An Unambiguously Charming
Baker’s Wife at The Western Stage
World Premiere of La Honda
at Pacific Rep Nov 5 – 15
by Paul Myrvold

After the big fundraising performance of The Baker’s Wife at The Western Stage, I said softly, “Charming, Jon,” to Artistic Director Jon Selover as he hurried past to deal with whatever post show diplomacies his position requires. He looked back and smiled, “Thank you.” I realize that word charming can be ambiguous. Say you see a friend after a show you didn’t particularly care for, you might say, “Wow!” or “My, that was something,” or you might say, “Charming.”

The TWS production of Stephen Schwartz’s gentle musical The Baker’s Wife is unambiguously charming in the best sense of the word (“charming–having the power to delight or attract people.” Encarta World English Dictionary.) The Baker’s Wife has a simple, fable-like story, pleasant, tuneful music that is lyrical, romantic, occasionally comedic and emotionally powerful when the story demands it and a very capable cast that tells the story with panache.

A Provençal village in some mid-Twentieth Century decade, desperate for fresh bread after their baker dies, greets with selfish enthusiasm the new baker, Aimable, an older man freshly married to a much younger woman, the attractive Geneviéve. Trying hard to be virtuous, Geneviéve fends off the randy, handsome, importunate chauffeur/handy man Dominique until she is overwhelmed with youthful desire and runs off with him leaving the baker devastated. The story continues to its predictable conclusion, with every citizen of village, including the baker and his wife transformed by new understanding.

Reg Huston adds another role to his long list of fine performances. With his beautiful, rich voice and unfailing charisma, Mr. Huston invests Aimable with the passion and vulnerability the character demands. Jennifer Kiatta is utterly poignant as Geneviéve, especially so in her number “Meadowlark” in which she pours out her conflicted longings. As the pleasure seeking, consequence-avoiding Dominique, R. J. Livingston once again delights the audience with his vocal prowess while repelling them with his character’s heedless lust.

The ensemble is filled with fine voices and solid character work from some of the best TWS veterans such as Melissa Chin-Parker, John G. Bridges, Tom Kiatta, Mike Baker, Heather Osteraa and Peter M. Eberhardt. Philip Pearce is picture perfect as the village priest. Paul Sallabedra reminded me of that old roué Adolphe Menjou as the lascivious Marquis who lives quite openly with his “nieces” (Leslie Lancaster, Elizabeth Verbonich and Ms. Osteraa).

Under the sure hand of Don Dally, the choral work with its complex harmonies was superb and the orchestra was flawless. The dance and movement provided by choreographer Susan Cable was delightfully suited to abilities of the performers and the lives of their low key characters.

Ted Dolas’ deceptively simple set proved to be a clockwork wonder that rotated, flew and slid with a fluid precision that allowed for continuous fast paced action. Derek Duarte’s lighting unobtrusively keyed the audience to various scenes on the multilevel level set while painting the stage with a Provençal glow. The costumes by Rhonda Kirkpatrick accurately suggest time and place.

The next musical on TWS’s main stage will be Mame starring Donna Federico opening on November 6.

“In the beginning was the Word…” says Saint John in his Gospel. I mean no blasphemy to compare a playwright to God, but enduring drama as an art form distinct from mime or improvisation begins with the written script in which the playwright in a godlike act of creation conjures up a world of characters and situations sometimes comic sometimes tragic.

Jeff Carter’s La Honda struck me, upon first reading, as a fast paced tightly written play with self-conscious overtones borrowed from film noir, the kind of movies that the character I play, Tommy Macklin, a now elderly director who was blacklisted in the witch hunt of the McCarthy era, might have made. But it was only as I proceeded with the arduous grind of memorizing and internalizing my lines so as to get on to the more important work of creating a role, the moment to moment action and interaction with other players, that I realized how finely honed this play is. The dialogue is clipped, precise, no excess verbiage. It has been sometimes difficult to get it exactly right, but when it is, the scenes hum with tension and the deep passion of conflicted characters. I love this play.

The story centers on the dysfunctional relationship of Tommy and his estranged son Frank (Daraj Maxfield), a faded TV star in his own right, who is deep in hock to the Russian mafia and in a “money or your life” pickle of desperation. Spicing up the situation, Dee (MaryAnn Schaupp), a sexy gallery owner staying with Tommy as she weathers a perhaps terminal marital crisis, lifts the libidos of both men. Elements of threat are added by Doug (Michael Junsay), a taciturn teenaged runaway given shelter by Tommy and a smooth talking, star struck gunsel improbably named Alfredo (Garland Thompson) who has been dispatched to collect the debt.

As I write this, we are ten days from our first audience. The cast, under the direction of veteran PacRep director Dan Gotch, is in the final stages of honing and sharpening and detailing the performance.

