Sex, seniors and murder make for laughs in 'Happy Pleasant Valley'

Dean (Miller Liberatore, left), Jade (Sophie Oda) and June (Emily Kuroda) review clues. (Kevin Berne)

 

“Happy Pleasant Valley: A Senior Sex Scandal Murder Mystery Musical” is making its world premiere at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley after its enthusiastic reception at the company’s 2023 New Works Festival.

Most of the action is set in Happy Pleasant Valley, a senior residential facility in San Mateo, where several men have died after sexual encounters with June (Emily Kuroda). Because she’s suspected of being responsible for their death, she’s being threatened with eviction.

Her granddaughter, Jade (Sophie Oda), a Gen Z influencer, goes to the facility to help her find the real reason behind the men’s deaths. She’s accompanied by her nerdy cameraman, Dean (Miller Liberatore, who’s also an assistant director).

Several residents come under June’s suspicions. They include Bernice (Jacqueline De Muro), who’s pretending to be someone she’s not; Vicki (Lucinda Hitchcock Cone), who’s searching for Walter, a missing squirrel; and DeeDee (Cindy Goldfield), who has an open relationship with her bisexual husband, Mort (Danny Scheie).

Completing the cast are the two ensemble players: Michael Patrick Gaffney and Rinabeth Apostol. She’s noteworthy as Cara, the officious facility director.

As June, Jade and Dean team up to find who or what caused the men to die, secrets are uncovered before the culprit is discovered.

And there are many humorous moments, thanks to Min Kahng, who wrote the clever book, lyrics and music.

Director Jeffrey Lo has selected a top-notch cast of mostly Bay Area actors who excel in all aspects of their roles: acting, singing and dancing.

Musical director William Liberatore serves as conductor and keyboardist with the three other musicians in the orchestra pit.

The choreography is by Lee Ann Payne. The flexible set is by Arnel Sancianco, enhanced by David Lee Cuthbert’ projections, Kurt Landisman’s lighting, James Ard’s sound and Jill C. Bowers’ costumes.

Because “Happy Pleasant Valley: A Senior Sex Scandal Murder Mystery Musical” is a co-production with Center Repertory Company, it will move to Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts June 1-29.

Running about two and half hours with an intermission, TheatreWorks’ production will continue through March 30 at the Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto.

For tickets and information, call (877) 662-8978 or visit www.theatrework.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Power outage brings epiphanies in 'Fly By Night' at Hillbarn

 

Daphne (Kaylee Milteren) likes the script by Joey (Matt Herrero). (Photo by Mark Kitaoka)

Struck by a massive power outage, a large swath of the eastern United States and Canada was plunged into darkness for up to 13 hours on Nov. 9, 1965.

The three creators of “Fly by Night” go back to the year leading up to that event.

In the production by Hillbarn Theatre & Conservatory, the Narrator (Cathleen Riddley) introduces the principal characters and the ways their lives come to be intertwined.

They are the just-widowed Mr. McClam (Lawrence-Michael C. Arias), who’s obsessed with “La Traviata” and carries a record player with him, and his young adult son, Harold (Chava Suarez), in New York City.

Harold works at a sandwich shop managed by Crabble (Sarah Jebian).

There also are South Dakota sisters Daphne (Kaylee Miltersen), an aspiring actress; and Miriam (Markaila Dyson), who’s fascinated by the stars.

Daphne decides to follow her dreams and go to New York City. Miriam reluctantly agrees to go with her. Both get entry-level jobs while Daphne goes to auditions, only to be rejected each time.

In the meantime, she happens to meet Harold in the smoky club where he’s playing guitar and singing. The two hit it off and fall in love.

Then she gets what she hopes will be her big chance when a playwright, Joey Storms (Matt Herrero), offers her a role in the play he hopes to open in the fall.

Complications develop when Joey declares Daphne his muse and when Harold and Miriam meet and fall in love despite her reluctance to interfere with Daphne’s relationship with him.

When the power outage hits, each character has an epiphany of sorts, but after a tragedy, Daphne and Harold are left to ponder what’s next.

The show was created by Will Connolly, Michael Mitnick and its conceiver, Kim Rosenstock, all of whom had a hand in the book, music and lyrics.

As directed by Cara Phipps, the cast excels at creating believable, vulnerable characters. Riddley as the Narrator plays a variety of characters such as Daphne and Miriam’s mother and others.

However, the show probably could benefit from some judicious pruning. For example, the scene between Miriam and a fortune teller (Riddley) goes on too long.

Musical director Diana Lee conducts the small band, seated onstage but mostly out of sight, and oversees the singing, which is good.

The production is well served by Sarah Phykitt’s simple, flexible set, Pamila Gray’s lighting, Jeff Mockus’ sound and Stephanie Dittbern’s costumes.

Running about two hours and 45 minutes with an intermission, “Fly by Night” will continue through March 23 at Hillbarn Theater, 1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City.

For tickets and information, call (650) 349-6411 or visit www.hilbarntheatre.org.