Beauregard Burnside (played by Otis Goodwin) proposes to Mame (Donna Federico)

Fri Nov 6 - Sun Nov 22 Western Stage presents Mame Tel. 831.375.2111 Website

$17 - $30 Box Office: 831.375.2111

Description For the final musical of The Western Stage season, the fabulous MAME, based on the novel by Patrick Dennis and the play "Auntie Mame" by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, who wrote the book for the musical, adding music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. Donna Federico, (who needs no introduction to local audiences) will play Auntie Mame, the delightfully eccentric socialite. Like the other TWS offerings of 2009, this story is tied to our nation’s current economic plight, opening as it does at the height of the era of conspicuous consumption that characterized the Twenties and led to the great Crash. In this whirling era, Mame lives in her own wild and carefree fashion. Yet suddenly she finds herself appointed guardian of her orphaned ten-year-old nephew Patrick, played by young Ezra Vizcarra. This threatens to throw her whole life out of kilter. To start with, her best friend, Vera Charles cannot abide children. Vera, the martini sipping grande dame of the legitimate theatre is played by the inimitable Pat Horsley, one of TWS’s most long-term artists. On the other hand, the man Mame is about to marry is perfectly willing to take on the boy, too, but Mame throws the wedding in doubt, maintaining that she doesn't think she'll have time for marriage, as "I'll be too busy being a mother!" Refusing to allow this unexpected responsibility to derail her madcap lifestyle, she sweeps Patrick along after her, whirling them both from adventure to adventure. This leads to conflict with the boy's strait-laced nanny, Agnes Gooch (TWS resident artist Susanne Burns), who wholeheartedly disapproves of the antics at Mame's Beekman Place apartment. Worse yet, Babcock the banker is determined to lock young Patrick into a standardized position in the Establishment, precipitating a fierce struggle with the highly individualistic Mame. The Depression strikes, and Mame loses every penny. Without resources to care for Patrick she is in real danger of losing him to Babcock. Generous as Mame is, a desirable employee she is not. While trying to stave off defeat with a job as a manicurist, she meets Beauregard Burnside (played by Otis Goodwin), a wealthy scion of the deep South. He takes Mame to his plantation to wring out the begrudging approval of his family. Initially hostile they are astounded by her horseback riding, unaware that so is she. Beau then proposes in the rollicking title song which sings the praises of “Mame!” Patrick, who has given her such joy and provided a purpose in her life, smiles bravely through all this, but he is afraid that he has lost his “Best Girl.” Events rush headlong into the turbulent Thirties. Vera stands by her in the song “Bosom Buddies,” when Mame returns to Beekman Place after Beau's sudden death. Patrick, now in college (and now portrayed by Mike Rainey), and Mame's former suitor, Lindsay Woolsey, prompt Mame to write her memoirs. Patrick’s former nanny Gooch is engaged to type up Mame's dictation and finds herself changed by what she learns of Mame’s truly liberated lifestyle. As Patrick matures, however, he moves away from Mame's ideal of freedom. When he declares his engagement to a blonde with, as Mame puts it, “the IQ of a dead flashlight battery," Mame falls into despair. Questioning herself, she sings about what she mightdo differently, "If he walked into my life today?" Undaunted, she determines that just as young Patrick rescued her from the shallowness of the Twenties, she will foil the Establishment, convince Patrick that “life is a banquet” and is to be lived fully, and help the boy save himself from a life of snobbish conformity. Other memorable songs along the way include “That's How Young I Feel,” and appropriately to the season in which it is being presented, “We Need a Little Christmas.” MAME won Tony Awards for Actress, Featured Actress and Featured Actor and won two Outer Critics Circle Awards for Performances. It played originally for 1508 performances on Broadway at the Winter Garden and Broadway Theatres starring Angela Lansbury, Beatrice Arthur and Frankie Michaels. It played for a subsequent 443 performances in London at the Drury Lane Theatre and was then revived on Broadway in 1983, again with Angela Lansbury in the starring role. Lawrence and Lee say, “Mame is Eve, St. Joan, Lady Godiva, Susan B. Anthony, Clara Bow and Florence Nightingale. She dances, too, and defies all generation gaps! We have seen hundreds of Auntie Mames and Mames: in each one there seemed to be a flash of something a bit different, a new discovery in the way this remarkable lady thinks, feels, moves. We've had ten plays on Broadway-but somehow MAME is the show we've always looked forward to seeing again!” The show runs November 6 – 22. Anne Marie Hunter is both directing and choreographing MAME with msuical direction by John Jay Espino. Scene Design is by Theodore Michael Dolas, Light Design by Derek Duarte, Sound Design by Jeff Mockus and Costume Design