Playful People Productions Presents: Disney Jungle Book Kids

For those with kids, there is a great family event at the Historic Hoover Theater (across the street from the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum). Full details below:

Our tale begins deep in the heart of the Jungle. A baby boy, lost and abandoned, is raised by wolves. He is called “Mowgli”. On the run from Shere Khan, a ferocious tiger who has banished him from the jungle, a human boy named Mowgli is aided by an agile panther named Bagheera. Along the way, the two meet a sinister snake named Kaa, a herd of elephants, and a giant bear named Baloo, who teaches them the swingin’ musical rhythms of the jungle. After surviving a dangerous encounter with a band of monkeys led by King Louie, Mowgli and Bagheera are forced to run for their lives. Shere Khan returns, leading our protagonists to rally their follow jungle creatures into battle and restore peace to the jungle.

Our last show sold out prior to the show weekend so be sure to buy your tickets early, you won’t want to miss out on this fantastic production.

All Shows at the Historic Hoover Theater, 1635 Park Ave  San Jose, CA 95126

Show Times:
Friday, June 20th  7:00pm
Saturday, June 21st 10:00am,  2:00pm and 7:00pm
Sunday, June 22nd 10:00am and 2:00pm

Tickets available at www.playfulpeople.net
$12 attendees 12 and up, and $8 children 11 and under

Tickets at the door (30 minutes prior to curtain)
$15 attendees 12 and up, and $10 children 11 and under

For questions: barb@galiotto.com

Playful People Productions provides a quality, caring environment in which children, youth & their families have positive theatre experiences, while being involved in many aspects of on-stage/ back-stage theatre. Our company fills a need of providing beginning through advanced theatre for the whole family to the community. The founders have expanded the program to include classes & summer camps.

Playful People Productions is run by mother-daughter team, Barbara Galiotto & Katie D' Arcey, who between them have approx 50 years experience in the musical theatre world. Both are Positive Discipline trained & worked as early Childhood Educators as well as in theatre. Both have worked as professional directors with children's theatre for many years.

For each production, Playful People Productions employs professional designers, artists, choreographers and directors to guide our students. The company also hires experienced college & high school students to do jobs in the production such as directors, stage managers, lighting, make-up, & set designers, choreographers and assistants. This allows students to gain work experiences in all aspects of theatre. The goals of Playful People Productions are: to provide the community with a variety of performing opportunities for children, youth & families to experience; to challenge young people in the community; provide a safe, caring environment; and to involve parents in a wholesome, well-rounded activity. The founders believe that a good theatre experience will greatly improve the lives of the children.

San Jose Stage Company Presents "An Iliad"

San Jose Stage Company Presents An Iliad

April 9 – May 4, 2014

 

San Jose, CA – April 07, 2014 — San Jose Stage Company presents the captivating epic tale, An Iliad, adapted by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare, opening April 9 and running through May 4.

 

Based on Homer’s The Iliad and translated by Robert Fagles, An Iliad is a breathtaking and relevant, modern retelling of a timeless classic which unleashes the thrilling tales of the Trojan War and delves into the psychology of passion and rage, ancient and modern. In this tour-de-force, one actor plays the Greek classic's famous characters Achilles, Hector, Agamemnon, and ‘the face that launched a thousand ships’ Helen of Troy. From Mt. Olympus Gods such as Apollo, Athena and Hermes come and go.

 

"Every time I sing this song, I hope it's the last time." So says ‘The Poet’ as he digs deep to sing Homer's epic story of war, honor, violence and the Greek siege of the city of Troy.

 

He's told this story for centuries. It’s a good story,” says the lone figure, emerging from the darkness, as he launches into this modern, enthralling adaptation of Homer’s epic poem that relives the glory and brutality of the Trojan War. Now in the shadow of war in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, he unleashes the power of Homer’s classic poem for a modern audience.

 

Bay Area favorite, Jackson Davis, plays ‘The Poet’ in this lean, muscular, tour-de-force performance he combines the majestic language of Homer with the informal way we speak today.

 

As The Poet recites, comments and chats, he compels his audience to connect with his story, to feel what he feels, to believe in the importance of this story. Maybe if he tells the story one more time the violence will end. 

