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