Fall Arts 2018

Play On Players

From dark drama to lively comedy Silicon Valley's theaters have much to offer this season

Intro | Sonido Clash Music Festival | San Jose Taiko | Sunnyvale Community Players | Concerts | Stage | Art | Classical | Film

This musical rendition of the classic novel follows the Tuck family, who have found the secret to eternal life. Photo by Kevin Berne

Broadway San Jose
255 S Almaden Blvd, San Jose
broadwaysanjose.com | 699.242.8555

On Your Feet
Oct 9-14
The story of Cuban expats, lovers and crossover hitmakers, On Your Feet follows the lives and musical careers of Emilio and Gloria Estefan. At their peak, they climbed to the very top of the pop music world, and then they almost lost it all.

Chicago
Nov 16-18
The longest-running American musical in Broadway history is coming to the stage in San Jose. Whether you know it well or are seeing it for the first time, Chicago is sure to suck you in with its gripping plotline—filled with fame, fortune, murder and all that jazz.

Cinderella
Nov 30-Dec 2
Rodgers and Hammerstein's Tony Award-winning take on the classic fairy tale has it all: the pumpkin carriage, the glass slipper, the wicked stepsisters and its uplifting rags-to-riches theme.

City Lights Theater
529 S 2nd St, San Jose
cltc.org | 408.295.4200

God of Carnage
Sep 13-Oct 14
Yasmina Reza's 2009 Tony Award-winning play tells the story of two sets of bourgeois parents who stop being polite and start getting real. The claws come out as the couples work to broker a civil resolution to their children's playground altercation. Soon their worst traits are revealed as the conversation devolves into irrational mudslinging, misogyny, racial prejudice and homophobia.

Making God Laugh
Nov 15-Dec 23
Following three decades' worth of holidays in a prototypical American family, this play tells the story of Ruthie, Bill and their three fully grown kids—a priest, an aspiring actress and a smooth-talking entrepreneur. Over the course of the production, everyone in the family comes to realize that in life, one doesn't always end up at the intended destination.

CMT San Jose
1401 Parkmoor Ave, San Jose
cmtsj.org | 408.288.5437

Elf the Musical
Nov 9-18
Based on the uproarious and heartwarming Will Ferrell holiday vehicle, Elf the Musical follows the North Pole's favorite elf, Buddy, on his journey to the Big Apple to find his father. Along the way, Buddy makes some unlikely friends, spreads cheer and ultimately helps pull his dad off the naughty list just in time for Christmas.

Mamma Mia
Nov 30-Dec. 9
As the wedding day approaches, Sophie dreams of her dad walking her down the aisle. Without her mother's knowledge, she sends out invitations to her three potential fathers. The story is told with a little help from 1970s Swedish pop quartet ABBA.

Hammer Theatre Center
101 Paseo De San Antonio, San Jose
sjsu.edu/hammertheatre | 408.924.8501

BANDALOOP: The Sky is Not the Limit
Sep 28-29
Some look up at Yosemite's majestic granite walls and see insurmountable beauty. Others see an obstacle to be climbed. The members of performance art collective Bandaloop see a dance floor. The Oakland-based company turns dance on its side—literally—performing on the face of cliffs, the walls of towering skyscrapers and other vertical surfaces.

Frankenstein
Oct 3 & 21
Celebrating the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley's seminal novel, Dr. Frankenstein and his monster come to the stage... er... the screen, rather. Taped in 2011 on the National Theatre stage in London, this production features A-list actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller (both of whom have tackled the role of Sherlock Holmes on television).

Hamlet
Oct 5 & 6
Shakespeare brings heartbreak, conspiracy, death and more to the stage. After the death of his father and his mother's hasty marriage to his uncle, Hamlet comes to suspect foul play. Featuring some of the Bard's most famous passages and ruminating on the eternal themes of life, death and the nature of existence, it's no wonder this is one of Shakespeare's most lauded tragedies.

Erth's Prehistoric Aquarium Adventure
Oct 26
The tyrannosaurus, velociraptor and triceratops once roamed the land. But what was prehistoric life like underwater? Erth's Prehistoric Aquarium Adventure aims to bring this prehistoric, submarine world to life with the help of puppets, science and the power of imagination.

Ballet Folklorico de Mexico
Oct 28
In anticipation of El Dia de los Muertos, Ballet Folklorico de Mexico makes a stop at the Hammer Theatre on its multi-city U.S. tour. With their vibrant colors, swirling skirts, joyful music and traditional Mexican dances, Ballet Folklorico de Mexico hypnotises audiences with their beautiful performances.

An Irish Christmas
Dec 2
Quickstep Irish dancing, fast-paced music playing and traditional butter-making are what complete an Irish Christmas. Songs like "Silent Night," "Twelve Days of Christmas" and "Carol of the Bells" will be played along with music from members of the Kerry Traditional Orchestra. Come join the dancers of Kerry Dance Troupe and world champion dancer Tyler Schwartz as they celebrate the magic of a Christmas in Ireland.

