Taylor Renee Henderson and the company of Bottle Shock! Photo Karli Cadel |
The youth hangs out at the local bar "Joe's" run by the owner's daughter Jo (Taylor Renee Henderson), Gustavo and Bo take Sam there so they can all get to know each other. Steven Spurrier (Louis Pardo) is a British sommelier, book author, and expert, obsessed with wine. He arrives in Napa to taste the wines and confirm that American wines are really up to par with French wines. He's coordinating a blind taste test back at the old continent and is scouting for participants. While that unfolds, other happenings take place like father/son growing pains some of which, come with a cool dressing inside a boxing ring and wonderfully choreographed punches by Toranika Washington and Nathan Mendez's fight direction. There is also Gustavo, looking and finding what he is and meant to do as well as Sam, along with a product scare that had both characters and audience members gasping.
I have not seen the movie and was advised not to see it. The musical is super engaging and I thoroughly enjoyed the balance between the young actors with the seasoned ones. Louis Pardo as the obsessed and curious sommelier is enchanting. He is portrayed as "difficult" but his scenic work goes beyond the stereotype of a British man's humor and wins over the house, which contrasts interestingly with T.J Mannix's Jim, who truly is difficult, as he has been through a lot and the hits just keep coming. The rhythm goes by along with the storytelling and there is a true sync that is palpable like a good Beaujolais Nouveau. The portrayals overall of the company are stellar and very funny. The ensemble has its own flavor and meshes wonderfully. J. Scott Lapp's direction is calculated, precise, and clean. I would say that is the reason why the show flows so smoothly, and the actors look like they are enjoying their work, but also having a good time with each other. I was at an industry night, and that might have influenced the atmosphere a bit, maybe. Janet Pitcher's seventies flare, corduroy centric, halter top, bell bottom, costume design is bright and combines with both the set and the lighting bringing an amazing visual for the story.
Patrick Ortiz. Photo Karli Cadel |
The Company of Bottle Shock! Photo Karli Cadel |
Bottle Shock! is a nice and enjoyable night out that offers a fully immersive experience with wine tasting onstage! We need to continue supporting live theatre with productions that are 100% live with music and all the moving pieces it takes to produce a musical. Credit where credit is due, CCAE is a risk taker and those risks have proven to be worth it.
The musical closes this Sunday, July 23 but there are still a number of opportunities to catch it, matinees included! and another wise choice.
If you are interested in the wine-tasting experience, before every performance:
Option #1 - Pre-show wine-tasting flight with a local winery ($20) for 4 tastings (2 red & 2 white). Tastings will be held in a cordoned-off section of the lobby with wine poured by local winemakers. Purchase a full glass of your favorite wine or join their wine club*
Option #2 - On Stage VIP Tasting with Chateau Montelena & Gustavo Wines ($100) for 4 tastings (1 red & 1 white from Chateau Montelena and 1 red & 1 white from Gustavo Wines). Our VIP’s will be led onstage to our very own “barrel room” starting 30 minutes before the show where our VIP wine experience will allow our patrons to taste wines from the award-winning Chateau Montelena & Gustavo Winery! You may even get to brush elbows with a Sommelier! *
Between each Saturday matinee and Saturday evening (7/22):
Option #3 - Escondido’s own “Judgement of Paris” Blind taste test with a Wine Professional ($50)
Patrons will gather in the Lyric Courtyard at 4:30 pm (between the matinee and evening performances of Bottle Shock! The Musical) and enjoy a blind taste test of 4 Parisian wines against 4 Northern California wines and keep their own scorecard. A wine professional will lead this experience with insider knowledge and interesting facts about the wines being tasted. *
*This is an add-on experience. All attendees must also have a ticket to the Bottle Shock! The Musical*. For ticket prices and performance times please click HERE.
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