San Diego's Top Weekend Events: To The Theater!

TIRED OF STRINGING YOUR ENTERTAINMENT ON THE SMALL SCREEN? WHAT ABOUT SEEING SOME REAL LIVE ACTORS IN REAL TIME AT A SAN DIEGO THEATER? KPBS ARTS CALENDAR EDITOR NINA SAYS IT IS A GOOD TIME TO GO. SEVERAL NEW SHOWS ARE OPENING THIS WEEKEND, AND NINA GUERIN JOINS ME NOW.HELLO.LET'S BEGIN WITH A SHOW THAT WE ALL KNOW, HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS. I UNDERSTAND IT IS CELEBRATING AN ANNIVERSARY?YES, IT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 20 YEARS. IT IS A LONGTIME TRADITION AT THE OLD GLOBE. AND IT IS -- I THINK THAT PEOPLE ASSOCIATE THAT IS A THING THAT YOU DO NOW IN SAN DIEGO FOR THE HOLIDAYS.THERE IS SOMETHING NEW THOUGH, THERE IS A NEW ACTOR STEPPING INTO THE ROLE OF THE GRINCH.HIS NAME IS EDWARD WATTS, THIS IS HIS FIRST PRODUCTION IN SAN DIEGO. HE HAS SOME NEWER CREDITS. HE HAS PLAYED THE BEAST IN BEAUTY ON THE BEAST IN BROADWAY.NOW, JUST TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY, IN CASE SOMEBODY DOESN'T KNOW, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE GRINCH, IT IS BASED ON A DR. SEUSS STORY?YES, IT IS A STORY ABOUT A GRINCH THAT TRIES TO STEAL CHRISTMAS BECAUSE HE HATES IT. THAT IS BASICALLY THE PLOT, AND THEN A LITTLE GIRL WARMS HIS HEART. BUT THE THING ABOUT THE SHOW IS THAT IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS COMING STRAIGHT OUT AT A DR. SEUSS BOOK. THEY SAID IS KIND OF BLACK AND WHITE WITH SOME COLORS, AND EVERYTHING LOOKS LIKE A CARTOON. AND EVEN THEIR HAIR IS VERY DR. SEUSS IAN.YOU BROUGHT A CLIP. THIS IS SANTA FOR A DAY. IT IS FOR MAY 2009 PERFORMANCE STARRING CHEZ SIEBEN AS CINDY LOU WHO.[ MUSIC ]NOW, AS WE JUST HEARD -- THIS SHOW IS VERY KID FRIENDLY, BUT IT IS ALSO VERY INCLUSIVE, ISN'T IT?YES, THE GLOBE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THEATERS OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK TO DO SENSORY FRIENDLY SHOWS FOR CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM AND THEIR FAMILIES, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS. SO, WHAT THEY DO IS THEY TONE DOWN THE SOUNDS AND FLASHING LIGHTS, AND THERE IS A QUIET AREA IN THE LOBBY YOU CAN GO TO IF YOU FEEL OVERWHELMED. AND THIS ALLOWS FAMILIES TO HAVE THEIR FIRST THEATER EXPERIENCE TOGETHER. IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN THIS YEAR ON DECEMBER 9.THIS WEEKEND IS ALSO THE GLOBES TREE LIGHTING?YES, THIS IS ALWAYS A FUN EVENT. THERE IS A GRINCH THEMED CHRISTMAS TREE IN FRONT OF THE PLAZA. AND THEY LIKED IT, AND YOU GO AND THERE IS A FREE PERFORMANCE BY GRINCH CAST MEMBERS. YOU DO NEED TO RSVP ON THE WEBSITE.DR. SEUSS IS HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS OPEN LAST NIGHT AND RUNS THROUGH DECEMBER 24 AT THE OLD GLOBE.THERE IS ANOTHER FAMILY-FRIENDLY PLAY BEING STAGED AT NEW VILLAGE ARTS, THE PLAY IS CALLED THE SECRET GARDEN, TELL US ABOUT THIS.THIS IS BASED ON THE 1911 BOOK BY FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT, AND IT IS ABOUT A GIRL WHO LOSES HER FAMILY TO A CHOLERA OUTBREAK AND SHE MOVES IN WITH RELATIVES SHE DOES NOT KNOW. AND SHE DEALS WITH HER NEW LONELY SITUATION BY ATTENDING TO A NEGLECTED GARDEN.THIS IS A PRETTY WELL-KNOWN STORY, BUT AS A MUSICAL -- HOW POPULAR IS IT IS A MUSICAL?IF SO, IT IS NOT DONE VERY OFTEN, BUT IT IS A BEAUTIFUL MUSICAL. IT WON THE TONY IN 1991 FOR BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL, THE MUSIC AND LYRICS ARE BY MARSHALL MOORMAN, MUSIC BY LUCY SIMON, AND IT IS ACTUALLY -- IT IS A CHILDREN'S STORY, BUT THEY SAY IT IS VERY SOPHISTICATED.LET'S LISTEN TO A SONG FROM THE SECRET GARDEN, THIS IS HOLD ON.[ MUSIC ]TELL US MORE ABOUT THE LOCAL PRODUCTION .THE ONE IN CARLSBAD IS DIRECTED BY REGINA REYNOLDS, AND THERE WILL BE A STRING QUARTET DURING THE PERFORMANCE, AND MARY LENNOX, THE YOUNG GIRL IN THE STORY, IS PLAYED BY A LOCAL ACTOR NAMED SARAH MAHAFFEY.HE MENTIONED THIS IS A FAMILY-FRIENDLY SHOW, BUT IT IS KIND OF SAD ISN'T IT? IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR ALL AGES?THERE ARE SOME MATURE THEMES. THERE IS DEATH AND A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON GHOSTS, AND IT IS SAD. SO, IT IS RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 10 AND UP. BUT THE WEBSITE SAID IF YOUR KIDS CAN HANDLE HARRY POTTER, THEY SHOULD BE FINE.THE SECRET GARDEN OPENS TOMORROW IN CARLSBAD. THERE IS ANOTHER SHOW OPENING THAT REVOLVES AROUND A YOUNG GIRL. THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK .YES, THIS ONE IS PUT ON BY MOXIE THEATER, IT IS A THEATER COMPANY THAT FOCUSES ON THE STORY OF WOMEN. AND THIS ONE IS ABOUT A YOUNG GIRL, BUT IT HAS OBVIOUSLY MORE MATURE THEMES, SO IT IS NOT NECESSARILY FOR KIDS.IS THIS A TRADITIONAL RETELLING OF ANNE FRANK'S LIFE?IT IS ACTUALLY A NEW ADAPTATION. THEY FOUND SOME NEW WRITINGS THAT ANNE FRANK HAD, AND THEY WERE MORE ABOUT PUBERTY AND HER FAMILY ISSUES, AND OTTO FRANK DID NOT PUT THOSE INTO THE BOOK, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED, AND THAT IS WHAT IS INCORPORATED INTO THIS VERSION.WHO IS PLAYING ANNE FRANK?HER NAME IS KATHLEEN KATZ AND SHE IS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT. HER SISTER, MARGO, IS BEING PLAYED BY AMY PERKINS. I HAVE BEEN SEEING HER A LOT LATELY AT THE SAN DIEGO MUSICAL THEATER, SO YOU SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR HER TOO.PREVIEWS OF THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK STARTS SUNDAY AT MOXIE THEATER, THE PLAY RUNS THROUGH DECEMBER 17. AND I HAVE BEEN SPEAKING WITH KPBS ARTS CALENDAR EDITOR NINA GARRETT. NINA, THANK YOU.