Thursday, November 30, 2006
Another John Doyle triumph
Well, according to Ben Brantley from the NY Times anyway.
Doyle is the mastermind behind the recent Sweeney Todd revival, featuring Patti LuPone Michael Cerveris, and all actors doubling as instrumentalists.
He pulls off the same trick with Company according to the Times.
I may be going to NYC in January (I know, it's not exactly the best time of year) so since I missed Sweeney, perhaps I must make sure to see this!
Doyle is the mastermind behind the recent Sweeney Todd revival, featuring Patti LuPone Michael Cerveris, and all actors doubling as instrumentalists.
He pulls off the same trick with Company according to the Times.
I may be going to NYC in January (I know, it's not exactly the best time of year) so since I missed Sweeney, perhaps I must make sure to see this!
Friday, November 24, 2006
Betty Comden dead at 89
Betty Comden, famed Broadway lyricist, who partnered with Adolph Green for nearly 60 years, has died from heart failure at the age of 90. source: New York Times
The lyricist behind On the Town, Wonderful Town and Bells Are Ringing Foothill has done these and other shows from their canon. That generation of Broadway history-makers is nearly gone. The article says her one autobiography dealt far more with her personal life than her professional life. Sounds like a lot of great stories probably died with Ms. Comden :(
The lyricist behind On the Town, Wonderful Town and Bells Are Ringing Foothill has done these and other shows from their canon. That generation of Broadway history-makers is nearly gone. The article says her one autobiography dealt far more with her personal life than her professional life. Sounds like a lot of great stories probably died with Ms. Comden :(
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
New York theatres catching up to us
...as far as using online media like blogs and such.
Interesting post on New Yorkology about which theatres are trying which hip new social media tools...like blogs, podcasts, video blogs etc.
It may take me a while to check out their whole list and let yu know if any of it is really cool. BUt I thought I'd just post the list, so you over-achievers can look for yourselves.
Interesting post on New Yorkology about which theatres are trying which hip new social media tools...like blogs, podcasts, video blogs etc.
It may take me a while to check out their whole list and let yu know if any of it is really cool. BUt I thought I'd just post the list, so you over-achievers can look for yourselves.
Monday, November 13, 2006
My review of AMT's King and I
I know it closed yesterday, but if you're interested, here is what I thought of AMT's production of The King and I.
What did you all think?
What did you all think?
Monday, November 06, 2006
Foothill Alum out in the world: Ray Renati
Yup, Ray's out in the world, but this time he's directing!
Here are the deets:
WHAT: The Baltimore Waltz by Paula Vogel
WHERE: The Pear Theatre
LOCATION: 1220 Pear Avenue, Unit K. Mountain View, CA
OPENS: Thursday, November 16th
CLOSES: Sunday, December 3rd
HOW MUCH: $10-$25
HOW TO GET TICKETS: Call 650-254-1148 or go online.
DESCRIPTION:
This funny and rueful exploration of sibling love fancifully re-imagines the real-life story of Paula Vogel and her late brother. This wonderfully inventive play shows how love triumphs over such foes as Acquired Toilet Syndrome, bigotry, mortality and other things that go bump in the night.
Sounds fascinating...so Ray, tell us how it's going?
Here are the deets:
WHAT: The Baltimore Waltz by Paula Vogel
WHERE: The Pear Theatre
LOCATION: 1220 Pear Avenue, Unit K. Mountain View, CA
OPENS: Thursday, November 16th
CLOSES: Sunday, December 3rd
HOW MUCH: $10-$25
HOW TO GET TICKETS: Call 650-254-1148 or go online.
DESCRIPTION:
This funny and rueful exploration of sibling love fancifully re-imagines the real-life story of Paula Vogel and her late brother. This wonderfully inventive play shows how love triumphs over such foes as Acquired Toilet Syndrome, bigotry, mortality and other things that go bump in the night.
Sounds fascinating...so Ray, tell us how it's going?
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Merc story on local community theatres
Why does the Merc snub Foothill? (I ask only somewhat with tongue in cheek.)
Seriously, Foothill seems stuck between a "professional" rock and a "community" hard place.
The Merc did a nice little story on three local community theatres, pointing out that if the cost of higher end theatre in our area is getting you down you can always check out more localized "non-professional" theatres.
I've complained here before that the Merc doesn't give FMT the time of day when it comes to reviews. While high-quality productions, featuring Equity performers in most cases, are put on...think Ragtime, think Urinetown...the Merc ignores them. All while they travel to the East Bay and SF regularly to review, along with smaller local theatres, such as City Lights.
OK, so despite professional production values and Equity performers, I guess because FMT is on the Foothill campus the Merc is thinking of FMT as a community theatre.
But then they do this piece on community theatres, and nothing, zip, nada.
I'm happy for the theatres that did get talked about...I'm sure we all can use as much help as we can get. But Broadway by the Bay...with its own Equity contracts and high ticket prices (notice they don't mention them in the article like they do the other 2 theatres) is not exactly the "little theatre company that could."