An Iliad premiered in 2010 and has been lauded by critics across the country, including The New York Times: "Mr. O'Hare and Ms. Peterson have telescoped the mighty expanses of Homer's great poem into an evening that scales the conflict of the Trojan War down to an intimate solo show illuminating both the heroism and the horror of warfare." 

Kenneth Kelleher directs the 100-minute performance. Mr. Kelleher has directed over twenty performances for The Stage, including The Threepenny Opera, the World Premiere of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, Red, Reckless, Buried Child, On The Waterfrontand Rock ‘n’ Roll. He is currently the Artistic Director of Pacific Repertory Theatre and Resident Director of The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. He has also directed for San Jose Repertory Theatre, TheatreWorks, California Shakespeare Festival, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Sacramento Theatre Company and B Street Theatre.

 

THE CAST:

 

Jackson Davis * (The Poet) returns to San Jose Stage Company, where he first performed in the Bay Area nearly 30 years ago inMixed Doubles, a trio of one act plays. He returns to perform in An Iliad, a piece he first performed last year at Pacific Repertory Theatre. His other theatre credits include The Fourth Messengerat The Ashby Stage, Happy End at American Conservatory Theater, Mizlansky/Zilinsky or Schmucks at San Jose Repertory Theatre, The Best Man at Aurora Theatre Company, The God of Hell at Magic Theatre, MacBeth at The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Dead Man’s Cell Phone at SF Playhouse, Lovers and Executioners at Marin Theatre Company, Ben Franklin in Paris at 42nd Street, She Loves Me at Center REPertory Company and The Merry Wives of Windsor at Livermore Shakespeare Festival. He has also performed extensively with TheatreWorks in a variety of comedies, dramas, classics and musicals.

 

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association

 

Run Dates:     April 9 – May 4, 2014

 

Previews:       April 9, 10 and 11, 2014

 

Opening:        April 12, 2014

 

Shows:            Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 pm

Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm

Sunday at 2:00 pm

 

Location:         The Stage, 490 South First Street, San Jose, CA

 

Tickets:           $25 - $50 with discounts for seniors, students and groups

 

Box Office:      408.283.7142 or www.thestage.org

 

Author:           Adapted by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare

                        Based on Homer’s The Iliad, Translated by Robert Fagles

 

Director:         Kenneth Kelleher

 

Featuring:      Jackson Davis*

 

   # # # 

 

About San Jose Stage Company:

 

Now in its 31st Season, San Jose Stage Company is recognized as the San Francisco Bay Area's Premiere Off-Broadway Theatre. The Stage is known for its devotion to new and cutting-edge work and for its commitment to showcasing high-quality local talent.

 

Ranked the 3rd largest professional theatre in Silicon Valley by the Silicon Valley Business Journal, San Jose Stage Company is a vital force in the community. The Stage has earned a reputation for artistic excellence by providing high quality, edgy theatrical experiences that engage, educate and provoke audiences. That includes 148 productions, 45 new works and 13 world premieres.

 

The Stage offers five core education and outreach programs and has housed over 250 independent performance groups. Located at the Gateway to the City's Arts and Entertainment District, San Jose Stage Company, the SoFA District's first arts anchor organization, continues to promote San Jose's stature as a burgeoning regional arts center by providing live theatre experiences that enrich the quality of life in the community.

 

  # # # 

The Wizard of Oz and Twister @ Hoover Theater

Playful People Productions has two family-oriented shows coming up at the Historic Hoover Theater.  The first will be a traditional musical rendition of The Wizard of Oz performed by their youth cast next weekend. The second is Twister, a parody performance by their teen and adult cast the following week (the Saturday show will benefit the Cindy Mulcahy Scholarship Fund). More information and links to tickets below.

Playful People Productions Presents:
The Wizard of Oz

After a tornado sweeps Dorothy Gale from her Kansas home, she lands over the rainbow and wakes up in Land of Oz. Dorothy and her three newfound friends journey on a quest to find heart, brains, courage, and most importantly, home. Click your heels together and join Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion, Dorothy and her little dog Toto, as they journey through the magical land of Oz to meet the Wizard and obtain their heart’s desire. Join us for a musical adventure for the whole family!

