Nostalgic nights at the Laguna Playhouse: music, magic & the art and history of ventriloquism
By MARRIE STONE
If you were alive in the 1970s, or you’re simply a fan of the era, you likely have a soft spot for Fleetwood Mac and Elton John, Paul Simon and Cat Stevens, Jim Croce and James Taylor. Perhaps you watched the TV sitcom Soap (or at least caught it on re-runs)? Maybe you owned a magic set – some cups and balls or a deck of cards – maybe even an old Danny O’Day ventriloquist dummy.
For the next two weeks, the Laguna Playhouse is offering a trip back in time to revisit some of those old memories and make a few new ones. Three shows, spread over seven nights, will transport you back to the sounds of the ‘70s, offer an up-close opportunity with one of America’s most iconic ventriloquists and introduce you to one of our nation’s most incredible sleight of hand magicians. Musician Molly Bergman, prestidigitator John Carney and ventriloquist Jay Johnson are each taking the Playhouse stage over the next few weeks, and you’re invited along for the ride.
While each of the upcoming shows holds hints of nostalgia, they’re all made for the modern day. Lead singer Molly Bergman stylizes classic songs from the ‘70s, but she’s a college student in her early 20s. Sleight of hand magician John Carney has won more awards from Hollywood’s famous Magic Castle than any other magician in their storied history. Blending humor, intelligent wit and storytelling with astonishing sleight of hand skills, Carney takes his audiences on an unforgettable journey that will blow their minds.
Rounding out the week is ventriloquist Jay Johnson, best known for playing Chuck (and Bob) on the 1970s sitcom Soap. Johnson won a Tony Award for his 2006 Broadway show The Two and Only. Considered one of the top practitioners of the art of ventriloquism, Johnson will tell the story of his five-decade (and counting) career for two nights next week.
I spent a little time with each of them, learning more about their shows and what audiences might expect. Don’t be deceived. Although you may be carried back to your youth, none of these are children’s shows. They’re all family friendly, but they’re intended for adults.
Listen to the Seventies with Molly Bergman and Jason Feddy (August 4-6)
Molly Bergman comes by her stage presence naturally. She’s the only child of comedian Rita Rudner and British film writer, director and producer Martin Bergman. But her musical style is all her own.
Bergman discovered her love of music early, at age 6x, taking piano lessons and playing the guitar. Growing up in Las Vegas – where Rudner performed for decades – gave Bergman access to plenty of live music. By high school she was performing regularly on stage. Today, she’s studying Modern Artistic Development and Entrepreneurship at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami.
“I was lucky, living in Vegas for nine years, to be able to attend so many live concerts,” Bergman said. “Especially being a musician, I learned so much from every experience.”
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Courtesy of Molly Bergman
Molly Bergman will perform the greatest hits from the 1970s, including Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, Paul Simon, Jim Croce, Cat Stevens and more at the Laguna Playhouse this weekend
Taking her musical tastes from her parents, Bergman said: “I’m such an oldies music gal. Whenever I sing on my own, the majority of my set is ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s songs. That’s what my parents played when I grew up and that’s the music they like. I’ve taken influence from that.”
Bergman will cover many of the greatest hits from the ‘70s, from Fleetwood Mac to Elton John. She’ll be joined on stage by Laguna’s own troubadour Jason Feddy, as well as Sidney Bowen (vocals), Bruce Boulanger (guitar), Brandon Wagner (bass), Ryan Tarbutton (drums) and David Witham (keyboard).
“David Witham is the most talented human being I’ve come across,” Bergman said. “He played piano for Barbra Streisand. He’s playing at the Hollywood Bowl. And we’re lucky enough to have him on keyboard. I give a lot of credit to all our incredible musicians. I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without every one of them.”
Bergman busks on the Forest Avenue Promenade whenever she’s home on holiday. She also plays with Bowen at Luxe Restaurant and Martini Bar in Dana Point and has performed at least a half-dozen times at the Coach House (opening for Feddy’s Joe Cocker tribute band Mad Dogs & the Englishman). Bergman has also opened for Jewel, Michael McDonald, Train, Sammy Hagar and Rick Springfield, and even Rudner’s New Year’s Eve show at the Playhouse.
“It’s always an honor to perform these poetic, melodic and heartbreakingly gorgeous songs from the 1970s,” said Feddy. “It’s especially great to share the singing with gifted musicians like Molly and to play with this tremendous band.”
For more information and tickets, visit the Playhouse website by clicking here.
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Carney Magic with sleight of hand magician John Carney (August 10 and 11)
Hollywood’s Magic Castle might be one of the coolest private clubs in Southern California. The invitation-only venue boasts many of the world’s finest magicians. Even if you can gain access, the trip up to L.A. and the late-night shows make for a long evening. Next weekend, the best of the Castle is coming to you.
