{"id":244937,"date":"2026-03-31T11:42:26","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T11:42:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/244937\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T11:42:26","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T11:42:26","slug":"one-man-show-assassins-tackles-topic-of-isolations-link-to-violence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/244937\/","title":{"rendered":"One-man show ‘Assassins’ tackles topic of isolation’s link to violence"},"content":{"rendered":"

Oakland Theater Project (OTP) has taken a bold step in presenting Stephen Sondheim\u2019s musical \u201cAssassins\u201d as a one-man show. Here one extremely talented actor, Adam KuveNiemann, plays nine historical figures who either assassinated or attempted to assassinate a president of the United States plus minor characters.<\/p>\n

OTP Executive Artistic Director Michael Socrates Moran writes in the program notes that he selected \u201cAssassins\u201d because it deals with isolation which can lead to violence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI began to wonder whether this extraordinary musical might reveal something new if given the formal constraints of a one-person show,\u201d Moran wrote.<\/p>\n

Director Weston Scott brought that \u201csomething new\u201d to life as he and KuveNiemann people OTP\u2019s stage with an isolated, desperate set of characters clamoring to be heard.<\/p>\n

KuveNiemann displays an extraordinary amount of energy as he careens around OTP\u2019s intimate playing space rapidly changing from one character to the next. Sometimes two of his characters converse with each other creating even more frantic movements for the multi-talented performer.<\/p>\n

The carefully constructed work projects pictures and bios of the various assassins on the large back wall with KuveNiemann often carrying a video camera to project a close-up of his face on the same wall. Another very effective choice involves using two flashlights as spotlights projecting an eerie, tight close-up of KuveNiemann. Hand and full-length mirrors add another dimension to the action. A handgun is also central to the action.<\/p>\n

In this production, KuveNiemann relates to inanimate objects much more than the audience. I\u2019m not sure he even looks at the audience until the curtain call. While this works well with the theme of isolation, it did leave me with wanting more connection with the performer.<\/p>\n

This show will challenge you, surprise you and make you think about the world we live in today.<\/p>\n

\u201cAssassins\u201d runs through Sunday at 1501 Martin Luther King Jr Way in Oakland. For tickets, go to oaklandtheaterproject.org\/assassins<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Walnut Creek: The Bay Area\u2019s Axis Dance Company, who teamed with Center Rep to produce \u201cA Christmas Carol\u201d last December, returns Friday and Saturday to the Lesher Center on 1601 Civic Drive.<\/p>\n

Dealing with connection rather than isolation, Axis explores how movement, culture and identity come together to shape the human connection in its new piece \u201cPatterns.\u201d<\/p>\n

Considered one of the nation\u2019s most acclaimed ensembles of disabled and non-disabled performers, Axis features five acclaimed choreographers: Nadia Adame, Sonya Delwaide, Christopher Unpezverde Nunez, Kayla Hamilton and Natasha Adorlee.<\/p>\n

Following the Walnut Creek performances, the group travels to the Lincoln Center for an April 17 show.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are very excited to present \u2018Patterns\u2019 to the Bay Area and beyond,\u201d said Artistic Director Nadia Adame. \u201cI\u2019m thrilled this home season brings together such bold choreographic voices and extraordinary performers to explore how our differences shape connection and open new possibilities when we move together.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe cast of “Improvised Clue” performs at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center on April 16-26. (Photo courtesy of Synergy Theater)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Also in Walnut Creek: Improv returns to the Lesher Center with Synergy Theater\u2019s \u201cImprovised Clue: An Unscripted Murder Mystery based on the Cult-classic Film,\u201d running April 16-26.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, it\u2019s a dark and stormy night and a group of ridiculous socialites find themselves trapped in a mansion, attempting to solve a murder while trying not to become the next victim,\u201d said Creator\/Director Griffen Davis Bier.<\/p>\n

The audience will be asked for suggestions to inspire the show such as shouting out silly character names and adding juicy blackmail details among other things.<\/p>\n

For tickets to Axis Dance Company or Synergy Theater, call 925-943-7469 or go to lesherartscenter.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Opera: Following a successful Spring Soir\u00e9e, Festival Opera is busy readying its 2026 season including a collaboration with the San Francisco Early Music Society (Handel\u2019s Baroque masterwork \u201cAlcina\u201d in June) and a powerful new commissioned musical work addressing contemporary issues of social justice and human rights.<\/p>\n

For a complete listing of the 2026 season, go to festivalopera.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And speaking of music, a group of impressive women are redefining what leadership in opera and choral music looks like today \u2014\u2014\u2013 including the East Bay\u2019s Julie Haydon.<\/p>\n

Haydon, director of children\u2019s and youth choirs at Cantare, is shaping the musical lives of young singers throughout the community.<\/p>\n

With such colleagues as Carrie-Ann Matheson, artistic director of the Merola Opera Program, Shawna Lucy, general director and CEO of Opera San Jose and Valerie Sainte-Agethe, chorale director of the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale, Haydon is actively affecting the future of the next generation of artists and, hopefully, helping them keep a lifelong connection to music.<\/p>\n

Berkeley: Shotgun Players has added podcasts to its growing list of creative endeavors. Streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more, the podcast series features live conversations with Bay Area\u2019s theater-makers and insiders.<\/p>\n

Recorded in front of a live audience, interviews include OTP\u2019s Artistic Director Michael Moran, actress\/director Margo Hall and San Francisco Chronicle theater critic Lily Janiak.<\/p>\n

For more information, call 510-841-6500 ext. 303 or go to shotgunplayers.org\/show\/miriam<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Reach Sally Hogarty at sallyhogarty@gmail.com<\/a>, and read more of her reviews online at eastbaytimes.com\/author\/sally-hogarty<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Oakland Theater Project (OTP) has taken a bold step in presenting Stephen Sondheim\u2019s musical \u201cAssassins\u201d as a one-man…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":244938,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[2245,105764,109652,2248,2241,1472,2246,2242,967,109653,109654,2236,81717,2240,143,145,144,2562,2244,2239,2247,32220,2243,2235,1058],"class_list":["post-244937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-oakland","tag-acting","tag-adam-kuveniemann","tag-axis-dance-company","tag-choreography","tag-comedy","tag-dance","tag-directing","tag-drama","tag-entertainment","tag-festival-opera","tag-julie-haydon","tag-lesher-center","tag-michael-socrates-moran","tag-musicals","tag-oakland","tag-oakland-headlines","tag-oakland-news","tag-oakland-theater-project","tag-on-stage","tag-performing-arts","tag-screenwriting","tag-shotgun-players","tag-singing","tag-synergy-theater","tag-theater"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244937","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=244937"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244937\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/244938"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=244937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=244937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=244937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}