All Shows at the Historic Hoover Theater, 1635 Park Ave  San Jose, CA 95126

Show Times:
Friday, April 4th  7:00pm
Saturday, April 5th 10:00am,  2:00pm and 7:00pm
Sunday, April 6th 10:00am and 2:00pm

Tickets available at www.playfulpeople.net
$12 attendees 12 and up, and $8 children 11 and under

Tickets at the door (30 minutes prior to curtain)
$15 attendees 12 and up, and $10 children 11 and under

Playful People Productions ALSO Presents:
Twister – a Wizard of Oz Parody 

After a tornado sweeps Dorothy Gale from her Kansas home, she lands over the rainbow and lands in Oz.  But the tornado has followed her to Oz and it keeps mixing up Dorothy and her three new-found friends on their quest to find heart, courage, brains and most importantly, home. Come along with us as we see the world over the rainbow in a whole new way in this mixed up twist on this classic musical. You will laugh out-loud and tap your feet to some familiar tunes for this surprising evening in Oz.
All Shows at the Historic Hoover Theater, 1635 Park Ave  San Jose, CA 95126

Show Times:
Friday, April 11th  7:00pm
Saturday, April 12th  2:00pm and 7:00pm*

Tickets available at www.playfulpeople.net
$15 per person in advance

Tickets at the door (30 minutes prior to curtain)
$20 per person

For questions: barb@galiotto.com

* This show will be a fund raiser for the Cindy Mulcahy Scholarship Fund. This fund provides tuition assistance for Participants in need who so financial assistance so everyone can enjoy the excitement of live theater.

Playful People Productions provides a quality, caring environment in which children, youth & their families have positive theatre experiences, while being involved in many aspects of on-stage/ back-stage theatre. Our company fills a need of providing beginning through advanced theatre for the whole family to the community. The founders have expanded the program to include classes & summer camps.

Playful People Productions is run by mother-daughter team, Barbara Galiotto & Katie D' Arcey, who between them have approx 50 years experience in the musical theatre world. Both are Positive Discipline trained & worked as early Childhood Educators as well as in theatre. Both have worked as professional directors with children's theatre for many years.

For each production, Playful People Productions employs professional designers, artists, choreographers and directors to guide our students. The company also hires experienced college & high school students to do jobs in the production such as directors, stage managers, lighting, make-up, & set designers, choreographers and assistants. This allows students to gain work experiences in all aspects of theatre. The goals of Playful People Productions are: to provide the community with a variety of performing opportunities for children, youth & families to experience; to challenge young people in the community; provide a safe, caring environment; and to involve parents in a wholesome, well-rounded activity. The founders believe that a good theatre experience will greatly improve the lives of the children, youth and families in our community.

Ensemble SF Concert @ Le Petit Trianon on Monday

The new chamber music group Ensemble SF is performing at the beautiful Let Petit Trianon in Downtown San Jose on Monday (March 31st) at 7pm. The group consists of musicians from the SF Symphony, Ballet, and Opera orchestras. The concert will be family-friendly, dynamic, and will even include a tango dancer for one of the pieces.

To learn more about the group, visit EnsembleSF.com. To buy tickets, just head over here and put in the code "sjblog" for a $5 discount on both general and student/senior tickets.

Column of Air @ The Citadel and Motif

Column of Air is a new local musical duo consisting of David Sosa and artist Andre Hart. They just finished recording their first EP and have two shows lined up over the next few days. The first will be at The Citadel Art Gallery on January 18th, which will also be showcasing Andre's paintings (you can see a preview of these below) and feature poetry and theatrical performances.

They will also be playing at Motif in Downtown San Jose on January 20th along with an assortment of other musical acts in a show called Pixels. This event is 21+ and is all about the freedom of expression through sound.

Column of Air Facebook Page
RAW artists - Column of Air Page

Playful People Productions Presents: Disney’s 101 Dalmatians Kids

Dalmatian parents Pongo and Perdita live a happy, quiet life in London with their eight puppies and two human pets – Roger and Anita.  But when their villainous neighbor Cruella De Vil decides to kidnap the puppies with the help of her two henchmen, the race is on for the dogs of London to find and save the puppies before they become another fur coat in Cruella’s collection!

