On Theater:

Sometimes the oldies are indeed the goodies. At least this is the case when the subject is the 2009 season at the Huntington Beach Playhouse.

As the year comes to a close, a glance at the preceding 12 months reveals that the theater’s top two productions were vintage plays, both based on true incidents from the World War II period.

Topping the playhouse’s list of six productions offered this season is Rodgers and Hammerstein’s last collaboration, “The Sound of Music,” directed by Larry Watts.

As this column’s review reported, “The faithful recreation of this ageless classic bubbles with melodic charm. Overlong, perhaps, but overflowing with infectious and captivating delights.”

Another vintage play, grimmer in its basic truth, is a close runner-up. “The Diary of Anne Frank,” directed by Michael Serna, detailed the story of a Jewish family and their companions hiding from Nazi persecution in Amsterdam. Ranked third is Director James Rice’s revival of Neil Simon’s popular 1960s comedy “The Odd Couple.”

As for individual honors, Adriana Sanchez clearly captures best actress laurels as Maria in “The Sound of Music” — “a first-rate actress with a superlative singing voice,” to again quote this column’s assessment.

In the playhouse’s presentation of another oldie, “Arsenic and Old Lace,” two performances stood out — Teri Ciranna as the flighty, giggling Aunt Abby and Rusty Vance as the blustery bull moose Teddy. Vance ranks highest among playhouse actors for 2009, while Ciranna is a close second to fellow onetime Daily Pilot woman of the year Sanchez.

Several other performers turned in impressive work during the year, including Christopher Peduzzi as Capt. Von Trapp in “The Sound of Music.” Three members of the “Anne Frank” cast — Kip Hogan, Frank Valdez Jr. and Melinda Harlow — also were memorable.

Two other actors from “Arsenic,” Eldon Callaway (Mortimer) and Robert Fetes (Einstein), offered notable performances, as did “Odd Couple” headliners Tom Metcalf (Felix) and Robert Craig (Oscar). Rounding out the honors list were Leslie Joyce and Richard Hawkes, both from “My Three Angels.”

Next week, we’ll take a backward glance at the achievements of Golden West College’s theater program during 2009.

TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Independent.