My latest show, Noel Coward’s Hay Fever, opens October 23 in Mountain View! I play the slap-dash Simon Bliss. From the Pear’s website: Hay Fever is set in the hall of the Bliss family home. The eccentric Blisses — Judith, a recently retired stage actress, David, a self-absorbed novelist, and their two equally unconventional children — live in a world where reality slides easily into fiction. Upon entering this world, the unfortunate weekend guests — a proper diplomat, a shy flapper, an athletic boxer, and a fashionable sophisticate — are repeatedly thrown into melodramatic scenes wherein their hosts profess emotions and react to situations that do not really exist. The resulting comedic chaos ends only when the tortured visitors tip-toe out the door.

Thursdays – Sundays, October 23 – November 8 (Preview on October 22)

Tickets: $15-30

The Pear Avenue Theatre
1220 Pear Avenue, Unit K
Mountain View, CA 94303
650-254-1148

www.thepear.org

As You Like It

By William Shakespeare

San Jose Repertory Theatre
101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, CA 95113
Box Office: 408-367-7255
Website: sjrep.com

Running now through September 27th
Tuesdays at 7:30pm
Wednesdays – Saturdays at 8:00pm
Saturdays at 3:00pm
Sundays at 2:00pm

Tickets start at $35 for adults, $17.50 for students
Group discounts: call 408-367-7295

What a wonderful experience the rehearsal process has been. The coolest part for me — besides doing Shakespeare of course! — has been playing so much music. I’ve been able to collaborate with an amazing composer, Haddon Givens Kime (check out his blog at http://ayli.tumblr.com), on some truly beautiful original music. And to top it off, the Musician/Lord character I play is costumed like a young Bob Dylan. It is SO my kind of character! I enter playing my harmonica and then my guitar (my own beautiful Martin D-18 with new a new pick-up!). Looking forward to a fantastic run of the show, and to playing 3 gigs after the show on Saturday, September 12, 19 and 26. Come on by and hear me play!

- J