Curtain Calls: Catch ‘Something Rotten’ from Tri-Valley Rep in Livermore
Opening weekend brought standing ovations and laughter in unexpected places for the cast and crew of Tri-Valley Repertory Theatre’s “Something Rotten,” which runs through Jan. 29 at Livermore’s Bankhead Theater.
“It was great for the actors to finally have an audience and someone besides myself laughing,” said Director Brian Olkowski. “I guess it’s a good thing that after seeing the show so many times in rehearsal I still find it funny. The surprise on opening weekend was that the audience understood some of the inside jokes. They’re obviously the ones who know Shakespeare.”
Olkowski says you don’t have to be familiar with Shakespeare, though, to enjoy “Something Rotten.”
“It’s a poignant story that’s also a lot of fun,” Olkowski said. “You can go in knowing nothing about Shakespeare and musical theater and have a great time. If you know something about the two, you’ll have an elevated experience.”
Set in the 1590s, the story follows brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom, who set out to write the world’s first musical and steal some of the fame away from that Renaissance rock star known as “The Bard.” Olkowski, who teaches performing arts at San Ramon’s Coyote Creek Elementary School and has directed many times before for Tri-Valley Rep, can’t say enough about his cast and crew on “Something Rotten.”
“This is a show with a large cast where everybody has been pulling their weight and has been a pleasure to work with. It’s been an amazing collaborative process,” said Olkowski. “Everyone, including the staff at the Bankhead Theater, wanted to put together a show we could be proud of.”
Music Director Jed da Roza and choreographers Christina Lazo and Meghan Hornbacker were a big part of the collaborative process as were the 26 cast members which included Tommy Lassister (Shakespeare), Matt Skinner (Nick Bottom), Austin Andrade (Nigel Bottom) and Megan Bartlett (Bea).
To catch “Something Rotten” before it’s over, call the Bankhead Theater at 925-373-6800 or go online to www.trivalleyrep.org.
Saratoga: Fremont native Charles Anthony has ventured over to South Bay Musical Theatre (SBMT) to appear in “The Spitfire Grill,” running Jan. 28 through Feb. 17.
“This is my first show with SBMT, and I’m super-excited,” said Anthony. “I wanted an opportunity to help tell this chilling story and to share poignant, intimate moments with the audience.”
“The Spitfire Grill” opened off-Broadway in 2001 as the country recovered from the 9/11 attacks, and the show received praise for its powerful messages of hope and acceptance. The story focuses on Percy Talbott, a troubled woman looking for a fresh start. Through determination, grit and remaining open to possibilities, she revitalizes the Spitfire Grill in rural Gilead, Wisconsin, and, in turn, its community.
“I relate to the story of the outsider who isn’t accepted and certainly not celebrated by their environment and also to my character, Joe, [for] being devoted to family and his hometown yet yearning for more than just a piece of sky.”
Another Fremont resident is also at SBMT for the first time. Carmela Catoc is in the ensemble and notes how “I instantly fell in love with the music. The lyrics and the melodies are so amazing that I felt I wanted to help tell this story. It centers around this idea of found family and finding where home is for yourself. That’s something I relate to strongly.”
“The Spitfire Grill” is directed and choreographed by SBMT Executive Artistic Director Sara K. Dean and features Kate Mattheson as Percy.
“The nice thing about this show is it really is so grounded. Everything is very real. I see bits of Percy in myself and the people I love, and that really guides the entire experience for me,” Mattheson said.
Performances take place at Saratoga Civic Theater, 13777 Fruitvale Ave., Saratoga. Call 408-266-4734 or go to SouthBayMT.com for tickets.
‘Cashed Out’: San Francisco Playhouse continues its stellar line-up of shows with “Cashed Out.” Written by Claude Jackson Jr., it tells the story of three generations of women who live on the Gila River Indian Community Reservation in Arizona. Authors are usually told to write about what they know, and Jackson has certainly done that. He is not only a playwright and screenwriter but also a lawyer and director of his tribe’s public defender’s office.
Commissioned by SF Playhouse, this candid play illuminates the battles and triumphs of fighting addiction and of upholding the tribe’s traditions. Tara Moses directs a cast of actors of Native American and indigenous descent including real-life father-daughter duo Matt Kizer and Louisa Kizer from the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California. Matt, who is also the artistic director of Native Writers’ Theater, plays Louisa’s grandfather. That must make for some interesting family discussions!
The show runs through Feb. 25 at SF Playhouse, 450 Post St. in San Francisco. Call 415-677-9596 or go to www.sfplayhouse.org.
Sally Hogarty can be reached at sallyhogarty@gmail.com. Read more of her reviews online at eastbaytimes.com/author/sally-hogarty.