Oregon Shakespeare Festival 2017 Season

Each year, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, located in scenic Ashland, Oregon, produces 11 plays in repertory. About half of them are the works of Shakespeare, with the rest a mixture of world premieres, contemporary plays, older musicals, and shows by classic playwrights.

Ashland itself is a wonderful place for a vacation. A variety of quality restaurants with fresh ingredients, lots of nearby trails and parks, and a thriving visual arts scene make the town a favorite destination.

Here are some of the most exciting plays of OSF’s 2017 season:

Julius Caesar (Directed by Shana Cooper)

Julius Caesar was OSF’s flagship tragedy during their 2011 season, which used minimalist staging and audience participation to use the play as a metaphor for some of modern history’s most controversial leaders. Shana Cooper, also responsible for directing The Unfortunates, is in charge of the 2017 version, which looks like a more classical adaptation.

UniSon (by UNIVERSES, directed by Robert O’Hara)

UNIVERSES, the theatre troupe that previously created Party People for OSF, returns with an exploration of American master August Wilson’s unpublished poetry. This structure capitalizes on what UNIVERSES did best with Party People – creating profound, energetic explorations of movement, visuals, and language within a loose dramatic framework. UniSon may prove to be the most outlandish, and most interesting, contemporary play of the season.

The Odyssey (Directed by Mary Zimmerman)

Mary Zimmerman is best known for her beautiful stage adaptations of classic myths. This year, Zimmerman directs The Odyssey, one of the most famous Greek legends, which brought such things as the Cyclops, Circe the sorceress, and the island of the Lotus-Eaters into the popular consciousness. The action-packed and exciting story, combined with Zimmerman’s theatrical magic, makes The Odyssey a must-see performance.

Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles (by Luis Alfaro, directed by Juliette Carrillo)

The classic Greek tragedy Medea is re-imagined through the lens of the Mexican-American immigrant experience in this work from Luis Alfaro, also known for his award-winning Oedipus el Rey.  Even for those familiar with Sophocles’ masterpiece, its new context – set in the modern day – will hit much closer to home emotionally than a classical adaptation.

Henry IV, Part One/Henry IV, Part Two (Directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz/Carl Cofield)

Shakespeare’s historical duology about the youthful Prince Hal learning to become the king expected of him by his father, Henry IV, is always an ambitious undertaking. When OSF previously produced these plays (along with their sequel, Henry V), they split them up over three seasons; now, you have the opportunity to watch the epic tale of Hal’s growth over the course of a few days. Part Two doesn’t open until July, so keep that in mind when planning your schedule.

Vesta

Location: Redwood City, CA

Food: Pizza

Close To: Dragon Theatre, Broadway By The Bay

California pizza is known for being wide and flat, with a thin crust, as opposed to the thicker New York slice or the Chicago deep dish. One of the best choices for California-style pizza in the Bay Area is Vesta, a trendy, modern restaurant located in the middle of downtown Redwood City. Featuring a substantial menu of pies and appetizers, Vesta is a great choice if you feel like pizza but want something more upscale than delivery in a box.

There are a number of appetizers you could order to compliment your pizza, including the mushroom toast ($12) with sauteed mushrooms on bread or grilled carrots with lemon yogurt ($9), but one item on the menu must not be overlooked: Grilled bread ($2.50). Thick, crusty bread is toasted to perfection and lightly brushed with olive oil, creating a slight bitterness that compliments the sweet-sour flavor of the bread. There’s enough in a serving for at least two people, and it goes well with any pizza you would care to order.

Pizzas at Vesta are split into two categories: Red pizzas, which have tomato sauce, and white pizzas, which have cheese. Both types are large enough for two or three people to have a satisfying meal, so it’s highly recommended that you bring someone along. One of the more traditional pizzas in the red section is the basil burrata ($19), which plays on the classic Italian pizza margherita (also available on the menu for $16) by adding creamy dollops of soft, sweet burrata cheese. Fresh basil adds the aromatic punch needed to round out the flavor experience. Other choices in the red section are a vegan pesto pizza ($17) and an interesting pie that has sausage, honey and chili for a sweet-hot flavor ($21).

My choice in the white section is the Rosemary Potato & Bacon pizza ($21). Though unthinkable as a topping on a conventional pizza, the potato is one of the stars of the dish. The texture of the German butterball potato provides a palate contrast to the crisp bacon and soft cheese and the flavor combines beautifully with the dash of rosemary sprinkled across it. The pizza combines the casual delight that normally comes with eating pizza and the comfort of a home-cooked meal, providing an eating experience unique to Vesta.

After such great options for pizzas, it almost seems unfair that Vesta’s desserts are considerably above-par. Ordering a generous scoop of gelato ($5 with add-ons) is an excellent choice; my personal favorite flavor is the salted dulce de leche, which has coarse rock salt added to provide new flavors in every bite. Make sure to pay a little extra to add warm Tcho chocolate sauce, especially on a cold winter’s day. If ice cream isn’t your thing, you might want to order the Mexican chocolate bread pudding ($7), which comes with Grand Marnier sauce.

