A major theatrical event took place in Sacramento on Saturday night, April 27, with the Sacramento Theater Company’s world premiere of “A Little Princess.” It is a musical with close creative ties to Sacramento, a show with a potential to reach a huge audiences, given its launch in a Sacramento Theater Company production that could not be more pitch perfect in any way. William J. Brooke has created a wonderful playbook based on popular English-American writer Frances Hodgson Burnett’s children’s novel of the same name. Burnett is best known for her children’s books published just before and after the turn of the 19th century, “Little Lord Fauntleroy,” “The Little Princess” and “A Secret G

For those who thought Sacramento Theatre Company's April 2012 cabaret production of "Music of the Night: The Musicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber" had exhausted the best of the composer's catalogue, the company's closing cabaret offering of the 2012-13 season, "As If We Never Sad Goodbye," might well force a change of mind. Subtitled "A Brand New Tribute to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber," "As If ..." takes listeners back to the beginning with selections from the 1960s ("Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat"), to the 1970s ("Jesus Christ Superstar," "Evita"), to the prolific 1980s ("Starlight Express," "The Phantom of the Opera," "Aspects of Love"), to the '90s ("Sunset Boulevard," "Whistle Down the

There were two pieces of evidence that pointed to New Helvetia's Friday night opening shindig being a pretty big deal. One, 297 people told Facebook they were going, and another 91 said maybe - which is the second worst answer in the world when someone says "new place to drink beer on a Friday night," with the first of course being "no." Pretty big numbers even when you factor out those who clicked Yes just for the heck of it. Two, I had been there thrice during their "soft opening" of three hour windows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights the last six weeks or so. Each time, more and more people were in there, and the beer was getting better and better. So, fast forward to Friday n

Runaway Stage Productions is a Sacramento theater company that's been presenting popular Broadway musical plays since the late nineties. Director Bob Baxter recently did a series of video interviews with SacTV.com to talk about the history and future of the company. The group plans musicals with voluneteers and seasoned professionals then performs at the theater next door on 24th Street. One of the productions coming to the live stage in 2013 will be 9 To 5, based on the Dolly Parton song and movie. Other shows coming to the theater  will be 42nd Street and The Wizard of Oz.  Bob explains how the theater group gives local people of various ages opportunities to develop their acting and si

Sacramento has a new brewery inspired by the region's once-famous Buffalo Beer. If you want a taste, you better mark your calendar. New Helvetia Brewing Company, at Broadway and 18th Street, opened its doors to the public last week. Founder David Gull is considering December the brewery's "soft opening" month. He'll announce a grand opening in 2013, hopefully to sync up with Sacramento Beer Week. "We're a big place with not a lot of brewing happening," Gull said on a recent sunny morning, as contractors worked in the brewery. "I definitely recognized the opportunity and market." So when can you grab a brew? Right now, and until Gull announces otherwise, tasting hours are Thursday throug

Sacramento’s newest craft brewery is scheduled to start production at 18th Street and Broadway in October. Construction is under way after months of delays at New Helvetia Brewing Company, owner David Gull said Thursday. “We started construction two weeks ago, and we’re scheduled to have that done Oct. 1,” he said. After that, the brewing equipment will be installed, and the business can begin brewing its seven- or eight-barrel batches of beer. Each barrel holds 31 gallons. Gull said the delay – the business was originally scheduled to open in February – was due to the time it takes to get contractors up to speed on a new project as well as hurdles caused by the nature of working in a

