Curtain Calls: Heartfelt rendition of ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’ in Martinez
Plotline Theatre Company continues its winning season with a heartfelt rendition of Jeffrey Hatcher and Mitch Albom’s beautifully constructed play “Tuesdays with Morrie.”
Albom’s autobiographical story tells of Mitch, a driven journalist, and Morrie Schwartz, his former college professor, renewing their friendship as Morrie’s body surrenders to the ravages of Lou Gehrig’s disease. Following college graduation, Mitch had lost touch with Morrie until 16 years later when he saw him interviewed by Ted Koppel on “Nightline.” He decides to visit his former professor one last time, but that instead turns into a weekly visit as Morrie imparts his wisdom and wit on how to live a full life and die with dignity.
I was able to catch the final dress rehearsal of this touching two-person play featuring Matt Davis as Mitch and John Blytt as Morrie. Davis and Blytt are well-matched exchanging witty repartees in between more serious moments as they live through Morrie’s final days. Kieran Cross is Morrie’s nurse and Sarah Sloan provides the beautiful vocals.
Randy Anger directs the tightly paced show, which despite the serious topic is full of warmth and good humor.
“Tuesdays with Morrie” runs through March 26 at the Campbell Theatre, 636 Ward St., Martinez. For tickets, call 925-350-9770 or go to campbelltheater.com.
Berkeley: Flawlessly combining the past and the present into a powerful piece of theater, Berkeley Rep’s “Cambodian Rock Band” shows the power of art during even the darkest of days.
The compelling work by Lauren Yee opens with a rock concert. It’s 1975 and a Cambodian rock band, oblivious to the Khmer Rouge’s poised invasion, naively records their first album rather than escaping the country. The piece then jumps to the present as Neary, the daughter of the band’s lead guitarist, prepares to try in court Duch, one of the perpetrators of the Khmer Rouge’s many atrocities. Unbeknownst, her father Chum had been one of the defendant’s prisoners, tortured for years in S 21 prison.
The play continues to go back and forth in time with the talented rock musicians stepping away from their instruments to powerfully act out the scenes. This phenomenally talented cast, skillfully directed by Chay Yew, easily transitions between 1970’s youthful musicians, the terrors of the Kymer Rouge reign and present-day realities.
Playwright and San Francisco native Lauren Yee manages to balance the atrocities of war with life-affirming music, including an extraordinary scene in the prison where Chum is tortured first by his former band member, now a Khmer Rouge interrogator, and then by Duch. Fortunately for Chum, Duch asks him to perform a song which allows the prison official to finally sleep. He returns night after night asking Chum to play more music.
Portraying both the defendant, Duch, and the mischievous narrator, Francis Jue deftly navigates between lighthearted commentary and the horrors of the time. Geena Quintos gives an extraordinary performance as Neary and as the lead vocalist with her impressive singing range while Moses Villarama creates very different characters as Neary’s present-day boyfriend, Duch’s interrogator and showing his considerable skill playing rhyme guitar. The versatile cast also includes keyboardist/percussionist Jane Lui and drummer Abraham Kim as prison guards.
“Cambodian Rock Band” continues through April 2 at Berkeley Rep, 2015 Addison St., Berkeley. Call 510-647-2949 or go to berkeleyrep.org.
Castro Valley: East Bay Children’s Theatre (EBCT) will delight youngsters with an upbeat “Rumpelstiltskin – A Musical Spin.” According to director, composer and playwright Ron Lytle, EBCT’s fresh update of the classic tale of a girl who can spin straw into gold brims over with silly jokes, physical comedy and surprising twists.
The show takes place Saturday at noon and 2 p.m. at Chanticleers Theatre, 3683 Quail Ave., Castro Valley. For tickets, go to ebctonline.org.
Clayton: I love a good thriller, and no one is better at writing them than Agatha Christie. To see one of her most famous mysteries, check out Clayton Theatre Company’s “The Mousetrap,” running Saturday through April 1. No foolin’!
The longest-running play of all time, “The Mousetrap” has been thrilling audiences since Nov. 25, 1952. The perfect treat for amateur sleuths everywhere, it tells of seven strangers snowed in at a remote countryside guesthouse who discover a murderer in their midst.
La Tonya Watts directs the cast of eight: Nathalie Archangel, James Bradley Jr., Kevin Coren, Ron Craven, Bill Dietz, Deborah Huaco, Chip Renner and Peggy Scalise.
For tickets, go to claytontheatrecompany.org.
Antioch: The Drama Factory presents Max Ballesteros original work “The Death of Triboulet (a comedy)” Friday through March 25. Here the court jester Triboulet attempts to foil the assassination of the King of France by the King of Spain. Lots of twists and turns ensue as the loyal, yet inept jester tries to save the day.
The show takes place at the Nick Rodriguez Community Theatre, 213 F St., Antioch. Go to dramafactory.org.
Sally Hogarty can be reached at sallyhogarty@gmail.com. Read more of her reviews online at eastbaytimes.com/author/sally-hogarty.