60 San Diego Reader December 15, 2016
THEATER LISTINGS
Theater listings and commentary are by Jeff Smith unless otherwise noted. Information is accurate according to material given us, but it is always wise to phone the theater for any last-minute changes and to inquire about ticket availability. Many theaters offer discounts to students, senior citizens, and the military. Ask at the box office.
A Christmas Carol at Cygnet Cygnet Theatre reprises its holiday celebration of “a Victorian Christ- mas with original music and pup- petry,” adapted by Sean Murray with an original score by Billy Thompson.
Murray directs. CYGNET THEATRE, 4040 TWIGGS ST., OLD TOWN. 619-337-1525. 7PM THURSDAYS, 8PM FRIDAYS, 3PM & 8PM SATURDAYS, 2PM & 7PM SUNDAYS, 7PM WEDNESDAYS.
A Nice Family Christmas The Broadway Theatre stages the world premiere of Phil Olson’s com- edy. A traditional family gathering “takes a dark turn when the matri- arch announces she’s been diagnosed with cancer.” And will only have treatment if each of her children does a good deed for another fam-
ily member. BROADWAY THEATRE, 340 E. BROADWAY, VISTA. 760-806-7905. 7PM THURSDAYS & FRIDAYS, 1PM & 7PM SATURDAYS, 1PM SUNDAYS.
ANTI-REVIEW
THE PLAYWRIGHT Bash Doran has come right out and said in interviews that The Mystery of Love and Sex is a play partly about race, part ly family, and mostly sexuality; but that doesn’t mean we should give short shrift to how the play approaches friendship. L i ke C h ar l o t t e
(Rachael VanWormer) and Jonny (John W. Wells III) in Diversionary Te- atre’s production, my best friend and I met in grade school. Because my life is, as indeed most lives are, not so interesting as a play like The Mystery of Love and Sex, my best friend and I just remained friends of the ordinary sort, without the love quadrangles and confusing parental issues that vex Char- lotte and Jonny. I will say that, in college, I stole my best friend’s girl for a while, which shook the foundations of our friendship
A Snow White Christmas San Diego Theatres in collabora- tion with the San Diego Repertory Theatre present a Lythgoe Family Panto that updates the popular story of Snow White with magic, dance, contemporary music, and interactive
IAN PIKE I stole my best friend’s girl
pretty hard — but she went her way and I went mine. I mended fences with my best friend, too. And yet, aſter surviving that and other tests, our friendship
broken, it can wither. In that way, friendships, at least the really good ones, are like, say, your 20s — super awesome, but one day, you just wake up and they’re over. You know they were important, and you’re not exactly sad about the end, but you kind of feel like you nonetheless missed something. In that regard, I’m
Jonny (John Wells III) and Charlotte (Rachael VanWormer)
just sort of...died, with the pro- verbial whimper, at some point over the years that I still can’t exactly pin down. All I know now is that we aren’t really friends anymore, and we hadn’t been for a while before we stopped talking, because even if a friendship isn’t willfully
theater. Chris Baldock directs. LYCEUM THEATRE, 79 HORTON PLAZA,
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO. 619-544-1000. 7PM THURSDAYS & FRIDAYS, 12PM, 4PM, & 7PM SATURDAYS, 12PM & 4PM SUNDAYS, 7PM WEDNESDAYS.
glad for Charlot te and Jonny, because I don’t want to see their onstage friendship die. Te more “important” thing may be that they discover who they are
and how they fit into a crazy world that (surprise surprise) doesn’t exactly embrace them in their natural states, deeply flawed as they, standing in for all of us, may be. Even so, friendships like theirs are rarer than true love. Te Mystery of Love and Sex runs through December 24.
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The Angel’s Arms Lamb’s Players present, as their annual holiday show, Kerry Meads’s play about Jeffrey Scott, a novelist suffering from writer’s block in 1860. “A picturesque, deserted inn called “The Angel’s Arms” may be just the thing to revive his inspiration. But there’s more to this old, eccentric
inn than meets the eye.” LAMB’S PLAYERS THEATRE, 1142 ORANGE AVE., CORONADO. 619-437- 0600. 7PM THURSDAYS, 8PM FRIDAYS, 4PM & 8PM SATURDAYS, 2PM & 6PM SUNDAYS, 7PM TUESDAYS, 2PM & 7PM WEDNESDAYS.
