Jim Munson - Page 12

Keith Pinto is one of those fortunate stage actors who seems to work almost constantly. If you attend Bay Area theater with any regularity, chances are you've seen him, most likely in a role that showcases his energetic performance style and talent for movement. His latest role is the iconic a?oesweet transvestitea?? Frank-N-Furter in San Jose Stage Company's new production of a?oeThe Rocky Horror Show.a?? Mr. Pinto recently chatted with BroadwayWorld about his process while he was between rehearsals.

BroadwayWorld recently caught up with Bay Area theater mainstay Dan Hiatt while he was in the midst of rehearsals for TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's new musical a?oeMark Twain's River of Songa?? in which he plays the title role.  Mr. Hiatt discussed his process for finding the character of Twain, and also shared some insights from his remarkably rich career, having worked with most every high-profile theater company in the Bay Area over the past 25 years.

There is just something so damned exciting about Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori's 'Caroline, or Change'! It is rare indeed to experience a work of art this ambitious, morally complex, entertaining, honest, and just plain downright human. It is easily one of the handful of best musicals written in the past 25 years. And how original - a musical play about nothing less than the human capacity for change and growth despite seemingly insurmountable odds. For anyone out there bemoaning the dumbing-down of the American musical theater and longing for the halcyon days of Broadway's supposed Golden Age, you need look no further than 'Caroline' to restore your confidence.

42nd Street Moon opens its 27th season on September 7th & 8th with a concert staging of Maury Yeston & Peter Stone's a?oeTitanica?? with full orchestra. BroadwayWorld spoke recently with Moon's Artistic Directors Daren A.C. Carollo and Daniel Thomas about the show and Moon's upcoming season. The two make for an interesting team, with Carollo's candor and exuberance playing off Thomas' reserve and deliberation.

Director Leslie Martinson of THE 39 STEPS at TheatreWorks talks about finding the comedic rhythms in a 'nutball farce' and shares her experiences as a casting director. Martinson has been a TheatreWorks mainstay for decades, starting as an usher while she was still in school, then working as an actor before becoming a director and casting director. She left her staff position 18 months ago to go freelance, but has since directed two shows at TheatreWorks so still maintains a close working relationship with the Tony-winning company.

Christina Gorman's a?oeRoan @ The Gatesa?? currently in its world premiere production by Central Works at the Berkeley City Club could not be timelier. Lest that sound like a vapid platitude, in this instance it is well deserved. In a taut 70 minutes, it explores themes of online and IRL privacy, pernicious access to personal data, and responsibility to one's partner vs. one's employer vs. the greater good.

Melissa Gialdini is thrilled to be playing stepsister Gabrielle in 'Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella' at Foothill Music Theatre now running through August 4th. Melissa recently spoke to BroadwayWorld about the show, her love of performing and her rich life outside the theater.

Is the state of the world making you more than a little crazy these days? The president's latest racist rants gotcha down? Well, Bay Area Musicals' production of "Hairspray" just might be the perfect remedy to lift you out of your despair and make you believe in our collective power to triumph over all the nastiness out there. The show pulls off the neat trick of delivering an upbeat, larger than life entertainment while also conveying a powerful message about the need for us all to band together if we're going to extinguish racism, and a host of other isms along the way. Lessons from the civil rights movement are presented without the show ever feeling didactic or preachy.

Broadway and TV actor Frances Jue is currently starring in TheatreWorks' production of Julia Cho's 'The Language Archive.' Mr. Jue recently talked to BroadwayWorld about his lengthy and surprising career path, from his formative experiences with Stephen Sondheim and TheatreWorks to working with Tony winners David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori, and of course his continuing role on the CBS television series 'Madam Secretary.' His fascinating story serves as an inspiring example for anyone who doesn't see a clear path to success or struggles to find a place to fit in.

Watching Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine's "Passion" recently at San Francisco's Custom Made Theatre reminded me what a difficult show it is to pull off. Although it contains several of the most rapturous songs Sondheim has ever composed, there is an underlying earnestness that can be unsettling to a post-modern audience inured to a world that is constantly commenting on itself. When the leading lady sings the plainspoken lyrics "Loving you is not a choice, it's who I am" she means it with all her heart and soul. Unusually for a Sondheim score, she doesn't follow that up with a complicated rhyme or self-lacerating zinger. Nope, this show is thrillingly about nothing more nor less than the nature of true love.

Melissa Momboisse is thrilled to be returning to her favorite role of Penny Pingleton in Bay Area Musicals' new production of "Hairspray," running from July 6th to August 11th at San Francisco's Victoria theater. Ms. Momboisse (pronounced "mom-boyce") is a veritable fixture of the Bay Area musical theater scene, known for her energetic and varied performances in a long and eclectic list of roles. Melissa also courageously beat Stage IV Hodgkins' Lymphoma 3 years ago, and when she survives 2 more years she gets to officially call herself a cancer survivor. She recently spoke with BroadwayWorld by phone about the joys and challenges of maintaining a thriving theatrical career while dealing with serious health challenges.

San Francisco's 42nd Street Moon is currently presenting the final production of its 2018-2019 season, Michael Patrick Gaffney's original one-man show 'The Oldest Living Cater Waiter.' Written and performed by Gaffney, it offers up delicious insights into his complicated and hilarious careers as both a professional actor and a high-end waiter to the stars. A longtime 'Moonie,' Gaffney recently spoke by phone with BroadwayWorld about the show's creative journey and the joys and challenges of his dual career path.

San Jose Stage Company concludes its 2018-19 season with the musical juggernaut 'Mamma Mia!.' On the plus side, it's refreshing to see a show created largely by women that focuses on strong female characters. On the minus side, the show requires a high tolerance for groan-inducing jokes and song lyrics that make no sense when shoehorned into an alien context.

Acclaimed playwright Luis Alfaro talks to BroadwayWorld about revisiting his 'Oedipus El Rey' currently playing at San Francisco's Magic Theatre, how he forged a path for himself in the theater world, his influences along the way, and the role of artists in creating change.

The stunning production of Luis Alfaro's "Oedipus El Rey" currently running at the Magic Theatre is visually arresting, genuinely moving, and slyly humorous - oh, and also seriously sexy, all in a taut 95-minute running time. The Magic presented the world premiere of this play back in 2010 and is bringing it back in this new production as a legacy revival. Given the current, unsettling political discourse on immigrants, this revival could not feel more timely.

"Where Did the Rock Go?" is one of the lovelier ballads Andrew Lloyd Weber has written - redolent of longing for a younger self unencumbered by the responsibilities and attendant anxieties of adulthood. The title phrase is set to one of Lloyd Weber's patented ear worms that I defy you to get out of your head days after seeing the show, maybe ever. It comes in the middle of Act 2 of "School of Rock," the stage adaptation of the popular 2003 film, playing through Sunday, May 9th at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts.

Palo Alto Players presented a wonderfully stirring and delightfully entertaining production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Flower Drum Song."