Keep your pups on their leashes!  Disney’s 101 Dalmatians KIDS is certain to charm and delight all audiences.  A fun and spirited adaptation of the classic Disney animated film, performed by a fabulous cast of eager 4-9 year olds who are sure to put a smile on your face!

All Shows at the Historic Hoover Theater, 1635 Park Ave  San Jose, CA 95126

Show Times:

Friday, January 17th  7:00pm

Saturday, January 18th 10:00am,  2:00pm and 7:00pm

Sunday, January 19th 10:00am and 2:00pm

Tickets available at www.playfulpeople.net

$12 attendees 12 and up, and $8 children 11 and under

Tickets at the door (30 minutes prior to curtain)

$15 attendees 12 and up, and $10 children 11 and under

For questions: barb@galiotto.com

Playful People Productions provides a quality, caring environment in which children, youth & their families have positive theatre experiences, while being involved in many aspects of on-stage/ back-stage theatre. Our company fills a need of providing beginning through advanced theatre for the whole family to the community. The founders have expanded the program to include classes & summer camps.

The Wizard of Oz Comes to the Montgomery Theater Starting this Friday

~~~

The Wizard of Oz will kick off the 46^th season for CMT San Jose, when Dorothy skips down the yellow brick road all the way to the Montgomery Theater, November 15-24 for the CMT San Jose Rising Star production of the classical musical.

Due to the overwhelming number of auditioners, over 200, CMT added two shows and an additional cast. Tickets are $18 for adults and $14 for children and can be obtained by calling (408) 288-5437 or www.cmtsj.org/content/sale.

Dorothy, Toto and the rest of the gang will be one of four CMT Rising Stars shows in production. The next round of auditions are January 7-8 for the theater company’s spring shows. CMT is committed to casting all that audition.

Other CMT Rising Star performances include: Pirates of Penzance (February 27-March 2), You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (May 1-4), and Oklahoma, July 11-20. CMT will close out its season with Disney’s Jungle Book for performers aged 6 to 9 on August 7-10. A full schedule is here: http://cmtsj.org/content/stage

CMT has a 10-show schedule that can be seen here: http://cmtsj.org/content/stage

"Fifth Beatle" Brian Epstein was unsung hero Musical retelling of Beatles story through the eyes of manager, "In My Life", comes to San Jose Stage on November 3

SAN JOSE, CA Brian Epstein, the man who discovered and managed the Beatles, the most influential rock group in history and one of the dominant pop culture entities of the 20th century, can be considered one of the key global figures of the post-World War II era. “In My Life – A Musical Theatre Tribute to the Beatles” is a musical retelling of the iconic band’s story through the eyes of Epstein and features the live music of renowned tribute, Abbey Road. The award-winning production comes to the Montgomery Theater in San Jose on Sunday, November 3 at 7 pm.

As a lonely adolescent, Epstein longed to escape the dull, decaying town of Liverpool to make his mark in the arts and theater in glamorous London. However, his enrollment in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts ended in failure and disappointment.

In 1957, while in London, he suffered the humiliation of an arrest for “importuning” (soliciting men for sex). Though he avoided prison, he remained traumatized by the ordeal. He was also discharged from the military after ten months for being “unfit” to serve - most likely his homosexuality, which remained a crime in England until one month after his death in 1967.

A defeated Epstein reluctantly returned to Liverpool to work at his family's furniture store and took over the small record department. To everyone’s surprise, he excelled.

It was from this shop that Brian set out on November 9, 1961, to catch the lunch hour show at a dingy, dank former vegetable cellar, The Cavern Club, a few hundred yards away. He made his way past a queue of teenage girls in beehives and boys in skin-tight drain-pipe trousers, and down 18 damp stone steps to check out four sweaty young men playing guitars and drums.

Epstein was at least six years older than any of the Beatles and lived in a different socio-economic and cultural sphere. He favored the finer arts like opera, theater and chamber music, not the simple, raucous rock 'n' roll that was sweeping across Britain at the time.

