Did the Diablo Devil make us do it?

The Devil made me do it, or do it with “Diablo”, seems to be the key word this week. Two theatrical companies, whose namesake is closely associated with the Devil, are offering you some terrific entertainment opportunities, Both the Diablo Actors Ensemble and the Diablo Theatre Company (formerly known as Diablo Light Opera) are bidding you to attend their current productions.

Diablo Actor’s Ensemble, under the astute direction of Marilyn Langbehn, is offering a “serious side of Simon” with their outstanding production of Neil Simon’s dark comedy, “The Prisoner of 2nd Avenue”. Neil Simon’s comedy played to sold-out houses on Broadway from 1971 to 1973 and was made into a movie in 1975, starring Anne Bancroft and Jack Lemmon. It was nominated for a 1972 Tony in the “Best Play” category.

Diablo Actor’s Ensemble, founded and operated by the well known and highly respected director, Scott Fryer, has delivered many memorable moments in live theatrical entertainment for more than 20 years, here in the Contra Costa County area. I remember their theatrical productions in the Baldwin Park in Concord as far back as the mid 80’s.

Director Langbehn has pulled together a superb cast to recount the story of Mel Edison, a middle-aged New Yorker, brought to his knees psychologically by his financial concerns. He fear is greatly magnified by the embarrassment and economic pressure encountered when he loses his job in tough economic times and his wife has to go to work. While the play takes place in the mid 70’s, it is starkly reminiscent of our current national financial crisis and the pressures felt by thousands of families across the country today.

Mel (Rich Aiello) becomes more depressed and morose as week after week of financial frustrations mount his bastion of defense. His apartment house neighbors irritate him on all sides. The garbage strike and resulting odors from the stagnant piles of garbage left on the streets of New York City, pervade his apartment. Add to this, the summer heat seems magnified by the fact that his air-conditioning doesn’t work properly. Mel is 47 years old and has only worked in one profession, as an advertising executive for his entire working career. He doesn’t know what to do with himself and he feels lost in his anguish. As the anxiety mounts, the outbursts of anger begin to seriously affect his relationship with his wife, Edna (Trish Tillman). She derides him for his failure to continue his search for a job and he tells her that he is too old, that no one is going to give him job at his age, “When Moses saw the burning bush, he was 23, not 47”!

His tantrums and repeated retaliations against his neighbors escalate until Edna finally resolves that Mel has got to seek some professional help, before they both go mad! Mel responds to his wife’s urgings by crying out, “Edna, I’m disappearing - - - I don’t need an analyst - - I need lost and found! On top of everything else, the final blow comes after Mel and Edna return home to find their apartment has been burglarized. Mel then suffers a complete breakdown.

In the second act, Mel and his wife are visited by Mel’s three concerned sisters (played by Sally Hogarty, Loretta Janca and Barbara Halperin-Jacobs), and his brother, Harry (played by Bill Clemente). Edna (Trish Tillman) delivers a sterling performance demonstrating great balance in character as the loving, frustrated and yet supportive wife. Rich Aiello is very realistic and believable as Mel, the husband in search of a new working life, yet totally out of control and desperately in need of a good kick in the derriere. When the tables turn and the wife loses her job, the loving husband (helped by medication) returns and the importance of having a strong life’s partner sets the proper tone for a positive ending. The acting by the entire cast is very good, with only a couple of minor discrepancies, nothing worth mentioning.

Typical of Neil Simon, even the tragedies of life brings a barrage of sardonic and comic lines. He invites us to look for the lighter side of life’s personal trials and tragedies and reminds us that we have all gone through tough times before, and for the most part, survived. While this play doesn’t tell us how to resolve the financial fright sweeping the country today, it definitely shows us how a dose of humor can help relieve some of the frustrations and shows us that we are not alone.

“The Prisoner of 2nd Avenue” continues Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with matinees on Sunday at 2 p.m., now through June 27th. The Diablo Actor’s Ensemble Theatre is located at 1345 Locust Street in Walnut Creek, next door to Peet’s Coffee house. There is a large public parking garage across the street. Tickets range between a more than reasonable $10 for Thursday performances, and a generously reasonable general admission of $25, with the remainder of tickets ranging between $22 (for seniors and students). Call (866) 811-4111 for ticket reservations or visit their website at www.diabloactors.com for tickets or additional information. Great acting, great entertainment and a great time to revisit Neil Simon’s brilliant, albeit somewhat sarcastic comedy, again!

"Hello Dolly, were so glad to have you here, where you belong!"

Happiness lives in the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts as the newly named Diablo Theatre Company opens a stunning and uplifting musical miracle with their vibrant and colorful, “Hello Dolly”. Artistic Director, Daren Carollo and his dedicated contributors, re-examine and re-imagine the artistic elements of classic musicals as their basic and most important purpose, that of delivering an absolutely stunning evening of music, dancing and song for every ticket purchaser. It just happens that when the company polled its season ticket holders, “Hello Dolly” was their most requested musical for this season. DTC created this show to fulfill their subscribers’ wishes and at the same time to provide the remainder of the community a “feel-good” musical, that they will certainly enjoy and long remember.

