes it work in this instance is director Rebecca Kenigsberg’s likable cast and some luscious arrangements of Larry Hochman’s original orchestrations by musical director Elmo Zapp.

Instead of two sisters we have two best friends, Marcy (Aly French), a no-nonsense photographer, and Diana (Shelley Regner), an actuary, who lives her life by the numbers. Marcy has recently broken up with her douchebag boyfriend and is heartbroken while Diana is simply looking to find someone to have a little fun with.

The pair reminded me of a young Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, so engaging is their friendship, and French bears a striking resemblance to Poehler. Along comes socially awkward Austin (Austin MacPhee), also recently uncoupled, and his malapropism-prone brother Jeff (Nick Bredonsky). From the moment they meet, it’s ‘let the dating games begin.’

A bright, optimistic opening number sets the tone of the piece. Elmo Zapp takes the score and re-orchestrates it, adding strings to amp up the emotional impact, eliminating reeds where they sound hollow, and expanding the textures to create a deeper richness all the way around. Marcy’s Act I finale “Just Not Now” (with Zapp on electric cello) and Austin’s eleven o’clock number “Goodbye” are particularly well-suited to his style. His treatment of the quartet “But I Do,” which is all about disappointment, is haunting in its lack of resolution. 

Scenes alternate between New York apartments and the bar/coffee shop where the couples gather. Act I is somewhat repetitious but when the characters begin to drop their guard in Act II it starts to pick up speed. Two additional utility actors cover all the different baristas, bartenders, and other generic characters but they are an unnecessary distraction. Most of their time is spent watching the main couples and in this intimate space it only serves to pull focus from the story.

Still, there is something charming about the production that makes it attractive on a number of levels. This fresh, young theatre company is on the right track by choosing a musical that will easily appeal to its peers. It’s a lighthearted look at the pitfalls of love and romance, and that’s something we can all relate to. Through August 7, 2016. Ticket Link

Austin MacPhee and Nick Bredosky. Photo by Bryan Carpender

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Tuesday, June 21, 2016

The Old Globe's West Coast Premiere of SENSE AND SENSIBILITY Opens July 6th

Megan McGinnis as Marianne Dashwood and Peter Saide as Willoughby.
All photos by Liz Lauren, courtesy of Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Tony Award nominee Paul Gordon (Emma, Jane Eyre, Daddy Long Legs) and director Barbara Gaines have refashioned Jane Austen’s timeless classic Sense and Sensibility into a gorgeous, thrillingly romantic musical which will make its west coast premiere at The Old Globe in San Diego beginning July 6. Gaines is artistic director of Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the company that commissioned the production, where it had its world premiere in April 2015. It was developed in with CST creative producer, Rick Boynton.

Megan McGinnis (whom you’ll remember from Daddy Long Legs) stars as Marianne Dashwood and Sharon Rietkerk as Elinor Dashwood in Austen’s story of two sisters who lose their fortune, their home, and all their prospects following their father’s untimely death. But fortunes can turn again, and these plucky heroines will face their situation with courage and resolve in this new musical featuring another ravishing score by Paul Gordon.

Among others, the cast will also star Emily Berman as Lucy Steele, Sean Allan Krill as Colonel Brandon, Colin Morgan as Mr. Harris, Brian Ray Norris as Lord Middleton, Peter Saide as Mr. Willoughby, David Schlumpf as John Dashwood, Paula Scrofano as Mrs. Jennings, Elizabeth Telford as Miss Grey, Jill Van Velzer as Fanny Dashwood, and Wayne Alan Wilcox as Edward Ferrars. Show runs July 6 – Aug 14 (opening night 7/14). Tickets are available by calling (619) 234-5623 or online at www.TheOldGlobe.org.

Megan McGinnis and Sharon Rietkerk as Marianne and Elinor Dashwood

Sean Allan Krill as Colonel Brandon

Megan McGinnis

Wayne Wilcox as Edward Ferrars and Sharon
Rietkerk as Elinor Dashwood 

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Wednesday, March 30, 2016

First Look: Eden Espinosa as Sadie Thompson in RAIN at The Old Globe

The world premiere musical RAIN is now playing at The Old Globe in San Diego through May 1, 2016. Somerset Maugham’s classic story Rain was adapted as a movie three times, his iconic character Sadie Thompson played successively by Gloria Swanson, Joan Crawford, and Rita Hayworth. Now a brand-new musical comes to the Globe from Tony Award nominees Michael John LaChiusa and Sybille Pearson.

Eden Espinosa as Sadie Thompson and Jared Zirilli as Alfred Davidson
All photos by Jim Cox

The year is 1924, the setting a boarding hotel on the island of Western Samoa, where a missionary, a doctor, and their wives are scandalized by Sadie’s arrival, particularly when they learn what she does for a living. But the missionary has secrets of his own, and when he tries to shut down Sadie’s business and save her soul, more heats up than the South Pacific sun. Artistic Director Barry Edelstein makes his musical theatre debut with this gorgeous and powerful new work revealing the explosive nature of repressed desire. Tickets: www.theoldglobe.org

Eden Espinosa (Sadie Thompson-front) with Marie-France Arcilla
(Noi Noi), Elizabeth A. Davis (Anna Davidson) and Jeremy Davis (Jo)

Eden Espinosa

The cast of RAIN

Jeremy Davis (Jo) and Marie-France Arcilla (Noi Noi)

Eden Espinosa (Sadie Thompson) and Tally Sessions (Alec MacPhail)

Eden Espinosa (Sadie Thompson) and Mike Sears (Hopper)

Eden Espinosa and Tally Sessions

Tally Sessions Betsy Morgan as Louisa MacPhail

Marie-France Arcilla

The cast of RAIN

The cast of RAIN

Eden Espinosa

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