Coming & Going

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Coming & Going

King Arthur (Jordan Lemmond) and his trusty steed (Clayton Barry) set off in search of the Holy Grail in the SBHS production of Monty Python's Spamalot. Spamalot  is indeed "(lovingly) ripped off form the motion picture Monty Python and the Holy Grail," as its publicity proclaims, but it also cribs unapologetically from Life of Brian and other Python creations.  No matter; it's all good.  In fact, from what I saw of the cast's first dress rehearsal, it's all very, very good indeed.

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The Not so Drowsy Chaperone

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The Not so Drowsy Chaperone

You have no excuse for not catching the Santa Barbara High School production of the The Drowsy Chaperone; the Otto Layman directed Broadway musical plays again this weekend and it stars a number of up-and-coming Hollywood-Broadway talents, many from Montecito. I caught the show on opening night last Friday, November 9 and – this is the whole truth and nothing but the truth – my cheeks hurt from laughing so hard and so often. And I’m not talking about the cheeks I sit on. The Drowsy Chaperone features music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar, all close friends who created this Broadway musical parody as a wedding gift.

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The Drowsy Chaperone

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The Drowsy Chaperone

Last night I had the pleasure of attending Santa Barbara High School's fall performance, "The Drowsy Chaperone." I had never heard of the play, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Musical comedy by a bunch of teenagers? I tried to think of an excuse, but if I'm going to fight for more funding of the arts in our local schools, I had better be prepared to support them in person as well.

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Santa Barbara High’s ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ Is Scary Good

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Santa Barbara High’s ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ Is Scary Good

There has not been a long and storied tradition of man-eating plant musicals on the Great White Way. There has been exactly one such extravaganza, and it was a smash sensation, a runaway Broadway success in 1982. Santa Barbara High School Theatre’s production of Little Shop of Horrors hits all the high points of the original and adds some real magic of its own.

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Music of the Night in Its Tenth Year

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Music of the Night in Its Tenth Year

Founded 10 years ago as a fundraiser for the Santa Barbara High School theater department, Music of the Night has established a reputation independent from its purpose. It is now arguably the most popular high school production among students. It is an entirely student-run, student-produced musical revue, with rehearsals barely fitting in the time frame between the fall play and the spring musical. This year’s directors, Kristian Sorensen, Dylan Fitzgibbons, Jana McIntyre, and Olivia Ghersen, are leading a cast of 41 students.

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HAIR

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HAIR

The split that divided the generation of the 1960s is one that transcends all eras-the massive contradiction of love against hate. While the youth of the ‘60s doused its spirits with love, many of their elders urged them to fight and kill in Vietnam. HAIR shows an era of revolution where values were redefined as children were sent by their parents to protect them (as in the song “I Got Life”), love for the community overwhelmed love for another individual (as in “Easy to Be Hard”), and duty challenged integrity. Now, with the decade of HAIR 40 years past, Santa Barbara High School has brought this beautiful representation of love, war, and hope back to life. 

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Beauty and the Beast

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Beauty and the Beast

This high school production of the enormously popular Disney musical was as high-tech and ambitious as any play produced in Santa Barbara this year. Otto Layman, Chris Walas, and the extraordinary cast did a wonderful job deepening and darkening the familiar fairy tale, contributing to an evening of nonstop musical fun and laughter. As Belle, Santa Barbara High’s Jana McIntyre brought a beautiful voice with a warm rich tone along with excellent acting skills to this demanding lead role.

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