We have all been touched by the tragedy in Connecticut in one way or another. What do we do now? Come together. Please watch, listen, share, donate to worthy causes if you can, and take the time to truly be a better person for yourself and others as we go into the holidays and the new year. Thank you to Justin Llamas for joining on vocals for this project.

Please donate to any cause that you feel is worthy.
http://www.newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org/donate.php
http://www.redcross.org/ct
http://www.newtownparentconnection.org/

"Is This Thing On", written by Less Than Jake
Performed by:
-Paul Sawyer (Guitars, Vocals)
http://www.highschooltheatrespotlight.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/paulrsawyer/
-Justin Llamas (Vocals)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Justin-Llamas-the-Singer/170302399683035
http://about.me/JL_TheSinger

By Siobhan Thompson
Guest Writer

Dustin Hanna as El Gallo

The Fantasticks!, an allegorical musical written in 1960, follows two fathers as they trick their children into falling in love by feigning a feud and building a wall between their two adjacent properties.  Also in the mix is a narrator who addresses the audience directly and the players interchangeably, a troupe of mutes (traditionally only one mute is in the show), and an old actor and his trusty side-kick.  The second half of the show depicts how life changes after the children are allowed to be together and how life isn’t so sweet.  The show is a challenge both dramatically and musically with harmonies in most numbers.

Technically, the show was very smooth thanks to the Director, Steve Dini, and Stage Manager Zoё Beaman.  The lighting, designed by Danny Kipp, Isaac Robinson, and Alex Morcate, kept the mood of the show fluid and matched the happenings on-stage.  There was a series of lighting transitions in the scene set up for the opening that looked rushed, but the cast was smooth in their movement and final tableau.  The sound design and management by Jordon Ananmalay was a brilliantly blended combination of instrument and voice.  The set, designed by Laurie Biviano and Jim Wolk, and costumes designed by Svetlana Sitnikova, were very well put together, sticking to the simple nature of the show.  While costume changes were done with ease, there was some confusion when Matt returned from enduring his adventure. Having dirt, or tatters, or a black eye or something to show his road weariness could have been added – though that would have been an added cost and change, and it is understandable why the choice was made to not have his appearance altered.  

At the outset the musical quality of the cast/musicians, all led and directed by Jeremy Harris, was exceptional.  The balance between the individual instruments and the cast was wonderful. Each cast member could be heard clearly, and the individual contributions of the musicians were distinct and beautiful.  Mr. Harris did wonders showcasing the quality of each voice and instrument.  He brought out the best sound from everyone.  The harpist, Ruthanne Adams, added the whimsical and magical elements that are integral to this show, in addition to being a strong piece of the trio.  At intermission, I learned that bassist Ryan Abusaidi is a student at Pioneer, and I was pleasantly surprised as he performed with an ease and intensity that I would not expect from a younger musician.  

Johnson (The Boy) and Beaman (The Girl)

The musical challenge was met head on by each of the lead vocalists: Dustin Hanna (El Gallo), Isobel Beaman (Luisa), and Jacob Johnson (Matt).  They were strong and performed confidently with their difficult parts. The harmony between Dustin Hanna, Max Biggs (who played Bellomy, Luisa’s father), Daniel Quint (Hucklebee, Matt’s father), and Isobel and Jacob was absolutely lovely.  The show received a standing ovation for their closing show; well-deserved praise from the receptive audience of parents, students, and teachers.

Austin Hanna was magnetic in his audience interaction as Mortimer. He played all of his laughs with blithe ease and came across as a natural comic.  The Cockney dropped a couple times, but that accent is very hard to perfect when speaking quickly.  Also praise-worthy was the focus the Mutes showed throughout the show.  Being onstage, mute or still, for nearly the whole show and remaining engaged not only with the characters but the audience as well is a tall order.  They did very well in looking at the appropriate character(s) while they had their business in the forefront, drawing the audience to that character too. During the transitions or dance numbers, they engaged the audience with their faces.  With the other characters having archetypal characteristics to drive their development, the Mutes could have easily been lost in the background, but they maintained their own purpose in the performance and did well individually and as a chorus.  Each character was distinct, and stayed on their path consistently through the show. The show moved along well, and kept a good pace.

Michelle Edwards (Mute)

With such a challenging text to work with, the cast had their work cut out for them in character development, most likely due to the complex nature of the archetypal characters. There is great nuance in the script, and references to literature that a novice cast most likely were not privy too. Some fairly in-depth research and understanding of the genres that contribute to the nature of the play (vaudeville, archetypal literature, Shakespeare, etc.) is needed to effectively deliver the messages in the story and it seemed that some characters at some point or other did not fully grasp the words they were speaking. Additionally, the fantastic (pun intented) whimsy of this first act challenges the actors to completely romanticize the dangers of forbidden love to an almost goofy degree. This required performative investment paired with the perplexing text add up to high-stakes for the cast. Constant attention must be paid to your vocal and physical choices when in the moment as well as when a performer is secondary to the more prominent action on stage.