Annie Jr. The Star Theatre presents the popular musical about never giv- ing up hope. Songs include “It’s a Hard Knock Life,” “Easy St.,” “Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile,” and “Tomorrow.” David Schulz directs, with musical direction by San-
dra Kopitzke. STAR THEATRE, 402 N. COAST HWY., OCEANSIDE. 760-721-9983. 7PM FRIDAY, 2PM & 7PM SATURDAY, 2PM SUNDAY.
Limited engagement through December 26 Final Two Weeks!
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Book and Lyrics by Timothy Mason Music by Mel Marvin
Original Production Conceived and Directed by Jack O’Brien J. Bernard Calloway. Photo by Jim Cox.
Directed by James Vasquez (619) 23-GLOBE! (234-5623)
www.TheOldGlobe.org Dr. Seuss Properties TM & (c) 1957 and 2016 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. All Rights Reserved.
CCT’s Traditions of Christmas Christian Community Theater pres- ents its popular holiday show at Lin- coln High’s Performing Arts Center. It’s “a musical journey through all the greatest Christmas songs and celebrations from around the world. Santa’s Workshop comes alive with dancing elves, Raggedy Ann dolls,
and magical toys.” LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL, 4777 IMPERIAL AVE., LINCOLN PARK. 619-266-6500. 7PM FRIDAY, 2PM & 7PM SATURDAY & SUNDAY, 7PM TUESDAY, DEC. 20 & WEDNESDAY, DEC. 21.
Christmas Belles PowPAC presents Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten’s comedy about a church Christmas program that spins out of control, thanks to “squabbling sisters, fam- ily secrets, a surly Santa, a vengeful
sheep and a reluctant Elvis imper- sonator.” Kate Hewitt directs. POWPAC, 13250 POWAY RD., POWAY. 858-679-8085. 8PM FRIDAYS & SATUR- DAYS, 2PM SUNDAYS.
Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas Once again the Green Meanie will try to ruin the holiday season for the citizens of Whoville. This is the Globe’s 18th staging. This time, will
he succeed? James Vasquez directs. OLD GLOBE THEATRE, 1363 OLD GLOBE WAY, BALBOA PARK. 619-234-5623. 7PM THURSDAYS & FRIDAYS, 2PM & 7PM SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS, 7PM TUESDAYS & WEDNESDAYS.
The Dybbuk for Hannah and Sam’s Wedding In a solo performance, Ron Camp- bell plays numerous guests at a wedding reception, plus all the char- acters in The Dybbuk, or Between Two Worlds, S. Ansky’s “realistic play about mystical people.” The task requires a tour de force. But the demands of the too often herky- herky script run counter to the pre- sentation. Campbell delivers; his efforts are definitely worth seeing. But the world premiere piece would be far better served if it concentrated more on the basic story (one of the most compelling in literature) and
less on the tour de force.Worth a try. SAN DIEGO REPERTORY THEATRE, 79 HORTON PLAZA, DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO. 619-544-1000. 8PM THURSDAYS & FRIDAYS, 4PM & 8PM SATURDAYS, 2PM & 7PM SUNDAYS.
The Eight: Reindeer Monologues North Coast Repertory Theatre presents Jeff Goode’s dark comedy: “eight reindeer dish about the real Santa. All those rumors you’ve heard about him and the elves? About Rudolph’s little secret? About Vixen’s story that was leaked to the press? All true” Note: language not suited
for children. NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE, 987-D LOMAS SANTA FE DR., SOLANA BEACH. 858-481-1055. 10PM FRIDAY & SATURDAY.