During the Beatles’ time in Hamburg, they began wearing black leather jackets and adopted a look that conveyed the casual charm of hoods on holiday. During shows, they drank, smoked cigarettes and spiced their stage banter with profanity.

“Against all odds, he was instantly charmed by what he saw on stage,” said Alxander Jon (spelling is correct), who plays “Epstein” in the musical. “He then seized upon the idea of “cleaning up” the band and transforming them into something the world could embrace.”

Epstein had no experience managing entertainers and he did not he have any contacts in the music industry. However, the Beatles were desperate for someone to help them with their careers. Although they were the kings of Liverpool, but they were stuck in the UK's Merseyside County. In essence, Epstein and the group needed one another -- his eloquence, fine upper-class manners and wealth obviously impressed the Beatles, all of whom grew up in working-class environments.Within two years of first meeting Epstein, they were performing in collarless jackets and taking synchronized bows.

Everyone knows what happened next. Epstein landed them an audition with Parlophone, a small label under EMI, which led to the much-coveted recording contract. By the end of 1963, the Beatles were the hottest act in Britain, and, in the following year, they would become the most famous four people on the planet.

While he didn’t single-handedly invent rock management and promotion, Epstein clearly took the profession to previously unknown peaks with huge stadium concerts, global tours and publicizing his clients’ personalities, as well as their music.

Epstein had no musical talent of his own and he did not impart any influence on the Beatles' music, but it is safe to assume that if he had decided not to manage the Beatles, they would have never been unveiled to the outside world and society as we know it today might be quite different.

Over the next three years, as the Beatles' fame and public adulation escalated to unprecedented heights, Epstein, not even 30, attained a level of affluence and power he could not possibly have ever dreamed of.

However, riches and celebrity failed to soothe Epstein's fragile psyche. He managed the Beatles until his death at the age of 32 of a drug overdose.

“Epstein was a fascinating, complex figure who was a deeply troubled and insecure man who fought demons that ultimately ended his life in tragedy,” said Jon.”It is a challenge to play him,” he said.

Ironically, it was McCartney, not a great admirer of Epstein, who declared to the BBC: "If anyone was the fifth Beatle, it was Brian."

More than just a Beatles tribute concert, “In My Life” gives the audience a chance to “be there” at pivotal moments in the extraordinary career of the Beatles: Liverpool’s legendary Cavern Club, The Ed Sullivan Show, Shea Stadium, Abbey Road Studios and the final live performance on the rooftop of their Apple Corp offices. With Epstein serving as narrator, In My Life allows the audience to get a glimpse inside the world of the Beatles from their point of view, as well as hear some of the greatest songs ever written. Historical settings such as the Cavern Club are established on stage with videos and images which play behind the actors and musicians on a a video screen. The show has been touring for years and is widely considered by industry insiders to be the most unique Beatles show in decades.

“In My Life” takes the audience back to February 1964, when Americans saw the Beatles for the first time on the Ed Sullivan Show, playing I Want to Hold Your Hand. Progressing through their various musical stages, the audience re-experiences the psychedelic era of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the creation of the haunting Yesterday and the raucous rock and roll of Revolution.

“The show delivers!” said the L.A. Times. “If you see one tribute show, see this one – smart and loads of fun,” said the O.C. Register. “This is the ticket for you,” said the Idaho Statesman. “The most original of all the shows on the Beatles,” San Diego Theatre Review.

Playful People Productions Presents: Willy Wonka Kids and Willy Wonka Jr

Sounds like a fun local production for those with kids:

