Death of a King is an original musical about a king, which features the people he surrounds himself with and the cause for which they feel the need to fight. Music and lyrics by Stephen Guizar. Book and Direction by Summer S. Session.
Summer says, "This musical explores trust, unity, home and the fight to take down the man to secure our place in this world. It’s a story for the underdog, the oppressed! A disdain for injustice, a heart for marginalized groups that feel as if they are so far beneath the heel of America’s elite class that there’s no realistic or peaceful path to a better life." Selma Originals premiers original stage pieces created by local playwrights and composers. Creatives from around the Central Valley have crafted original 15-30 minute pieces of theatre and will be participating in selma originals to debut their work. Selma Originals perfoms August 18th and 19th 2023 at the Selma Arts Center. Tickets are available at selmaartscenter.com/tickets or by calling 559.891.2238 Pippin On Stage at the Selma Arts CenterOct 12, 2022 | 2022 Articles, Terrance V. Mc Arthur, Theatre
It’s a tale of Pippin (Jonathan Padilla), son of Charlemagne (Chris Ortiz-Belcher), led through the Middle Ages by a troupe of performers headed by the enigmatic Leading Player (Leif Bramer). Searching for ways to do “extraordinary things,” the prince tries military exploits, sensual delights, political power, and pastoral domesticity with a young widow (Kindle Cowger), with uneven results . . . but he keeps trying. Reaching out from its 1972 Broadway origins, the songs by Stephen (Godspell, Wicked) still ring strongly in the heart and soul, carrying the script by Roger O. Hirson. Echoes of Bob Fosse’s famed choreography for the show run through this production, especially in what is called “The Manson Trio,” a precise dance number set against “battles barbarous and bloody.” Summer Session’s direction, Miz-Unique Slater’s choreography, and Lauren Heard’s costume, makeup, and hair/wig designs honor the legacy of earlier productions with dizzying new spins, and the choral effect is intense. The songs will stick with you, and you’ll be better for it. REVIEW: AT SELMA ARTS CENTER, A BUOYANT AND MURKY ‘PIPPIN’ FINDS A BIG, WONDERFUL TENT ALL ITS OWNby Donald Munro October 15, 2022
This darker side of “Pippin” particularly soars. Session, who grew up in the Fresno theater scene and earned an MFA at UC Irvine, gives us one of the strongest musicals I’ve seen at Selma, ranking up there with “Spring Awakening,” “Cabaret” and “Heathers,” as she sculpts the material into a taut, fierce package. Session’s take feels bold, fresh and disconcerting. I was moved in ways that went far beyond my reaction when I saw the Broadway revival in 2013. Still, the show works. It has an unpolished, low-budget-but-big-dreams sheen that actually feels polished in just the right the way. And Session’s directorial vision makes everything click. Many directorial moments soar, both bleak and bright: the castanets in “Love Song”; the “Lord of the Rings” map brought out to explain the Holy Roman Empire (hey, look, there’s Mordor!); the awkward hug between Pippin and Charlemagne (a jolly/scary Chris Ortiz-Belcher); the jokey menace of the doltish stepbrother, Lewis (a brutish James Anderson); the sassy bootie interlude from queen and wicked stepmother Fastrada (a superb Jacob Moon), complete with ta-dah hand gesture emphasizing a very glittery gold miniskirt. LYRIC REPERTORY’S FENCES IS BRILLIANT, POIGNANT, AND PERFECTLOGAN — If you’ve never seen a live performance of August Wilson’s iconic play Fences, go ASAP see the production by the Lyric Repertory Company in Logan. If you have seen a production of Fences, go see this one at Lyric Repertory Company. If you have seen the film version and think the show does not get any better than Denzel Washington in the role of a lifetime, you should still see this production at the Lyric Repertory Company in Logan. It is that good. Fences is worth the drive, worth the time, and worth the price of the ticket.
I see a lot of theatre. As a teacher, director, and erstwhile critic, mostly I am preoccupied with examining the different production elements, analyzing the director’s vision, and interpreting the overall product. After my first ten minutes in the audience of Fences, I forgot all about those things and was completely engrossed in the story of Troy and Rose and their family. Director Summer Session has crafted a beautiful piece that belongs firmly on any best of the best theatre list anywhere. The Seagull
Written by Anton Chekhov Translated by Ryan McKittrick and Julia Smeliansky Directed by Summer Session March 5 - 13, 2022Robert Cohen TheatreThe first of Anton Chekhov’s realistic plays, The Seagull is a 4 act, slice of life drama filled with comedic irony about artists navigating through life. The play deals with the human condition and the conflict between ourselves and others. Come along with us as we delve into artistic creation, anguish, compassion and the struggles of an artist in this new take on a well known classic. Performances Evenings: Mar. 5, 10, 11, 12 at 8:00 p.m. Evening: Mar. 8 & 9 at 7:30 p.m. Matinee: Mar. 6*, 12, 13 at 2:00 p.m. Please join us for a TalkBack with cast and crew after the 2pm matinee on Mar. 6. Tickets General admission: $19 Seniors, Groups 10+, UCI Faculty & Staff: $16 Arts Packages: $15 UCI Students & Children under 17: $12 https://www.arts.uci.edu/event/seagull Summer will be joinging Lyric Rep this season as a director on "The Thanksgiving Play" and more.6/3/2021 Summer Session will be directing "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in video format that will be available for free viewing in June 2021.
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