Focusing In: Lamplighters

Morgan gives us a teen's perspective on our penultimate 2011 Focus Theater: Lamplighters Music Theatre!

QUICK FACTS:

NAME: Lamplighters Music Theatre
NICKNAME: Lamplighters
LOCATION: Centralized on Bryant Street in San Francisco, but performs in theaters throughout the San Francisco and elsewhere, including in Walnut Creek, Livermore, and Napa.
WEBSITE: here
FACEBOOK: here

LAMPLIGHTERS IN THREE WORDS:
Hysterical, extravagant, classic (mmm, what more could you ask for?)

FAVORITE LAMPLIGHTERS PLAY:
Such a tricky question! The Mikado, with their rendition of The Secret Garden coming in at a close second. Any production of Pirates of Penzance is incredible too, as well as their yearly satirical Lamplighters Gala fundraisers.

PEOPLE TO KNOW AT LAMPLIGHTERS:
Baker Peeples, the incredible resident musical director of the Lamplighters. A man of extraordinary musical talent, Peeples manages to maintain the traditional opera/operetta musical format while still keeping his productions sounding clean, precise, and fresh. He is also always dressed impeccably; expect him to be looking sharp in a tuxedo during every performance!

FAVORITE THING ABOUT LAMPLIGHTERS:
The Lamplighters is like witnessing a tiny piece of history. It focuses mainly on the productions of Gilbert and Sullivan, seasonally rotating their classics such as The Mikado, Yeoman of the Guard, and HMS Pinafore, and occasionally interspersing them with other operas/operettas such as The Secret Garden. Gilbert and Sullivan wrote their pieces in the mid to late 1800s. At that time, these pieces were considered to be the most edgy, scandalous works of the day. Going back and witnessing them in the 21st century is like examining history: not only is it incredible to witness just what things were considered "raunchy" during the 1800s, but it is also fascinating to contemplate just how relevant so many of these issues remain today.

WHO WOULD YOU TAKE TO A "CLASSIC LAMPLIGHTERS" SHOW?
Probably Gilbert and Sullivan themselves! I'm sure it would be fascinating for them to see how their works are still being produced and discuss with them how timeless these pieces really are.

ONE IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT LAMPLIGHTERS:
Don't be intimidated by the concept of opera/operetta! While it may seem slightly out of your comfort zone if you aren't used to the format, don't be scared! Baker Peeples stresses the importance of diction like no other music director, so you will without question hear all of the words-and thus hear all of the jokes-without any problem. Also, the Lamplighters often provides supertitles projected above the stage, just in case anyone has trouble deciphering the story line. So just sit back, relax, and enjoy!

A press photo from Lamplighter's production of H.M.S. Pinafore.

Focusing In: Cal Shakes

QUICK FACTS

NAME: California Shakespeare Theater

NICKNAME: Cal Shakes

LOCATION: The Bruns Amphitheater, in Orinda

WEBSITE: here

FACEBOOK: here

CAL SHAKES IN THREE WORDS:

Get season tickets. Beautiful, wacky, intelligent. (Or their motto: E pluribus theatrum!)

FAVORITE CAL SHAKES PLAY:

This is a mighty tough question. I’ll go with A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which they put on in 2009. It was so good that I saw it twice. The acting was superb, the set and costumes were magnificent, and I’m still extremely upset that I can’t buy it on DVD.

PEOPLE TO KNOW AT CAL SHAKES:

Jonathan Moscone is the Artistic Director, and has been for the past eleven years; this guy knows what he’s doing. On a less permanent scale, Cal Shakes actors (90% of whom are excellent) tend to cycle through the company, and it’s always a pleasure to see a familiar face, especially when they play a completely different role than you’re used to.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT CAL SHAKES:

Every show they do is clever. I know what you’re thinking: they put on plays by guys like Shakespeare, Shaw, Wilde, and even Steinbeck—aren’t they already clever? You’re right, of course, but if you go see a Cal Shakes production, you’ll know what I mean. They take the classics and shift them a little bit; not so much that you have to squint to see the original work, but enough that you are blown away by their sheer creative genius. Whether they set the show in an unexpected time/place or add pop songs, the amazing actors, designers, and directors at Cal Shakes know exactly how to show you a good time. So before you head to your first show at the Bruns Amphitheater, be warned: you’re going to be hooked.

WHO WOULD YOU TAKE TO A “CLASSIC CAL SHAKES” SHOW?

