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Arcadia, by
Tom Stoppard
"Local theater group Friends of Gus...sets a new standard of excellence for the Santa Cruz theater scene, in both the choice and execution of the play...Amber Davis is luminous as the innocent prodigy Thomasina... Douglas Ambort is outstanding as Nightingale...Suzanne Shrag is perfect as the enigmatic and repressed Hannah...Jon Moore's Valentine Coverly is excellent...We don't often have the chance to see such a display of virtuosity." ...Joyce D. Mann, Watsonville Register Pajaronian
"For hard-core theatergoers who are hungry for some serious stage work, and can't wait until Shakespeare Santa Cruz opens this summer, your hunger will be satisfied with the current production of Arcadia at Actors' Theatre. It's a fantastic play, the closest thing to a SSC-quality show on the small stage, and it's being produced by beloved theater group, Friends of Gus." ...Christa Martin, The Good Times
"All in all, Arcadia is an excellent production put on by Friends of Gus, a women-owned company committed to presenting challenging, thought-provoking productions that explore the art of the playwright and offer strong roles for women." ...Cindy Campo, Metro Santa Cruz Lear’s
Daughters, by Elaine Feinstein
and the Women’s Theatre Group “This cast is a
collective class act, and they give their all to the material. Susan
Forrest and Jean Johnstone really toe the line onstage as far as being
striking and charismatic. Suzanne Schrag and Jean Weisz are subtly
skillful actresses, and Julie Willhite gives a hyperactive performance.” “Since its inception six years ago, Friends of Gus has given a one-two all-women punch to the local theater scene. The theater troupe seems to always choose off-kilter great plays and thought-provoking scripts produced with such flair and verve you wonder why these extremely talented women haven’t moved on to brighter marquee lights and big-city hard-wood stages. Thankfully they’re still with us....Equally at home on stage is Jean Weisz as Nurse. This convincing matriarchal part slowly reveals the family secrets and Weisz delivers, scene to scene, with such sincerity that you wish she was your nanny.” ...Bruce Willey, The Good Times
Blood Relations, by Sharon Pollock "Using a sparse yet effective set, the
actors and actresses present a wonderfully chilling portrayal of the
days just before the infamous murders and display the complex and
troubled relationships between Lizzie and her family...the barren
appearance of the set aids in creating an eerie mood that lingers
throughout the play. The innovative use of light and darkness,
such as candlelight, sharp contrast & spotlights, in combination
with appropriately disquieting music, bring an incredibly creepy feel to
the entire production." 'night, Mother, by Marsha Norman
"Friends of Gus ... has
moved to the top ranks of Santa Cruz's enthusiastic community theater
scene, and this production showcases the company's greatest asset:
a wise understanding of family bonds that plays straight to an
audience's heart. Schrag keeps Jessie's despair at bay, sublimating it
in nervous activity around the kitchen and presenting a resolved facade
that only hints with fleeting trembles at the emotional force of her
decision. It's a great acting choice that presents an opportunity
for Weisz as Thelma to carry the emotional weight of the play."
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Sylvia, by A.R. Gurney
"Sylvia...is charmingly presented and
delightfully amusing...interpreted with anthropomorphic
glee by Katryn Kinser, Sylvia the dog is sweetly winsome and happily
disingenuous ...Kinser is a great pooch, and her love for Greg is
clearly her primary focus in life. Kindertransport, "An extraordinary drama, an outstanding cast, and taut direction that holds our focus on the intensity of the plot -- what else do we need for a perfectly splendid evening of theater... After a year of mostly lukewarm theater, what a pleasure it is to be caught up in a drama this emotional, acted by a cast this good, and directed with gripping passion.... Kindertransport is a well-crafted play of dramatic intensity and this production is a triumph of superb direction and outstanding performances. If you can only see one play this fall, make it this one." ...Ann Bennett, Register-Pajaronian, 1999
"Friends of Gus, as usual, puts together a fine cast. Susan Forrest’s portrayal of
Evelyn...is almost physically painful to watch,
it so perfectly depicts a woman who is fighting at the last ditch....Daria
Jolan gives a really breathtaking performance... Jean Weisz warms the
heart as Evelyn’s nurturing British mother...Suzanne Schrag does a
knockout job in the pivotal role of the real mother...Katryn Kinser is edgy and tense, with a nice line in hysteria...and
Thomas Burks rises to the challenge of creating five quite distinct yet
thematically linked authority figures."
"All three actors in Dance with Me are strong and
well-cast. Suzanne Schrag as Ruth, the betrayed wife, once again
graces the stage with an elegance that is uniquely hers. Susan
Forrest as Grace, the other woman, brings a vital presence to the stage
and is sharp, urbane, witty yet vulnerable. Robert Colter is Ray,
the man who's unwilling to give up either woman. He makes the most
of the humor in the role and taps into the character's vulnerability so
he doesn't come across as a total heel."
French Quarter Quartet: An Evening with
Tennessee Williams "Director Marcia Taylor does a skillful job of melding the
plays, letters and journal entries into a perfect evening of Tennessee
Williams."
"Both plays are directed with finite care by
Marcia Taylor, whose excellent sense of timing was never better. Her
skillful development results in impressive drama...the three women who
make up the cast are equally capable...it’s a lovely experience --
good one-acts are hard to find, and these are definitely
gems." |