Vesta is a member of the newest generation of restaurants, which uses interesting local ingredients to put a spin on the classic American comfort food dishes from decades past (See also my review of Smithfield’s in Ashland, which offers a similar experience.) It provides a refined meal experience while removing much of the pretension of older fine dining locations. This mix of casual and sophisticated, along with its prime location near some of the Bay Area’s best theatre, makes it an excellent choice for the theatregoer.

Palo Alto Players: A Day In Hollywood/A Night In The Ukraine

Left to right: Patty Reinhart, Andrew Ceglio, Mohammed Ismail. Photo courtesy Joyce Goldschmid and Palo Alto Players.

One of the long-forgotten traditions of the American theatre is the vaudeville circuit, where you could watch music and comedy on a local stage for dirt cheap. No group was more notable for vaudeville than the legendary Marx Brothers, whose hilarious and incredibly-crafted wordplay informs comedy writers to this day. Palo Alto Players’ performance of the 1979 adaptation A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine hearkens back to the vaudeville stage, first with several musical numbers from an outstanding ensemble cast, then with a Marx Brothers performance that packs their hallmark brand of comedy into a tight hour of Chekhov-inspired comedy.

The first hour of Hollywood/Ukraine is a musical revue presented under the thin veneer of ushers at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre attempting to distract the audience while the projectionist tries to get the movie going. The most fun one, “I Love a Film Cliché,” collects the premiere lines of 1930s cinema at a rapid pace and making use of the numerous balconies and corridors of the Lucie Stern theatre. Other numbers include a tap dance accompanied by a verbatim reading of the 1930 Motion Picture Production Code and a tribute medley to composer Richard Whiting, best known for the classic song “Good Ship Lollipop.” The Day in Hollywood section is hilarious, of course, but it also evokes the more innocent, straightforward films of the early 20^th century in a way that’s almost nostalgic.

Night at the Ukraine features three Marx Brothers impersonators stumbling, in a fashion unique to the Marxes, through the obscure Chekhov one-act play The Bear. When performing a Marx Brothers show, strict adherence to the character is key, and all of the actors do a bang-up job. Andrew Ceglio’s Groucho is almost a perfect reenactment, flawlessly accomplishing the rapid-fire wordplay and acrobatic pratfalls necessitated by the role. Chico, played by Mohammed Ismail, is a little lower-energy than Groucho but neatly balances the mix of cleverness and stupidity that every Chico character requires. Last but not least, Patty Reinhart delivers Harpo’s series of physical gags without missing a beat. Reinhart is significantly shorter than her partners in crime (and the actual Harpo), which actually works well for her role – high-energy comedy is especially funny when delivered by someone smaller than everyone else.

Also of note in Night at the Ukraine is Sarah Cook as Mrs. Pavlenko, the resident high-class large woman present in every Marx Brothers comedy. Pavlenko acts as the play’s straight performer, mirroring Groucho’s wordplay and Chico’s props with equal amounts of horror, and helps both ground the play in some semblance of reality and present the small amount of plot the Marx Brothers need to get away with making a series of jokes for an hour. Cook mirrors the energy of Ceglio, Ismail, and Reinhart so they don’t run away with the show while not overshadowing the comedy – an excellent performance.

Some of the play’s technical work is more functional than spectacular (as necessary for comedy), but there are several small touches that deserve attention. The ensemble, dressed as ushers, welcomes in the audience at the start of the production; this touch of metatheatre blends the performance of Palo Alto Players with the dreamy cinematic reality of old Hollywood. Patrick Klein’s set during the first act captures much of the same feeling; the famous sidewalk outside Grauman’s is set very high on the stage, twisting around dimensions that might be familiar to moviegoers. Piano work by Katie Coleman and Lauren F. Bevilacqua ties the production together and allows the vocal performers to shine.

While there are a lot of excellent dramas present in the American theatre today, a good comedy is hard to find. A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine is one of those good comedies, capturing the best wordplay and physical humor of the era of vaudeville. If you want to have a fun night out with the Marx Brothers, stop by Palo Alto Players – they’re always better live.

Los Altos Stage Company: Circle Mirror Transformation

Ensemble. Photo courtesy Richard Mayer.

Annie Baker’s Circle Mirror Transformation exemplifies the playwright’s slice-of-life style, an approach to theater that later won her a Pulitzer for The Flick. Baker dispenses with many of the conventions of drama in her work, creating a vividly compelling snapshot of the daily lives of downcast people in a community center acting class. Los Altos Stage’s ambitious performance brings out the best of this challenging work, capturing the pathos and quiet anguish of these characters as if they were real.

Despite not following the classic rules of theatre, the script of Circle Mirror still possesses a clear order: During the “six weeks” of classes, students participate in theatre games, delving deeper into their lives. Many of the games are repeated over and over, so although we won’t know the direction the story will take, we can at least know what future scenes will look like. Simpler games gauge the group’s unity, while more complex ones give us insight into the lives and pasts of individual characters.

