Christine Carrillo’s choreography steals the “Newsies Jr.” show

Some of the teen cast of “Newsies Jr.” perform on stage at the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse. Photo courtesy South Valley Civic Theatre

By Camille Bounds

Camille Bounds

The pandemic harnessed our local theater activity, leaving patrons hungry to get out and see the great shows here. Two South Valley shows getting ready for takeoff in 2020 were forced to wait two years. They both opened May 6 and play for three weekends – and they’re worth the wait.

“Tigers Be Still” by Kim Rosenstock, directed by Andrew Cummings, is a comedy play about living with and trying to overcome frustration and depression. It follows the misadventures of a young woman, “Sherry,” who finds herself moving back home with her dysfunctional family as she searches fruitlessly for a job.

Limelight newcomer Annalisa Tkacheff leads the cast with a sharp wit and indefatigable optimism much like the best comedians. You’ll be laughing hard at how she deals with the challenges life throws at her. “Tigers” is playing at the Limelight Theater in downtown Gilroy.

The venue’s unique staging set up where the audience sits around the stage moves the production at a swift pace. You can even order dinner and enjoy a meal before the show.

At the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse, South Valley Civic Theatre opened  the energetic “Newsies Jr,” directed by Colleen Blanchard, with 32 teens putting on a delightful musical show about the historic newsboy strike of 1899.

Christine Carrillo’s choreography steals the “Newsies Jr.” show and Larry Tom and his crew of set designers deliver a fascinating set for the show. SVCT’s dedication to providing teens with an opportunity to appear in hit Broadway shows gives young people in the South Valley an opportunity to hone their song-and-dance skills. “Newsies” shows we are blessed with a lot of talented teens in the performing arts

Both shows carry super casts and are well worth watching. It’s truly amazing that there is so much terrific talent in our area that can bring us quality theater productions.