~~~

Playful People Productions Presents:

Willy Wonka Kids and Willy Wonka Jr

This scrumdidilyumptious musical is guaranteed to delight everyone's sweet tooth! Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka JR and Willy Wonka KIDS follows enigmatic candy manufacturer, Willy Wonka, as he stages a contest by hiding five golden tickets in five scrumptious candy bars.  The lucky winners will get a free tour of the Wonka factory, as well as a lifetime supply of candy. Four of the five winning children are brats: the fifth is a likeable young lad named Charlie, who takes the tour with his equally amiable Grandpa Joe. This scrumdidilyumptious musical is guaranteed to  take the audiences on a fantasy ride into the land of pure imagination!

All Shows at the Historic Hoover Theater, 1635 Park Ave  San Jose, CA 95126

Show Times:

Willy Wonka Kids - 

Friday, October 25th  7:00pm

Saturday, October 26th 10:00am,  2:00pm and 7:00pm

Sunday, October 27th 10:00am and 2:00pm

Willy Wonka Jr - 

Friday, November 1st 10:00am and  7:00pm

Saturday, Novemer 2nd 10:00am,  2:00pm and 7:00pm

Tickets available at www.playfulpeople.net

$12 attendees 12 and up, and $8 children 11 and under 

Tickets at the door (30 minutes prior to curtain)

$15 attendees 12 and up, and $10 children 11 and under

For questions: barb@galiotto.com

Playful People Productions provides a quality, caring environment in which children, youth & their families have positive theatre experiences, while being involved in many aspects of on-stage/ back-stage theatre. Our company fills a need of providing beginning through advanced theatre for the whole family to the community. The founders have expanded the program to include classes & summer camps.

Playful People Productions is run by mother-daughter team, Barbara Galiotto & Katie D' Arcey, who between them have approx 50 years experience in the musical theatre world. Both are Positive Discipline trained & worked as early Childhood Educators as well as in theatre. Both have worked as professional directors with children's theatre for many years.

For each production we employ professional designers, artists, choreographers and directors to guide our students. We also hire experienced college & high school students to do jobs in the production such as directors, stage managers, lighting, make-up, & set designers, choreographers and assistants. This allows students to gain work experiences in all aspects of theatre. The goals of Playful People Productions are to provide the community with a variety of performing opportunities for children, youth & families to experience. Playful People Productions will challenge young people in the community, provide a safe, caring environment, & involve parents in a wholesome, well-rounded activity. We believe that a good theatre experience will greatly improve the lives of the children, youth and families in our community.

San Jose Stage Company Announces 2013-14 Season

 

San Jose, CA — San Jose Stage Company Artistic Director Randall King announces The Stage’s 2013-14 Season:

 

“As the company enters its next decade, we continue our mission to bring bold, diverse and innovative new work to The Stage. Our 31st Season revolves around the heart, soul and strength of community tackling the forces of corruption, exploitation and depravity. Each play zeroes in on the fear and paradox that exist in the realities and myths of the American Dream in today’s world. These stories are told with great humor and pathos,” noted Artistic Director Randall King

 

The Stage’s 2013-14 Season kicks off with Kristoffer Diaz’ body-slamming 2010 Pulitzer Prize Finalist, The Elaborate Entrance Of Chad Deity, presented in association with Capital Stage Company. Associate Artists Kevin Blackton*, Halsey Varady*, Will Springhorn Jr.*, Allison F. Rich* and Martin Rojas Dietrich* will light the holidays with Joe Landry’s radio play of the iconic classic film It’s A Wonderful Life. The New Year fires up the long-anticipated production of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s powerful and evocative The Threepenny Opera, followed by two Regional Premieres — Lynn Nottage’s stunning new comedy By The Way, Meet Vera Stark and the sexy and explosive 2012 Tony Award Nominee Bonnie & Clyde: A New Musical with Music byFrank Wildhorn, Lyrics by Don Black and Book by Ivan Menchell.

 

Finalist for the 2010 Pulitzer Prize

THE ELABORATE ENTRANCE OF CHAD DEITY

Presented in association with Capital Stage Company

Written by Kristoffer Diaz

 

October 16 – November 10, 2013 / Press Opening October 19, 2013

 

The acclaimed comedy The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deityslams together thrilling spectacle, incredible characters and geopolitical allegory into an invigorating theatrical experience that you can’t find on pay-per-view. Kristoffer Diaz’s play also received the 2011 Obie Award for Best New American Play and the 2008 National Latino Playwriting Award.

 

“has the serious crack and pop of a galloping, honest-to-God, all-American satire”

– The New York Times

 

“an adrenaline rush…delightful physicality and freewheeling theatricality!”

– Washington Post

 

 

Beloved Holiday Classic

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY

From the screenplay by Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra

and Jo Swerling

Adapted by Joe Landry

 

November 27 – December 22, 2013 / Press Opening November 30, 2013

 

This beloved American holiday classic comes to captivating life as a live 1940s radio broadcast. An ensemble of Stage Company associate artists brings to the stage the story of idealistic George Bailey, who has given up on his dreams in order to help others and who now considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve, bringing about the intervention of his guardian angel. It's A Wonderful Life celebrates community at its best and reminds us that we contribute to each other's happiness and well being, perhaps daily, in ways we might not ever be conscious of. This is the timeless gift of the story and why it continues to resonate so powerfully with us today.