“Hello Dolly” is the fun-filled story of an outrageously outspoken and highly confident widower, matchmaker and meddler, Mrs. Dolly Levi, who merchandises matrimony. Dolly (played to absolute perfection by Terry Darcy D’Emedio) spreads her wit and wisdom throughout Yonkers, New York, and at the same time, provides a plethora of personal services that add to her worth as a matchmaker. Dolly carries with her business cards for every occasion, including everything and anything, any service one might need, even barrister services, dance and mandolin instruction just to name just a few.

Dolly is enlisted by a young artist, Ambrose Kemper (Caleb Haven Draper) , to intercede on his behalf in helping him to secure a favorable response to his desire to marry Ermengard (Jessica Knudsen), the weepy eyed daughter of a “half-millionaire”. She is the daughter of a grouchy hay and grain merchant, Horace Vandergelder (Curt Denham). Ambrose has not found favor with Ermengard’s father, due to his less than favorable income generating employment, as an artist.
Dolly is also engaged by Horace Vandergelder to help him find a suitable wife, which she fully intends to do. Horace departs on a journey to downtown New York to meet a prospective wife, arranged by Dolly. That very attractive lady, a ladies’ hat merchant by trade, Miss Irene Malloy (Rena Wilson),wouldn’t mind getting married, but hasn’t found the right man, and concedes that maybe the matchmaking process could provide her the security she is really looking for. It doesn’t take long for us to realize that Dolly has come to the realization that remaining a widow and having to hustle constantly for a living might be better served if she, Dolly, weds the wealthy Vandergelder, herself!

Horace informs his two clerks, Cornelius Hackl (Wiliam Giammona) and Barnaby Tucker (Andrew Willis-Woodward), that he is off to New York City and that they will have to mind the store in his absence. After Horace leaves for his rendezvous in New York, Cornelius and Barnaby decide tht they need a break, and they close the shop and head for New York as well. Dolly, wanting to waylay Horace and disrupt his meeting with Miss Malloy, tells the boys that they should visit a certain hat shop in the big city. They do and they meet Miss Malloy and her assistant, Minnie Fay. The young men lie about their financial worth, pretending to be rich, hoping to get a date with the two very lovely young ladies.

A marvelous comic scene occurs when Vangergelder arrives at the hat shop intent on meeting Miss Malloy, himself. Once again, the delightfully deceitful and self-serving Dolly, steers Vandergelder elsewhere towards another prospective mate, a wealthy widow, whom he meets at the Harmonia Gardens, an exclusive and very expensive restaurant and dancing pavilion. The young men, still pretending to be rich, also end up at the Harmonia Gardens restaurant, with the young ladies. While they are reveling in the company of Miss Malloy and Miss Fay, they are at the same time, worried sick as to how they are going to pay for the evening’s dining dalliance.
The restaurant provides a marvelous backdrop for the wonderful music and lyrics of famed composer, Jerry Herman and the brilliant choreography of Lawrence Pech. Director Dennis Lickteig has brought all of the elements (cast, orchestra, choreography, costumes, sets, lighting and sound) together for a wonderful evening of outstanding, vibrant and uplifting musical and dancing entertainment. The set design by Mark Mendelson is truly outstanding. Mark is a local product, a great young designer that grew up on local stages and a talented young man that I remember as participating in Stars 2000, before going off to college. Musical Director Cheryl Yee Glass once again delivers an excellent orchestration experience. Chris Guptill does his usual magic with the lighting, and Marianna Ford excels with her marvelous costumes. Sound design by Mike Sweeny provides the final crown of overall excellence that brings this outstanding production to your full enjoyment.

The vocal talents are exceptional and deliver an exciting and thrilling evening. Terry Darcy D’Emidio and Rena Wilson are absolutely stunning with their rich vocal gifts, bringing to all in attendance, a very rewarding vocal experience. William Giammona adds immeasurably to the vocal vibrancy and Andrew Willis-Woodward (Barnaby Tucker) delivers dancing routines and comic talents that likewise add measurably to this production.

If you have ever enjoyed “Hello Dolly” before, this is one production that definitely deserves your attendance. For a community production that is very high in many professional level attributes, this is well worth the price of admission and much easier to see and enjoy and you don’t have to drive into San Francisco or San Jose to have a terrific time. Tickets range between $29 and $41 each and are for sale at the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts at 1601 Civic Drive. Call (925) 943-7469 (SHOW) or you may visit the website at www.lesherartscenter.org. You may also visit Diablo Theatre Company’s website at www.dloc.org for more information. Besides, as Horace Vandergelder once said, “Money is like manure, it’s not worth anything, unless you spread it around!”

“Hello Dolly” plays Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (beginning June 12th) at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m., now through Sunday, June 28th. In the Hofmann Theatre in the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, at 1601 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek.
By the way, the “Diablo Theatre Company” recently changed their name from the long time, well known “Diablo Light Opera Company”, so that they could also explore dramatic theatrical avenues for their audiences as well as musicals.

Go and see a show this week and you can say, “The Diablo Devil made me do it!”