For two nights only, the private club’s most celebrated magician will be performing at the Playhouse. John Carney’s sleight of hand skills are renowned at the Castle. He’s won more awards than anyone in their 60-year history. Carney has performed on the Late Show with David Letterman, Jerry Seinfeld’s HBO Special, Spin City and Two and a Half Men, as well as in theaters across the world. But what people don’t expect are Carney’s storytelling talents, his hilarious alter-egos and the wit and intelligence he brings to the stage.
Carney performs classic tricks, using ordinary objects like handkerchiefs, decks of cards, hats and rings. “Everyone has a good seat, even if they’re in the back,” Carney said. “That’s important because I’m telling stories and I’m doing smaller things. I don’t have big boxes and tigers and ladies jumping out of things. It’s all sleight-of-hand magic. It’s storytelling using objects that can absolutely be seen by everyone in that beautiful theater.”
Carney said his performance is comparable to Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants show on Broadway. He presents sleight-of-hand tricks in a classic manner by incorporating audience participation, funny characters and plenty of engaging tales.
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Courtesy of John Carney
John Carney will perform on the Laguna Playhouse stage on August 10 and 11. It’s a rare opportunity to see one of the Magic Castle’s most celebrated magicians in our hometown.
Carney got his start in magic at age 15 in Des Moines, Iowa when he encountered a book by legendary prestidigitation master Dai Vernon (also known as “The Professor”). “I saw a completely different side of magic with sleight of hand,” Carney said. “You have to work at it. Not just your hands, but the choreography and the movements. It was more interesting to me than pushing buttons or opening a trapdoor. I was intimately involved in the process and trying to make it mine.”
Carney began buying every book he could find, attending magic conventions and traveling to different parts of the country to meet with magicians. Early influences beyond Dai Vernon included Faucett Ross, Carl Ballantine and Johnny Thompson, who inspired Carney’s comedic side.
“I don’t want to give anybody the impression that this is a kiddie show. It’s clean and family-friendly, but it’s smarter than a kid’s show,” Carney said. “There’s lots of audience involvement and lots of comedy. But it starts out very quiet and ends with another quiet little piece, so there’s a lot of variation in the tone.”
For tickets and additional information, visit the Playhouse website by clicking here.
The Two and Only: Ventriloquist Jay Johnson (August 12 and 13)
Jay Johnson is another master who got his start early by seeking out a skilled mentor. Johnson was already performing at theme parks, doing multiple shows each day, using a modified Jerry Mahoney doll during his teens. “It was time to get a new ventriloquist figure,” Johnson said. “I pulled Arthur’s name off a list.”
“Arthur” turned out to be Arthur Sieving, a renowned mid-20th century magician, sculptor and ventriloquist. Sieving was also a master craftsman. He came out of retirement to make one more doll for Johnson.
“The Two and Only is many things, but it’s partly a valentine to Arthur, the man who made my original Squeaky ventriloquist figure,” Johnson said. “It was a magical experience. I found him by accident and we became friends, although [our relationship] was mainly through letters. I was only with him one day, but he had such an influence on my life. Most of the things I learned about ventriloquism – particularly the care and feeding of a ventriloquist puppet – were through his letters. It was a very magical time for me.”
Influenced by all the ventriloquists he saw on the Ed Sullivan Show – from Edgar Bergen to Señor Wences and Jimmy Nelson to Jerry Lewis – Johnson had a natural talent for the form. He grew up dyslexic, before folks understood what dyslexia was, and leaned into this verbal art form that didn’t require reading or math.
The Two and Only takes audiences on Johnson’s journey through life, from those early influences to his time on the 1970s sitcom Soap and beyond. He recognizes the many times the art of ventriloquism could have been snuffed out by technology – radio, television and special effects – but it never did.
“What bothers me,” he said, “is art itself is now so easy and accessible that artists don’t have to learn the craft and be able to do their crafts by [practicing] it so many times.”
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Courtesy of Jay Johnson
Celebrated ventriloquist Jay Johnson will perform his Tony-award winning show, “The Two and Only” at the Playhouse on August 12 and 13
In addition to being a love letter to Sieving, the show provides audiences with a history of the artform and a glimpse into Johnson’s life on stage. “I’ve always had difficulty explaining this show,” Johnson said. “Once people see it, they’ll understand what I mean. It’s autobiographical. We talk about ventriloquism, why it exists, what it really is, what it was in historic times and how it’s perceived today. In telling the story about how this unusual artform has survived time, I get inserted into the story because I became a ventriloquist.”
The show earned Johnson a Tony Award in 2007 when it hit Broadway. It was adapted to the screen in 2014, and Johnson has performed it countless times since. You can witness it in person next week on the Playhouse stage.
“The show hits people in their hearts,” Johnson said. “It’s pretty emotional. They aren’t always prepared for that. I tell people to bring their tissues, just in case.”
For tickets and additional information, visit the Playhouse website by clicking here.