Theatre Review - AIDA

Theatre Review

AIDA

Stage 1 Theatre - Newark, CA

Reviewed By = Mauricio Segura

     To kick off their 2012 season, Stage 1 Theatre Company is currently producing AIDA. Written by the same musical collaborators who brought the "Lion King" to life, Elton John and Tim Rice, AIDA is a timeless story of true forbidden love found within the turmoils of war in ancient Egypt.  

     As far as musicals go, you can't get any better than this "music-wise". On one hand you have the genius lyrics of Tim Rice, who has also penned unforgettable musicals such as Joseph and the Amazing technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, and Beauty and the Beast, to name a few. Then you have Elton John, the phenomenal pianist who has  constantly brought chart topping hits to radio's worldwide for the past five decades.

     Not to take anything from Rice, but the music truly carries this production, because unfortunately, the storyline is rather weak on its own. It's at times predictable, at other times a little rushed, and then it leaves circumstances open for questioning. However, there are a few twist and turns thrown in that will make up for what it lacks, and with the great music, it's still very much entertaining.

     The sets are simple, yet adequate. They're neither too elaborate nor too plain to distract the audience. The lighting effects work very well in setting the mood for each scene, and the sound is well balanced. Tie it all together with the superb orchestra, lead by Ken Nadler, and you have a winning behind the scenes combination.

     As for the actual performance itself. You won't hear any sub par singing in this show. I was quite impressed with all of the vocal talent. But of coarse, there is one shining star. Matty Gregg, who plays Radames (the soon to be husband of Pharaoh's only daughter who falls in love with the one person his country forbids), steals the show. His stage presence, vocal abilities, and overall persona command the audiences attention. Even more impressive is the fact that Matty was a last minute replacement for the original lead. In just 12 days, he learned all of his lines, choreography, prompts, etc. That fact alone deserves a standing ovation.

     Ernestine Balisi, who plays the Numbian Princess AIDA, almost blew me out my seat when she first began singing. She has a beautiful and powerful voice. A true talent!

     Honorable mention to Andrew Taula on his portrayal of Radames' servant Mereb. His voice is smooth, his acting is flawless, he was a treat to watch. Honorable mention also goes to Paul Plain who plays Radames shady father Zoser, and Bruce Knopf for a very convincing Pharaoh.

     Lastly, Christi Wallace. A superb voice, a rock and roll voice with Broadway flair. She was great at dishing out the comedy, and equally as great bringing the tone down to dramatic levels. Kudos to Christi!

     There was one thing about this production which threw me off and caused me to deduct major points from my overall review. It was with the dance ensemble. Not the entire group, but about 4 of the females. In each dance scene, these same four women seemed as if they were just going through the motions. There was no feeling in what they were doing unlike the others. Not only that, but they're facial expressions didn't change. Whether the scene called for sadness, laughter, or fear, they kept the same deer caught in headlights look. It became very distracting, and I bring it up knowing that I wasn't the only one who noticed. I hope this will be addressed and corrected for future performances.

     Overall, AIDA will make a great night out at the theater. Its currently paying through July 28th, so you only have a handful of performances to choose from. Set a date, and enjoy a great evening over at Stage 1! Cheers!

Rating = 3 1/2 out of 5 Golden Bridges

Title = AIDA
Genre = Musical

Theater/City = Stage 1 - Newark Memorial HS
                          39375 Cedar Blvd

                          Newark, CA

Contact Phone = (510) 791-0287

Production Dates = Now through July 28, 2012

Ticket Prices = $10 - $22 

Click Here For More Info & Tickets - - - > http://www.stage1theatre.org/Stage_1_Theatre/AIDA_Tickets.html

Theatre Review - Fiddler on the Roof

Theatre Review

Fiddler on the Roof 

Woodminster Theatre - Oakland, CA

Reviewed By = Mauricio Segura

     Before I comment on the show, I have talk a little about the venue itself. It was my first time visiting as well, and I was extremely impressed with the place.