Everyone I know! I’ve been to Cal Shakes performances with fourteen-year-olds and eighty-year-olds, with Shakespeare buffs and people who’ve never read a single word by the Bard. The audience at any given Cal Shakes show will mostly be an over-fifty crowd, but the crew over there would love to have younger attendees. The best thing about Cal Shakes patrons is that there are always enough of them in attendance to create a sense of community, and no matter your age or background, you get the feeling that that community is something you’d like to be a part of.

ONE IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT CAL SHAKES:

Bring a sleeping bag! The Bruns Amphitheater is one of the most spectacular, breathtaking outdoor theaters you’ll ever go to, but let me stress that it is outdoors. Yes, folks, we are in California, but when that fog rolls in you’ll be wishing you had about three more layers on. A cup of lovely, warm Peet’s coffee or tea at intermission will only get you so far.

(Profile written by Clio.)

Below, a production photo from Cal Shakes' Pastures of Heaven. And yes, those hills (and the sky) are real!

A Teen's Perspective: Metamorphosis at Aurora

QUICK FACTS

SHOW: Metamorphosis

VENUE: Aurora

DATES: Tuesday – Sunday, June 10^th – July 24^th

PRICE: $10 for high school students (advance sale only, at 510-843-4822)

RATING: Recommended!

WEBSITE/INFO: here

Some of you may be familiar with Kafka's short story, but if you aren't, here's a quick summary: Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find that he has transformed into a bug. Chaos ensues.

A simple enough premise, but the complex range emotions raised by Aurora Theater Company's production of David Farr and Gisli Orn Gardarsson's adaption of Kafka's Metamorphosis prove that this show is anything but simple.

With deft and crisp direction from Mark Jackson, Metamorphosis explores not only the physical transformation of Gregor into an insect, but the emotional transformation of his family as well – especially that of his sister, Grete. The balance of physical and emotional is key in this piece, where the movement in the story (from ballet to crawling to frozen tableaus when the doorbell rings to stylized scene transitions set to music) is just as important as its emotional arc.

Just as the type of insect that Gregor transforms into is never specified in the short story, it is intriguing that the audience never gets to see Gregor as a bug – he is merely a human being in human clothing with a human voice. This makes it all the more painful that his family cannot see Gregor under whatever exterior they do see (and judging by their screams, it's something ghastly). The horror of his unfortunate transformation is even more jarring in juxtaposition with the clean and appearance-oriented 1950's setting, well-conveyed through Christine Crook's characteristically captivating costumes.

As Gregor, actor Alexander Crowther crawls and skitters nimbly around, above, below, and through Nina Ball's impressive set, an ideal 1950's home tilted and warped just like the family itself. His frustration, mortification, and torment are almost palpable as he scales walls and hides behind chairs. Madeline H.D. Brown is alternatingly hilarious and heartbreaking in the role of Gregor's mother, a 1950's housewife obsessed with appearances and prone to fainting -- her transitions from a plastered-on smile to a clenched jaw and worried eyes are riveting. Megan Trout's transformation from a young girl devoted to her brother to a young woman disgusted by him is convincing and distressing – and her ballet routine is as funny as it is beautiful. And luckily for those of us who found the tension of the Samsa household increasingly stressful, Patrick Jones brings welcome and finely-tuned comic relief in his roles as Gregor's boss and a potential tenant of the Samsa's.

Metamorphosis' gripping transformations from comedy to tragedy, from scene to scene, and from “perfect” characters to monstrous characters, make it an enjoyable and stirring show – and not to be missed.

Production photos above taken by David Allen.

Focusing In: Just Theater

Introducing a third theater in our 2011-2012 Season of Focus Theaters: Just Theater!

QUICK FACTS

NAME: Just Theater

LOCATION: various, but usually (always?) in Berkeley

WEBSITE: http://www.justtheater.org

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Just-Theater/266212518714

JUST THEATER IN THREE WORDS:

Intelligent, examining, compelling.

FAVORITE JUST THEATER PLAY?

Confession: I've only (really) seen one. It was 1001 by Jason Grote and it was great -- really gave me a lot to think about. But I just saw their reading series of five plays by five different playwrights, and they were fun and funny and heart-breaking and genius. I enjoyed each reading so much that I came right back for the next one. (And I heard Down a Little Dirt Road was pretty good, too. ;D)

PEOPLE TO KNOW AT JUST THEATER:

Molly Aaronson-Gelb and Jonathan Spector. They're the Co-Artistic Directors of Just Theater and also happen to be married. Both are really interesting, fun, and overall wonderful people. They make some great theater, too.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT JUST THEATER:

You can think about a Just Theater show for weeks, months, a whole YEAR after you've seen it and still not have it completely figured out. They never get stale.

