Our Neighbors: Climb aboard Richmond's Red Oak Victory for Broadway drama

By Chris Treadway
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 03/24/2010 06:47:53 PM PDT
Updated: 03/25/2010 12:28:23 PM PDT

For the past two years, the Galatean Players Ensemble Theatre has come to the SS Red Oak Victory in Richmond to perform "Rivets," an original musical celebrating the workers in the shipyards of the World War II homefront.
The ensemble is returning to the Red Oak with a different production set during the war years. "Mr. Roberts," a Tony Award-winning 1948 Broadway drama-comedy about the experiences of a naval crew stationed in the Pacific, opens today for weekend performances through April 18.
The play, which Thomas Heggen derived from his book of short stories about the war, was turned into a hit 1955 movie starring Henry Fonda, James Cagney and Jack Lemmon (who earned an Oscar for his performance as Ensign Pulver).
Together they sail "from tedium to apathy and back again" during the final days of the war.
"We've rehearsed a lot of the play environmentally — on the deck, in the captain's cabin, throughout the ship. It's really added to the texture of the experience," said director Kathryn McCarty said. "To perform aboard the Red Oak — with views of Oakland, San Francisco and Marin — is spectacular."
The Galatean cast includes Cameron Padilla, of Richmond.
Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with 3 p.m. Sunday matinee presentations April 10 and 17 aboard the Red Oak Victory, 1337 Canal Blvd., Berth 6A, in the Port of Richmond. For tickets, go to href='http://galateanplayers.com'>http://galateanplayers.com or call 925-676-5705. For directions to the historic Red Oak, go to www.ssredoakvictory.org.
Those planning to attend should note that access to the ship requires the ability to climb stairs.