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Wonderful Town

West Valley Light Opera

June 23-July 21, 2007

Avg. Event Rating (3.5 Stars): Add Review/Comment

A smash hit musical comedy based on the hit play, My Sister Eileen, a story about two sisters who move from Ohio to a basement apartment in Greenwich Village in New York City and meet a motley group of Village characters as they seek their new careers. Edie Adams and Rosalind Russell starred in the original Broadway production in 1953, winning 5 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It was revived on Broadway in 2003 starring Donna Murphy. DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE

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• Ticket Info

  Tickets: $20-$24

• Dates & Times

  Dates:
  June 23-July 21, 2007

  Times:
  Fri-Sat: 8pm
  Sun: 2:30pm

• Venue Info

  Saratoga Civic Theater

  13777 Fruitvale Ave. Saratoga, CA 95070

  Full map and directions

• Accessibility Info

  • Wheelchair Access
  • Assisted Listening System

• NOTE: We do our best to ensure all information is accurate, however it's a good idea to visit the website or call the venue to verify the information.

• Member Reviews

  Add review/comment

  • Event Name: Wonderful Town
    "Outstanding actresses, poor production!"
    Review posted by: SJ Drowsy Chaperon from San Jose, CA., Jul 21, 2007
    

    Last night, I saw the West Valley production of WONDERFUL TOWN. I was certainly impressed with the talents of lead actresses, Leslie Hardy Tamel and Afton Bolz. They also had good support from Jay... Expand

    Last night, I saw the West Valley production of WONDERFUL TOWN. I was certainly impressed with the talents of lead actresses, Leslie Hardy Tamel and Afton Bolz. They also had good support from Jay Steele and Michael Riley. It was rather downhill from then on. Long set changes, non creative choreography and dark lighting. The sets were nice but too big for the stage and made the set changes too complicated. I have been a long time subscriber to this company, but I may not want to renew if the caliber of show doesn't improve. Lots of time and energy, obviously, have gone into this production. It just wasn't a very entertaining evening. Collapse

  • Event Name: Wonderful Town
    "TOP PERFORMERS, WEAK PRODUCTION"
    Review posted by: The SJ Drowsy Chaperon. from Campbell, Jul 17, 2007
    

    Thank goodness for Afton Bolz and Leslie Hardy Tamel who save West Valley's WONDERFUL TOWN. Top singing and good acting from both with able assistance from Jennifer Smith, Janet Miller,Michael Riley,... Expand

    Thank goodness for Afton Bolz and Leslie Hardy Tamel who save West Valley's WONDERFUL TOWN. Top singing and good acting from both with able assistance from Jennifer Smith, Janet Miller,Michael Riley, and Jay Steele. The show was dreadfully dull and slow. It ran almost three hours the night I saw it. Please director, learn about pacing and get those sets changed faster. I did see a production of FOREVER PLAID a few years back, so I know that they can do a good job; this just wasn't it. Collapse

  • Event Name: Wonderful Town
    "Smash Hit!"
    Review posted by: livebytheartz from San Jose, Jul 17, 2007
    

    How more wonderful can any one show get. A great Cast filled with laughter and comedy and a delightful score of music and the dancing is amazing. Who knew community theatre can be so professional...a... Expand

    How more wonderful can any one show get. A great Cast filled with laughter and comedy and a delightful score of music and the dancing is amazing. Who knew community theatre can be so professional...a must see. Collapse

  • Event Name: Wonderful Town
    "Star Power in WONDERFUL TOWN!"
    Review posted by: Bay boyz from San Francisco, Jul 17, 2007
    

    Community Theatre hasn't looked so good. Sets, costumes, music, dance, and a cast that rivals even some on Broadway. Fantastic lighting. The harmony especially in "A Quiet Girl" was "wonderful" and... Expand

    Community Theatre hasn't looked so good. Sets, costumes, music, dance, and a cast that rivals even some on Broadway. Fantastic lighting. The harmony especially in "A Quiet Girl" was "wonderful" and the comedy among some of the more colorful characters (Appopolus, Chick and The Wreck) was a delight to watch. Love the apartment scene and the finale in the night club. Fun, Fun and more fun. You gotta see this show!! Kudos to the director and the rest of the production staff for giving us a "wonderful" time at the theatre. Who knew that somewhere in Saratoga was this incredible show. Collapse

