Showmag.com

Moonlight Stage Productions, in the city of Vista in San Diego’s North County, is currently in the middle of their 31st Summer Season of presenting musicals under the moon and stars. Their venue is the very unique Moonlight Amphitheatre in Brengle Terrace Park--a few rows of theatre seats, followed by a grassy era where the audience can picnic and then watch the show from their lawn chairs, followed by a few more rows of conventional seating and another grassy space and so on up to the light/sound booth. There is more lawn seating on the hillside above the booth.

This writer first experienced the charms of Moonlight in September ,1990 with a truly magical production of INTO THE WOODS. When the Baker and his Wife buried the cow, they were digging in a real hillside to the right of the stage. When the Baker and Jack waited in a tree to slay the Giant, they were actually sitting in a live tree to the left of the stage. The venue has changed in the past two decades, most significantly in 2008 when a new stage, with ample wing and fly space, was constructed. The theatre, which had won Robby Awards for Best Musical in 1998 for DROOD and in 2003 for CHILDREN OF EDEN, was now able to produce shows with more complicated sets and tech, such as MISS SAIGON and CATS.

The 2011 season began in June with FOREVER PLAID, directed by one of the revue’s original cast members, David Engel. He cast four newcomers to the roles of Frankie, Jinx, Smudge and Sparky--Joshua David Cavanaugh, Nick Lorenzini, Joey Debenedetto and Jeffrey Scott Parsons. They did him proud, meshing their voices in the heavenly harmonies of such golden oldies as “Love is a Many Splendored Thing,” “Magic Moments,” “Shangri-La,” and “Three Coins in the Fountain.” They also excelled in their solos and in the endearing comic sequences like THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW delivered in just over three minutes of blazing hilarity. Dr. Terry O’Donnell on piano and Grant Clarkson on bass provided the pitch perfect accompaniment.

The little red-haired orphan ANNIE returned to Moonlight in July for the first time in 24 years, with Robby winners Randall Dodge as Daddy Warbucks and Debbie Prutsman as the little-girl-hating Miss Hannigan. August will see Randall S. Hickman don a plus size housedress as Edna Turnblad in HAIRSPRAY with Kim Zolozabal as her dance-crazed daughter Tracy. David Engel will take the stage as TV DJ Corny Collins while Tracy Lore will play the villainous former Miss Baltimore Crabs. September will bring the San Diego premiere of THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES, directed by the creator Roger Bean, and featuring two local actresses and Moonlight favorites, Bets Malone and Misty Cotton, as half of the distaff singing group.

Moonlight Amphitheatre, 1200 Vale Terrace Dr. in Vista. (760)724-2110 or www.moonlightstage.com