The Fantasticks For this theatrical classic, at Scripps Ranch Ted Leib directs with just the right touch of whimsy, pathos, and irony. Though Mary Allison Dun- smore and Mariel Shaw’s chore- ography is merely serviceable, the ingenue leads, Drew Bradford and Olivia Hudson, are perfectly suited to their roles. Their voices, while not brilliant, produce pleasing sounds. As El Gallo, Rudy Martinez elegantly narrates and interacts with fellow cast members in a superb perfor- mance. He sings the song “Try to Remember” with a gentle confidence and uderlying tenderness that works
well. Worth a try. SCRIPPS RANCH THEATRE, 9783 AVENUE OF NATIONS, SCRIPPS RANCH. 858-578-7728. 8PM FRIDAYS & SATUR- DAYS, 2PM SUNDAYS.
Forever Plaid: Plaid Tidings Welk Resorts Theatre presents a yuletide sequel to the popular musical revue. The legendary sing- ing quartet comes back to earth to perform the show they never got to, since a bus killed them on the way to their first semiprofessional gig. But why have they returned? And from where? David Humphrey
directs and choreographs., WELK RESORT THEATRE, 8860 LAWRENCE WELK DR., ESCONDIDO. 888-802-7469. 1PM & 8PM THURSDAYS
& SATURDAYS, 1PM SUNDAYS & WEDNESDAYS.
Holiday Stars of the Future Leigh Scarritt Productions and Martinis Above Fourth present this holiday show, with performances by the “stars of the future,” pared with “heartwarming, embarrassing, and inspiring moments of our favorite
time of the year.” MARTINIS ABOVE FOURTH, 3940 FOURTH AVENUE #200, HILLCREST. 619- 400-4500. 8PM TUESDAY, DEC. 20.
It’s a Wonderful Christmas Carol The North County Players stage a dramatic adaptation of Frank Capra’s popular Christmas movie. A long- suffering America businessman struggles against powerful forces with a little bit of heavenly help from his guardian angel, Clarence. “In the show’s final few minutes audience members can come on stage to be impromptu ‘citizens of
Bedford Falls.” WOMEN’S CLUB OF ESCONDIDO, 751 NORTH ROSE ST., ESCONDIDO. 7PM FRIDAYS.
Legally Blonde The Musical Legally Blonde The Musical follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes, snobbery, and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. Elle Woods appears to have it all. But her life is turned upside-down when her boyfriend dumps her so he can start getting serious about his life and attend Harvard Law School. Determined to get him back, Elle uses her charm to get into Harvard. At school, she struggles with peers, professors, and naysayers. But Elle quickly realizes her potential and
sets out to prove herself to the world. SCHOOL OF CREATIVE AND PERFORMING ARTS, 2425 DUSK DR., PARADISE HILLS. 619-470-0555. 7PM THURSDAY, FRIDAY, & SATURDAY.
Little Shop of Horrors Sapphire Theatre Company presents the “deviously delicious Broadway and Hollywood sci-fi musical.” Sey- mour Krelborn, meek floral assis- tant, names a new breed of plant he names “Audrey II” after his coworker crush. The plant, it turns out, is an insatiable carnivore that thrives on
human blood. 10TH AVENUE ARTS CENTER. 8PM THURSDAY & FRIDAY, 2PM & 8PM SAT- URDAY, 5PM SUNDAY.
Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play San Diego Musical Theatre stages the popular holiday classic, retold in the tradition of a live 1940’s era radio broadcast. When a department store Santa claims he’s the real Kris Kringle, his case goes all the way to
the Supreme Court. HORTON GRAND THEATRE, 444 FOURTH AVE., DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO. 619-234- 9583. 7PM THURSDAY, 8PM FRIDAY, 4PM & 8PM SATURDAY, 2PM SUNDAY, 7PM TUESDAY, DEC. 20 & WEDNESDAY, DEC. 21.
Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Radio Show For one weekend only, Oceanside Theatre Company presents the pop- ular Yuletide tale as a live broadcast on LUX Radio in 1948, “complete with live Foley sound effects, holiday carols, original classic commercials, and, of course, Santa Claus.” Rosie
Gordon directs. SUNSHINE BROOKS THEATRE, 217 N. COAST HWY., OCEANSIDE. 760-433- 8900. 7PM FRIDAY, 2PM & 7PM SATUR- DAY, 2PM SUNDAY.
Smash Year!
19th
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