-by Vivian Latham, July 1st 2026
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man must be in want of a wife. Jane Austen’s famous opening sentence in “Pride and Prejudice” has been the basis of many plots in rom-coms, dramas, and musicals. “Company” takes the musical trope of Boy Meets Girl, Boy Loses Girl, Boy Sings Song and Gets Girl into a witty observation of bachelorhood, dating, and the pros and cons of marriage. First presented on Broadway in 1970, “Company” was nominated for a record-setting 14 Tony nominations, winning six. With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, “Company” is a landmark in musical theatre. Instead of the standard musical with a linear plot (ie Rodgers and Hammerstein), this musical is a series of vignettes, focusing on Bobby, a young bachelor who is besieged by his well-meaning friends to get married. It is New York City in the 70s, with cocktail parties, cigarettes, jazz, nightclubs, and self-help fads.
When theatres stage musicals, it is usually incumbent upon them to cast the best voices available, or in the case of non-singing actors like Rex Harrison, performers who can sell a song rather than sing it. Ojai ACT has no such problem with this, and director David Henderson and producer Tracy Williams-Sutton have assembled a cast with some of the most outstanding voices heard in this theatre in recent years. Each cast member gets a chance to shine in witty, sometimes acerbic dialogue, as well as solos, duets, and ensemble songs.
The show begins with Bobby’s 35th birthday, as his friends (all married) celebrate with him. [Company] Bobby is a confirmed bachelor, more interested in dating than settling down. He visits each of his friends in their homes, as they try to persuade him to give up the single life and get a wife. Each couple has their own marital problems, with one couple contemplating divorce, one couple bickering over his drinking problem and her dieting, and the bride of another couple is getting cold feet on her wedding day. The audience is introduced to Bobby’s three girlfriends Marta, April, and Jenny in the song “You Could Drive A Person Crazy”. The number is delivered in the style of the Andrew Sisters, and the voices of Haley Abbott, Darrienne Lisette Caldwell, and Genevieve Schatz blend together in perfect harmony. The lively music is a hilarious contrast with the lyrics as the trio criticize their unfaithful boyfriend: “You could drive a person crazy, You could drive a person mad”.
Laura Ring sings a toast to women in “Here’s To The Ladies Who Lunch”, who spend their days shopping, lunching, and having cocktails. It is a barbed commentary on women’s roles in society, and Ring makes it as much a snarky monologue as a solo; she uses the character’s tipsy behaviour effectively as part of the song instead of just giving a cabaret-style rendition.
Kyle Caldwell as Bobby is stoic for most of the production, the calm within the sturm und drang of his well-meaning, meddling friends. When he sings “Being Alive”, his emotions ring out, at first introspective, cautious, vulnerable, and finally willing to let himself be open to a relationship. To love.
There were some technical difficulties with sound and lighting Opening weekend, which can be easily remedied with additional tech rehearsals. In spite of the fact that the entire cast was mic’d, some of the lyrics and dialogue lacked clarity. This could also be remedied with additional vocal and tech rehearsals.
Musical lovers and Sondheim aficionados are in for an enjoyable evening.
“Company” runs from June 12th – July 12th, Fridays and Saturdays 7.30 PM, Sundays 2.00 PM.
NO PERFORMANCES ON JULY 4th
Tickets/Information: 805-640-8797 or www.OjaiACT.org
