Theatre Review: Beach Blanket Babylon- Forget the Bay and Hit the Beach!

San Francisco is one of the world’s most memorable cities to visit with its picturesque views, world-class cuisine, art exhibits, tourist attractions and the most charmingly ridiculous-campy-flamboyant-dazzling-pop-culture-spoofing musical revue ever!

A show that needs little introduction, Steve Silver’s Beach Blanket Babylon has been thrilling audiences for over 30 years. The longest running musical revue in theatre history, Beach Blanket Babylon is the ultimate ode to San Francisco and pop culture. This hilarious 90-minute whirlwind of a show features San Fran’s most talented performers, comedic writing, elaborate hats, costumes and wigs imaginable. Internationally acclaimed, Beach Blanket Babylon has performed approximately 12,000 performances to over 4.8 million people.

The show is loosely based around Snow White – enter eye-batting ingénue – who, like many women in San Francisco, is deprived of a male counterpart. In her desperation, Snow White embarks on an international journey, including visits to Rome and Paris, where she encounters such celebrities as Paris Hilton, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Kirstie Alley, Oprah, Harry Potter, Borat, Elvis, Barry Bonds, Martha Stewart, Dick Cheney and George W. Bush (just to mention a few). Will Snow White ever break her oh-so-innocent exterior and attract her perfect mate? Perhaps Snow White will learn a few things about life and love outside San Francisco… cue show stopping medley.

With a cast of 10 incredibly versatile singer/dancer/comedians, Beach Blanket Babylon is comparable to any Broadway-level revue. Host Val Diamond, dressed like a sequined cupcake, entertains the audience with her smoky song voice, fabulous foreign accents and facial expressions. Shawna Ferris is a most bizarre Snow White with eyelashes that practically sweep the stage and a helium-induced voice which is both annoying and addictive at the same time (How does she do that?!). Kirk Mills portrays the flamboyant King Louis; Erika Bowman takes on Glinda the Good Witch, Oprah and Tina Turner; Ellen Toscano portrays Paris in prison, a bald Britney, the Chiquita banana lady and of course, Nancy Pelosi. One cannot forget Phillip Williams’ portrayal of Prince, James Brown and Barry Bonds. With a lineup like this how can you resist?

While there are several scenes that stand the test of time, many of the bits are fresh and topical. As a result, the show you see today may be quite different from the show you saw several years ago. It often seems as though their material is culled straight from the morning news headlines. Even the foot-tapping antics of Senator Larry Craig make it into the show. Throwing caution to the wind, the writers are not afraid to ruffle political feathers (both donkeys’ and elephants’), roast celebrities or crucify a few religions. The result is irreverent “wink-wink” satire that pokes fun without pontificating or partisan stumping.

The flip side of the topicality of the pieces is their limited shelf lives, often expiring within a constrained timeframe. Unfortunately, some pieces which show their age are still a part of the show. For instance, while it is still earns laughs and snickers, the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction piece has lost quite a bit of punch over the years. Rest assured, this is more the exception than the rule.

Beach Blanket Babylon is San Francisco’s most exciting living monument and a definite “must see!” Once you experience this outlandish production, everything else – the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Pier 39 and those famous sea lions – will seem so… ordinary.

Performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.; and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Co-written with Caroline Kobylarz

Originally published: http://www.ucsf.edu/synapse/articles/2007/Oct/4/beachblanketbab.html

Neighborhood: Fillmore District- Therapeutic Shopping

It’s hard to believe that the quarter is half over. Mentally exhausted from the hours put in at the library studying for a flurry of midterms, you can at least rejoice at the fact that you have survived the first round. Congratulations! Now for some relief- there are a thousand ways to enjoy a much needed and well deserved catharsis. Retail therapy? Culinary healing? Chocotherapy? You can find it all in the Fillmore district, a mix of quaint boutiques and specialty shops with a smattering of shops for those with discerning palates.

