The Remarkable Mister Holmes
Laguna Playhouse Thru March 30
Review by Stacy Holmes
An impressive season continues at Laguna Playhouse with a 2022 musical comedy that describes itself as My Fair Lady meets Funny Thing Happened at the Way to Forum. Dr. Watson has disappeared and someone claiming to be his sister Sheila Watson appears. A jewelry show and a worldwide religious convention are underway in the nearby Hotel Magnificent. Someone keeps murdering the religious leaders. A jewel collection has gone missing. Scotland Yard’s Detective Lestrade calls in Sherlock Holmes to find the murderer and end the chaos at the fancy hotel. Watson insists upon tagging along. Red herrings and real clues abound but the real villain is hiding in plain sight until the last moment. Full Review
Arts
Something Rotten!
A Very New Musical at Newport Theater Arts Center
Review by Stacy Holmes
The Rae Cohen Theater had only a few seats where patrons decided not to brave the cold rainy opening night. The rest of us warmed up quickly as this Newport Theater Arts season to remember brought yet another show to vibrant and creative life.
A Minstrel (Kole Yoshi) sings the prologue to open the show. Nick Bottom (TJ Punchard) and brother Nigel Bottom (Caden Fraser) are struggling playwrights in London. All the attention is going to a flashy William Shakespeare (Kenny Alhawari). Lord Thackray (Grant Thackray) insists on something new or he will stop sponsoring the Bottoms’ troupe. Shylock (Duke Newcomb) calls in the debt Nick owes him, unless he gets a part in the show. Nick’s wife Bea Bottom (Kara Dillard) wants to get a job to take the pressure off Nick, but Nick finds her plan humiliating. When the new idea for the next play isn’t coming, sage Thomas Nostradamus (Charlie Massey) gives Nick some disjointed future forecasting. Nigel falls in love with Portia (Naomi Groleau). The great new idea is mixed up inside all of it, but time is running out. Meanwhile, Shakespeare is lurking, ready to steal any new ideas to use in his own plays. More
Upcoming Community Theater Shows
Alchemy Theatre Treasure Island Mar 7 -23 Comedy of Errors Jul 11-27 alchemytheatre.com
Cabrillo Playhouse Midsummer Night’s Dream Feb 28 - Mar 23 Breaking Up Is Hard to Do Apr 18 - May 11 www.cabrilloplayhouse.org
Camino Real Playhouse Closed During Move to New Location. 31896 Plaza Drive Suite C, SJC www.caminorealplayhouse.org
Costa Mesa Playhouse Sweat May 16 - Jun 8. www.costamesaplayhouse.org
Chance Theater The Chinese Lady (Regional Premiere) May 16 - Jun 8 chanctheater.com
Laguna Playhouse Fences Apr 30 - May 18 lagunaplayhouse.com
Newport Theater Arts Center Arts New Season Reveal May 3 Our Town May 9 - Jun 1 www.ntacthickets.com
No Square Theater You Are Enough Apr 25 Dracula A Comedy of Terrors May 2-18 www.nosquare.org
South Coast Repertory You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World Apr 5 - May 3 Pacific Playwrights Festival May 2 - 4. scr.org
The Larking House Sentences Summer 2025 www.thelarkinghouse.com
The Wayward Artist The Mother F*cker with the Hat April 12 - 21 Putnam County Spelling Bee Jul 12 - 28 www.thewaywardartist.org
Westminster Community Playhouse Sound of Music May 16 - Jun 8 www.wcpstage.com
Whittier Playhouse Harvey May 30 - June 14. www.whittiercommunitytheatre.org
Z Playhouse Heathers The Musical April 11 - 27
2 Pianos 4 Hands at Laguna Playhouse
A review by Stacy Holmes
2 Pianos 4 Hands launched the Laguna Playhouse 2003-2004 season with the return of a unique show following the lives of two boys who aspire to become famous classical piano performers. We see two grand pianos on stage. Ted (Jefferson McDonald) and Richard (Matthew McGloin) appear in concert tails in the opening scene. It seems the piano benches are paired with the wrong pianos. The audience enjoys a laugh or two as the performers fuss over trivial matters. They finally launch into J.S. Bach’s Concerto in D minor and the show is on.
Twenty short scenes follow where one actor portrays his main piano student character and the other does a vignette of a pushy parent, eccentric piano teacher, jazz studio owner or critic. We see the boys grow up. They have to settle for something less than world wide fame as concert soloists. Their story perhaps resonates with passions members of the audience may have pursued. The ultimate dream may not come true, but the pursuit of that dream can be a wonderful life itself. And the unexpected alternative life turns out just fine.
2 Pianos 4 Hands was written and first performed by Canadians Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt in 1996. It is loosely autobiographical. Both Dykstra and Greenblatt have acted in many regional theater comedies and dramas besides carrying on regional and touring performances of 2 Pianos 4 Hands. They have now retired. Jefferson McDonald and Matthew McGloin have taken over with their own extensive acting experiences in regional theaters. Their multi-character portrayals are out done only by their wizardry on the two pianos.
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