THEATRE COMMENTARY
of the evening, Michael Araneta, sitting at his keyboard reminding me of a Latino Stevie Wonder, expresses the desire and pain of love sought, love gained and love lost in his original songs “Night and Day” and “How to Say It.”
Drag queens “Perra Pumps” (Javier Luis Hurtado), “Cuca RoChez” (A. Daniel Ramos) and TiaJuana Bone (Ron Rendon) appear several times during the evening both singly and in ensemble to goose up the show with a faux lip-synching passion and high heeled dancing that is joyous and hilari- ous.
Handsome young Emanuel “Neza”
Reyes, using multimedia projections, tells his touching love story of “two gay vatos in love.” He joins with poet Yosimar Reyes to read the humorous, yearning poem “I Want to Be Deported with You.” Mr. Reyes returns near the end to read a terrific autobiographical poem about his youth growing up with his “Tias” and his “Abuelita” who become both his role models and a cau- tionary tale of endurance, constancy and love for the wrong men. Sarita Ocón knocked me out with her dramatic scene of a young woman auditioning before unseen, unheard auditor(s?) who keep demanding more and more alterations to her prepared monologue. She breathes deeply and
Three Dot Quick Takes…
If you haven’t experienced Mount Madonna School’s extravaganza Ramayana! or even if you have, you should get over to the Mexican Heritage Center Theater to see the ancient Indian epic come alive with amazing spectacle and thrilling story- telling all performed by more than two hundred students ages three to eight- een. Now in its thirty-third year, “this is the longest-running production of Ramayana in the Western Hemisphere and dynamic entertainment for the whole family.” The show has a brief run June 10-12 and routinely sells out. Reserved tickets on sale now…Genuine rotating rep is rare in the theatre. Oregon
Haydee Alesandro
Piano Lessons in Your Home Morgan Hill - San Martin - Gilroy
Beginners • Intermediate Advanced
831-726-3328 50 June 2011 • Out & About
Shakespeare Festival does it. ACT famously did in its early days. This summer California
Theatre Center, an award winning professional the- atre for young audiences, pres- ents, in rotating
tries to please them, at each step shedding more and more of herself at she adopts false personae, until, inevitably, she thunderously rebels drawing an equally thunderous response from the audience. Brava, bravissima! Finally, burlesque performer Cherry Gallette, shares her body in a strip tease at once coy and bold. Enchanting and provocative but never lewd, she was joy! Thanks and kudos to El Teatro Campesino for providing a space for this troupe and their art.
MOUNTMADONNA SCHOOL’SRAMAYANA! PHOTO: MAUREEN PRAMANIK
repertory, Around the World in 80 Days, Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee, The Servant of Two Masters and The Emperor’s New Clothes June 3 – July 22 at Sunnyvale’s Community Theatre…It would be well worth your time and effort to get over to Center Stage in Santa Cruz for Jewel Theatre Company’s presentation of Samuel Becket’s Krapp’s Last Tape starring Paul Whitworth ‐ one weekend only! – June 2‐5…Limelight Actors Theater continues its commitment to “bring your own dinner theatre” with the com- edy Norman, Is That You? June 17 – July 19 at Gilroy Interim Center for the Arts… San Jose Stage Company offers up the Broadway hit Avenue Q. Producing Director Rick Singleton says “Avenue Q is part South Park and part Muppets in one musical.” The Sunday Times said, “Avenue Q has been called ‘brash, vulgar, and sometimes downright obscene’…I loved every minute of it.” It runs June 1 – July 3 at The Stage…The long anticipated, long announced musical Billy Elliot opens at SHN’s Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco June 27 – Sep 17. Details on these shows and more plus auditions can be found in OnStage, page 49.
See you at intermission!
~ Paul Myrvold has been a member of Actors' Equity since 1973 and has been writing and reviewing theatre and cinema for twenty years. After 3 very busy years, he is currently between shows.
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