Ross Valley Players - The Golden Bay Times

In early twentieth-century Sweden, romance becomes a deliciously complicated affair when a collection of lovers, former flames, and unhappy spouses discover that matters of the heart rarely follow sensible rules. Fredrik Egerman, a middle-aged lawyer married to a much younger woman, finds himself drawn back into the orbit of Desirée Armfeldt, a glamorous actress with whom he shares an intriguing romantic history. Unfortunately, Desirée has her own entanglements, including a possessive military officer whose temper is considerably less charming than his uniform. Meanwhile, Fredrik's young wife struggles with her feelings, his thoughtful son wrestles with unexpected emotions, and the formidable Madame Armfeldt watches the romantic confusion with the wisdom of someone who has witnessed nearly every variety of human foolishness. When these colorful personalities converge for a weekend at a country estate, elegant manners barely conceal a spectacular collection of jealousies, desires, and misunderstandings. Featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Hugh Wheeler, this sophisticated musical combines sparkling humor, graceful waltzes, and emotionally rich storytelling. Its celebrated score includes the hauntingly beautiful "Send in the Clowns," adding an unforgettable dimension to this enchanting exploration of love, longing, and second chances.

Madrid is a city gripped by fear, political upheaval, and uncertainty as the Spanish Civil War transforms ordinary streets into dangerous territory. Against this turbulent backdrop, celebrated American writers John Dos Passos and Ernest Hemingway arrive to cover a conflict whose ideological divisions are tearing Spain apart. Accompanying Hemingway is Martha Gellhorn, an ambitious young journalist determined to establish herself in a profession dominated by men. Their work places them amid competing political factions, shifting loyalties, and a relentless struggle over the truth. But when José Robles, a Spanish scholar, translator, and close friend of Dos Passos, suddenly disappears, a deeply personal mystery emerges from the chaos of war. Questions surrounding his whereabouts lead toward increasingly uncomfortable territory, where friendship and political conviction threaten to collide. Written by Jack Karp, The Many Mysterious Deaths of José Robles draws upon historical figures and the troubling circumstances surrounding a disappearance during one of Europe's most bitter ideological conflicts. The play explores a world in which information can become a weapon, trusted allies may harbor conflicting loyalties, and discovering what happened to one missing man becomes inseparable from understanding the dangerous forces reshaping an entire nation.

Every love story begins somewhere, but the passage of time has a remarkable way of changing how its earliest chapters are remembered. In Abi Morgan's deeply moving play Lovesong, a married couple's relationship unfolds across two distinct periods of their lives, allowing audiences to encounter both the hopeful young lovers they once were and the older companions they eventually become. In their twenties, Billy and Maggie are discovering the pleasures, uncertainties, and compromises that accompany building a life together. Their future stretches before them, filled with possibilities neither can completely anticipate. Decades later, the same couple has accumulated a lifetime of shared experiences, familiar routines, lingering disappointments, and precious memories. As the younger and older versions of Billy and Maggie inhabit the same theatrical world, past and present begin to overlap in unexpected and emotionally revealing ways. Ordinary moments take on extraordinary significance, from small domestic exchanges to conversations that echo across the years. Rather than presenting romance as a collection of grand gestures, Lovesong explores the intimate details that define a lasting partnership. Tender, poetic, occasionally humorous, and profoundly human, this poignant drama invites audiences to consider how love changes with age while preserving traces of the people two individuals were when their journey began.