(*) Deborah Martin's Favorites for San Antonio Theatre in 2013, Express-News, December 26, 2013

Best of 2013: Stage

December 26, 2013

This was a very good year for fiercely original work, including several pieces created out of whole cloth and fresh takes on “Hamlet” and “Little Shop of Horrors.”

Here's the best of the best:

• “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Woodlawn Black Box Theatre
• “The Book of Mormon,” Broadway in San Antonio
• “Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” Overtime Theater
• “Glengarry Glen Ross,” Sheldon Vexler Theatre
• “Hetarae,” Jump-Start Performance Co.
• “I Am Celso,” Teatro Farolito
• “In the Heights,” Woodlawn Theater
• “Les Miserables,” Playhouse
• “Little Shop of Horrors,” Sheldon Vexler Theatre
• “Method & Madness: Hamlet 2013,” Jump-Start Performance Co. and Classic Theatre
• “Other Desert Cities,” Inception Theatre
• “Painting Churches,” Classic Theatre
• “Picnic,” Playhouse Cellar Theatre
• “Port Cove,” Overtime Theater
• “Ragtime,” Playhouse
• “Red,” Playhouse Cellar Theater
• “A Streetcar Named Desire,” Klose/Seale Productions
• “Treasure Island,” Magik Theatre
• “Waiting for Lefty,” Proxy Theatre Company:
• “White,” AtticRep and the Aesthetic of Waste
• “Wittenberg,” Playhouse Cellar 

Deborah Martin

Opinion: Elizabeth Cobbe Selects Top 10 Designer Contributions of 2012, Austin Chronicle

In today's weekly Austin Chronicle:

Top 10 Designer Contributions of 2012

Celebrating the year's most exquisite – and often surprising – stage designs

By Elizabeth Cobbe, Fri., Jan. 4, 2013


 

1) THE SEVEN DESIGNERS AND NINE ASSISTANTS FOR 'NOW NOW OH NOW' (Rude Mechanicals) The interactive set contained surprise after delightful surprise.

2) IA ENSTERÄ'S SET FOR 'THE TWELFTH LABOR' (Tutto Theatre Company) The roof of the family house seemed to disintegrate into the fly space.

3) ANN MARIE GORDON'S SET FOR 'WATER' (Vortex Repertory Company) The onstage waterfall introduced great potential for interaction with the dancers.

4) KATHRYN EADER'S LIGHTING FOR 'UNDER CONSTRUCTION' (Mary Moody Northen Theatre) The lighting tied together the work of a splendid design team.

5) DAVID UTLEY'S SET FOR 'THE PAVILION' (Penfold Theatre) Sometimes good, solid realism is just what you need.

6) K. ELIOT HAYNES' SOUND AND VIDEO FOR 'THE CRAPSTALL STREET BOYS' (Trouble Puppet Theater Company) One puppeteer carried a camera that projected onto a large screen, allowing for puppet close-ups.

7) GEORGE MARSOLEK'S SET FOR 'THE ATTIC SPACE' (Palindrome Theatre) The set showed literal layers, and Tara Cooper's puppets were also lovely in their detail.

8) HAYDEE ANTUNANO'S COSTUMES FOR 'PRIDE AND PREJUDICE' (Austin Shakespeare) I am a sucker for a good Empire waist dress.

9) PAM FLETCHER FRIDAY'S COSTUME FOR 'THE ALIEN BABY PLAY' (Tutto Theatre Company) By the end, the alien baby in utero glowed with colorful lights.

10) SUSAN BRANCH TOWNE'S COSTUMES FOR 'XANADU' (Zach Theatre) The centaur is what did it.

Opinion: Adam Roberts' Top 10 Ensembles of 2012, Austin Chronicle

In today's weekly Austin Chronicle:

 

Top 10 Ensembles of 2012

The year's most memorable groupings in classical music, dance, and theatre

By Adam Roberts, Fri., Jan. 4, 2013

In no order:

1) ENSEMBLE VIII Within a few years, we'll see this choral ensemble's name alongside the most distinguished in its genre. Thanks to James Morrow and the group's artists, we have – right here in Austin – a musical force that is on its way to world-class status in the field of early music.