 

"fresh and inventive way of reconnecting with a classic story of love and redemption."

– Chicago Sun-Times

 

“Wonderful, heartwarming and good for the soul” -- San Francisco Chronicle

 

Powerful Iconic Musical

THE THREEPENNY OPERA

Based on John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera

Adaptation and Lyrics by Bertolt Brecht / Music by Kurt Weill

German translation by Elisabeth Hauptmann

English translation of dialog by Robert MacDonald

English translation of lyrics by Jeremy Sams

 

February 5 – March 30, 2014 / Press Opening February 8, 2014

 

A milestone of 20th century musical theater, The Threepenny Opera (Die Dreigroschenoper) rolls on unstoppably into the 21st with absolute relevance in today’s world. In their opera “by and for beggars,” composer Kurt Weill (1900–1950) and playwright Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956) created a trailblazing musical spectacle of fierce social and political critique where the haves clash with the have-nots with its haunting jazz score by Kurt Weill, acid harmonies and biting lyrics. This musical saga of the villainous but irresistible Mack the Knife and his marauding band of thieves is a revolutionary musical theatre inspiring such hits asCabaret (at The Stage in 2011 for an extended run) andUrinetown, The Musical (at The Stage in 2006 for an extended run). 

 

“the kind of theater that shakes up a audience” – Chicago Daily Herald

 

“an engaging and biting piece of theatre” – New York Daily News

 

Regional Premiere

BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK

Written by Lynn Nottage

 

April 19 – May 11, 2014 / Press Opening April 19, 2014

 

Recipient of the Edgerton Foundation New Play Award and the 2012 Drama Desk Nominee for Outstanding Play, the regional premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author’s new comedy, Lynn Nottage draws upon the screwball films of the 1930s to take a funny and irreverent look at racial stereotypes in Hollywood. This multimedia presentation is a seventy-year journey through the life of Vera Stark, a headstrong African-American maid and budding actress, and her tangled relationship with her boss, a white Hollywood star desperately grasping to hold on to her career.

 

"Nottage is one of our finest playwrights, a smart, empathetic, and daring storyteller who tells a story an audience won't expect." — Time Out New York

"Lynn Nottage's work explores depths of humanness, the overlapping complexities of race, gender, culture and history — and the startling simplicity of desire — with a clear tenderness, with humor, with compassion." — Paula Vogel, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright

Regional Premiere of a New Musical

BONNIE & CLYDE

Music by Frank Wildhorn

Lyrics by Don Black

Book by Ivan Menchell

 

June 4 – July 27, 2014/ Press Opening June 7, 2014

 

 

Bonnie & Clyde charts a true tale of love, poverty, criminality and celebrity set in the 1930s Southern States of drought, dust, disease and death. When Bonnie met Clyde, it was an instant and dangerous attraction. These two young lovers became inseparable and quickly plunged themselves into a life of fast cars, guns and revenge. Part folk heroes and part murderous outlaws, Bonnie and Clyde instantly became the stuff of legend. This new stage adaptation fuses together vintage images with rockabilly, blues and gospel music. Bonnie & Clyde was nominated for two 2012 Tony Awards and five 2012 Drama Desk Awards nominations, including Outstanding Musical and Outstanding Music.

 

“armed and amorous, committing cold-blooded musical”

– The New York Times

 

“entertaining, melody-enriched, original musical”

– CurtainUp

 

All titles and dates subject to change

 

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association

 

The Stage is located at 490 South First Street at William Street in the SoFA district of downtown San Jose. 2012-13 Subscriptions available at 408.283.7142 or www.thestage.org

 

#          #          # 

 

About San Jose Stage Company:

 

Launching on its 31st Season, San Jose Stage Company is recognized as the San Francisco Bay Area's Premiere Off-Broadway Theatre. The Stage is known for its devotion to new and cutting-edge work and for its commitment to showcasing high-quality local talent.

 

Ranked the 3rd largest theatre and 9th largest performance arts organization in Silicon Valley by the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, San Jose Stage Company is a vital force in the community. The Stage has earned a reputation for artistic excellence by providing high quality, edgy theatrical experiences that engage, educate and provoke audiences. That includes 147 productions, 45 new works and 13 world premieres.

