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Opera SJ is a gem, and a gift to the Bay Area! Our whole family saw La Cenerentola on Nov 14. All the voices were absolutely wonderful. The orchestra sounded rich and exciting. The physical comedy and costumes kept our 9 year old laughing and engaged, and the superb singing kept our 16 year old opera fan completely enthralled. Don Magnifico (stepfather) and Tisbe (stepsister) were especially funny and convincing - the singers created such full characters. The physical comedy was wonderfully fresh, yet did not distract from the amazing beauty of the music. All the performers made Rossini seem effortless. This is also a great opera for youngsters, and for those new to opera. You have to go and see this! La Cenerentola has become one of my favorites. Collapse

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Having never heard of the show before, I had no idea what to expect. CMTSJ's kids really deliver in this one! It was fantastic to see some new faces as leading roles as well as seeing a show that was age appropriate for the kids in the show. After being very disappointed with last seasons shows, I am so happy that I decided to hold onto my subscription a little longer. Hope the rest of the season is just as fantastic as this show! Bravo!! Collapse

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I was very impressed with the talent in this production and had a wonderful time last sunday. WVLO did a great job presenting a classic with some new twists. I found the end of the show very touching and emotional with powerful performance of Anita and Tony's death. Both these actors were wonderful and enjoyable to watch. I also enjoyed the Maria although she was hard to understand at times...but nonetheless talented. I like the new levels that WVLO is taking there shows and am quite surprised at the critics below. I have been a suscriber for many years and to me, the caliber of shows just keeps getting better and better. So thank you for all the good times and sharing your talents with us. We enjoy all you do. Collapse

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PYT once again delivers an outstanding show! Don't miss Annie; these kids are great! Alex Acevedo's direction and interpretation of this story is spot on. Music Director Tony Gaitan delivers wonderful vocals and a rock-solid orchestra that fills the MVCPA with amazing music. This is a MUST see show for the entire family. There are even real dogs in the show!! Collapse

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I am so astounded of these latter aggressive reviews and I feel sorry for the WSS cast that might have read them. "But the bitter truth we critics must face is that, in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is more meaningful than our criticism designating it so." I wish readers could hear, how overjoyed was the audience this last Sunday and how warmly the Cast was congratulated after the show! Go there and make up your own mind! Collapse

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This production wasn't terrible, but it seemed strangely cast, poorly staged, and badly edited. Juliet was charming but too mature. Her stakes and that of her Romeo were too low. Tybalt was FAR too old to be playing his role, and seemed physically awkward. The cuts to the script didn't make a lot of sense and showed a lack of understanding for the themes of the play. Some of the performances, particularly those of Mercutio and Benvolio, were excellent, and the production values were good. If you want to see a production of R&J, though, I'd skip this one. It doesn't have the goods, and another is sure to come along at a different company soon. Rent Zeferelli's 1970 film version for now and bide your time. Collapse

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Sideman is a soulful play with a very strong cast. Kurt Gravenhorst delivers an exceptionally heart-touching performance as Gene, the sideman. It's not often that an actor can play a role in such a sensitive and convincing way that it causes me to cry! Go see it! Collapse

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I really enjoyed this production, and rank it the best show I've seen at SCP in the last 5 years. It is sensitively directed and very moving, and well cast in all roles.

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The one star is for the talented cast which has no chance to overcome the poor execution of an even poorer concept. I wish I had the chance to read the reviews before I bought my ticket. WVLO's good rep takes a big hit with this one. Collapse

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So it was my first time seeing this show and I loved this production. The cast was perfect, although vocally I think their Matt (The Boy) was the weakest especially when it came to his duets with Luisa and El Gallo respectively. The parents were hilarious and had great chemistry. Their El Gallo stood out with his acting, pace and projection. Luisa had a great voice. The Old Actor was a bit creepy and did a lot of adlibing it seemed but he was funny most of the time. The Mute had a lot of energy but sometimes can be distracting. The bare set reminded me of the play Our Town and that it is really the story, the message, the characters and the music that you should pay your attention to. Collapse

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Side Man is a powerful production portraying the decline of the big band era and the disfunction of a struggling family. The cast adeptly connects the audience with the challenges of balancing career and family. The strong performances of the three family members creates the substance of the play. Kurt Gravenhorst (Gene) is debonair and charming as Gene chooses his passion for the horn over family and remains clueless while his marriage dismantles. Sandy Rouge (Terry) is earthy, naive, sassy and pitiful as Terry self-destructs through alcoholism. Alex Hersler (Clifford) seamlessly transitions between a thirty year old and a 10 year old while recalling Clifford's disruptive and chaotic life with his parents and his role as peacemaker. Gene’s jazz musician cronies and a feisty waitress add brilliant realism to the declining jazz era of the play with camaraderie, playfulness, humor and friendship. This is a heartwarming and emotional performance. Collapse

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This is an awesome, professionally executed, moving and superb theater experience.