There’s a difference between being brutal and being brutally honest. In the B Street Theatre’s production of Theresa Rebeck’s intimate play, “Seminar” the line is blurred, crossed, and erased. The small cast continued the B-Street’s reputation of bringing amazing theater productions to Sacramento in their intimate theater. Buck Busfield, Producing Artistic Director, welcomed the opening night audience to the Regional Premiere of “Seminar” at the B Street Theatre’s Main Stage. This was the first production outside of the Broadway show that closed on May 6th of this year. The original Broadway production featured Alan Rickman, Jeff Goldblum, Justin Long and was penned by Theresa Rebeck, Pul

rehearsal photographs by Barry Wisdom /   If she wanted to, Jessica Grové – who has the title role in the current Music Circus production of “The Little Mermaid” – could name drop with the best of them. In the 15 years that the Hilliard, Ohio, native has been working professionally on stage, Grové has appeared in Broadway and Off Broadway shows, in national tours, as well as in regional theater and one-night-only concert events in collaboration with such Playbill cover girls (and boys) as Stephen Sondheim, Bernadette Peters, Elaine Stritch, Mickey Rooney, Jim Dale, Glenn Close, Eartha Kitt, James Barbour and Robert Cuccioli. But the name that most often comes to mind these days is no

When the popular Broadway musical “Grease” rolled into Sacramento’s Music Circus for opening night Tuesday, the costumes were spot-on and the music was right, but it was the supporting cast that revved up the audience and stole the show. The ensemble cast of 15 veteran stage actors, whose collective credits include everything from “Thoroughly Modern Millie” in regional theater to “Book of Mormon" on Broadway, took full advantage of every inch of the stage and walkways leading to and from the wings. Scenes were played in a variety of places in the theater – sometimes all at once. For those unfamiliar with the Music Circus, it is a stage “in the round,” which means the audience encircles t

Queen Sheba is one of many ethnic restaurants on the Broadway corridor, where diners can sample food from such places as Nepal, China, Japan and beyond. Vaguely reminiscent of both Indian and Mexican cuisine, the Ethiopian food at Queen Sheba, located at 1704 Broadway,  is an authentic taste of owner Zion Taddese’s homeland, she recently told The Sacramento Press. “I left Ethiopia, and I was in England for 10 years,” the 38-year-old Taddese said. “My aunt had an Ethiopian restaurant in London, and that’s where I learned how to cook and take care of customers.” Taddese came to the United States in 2001 and opened Queen Sheba about seven years ago. It has been in its Broadway location for

Broadway Sacramento blew the roof of the Community Center Theater with another highly popular musical built around music by individuals or groups who greatly changed popular music in the last half of the 20th century. “Million $ Quartet” revolves around Sam Phillips (an excelent Christopher Ryan Grant) — owner, record product and just about everything else at Memphis-based label Sun Records — and his four most famous discoveries Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Jonny Cash, and Elvis Presley.  The show gives us insight to how Phillips, through his artists, bridged racial, social, economic, and other divides to create music that endures and influences music a half century later. The scene i

Sacramento Theatre Company opened its 15 Cabaret production “Music of the Night: The Musicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber” Thursday night to a cheering capacity crowd. The popularity of the STC Cabaret productions combined with the huge popularity of Lloyd Webber has led STC to offer a second weekend the show. Lloyd Webber, along with his original lyricist Tim Rice, turned concept album concerts into mega hit shows around the world. In his opening remarks, STC producing director Michael Laun spoke about the cast having no shortage of favorite Lloyd Webber songs to the point of being able to do another whole show. The show runs chronologically from “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Drew Barrymore, a highly successful child actor, adult actor, director, screenwriter, producer and model, is a fourth generation member of the famous Barrymore acting family. As well known as Drew is, her popularity and success pales to that of her grandfather, John Barrymore. The Sacramento Theater Company opened the production “Barrymore” Saturday night on the Pollock Stage. The play was written by William Luce, best known for “The Belle of Amherst,” who loves to write plays featuring solo actors. The play opens with Barrymore arriving at some sort of theater space he has rented for just one night to learn his lines for a revival of Shakespeare’s “Richard III,” his most famous role. Al

