Many may be familiar with the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator test. I took it at several staff retreats over the years and found it fascinating. However, I would never think of it as material for a musical. But that’s exactly what happened thanks to playwrights Charlotte Jacobs and Michael Sally. “Just My Type,” with music/lyrics by Rita Abrams, will be produced by Castro Valley’s Chanticleers Theatre beginning Saturday through May 25.
The show received its inception at Chanticleers where Jacobs, an oncologist, and Sally, a psychotherapist, were performing the musical “I Do, I Do.”
Related Articles
Curtain Calls: Tony Award-winning musical ‘Spring Awakening’ blooms in Richmond
Curtain Calls: Heavenly musical ‘Forever Plaid’ harmonizes tunes at Gateway Theatre
Curtain Calls: Unrepentant ‘Pal Joey’ makes the old feel new at Altarena Playhouse
Curtain Calls: Shotgun Players opens its 2024 season with Shakespearean favorite
Curtain Calls: Fast-paced action in ‘The Great Leap’ a slam dunk at Lesher Center
Both enjoyed working together so much that they decided to put together a cabaret act using the Myers-Briggs personality indicator as a fun storyline to connect their songs.
As Jacobs and Sally performed the show, it evolved into much more than a cabaret act with 21 original songs substituted for the standards previously used.
“We were so fortunate to bring Rita Abrams on board,” Sally said. “She’s a brilliant songwriter — clever, funny and poignant at the right times.”
The show revolves around five different couples, all played by the same actors and using the Myers-Briggs as the overall umbrella.
“Psychologists Ben and Kate are writing a book on relationships and how couples get together, fall in love, resolve conflict,” explained Sally. “They decide to use four couples from their own practice to illustrate,” explained Sally.”
When “Just My Type” opens Saturday, Sally and Jacobs will be in the audience rather than on stage.
“Neither of our schedules allowed us to do the show, and it seemed a good opportunity for us to let go and see what someone else does with it,” Sally said.
The Chanticleers show features Geoffrey Colton and Martie Muldoon. Jan Brown directs with Daniella Rodriguez-Chavez as musical director.
Performances take place at Castro Valley Community Center, 18988 Lake Chabot Road. For tickets, go to chanticleers.org.
S.F.: A thoroughly entertaining production of “Forever Plaid” recently reminded me of the uplifting effect theater can have. Writer Stuart Ross with musical arrangements by James Raitt fashioned an upbeat musical about four young singers killed on their way to their first big concert who return to sing that concert in a more heavenly environment.
Running at 42nd Street Moon through Sunday, the show is a vibrant display of vocal talent executing tight harmonies and exhausting physical actions with ease.
Edu Gonzalez-Maldonado (Jinx), Justin P. Lopez (Sparky), Kevin Singer (Frankie) and Matt Skinner (Smudge) are a dream cast for director Daniel Thomas and choreographer Brittney Monroe. Thomas, who is also the music director, added so much humor to the piece with Monroe incorporating that humor into her movements. Fortunately, the singers also have excellent comedic timing propelling the audience into laughter with their facial expressions and, at times, exaggerated hand gestures.
Songs from the ’50s and ’60s such as “Three Coins in the Fountain,” “Chain Gang,” and “Love is a Many-Splendored Thing” proved nostalgic to many audience members, several of whom found themselves interacting with the performers — including one woman who joined them on stage for a piano duet of “Heart and Soul.”
Instrumentalists Tim Fletcher (piano) and Kyle Wong (bass) add to the fun with their own interactions and superb musicianship.
This show is not to be missed in its final weekend at San Francisco’s Gateway Theatre, 215 Jackson St. Call 415-255-8207 or go to 42ndstmoon.org.
Also in S.F.: Tennessee Williams’ masterpiece “The Glass Menagerie” has always been a favorite among theater companies and performers. Who could resist this captivating memory play written with Williams’ mesmerizing poetic language?
In a long overdue production, the show runs Thursday through June 15 at SF Playhouse helmed by director Jeffrey Lo and featuring an all-star cast. SF Playhouse Producing Director and Pt. Richmond resident Susi Damilano plays struggling single mom Amanda Wingfield with Bay Area theater veterans Jomar Tagatac and Nicole Javier as her son Tom and daughter Amanda respectively. Oakland Theater Project Co-Artistic Director William Thomas Hodgson portrays Jim, the potential suitor for Laura.
Susi Damilano portrays Amanda in SF Playhouse’s production of “The Glass Menagerie.” Damilano, right, appears in a scene with Jomar Tagatac as her son Tom. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Palopoli / SF Playhouse)
“I always thought of Amanda as the nagging mom in this beautiful play about Laura,” Damilano said. “But I’m inside the play now and Amanda is so wonderful. She’s so deep and textured and so loves her children. She’s just doing everything she can to survive and provide some future for them.”
Damilano feels fortunate to be working with Lo and her fellow cast members on this show.
“Jeffrey creates such a warm and collaborative atmosphere. He’s also added another interesting element by bringing out that the children’s father was Filipino,” Damilano said. “Amanda marrying another race in the ’30s adds to her feeling of not belonging and makes it harder for her to support her multi-racial family. But, at the same time, he’s also pulled out the humor. We find ourselves laughing so much at rehearsals.”
For tickets, call 415-677-9596 or go to sfplayhouse.org.
Reach Sally Hogarty at sallyhogarty@gmail.com, and read more of her reviews online at eastbaytimes.com/author/sally-hogarty.