 

The Stage offers five core education and outreach programs and has housed over 250 independent performance groups. Located at the Gateway to the City's Arts and Entertainment District, San Jose Stage Company, the SoFA District's first arts anchor organization, continues to promote San Jose's stature as a burgeoning regional arts center by providing live theatre experiences that enrich the quality of life in the community.

The Beatles Tribute Show "In My Life" - Tickets Go On Sale Today

If you are a Beatles fan, you will definitely want to have a look at this show playing at the Montgomery Theater in Downtown San Jose. Tickets go on sale today and if you scroll down to the bottom you will find a discount code that can be used until August 9th. See the press release below for all the details.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Beatles are back with In My Life, the untold true story of the legendary Fab Four, at the Montgomery Theater in San Jose

Discounted tickets for nationally touring show available August 2 - 9

 

SAN JOSE, CA (07/23/2013)— The time is NOW to reserve your seat in history for In My Life - A Musical Theatre Tribute to The Beatles, the award-winning musical biography of The Beatles through the eyes of manager Brian Epstein. Featuring live music from renowned tribute band Abbey Road, the show is widely considered by industry insiders to be the most unique Beatles show in decades. The multi-media musical plays Sunday, November 3 at 7 pm at the Montgomery Theater in San Jose.

Tickets go on sale August 2, but through August 9, a discounted rate on tickets is offered. Ticket prices range from $40 - $60, but you will be able to take $10 off all tickets during this time. Use promo code "BEATLES" when purchasing tickets between these dates. Tickets may be purchased by phoning (408) 792-4111, visiting www.sanjosetheaters.org or dropping by the Box Office located at 135 W. San Carlos in San Jose. The Box Office is open Monday - Friday from 9 am - 5 pm. The Montgomery Theater is located at 271 S Market St in San Jose 95113. The show is appropriate for all ages.

More than just a Beatles tribute concert, In My Life gives the audience the chance to “be there” at pivotal moments in the extraordinary career of The Beatles: Liverpool’s legendary Cavern Club, The Ed Sullivan Show, Shea Stadium, Abbey Road Studios and the final live performance on the rooftop of their Apple Corp offices. With manager Brian Epstein serving as narrator, In My Life allows the audience to get a glimpse inside the world of The Beatles from their point of view, as well as hear some of the greatest songs ever written. Historical settings such as the Cavern Club are established on stage with videos and images, which play behind the actors and musicians on a video screen. 

With their tight harmonies, flawless renditions, custom–tailored costumes, vintage instruments, Liverpudlian dialect and precise attention to detail, they recreate the magic of The Beatles, including the Fab Four’s cheeky personalities and familiar onstage banter.  Progressing through their various musical stages, the audience re-experiences the psychedelic era of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the creation of the haunting “Blackbird” and the raucous rock and roll of “Revolution.”

 

As we approach the 50^th anniversary of the British Invasion, NOW is the time to celebrate one rockin’ blast from the past with In My Life. Don’t miss this true story of the very first and most successful quartet of all time. Relive the songs you came to love, as you’re transported back in time for one special night. Whether you were old enough to remember The Beatles or a new fan, In My Lifewill get you up on your feet and dancing in the aisles.

The Beatles appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show remains one of the most iconic moments in music history, as 78 million Americans were glued to their televisions. February 9, 2014 will mark the Golden Anniversary of that golden moment. Join us as we relive that unforgettable time in music to the sounds of “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” a song that first played in America on December 17, 1963 at a Washington, D.C. radio station. From then on, these ordinary boys from across the pond were catapulted into record-breaking stardom!  

The four musician/actors cast to play John, Paul, George and Ringo were selected from 220 Beatle tribute musicians and are age appropriate for the Beatles (22 – 32 years of age). The band features Chris Paul Overall ("Paul"), Gregory Wilmot ("John"), Jesse Wilder ("George") and Axel Clarke ("Ringo"). Brian Epstein is played by Alxander Jon.

“The show delivers!” said the L.A. Times. “If you see one tribute show, see this one – smart and loads of fun,” said the O.C. Register. “This is the ticket for you,” said the Idaho Statesman. “The most original of all the shows on The Beatles,” San Diego Theatre Review.