by Rhonda Kirkpatrick. This upbeat musical runs November 6- November 22, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 2:00 pm on the Main Stage, Hartnell College, Salinas. The show runs in repertory with the poignant Hispanic drama THE HEART’S DESIRE in Hartnell’s Studio Theatre. Anne Marie Hunter Director, Choreographer Anne Marie Hunter is a resident director and choreographer for The Western Stage. Her body of work includes “Pippin,” “Forever Plaid,” “ Ain't Misbehavin,” “The Music Man,” “Once On This Island,” “Will Roger's Follies,” “Evita,” “Follies,” and “Children of Eden.” Anne Marie staged and choreographed The Monterey Symphony’s “Peter and the Wolf,” inaugurating subsequent collaborations between The Western Stage and The Monterey Symphony. Originally from Los Angeles, Anne Marie was the choreographer for Grammy and MTV award-wjnning videos. She received Platinum Record RIAA Awards for her choreography with The Bangles and Uta Ford, and was a recurring judge on the nationally syndicated show, “Star Search.” Anne Marie's directing and choreography work can also be seen in San Jose at City Lights Theatre, where she was proud to direct the Greek comedy “Lysistrata,” as well as choreographing the well received staging of the musical “Hair.” Anne Marie was particularly delighted to work with Roxanne Messina Captor on the premiere production of the play adaptation of the film musical “Summer Stock” at TWS. Donna Federico Production & Artistic Associate/Hair & Makeup Donna has acted and designed for many theaters up and down the West Coast, including OSFA at Ashland, PCPA in Santa Maria, San Jose Stage, San Jose Repertory, and ACT in San Francisco. She earned her MFA degree in Acting from SJSU in 1985 and has been proud for many years to call The Western Stage and Salinas her home. She has played many memorable roles for TWS including Mama Rose in the popular “Gypsy” and Ma Joad in John Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Wrath.” Pat Horsley Vera Charles Pat attended the San Francisco Conservatory and graduated from San Francisco University where she bounced back and forth between an education degree and music. Pat began the first The Western Stage season as Aldonza in “The Man of La Mancha,” and in 1998 had the distinct advantage and pleasure of having The Western Stage sponsor her one-woman show “The Best Is Yet to Come.” Pat has been involved with The Western Stage for 25 years and has loved it. Here’s to the next 25! Derek Duarte Lighting Designer Derek has designed over thirty productions in ten seasons at The Western Stage including “East of Eden,” “Voice of the Prairie,” “Children of Eden,” “Pippin,” “Uncle Vanya,” and “Something Wicked This Way Comes.” Derek was the resident lighting designer for ACT for seven years, including on “Sunday in the Park with George,” “Saint Joan,” “Nothing Sacred,” and “A Tale of Two Cities.” He has designed for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Berkeley Rep, Milwaukee Rep, Cincinnati Play House, and Cleveland Play House, the GeVa Theatre, Los Angeles Theater, Asolo Theatre Center, Portland Center Stage, San Jose Rep, Hong Kong Rep, the Kennedy Center, and the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. Derek is on the faculty of Santa Clara University. He holds a B.A. from UC Berkeley, and an MFA from UCLA. Rhonda Kirkpatrick Costumes Rhonda has been the Costume Designer for Monterey Opera and Carmel Ballet Company and was formerly a resident designer for Pacific Repertory Theater. She has done design and production work for Native American fashion designer Tisa; and design and development for Mattel Toys for Challenged Children and Hal's Pal's, Inc. Rhonda has worked on cattle and "dude" ranches in Wyoming; spent 10 years as a broadcast journalist; has been a private pilot, an executive assistant for a state senator, and as the costume design partner in Griffith & Hills, Designers for Theatre. She is a member of USITT, the Costumer's Alliance, and The Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild. After several years of costume design at TWS, Rhonda moved out of state to start her own costume rental business and community theater company. She returned to TWS to design last year’s “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure” and came back again for “Bye Bye Birdie,” “The Baker’s Wife” and “Mame.” Susanne Burns Agnes Gooch Susanne has been with The Western Stage off and on since 1996. She started out as the Ed. Management Assistant for Melissa Chin-Parker. Later she left for Grad School at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Susanne then worked for UC Merced for two semesters before returning to the home she loves, TWS. She is now an Adjunct Faculty member of Hartnell College and the Young Company and Outreach Coordinator for TWS. Susanne directs for TWS and appears regularly there on stage.

Advertise with SF Station | Media Kit | Job Opportunities | Site Map | List Your Business | List Your Event
Contact SF Station | About SF Station | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service

Copyright 2009 SF Station: A City Guide by Boulevards. All rights reserved.