Written By Matthew Russell Hendrickson

“ Aladdin Jr.”

September 21,22 October 5,6,7,12,13,14,19,10

Welcome to Agrabah, City of Enchantment and the fantastic tale of the street rat who became a prince! All of your favorite characters from the hit Disney fi lm – Aladdin, Jasmine, Iago, Jafar, the Genie, and more – are here in a musical adventure fi lled with magic, mayhem, and fl ying carpet rides. This is the classic story of Aladdin and his magic lamp. Aladdin and his three friends, Babkak, Omar, and Kassim, are down on their luck until Aladdin discovers a magic lamp and the Genie who has the power to grant three wishes.

South Valley Civic Theater( SVCT) 17090 Monterey Road • Morgan Hill • svct. org

Peter Mandel, on the left, South Valley Civic Theater, The Producers in 2015

eter Mandel has been a part of the theater community for many years. As a young boy in New York where his father was a theatrical director; Peter grew up backstage in a sense. His first performance was in“ The Glass Menagerie” at a middle school he attended.“ Looking back on it now, I would question the teacher’ s decision to have us do such an imposing work as seventh graders … and my main memory was being embarrassed about forgetting a line. All in all, not a great experience. As a result I didn’ t do another play for a few years until I was cast as Bill Sikes in a high school production of“ Oliver!” One of my few opportunities to play a‘ bad guy’ in theater.”

In 1992 Peter moved from the East Coast to California. It was then that he became regularly involved in theater— after being cast in“ South Pacific” as“ Professor,” one of the sailors. Since then Peter has been on seven stages in the area with an estimated count of 37 shows. But acting is not all Peter can do. Through his experiences with theater and his work in the technology industry, Peter has become one of the ever important“ Jack Of All Trades” in the theater production community. Whether it is lights, or sound, or set construction, or you name it … Peter has done it.

Peter has been a driving force for South Valley Civic Theater( SVCT), based in Morgan Hill, for about ten years( four of those years serving as the president of the board). If there has been a production at SVCT … Peter has somehow been a part of it; both on or off stage.

During his time on local stages in the area he ' s had a number of memorable roles: Leaf Coneybear in“ The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”—“ It was a wonderful part. It was completely out of my own world, playing a child, with wonderful music and a working with a strong director.”

“ It ' s Only A Play”

By Terrance McNally

September 7,8,14,15,16,21,22,23,28,29

It’ s the opening night of The Golden Egg on Broadway, and the wealthy producer Julia Budder is throwing a lavish party in her lavish Manhattan townhouse. Downstairs the celebrities are pouring in, but the real action is upstairs in the bedroom, where a group of insiders have staked themselves out to await the reviews. The group includes the excitable playwright; the possibly unstable wunderkind director; the pill-popping leading lady, treading the boards after becoming infamous in Hollywood; and the playwright’ s best friend, for whom the play was written but who passed up this production for a television series.

Limelight Actor ' s Theater • 7341 Monterey Road • Gilroy limelightactorstheater. com

“ Hypnosis”

By David Tristram

August 3,4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25( Matinee Sunday 2 pm)

Three egos, one master plan, who’ s in control? A washed up stage hypnotist randomly selects his next stooge. But this performance within a performance may not be what it seems. Suspicion, deception, betrayal … the actors keep the audience sguessing— and laughing!

Pintello Comedy Theater • 8191 Swanston Lane Gilroy Grange Hall • pintellocomedy. com

Playing John Adams in“ 1776”—“ A strong character, central to the plot and emotional songs.” And, Alan Raleigh in“ God of Carnage”—“ A really nasty guy in a small, intimate production( I was fortunate enough to have worked with him on this production).”

When asked why he does theater and what it is that keeps him involved he simply replied,“ Having a strong, emotional connection with another character on stage and making that moment vivid to the audience. It’ s so exciting!” And excitement is really what theater is all about. Anyone who is involved with theater, whether in the tech boot, backstage, onstage or in the production crew always feels that excitement during every performance. It’ s why people like Peter do what they do.

You can catch Peter on stage in the upcoming production of“ It’ s Only A Play” at Limelight Actors Theater in Gilroy this September. You won’ t want to miss it!

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GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2018 gmhtoday. com