Nathan Osborn, Babs George, Nathan Brockett (Palindrome Theatre)

2) THE CAST OF 'ALL MY SONS' (Palin­drome Theatre) Possibly the most striking aspect of a wholly fantastic staging.

3) JUPITER STRING QUARTET This chamber group's four members achieve both breadth and depth in their brilliant steering of intricate counterpoint.

4) THE DANCERS OF 'LIGHT/THE HOLOCAUST & HUMANITY PROJECT' (Ballet Austin) They delivered much grace in remembrance of a horrific tragedy.

5) THE CAST OF 'MIDDLETOWN' (Hyde Park Theatre) One of the largest ever in an HPT show, and every member was solid.

6) THE COMPANY OF 'TURANDOT' (Austin Lyric Opera) It brimmed with talented performers of all ages.

7) JILL BLACKWOOD, MARTIN BURKE, JASON CONNOR, AND AMY DOWNING IN 'THE SANTALAND DIARIES' (Zach Theatre) This foursome feted the final year of Zach's holiday staple in style.

8) CONSPIRARE AND AUSTIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA These groups joined forces for a massive, power-charged concert of Bach, Bernstein, Stokowski, and Stravinsky.

9) THE CAST OF 'LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL' (Summer Stock Austin) The kids sang and danced to the bubblegum-pop score with the energy of a nonstop sugar rush.

10) THE STORY WRANGLERS (Paramount Theatre) This group gives voice – and wonderfully silly staging – to stories by elementary school kids throughout Austin.

Opinion: Dan Solomon's Top 10 Arts Events of 2012, Austin Chronicle

In today's weekly Austin Chronicle:

Top 10 Arts Events of 2012

Remembering the year onstage in dynamic acting, atmospheric design, and unexpected beauty

By Dan Solomon, Fri., Jan. 4, 2013

in no order:

Zac Crofford (Trouble Puppet Theatre Co.)

1) FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY FOR 'TOIL AND TROUBLE' (Trouble Puppet Theater Company) Trouble Puppet has proven itself good at everything, and when it pulls off the unexpected – like compelling, well-articulated stage combat – it just serves notice that they're still finding new ways to impress you.

2) NOEL GAULIN IN EVERYTHING Gaulin had a hell of a year – screaming, jumping, moving-as-if-on-strings, and otherwise turning himself into a live-action cartoon character in The Bear, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, and Vodka, Fucking, and Television.

3) RACHEL WEISE'S DIRECTION Yeah, my wife wrote one of the lovely plays Weise directed this year, The Man Who Planted Trees. But I also loved her staging of The Bear by Anton Chekhov, and I've never even met him.

4) THE SCRIPT FOR 'MESSENGER NO. 4 (OR ... HOW TO SURVIVE A GREEK TRAGEDY)' (Cambiare Productions) Will Hollis Snider's charming and inventive epic blended Back to the Future, The Matrix, and Euripedes into something altogether new.

5) THE FINAL MINUTES OF 'JUBILEE' (Rub­ber Repertory) Making your cast jump up and down for an interminable amount of time sounds boring, and making boring-sounding things beautiful was what Jubilee did best.

6) THE ATMOSPHERE OF 'DREAM CABINET' (Salvage Vanguard Theater) Few productions set a mood more effectively.

7) EVERYTHING ABOUT 'LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL' (Summer Stock Austin) I'm not made of stone, you guys.

8) BETH BRODERICK IN 'JUST OUTSIDE REDEMPTION' (Theatre en Bloc) Broderick stole every scene by balancing charm, humor, and gravity.