I believe the show, produced in the intimate confines of PacRep’s Circle theatre, is well worth a drive to Carmel.

Notable Holiday Shows Opening in November

For my money, El Teatro Campesino’s annual Christmas play presented in the beautiful Old Mission San Juan Bautista is the premiere theatrical experience of the season, eclipsing all the inevitable though entirely worthy Christmas Carols or Nutcrackers. This year’s production, La Pastorela, the story of humble shepherds who trek to Bethlehem to seek the Christ Child, is directed by Adrian Torres. It features Jillian Mitchell as the Angel of the Lord, who announces the birth of the Redeemer, Eduardo Robledo as the diabolical Luzbel and Christy Sandoval as the devilish Santanas. A true Christmas spectacle, La Pastorela boasts live music, directed by Tim and Frances Tompkins and dance choreographed by Janet Johns. Performed in Spanish for over thirty years, La Pastorela reaches all audiences with El Teatro Campesino’s broad visual acting style and English Librettos. This show sells out! Get your tickets early. November 27 through December 20.

Pintello Comedy Theater presents their first Christmas show ever with their largest cast ever. Christmas Belles directed by Rod Pintello features Denee Lewis Bohnsack, Barbara Bottini, Rosalind Farotte, Gary Glasspool, Matt Haluza, Rob Langford, Peter Mandel, Deanna McGill, Erica Rizzi, Valerie Vanni and Christine Wanish as shepherds, angels, sisters, reindeers, a sheriff and Santa. It’s got to be fun. November 20 through December 12.

City Lights Theatre Company premieres Another Night Before Christmas November 19 through December 20. Directed by Daren A.C. Carollo, Artistic Director of Diablo Light Opera Company, Another Night Before Christmas is the story of burnt-out social worker Karol Elliot, who is having a crisis of Christmas spirit. While heading home on a lonely Christmas Eve, she shares her groceries with a homeless man who decides to rekindle her holiday cheer by breaking into her apartment later that night and insisting that he’s Santa Claus. Before long Karol begins to wonder: is this bearded stranger more than what he seems? A delight for the whole family, this witty and tuneful holiday romp is sure to win laughs from anyone who’s ever lost – or found – the holiday spirit.

San Jose Repertory Theatre revives A Christmas Story November 21 through December 20. Based on the well-loved 1983 film, A Christmas Story tells of nine-year-old Ralphie Parker and his desire for a genuine Red Ryder 200 Shot Carbine Action Air Rifle, which causes consternation in the adults surrounding him.

San Jose Stage Company offers a different kind of holiday play with The Seafarer by Conor McPherson November 18 through December 20. This blurb from their website makes me want to see it: “The men who make their way home for the holidays in The Seafarer aren’t exactly looking forward to sharing a cup of holiday cheer; they’re more interested in achieving blind drunkenness, a state they know well. But a stranger in their midst, in town to collect a major poker debt, forces them to take a look at their lives – and where they’ll end up if they’re not more careful about how they play the game. Dubbed “the best Irish play since the glory days of Samuel Beckett” by the Chicago Tribune, the multiple Tony Award nominee is a darkly funny examination of that country’s culture of drinking and the arguable states of grace achieved by those who embrace it.”

Bus Barn Stage Company serves up an unusual holiday confection with A Christmas Pudding November 19 through Decemeber 19. Told in song, stories and poems, A Christmas Pudding celebrates the season with lighthearted whimsy and solemn reflection. This collection of Christmas memoirs featuring tales by Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, George Bernard Shaw and more interwoven with traditional melodies familiar from ages gone by.

Donna Federico stars in Mame at the The Western Stage Nov 6 – 22. Donna is a fabulous performer at the height of her powers. Who can forget her Mama Rose?Don’t miss her star turn in this musical theatre classic…South Valley Civic Theatre presents its youth production Bugsy Malone, Jr. directed by Carol Harris and Lance LaShelle Nov 22 – Dec 12 at the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse…The Gaslighter Theater in Gilroy has extended their “Bring Your Own Dinner” theater production of The Mousetrap thru Nov 14…San Benito Stage Company’s Little Shop of Horrors continues through Nov 8 at the Granada Theatre in Hollister…Pacific Repertory Theatre presents Tony Award winning The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Nov 25 – Dec 20 at the Golden Bough Playhouse in Carmel…and finally, Opera San José mounts the fairy tale opera La Cenerentola (based on the story Cendrillon by Charles Perrault) Nov 14 – 29 at The California Theatre in Down Town San Jose.

Information of these shows and more, plus auditions, appear in OnStage. As soon as my show closes, I’ll look for you at intermission.

	~Paul Myrvold has been a member of actors equity since 1972. He is currently performing in My Fair Lady at the Western Stage in Salinas. Send your theatre information to Paul at outabout@garlic.com