“The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs,” by acclaimed San Francisco composer Mason Bates and Pulitzer-winning librettist Mark Campbell, is being performed at the San Francisco Opera, September 22nd – October 7th.

Under the baton of Michael Christie, Bates’ score takes us on an operatic journey through the fragmented memory of love, betrayal, obsession and death, weaving together classical lyricism and a techno soundscape informed by the audio of early computers.

The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs (Image: San Francisco Opera)

Therese Poletti for MarketWatch:
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Along with his major influence on Silicon Valley, co-founding Apple with Steve Wozniak at age 21, and guiding the design of breakthrough innovations such as the Mac and eventually the iPhone to the iPad, Jobs the business genius was also well-known to often be cruel, maniacally focused and controlling. It is undeniable that there has always been much fascination with Jobs, his ouster from Apple and epic comeback, the myths and stories, versus his highly scripted public persona, potentially making him a worthy subject of one of the most complete art forms.

After seeing “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs,” a moving and accessible opera, Jobs proved to be a perfect protagonist by theatrical standards. He was a complex and contradictory force and his untimely death at age 56 was indeed tragic, no matter how you felt about him. With Jobs as the linchpin, the opera is a story about life and death in one act, sung in English, that is only 100 minutes long, a deeply layered look at the multi-faceted tech visionary…

“I made up the language,” Campbell said. “You don’t know what Woz and Steve were saying when they were making that prototype. We don’t know that. These are two stoner boys, a little bit older than teenagers, maybe in their parents garage, and not realizing at all that they were going to revolutionize the universe with what they were doing there.”

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MacDailyNews Take: Jobs certainly lived an operatic life. More info about “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs”here.
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After nearly 70 years, the iconic Buffalo Trading Post building in Apple Valley will be demolished once a developer begins construction on a proposed shopping center.

The building that once housed the former trading post on the southeast corner of Rancherias Road and Highway 18 was best known for its large buffalo sign and totem poles, which were removed years ago.

A map of the proposed development near the intersection includes the town’s first Aldi grocery store, and its second Chipotle, Dutch Bros. Coffee and car wash. 

The town’s first standalone express car wash, Mister Car Wash, is under construction on the northeast corner of Dale Evans Parkway and Highway 18. In July, the iconic Apple Valley Ranchos Development Company complex, built and opened in 1951 by developer Newton T. Bass, was demolished to make way for the car wash. 

The office complex was Bass’ fourth office since 1946 when he and partner Bernard “Bud” Westlund formed the company.

Getting a new buffalo sign?

A private developer submitted plans to the town to entitle and develop a shopping center with various components including quick-service restaurants, a grocery store, and more, according to the Town of Apple Valley.

Town spokeswoman Sarah Krieg told the Daily Press that the project calls for the demolition of the existing building and the widening of the southeast corner of Highway 18 and Rancherias Road. 

Krieg added that the project is not yet approved and is expected to be reviewed during a public hearing before the Planning Commission sometime this year. 

“The private developer has indicated his desire to name the center after the former Buffalo Trading Post and to install a replicate buffalo sign as we are all familiar with,” Kreig said. “It is too early to speculate on the names of the tenants as those can change during the pre-development phase of a project.”

Both Clara’s Needless Things high-end antique store and Dave’s Carpet occupy a portion of the trading post building.

“I haven’t been told that the building will be demolished, but I’m already making plans to vacate,” said Susan Fields, owner of the antique store. “You can’t stand in the way of progress, tearing the building down is inevitable.”

Field, who has leased the unit for nearly two years, said she spent about $60,000 in tenant improvements before opening the store that features a selection of items from the U.S. and around the world.

New center Information

An information map prepared by Avant Real Estate shows several businesses at the proposed center, which includes seven stand-alone buildings, equaling nearly 45,000 square feet of retail space.

The map also includes an unmarked rectangular building at the center where the former trading post building now sits. 

The new development will also sit adjacent and west of an existing shopping center, which includes Walmart, Taco Bell, McDonald’s, and O’Reilly Auto Parts.

The owner of the new development is listed as HWY 18 RANCHERIAS LLC out of Orange in Southern California.

The town, who purchased the Hilltop House property, said the building’s condition was caused by previous owners and was subsequently condemned because it posed serious safety concerns. 

