Theater groups prep for ‘Pear Slices,’ podcasts

One Peninsula theater company has announced its “reinvention” coupled with a fundraising campaign, while a second local theater group is preparing to open one of its favorite annual productions to raise money.

As the pandemic continues to hinder live theater productions, both Dragon Productions Theatre in Redwood City and Pear Theatre in Mountain View have found ways to cultivate more revenue in anticipation of the time when theaters will again open their doors to patrons.

Dragon’s Max Koknar says the past year has been one of “reimagining Dragon’s place in the Bay Area community, revising our mission statement, reorganizing staff roles and updating its online presence.”

While this project began in 2019, Koknar says the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated it, but it also held the company back from implementing it. Dragon’s longtime managing director Kim Wadycki and several other staff members left the company last year, which also played a part in the need for Dragon’s reinvention.

Now, the staff consists of just three people: Koknar; his wife, Alika U. Spencer-Koknar who holds the title chief visionary officer; Justine Bechler, who serves as both chief operating officer and education director. Lydia Feuerhelm, the communications manager, is part-time.

Pear Theatre’s artistic director Sinjin Jones is continuing with his plans to present the 18th annual production of “Pear Slices” on Vimeo.  The production features nine short plays written by members of Pear’s Playwrights Guild.

Co-directed this year by Troy Johnson and Melinda Marks, “Pear Slices 2021” will be available online April 30-May 23.

The plays are “A Stable Family,” a comedy by Matthew Fyffe; “Yes Yes Maybe” and “Hello Heriberto,” both by Leah Halper; “Don’t Let Go” by Carol Wolf; “Wheel of Fortuna” by Bridgette Dutta Portman; “Power(less) Pete” by Megan Maugheri; “Sequestered” by Barbara Anderson; “Roadside Attraction” and and “Keepsake,” both by Peggy Powell.

A cast of six actors will perform all nine plays: Maya Greenberg, Gaz Jemeel, Asha Kelly, Justin P. Lopez, Francheska Johanna Loy and Francisco Rodriguez.

Tickets are available at www.thepear.org and include a “backstage pass” to access behind-the-scenes videos, talkbacks and other materials.

‘Creature’ feature

Dragon Theatre also has an April offering, a podcast adaptation of “The Creature,” available for free download and streaming that was set to begin April 19. Directed by Spencer-Koknar, “The Creature” is playwright Trevor Allen’s take on Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” presented in the style of a radio play. The podcast will be available on Spotify, Apple Music, Sound Cloud and the Dragon’s website. A new chapter will air every Monday through June 7. Listeners can subscribe to receive weekly reminder updates and make a donation to the project at www.dragonproduction.net/creature.

Despite all the difficulties of “existing” as a theater company in 2020, Koknar says the Dragon employed about 200 artists and presented more than 30 programs.

“We want Dragon to remain an important community hub for artists to connect, reimagine and process all of the changes and uncertainty of art-making both during the pandemic and beyond,” he added.

Dragon has also launched a fundraising campaign called “Spark Change, Set the Arts Alight,” with the aim of raising $150,000 by the end of the year.

For more information, visit www.dragonproductions.net.