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I am so upset about this show. I found the videos silly, distracting me enough to start humming the tune of "The Brady Bunch". The gym scene, my favorite, was a joke. Not only were the videos distracting, but it was downright insulting to the 2 incredibly talented leads. WVLO has an extremely talented cast: I recognized several faces from “The Producers” and “Ragtime”, and new faces that show a lot of promise. However, the pace of the show was so slow that I found myself dozing off. I heard groans from people around me. I think everyone was under-rehearsed, partners mismatched. I HAVE TO ASK… What poor female dancer in "America" was paired with a guy who couldn't lift her? And what person at WVLO didn’t correct this sooner? That’s not the only mis-step in the show, there were dozens. WVLO, I am so disappointed. I am hopeful that there is improvement in the Spring. My heart goes out to the performers. Cast & Crew, you did the best with what you had. I’m angered that you so mis-led Collapse

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The characters were not cast very well. Juliet seemed too old for the role and she played off of romeo with a sense of motherly control. I could not see the beleivabilty in the look of Juliet's complexion in comparison to her parents. Romeo had a lot of good energy, but he played the role a bit to casual and delivered every soliloquy to the fourth wall with such a carefree attitude. Hard to believe there was a tragedy at all.The first scene where Juliet and Romeo meet was some of the worst staging I have ever seen It took eons for Juliet to make her way across the dance floor towards Romeo.When Romeo takes her in his arms, it is directly in front of Lady Capulet and Paris (two characters who should have interjected had they seen this)There was no innocence in Juliet's behavior towards Romeo.It was like watching two people in a club.Juliet only portrayed anger I did not believe any one was in love in this play which gives the ending nothing. Collapse

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The event last year was spectacular, while we watched, we listed the people we would bring next year (and we have our tickets!) The religious message wasn't clear, but the dancers, drummers and costumes were entralling! Noisy audience was the only drawback to the experience. Collapse

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Plain and simple, this production was just awful. I give the group credit for trying to do something different, but sometimes the old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is true. The cast did what they could with what they had, but they were given VERY little to work with. The production team doomed this show from the start by going over the top in their "improvements" on the original show. The orchestra had trouble due to the conductor’s inconsistency. The choreography is minimal, at best. The multimedia concept is a novel one, but the execution was horrible, reaching its apex during “One Hand, One Heart.” Okay, it's a fantasy about a wedding. Do we really need video of it, complete with shots of their smiling faces? Apparently, the producer and director felt it best to sledgehammer the point into our brains. The WVLO board needs to seriously reconsider before bringing anyone involved in this production back for any more shows. It was embarrassing to watch. Collapse

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Unfortunately warren miller sold the film production company and has nothing to do with this movie (and the reviews show it!) He has been inactive since 2004. See Wikipedia.

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Because this show was so poorly cast, it was not as the title suggests, "Fantastic". Although some cast members were very good and the mute was exceptional, there were others who simply didn't make the grade. At times the beautiful music of this classic show was poorly interpreted leaving one to wonder why there was so little understanding of what the words meant or the songs were all about. This play which I have seen many times and previously loved left me wanting more, much more. Collapse

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Greetings from the Distance of Morocco's! We are thrilled to share this magical and unique production with our wonderful community. The incredible Artistic collaboration happening around this show is definitely a one of a kind, and will take your dining and artistic experience to new heights! Looking forward to expose you and your special ones to a unique specially designed 5 course gourmet dinner (Vegetarians Welcome), an enchanting production to define what "Enjoy the Magic!" at Morocco's is really all about. The dinner alone or the show alone would be so worth the price ticket, let alone both for the same price! Hurry to buy your tickets as they are selling out quickly! Wine and Sangria Specials every night of the show, and as always, the well renowned friendly service (with a magical twist of course), amazing Food, and cosy ambiance of Morocco's for a Holiday Evening to Remember! Collapse

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I am a WVLO subscriber and I LOVED this production! This company is willing to take some risks that audiences should appreciate! They used minimal sets with flair in their recent production of My Fair Lady and they are now using creative film projections in this current production of West Side Story. It was great to see something different and it was well executed. The leads were wonderful with amazing voices and acting. I enjoyed the choreography and the fighting was staged well. I highly recommend this production and will be going back a second time with some friends! Collapse

