Dennis Peters is well prepared to portray 40 characters all by himself in Scripps Ranch Theatre’s production of Becky Mode’s comic play “Fully Committed.”
While at Central Washington University, Peters took a vocal conditioning class. Little did he know that it would come in handy doing all the different characters and different voices that “Fully Committed” requires.
Right out of college and relocated to San Diego from Washington state, he taught improvisation at La Jolla Playhouse, skills like “being able to think on your feet and to change course quickly.”
Years later at SeaWorld San Diego, Peters worked as a performer (of the human variety): “It helped me be more comfortable on the stage by myself,” he recalls.
In “Fully Committed,” Peters, now 30, plays Sam, an unemployed actor working as the reservations clerk at a swanky Manhattan restaurant. In the course of the play he morphs into demanding diners, the chef, the maître d’ and many more.
Peters has a recipe for making this all work.
“It all goes back to Sam,” Peters says. “If I can put myself in that head space when the show starts and at various points throughout, that’s my go-to. The other characters will come in and out, but if I can find his through-line, the show will be a success.”
“Fully Committed” opens Friday on SRT’s stage in the Legler-Benbough Theatre at Alliant International University. Tickets at scrippsranchtheatre.org.
Film festival
FilmOut, San Diego’s LGBTQ Film Festival, returns for its 24th year next Thursday with four days of screenings at The Nat and at MOPA@SDMA’s Joan and Irwin Jacobs Theater in Balboa Park.
Opening night features Rafael Albarran and Trent Kendrick’s “F.L.Y.,” in which two exes are forced into lockdown together by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. An after-party will follow the screening.
Ticket prices for individual shows during the four-day festival are $15 and up (the opening night show is $50); an all-access festival pass is $150. Here’s a link to the festival’s screening schedule: filmoutsandiego.com/lgbtq-film-festival/.
Beatlemania 2024
Can you believe it was 60 years ago that The Beatles performed on “The Ed Sullivan Show”? In all that time since, the Fab Four has remained part of the pop-culture consciousness and, as if I have to say it, the music of John, Paul, George and Ringo continues to be loved, played on radio and performed by multitudes
If you’re among those multitudes, make a date for Saturday’s 20th San Diego Beatles Fair, held at Queen Bee’s in North Park. This daylong event, happening from noon to midnight, features Beatles tribute bands galore as well as vendors selling all sorts of Beatles-themed merch and memorabilia. Everything but surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr in person.
Tickets are $11.54 to $32.64 at beatlesfair.com.
Television
I could be mistaken, but I strongly doubt Beatles Fair attendees will be tuned into Wednesday night’s MTV Video Music Awards. Megan Thee Stallion will host the ceremony for the first time. The telecast was originally scheduled for next Tuesday, but was pushed back a day to let the first presidential debate have the spotlight. As if the two would have competing audiences.
Katy Perry, Shawn Mendes and Lenny Kravitz are among those scheduled to perform on the VMA stage. If you’re amped up about this and want to relive the 2023 awards show, MTV’s VMA website is packed with photos and videos of performances from last year. You can also vote for your favorites in the various categories there at mtv.com/vma.
The movies
The summer movie season’s been pretty disappointing for me. At last a reason to go to the theaters, and it comes post-Labor Day. Opening Friday is Tim Burton’s long-awaited sequel to his 1988 hit “Beetlejuice.”
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is indeed a sequel to the original and brings back stars Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara and Winona Ryder.
Sequels often fail to live up to the standards of their originals, but I’ve got a hunch “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” will do so. Tim Burton’s only done one sequel previously — “Batman Returns” in 1992, three years after the first “Batman” film — and some fans prefer it to its predecessor.
U-T arts and entertainment stories you may have missed this week
UCTV
University of California Television invites you to enjoy this special selection of programs from throughout the University of California. Descriptions courtesy of and text written by UCTV staff:
“Discussion of the Film ‘to become the sky’”
Filmmaker Jess X. Snow joins Heidi Amin-Hong to discuss a selection of Snow’s films and their broader artistic journey. As a multidisciplinary artist, Snow’s work encompasses poetry, visual art and film, often addressing themes like the model minority myth, community care, mutual aid and the Asian-American immigrant experience. They also explore how their films depict queer intimacy and the romantic and erotic agency of Asian-Americans. The conversation provides a deep dive into Snow’s creative process and how their diverse body of work challenges stereotypes and offers empowering narratives for marginalized communities.
“Anti-Asian Hate, Racial Trauma and Post-traumatic Growth”
Russell M. Jeung, professor of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University, explores the COVID-19 racism that led to what he terms a period of collective racial trauma for Asian Americans. He discusses the severe impact of direct and indirect racism on their mental health, as documented in 25 peer-reviewed articles. Despite this trauma, Jeung highlights the resilience of Asian Americans, who used their ethnic and cultural wealth to buffer against anti-Asian hate. He identifies three key ways they responded and grew from this painful time, showcasing their posttraumatic growth. Jeung, a leading scholar on race and religion, co-founded Stop AAPI Hate in 2020 to track and combat racism against AAPI communities during the pandemic.
What drives people to dedicate their lives to public service, and what lasting impact do they leave on their communities? In this engaging panel discussion, public servants come together to celebrate the legacy of humanist and scholar Walter Capps. They reflect on his political career and the enduring value of public service, sharing personal stories that highlight the challenges, rewards, and sacrifices involved. The panelists warmly recount Capps’ unwavering commitment to community and justice, exploring how his work continues to inspire others to follow in his footsteps. Through this conversation, they emphasize the vital role public service plays in creating a more equitable and compassionate society.
And finally, top weekend events
The best things to do this weekend in San Diego: Sept. 6-8.
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