In a dark, dim room, stories unfold. Actors bring words to life in a series of performances within the California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley’s black box.
The first musical of the school year, The Three Penny Opera, debuted on Friday, September 26th, in the Duarte Performing Arts Center. The Three Penny Opera by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill is a satirical critique of corruption and capitalism. Directed by William Lagos, the story details the life of Macheath (Mack the Knife) after he marries Polly Peachum. The musical captures Macheath’s spiral through corruption. The Three Penny Opera marked the first of several black box shows put on by the School of Theatre at California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley.
Merrily We Roll Along, which debuted on Friday, October 3rd, in the Duarte Performing Arts Center, marked the second black box show of the school year. The play, by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth, recounts the life of jaded composer, Franklin Shepard, and his two estranged friends through each milestone of their personal and professional lives. Graham Jackson, the director of Merrily We Roll Along, reflects that despite the complicated show matter, the “cast has been superb at helping each other, especially with such demanding the material.”
A series of one-act plays taking place from October 17th to October 25th marks the final series of black box performances. The first of the series of one-act plays is Big Love. The play retells the story of a Greek myth where fifty brides flee their marriages to their fifty cousins. Directed by Grace Morrison, Big Love explores themes of love, consent, and patriarchy. The next in the series of one-act plays is The Women of Lockerbie. The play recounts the true story of the women in Lockerbie, Scotland, who collected, washed, and returned the clothing of the victims of the 1988 Pan Am Flight 103 bombing to their families. Directed by Christina Harris, The Women of Lockerbie explores themes of loss, grief, kindness, and the triumph of love over hate. The last of the series of one-act plays is the play Moscow, Moscow, Moscow, Moscow, Moscow, Moscow. The play is a contemporary twist on Checkov’s Three Sisters. Directed by Nicole Erb, Moscow, Moscow, Moscow, Moscow, Moscow, Moscow explores themes of culture, love, and the absurdity of class.
If you are interested in seeing any of California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley’s future performances, more information can be found on California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley’s box office.
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