An unconventional musical of deep, unabashed passion, The Light in the Piazza is a feast for the senses. Sonoma Arts Live has a production running at the Sonoma Community Center through May 10.
On a vacation in Florence, Italy, Margaret Johnson (Daniela Innocenti Beem, sensational and vulnerable) and her wild but innocent daughter, Clara (Emma Sutherland, making her complex character truthful instead of clichéd), meet the ridiculously hunky Fabrizio (Malcolm March, fully committed and captivating), sweeping everyone around them away into a lush, romantic fairy tale.
This is a show that leans into romance in a way that isn’t nauseating or sophomoric, and the music reflects that too. The songs come from someplace organic and are a natural continuation of the dialogue rather than just outbursts. It’s a refreshing technique, and it totally works, giving the characters true depth, especially Clara and Margaret.
Directed with a delicious sense of taste by Sandra Ish, this is a show with a tremendous cast and production team.
The ensemble is top notch and throws themselves into the story with energy and skill. Drew Bolander (a performer who has basically weaponized charisma) plays Fabrizio’s slick brother, Guiseppe, who emotionally tortures his femme fatale wife, Franca, played with sexy sophistication by Evvy Carlstrom-March. Tim Setzer and Brandy Noveh play Fabrizio’s parents and both create believable Italian characters that thankfully don’t lean into stereotypes.
Everyone looks stunning in lavish, stylish costumes by Allison Sutherland. The set design by Laurynn Malilay and Ish is overflowing with sumptuous details and textures: a babbling stone fountain, craggy rock walls with roses flowing from them, deep velvet chairs and twinkling lights.
A live, onstage three-piece orchestra led by Sherrill Peterson seamlessly blends into the story. The lighting design by April George gives the production a warm, sultry glow, broken at times by a wistful blue haze.
It must be noted that this is also an incredibly intimate story, both physically and emotionally. The actors display an immense amount of trust in one another and create a very palpable chemistry as an ensemble. Kudos to Sandra Ish for cultivating what appears to be a very safe space for the cast.
We all know airfare is expensive right now, but with Piazza, one can be transported to Italy for the cost of a theater ticket, if they’re so inclined.
Sonoma Arts Live presents ‘The Light in the Piazza’ through May 10 on the Rotary Stage at Andrews Hall in the Sonoma Community Center, 276 E. Napa St., Sonoma. Thurs–Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 2pm. $25 -$42. 707-484-4874. sonomaartslive.org.