9) KACY TODD IN 'HOLIER THAN THOU' (Poison Apple Initiative) Todd carried the emotional climax of a play consisting of interconnected monologues – no mean feat.

10) SOUND DESIGN FOR 'SPACESTATION1985' (Natalie George Presents) I didn't love the play, but the sound by Buzz Moran made the outer space setting come to life.

Opinion: Robert Faires' Top10 Theatrical Wonders of 2012, Austin Chronicle

In today's weekly Austin Chronicle:

 

Top 10 Theatrical Wonders of 2012

History plays with contemporary urgency and giddy surprises made the year memorable in theatre

By Robert Faires, Fri., Jan. 4, 2013


1) 'ROSE RAGE' (The Hidden Room Theatre) Shakespeare's left-for-dead histories of Henry VI charged to vital, absorbing life by director Beth Burns and the year's most vigorous, committed ensemble. Her Original Practices crew made arcane family feuds over the English crown as urgent as this season's high-stakes political battles and made four hours race by.

2) 'RAGTIME' (Zach Theatre) More than a showpiece for the new Topfer Theatre's bells and whistles, this deeply felt drama of humanity and history threaded together in a tapestry by turns tragic and inspirational said as much about us today as about Americans a century past.

3) BERNADETTE PETERS/BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL (Zach Theatre) Broadway royalty blessed Zach's Topfer Theatre in separate concerts with distinct characters – the queen's poised and glamorous, the king's informal and boisterous – but the same peerless musical-theatre artistry in this deliriously intimate space.

4) 'NOW NOW OH NOW' (Rude Mechanicals) A mind-tickling foray into the natures of beauty, society, evolution, and chance, with attendees teamed in quests, teased with puzzles, toasted with cordials, and treated to a series of giddy surprises.

5) 'SUPER NIGHT SHOT' (Fusebox Festival) Visiting troupe Gob Squad played tricksters along SoCo, drawing passersby into an improvised drama, captured in realtime on video, then screened on completion. Wicked fun.

6) 'THE ALIENS' (Hyde Park Theatre) A detailed portrait of friendship, etched in silences more than words. Beautifully acted, with a fearless Jude Hickey scratching 130 layers under his character's skin just by repeating "ladder."

7) 'JUBILEE' (Rubber Repertory) Watching this show felt rather like spying on endurance tests at a theatre camp, but its odd exercises also tapped some essence of drama in presenting the thrillingly unexpected and unpredictable.

8) 'BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON' (Doctuh Mistuh Productions) Screw the history books. This gloriously messy musical reveled in irreverence, ditching the same-old, same-old "Old Hickory" for an emo rock god, fiercely embodied by David Gallagher.

9) 'UNDER CONSTRUCTION' (Mary Moody Northen Theatre) Another exhilarating spin with director David Long and playwright Charles Mee, this time across the USA, circa midcentury, joyously celebrating and subverting those happy days and American values.

10) 'BOTTLED-IN-BOND: THE DECLINE AND FALL OF A THUG AS TOLD IN FIVE DRINKS' (Fusebox Festival) Patrons were drafted to act out a cornball melodrama of love among thieves, but who minded when served with such good humor, sweet theatricality, and intoxicating craft cocktails? As fun as audience participation gets.

Read at the Austin Chronicle on-line . . . 

Jeff Davis's 2012 Favorite Stage Productions in Central Texas, Broadwayworld.com

Jeff Davis lists his 20 favorites for July-December 2012 at www.austin.BroadwayWorld.com:

As 2012 comes to a close, it's a given that BroadwayWorld will reflect on all the fantastic theatrical productions and events that have entertained audiences all across America. Here in Central Texas, theater-goers had plenty to see in 2012. As a new resident of Austin, I sadly only got to enjoy the Central Texas theater scene for the last half of the year, but still all 49 productions I saw and reviewed in that short amount of time were delightful.

