Pirates Sails in a New Direction
Director Jon Tracy calls himself a "theatrical DJ of sorts," and it shows as he spins traditional musical theater in ways that seem familiar, but are also are fresh and … different. "I can bend the classic musical into a unique, modern piece that is admired by all ages."
That what he is doing with the Berkeley Playhouse production of The Pirates of Penzance, playing now at the Julia Morgan theater in Berkeley. In fusing a punk rock, post-atomic vibe into the zany Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera, he is appealing to 21st-Century families.
"This ain't your grandmother's Pirates,'" says Playhouse Artistic Director Elizabeth McCoy.
Tracy, well known for refreshing such authors' works as Shakespeare (The Tempest), George Orwell (The Farm), and Homer (The Salt Plays), says that the rock n' roll edge of this new production lends itself well to banter and wit of the original "Pirates."
He is aided in musical direction by Jonathan Fadner, and choreography by Emily Morrison.
The show, which has been hailed as Brazil meets American Idiot meets Glee — is an out-of-the-box take on a reliable old musical, something that Berkeley Playhouse is renowned for, Tracy says. "They are always pushing the company, they demand something higher from the production," Tracy says. "It all comes down to discovering what really makes good family theater."
That, he says, is something he feels strongly about — creating a show that truly appeals to families, not just children. "It's like the Pixar model of entertainment," he says. "You want a family production to appeal to all ages."
Tracy says that he always keeps that in mind, and this Pirates — with light-hearted hilarity, clever and lampooning lyrics, and a female lead pirate king — is a step in the right direction. "This version of Pirates will definitely have something exciting for everyone," he says.
The show runs weekends Feb. 25 through April 1: Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m., and Sundays at noon and 5 p.m. Tickets range from $17 to $35. The Julia Morgan Center for the Arts is located in Berkeley.
Go "Under the Boardwalk" This Weekend
Maestro John Larry Granger of the Santa Cruz Symphony has a surefire way to get kids interested in music.
"I like to throw cello cases in front of them," he says.
Not literally — at least not after the first time, when a youngster tripped over a cello case and asked what it was. When Granger told him, the boy said, "Huh. I think that would be cool to play." Two years later, he was one of the top cellists in the Santa Cruz Youth Symphony.
No, the cello cases Granger puts in front of young people today are much more figurative. In fact, this weekend he is using everything from unicyclists to music from a Johnny Depp movie to an instrument "petting zoo" to introduce young people to the joys of performing in an orchestra.
Granger will be leading the Santa Cruz Symphony and its youth symphony in its 2012 family concert, “Under the Boardwalk,” at 2 p.m. this Sunday, March 4, at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium.
The annual concert is a chance to introduce young people to an orchestra, and have fun in the process.
With the theme of "Here Comes the Circus," the event will use humor, dance, and audience participation to help children — and their families — understand that classical music isn't the bastion of their grandparents.
Basically, young people who think that classical music is for old fogies are making a mistake," Granger says. "They just haven't been properly exposed to it in the right way."
This year's concert will feature actor Joseph Ribeiro, the Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre and Rock Lerum’s Circus Troupe in a variety of acts, set to music by the symphonies.
Ribero will narrate the centerpiece of the concert, "The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra," a musical look at the orchestra’s various sections, instruments and works.
At the end of the performance, Granger will select some young audience members for a "baton relay," helping to lead the musicians.
"I call these family concerts 'Under the Boardwalk' because it gives a sense of looking beneath the surface, at how things work," Granger says. "Plus, it ties in with our great local amusement park, and emphasizes that all aspects of the community are coming together for music."
The family concert is but one aspect of the SCS's youth education program, which targets fourth and fifth graders.
"When, at these concerts, I see some of the kids showing an interest in what we are doing, I'm not surprised a few years later when they show up in the youth orchestra," the maestro says.
"With schools cutting back so much on music education and the arts, this is a way we can ensure that young people are learning the power and joy of music. It's just fun!"
For tickets to "Under the Boardwalk," call 831-420-5260 or online at santacruztickets.com.
A Good Squeeze: The Tangelo Duo
When Palo Alto's Tessera Chin was in fourth grade, she was no stranger to classical music. Her father is an accomplished musician, as was her grandmother. In fact, at age 9, Tessera was already well on her way to being a young virtuoso on piano and violin.
It was then that she joined the award-winning Palo Alto Chamber orchestra, a youth orchestra for regional string musicians of high-school age and younger.
It was also around the time when she met Angela The, who at 8 was also already an accomplished string musician.
Fast-forward six years, and the girls are still making beautiful music together, not only with PACO and its ensembles, but as Tangelo Duo, a viola/violin twosome that is taking the state by storm.
The pair took first place in Instrumental Ensemble at the United States Open Music Competition in Oakland in February, first place at the branch competition of the 2012 VOCE Competition (and will compete at the State finals in Los Angeles in April), and were semi-finalists at the 2012 Mondavi Young Artist's Competition.
Tangelo Duo also won last year's PACO concerto competition, performing Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante with the Sinfonia Orchestra last November.
Tessera, 15, began playing violin at age 5 with her father and currently studies violin and viola with Jenny Rudin. She also studies piano with Irina Lozinski. Angela, 14, first took up violin at age 3. She also studies violin with Rudin, and piano with Lena Grozman. Both girls have performed throughout the Bay Area in their young careers.
So obviously, all the success has gone to their heads, right?
Nope. What they are are a couple of typical high schoolers — Tessera in her sophomore year at Palo Alto High and Angela a freshman at St. Francis in Mountain View. They enjoy things typical young teenagers do, except to relieve the academic stress of their classes, they play complicated pieces of chamber music really well.
"They are both delightful young women," says Ben Simon, music director of PACO as well as the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra. "They're bright, committed, and wonderful players."
Tessera's father, Cary Chin, knows how hard teenagers work, between academics, athletics and other commitments. "Many times, kids don't have the time to figure out their real passions," he says. "The thing I'm most proud of is that Tessera and her siblings are capable, thoughtful, and happy."
Tessera herself say that her commitment to music isn't one of those things that causes her stress, but rather just the opposite. "Playing music is a relief to me," Tessera says. "Especially when you play with a friend."
She and Angela have been friends since meeting at PACO, and it was a couple of years ago that they started thinking of creating their own duo, and last year decided to get on with it.
What is next for the talented pair? Obviously, they will continue to perform, both with PACO and in the Tangelo Duo. But beyond that, who knows? "Music is a very hard career," Tessera says. But it's a very easy hobby, at least for her and Angela.
The Tangelo Duo will be performing as part of PACO's Music in the Schools benefit on March 25. Look for more information and ticket prices here in coming weeks, or at pacomusic.org.