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My wife is a huge fan of West Side Story so i was rather forced against my will to come along. All the other times I've seen it I could barely remember the plot afterwards because the actors didn't make me care. But I was VERY pleasantly surprised by this play! At times the orchestra was a little loud but it only bothered me when it drowned out the singers (which was rare). The lead actors and actresses were wonderful. beautiful voices all around and the dancing was astonishing! The management of this play had the inspiring idea to use video projection as the backgrounds for several of the different locations the gangs went to. I thought this idea was just amazing! It was so clever and it added so much to the play and made it feel really professional. I am a man so this is hard to admit but i will say that the ending on this one made me get a little misty. And that almost never happens to me. I whole heartedly recommend this play to everyone and anyone. FANTASTIC. Collapse

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I left this show extremely disappointed and underwhelmed. The leads were great vocally but they could not make up for the problems with this production. The direction, choreography, orchestra and sound were poor and amateurish at best. The projection screen was horrific and ruined any of the tender scenes attempted. I would not recommend this show to anyone. Collapse

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Hats off to West Valley Light Opera for once again a great show! To me this was one of the strongest and talented casts I've seen in some time come out of that theater. The performances of Anita and Tony were exceptionally enjoyable, both making me really believe in their characters and struggles- not to mention their beautiful voices! The sound was a bit off as the orchestra may be a little loud at times and drown out the actors on stage. The video was an interesting touch. Kuddos to all involved in this production, looking forward to seeing it again. Collapse

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I attended the Opening Night of West Valley's current production of WEST SIDE STORY. I am sorry to report that it just isn't up to recent shows that this group has presented. First of all, it is a difficult show to produce even in the professional world. I found the videos distracting and the pace of the show was so slow that I found myself struggling to stay awake. The dancers, orchestra, and sound were all under rehearsed and the all over all look was that of a poorly presented junior high school show. West Valley, I am disappointed in this attempt. I hope there is improvement with CHARITY and BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO; otherwise, you are going to lose me as a subscriber. Collapse

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I was amazed at the professional level show coming from community theatre! It is uncommon to see so much talent on one stage! The vocal strength of all of the leads is obvious especially during the Quintet. The dancers did an excellent job executing the choreography and there was plenty of action. Worth the price of admission! Collapse

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My husband and I loved this production! We thought that the use of the projections and filming was inventive and original. It brought something new to an old standard. The leads playing Tony and Maria were fabulous, as well as the supporting cast. At times, the orchestra was loud, but the overall production quality was excellent! We would and are recommending this production to our friends and family! Don't miss it! Collapse

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This show is wonderful. First of all, it is visually STUNNING. The set is lovely and creates a suitable atmosphere for this emotionally charged play. THE COSTUMES ARE AMAZING!!! Everyone looks period appropriate and absolutely sparkling. The men are extremely handsome and dapper and the ladies are gorgeous! The cast is very endearing. I loved everyone; each character contributed to the overall success of the show. Sepideh Moafi as Juliet is overall BEAUTIFUL. She glows on stage and oh wow, her voice! Her interactions with Romeo are fun and heartbreaking, and I especially loved her relationship with the nurse. They work quite well together. Paul Jennings as Tybalt utterly commands the stage. The fights are exciting and scary--in a good way of course! Joshua Messick is hilarious in his roles as Peter and Samson, and Shannon Warrick as the Nurse is a huge standout--a very honest performance. Andrew Gruen as Romeo is absoultely charming and lively. Don't miss this show! Collapse

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The highlight of this production was definitely Tony (played by Isaac Benelli) who gave a solid performance despite many distractions from all other areas (sound, orchestra, direction, choreography) which unfortunately ruined the performance for me. I disagree with the use of video-projected backgrounds and scene transitions throughout the show. I found it distracting and tacky, and one of the biggest mistakes in this production. I was unable to hear the actors dialogue when the orchestra was playing. Overall, actors sounded muffled and hard to understand. I felt the pace of the show was slow and could be tightened up. Lots of empty space that didn't need to be there. I cannot in good conscience recommend this production. Collapse

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I loved this production of the Fantasticks! It is well cast - each member seems perfect for their role. The singing is exceptional, the acting is sweet and funny... and there are no bad seats at the Sunnyvale theater. I recommend it highly. Collapse

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Though it's story is simple to summarize - the heady, joyous naivete of young teenagehood meets the cold hard reality of the adult world - as a piece of theater, The Fantasticks has always been extraordinarily difficult to pull off ("simple" is never easy). I've seen so many productions of this dear old chestnut that I've lost count (that includes the original back in the sixties) and nearly all of them were at best, just ok or at worst, ill-concieved (set in a NYC subway station), incomprehensible, or so full of art as to collapse into unwatchable buffoonery well before the interval. The Fantasticks demands a level of finesse and delicacy of handle unachievable by most companies and directors. Not this production. Sunnyvale's The Fantasticks, under the superlative direction of Walter Mayes is without a doubt the best production I have ever seen. The casting, the musical direction, staging and singing all are perfection. Miss this production and it is your loss. Go! Collapse