Here is a list of my favorite productions produced in Austin, San Antonio, San Marcos, and the surrounding areas during the last half of 2012. As all of the productions listed were spectacular, it proved impossible for me to rank them, so here they are presented in alphabetical order.

Congratulations to all of Central Texas's theatres, performers, and creative professionals on an astounding and successful year.

-Jeff Davis

Contributing Editor

1. Always...Patsy Cline

Georgetown, TX, Produced by Georgetown Palace Theatre

With its simple staging and excellent performances from skilled comedienne and storyteller Linda Brandshaw and Patsy doppelganger Yesenia McNett, Always...Patsy Cline turned this city slicker into a country music fan and solidified my fandom of the Georgetown Palace.

2. Baby

Austin, TX, Produced by Austin Theatre Project

Austin Theatre Project closed out its inaugural season with the forgotten musical, Baby. Filled with warmth and heart and backed by six fantastic leads, the show was phenomenal. We can all expect great things from Austin Theater Project in 2013. They already are a force to be reckoned with in Austin's theatre scene, and they've only just begun.

3. Chess

Austin, TX, Produced by SummerStock Austin and The Austin Playhouse

All three of SummerStock Austin's offerings this year were stellar, but Chess was the stand-out of the trio. While certainly more challenging that SummerStock Austin's other two shows, A Year with Frog and Toad and Legally Blonde, the young ensemble handled the material with a level of polish and professionalism that often goes, pardon the pun, unchecked.

4. A Chorus Line

Georgetown, TX, Produced by Georgetown Palace Theatre

With its direction and choreography by Broadway veterans Danny Herman and Rocker Verastique and its hard-working cast, Georgetown Palace's production of A Chorus Line holds a spot in my book as the best production of the show that I've ever seen, and I am certain my esteem of this intimate, visceral production will remain the same for years to come.

5. Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean

Austin, TX, Produced by The City Theatre

While the dramedy by Ed Graczyk sometimes bites off more than it can chew regarding themes and subject matter, director Andy Berkovsky managed to keep The City Theatre's production on track, and his ensemble cast of women were nothing short of sensational.

6. Heaven-Earth-One

Austin, TX, Produced by Blue Lapis Light

Heaven-Earth-One was by far the best dance show I saw in Austin this year and quite frankly the best and most inventive dance show I've ever seen in my lifetime. The piece seamlessly blended movement, music, and the iconic architecture of The Long Center for the Performing Arts into a unique and unforgettable theatrical experience.

7. Into the Woods

San Marcos, TX, Produced by Texas State University - San Marcos

Into the Woods has always been one of my favorite musicals. It was my first introduction to the work of Stephen Sondheim, and I wrote a paper on the show in college. So when this self-proclaimed Sondheim snob dubbed this production the best Into the Woods he's ever seen live, that was indeed the highest praise I could give, and it still didn't feel adequate.

8. Miracle on 34th Street

Georgetown, TX, Produced by Georgetown Palace Theatre

With Miracle on 34th Street, Georgetown Palace had a miracle of their own. They managed to take this old, clunky, forgotten show by Meredith Wilson and infused it with a strong dose of charm, wit, and humor. In their hands, this rarely-produced flop shined and sparkled.

9. Moonlight and Magnolias
Austin, TX, Produced by Penfold Theatre Company

Frankly, my dear, I'm still chuckling over this behind the scenes story of Gone with the Wind. The hijinks were an over-the-top laugh riot and a treat for everyone, even those not familiar with the classic film.

10. November

San Antonio, TX, Produced by The Playhouse - San Antonio

Just the word "November" is enough to make me smile and reminisce about The Playhouse's hysterical political satire about an unpopular president who abuses his power and clout in order to fund his campaign. It's a good think no elected officials are this corrupt [insert sarcasm here].