Over the past few years, I have grown quite fond of Fillmore. Coinciding with the conclusion of a spat of grueling tests, we make a quarterly trek to Fillmore where my wife Lucky gets her hair done while I spend an hour or so walking up and down Fillmore looking in shops and trying snacks at different bakeries and eateries. Usually, I am not really much of a shopper. But for those times when I feel like I’ve just been eaten alive after a nasty midterm or two, it’s therapeutic to splurge on something nice, either for Lucky or myself. While we are still students, I don’t feel so bad about spending if I get what I pay for. After a few years and several miles worth of walking, Lucky and I have found a few cures for the midterm blues.

Lucky’s favorite place for retail therapy is Muse Ten, an unassuming boutique that sells stylish bags and accessories made by independent up-and-coming designers such as like Anna Corrina, Kale, and Carla Mancini. Inside is a collection of purses in an abundance of styles- totes, satchels, accordions, clutches. While the plethora of styles and beautiful, intricate detailing make Lucky’s eyes pop out, what amazes me is the softness of the leather crash bags and the rainbow of colors from which to choose-ranging from the classic to unique colors (moss, milk, apple green, petrol). With prices ranging from $68 for a Tusk brand zip wallet to a $799 Belen Eschandia shoulder bag, it isn’t cheap, but quality handbags never are. Besides, I’d rather pay that than shell out double the price for a purse of equal quality just because it has Gucci or Prada stamped on it. Muse Ten can be found at 1820 Fillmore St. or online at www.museten.com.

For those who prefer a little chocotherapy, Bittersweet is a little chocolate café located at 2123 Fillmore St. With a wall lined with over 120 different types of chocolate bars, you can choose a bar by just about any qualification: there are dozens of brands to choose from, including big names Scharffen Berger, Valrhona, Charles and Guittard among others; percentages of cocoa (or none at all, like white); fair-trade, vegan, organic; or flavor. Over the course of time, some of the more unique bars we have tried include Café Tasse’s Szechuan Peppercorn studded bar (talk about spicy!), Dolfin’s Earl Grey Tea infused dark chocolate (very subtle and mild), New Tree’s Forgiveness (tangy lemon highlighting rich dark chocolate), and Vosges’ Naga (coconut curry and chocolate go better together than it sounds). Many of the bars sell for $2 to $9, depending on size and make. Their own line of chocolates Origins are worth a try as well. For those who just can’t decide, Bittersweet offers guided tastings Monday through Thursday for $30, which includes a $15 giftcard. Those who would rather drink their chocolate can choose from no less than 9 varieties, ranging from pure thick chocolate drinks to chocolate thai iced teas to mochas.

My favorite way to recover, though, is with a trip to La Boulangerie at 2325 Pine St. A cute little shop right always with a crowd inside and a mini traffic jam outside, this place has some of the most delectable goodies at very affordable prices. The glass cases are lined with beautiful fruit tarts, decadent cakes, and enough cookies to make you forget all your academic worries. We just recently found out about this place, as it is somewhat tucked away on a side street of Fillmore. We have not tried all their goodies, but what we have tried has us looking forward to the next round of tests, kinda. They are well known for their macaroons with various fillings, including lime mint, black currant, mango passion fruit and lavender. Their unique recipe results in an airy, slightly chewy inside, surrounded by a slightly crispy shell. Lucky prefers regular macaroons; I prefer these, though at $1.50 a piece I was hoping they would last longer than one or two bites. Winning the “Best Lucky Has Ever Tasted” award for streusel was the Peach Plum Rustic Streusel. Using plump fruits with intense flavorful, the contrast of the tangy and sweet fruits really stood out. My favorite pastry was the Napoleon, a pastry with alternating layers of cream and crunchy phylo. At a reasonable price of $3.50, one can wallow in self-pity or celebrate a test well taken without breaking the bank.

For those who prefer to recuperate by meditating over a beautiful view of the city and bay, the northern end of Fillmore offers this free option as well. Adding a Yoshi’s Jazz Club in a little over a month will only make trips here more restorative.

Originally published: www.ucsf.edu/synapse/articles/2007/Oct/18/fillmore.html

Theatre Review: San Francisco Opera- Appomattox Is a Tale of Two Sides

Even before the 2007-08 San Francisco Opera season began, the world premiere of Appomattox was awaited with great anticipation and curiosity. Using the backdrop of the final days of the Civil War, Appomattox centers around General Robert E. Lee of the Confederacy surrendering to the Union’s General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia; and the far-reaching effects of these events, both immediate and those resonating up to a hundred years later.

