On Stage – February 2020

VOLTA:  Los Angeles, Orange County – Although many companies have tried to imitate Cirque du Soleil, none of them have come close to succeeding.  We are familiar with the Las Vegas Cirque shows that often run for decades, but it’s truly an event when a production comes to town under the mighty big top, the company’s original mode of performance.  Volta is a captivating voyage of discovery that includes acrobatics which have never been seen under the big top.  Driven by a stirring melodic score and inspired in part by the adventurous spirit that drives street sports, Volta is about being true to oneself, and recognizing that ultimate freedom comes with self-acceptance, and with the liberation of the judgement of others.  Cirque’s unique excellence comes from the combination of mind-blowing visuals, heart-stopping circus acts, deeply moving music, and on top of all that, a message!  Cirque is “special” in a tent! (www.cirquedusoleil.com) Dodger Stadium 1/18 – 3/8; OC Fairgrounds 3/18 – 4/19.

A KIND OF WEATHER:  San Diego – When a young transitioning man’s father pops up at his Brooklyn doorstep and asks to move it, it causes all sorts of problems – most notably, a cramp in his sex life, not to mention the completion of his memoir about his gender transition.  As he struggles to keep his writing and romantic deadlines, revelations about his family history begin to subvert his own narrative.  Diversionary Theatre’s production of A Kind of Weather, by Sylvan Oswald, is a world premiere.  The show is in good hands.  San Diego’s gay theatre company is known for its consistent quality productions, and it’s in a delightful neighborhood of San Diego, with lots of little coffee bars and light dining. Fun!  (www.Diversionary.org) 2/6 – 3/8.

THE LAST SHIP:  Los Angeles, San Francisco – The Last Ship is a musical featuring music and lyrics by Sting.  It is based loosely on his own childhood in several ship building ports in England.  The musical has been in production since 2014, ending up on Broadway in that year. It had a fairly brief run on Broadway.  Then, it went into major reconstruction with a totally new script, and with Sting taking the lead role.  The official opening of the new version is at Los Angeles’s Ahmanson Theatre, and it will then move to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre.  The new script has cleaned up the story lines and tried to make the accents more comprehensible to American ears.  If nothing else, seeing Sting opening up his heart and his history should be worth the price of a ticket.  Ahmanson (www.centertheatregroup.org) through 2/16; Golden Gate (www.goldengatetheatresf.com) 2/20 – 3/22.

ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE:  Palm Springs, Costa Mesa, Modesto, Los Angeles:  You would think that a musical cobbled together to connect two dozen or so Jimmy Buffet songs would be lightweight.  You would be right.  No pretensions of high art, stylish wit, musical breakthroughs.  This is the theatrical equivalent to laying on a lounge chair on a comfortably sunny beach, sipping the titular drink.  Let’s face it –that ain’t too bad!  The script was written by television sitcom veterans and carries a non-challenging collection of set-ups and punchlines, spiced up a bit for adult audiences.  Girls on a bachelorette jaunt visit a tropical island which has a bar called – wait for it – Margaritaville.  The local lotharios hit on them, but this time it’s different.  It ends up meaning something.  One of Jimmy Buffet’s lyrics is “Let’s get drunk and screw,” and that’s pretty much what our leading ladies do, before flying back to Ohio and a tragic marriage.  But wait, the island is faced with a volcano, and the guys decide Ohio might not be a bad place to wait it out.  You don’t have to be a Parrot Head to enjoy the show, but it sure helps!  Palm Desert McCallum 1/30 – 2/1; Costa Mesa Segerstrom Center 2/5 – 9; Modesto Gallo Center 2/12 – 13; Hollywood Pantages 2/18 – 3/8.