Town leaders said they have plans to build a public structure on Bass Hill that will pay homage to its history and original iconic architectural aesthetic.

Buffalo Trading Post

The new shopping center will sit just west of the former Hilltop House, which was built by Bass in 1957 and razed last year because it had fallen into a state of disrepair.

The original Buffalo Trading Post business was established in July 1955 by Zeke and Frances Cornia, who sold Western arts and authentic Native American rugs, jewelry, pottery, and other items.

It was reported that Zeke Cornia was related to a full-blooded Algonquin, the reason he often wore Native American regalia, the Daily Press reported.

After owning an automotive reconstruction business in Long Beach, the Cornias moved to Apple Valley in 1947 and built the Black Horse Motel, while planning the trading post.

Douglas McFarland, of the famed Los Angeles architectural firm of McFarland-Bonsall, built the Southwest adobe, wood and brick building, which served as the trading post and the Cornia’s home.

Buffalo sign, totem poles

In 1960, a sign depicting a galloping buffalo, or more accurately, an American bison, was erected to advertise the business.

Over time, the sign and colorful totem poles became local landmarks and part of Apple Valley’s identity, residents said.

“It is a very identifiable, iconic piece of Apple Valley history, much like the Apple Valley Inn, the Hilltop House, or Bell Mountain,” Former town spokeswoman Charlene Engeron told the Daily Press in 2019.

During Thanksgiving 1973, jewelry thieves stole $28,000 worth of turquoise from a safe at the trading post. 

In 1976, Ed and Beverly Wurtele bought the trading post when the Cornias decided to retire.

During his time in Apple Valley, Zeke Cornia served as president of the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce and was a member of the Lions Club of Apple Valley.

The Cornias were selected as honorary co-grand marshals of the 1977 Apple Valley Pow Wow Days Parade. 

After the trading post transferred hands, the building was expanded for tenant space and was occupied by a bank, dental offices, a call center, and several other businesses.

In 1988, the trading post announced they had expanded to a second location at the newly opened Stater Bros. shopping center at the corner of Navajo and Bear Valley roads. 

Residents outraged

In 1988, news of a San Francisco developer wanting to build a shopping center on 12 acres behind the trading post angered many residents, who said they preferred upscale stores be built. The proposed shopping center would also mean the removal of a golf driving range, the Daily Press reported.

Residents said they feared the nearby neighborhood of nice homes and the Apple Valley Country Club would be incompatible with a grocery store shopping center. 

At that time, a community leader said they were not sure what could be done to a shopping center so that it would not be an “insult” to the scenic area.

Developers also considered realigning the outer highway and pulling it into the “Country Club Village” shopping center to alleviate potential traffic issues. 

Shutting down the trading post

In June 1994, trading post owners David and Connie Roth shuttered the business, citing a 60% slump in revenue due to developers creating more shopping opportunities along Bear Valley Road and in Victorville. 

The Roths, who were shop owners for nine years, added that their South Lake Tahoe shop with a similar theme remained busy. 

The trading post was revived in 1995 by Rita Stewart-Lynum and her then-fiance DeVaughn La Bon. 

The trading post also hosted book signings and fundraisers hosted by celebrities such as the late NBC weatherman Christopher Nance. Western music and movie stars Roy Rogers and Dale Evan also visited the store.

In 1997, the town’s Historical Advisory Committee considered listing the trading post building as a non-government-sanctioned historic point of interest along with the now-razed Waffle Iron building and Hilltop House. 

In September 2018, realtor Kari Leon, who serves on the Town Council, and Chris Hitt, owner of Hitt Plumbing, took possession of the buffalo sign and totem poles when they heard that the new owner did not want them, according to Marcy Taylor, director of the Apple Valley Legacy Museum.

“Thanks to Kari and Chris, they saved a piece of our history,” Taylor said. “The totem poles and buffalo sign are displayed outside of Hitt Plumbing.”

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Apple is now the first public company to close a trading day with a market value of $3 trillion. This marks another milestone for a tech giant that has reshaped society with a range of products that are generating staggering profits.

Apple shares ended Friday up 2.3% at $193.97, taking its market value to $3.04 trillion.

Apple is one of the few tech companies, including Microsoft and chipmaker Nvidia, to have helped the S&P 500 post a nearly 16% gain in the first half of the year.