New/Hot The very hot “True West” opened to critical acclaim Saturday at Capital Stage. SacPress colleague Barry Wisdom did a great, informative preview with several excellent photos that really capture the show. Grab a ringside seat to some of the funniest, most intense family squabbling ever written and performed. Tickets and More Information Opening/In Previews “Barrymore”    Sacramento Theater Company  Pollock Stage In previews, opens Saturday night. High expectations for a play from William Luce who specialized in one person plays. Luce is best known for “Belle of Amherst” his one woman show originally staring Julie Harris. Broadway veteran Gregory North stars as John Barrymore

A family from China with a successful restaurant on Watt Avenue is opening a new Chinese eatery at Fifth Street and Broadway later this month. Tan’s China Bistro will open once inspections are completed in the 2,400-square-foot space formerly occupied by Hong Kong Cafe at 501 Broadway, said Andy Tan, whose family owns the new business. “The concept is really modern,” he said Wednesday. “All the food is prepared freshly – our goal is freshness” Originally from Taishan, China, Tan, 25, came over with his parents, brother and sister about 14 years ago. His parents owned a restaurant in Taishan and opened Wong’s Canton Chinese Restaurant at 5811 Watt Ave. about a decade ago, he said. Openi

Located just off Broadway on 17th Street, Beatnik Studios will launch an expansion project to add an outdoor artwork space, patio and event venue adjacent to its existing space. Construction is set to begin in two weeks, and the 1,800-square-foot spot of largely unused asphalt will be fenced in with a stone wall between it and nearby residences and an “art wall” made of tin panels and distressed wood by local artist Kermit McCourt. “We’d like it to be a place to have a sculpture garden, do some art shows and events, and maybe have some outdoor music if we can do it legally,” co-founder Wes Davis said Friday. Over the past year, Beatnik Studios, 2421 17th St., has become more involved as

Sacramento Theatre Company associate producer Michael Laun shakes up the STC Cabaret format with some good surprises. SacPress community contributor writer/photographer Barry Wisdom has a great preview of the latest show. Changes included the type of theme. Many previous shows have centered around specific composers. “Make Em Laugh” which runs for a short four show run this weekend on the STC Cabaret Stage, is centered around the title subject. It is a collection of songs, many of which are very well known songs by extremely well known composers from timeless shows. Many of the songs are also from “who wrote that”? Great song, but “what show”? Never heard of it. And it all works well tog

On Friday, 13 January, Runaway Stage Productions began its 2012 season with the Broadway rendition of "The Wedding Singer," at the 24th Street Theater in downtown Sacramento. The adaptation of Adam Sandler's 1998 film tells of a romantic comedy set in the 80's where wedding singer, Robbie Hart attempts to win the heart of Julie who is to marry the wrong man. The musical adaptation is rife with dedications to the 80's: from style to pop-culture references as well as the dancing and the music to help illustrate the era for the audience. The production runs through February 5 with tickets available through Runaway Stage Productions, contact: (916) 207-1226 or go to www.runawaystage.com for

The latest Broadway Sacramento show “Rain: A Tribute to The Beatles” opened to a nearly sold out house at the Sacramento Community Theater Tuesday evening. “Rain: A Tribute to The Beatles” opens with archival film of the Beatles’ first appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” projected on two large screens flanking the stage. As the curtain rises, the band breaks into a set of the earliest Beatles music. The audience breaks into screams. This is followed by a set of more early music timed to the Beatles’ Aug. 15, 1965, Shea Stadium concert. The two large screens, plus a much larger screen at the back of the stage, and some props and lighting effects set the scene very well. It is still inte

Travel back through time with Broadway Sacramento's Rain, a Beatles tribute show that began as an offshoot of the Broadway production of Beatlemania. Rain ran on Broadway for 300 shows and 8 preview performances at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre in New York City and has also been a hugely successful national tour for years. Together longer than the Beatles, Rain has mastered every song, gesture and nuance of the legendary foursome, delivering a totally live, note-for-note performance. This multi-media show begins by taking us away to a time when four young men stepped on stage at the Ed Sullivan show and changed music as we knew it. Rain chronicles the journey America took with the Beatles,