The Altarena Playhouse recently opened a holiday tale featuring one of the most twisted family dynamics imaginable. James Goldman\u2019s \u201cThe Lion in Winter\u201d features the warring Plantagenet family gathering for the Christmas holidays as the king attempts to secure the succession to the throne.<\/p>\n
Set during Christmas 1183, King Henry II (Daron Jennings) and his surviving sons John (Dominic Antonich), Geoffrey (Julian Dion) and Richard (Colin Epstein) meet with Henry\u2019s estranged wife Queen Eleanor (Katina Psihos). Imprisoned by Henry for the past 10 years, Eleanor only joins the family during holidays. It seems Henry was not amused when she raised an army against him.<\/p>\n
Joining the group are King Philip of France (Ryan Chu) and his half-sister Alais (Sydney Harmon), who has been at Henry\u2019s court since her betrothal to Richard when she was only 6 years old. During her time at court, she has become Henry\u2019s mistress, which makes for some interesting dinner conversations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Lion in Winter\u201d continues through Nov. 22 at 1409 High St. in Alameda. For tickets, call 510-523-1553 or go to altarena.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n Castro Valley: A birthday celebration quickly turns into a test of survival in Richard Fouts\u2019 \u201cFirst Day in December,\u201d running Nov. 6-22 at Chanticleers Theatre on 3683 Quail Ave.<\/p>\n It\u2019s Dec. 1, 1969, and young men in an Ivy League fraternity watch the live Vietnam draft lottery on national TV. Lifelong friendships threaten to dissolve under the stress as birthdates are drawn and lottery draft numbers assigned.<\/p>\n Ten percent of ticket sales will be donated to VFW Post 9601 and The American Legion Post 649.<\/p>\n For tickets, call 510-733-5483 or go to onthestage.tickets\/chanticleers-theatre<\/a>.<\/p>\n Walnut Creek: Concord native John Landini returns to his roots with a cornucopia of dance artists to premiere his new work inspired by bluegrass music and Americana.<\/p>\n \u201cWe Build Cathedrals,\u201d by Landini and Beatrice Thomas, premieres Nov. 15 at 7 p.m.at Walnut Creek\u2019s Lesher Center for the Arts on 1601 Civic Drive.<\/p>\n Landini had been working with dance artists for several decades in San Francisco \u2013 first establishing The Garage for freelance contemporary dance and then in 2007 the SAFEhouse for the Performing Arts. Following the recent closure of SAFEhouse, Landini decided it was time to work outside the city.<\/p>\n \u201cSan Francisco has become a really challenging place to produce work, so it also feels like a good time to look at other places and find new audiences. I\u2019m really happy this opportunity in Walnut Creek came along,\u201d said Landini.<\/p>\n Landini grew up in Concord, earned his bachelor in choreography from UC Irvine and his masters degree in choreography from the Laban Centre in London. His work has been presented in California, Mexico City and London and he has been honored for Sustained Achievement by the Isadora Duncan Dance Awards.<\/p>\n The November program includes the exciting return of Moving Arts Dance after a 15-year absence. The prominent company toured internationally and participated in Dance Without Borders cultural exchange tours supported by the U.S. Embassy and UNESCO before retiring in 2011.<\/p>\n Moving Arts Artistic Director Anandha Ray is thrilled to be working with Landini again. She reunited Moving Arts in Paris this past Sunday for a special concert honoring longtime international presenter Susana B. Williams. It was to be a one-time thing until Landini called her.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe is a dear friend of mine and he presented Moving Arts years ago,\u201d said Ray. \u201cSo, when he offered us the opportunity to perform in Walnut Creek right after we came home from Paris, I jumped at it.\u201d<\/p>\n For tickets to \u201cWe Build Cathedrals,\u201d call 925-943-7469 or go to lesherartscenter.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n S.F.: The American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) has partnered with Seattle Rep and Center Theatre Group to bring Kimberly Bellflower\u2019s \u201cJohn Proctor is the Villain,\u201d an electrifying coming-of-age play, to A.C.T.\u2019s Toni Rembe Theater on 415 Geary St. in San Francisco from Nov. 12 through Dec. 6.<\/p>\n A 2025 Tony nominee for Best Play, \u201cJohn Proctor is the Villain\u201d takes place in a high school AP English class in a small town in Georgia. Here, five young women question the stories and heroes they\u2019ve been told to believe in. As their class discusses Arthur Miller\u2019s \u201cThe Crucible,\u201d they reexamine the traditional view of John Proctor as a heroic figure and why the perspective of the young female characters is pushed aside. With real-world misconduct allegations circulating in their own world, the students confront the power dynamics around them and write their own coming-of-age stories.<\/p>\n \u201cKimberly Bellflower has created a fiercely funny and deeply moving story about young people finding their voices, questioning the narratives they\u2019ve inherited and discovering the power they have to challenge them,\u201d said A.C.T. Acting Artistic Director Andy Chan Donald.<\/p>\n Director Jess McLeod said: \u201cKimberly\u2019s language is so visceral; her characters are instantly recognizable; and their world is brilliantly rendered, giving us young people \u2013 especially young women \u2013 in all their messy glory.\u201d<\/p>\n Call 415-749-2228 or go to act-sf.org\/whats-on\/2026-27-season\/john-proctor-is-the-villain<\/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":"The Altarena Playhouse recently opened a holiday tale featuring one of the most twisted family dynamics imaginable. 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