Stage Fog: Not Quite a Year in Review
It was tough, but we resisted calling this sort of year in review the "Foggies." Yeah, that would have been bad. This week and next we look at some of the stand-out or newsworthy shows that we've seen in 2005, listed in no particular order. Honestly, we kind of hate these lists, because someone is always left out. But remember, we'll be listing more shows next week, so feel free to comment, and who knows? Maybe we'll have a reader's choice next week as well.
Moon for the Misbegotten: American Conservatory Theater
No one sits through Eugene O'Neill unless they like watching gloriously poetic slow-motion train wrecks. Or unless it's their last chance to see American Conservatory Theater core company member Marco Barricelli, that matinee idol who kept the female--and probably male--subscribers fanning themselves with their programs. An excellent actor, he played James Tyrone, the older version of the character he played in 1999's Long Day's Journey into Night. We caught his very last performance before he left for the East Coast, but the ever-humble Barricelli took only one bow, as usual.
The Ballad of Pancho and Lucy: Campo Santo & Intersection for the Arts
Usually known for gritty dramas, Campo Santo lightened up with a musical penned by one of San Francisco best playwrights, Octavio Solis. While the core company members are by no means triple threats, Campo Santo aficionados delighted in seeing their favorite actors cut loose and rock out in this story about a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde who robbed Mission District bars.
Caroline, Or Change: Best of Broadway
Written by Tony Kushner with Jeanine Tesori, this Broadway musical featured American Conservatory Theater MFA graduate Anika Noni Rose, who won the 2004 Tony for best featured actress in a musical.
The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant: Last Planet Theatre
Against all economic odds, Last Planet Theatre consistently brings San Francisco audiences unique and thought-provoking plays. This Fassbinder classic featured the ever-sultry Kathryn Wood and an excellent performance by Heidi Wolff, a Last Planet regular you must keep your eye on in 2006.
The Thousandth Night: Aurora Theatre Company
Probably better known for his stunning performance in R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe a few years ago, Ron Campbell is a master of physical theater and arguably the best in the Bay Area. In this tour de force he played nearly 40 characters as a French actor in Nazi-occupied Paris who tries to escape the Vichy gendarmes. He's currently taking a turn in Teatro ZinZanni until February.
Photo by Kevin Berne of Robin Weigert and Marco Barricelli in A Moon for the Misbegotten.