Theatrical Musings

SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco Ballet held a “Nutcracker” performance outside in the Hayes Valley neighborhood on Saturday, December 5, ABC 7 San Francisco first reported. According to the San Francisco Ballet, due to COVID-19 restrictions, their performance will be streamed onto their website for the public to view. “ Nutcracker is a tradition that I look forward to each year,”...

SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco Ballet announced Tuesday, October 27, that their 2021 season will move to digital platforms to follow COVID-19 guidelines. https://twitter.com/sfballet/status/1321183637392510980?s=21 “I am excited for us to be able to reach those across the world to whom we’ve not been previously accessible,” Helgi Tomasson, artistic director for SF Ballet, said in a public statement. “For our devoted audiences, watching...

NEW YORK—The biggest night in theater and Broadway as some call it came to a pinnacle on Sunday, June 9, as the 73rd Tony Awards were handed out from Radio City Music Hall in New York City. “The Late Late Show” host James Corden was the master of ceremonies as the night kicked off with you guessed it: song...

SAN FRANCISCO—Chaos broke out during the musical performance of "Hamilton" at San Francisco's Orpheum theatre on Friday, February 15. Officials indicated that audience members confused a medical emergency for a shooting. According to the Associated Press, a woman suffered from a heart attack and someone used an emergency defibrillator, activating an alarm at the same time that gunfire transpired onstage...

HOLLYWOOD—“Dear Evan Hansen” is making box office history with its current tour across the country, and now at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. It was a hit on Broadway, making a star of Ben Platt, from Los Angeles, who originated the role of Evan, and winning a Tony Award for Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (Music and Lyrics). In...

HOLLYWOOD—Otis Williams, the founding member of The Temptations, said, “Music: It transcends barriers,” and “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations” certainly does just that, and more. This is no cover band/tribute show, this is the real thing. Dominique Morisseau’s book, a smooth flow of drama, artfully woven through the most classic catalogue of R&B music...

NEW YORK—The biggest accolades in the world of theatre were handed out on Sunday, June 10 from Radio City Music Hall. The 72nd Annual Tony Awards were hosted by singers Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban. I must say I miss Neil Patrick Harris who was a hoot as the host of the ceremony in past years. I was skeptical...

NEW YORK—The nominees for the 2018 Tony Awards were unveiled on Tuesday, May 1 by Leslie Odom Jr. and Katharine McPhee. Leading all contenders were the musicals “Mean Girls” and “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical” with a total of 12 nominations apiece including Best Musical. Followed close behind were “Angels in America,” “The Band’s Visit” and “Rodger’s & Hammerstein’s Carousel” with...

HOLLYWOOD—Hamilton has been hot for a while now, but make way for a new meal ticket. “Something Rotten!” offers up a deliciously tasty, and often delightfully tasteless, touch of Hamlet and eggs served with a side of wry. The opening song of “Something Rotten!” says, “Welcome to the Renaissance,” but the Minstrel (Nick Rashad Burroughs) leads it off with a...

HOLLYWOOD—John Sebastian steps out on to the cavernous Fred Kavli Theatre stage, “just a man with a guitar,” and you’re instantly smitten, lulled into a state of familiar comfort. He says, “I didn’t know there were that many folkies left in Thousand Oaks,” and you think, “Did he say ‘folkies,’ or ‘fogies’?” It makes no difference as, either way,...