Curtain Calls: Stephen King inspiration for improvised ‘Screaming Good Time!’ in East Bay
“Improvised Stephen King: The Improvised Comedy that’s a Screaming Good Time!” certainly has more laughs than a typical film by the “King of Horror” and with a lot more audience participation.
In this latest comedy improv creation by Synergy Theater, Stephen King has sold his soul to a legion of demons in exchange for a lifetime of fame and fortune as a writer. It’s 1981 and King has a new novel due and turns to his demons (the audience) to help him. Whenever he develops writer’s block, King asks the demons to tell him what happens next, e.g. what is the young wife hiding from her husband, what profession is the husband in, etc.
The night I saw the show, the audience decided the wife was hiding the fact she was really a horse and the husband earned a living as a hula dancer. Additional audience suggestions took the story in even more fantastical directions.
Synergy Artistic Director Kenn Adams portrays King with flair while Elyse Iovino takes on the wife/horse role and Ben Piper is the loose-hipped husband.
I applaud the company for acting upon crazy suggestions from the the “demons,” for Piper finding ways to incorporate “horse” jargon into his dialogue and for Adrián Bosada’s graceful yet funny horse-like movements, but the company needs to pick up the pace of the action. They build up the suspense/action and have the audience enjoying the story they’re spinning until too many pauses break the energy and the audience’s enthusiasm.
The show, which due to audience participation is different every performance, runs through Sunday at the Lesher Center on 1601 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek. For tickets, call 925-943-7469 or go to lesherartscenter.org.
Castro Valley: Many people have favorite books/plays they love where the fictional characters seem almost real. But what would you do, if a favorite character started talking back to you whenever you opened the book?
That’s exactly the premise of a new musical opening Jan. 30 at Castro Valley Center for the Arts on 19501 Redwood Road.
Based on the bestselling novel by Jodi Picoult and her daughter Samantha van Leer, “Between the Lines” follows 17-year-old Delilah McPhee as she struggles with her parents’ divorce and with adjusting to a new school. Finding comfort in reading, Delilah becomes obsessed by a particular fairytale and finds herself falling in love with the charming lead character, Prince Oliver. She reads the fairytale repeatedly and starts talking to the prince. The lines between fiction, fantasy and reality blur when he begins to talk back along with other fictional characters.
“I can hardly wait to introduce this light-hearted, yet deep, musical to our community,” said Producer Dayna Speed. “The music stays with you from the very first song, and the special effects are pure magic.”
Produced by TMC Productions in partnership with the Castro Valley Arts Foundation, “Between the Lines” features Aniliza May as Delilah and Danila Burshteyn as Prince Oliver. Steven McCloud directs the 25-member cast.
“Between the Lines” runs Jan. 30 through Feb. 8. For tickets, call 510-889-8961 or go to cvcfa.com/events.
Berkeley: Shotgun’s amazing production of “Sunday in the Park with George” has extended its run for the second time. Now, the musical featuring a splendidly costumed, multi-talented ensemble runs through Feb. 15 at Shotgun Players on 1901 Ashby Ave. Call 510-841-6500 ext. 303 or go to shotgunplayers.org.
S.F.: If you fancy a trip to San Francisco for a high-spirited cabaret-style evening, you can still catch “The January Jamboree” at Club Fugazi.
Running through Jan. 31, the three-week festival features such diverse entertainment as comic monologist Josh Kornbluth, mentalist and magician Jay Alexander and stand-up comedian Louis Katz. The centerpiece of the festival is Electric Circus hosted by Rotimi Agbabiaka. Its own eclectic blend of talents, the circus combines a clown duo, aerialists, a contortionist and a teen juggling prodigy.
Former home to Steve Silver’s “Beach Blanket Babylon,” Club Fugazi is located at 678 Green St. For tickets, call 415-273-0600 or go to clubfugazisf.com.
Mill Valley: If you find yourself in the North Bay, check out the all-star cast of “The Cherry Orchard” at Marin Theatre on 397 Miller Ave.
Directed by American Conservatory Theater Artistic Director Emerita Carey Perloff, the cast of Chekhov’s final work includes Liz Sklar, Anthony Fusco, Danny Scheie and Howard Swain to name just a few.
The show runs Jan. 29 through Feb. 22. For tickets, call 415-388-5208 or go to marintheatre.org.
Reach Sally Hogarty at sallyhogarty@gmail.com, and read more of her reviews online at eastbaytimes.com/author/sally-hogarty.