Theater Previews – 1/30/20
SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – Joey Landwehr, our very own theater guru, stopped by Good Morning San Diego for this week’s Theater Preview!
THE GREAT LEAP
Cygnet Theatre (Old Town)
Through February 16
When an American basketball team travels to Beijing for an exhibition game in 1989, the drama goes deeper than the strain between countries. For two men with a past and one teen with a future, the game is a chance to claim personal victories on and off the court. Tensions rise right up to the final buzzer as a pivotal moment in history collides with the action in the arena. Sharp-witted and weighty, this perceptive new play explores the cultural and political risks of raising your voice and standing your ground.
• “An exhilarating, deeply satisfying piece of work.” -New York Magazine
• Playwright Lauren Yee is the second most-produced playwright in America, and The Great Leap is one of the 10 most-produced plays of the season.
• Tickets: www.cygnettheatre.com or (619) 337-1525
FUN HOME
Patio Playhouse (Escondido)
Through February 9
When her father dies unexpectedly, graphic novelist Alison dives deep into her past to tell the story of the brilliant but volatile man whose temperament and secrets defined her family and her life. A refreshingly honest, wholly original musical about seeing your parents through grown-up eyes.
• Winner of 5 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
• Fun Home has some adult language and themes. We recommend that parents research the play before deciding if their children should see it.
• Tickets: www.patioplayhouse.com or (760) 746-6669
ITALIAN AMERICAN RECONCILIATION
Scripps Ranch Theatre (Alliant University Campus)
Through February 16
An Italian-American romantic comedy of operatic proportions by the writer who brought you “Moonstruck”; two men, two women, and an overseeing matriarch bring you through the trials and tribulations of love in NYC’s Little Italy. Throw in a balcony scene straight out of Cyrano de Bergerac a little bit of Tony and Tina’s Wedding, and a good chunk of Jersey Shore Season 1, and you’ll have some idea of what’s in store for you.
• An American playwright, screenwriter, and director. His play, Doubt: A Parable, won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2005 Tony Award for Best Play. He won the 1988 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his film Moonstruck. And fun fact, this multiple award winner also wrote the movies Joe Versus The Volcano and We’re Back!: A Dinosaur’s Story.
• There aren’t a lot of options for dinner near the theatre, be sure to plan accordingly.
• Tickets: www.scrippsranchtheatre.org or (858) 578-7728
AUGUST WILSON’S JITNEY
The Old Globe (Balboa Park)
Through February 23
A jitney is an unlicensed taxicab. Five tireless drivers in Pittsburgh’s Hill District fight for love, survival, and respect as the powers-that-be threaten to close down their garage in the name of neighborhood improvement. The timing feels ideal to visit Wilson’s inimitably pulsating world with a peerless company of actors.”
• The Los Angeles Times recently proclaimed it a Critic’s Choice, saying, “This is an extraordinary company! A triumphant melding of acting and drama. Don’t make the mistake of skipping this one. It’s among the finest productions of a Wilson play I’ve seen.”
• The Washington Post calls Jitney “a consistently funny and absorbing evening,”
• Contains strong language.
• There are not many more things better in San Diego than a beautiful show, nestled in the heart of historical Balboa Park with restaurants and museums all around.
• Tickets: www.theoldglobe.org or (619) 234-5623