Having been (long, long ago) in 8 shows at Foothill, and having blogged here for a few years, I know that not getting Merc coverage has impact. I can be all about the online world, but still acknowledge that getting the major papers to review your show can provide a major boost at the box office. So, my sour grapes are showing, I guess. And probably Jay (FMT Artistic Director) and Carla (FMT publicist) won't think this blog post will help. So I should make clear: this is my opinion, not the opinion of the theatre itself...just the opinion of a loooooong-time Bay Area theatre-goer who thinks FMT doesn't get the attention it should for the work it does!
Seriously, Foothill seems stuck between a "professional" rock and a "community" hard place.
The Merc did a nice little story on three local community theatres, pointing out that if the cost of higher end theatre in our area is getting you down you can always check out more localized "non-professional" theatres.
I've complained here before that the Merc doesn't give FMT the time of day when it comes to reviews. While high-quality productions, featuring Equity performers in most cases, are put on...think Ragtime, think Urinetown...the Merc ignores them. All while they travel to the East Bay and SF regularly to review, along with smaller local theatres, such as City Lights.
OK, so despite professional production values and Equity performers, I guess because FMT is on the Foothill campus the Merc is thinking of FMT as a community theatre.
But then they do this piece on community theatres, and nothing, zip, nada.
I'm happy for the theatres that did get talked about...I'm sure we all can use as much help as we can get. But Broadway by the Bay...with its own Equity contracts and high ticket prices (notice they don't mention them in the article like they do the other 2 theatres) is not exactly the "little theatre company that could."
Having been (long, long ago) in 8 shows at Foothill, and having blogged here for a few years, I know that not getting Merc coverage has impact. I can be all about the online world, but still acknowledge that getting the major papers to review your show can provide a major boost at the box office. So, my sour grapes are showing, I guess. And probably Jay (FMT Artistic Director) and Carla (FMT publicist) won't think this blog post will help. So I should make clear: this is my opinion, not the opinion of the theatre itself...just the opinion of a loooooong-time Bay Area theatre-goer who thinks FMT doesn't get the attention it should for the work it does!
Merc story on local community theatres
Why does the Merc snub Foothill? (I ask only somewhat with tongue in cheek.)
Seriously, Foothill seems stuck between a "professional" rock and a "community" hard place.
The Merc did a nice little story on three local community theatres, pointing out that if the cost of higher end theatre in our area is getting you down you can always check out more localized "non-professional" theatres.
I've complained here before that the Merc doesn't give FMT the time of day when it comes to reviews. While high-quality productions, featuring Equity performers in most cases, are put on...think Ragtime, think Urinetown...the Merc ignores them. All while they travel to the East Bay and SF regularly to review, along with smaller local theatres, such as City Lights.
OK, so despite professional production values and Equity performers, I guess because FMT is on the Foothill campus the Merc is thinking of FMT as a community theatre.
But then they do this piece on community theatres, and nothing, zip, nada.
I'm happy for the theatres that did get talked about...I'm sure we all can use as much help as we can get. But Broadway by the Bay...with its own Equity contracts and high ticket prices (notice they don't mention them in the article like they do the other 2 theatres) is not exactly the "little theatre company that could."
Having been (long, long ago) in 8 shows at Foothill, and having blogged here for a few years, I know that not getting Merc coverage has impact. I can be all about the online world, but still acknowledge that getting the major papers to review your show can provide a major boost at the box office. So, my sour grapes are showing, I guess. And probably Jay (FMT Artistic Director) and Carla (FMT publicist) won't think this blog post will help. So I should make clear: this is my opinion, not the opinion of the theatre itself...just the opinion of a loooooong-time Bay Area theatre-goer who thinks FMT doesn't get the attention it should for the work it does!
Seriously, Foothill seems stuck between a "professional" rock and a "community" hard place.
The Merc did a nice little story on three local community theatres, pointing out that if the cost of higher end theatre in our area is getting you down you can always check out more localized "non-professional" theatres.
I've complained here before that the Merc doesn't give FMT the time of day when it comes to reviews. While high-quality productions, featuring Equity performers in most cases, are put on...think Ragtime, think Urinetown...the Merc ignores them. All while they travel to the East Bay and SF regularly to review, along with smaller local theatres, such as City Lights.
OK, so despite professional production values and Equity performers, I guess because FMT is on the Foothill campus the Merc is thinking of FMT as a community theatre.
But then they do this piece on community theatres, and nothing, zip, nada.
I'm happy for the theatres that did get talked about...I'm sure we all can use as much help as we can get. But Broadway by the Bay...with its own Equity contracts and high ticket prices (notice they don't mention them in the article like they do the other 2 theatres) is not exactly the "little theatre company that could."
Having been (long, long ago) in 8 shows at Foothill, and having blogged here for a few years, I know that not getting Merc coverage has impact. I can be all about the online world, but still acknowledge that getting the major papers to review your show can provide a major boost at the box office. So, my sour grapes are showing, I guess. And probably Jay (FMT Artistic Director) and Carla (FMT publicist) won't think this blog post will help. So I should make clear: this is my opinion, not the opinion of the theatre itself...just the opinion of a loooooong-time Bay Area theatre-goer who thinks FMT doesn't get the attention it should for the work it does!
