South Bay Musical Theatre | Noteworthy Entertainment

Behind The Scenes

Spotlight on: Lobby designer Karyn Rondeau

By |2019-09-14T20:57:14-07:00September 14th, 2019|2019-2020 Season, Behind The Scenes, Video Link|

At South Bay Musical Theatre, the immersive entertainment experience begins as soon as you enter the lobby. In this interview, Karyn Rondeau talks briefly about the decor she is creating to harmonize with the set design for A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder. The show runs Sept. 28 - Oct. 19, 2019 at the Saratoga Theater in Saratoga CA. Tickets are available by calling 408-266-4734 or by going to southbaymt.com/shows/ticket-sales/gentlemans-guide/. Watch the 80-second video below, or read the transcript that follows. https://youtu.be/9ykDTf1Ug-s TRANSCRIPT Hi. So, I’m Karen Rondeau and I am doing the lobby display for A Gentleman’s Guide [...]

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Spotlight on: Hair & Makeup Designer Gwyneth Price Panos

By |2019-08-27T20:50:19-07:00August 27th, 2019|2019-2020 Season, Behind The Scenes, Video Link|

Fun fact: Did you know that in Edwardian times, hair styles were big and "poofy"? So much so, in fact, that people collected discarded hair (from brushes, etc.) and stuffed it under their own hair to make it appear fuller? In this new video, Gwyneth Price Panos tells us what to expect with the hair and wigs in A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder, how she finds her inspiration, the differences between men's and women's hair styling, and why this is going to be such a don't-miss-it production. Listen to the interview in the embedded YouTube link, or read the transcript [...]

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Spotlight on: Executive Director Sara K. Dean

By |2019-08-20T19:40:27-07:00August 20th, 2019|2019-2020 Season, Behind The Scenes, Video Link|

Executive Director Sara K. Dean takes a turn in the interview hot seat, fielding five questions about the relevance of A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder, the challenge of mounting such a complex show, the artistic vision behind it, how it fits into the overall 2019-2020 season, and the new and familiar faces who will be bringing it to life come September 28. Get your tickets now at this link or by calling 408-266-4734. This is the fourth video in a series of behind the scenes looks at "The Art of Theatre" as practiced here at South Bay Musical Theatre. [...]

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Spotlight On: Gentleman’s Guide director, Walter M. Mayes

By |2019-07-29T22:57:57-07:00July 29th, 2019|2019-2020 Season, Behind The Scenes, Video Link|

The director of A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder, Walter M. Mayes, sat down with us for an interview describing the show's creative evolution since winning the 2014 "Best Musical" Tony on Broadway and how South Bay Musical Theatre is giving it an Edwardian rather than Victorian look. Watch the video in two parts below, or read the transcript. https://youtu.be/uSwF2ajHq7o How do you describe this musical to your friends and family? A man finds out that he is eighth in line for a title in England in the 1910s and accidentally stumbles into a plot where he figures out how [...]

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What’s the secret sauce for selecting a successful season?

By |2019-07-01T17:08:34-07:00July 1st, 2019|2019-2020 Season, Announcements, Behind The Scenes, Board meetings, Video Link|

For community theatre companies like South Bay Musical Theatre, the annual exercise of selecting which shows to stage is a critical decision, and many competing factors come into play. Do you snap up that hot new show the moment it’s released, or lock down a perennial favorite? Do you stretch yourselves with a serious story, or stoop to silly slapstick? Do you pick a challenging title that will attract the best actors, or stick with a Broadway blockbuster that your patrons may prefer? Do you foray into adult fare, or favor the family friendly? Unfortunately, there is no universally correct answer—and [...]

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Awards bestowed on Millie cast and crew

By |2019-05-22T23:01:16-07:00May 22nd, 2019|2018-19 Season, Awards, Behind The Scenes, Photos|

Following SBMT’s Preview Night performance for Thoroughly Modern Millie on May 18, 2019, Executive Director Sara Dean invited the audience to stay for a few extra minutes as the staff conferred special awards to outstanding members of the cast, crew, and orchestra. The Gypsy Robe was renamed the Legacy Robe, following the adoption of that name by Actors Equity. Traditionally, the robe is presented by the previous recipient, but Big River winner Libby Moore Schroeder was unable to attend because she had just given birth to a new baby! (Audiences may remember her as visibly pregnant in last January’s production.) Filling [...]

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Are stereotypes acceptable in today’s theatrical productions?

By |2019-05-15T00:06:03-07:00May 15th, 2019|2018-19 Season, Behind The Scenes, Blog-erviews!|

Justin Fan, Karyn Rondeau, and Edmond Kwong play the villains. Photo by Steve Stubbs. In the irreverent musical Avenue Q, one of the songs purports that “Everybody’s a little bit racist,” as it skewers contemporary attitudes regarding race, religion, political correctness, and humor based on exaggerated stereotypes. The point hits home, because as much as we hate to admit it, we all have biases. Those of us in the theatre community are forced to confront these issues whenever we dip into the well of past Broadway productions to pick a slate of shows to revive. The stereotypical characters and [...]

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Warm congrats to Big River award winners

By |2019-01-28T07:36:19-08:00January 28th, 2019|Awards, Behind The Scenes, Meet The Cast, Photos|

Award winners, from left: Raiña Parks, Libby Moore Schroeder, Brian Bonarti, Alexandra Maissonneuve-Teixeira, and Ellie Brownson. Following SBMT's Preview Night performance for Big River on Jan. 25, 2019, producer Jay Steele invited the audience to stay for a few extra minutes as the staff conferred special awards to outstanding members of the cast, crew, and orchestra. It's always a difficult decision, because just about everyone can be described as “outstanding,” but in the end, these are the winners who took home the awards. Newcomer Award: Raiña Parks Gypsy Robe Award: Libby Moore Schroeder Orchestra Award: Brian Bonarti Technical Award: [...]

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The cast of Big River brings a classic back to life

By |2019-01-02T06:46:18-08:00January 2nd, 2019|2018-19 Season, Behind The Scenes, Meet The Cast, Photos|

Big River is a 1985 musical based on Mark Twain’s beloved 1884 novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This is the first time SBMT has staged the show, and the cast and staff have turned it into a passion project that is shaping up to be another in a long list of outstanding productions. The show took Broadway by storm in 1985, winning Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Score. In a period dominated by British imports, this was a uniquely American story, and it ran for more than 1,000 performances, featuring catchy bluegrass and country music by [...]

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