It is a truly enjoyable production. The voices were incredible and the music and technical production were very well done, so much so that I don’t think I can give them adequate credit in writing. This show is nuanced and difficult as well as vocally challenging, going from more whimsical musical phrasing to jazz minor chords while each singer rose to the challenge.  My final note to the cast and crew is: please keep performing, because you brought a difficult show to life and you did a marvelous job.  With each production, the acting talent of Pioneer’s theatrical corps will just keep getting better. Yet even now, the standing ovation says a lot.

You can see more great work by the talented students/staff at Pioneer High School during their spring musical production of HELLO DOLLY! See them at 1290 Blossom Hill Road, San Jose.

-Siobhan Thompson is an accomplished Bay Area theatrical professional who's credits include stage management with Shady Shakespeare, Hillbarn Theatre, makeup artistry with West Bay Opera, as well as the USITT Award and the James Clancy Dramaturgy Fellowship from San Jose State University. She is also currently serving on the board of the Orchard Valley Fine Arts Association which organizes the annual Santa Clara Arts Walk: a fundraiser for all Northern California non-profit & student arts groups who participate.
http://www.artswalksantaclara.com/ovfaf.html

By: Pamela Depper

Jacob Rosen as Buddy

Local charities NEED holiday help. Donations of food clothing, toys, and even small cash donations. I know times are hard for us all, but even a $10 donation to a worthy cause can mean everything to a suffering family. Donations of FROZEN TURKEYS are especially needed! Please watch and SHARE SHARE SHARE this as much as possible, and let's make the holidays better for others. Again, please. Thank you everyone.

Second Harvest Food Bank
http://www.shfb.org/

Sacred Heart Community Service
http://www.sacredheartcs.org/

Steve North
Guest Reviewer 
I just spent an extraordinary evening viewing Terra Linda High School’s production of The Laramie Project, written by Moises Kaufman and directed by Christina Stroeh, Terra Linda’s acclaimed drama teacher. The play is based on more than 200 interviews conducted by members of Chicago’s Tectonic Theater Group.  The interviews recount the tragedy and its aftermath of young Matthew Shepard’s brutal and tortured death on a fence on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming in 1998. Never reluctant to take on challenging and difficult projects, Terra Linda’s production was both breathtaking and courageous.

A note about the set designed and constructed by Jasper Lyons.  The stage resembles a theater in the round, surrounded on three sides by the audience.  Hanging from the stage’s backdrop were two sections of a fence constructed from scrap lumber and suspended between the sections was a dilapidated chair symbolizing the tortured Matthew Shepard. Up stage center was an open trunk containing the costumes that depicted the various characters of the play. As the actors changed roles they would dip into the trunk and change into their appropriate costumes. Down stage center was a large chair occupied by whatever character was most crucial at the moment. On either side of the stage was placed a stool where the actors sat while being interviewed.

I did though have some trouble hearing all the lines. However, that could be that I my hearing is somewhat diminished.  I always exhort my students to remember the deaf old lady in the back row. I’m afraid I may have become that deaf old lady’s first cousin.

As with all other productions I have attended at Terra Linda High School, I left the theater with a sense of awe and pride.  How lucky the students are to have the opportunity to perform under the expert guidance of Christina Stroeh and how privileged is the community to have such a treasure in their midst.

The Kit Kat Girls

It is not easy being a director. You have to have a firm grasp of a show's concept, aesthetics, text, dramaturgy, scheduling, and a knack for working with all types of people. You have to be the consummate project manager and bring everything together in the right order and at the right time. This is a challenge, make no mistake. However, when you take this journey and put it on the shoulders of teen directors who are working with their own peers, it elevates an outsider's respect for the process. For the members of Santa Cruz Performing Arts Teen Theatre, their pride should rest in the fact that their journey is not only noteworthy because of their approach, but because the bar was not lowered when it came to the product they created.

"It has been surprising, feeling the respect from my peers", says director Lexie Farr. "It has also been great to push myself and gain abilities I never had before." Farr, a junior at Aptos High School, beamed with pride as the house began to fill for their evening performance and she assumed her position behind the sound desk. From the first notes by the onstage orchestra, it was obvious that the production was not going to play it safe.

Ryland Gordon as the Emcee

The darkness, the tension, the sex and the political turmoil were all on full display as the Emcee (Ryland Gordon) sashayed into the Kit Kat Club, tapping into the more modern Alan Cumming style of the character rather than the classically angular Joel Grey version. Gordon's voice is all at once smooth and smarmy while also violent and unpredictable; an Emcee you wouldn't want to encounter in a dark alleyway. Matching his intensity was an impressive line-up of Kit Kat Girls, including (Texas) Satarupa Thyme, Fritsy (Allysha Leonard) and Helga (Enya Murray) who embodied the spirit of shameless indulgence in this quasi-underground world.

The effect in the famous opening number "Wilkommen" is thick, with stylized choreography from Sadie Rose and costumes by Farr, Rose and Thyme. The seediness and raw reality of the setting is furthered by some clever staging, and by the straightforward character work of John Wasielewski as Clifford Bradshaw and Jessica Pierini as Fräulein Schneider. The two find an entertaining repartee in their scene work, venturing further into the characters and out of the rigid framework of the text. While there were some moments of disconnect mostly due to occasional spacing issues, the actors kept the pace tight through the many busy entrances and exits in the show. Wasielewski also paired beautifully with London Murray's Sally Bowles, both showing endearing vocal acumen in "Perfectly Marvelous". Murray brings a precocious quality to the role, opting out of the wearied and traveled portrayal that would not have worked for such a young actress. The result is a Sally Bowles that is fresh and energized which helps with the pace the long first act of the show.