  • Event Name: Wonderful Town
    "What a Delightful Evening"
    Review posted by: Katharine Hearne from Santa Clara CA USA, Jul 13, 2007
    

    I enjoy musical theater, and my favorite venues are, of course, in New York City. But I have been delightfully surprised often by the caliber of performers that live and work in our area. Case in... Expand

    I enjoy musical theater, and my favorite venues are, of course, in New York City. But I have been delightfully surprised often by the caliber of performers that live and work in our area. Case in point - Afton Bolz. I have seen her in a few other productions and have never been disappointed, but her performance in "Wonderful Town" left me completely blown away. What a talented young woman. Leslie Tamel (Ruth) was strong and true to her character, and Jeffrey Henson (Officer Lonigan) was incredible. And to add to my delight I was surprised that I knew so many of the songs - and when I am familiar with the music I always enjoy it much more. Another very positive "community theater" experience for me! Thank you all! Collapse

  • Event Name: Wonderful Town
    "Fun March Back in Time"
    Review posted by: Almira Gulch from Kansas, USA, Jul 13, 2007
    

    Afton Bolz shines. She's so good it makes me want to drop a house on her, or something. Rest of the cast is great & gives it their all. Bernstein score is very difficult -- Leslie Tamel is up to the... Expand

    Afton Bolz shines. She's so good it makes me want to drop a house on her, or something. Rest of the cast is great & gives it their all. Bernstein score is very difficult -- Leslie Tamel is up to the task in songs like "Swing" and Ms. Bolz on "A Little Bit In Love". This is a rarely produced little goodie. Enjoy! Collapse

  • Event Name: Wonderful Town
    "Strong Ruth and Eileen save the evening"
    Review posted by: Theatergoer from Santa Clara, CA USA, Jul 08, 2007
    

    The good news: Afton Bolz as Eileen and Leslie Hardy Tamel as Ruth are both wonderful, and perfectly cast. The rest of the cast is good for the most part, but I found my attention wavering when the... Expand

    The good news: Afton Bolz as Eileen and Leslie Hardy Tamel as Ruth are both wonderful, and perfectly cast. The rest of the cast is good for the most part, but I found my attention wavering when the Sherwood sisters weren't the focus. The orchestra has some strong moments, but wasn't always up to the Bernstein score. The set, while pretty, was unwieldy, and things kept falling off of it during the (too long) scene shifts. There were many sound problems the night I saw the show, including missed sound cues and one instance of a performer's mic being left open when she was offstage. Unfortunately, these tech elements made the evening seem more amateurish than it should have. That said, Wonderful Town is still a fun show and the two central actors are greatly talented and make the show worth viewing. Collapse

  • Event Name: Wonderful Town
    "A simple delight"
    Review posted by: ladiesman1627 from Sunnyvale, CA, Nov 30, 1999
    

    Great show with a great cast. The leads, Afton and Leslie, really brought the characters alive. I don't see a lot of theatre around the area because they normally put me asleep but this one really... Expand

    Great show with a great cast. The leads, Afton and Leslie, really brought the characters alive. I don't see a lot of theatre around the area because they normally put me asleep but this one really kept me engaged. The one folly of the show is that it's a bit long. They should have cut in down by about a half hour. But overall, a great show. I highly recommend it. Collapse

  • Event Name: Wonderful Town
    "A real undiscovered treasure"
    Review posted by: Elizabeth from Far western reach of San Jose, CA, Nov 30, 1999
    

    On the basis on WVLO's production, I'd say that "Wonderful Town" deserves to be seen more often than it is. It's not a monument to Leonard Bernstein's musical genius like "Candide" or "West Side... Expand

    On the basis on WVLO's production, I'd say that "Wonderful Town" deserves to be seen more often than it is. It's not a monument to Leonard Bernstein's musical genius like "Candide" or "West Side Story," but it is a genuinely charming work filled with Comden and Green wit, Greenwich Village wackyness and a sharp look at the sexual politics of the "good old days." The cast is excellent, and the design is actually fun. (Unfortunately, the people I know who could tell me whether there were velociraptors in Washington Square Park in 1935 are all dead now.) Definitely worth watching, listening and experiencing. I'm still smiling over the "Conga" number. Collapse

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