     Woodminster is up in the Oakland hills behind the Mormon Temple in the Joaquin Miller Park. The theater dates back to the WW2 years (perhaps even before), and although the seats have probably been replaced a few times since then, they're not the most comfortable. Also, you'll be outdoors, and that obviously means, exposure to the elements. In other words, its advisable to bring something soft to sit on, and dress accordingly. There, those are the only drawbacks, if you could even call them drawbacks.

     The setting itself is breathtaking. Above and behind the stage is a view that you have to just see to believe of the bay, with a cascade running down the hill beneath you. The park is full of trails and picnic grounds for you to have a full fledged picnic before the show. But make sure to save some of the food, because they let you bring it into the theater to enjoy during the performance. Where else can you do that? Oh, and then there's another thing they do that I have yet to see at any other theater, all kids, 16 and under (each child must be accompanied by a paying adult), get to enjoy the show for free!

     As I sit here going over the evening in my mind, I find I have a dilemma. Let me explain. The hardest reviews to write, are the one's that are either complete bombs or complete masterpieces. Because either way, it's so good or so bad, that you're not going to have much to pinpoint. It's so much easier when you have a half bad show with highlights, or a great show with drawbacks, because you can grab on to things that stand out and expand on them. Extremes make for short reviews, and I for one, am not into writing a short review. But in this case, I don't have much of a choice.

     Woodminster's production of Fiddler on the Roof is one of this years theatrical masterpieces. I very rarely give a 5 Golden Bridge review for the reason I just stated in the previous paragraph. If I was to pick any negatives from the evening it would be the semi-uncomfortable seats, the cold air, the seven year old in Giants gear giving me a hard time over my A's cap (can't we all just get along?), and a few instances with the actors mic's turning off. But none of that had anything to do with the actual performance, which was absolutely wonderful.

     Beginning with the sets, at first I found them quite vague. The painted backdrop of rolling hills and trees were fine, but the unsymmetrical homes threw me off a bit. However, once the show began and I saw how the homes were converted to indoor settings, I realized the ingenuity in it, and suddenly, in my mind, it all worked.

     From the kids to the adults, all of the actors were at the top of their game. Their voices were superb! When you can actually feel the emotions being portrayed in a scene (Sunrise, Sunset / Chavaleh / Anatevka) you know the actors have a special gift. And this cast definitely has it! They compliment each other, as did the three sisters during “Matchmaker, Matchmaker”, or the entire cast in the marriage scene, and of coarse the funniest part of the performance, Tevye's Dream!

     Speaking of Tevye, I've seen four different stage versions of FOTR in my reviewing career, including one major Broadway production starring Harvey Fierstein. But Bruce Winant who plays Tevye in this production completely blows them all out of the water. In fact, I will go on record stating that he is practically on par with Topal himself, who is the actor who portrayed Tevye in the 1971 Academy Award winning film adaption. Winant is flawless, his voice impeccable, his stage presence is undeniable, and I would say plenty more if I had my thesaurus handy and opened to the word, incredible!

     Of coarse, no musical can be a success without a good orchestra backing it up. And conductor Richard Vetterli lead his team of musicians to pure perfection. I also can't leave out all of the people behind the scenes who helped to put all of this together. A true gem!

     Its a shame that this is only playing two weekends,but you still have this coming weekend to catch this wonderful show. So get a nice picnic together, head out to the park for the day, and finish the evening with Fiddler on the Roof! Trust me, you'll thank me for it!

Rating = 5 out of 5 Golden Bridges

Title = Fiddler on the Roof
Genre = Musical

Theater/City = Woodminster Amphitheatre

                           Joaquin Miller Park

                           Joaquin Miller Road

                           Oakland, Ca

Contact Phone = (510) 531-9597

Production Dates = Now through July 22, 2012 

Ticket Prices = $25 - $60 

Click Here For More Info & Tickets - - - > http://www.woodminster.com/Webpages/Ticketbuying/ticketsgen.html