Rispoli and Pierini as Schultz and Schneider

Bright spots abound in this production with many young performers getting a moment to show some very impressive skills. Alex Garrett (Ernst Ludwig) showed impressive range and triple-threat skills, bringing energy and focus to the stage in his entire performance. Travis Gorham's work as a Hitler Youth was hauntingly touching during "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" as he almost reluctantly transformed from innocent boy to tool of oppression. In the role of Herr Schultz, Kyle Rispoli found an honesty not often seen in a character so distant from the age and life experience of the actor portraying him. Often this distance can bring an unavoidable disconnect to an actor's work, but Rispoli was consistently heartfelt and pure without becoming maudlin. Also impressive was the energetic dance work and vocal power of Megan Fabry (Frenchie) who rounded out the Kit Kat Girls with great skill and presence, Halley Rhouault (Fräulein Kost) and her unapologetic brashness paired with strong vocal chops, and the strong on-stage piano work of pianist Ben Dorfin and musical director Naomi Gorham who traded off throughout the show.

There is an infectious sense of fearlessness in this production, possibly due to the high stakes of the venture. Safe choices are thrown by the wayside as the cast and creative team gambles on moments that would make more seasoned directors' hair stand on end. However, their gutsy approach often paid off with moments of unexpected power and fun. Artistic Director and choreographer Sadie Rose added that "the actors were not intimidated by [the directors] or by the process. It was very honest, democratic, and collaborative." The result is something special as these students have climbed the mountain and firmly planted the flag at the top under their own power.

It is an impressive feat, especially given the fact that their show selection is not a "gimme" in any way. For them, it was a perfect choice. A gutsy show for a gutsy group of Santa Cruz County's finest up-and-coming theatrical talents. The power of this production will resonate far beyond the run of this show and into the many schools and local theatre companies who are lucky enough to have these burgeoning professionals as a part of their ranks.

Santa Cruz Performing Arts Teen Theatre presents Cabaret
Aptos High School Theatre - 100 Mariner Way, Aptos, CA 95003
See Facebook event page for more info
https://www.facebook.com/events/275205555912950/
Through September 15, 2012

Kyra Bowser (Left, pink scarf) and the Harlem Ensemble

While the main focus of The High School Theatre Spotlight is obvious, sometimes an opportunity presents itself to see a more professional production which showcases younger talent while they work alongside more seasoned adult performers. Last night I accompanied Susannah Greenwood (of Artsalot) to Hillbarn Theatre in Foster City to see the second night of their production of the McNally/Ahrens/Flaherty piece, Ragtime. The show and the company producing it provide a great experience for the younger actors in the cast, especially those in high school who are making the conscious choice of becoming artists and getting serious about their craft.

For many school-aged performers, there seems to be a vicious trend of getting stuck in a perpetual cycle of childrens' theatre and school productions. Each has definite merit and are invaluable to a young artists progression, but there comes a time when the next step needs to be taken and a performer needs to get out and work elsewhere. This broadens their scope, creates new connections, and makes them take risks which will push them outside the more approachable aforementioned realms of theatre. This is why it was so refreshing to see many young performers jumping into deeper waters last night.

Jon Toussaint (center) and Will Palomares (right)

Alongside impressive local talent, including Equity actors Carmichael Blankenship (Coalhouse Walker) and Annmarie Martin (Mother), thirteen young performers (high school or younger) have accepted the challenge of performing in a truly challenging production with a high-caliber company. Among them are Kyra Cherie Bowser and Will Palomares of Woodside High School, Cairo Spencer of San Mateo High School, Katherine Green of Everest Charter High School, and Jon Toussiant of Saint Francis High School. Each of them should be applauded for taking a leap into a bigger world and testing the skills they acquired in their school programs and through childrens' theatre.Beyond the kudos for their bravery, each of them (along with even younger performers in the show) get high marks for their talent. Bowser's extensive dance experience shows in her work as a part of the Harlem Ensemble, Green's work in the same group was always engaged and very strong, and Toussaint brought fantastic energy and strong timing to the role of Little Boy.

W.C. Fields famously said, "Never work with animals or children". While the first may be true (to a certain extent), I believe that the latter should be ignored. Young performers bring energy, passion, and a delightful impetuousness to the theatre. For them, the magic is still there and there is often no restraint to their energy. While this can create challenges for directors, the final product can be even more powerful thanks to the investment of these burgeoning thespians. They in turn grow in this noble craft, becoming stronger participants in the process and more savvy about the artistic world. This is clearly evident at Hillbarn where they have capitalized on some of the great talent our schools have to offer.

Hillbarn Theatre presents Ragtime
1285 East Hillsdale Boulevard, Foster City, CA 94404
www.HillbarnTheatre.org
Through September 23