Escott & Mutrux Construct Riveting Musical Time Machine by Rosa del Duca The lights come up inside Sun Records, which used to be an auto body shop. The black and white checkered floor is worn and discolored in spots. An unassuming Christmas tree stands in the corner, draped with tinsel. Four microphones stand by…
Doyle Ott Takes Toddlers to the Moon and Back by Rosa del Duca “Teddy Bears’ Picnic” starts before you even reach the “theater,” as you follow a friendly bear strumming a ukulele through Oakland’s Fairyland, pausing to make sure no one gets lost. As you duck inside a cozy yurt, you see not one,…
Parker, Lopez, Stone Deliver Missionary Musical Masterpiece by Rosa del Duca “The Book of Mormon” opens with the hit song “Hello,” in which one young man rings a doorbell, enthusiastically introduces himself, and offers a free copy of “the most amazing book.” Before long there is a cacophony of doorbells and the stage is…
Tennessee Williams in Moving, Fragile Moments by Lisa Portes by Rosa del Duca “The Glass Menagerie” opens with Tom Wingfield’s short, poetic monologue, explaining that he is both the narrator and a character in the play. We are entering his memory of a particular time of strife in his family. At Cal Shakes, Tom…