But Philip Glass’ latest oeuvre, which opened October 5th at the War Memorial Opera House, was hit and miss: Several aspects of the performance sparkled brilliantly, but others floundered disappointingly.

Appomattox divides its content and energy to address the struggles of the individual characters as well as the nation as a whole. The first act humanizes the war by focusing mainly on the opposing generals. By focusing on their contrasting personalities and strategies and with contributions from the women in their lives, the audience is allowed into the generals’ psyches. Cast in a realistic light, their strengths as well as their personal demons are revealed. What one soon realizes is that despite their differences, their desire for reconciliation and for the nation to begin healing is what makes them truly admirable leaders. But in spite of this triumph, the first act ultimately falls flat because there is no building tension or development of conflict. Nothing is done with the characters after they are developed. As a result, the hour-long first act loses steam until its final scene. Multiple award-winning librettist Christopher Hampton is at his best, incorporating historical fact to recreate the exchange of cautiously crafted dispatches between the two general that culminates in their fated meeting; it is like watching two chess players countering each other’s moves until Grant ultimately checkmates Lee and his Confederate forces.

The other facet of the struggle is the larger conflict between the North and the South. The war aspect obviously has the power and drama to add the necessary tension to the story, but the sacking of the Confederate capital of Richmond fails to move the audience despite powerful apocalyptic setting by Riccardo Hernandez. Not until the second act are the struggles of the nation well executed and fully realized. As Lee and Grant negotiate the terms of surrender, the scene is interlaced with flash-forwards that reveal the inequality that will reverberate well into the 20th century. Four civil rights marchers protesting the death of civil rights activist Jimmie Lee Jackson and the diatribe by Ku Klux Klan member Edgar Ray Killen, portrayed chillingly by Philip Skinner, are two of the most powerful scenes that jolt the audience to rapt attention.

Glass’ orchestration, conducted with great aplomb by Dennis Russell Davies, is yet another victory for the opera. Davies, a longtime collaborator of Glass, deftly leads the opera orchestra. Often the instrumental accompaniment is dramatic and powerful, successfully adding depth and color to the opera. It is classic Glass, with repetitious motifs that gain energy through simple variations. Unfortunately, it overpowers the vocals. Glass keeps the vocals in the range of the spoken voice because he believes this allows for the English text to be better understood without having to read the lyrics projected above the stage. As a result, the songs are neither dynamic nor lyrical. For me, part of the enjoyment of opera comes from marveling at the performers’ vocal range. Furthermore, many of the pieces were neither memorable nor captivating except for a few interesting ensemble pieces such as the African American regiment’s “Marching Song of the First of Arkansas” and the freed slaves’ hymn “O Clap Your Hands.” Both have lyrics from the original source set to new music by Glass. But for the majority of the performance, it feels as though the words are being spoken to music.

It was a shame because several of the performers had beautiful voices which could have added to their ability to express their characters’ emotions and feelings. Dwayne Croft as Lee and Andrew Shore as Grant were quite impressive despite the shortcomings of the music. Heidi Melton and Rhosalyn Jones, both current Adler Fellows (part of SF Opera’s residency program for advanced singers) did outstanding jobs as Julia Grant (Grant’s wife) and Mary Todd Lincoln (Lincoln’s wife), respectively.

Though far from perfect, Appomattox did show glimpses of brilliance. It was an admirable attempt to extend beyond the typical offerings at the opera. David Gockley has done an excellent job in creating a season that will appeal to a variety of patrons. While some may be interested in new pieces such as Appomattox, the season has its share of classics – Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and Mozart’s The Magic Flute – as well as new interpretations of classics – Wagner’s Das Rheingold. With the aim of making opera accessible to everyone, free programs such as Opera at AT&T Park as well as free concerts at Stern Grove and Golden Gate Park earlier this year make this a reality. So check out this season’s offering at www.sfopera.com. You’re bound to find something that’s just right for you.

Appomattox
Various dates through October 24
Tickets: $15 to $275

Originally published:
http://www.ucsf.edu/synapse/articles/2007/Oct/11/appomattox.html