Click to go to www.austin.broadwayworld.com for Jeff Davis's comments on the rest of the score:

The Nutcracker (Ballet Austin), Over the River and Through the Woods (City Theatre), Pagliacci (Austin Lyric Opera), Pride and Prejudice (Austin Shakespeare), Ragtime (Zach Theatre), Rock of Ages (national touring company), Vampire Lesbians of Sodom (City Theatre), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Woodlawn Theatre, San Antonio), You Can't Take It with You (Different Stages) and Xanadu (Zach Theatre).

San Antonio: Deborah Martin's Best of SA Stages in 2012, San Antonio Express-News

The Best of 2012: Stage

Tracy Letts' works stood out in S.A. theaters

By Deborah Martin, December 29, 2012

[CLICK ILLUSTRATION TO GO TO A 15-IMAGE SLIDE SHOW FROM WWW.MYSANANTONIO.COM]

Rusty Thurman, Allan S. Ross, Kat Connor (image: Dwayne Greene)

This was a big year for playwright Tracy Letts' work on local stages.

Letts wrote three of 2012's strongest productions. The biggie was the Sheldon Vexler Theatre's stunning San Antonio debut of his masterpiece, “August: Osage County.” Every aspect of the director Paul Fillingim's production was rooted in truth, resulting in a show about family that was both funny and shattering.

The two other Letts shows that popped up to excellent effect were the Playhouse Cellar's “Superior Donuts,” including nuanced and heartbreaking turns from Bill Gundry and Kristopher “K.T.” Thomas; and the Rose Theatre Company's aptly disturbing staging of “Killer Joe.”

The other memorable shows this year included:
“King Lear,” Classic Theatre: Allan S. Ross delivered a towering performance in the title role.

“Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” AtticRep: Gloria Sanchez-Molina, who stepped into the monster role of Martha less than three weeks before the show opened, crafted one of the performances of the year. She was well-matched by the rest of the cast, especially the great David Connelly as Martha's seething husband/sparring partner, George.

“íCarpa!” Jump-Start Performance Co.: Billy Muñoz's immersive trek back in time was funny, visually striking and achingly sad.

“Open Sesame!” Overtime Theater: Playwright Rick Stemm's inventive Bollywood/panto mash-up, staged with a sense of merriment by director Kyle Gillette, may have been the most fun you could have in a theater this year.

“Firebugs,” Classic Theatre: Director Diane Malone pulled together a sizzling, unsettling take on Max Frisch's absurdist play.

“A View from the Bridge,” Sheldon Vexler Theatre: Vividly drawn performances from Scott Leibowitz and Belinda Harolds provided the foundation for director Jim Mammarella's explosive production.

“Macbeth,” Proxy Theatre Co.: Staged in a tiny space, director Nathan Thurman's production had a visceral kick that was tough to shake.

“God of Carnage,” AtticRep: The dark comedy about adults behaving childishly — complete with a set surrounded by a sandbox — was memorably tart and funny.

“I-DJ,” Overtime Theater: Rick Sanchez delivered a fierce, fantastic performance in Gregg Barrios' far-reaching piece, which helped open the Overtime's new home in fine style.

“25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” Woodlawn Black Box: The musical's misfit spellers — particularly those played by Ben Carlee, Benjamin Scharff and Walter Songer — were weird and winning.

“Les Misérables,” Broadway in San Antonio series at the Majestic Theatre: Given a complete overhaul for its 25th anniversary, the touring production earned many goosebumps and prompted many tears.

“An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein,” Cameo Theatre's Zumbro Lounge: Four versatile comics presented offbeat skits and songs.

“Hello, Dolly!” Playhouse: An excellent Katy Stafford Moore played the title role and got terrific support in the staging.

“My Fair Lady,” Playhouse: Director Frank Latson's smooth and creamy production included a superb rendering of “On the Street Where You Live” by Christopher Garcia.

“American Buffalo,” AtticRep: The company ends the year on a strong note with a pitch-perfect staging, which closes today.

Freelance writer Michael E. Barrett contributed to this list.       dlmrtin@express-news.net

Read at www.mysanantonio.com . . . .