WHO WOULD YOU TAKE TO A “CLASSIC JUST THEATER” SHOW?

This is a perfect question because I actually just took tons of people to a Just Theater show. Teenage friends. Parents of teenage friends. Teachers. Siblings. Parents. Theater people. People who hadn't seen a show for 20 years. Just Theater shows are like that. You can take anyone who's up for some thinking.

ONE IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT JUST THEATER:

Come early on in the run of a Just Theater show. It's cheaper, and it gets more expensive each week.

Above, a production photo from Just Theater's 1001.

Focusing In: Impact Theatre

Introducing another of our 2011-2012 Focus Theaters: Impact Theatre!

QUICK FACTS

NAME: Impact Theatre

NICKNAME: Impact

LOCATION: La Val's Subterranean Theater (1834 Euclid Ave., Berkeley)

WEBSITE: http://www.impacttheatre.com

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/impacttheatre

IMPACT IN THREE WORDS:

BOOM! Crazy, fun. (Or, to quote their own tagline: Pizza. Beer. Plays.)

FAVORITE IMPACT PLAY?

I laughed so hard all the way through Impact's version of A Midsummer Night's Dream that it was painful to walk out of the theater. I'd gotta say that one wins.

PEOPLE TO KNOW AT IMPACT:

Cheshire Isaacs, who, according to the website, is Impact's “managing director and graphics uberlord”. Sorry I'm so stuck on the visual art side of theater (see the Shotgun post), but really, if you've seen the awesome postcards/posters/programs/website he designed, you'll know why I'm saying this.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT IMPACT:

People come to Impact shows ready to have a good time. And they do. (Plus, there's pizza literally above your head.)

WHO WOULD YOU TAKE TO A “CLASSIC IMPACT” SHOW?

Someone who loves to laugh. Someone that already knows all the “bad words” and can explain the jokes that go over my head to me. Someone that won't be grossed out by copious amounts of stage blood. Maybe someone who thinks that Shakespeare is inaccessible or “uncool”, because I'd love to prove them wrong, Impact-style.

ONE IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT IMPACT:

If you're really-uber-super-duper-tall, watch out. La Val's Subterranean is literally a little black box under a restaurant and you could bump your head on one of the lights. Hypothetically. Oh yeah, and if you come early enough, you can snag a seat on the couch!

Above, a production photo from Impact Theatre's Romeo & Juliet.

Focusing In: Shotgun Players

Introducing one of our 2011-2012 Focus Theaters: Shotgun Players!

QUICK FACTS

NAME: Shotgun Players

NICKNAME: Shotgun

LOCATION: The Ashby Stage (at Ashby and MLK in Berkeley) or John Hinkel Park (also in Berkeley)

WEBSITE: http://www.shotgunplayers.org

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/ShotgunPlayers

SHOTGUN IN THREE WORDS.

Thought-provoking, explosive, unexpected. (I used a hyphen. I hope that's not cheating.)

FAVORITE SHOTGUN PLAY?

Ooh. Tough. I think it's a tie between God's Ear and In the Wound (though This World in a Woman's Hands and A Seagull in the Hamptons are high up there, too). All four blew my mind.

PEOPLE TO KNOW AT SHOTGUN.

R. Black, artist extraordinaire. You know those awesome murals on the side of the Ashby Stage that you see whenever you drive by? You know those great posters and creative playbills? Yep, that's him.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT SHOTGUN.

Besides the quality of the shows? The Ashby Stage. It's easy to get to (BART, bus, car) and it has this distinct smell and feeling that's really hard not to love.

WHO WOULD YOU TAKE TO A “CLASSIC SHOTGUN” SHOW?

Someone who likes to think, likes to question, and likes to challenge. Someone who wants to go to the theater and see something new – something they've never seen before. Maybe not my grandmother (although, actually, I do have a grandmother that would really like Shotgun's shows), but definitely my parents and my classmates.

ONE IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT SHOTGUN.

They will sell out – especially at the Ashby Stage. Buy your tickets way, way, WAY in advance (or be prepared to get there really early to put yourself on the waitlist).

A production photo from Shotgun Players' recent show Of the Earth. Photo by Pak Han.

Who We Are

Hey there, welcome to Up Next's Blog! Up Next is a non-profit which will offer low-priced tickets and outreach to teens (ages 13-18) to see all of the exciting,thought-provoking, andrelevant theater going on in the Bay Area. This blog serves as the intermediary between our Facebook fan page (facebook.com/upnextbayarea), and our up and coming website! Visit for updates on our Focus Theatres as well as info on our Next Nights Out, Teens See Teens Nights and fun tidbits about our members!