San Diego Unseen: An Urban Portrait
.widea.jpg "Cynthia and Taylor (Sam Ginn and Jason Perkins) contemplate their future together, never dreaming of the tragedy that would color it. - Photo by Rich Soublet")
Cynthia and Taylor (Sam Ginn and Jason Perkins) contemplate their future together, never dreaming of the tragedy that would color it.
- Photo by Rich Soublet
Libby was born with a mouth the size of Neptune, and she doesn’t hesitate to open it at the thought of her sister Cynthia’s upcoming marriage to Taylor. Libby, see, is infatuated with the groom-tobe; in fact, so is Paul, his best friend.
Long-dormant family issues are about to resurface fast and furious with the introduction of Andrew, an eccentric fifth wheel who falls in love with men on a dime—meanwhile, everybody’s loneliness is brought to bear when a tragic loss rocks Cynthia and Taylor’s world.
Nicky Silver’s The Maiden’s Prayer charts the quintet’s course with equal doses of pathos and humor, and it comes complete with Triad Productions’ youthful spirit (Triad, founded in 2006 by a group of SDSU grads, bills itself as the standard for peeps who like a little edge to their theater). The troupe’s appetite for risk shows itself in the date it’s chosen to unveil the play—it opens this Friday, Dec. 31. For those who don’t recognize the date, that’s New Year’s Eve, a night usually reserved for gales of street theater all over town. If nothing else, this show might put you in the mood for one or two of those other plays, in which, if you’re not careful, you may assume an auspicious starring role.
Through Jan. 23 at Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd. in University Heights. $20-$25. diversionary.org
Opening
National Comedy Theatre New Year’s Eve Show: This interactive improv show features sketches revolving around romance and predictions for 2011. Dec. 31 at the National Comedy Theatre in Little Italy. $89 includes Champagne and buffet. nationalcomedy.com
West Side Story: Teen lovers Maria and Tony meet with tragedy
as two rival New York gangs jockey for position in a series of street fights. Produced by Broadway / San Diego, it opens Jan. 4 at the Civic Theatre Downtown. $26.50-$124.50. broadwaysd.com
Now Playing
* It’s Christmas and It’s Live: A singing quartet is set to audition for a TV show when a blizzard shuts down New York in the 1950s. Produced by Lamb’s Players Theatre, it runs through Dec. 29 at the Ione and Paul Harter Stage in Coronado. $28-$58. lambsplayers.org
* It’s a Wonderful Life: The classic Jimmy Stewart saga of George Bailey and angel Clarence Odbody is staged as a radio play. Karolyn Grimes, who played little Zuzu Bailey in the movie, will be on hand for autographs and a talk on Dec. 30. Through Dec. 31 at The Old Town Theatre, 4040 Twiggs St. in Old Town. $24-$29. cygnettheatre.com