Tandy Beal & Company
Dec 7-9
Tandy Beal & Company are known for their wild take on Christmas. Their circus act features acrobats, comedy, amazing visuals and a capella music by SoVoSo. The show is crazy fun for the whole family.

The San Jose Nutcracker
Dec 14-24
Young Clara and the Nutcracker Prince journey to a place where small mice and toy soldiers compete to win a magic crown, a winter wonderland is watched over by the Queen of Snow and a Sugar Plum Fairy visits "The Valley of Heart's Delight." Bring the whole family and experience some holiday spirit with the New Ballet Studio Company, students from the New Ballet School and professional guest artists.

Los Altos stage Company
97 Hillview Ave, Los Altos
losaltosstage.org | 650.941.0551

The Legend of Georgina McBride
Sep 6-30
Debuting at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in 2014, The Legend of Georgia McBride follows Casey, an Elvis impersonator who performs at a local bar. When Casey is replaced by a drag show at the bar and his wife announces she's pregnant, he ditches the jumpsuit and puts on heels. With the help of seasoned drag queen Miss Tracy Mills, Casey struts the stage in his new act.

13 The Musical
Nov 2-11
Transitioning to adulthood can seem overwhelming for someone who is just 12 years old. For Evan, it's definitely no walk in the park. He's moved to a new state, has a new school and is trying to find new friends—all before his Bar Mitzvah. This coming-of-age story follows a young boy learning the ways of friendship and that being popular in school doesn't matter in the end.

Into The Woods
Nov 29- Dec. 23
Worlds collide as fairy tale characters Cinderella, Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood and more come together in a musical to show what really happens after "Happily After After." Winner of multiple Tony Awards for Best Original Score, Best Book of a Musical and Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Into The Woods puts an adult spin on familiar children's stories.

Palo Alto Players
1305 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto paplayers.org | 650.329.0891

Disney's Tarzan
Sep 8-23
From Disney's 1999 adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' classic, Tarzan swings onto the Palo Alto Players stage. Shipwrecked on the shores of Africa, Tarzan is raised by gorillas, but his world is soon turned upside down when strangers like him land on his shores. With Grammy- and Oscar-winning music by Phil Collins.

All The Way
Nov 3-18
Set in 1964, All The Way follows the first year of Lyndon Johnson's presidency, exploring how it informed the Civil Rights Movement. As we enter our own midterm elections and explore the political battles waged before us, this 2014 Tony winner reflects the power of one person and one vote to transform our country.

The Pear Theatre
1110 La Avenida St, Mountain View
thepear.org | 650.254.1148

Hedda Gabler
Oct 12 - Oct 28
This drama stars the Pear's artistic director, Elizabeth Craig, as Hedda, a woman struggling to escape from a life that she finds boring and loveless. Fed up with her husband, she welcomes the return of an old flame and begins exploring her independence, manipulating and knocking down anyone that stands in her way.

Girls Kill Nazis
Nov 9 - Dec 2
The Nazi party has just been voted into power and is taking control of America. But in Arizona, a book club has more on its agenda than its reading list. Watch the lives of this group of women unfold as they test their strength and take their fate into their own hands.

A Conversation With Edith Head
Dec 7 - Dec 16
This regional premiere is based on Edith Head's Hollywood, the Academy Award-winning costume designer's behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood's biggest stars. With six decades in the industry and designs featured in over 110 films, her life story is laced with glitz and glamor. The show has a limited two-week run.

South Bay Musical Theatre
13777 Fruitvale Ave, Saratoga
southbaymt.com | 408.266.4734

Mame
Sep 22 - Oct 13
When bohemian socialite Mame suddenly finds herself the sole guardian of her orphaned nephew, her life takes a surprising turn in this musical theater classic, with a score by Broadway legend Jerry Herman.

The Tabard Theater Company
29 N San Pedro St, San Jose
tabardtheatre.org | 408.679.2330

The Explorer's Club
Oct 26 - Nov 18
Spun around the pristine air of a reputable scientific society of 1870s London, Nell Benjamin's comedic piece makes its Northern California premiere. Letting a woman into the circle is no small decision to make, and no big decision should be made without a good drink (although the explorers have a terrible bartender).

Uptown Holiday Swing
Nov 30 - Dec 16
Throwing it back to the '40s, this musical brings the sound of uptown New York to downtown San Jose this fall. The show not only celebrates staples of Big Band swing, but fans out a number of holiday classics as well. Put your jazz hat on and soak in the smooth tunes of Benny Goodman, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra.

TheatreWorks
500 Castro St, Mountain View
theatreworks.org | 650.463.1960

Fun Home
Oct 3 - Oct 28
This five-time Tony Award-winning musical memoir is based on the New York Times' bestselling graphic novel by Alison Bechdel. Depicting her journey discovering the magic of youth in a dysfunctional family, Fun Home chronicles Bechdel's childhood while addressing themes of sexuality and gender roles.

Tuck Everlasting
Nov 28 - Dec 30
Making its regional premiere in Mountain View, the bestselling novel comes to life in a musical set in the 1890s. Free-spirited Winnie Foster's search for adventure leads her to the Tuck family, and their secret to living an everlasting life.

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