Inaugural season for Marin Summer Theater

Inaugural season for Marin Summer Theater

From the Novato Advance

Published: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 10:00 PM PDT
Marin Summer Theater (MST) opens its inaugural season with an adaptation of “The Beaux’ Stratagem” at the Emily Gates Student Center in Novato, July 10, 11 and 12.

“The Beaux’ Stratagem,” a comedy by George Farquhar, was first produced in 1707. It tells the story of two young bucks who, having spent all their money by living too well, roam from town to town in search of love and fortune. In order to find a wealthy heiress for at least one of them, they pose as master and servant exchanging roles from one town to the next. But when they arrive in Litchfield, they find that no one is quite who they seem. Here they run afoul of true love amid a colorful collection of rogues, thieves, dunces and strong women who give as good as they get.

“The Beaux” (as it is known) features a cast from 10 different schools including San Marin, Marin School of the Arts, Redwood and Drake High Schools. “It has been an amazing experience to have students from so many different schools working together seamlessly to produce this very funny play,” said director Pat Nims.

For more than 300 years “The Beaux,” with its timelessly wicked and witty observations about society and differences between the sexes, was one of England’s most popular comedies. But in this country, while routinely included in drama anthologies, it is rarely seen on stage. Because of the demands of the fast-paced language and the exuberance of the characters, these plays are considered some of the most difficult to perform, but a treasure and a delight to watch.
MST is a non-profit theater program for student actors, dancers, musicians and technicians bringing together more than 50 participants from 17 schools and universities to create and present three productions this summer. Sponsored by San Marin High School Music Boosters, it receives substantial support from Novato Public School District.

Following “The Beaux,” MST will present “Bernstein on Broadway” on July 17, 18 and 19. This tribute to the art of Leonard Bernstein, whose rich compositions elevated Broadway musical theater to unprecedented heights, will feature songs and dance music from “West Side Story,” “On The Town,” “Wonderful Town,” and “Candide.”

“Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” will be presented on July 31, August 1 and 2. Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s chilling, suspenseful musical masterpiece of murderous barber-ism and culinary crime tells the infamous tale of the unjustly exiled 19th-century barber who returns to London seeking revenge against the lecherous judge who framed him.

All shows are staged at the Emily Gates Student Center, San Marin High School. Details and tickets are available on the MST Web site at www.marinsummertheater.org.