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Groundhog Day the Musical - The Donna Summer Musical - Scrooge in Love! - Chez Joey

Jessica Palopoli

This week on Open Air, KALW’s radio magazine for the Bay Area performing arts, host David Latulippe talks with Rinabeth Apostol (pictured, right) and Ryan Drummond (left), who are the lead actors in the San Francisco Playhouse production of Groundhog Day the Musical, which runs through January 18, 2020 at SF Playhouse (450 Post Street) in San Francisco. 

The theatrical adaptation of the 1993 film with Bill Murray is directed by Susi Damilano. This SF Playhouse production marks the Bay Area premiere of Groundhog Day the Musical, the meanwhile familiar comedy about cynical big-city weatherman Phil Connors (Drummond), who reluctantly reports on the small-town Groundhog Day Ceremony in Punxsutawney, PA  - until he finds himself reliving the same day over and over again.

From the touring production of Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, we meet with actors and cast members Kyli Rae and John Gardiner, who play a number of characters that are essential to the life and career of singer, songwriter and Disco Diva Donna Summer. They are also a married couple, touring together. Summer: The Donna Summer Musical runs through December 29 at the BroadwaySF Golden Gate Theatre (1 Taylor St.) in San Francisco. 

Also stopping by are lead actor Jason Graae and director Dyan McBride from the 42ndStreet Moon production of the Holiday musical Scrooge in Love!, which runs through December 22 at the Gateway Theatre (215 Jackson St.) in San Francisco. Scrooge in Love! is filled with ghosts and characters from A Christmas Carol, but the story starts precisely a year after Dickens’ tale ends, with a reformed Scrooge looking for his lost love, Belle. 

Plus, Open Air’s regular contributor and critic at large, Peter Robinson, talks with singer, president of the Cole Porter Society, and general Renaissance Man, Noah Griffin, about Chez Joey, a evening of live musical cabaret at the Lark Theater in Larkspur to celebrate New Year’s eve with Rodgers and Hart, featuring Pal Joey with Frank Sinatra on the big screen, and live music by Noah Griffin & Friends. 

Also, a short preview of San Francico’ ballet’s 75th anniversary production of The Nutcracker

Open Air with host David Latulippe, heard live on Thursday, December 5 at 1pm. Listen now or anytime…