|
Once a year the stars from San Jose public office come out for some good-natured roasting from their colleagues and peers and each year it starts of the same way..."Somewhat live from San Jose, it's Monday Night!"
June 30 marks the 10th year that San Jose Stage Company has played host and mastermind of its annual fundraiser inspired by the long running sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live.
It's hard to imagine each city council member and even the mayor volunteering to stand up on a stage for the sole purpose of poking fun at the projects and initiatives that keep their names in the news all year round. But if it means keeping the arts alive downtown, council members put their pride on the line and camp it up once a year for a good cause.
Who could forget former San Jose Mayor Susan Hammer hamming it up on the dance floor as she brought new life to Uma Thurman's dance moves from the movie Pulp Fiction several years ago? It looks like Mayor Hammer will return as an MNL alum this year along with the entire city council.
Rumor has it that a spoof on the Godfather trilogy, staring San Jose Stage Company's Artistic Director Randall King dressed in drag at the "Godmother" will also return as a crowd-pleasing favorite.
Staffers from the city and the theater get together each year to choose topics and the write sketches that appropriately get to the lighter side of politics and with any luck the players visit the Stage once to run through their lines. But following that, anything is possible, after all, it is "somewhat live."
The folks at San Jose Stage Company hope to reach at least the $70,000 level that the event brought in last year and so far, ticket sales look strong in spite of a still sluggish economy. Reps from the Stage are hopeful that this typically standing-room only performance will draw the same crowds to spend an evening looking at drastic state budget cuts and local redevelopment issues from a slightly irreverent point of view.
In all, it's a night of song and dance from your favorite local politicians, only in this venue laughter and lampooning from the peanut gallery are strongly encouraged.
The price of admission includes a cocktail reception prior to the show and the tax-deductible tickets are between $50 and $100.
Call the box office at 408.283.7142 or go to www.sanjose-stage.com for more information.
|
