The past year in San Diego-area theater wasn’t of the same consistent high quality as other years; however, there are many memories to cherish. Here are just a few:
Joshua Everett Johnson’s performance as the young Nazi nuclear physicist, Werner Heisenberg, in Michael Frayn’s “Copenhagen.” Produced by Cygnet Theatre, it was a more intimate look at a play seen on Broadway, beautifully realized by director George Ye. Johnson just keeps getting better and better, and he is certainly one to watch in 2007, when he tackles, along with New Village Arts (NVA) founding artistic director Francis Gercke, Sam Shepard’s “True West” in June and July. Meanwhile, look for him in NVA’s imminent repertory of Chekhov’s “Three Sisters” and Beth Henley’s “Crimes of the Heart.”
Readings occurred all over town, notably Black Ensemble Theatre’s series of August Wilson plays, hosted by Cygnet Theatre. I attended “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” in December, and it thrilled the racially mixed audience, which engaged in lively post-reading discussion. The series continues, with executive producer T.J. “Antonio” Johnson reporting that a Wilson play will receive full staging in 2007.
Surprise hit of the summer was Starlight’s outstanding production of “Urinetown,” staged by artistic director Brian Wells and David Brannen, who also choreographed. Other musical delights included Broadway San Diego’s touring production of “Wicked”; La Jolla Playhouse’s re-envisioned production of “The Wiz” staged by artistic director Des McAnuff upon Robert Brill’s jaw-dropping set; the world premiere of Lucy Simon’s haunting “Zhivago” with the brilliant Matt Bogart as Pasha. I adored Gina Leishman’s musical score for “Mother Courage and Her Children” at the Playhouse. And who could fail to be tickled by Culture Clash’s “Zorro”?
The award for social consciousness goes to Mo’olelo Theatre, which staged a riveting, affecting production of Mia McCullough’s “Since Africa” at Diversionary Theatre, featuring real-life “Lost Boy of Sudan” Alephonsion Awer Deng in his stage debut.
Also admired was Thom Sesma’s performance as Captain Arab in the Old Globe’s production of Twyla Tharp’s ill-fated Bob Dylan piece, “The Times They Are a-Changin’.” Other Old Globe highlights included the fascinating and mesmeric production of Lee Blessing’s “A Body of Water”; visually arresting, well-acted productions of “The Constant Wife,” “The Violet Hour” and “Lincolnesque”; and Darko Tresnjak’s astonishing production of Shakespeare’s difficult and bloody mess, “Titus Andronicus.”
Don’t forget San Diego Repertory Theatre’s production of Lynn Nottage’s “Intimate Apparel”; Lamb’s Players’ laudable “Into the Woods”; Sledgehammer’s production of Charles Mee’s “Chiang Kai-Chek”; Moonlight at the Avo’s “Most Happy Fella” with splendid bass-baritone Richard Kinsey; and San Diego Rep’s wacky “Miss Witherspoon.”
Lamentable: The passing of Claudio Raygoza and Glenn Paris’s Ion Theatre/New World Stage due to financially onerous structural analysis required by the City of San Diego. All praise to Ion’s final, short-lived production, Frank Galati’s “The Grapes of Wrath” with a brilliant performance by Matt Scott as preacher Jim Casy. The closure of the theatre space on 9th Avenue impacts other small theatres that had scheduled plays there. It’s a great pity for the city to lose these small organizations that do cutting-edge work. We give thanks that Al Germani’s visceral Lynx Performance Theatre continues to hold forth at a dance studio near Costco off Morena Boulevard.
Miracle Productions, which produced at Theater in Old Town for nearly 15 years, is shuttered. Recent and notable: their production of “Forbidden Broadway.” Their moving on was due to onerous bid requirements by the State of California. According to Jill Mesaros and Paula Kalustian, their for-profit Miracle Theatre depended on local audiences more than tourism, and San Diegans no longer go to Old Town in great numbers.
