Theater Review

Tom Titus

The rural country of Ireland and the seat of power in Scotland will be

visited, vicariously, by Golden West College theatergoers this fall.

In addition, Golden West’s dancers will kick up their heels in a pair

of special events and the Christmas season will arrive with a bang.

Ireland will be represented with the production of Brian Friel’s Tony

Award-winning bittersweet comedy “Dancing at Lughnasa,” which goes on

stage Oct. 19 for a two-weekend engagement in the college’s main theater

under the direction of Tom Amen.

The play, beautifully produced at South Coast Repertory a few seasons

ago, centers on five sisters, all unattached, enduring the hardships of

back-country Ireland in 1936. Golden West describes the experience as “an

uplifting celebration of the human spirit.”

Auditions, which are open to the public, will be held Tuesday and

Wednesday, Sept. 4 and 5, at 7 p.m. at the Mainstage Theater. Call the

college at (714) 895-8772 for additional information.

Then, in late November, Golden West College’s Shakespearean Ensemble

will stage a cutting from that play that’s name you shouldn’t utter out

loud in a theater. The evening is titled “Macbeth and More.”

The program will include acting and reading of Shakespeare’s works,

highlighted by a scene from “the Scottish play.” It’ll be performed in

the Theater Upstairs above the main stage Nov. 29-30 and Dec. 1 at 8 p.m.

and admission is free.

Golden West’s Creative Arts division will be getting people into the

spirit of Christmas Dec. 6-9 with a musical program entitled “The Many

Moods of Christmas” with the college’s International Symphonic Band under

the baton of conductor Tom Hernandez in the Mainstage Theater.

This special event will feature holiday music, sleigh bells, falling

snow and colored lights.

And what would a Christmas season be without “The Nutcracker”? The

traditional holiday ballet will be performed in its original, full-length

version by the college’s Ballet Repertory Theater Dec. 14-24, also in the

Mainstage Theater.

Coming up a little sooner is the Fall Dance Festival presented by the

Ballet Repertory Theater, featuring classical ballet works and students

of the summer ballet and jazz workshops program. This event will be

offered Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m. and Sept. 9 at 2:30 p.m., also in the

Mainstage Theater.

Students of Golden West’s dance classes will display their work during

an informal studio concert Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. All styles of dance --

ballet, tap, modern jazz and ethnic -- will be on the program in the

Dance Studio, Rec Ed 201, and admission is free.

You can pick up more information on any of these performing arts

programs by calling the theater box office at (714) 895-8150 from 1 to 5

p.m. between Tuesday and Friday.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Independent.