story of my life

Music & Lyrics by Neil Bartram
Book by Brian Hill
Directed by Dennis Lickteig

Runs: Nov 5 to Nov 28, 2010
8 pm, Friday & Saturday
2 pm, Sunday Nov. 14, 21 & 28

TICKETS: $24, 15 age 16 & under

 

Nominated for four 2009 Drama Desk Awards including Outstand­ing Musical, The Story of My Life tells the story of two childhood friends and how their friendship profoundly defined their lives. One, a best selling author; the other, his best friend for thirty years. The Story of My Life is a soaring tribute to the power of friendship and the people who change our lives forever. CCCT is proud to bring you the Northern California premiere of this heart­warming, intimate musical fresh from its Broadway premiere in 2009.

Cast List                                                                  Read a Review of this Production   

Tom: William Giammona                                 

Alvin: Paul Araquistain

 

For the second show of our 51st season, Contra Costa Civic Theatre presents the Northern California premiere of the musical The Story of My Life, opening on November 5. This is the first time that we have been able to bring Bay Area audiences their first look at a recent Broadway hit.

The Story of My Life tells the story of two childhood friends and how their friendship profoundly defined their lives. One, a best selling author; the other, his best friend for thirty years. Fresh from it's 2009 Broadway run, this soaring tribute to the power of friendship and the people who change our lives forever features music and lyrics by Neil Bartram and book by Brian Hill. It was nominated for four 2009 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical.

Director, Dennis Lickteig, was so captivated by the piece that it became a mission to stage a production in the Bay Area. Lickteig was fortunate enough to be in contact with the authors who, from the very beginning, were delighted with his interest in presenting this piece in Northern California. "Although the piece premiered in New York after several festival workshops, the authors always felt that the San Francisco Bay area was a perfect place for the piece to play due to the sophisticated theater audiences that exist in all parts of the Bay Area", Lickteig explained. As a result, he was granted access to the material before the rights were released so he could "shop it around" to various companies and CCCT was very excited to produce it. Lickteig feels that "CCCT is clearly on the leading edge with their willingness to produce a new and somewhat unknown work - a real salute to their vision."

Our Artistic Director, Derrick Silva, was impressed with the passion that Licktieg had for the show. "The way Dennis talked about the piece, I immediately wanted to see it", Silva said. "The show celebrates loyalty and friendship, and Dennis reminded me that our theatre and our community are built on these values. This seems like the perfect gift to give our audiences."

The two person musical will star two accomplished actors who have performed all over the Bay Area. William Giammona and Paul Araquistain portray the best friends since childhood that come to realize how their 30-year friendship profoundly defined their lives. Joe Simiele provides musical direction for the heart-warming and intimate musical.

Rounding out the first rate production staff are scenic designer: Kuo-Hao Lo, lighting designer: Adam Fry, costumer: Anida Weyl, sound designer: Travis Rexroat, prop designer: Kyla Morris and stage manager: Tina Valverde.

 

The Benicia Herald   Benicia's best news source, now as always  

Theater review by Elizabeth Warnimont
Special to The Herald

Contra Costa’s ‘Story’ about more than friendship

Contra Costa Civic Theatre enters into delicate territory with its current production of “The Story of My Life,” a new musical by Brian Hill and Neil Bartram. It is an affectionate tale of friendship, but it is also about saying goodbye. William Giammona and Paul Araquistain do an excellent job portraying a pair of childhood friends whose lives have drifted apart when one of them is called upon to write a eulogy for the other.

Sometimes a drama is so poignant that describing it risks undercutting its value by sounding melodramatic. There is something in “Story” to touch the soul of just about anyone who has lived long enough to learn the value of relationships and the tragedy of missed opportunities, and Contra Costa Civic handles the subject in a way that is realistic and endearing.

Thomas Weaver (Giammona) is a best-selling novelist. He is excited about life and doesn’t hesitate to seek out new adventures. He loves to write and he is good at it, because he has the ability to get inside of people, to understand their stories, and to put those stories in writing. As he goes through the process of composing his friend’s eulogy, however, he faces quite a different challenge. To describe his friend and the place he had in his life, Thomas is forced to look inside himself.

Giammona succeeds in taking the audience along through the stages of his character’s transformation. At first, Thomas is simply on the job, approaching the task as he would any other: He puts pen to paper and starts writing.

Then, as the crumpled pages begin piling up on the floor, he begins to slow down as he recalls more about the time the two of them had together. He becomes more and more thoughtful and less self-centered, and slowly begins to comprehend the magnitude of his loss.

Araquistain portrays a meek and sensitive Alvin Kelby, the friend who stayed behind when Thomas moved away to further his career. His character transforms before our eyes, becoming more real as Thomas’s memory sharpens. At first he appears almost one-dimensional, having no particular substance or feeling. Then, as Thomas begins to think harder about what was really going on as they were growing up, Alvin takes on depth and begins to reach Thomas through the memories, allowing him to get at the real reasons why he is having such a hard time finding the right words to say.

The story structure may seem familiar, but the way it is presented is imaginative and unique. It touches lightly on the more somber aspects while exploring more closely those little things that make friends so dear to us, and it does so with joy and good humor. The magic lies in the gentle way that Alvin’s memory leads Thomas to face some uncomfortable realities, the creative use of imagery and metaphor, and the subtle way the players express their profound emotions without resorting to “theatrics.” Giammona especially shines in “The Butterfly,” expressing a crucial turning point in his emotional journey that words alone cannot adequately describe.

Contra Costa Civic Theatre and director Dennis Lickteig have taken a risk with the sensitive subject matter in “The Story of My Life,” but the players are more than up to the challenge. The story is touching, the acting is superb, and the simple set, effective lighting and quality singing make it easy to enjoy. Musical accompaniment is provided by a sensitive three-piece band, conducted by pianist Joe Simiele.