Over the course of the play, the characters of Circle Mirror Transformation occupy the archetypes that one might expect from an acting class, yet simultaneously reveal unique traits. One of the most relatable is Lauren (Brittany Pisoni), a 16-year-old who joins the class hoping to gain sufficient performance skill to get the lead role in her school’s production of West Side Story. A combination of dashed expectations for the class and embarrassment at having to participate in goofy acting games causes her to sigh and complain constantly, but she’s not just a sullen teenager who’s forced to do stuff – her anger is borne out of restrained ambition.

Teaching the course is Marty (Judith Miller), who approaches the class with a freewheeling enthusiasm that is as infectious to some as it is off-putting to others. Miller understands precisely the points at which Marty’s issues start to overcome her naturally cheerful attitude, and handles the emotional shift with delicacy. The complexities of Marty’s identity, however, are more intricate than “sad person wearing a happy mask,” and Miller is as able to return to a place of peace as she is to leave it.

One of the more interesting subplots is a romance between Schultz (Gary Landis) and Theresa (Kristin Brownstone); though both of them half-stumble into it, it’s obvious that Theresa is able to handle the relationship with more maturity. Landis interprets Schultz as awkward and needy, still recovering from an emotional divorce, while Brownstone’s Theresa is ready to move past a difficult breakup with her manipulative boyfriend and an early exit from New York. Rounding out the cast is Damian Vega as Marty’s husband, James. His character is more stable than the others, not displaying any particular quirks or difficulties for most of the play but helping the others to stand out.

Circle Mirror Transformation is unlike most other plays and above the level of difficulty usually chosen for community theatre. Los Altos Stage takes on this challenging slice-of-life drama and succeeds, capturing many of the linguistic and nonverbal nuances required by Baker’s superb dialogue. Don’t expect a tidy conclusion when attending this show, but do expect to exit the theater thinking about your own life.

Palo Alto Players: The Diary of Anne Frank

Left to right: Vic Prosak and Roneet Aliza Rahamim. Photo courtesy Joyce Goldschmid and Palo Alto Players.

When the world of the Allies reeled from the discovery of the horrors committed by the Nazis, it was difficult for many people, especially those without personal connections, to process the meaning of what occurred during the Holocaust. Anne Frank’s diary, discovered after the war, allowed insight into the lives of the millions of victims of Hitler’s atrocities and remains a classic of historical literature to this day, with several stage and film adaptations. Palo Alto Players’ version, based on the 1997 script by Wendy Kesselman, brings to life the personalities and trials of the people in hiding in a small annex in Amsterdam.

Through her diary, Anne Frank put a face on the victims of the Holocaust as an ordinary girl surviving under extraordinary circumstances. In a theatrical adaptation, the actress portraying her must balance the innocence of a middle school girl with the desperation of someone forced into hiding. Roneet Aliza Rahamim’s rendition achieves this balance: She begins the play excited and adventurous, and although she becomes more distraught as her circumstances turn grim, she never loses the positivity and hope that lie at the core of her character.

Another standout performance in the play is Vic Prosak as Anne’s father, Otto. Prosak has a deep, powerful voice, which lends authority to his attempts to maintain peace among the members of the annex. Otto feels a profound sadness about the group’s situation as he watches his children grow up under Nazi persecution; he expresses his protectiveness through unfailing diplomacy yet rigorous adherence to the stringent rules dictated by extreme circumstances. It is Otto who gives the final monologue detailing the horrific fates of the rest of the annex group, and the sorrow and rage in his telling is palpable.

As their living situation becomes more desperate over the course of the play, the group wears down, each member reacting to the deteriorating situation according to their own idiosyncrasies. Most obvious is the dentist Mr. Dussel (Tom Bleecker), whose irritable personality is a source of humor in the play’s lighter moments, but, over time, becomes genuinely angry. The Van Daans (Shawn Bender and Rachel Michelberg) show perhaps the most dramatic transformation, as their refinement crumbles under the face of a dwindling supply of money. However, despite the increasing deprivation and tension, human decency and empathy survive, even during the terrifying moments when the Nazis arrive.

Kuo-Hao Lo’s set captures the confined space of the annex while providing a reasonable amount of room for the drama to unfold. Skylights at the top of the stage let in a sliver of cool light, hinting at the outbreak of the war in Nazi-occupied Holland, but not giving the audience – or the members of the annex – quite enough information. Rooms are set up so beds don’t occupy too much of the audience’s visual space; this gives the actors room to perform, while still conveying a cramped living area too small for its occupants.

Many people have read The Diary of Anne Frank at some point in their lives, but Palo Alto Players’ stage adaptation further captures the point of reading the book – understanding the story of those who lost their lives during the Holocaust. More than simply a documentary about genocide, the play allows us to sympathize directly with a handful of people whose lives were destroyed. For those who want to further know the life of people hiding desperately from a government intent on exterminating them, Anne Frank provides profound insight.