Assassins on the way

Ray of Light Theatre is bringing Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins to the San Francisco. The press release calls it "Bold, original, surreal, disturbing, thought-provoking and alarmingly funny, Assassins is perhaps the uttermost controversial musical ever written." It has a longstanding reputation as one of Sondheim's best and I've been waiting months for this production to hit the stage, since I've never seen it.

"Part vaudeville extravaganza, part exposé and wholly electrifying, this most American of musicals (winner of five Tony® Awards) lays bare the lives of nine individuals who assassinated or tried to assassinate the President of the United States, in a one-act historical "revusical" that explores the dark side of the American experience. From John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald, Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman bend the rules of time and space, taking us on a nightmarish rollercoaster ride in which assassins and would-be assassins from different historical periods meet, interact and, in an intense final scene, inspire each other to harrowing acts in the name of the American Dream."

Ray of Light is calling this "the must-see show of the year" and that bit of hyperbole wouldn't surprise me if it turned out to be true. After all, this is the same company that put on last year's Jerry Springer, the Opera, which was one of my favorite theater experiences from the past couple of years.

It's a four week run at the Eureka Theater (215 Jackson St., SF),  June 2 - 25 Thursday- Saturday nights @ 8:00 and a Sunday matinee at 2:00.  For tickets ($20-$36) and information, visit www.roltheatre.com or check out TIX Bay Area (online or at Booth in Union Square) . I've also seen them available for some of the runs early performances on Goldstar. Student/group discounts available. Email tix@roltheatre.com for group discount tickets.

I say don't miss it, but if you don't want to pull the trigger, look for my post the first week of June.