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This show's deceptive simplicity is not always easy to pull off, but under Walter Mayes' sure-handed and reverential direction, Sunnyvale Community Players have managed this quite nicely. The result is a wonderful revisiting of an oft-performed classic. Shawna Downs Gonzales is completely delightful as Luisa, Jeffrey Henson and Matt Tipton strongly fill the roles of The Fathers and Aaron has a hilariously touching turn as the old actor, Henry. The musical trio occasionally steals the show, led by a bravura performance at the grand piano by Bob Sunshine. Even if you have seen it many times, you will love this show. Collapse

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I had never seen this show before, and did not expect to like it. I was blown away! Every member of the cast (all 8 of them) was superb. El Gallo, and Luisa were standouts even in this stellar cast. This a show that could easily be rather formless, but Walter Mayes direction, and the outstanding cast made it poignant, charming, and funny, sometimes simumtaneously. "The Mute" was a hoot to watch, make sure that you pay attention to her performance. Not to be missed. Collapse

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We took our 2 sons (age 4 and 11) to see the show, they loved it. Staff was very friendly--great place for families. Fun experience for the boys, as most of their toys are the same size as the minis on display, their attention was actually captured! Looking forward to taking our family at Thanksgiving to see again. Thanks! Collapse

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If this show is anything like last year's - and it promises to be much, much more -- it will knock your socks off. Joyful, expressive storytelling is why we go to the ballet. We loved the summer show and left transformed. Since the performance is just one night, I am reviewing the summer show which took my breath away -- and I wasn't the only one in the audience who felt that way. (Five Stars!) The move to the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts for the Summer show and the rapid increase in polish of the dancers and production between Winter and Summer means I just cannot wait to see what they do next. Not to be missed! We're going and bringing friends with us. I think a new holiday tradition is starting up. Collapse

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This is a good example of some very serious topics presented in a humorous and effective way. Topics and language are probably more along the lines of PG-13, but Brian is a good storyteller and I learned a lot while being entertained. See this on stage before it becomes a film for sure! Collapse

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I checked this class out with my sister-I wasn't sure what t expect, but it was a very good cool class & we were glad we tried it out. We got to drum, dance, and learn about Aztec arts & culture which was pretty neat. I'd recommend this to anyone whose interested in indigenous art forms from Mexico. Collapse

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I was surfing the web for art stuff and came across the name Kathryn Funk. There can be only one! I am hoping this is the same Kathryn I knew back in Fresno thru the Fresno Art Center and the San Joaquin Clay Association. If it is the same one, VALERIE L'HEUREUX SAYS HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Collapse

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The best farmer's market surroundings - after Los Gatos!

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I think I wet my pants, just a little bit. Great night of comedy for an outstanding price!

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My wife and I had the pleasure of attending Blue Blanket Improv recently. There was a good family audience and everyone seemed to enjoy the interactive format. I would recommend it to any parent looking for a place to take their kids for a fun evening together. It's a rare opportunity for parents and their kids to enjoy comedy together! John and Sherrie Collapse

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My husband and I and another couple went to see Sinbad last night at Tommy T's and we were not disappointed; not even for a minute. We all laughed continuously as Sinbad made us laugh at ourselves for his 2 hour set. He was masterful in allowing the audience to interject their experiences and/or dilemmas into his act and translated life into humor without missing a beat. He is an obvious professional. He was also very gracious after the show allowing his fans to take photos and get autographs from him. I would definitely see him again and again. My cheeks still hurt from laughing so much. And, as usual, Tommy T was a wonderful host. Collapse

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Boogie Woogie Ballroom opened last night in Burlingame. Great enthusiasm and interest by all the dancers. A friendly atmosphere. It happens every Sunday night. Great for all ages and those that love to DANCE! I am going to tell all my friends. Collapse

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a beautiful and important local spot. maybe not deserving the hype on the top 10 list, but that doesn't discount the beautiful garden if you're visiting the canter center. check it out, find out for yourself. Collapse

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I went with a friend and it was great. They kept the energy high and the comedy was solid!

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VERY FUNNY. And a great price as well.

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We were following South Bay Wailing Co. and went there for years. Then we started doing house concerts. BraskHouseConcerts.com

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The Rodin garden has been one of my favorite hang-outs since high school. The layout is elegant, and the sculptures are simply magical. Lovely spot for picnicking, too.

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The ever-changing talent of the CSZ team is astounding. I'm amazed and amused whenever I catch this unique format of comedy, I've been a fan for years, through their various homes in the Bay Area. It's a great time for the whole family, and the perfect solution if you are in the mood to laugh! Run don't walk,and careful not to trip to see ComedySportz! Collapse

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