Past Reviews

Regional Reviews: San Francisco/North Bay


Don't Stop Us Now
Transcendence Theatre Company


Simon Pearl, Emily Yates, J.D. Daw, Charis Gullage,
Julian Diaz-Granados, and Ruby Lewis

Photo by Ray Mabry and Rob Martel
For several seasons now, one of the highlights of summer has been an excursion into Sonoma County to enjoy the musical revues put on by the wonderful folks at Transcendence Theatre Company. Because of some legal wrangling around the company's environmental impact on their usual venue (the stunningly beautiful setting of the Winery Ruins at Jack London State Park), TTC are staging their shows at Sonoma's Field of Dreams, a baseball field just a few blocks from Sonoma's lovely town square.

While this setting may not be quite as scenic as their "real" home, virtually all the other good stuff TTC brings to the table are still here: the incredibly hospitable staff, the smooth logistics of parking and ticketing, and the heartfelt commitment from Executive Director Brad Surosky, Creative Vision Director Amy Miller and Artistic Director Tony Gonzalez to produce shows of the highest quality. And though the TTC team's attention is possibly hampered by bureaucratic challenges from the state park system, they've managed to stage a show that, while not quite up to the standard of their earlier work, is still an excellent candidate to fulfill their vision of giving audiences "the best night ever."

The cast for Don't Stop Us Now may be smaller than previous TTC productions, but the three men (performing as a trio calling themselves MidAtlantic Men) and three women (Queenz That Rock) all have strong voices and share TTC's commitment to excellence.

After an opening medley with all six performers, the Queenz That Rock left the stage to the MidAtlantic Men for most of the first half of the show. The MidAtlantic Men are J.D. Daw, Julian Diaz-Granados, and Simon Pearl. Their name came from the fact that J.D. and Julian are American, while Simon is a Brit. This leads to some banter about which country has the best rock music. Though their interactions feel a bit canned and trite, the boys give their all in medleys from two of the biggest stars on either side of the pond: Elvis and The Beatles. Midway through act one, medleys from two piano men, Elton John and Billy Joel, bring the transatlantic conflict back to the fore.

During their patter, the MidAtlantic Men claim they all live together in a 500-square foot apartment in New York, which leads to an adorable scene where the boys try to recreate what it's like to rehearse a show in a living room the size of a hot tub.

Act two brings the Queenz That Rock back to the stage, beginning with a medley of songs from Heart–though oddly without several of the band's biggest hits, such as "Barracuda," "Magic Man," and "Crazy on You," any of which would fit well in the night's rock and roll theme.

All three women have strong, distinctive voices that meld well together when they harmonize. Ruby Lewis does a brilliant version of "Never Enough" from The Greatest Showman, and Emily Yates brings the crowd to its feet with an emotional version of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You," dedicated to her parents, both of whom passed recently. But the highlight of the evening may be New Orleans native Chris Gullage's soulful take on Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart."

Unlike TTC's previous effort this summer, Summertime, far more attention is paid in Don't Stop Us Now to costumes and choreography, making the show feel a bit more polished and united.

There are some cheesy moments. At times, the show feels a little like an episode of the TV show "Glee" but with millennials instead of teens performing choral arrangements of contemporary tunes. And the company's take on Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar on Me" put me in mind of Up With People!, a troupe of clean-cut kids that burst onto the scene in the 1960s with a reputation for being incredibly earnest but hopelessly square. Fortunately, that weirdness is more than made up for by Gullage's "Piece of My Heart," Yates's "I Will Always Love You" and the MidAtlantic Men's touching rendition of Coldplay's "Fix You." (If you want to see a tear-inducing take on "Fix You," rent the documentary Young@Heart about a choir of senior citizens performing contemporary songs.)

Don't Stop Us Now only runs through this Sunday, and even though the venue isn't as spectacular as in earlier seasons, the show makes a great ending to a day in the Sonoma wine country, with its world-class restaurants, scores of wineries, and gorgeous scenery.

Don't Stop Us Now runs through July 28, 2024, at Field of Dreams, 151 First Street W, Sonoma CA. Performances are at 7:30pm. Tickets range from $70-$185. $25 discount tickets may still be available. "Gold Level" tickets include VIP parking, two glasses of wine and admission to the pre-show lounge area. For tickets and information, please visit www.TranscendenceTheatre.org.