Three nights of theater
Last week I spent three nights at the theater. Three nights! I didn’t realize that Bakersfield was so rich in theater, but it is.


Five Women Wearing the Same Dress
Bakersfield Community Theater

Julie Jordan Scott directed a delightfully witty, satirical and multi-layered play about five women wearing the same dress. In a perfect setting, a wedding party, (where else would five women be wearing the same dress), we meet five women with many issues. Issues regarding men, relationships, the desire to be loved, family, friends, stereotypes, and even issues between the women themselves.

The dialogue was witty and honest. The actors portrayed their arc-stereotype characters to a tee and the costumes were great. The bridesmaid dresses were just like many of the bridesmaid dresses I’ve worn in the many weddings I’ve been in. I myself have worn royal blue, light blue, red, peach, purple, light pink, black & white, and emerald green. (Only the emerald green dress I would ever consider wearing again.) I’ve been a bridesmaid 8 times and a bride once. I think I chose better dresses for my bridesmaids than they ever chose for me; my colors were black & cranberry/burgundy. Just like in the play, each wedding I’ve ever been in was full of drama within the bridal party. I think the cast did a great job of portraying the personalities and drama inevitably associated with bridal parties and weddings.

Sure there was some male bashing, which made some of the male members of the audience squirm in discomfort when something in particular struck a cord. But the men were not the only targets. There was plenty of female-bashing as well. I couldn’t help but laugh at the honesty of the play. I loved every minute of it.

NL being a man had a different take on the play and cleverly compared the play to the movie King Kong in his review the five dresses of Queen Kong.


Amadeus
Spotlight Theater and Café

Roger Mathey directed his interpretation of Amadeus at the Spotlight Theater last week. I will simply say it was spellbinding and riveting. (Forgive me, but I don’t have the program from the play and can’t remember the actor’s names or some of the characters names).

I was so impressed with the entire cast’s performances! So many lines, so many monologues, how on earth did they remember them all? The main character’s performance was so captivating. The inflections, personality traits, and humorous idiosyncrasies he gave to the character made for a mysterious three-dimensional character tormented by his own love and jealousy of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s music and talent. It’s what drove him to action.

I was also impressed with the way music was used in the play. A story about a famous composer, the music was integral to the story. However, it was used cleverly to help tell the story, not overshadow it. I loved the way the main character spoke about the music and how he described the emotion of the music. His descriptions gave the music life and motive for his actions. You understood why he felt compelled to destroy Mozart’s genius in order to survive his own mediocrity.

The costumes were great and helped set the scene of Mozart’s time. I loved the blue people, which served as the conscious of the main character. That was an exceptional affect.

I was riveted in my seat until the very end and was astounded by the superb performance.


West Side Story
Bakersfield Musical Theater
Harvey Auditorium

It had been a really long time since I’d seen West Side Story. I understood from what I had read so far about the play that it had been updated with current gang wardrobe to modernize the play in hopes of reaching today’s gang youth with a message. To this end I think the play was well done. The message was a great one.

The modernized costumes were very well done. I especially loved all of the tattoo art, which tattoo artists had drawn onto the actors prior to the performances (not permanent tattoos). I also thought the hair and makeup of the Puerto Ricans and Punkers was very well done.

I really enjoyed the singing in the play as well. Tony and Maria had wonderful voices! And some of the choreography was well done. In fact the only thing I didn’t like about the play was the dancing. I don’t mind musicals or dancing plays, Moulin Rouge is one of my favorite movies, but if 85 percent of the play involves dancing I would expect it to be really good. I understand that these were local actors and youth, but I found the dancing to be mediocre and distracting because of its mediocrity.

All in all though I enjoyed West Side Story. The singing, the costumes… who wouldn’t love Romeo and Juliet modernized and set to music.

Both NL and Flower in the Dale also wrote about their experience at West Side Story.


Three great plays in one week… who says there is nothing to do in Bakersfield. Theater is alive and thriving in Bakersfield, go out and support the arts and see a play or two.  posted by Matildakay at 6:38 PM