The Smuin Ballet will feature two renowned choreographers in its season opener, “Dance Series 1,” to be held September 27 and 28 at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, 1601 Civic Drive.
In-demand choreographer Jennifer Archibald will create a world premiere for her first project with Smuin Ballet, while Matthew Neenan’s award-winning choreography will be featured in The Last Glass, a character-driven theatre piece set to the intensely lyrical music of indie rock band Beirut.
“Renaissance” by Amy Seiwert rounds off the program. The piece is accompanied by an a cappella soundtrack by the Kitka Women’s Vocal Ensemble, is inspired by the 2019 Women’s Wall protest in India and shows the athleticism of the Smuin dancers.
For tickets, call 925-943-7469 or visit lesherartscenter.org.
Berkeley: The romance of high school prom comes early to the Berkeley Playhouse this fall, with performances of the musical “The Prom” from September 6 to October 13.
Set in a small town in Indiana, the show is about four eccentric Broadway stars who try to boost their careers by fighting for a high school student’s right to bring her girlfriend to prom.
“Over the years, there have been cases across the country where parents have pulled their children from high school productions and local theaters have canceled their shows because of the material,” said co-director Christina Lazo. “So we have to do this show and keep doing shows like this. I can’t wait for audiences to see the glamour and beauty of the world in ‘The Prom.'”
Co-director Megan McGrath agrees: “This is a special show that is a lot of fun with lots of dancing and big numbers, but is also full of emotional moments and important themes around acceptance.”
“The Prom” takes place at the Berkeley Playhouse (designed by renowned architect Julia Morgan), 2640 College Ave., Berkeley. Call 510-845-8542 x351 or visit tickets.berkeleyplayhouse.org.
El Cerrito: This promises to be fun! The Contra Costa Civic Theatre will perform Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and Tom Stoppard’s “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” in repertoire from September 7-22. The two shows will open the company’s first full season in over five years.
According to Artistic Director and Executive Director Joel Roster, the ambitious project is not only the perfect start to the CCCT’s 65th season, but also a milestone for his own tenure at the theater.
“At a time when theatre is – thank God – trying to rediscover itself and what it has to offer its audiences, I can think of no better way to return to basics than by working on not only the greatest text in theatre history, but perhaps the most influential literary work humanity has ever known,” said Roster.
Roster is, of course, referring to Hamlet, Shakespeare’s oft-performed work of fear, vengeance and violence. At the end of the final act, the stage is covered with corpses, leaving the Kingdom of Denmark in total disarray. In the story, Prince Hamlet suggests that his two friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are spies who contributed to the destruction. In Stoppard’s much lighter work, however, the two friends seem like unsuspecting bystanders.
“Intertwining the two pieces is a logistical and content-related challenge,” Roser said. “And unraveling and discovering layer by layer in this way is a thoroughly collaborative and incredibly eye-opening experience.”
Directed by Roster, both productions feature the same cast of LaMont Ridgell (Claudius), Benjamin Rafael Garcia (Hamlet), Raven Douglas (Laertes), Peter Budinger (Polonius), Michaela Sasner (Ophelia), Benjamin Maniatis (Horatio), Henry Perkins (The Gambler), Annie Wang (The Gravedigger/Tragedian), Natalie Tichenor (Marcellus/Tragedian), Evelyn McCollum (Bernardo/Tragedian) and James Rovere (Alfred).
The theater is located at 951 Pomona Ave., El Cerrito. For tickets, call 510-524-9012 or visit ccct.org.
Richmond: Yasmina Reza’s satirical “God of Carnage” will next be on stage at Masquers Playhouse in Pt. Richmond, 105 Park Place, September 6-29.
Reza presents passive-aggressive fighting at its finest, featuring two couples having a civilized conversation in a tastefully decorated living room. The two sets of parents have come together to settle the argument their respective sons had earlier in the day.
At least the discussion starts politely, but quickly degenerates into complete chaos when tempers flare and civilized behavior is thrown overboard.
Chris Rubingh directs a cast including Tony Daniel, Todd Duda, Allison Gamien and Katharine Otis.
For tickets, call 925-232-4031 or visit masquers.org.
Danville: Calling Bay Area artists to work in solitude at the Tao House at Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site. The application deadline for the Travis Bogard Day-Use Fellowship is September 1 for fellowships from November 1 to January 14 and November 1 for fellowships from January 17 to March 31.
Fellowships are open to playwrights, creative writers, scholars, critics, set designers, directors, and visual artists. Applications and guidelines can be found at eugeneoneill.org.
Reach Sally Hogarty at [email protected] and read more of her reviews online at eastbaytimes.com/author/sally-hogarty.