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, transcribed, or redistributed without permission.

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FILE – Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks about the Apple Watch at the Apple event at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, Wednesday, September 9, 2015. When Apple unveils a highly anticipated mixed reality technology headset on Monday, then it will be the company’s biggest new product since the launch of the Apple Watch almost a decade ago. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, file)

Apple appears poised to unveil a long-rumoured headset that will transport its users between the virtual and real worlds, while testing the tech trendsetter’s ability to popularize newfangled devices after others have failed capture the public’s imagination.

After years of speculation, the stage is set for the much-anticipated announcement, scheduled to be made Monday at Apple’s annual developer conference at a theater in Cupertino, California, named after the company’s late co-founder Steve Jobs. Apple will also likely use the event to unveil its latest Mac computer, preview the next operating system for the iPhone, and discuss its artificial intelligence strategy.

But the star of the show is expected to be a pair of glasses – perhaps dubbed “Reality Pro” according to media leaks – which could become another milestone in Apple’s tradition of bringing groundbreaking technology to market, even if the company hasn’t always been the first who tried his hand at making a particular device.

Apple’s track record dates back to Jobs with a bow tie selling the first Mac in 1984 — a tradition that started with the iPod in 2001, the iPhone in 2007, the iPad in 2010, the Apple Watch in 2014, and the AirPods in continued in 2016.

However, given that Apple’s new headset is priced at around $3,000, it’s likely to have a moderate response from even the most affluent techies.

If the new device turns out to be niche, Apple would be in the same bind as other big tech companies and startups that have been trying to sell headsets or glasses loaded with technology that either puts humans in artificial worlds or digital images with Projecting landscapes and things that are actually in front of them – a format known as “augmented reality”.

Apple’s glasses are expected to be elegantly designed and able to toggle between fully virtual and augmented options, a hybrid sometimes referred to as “mixed reality.” This flexibility is sometimes referred to as external reality, or XR for short.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has dubbed these alternate three-dimensional realities the “Metaverse.” It’s a geeky concept that he tried to bring into the mainstream by changing the name of his social networking company to Meta Platforms in 2021 and then pouring billions of dollars into improving virtual technology.

But the Metaverse remains largely a digital ghost town, though Meta’s virtual reality headset, the Quest, remains the best-selling device in a category that so far has mostly appealed to video game players looking for even more immersive experiences.

Given the skepticism about the term that quickly arose, Apple executives seem likely to avoid referring to the metaverse when discussing the potential of the company’s new headset.

For the past several years, Apple CEO Tim Cook has consistently touted augmented reality as the next quantum leap in technology, but hasn’t put a concrete timeline on when it will gain mass appeal.

“If you look back at a point in time, look to the future, and look back, you’re going to wonder how you lived your life without augmented reality,” Cook, who is 62, said last September while speaking to an audience by students in Italy. “Just like today, you wonder how people like me grew up without the internet. You know, so I think it could be that profound. And it won’t be profound overnight.”

The reactions to virtual, augmented and mixed reality have so far been extremely cautious. Some of the devices utilizing this technology have even been derided, with the most notable example being Google’s internet-connected glasses, which launched more than a decade ago.

After Google co-founder Sergey Brin first sparked enthusiasm for the device by demonstrating an early model’s potential “wow factor” with a skydiving stunt during a technology conference in San Francisco, consumers were quickly put off by a product that it allowed its users to secretly take photos and videos. The backlash became so fierce that the wearers of this gear became known as “Glassholes,” leading to Google’s withdrawal of the product a few years after its debut.

Microsoft has also had limited success with HoloLens, a mixed reality headset released in 2016, although the software maker insisted earlier in the year that it remains committed to the technology.

Magic Leap, a startup that caused a stir with previews of a mixed-reality technology featuring the spectacle of a whale crashing through a gym floor, struggled so much to market its first headset to consumers in 2018 that it has since shifted its focus to industrial, healthcare and emergency applications.

Magic Leap Chief Transformation Officer Daniel Diez said there are four key questions Apple’s glasses need to answer: “What can people do with them?” What does this thing look like and how does it feel? Is it comfortable to wear? And how much will it cost?”

The expectation that Apple’s eyewear will sell for several thousand dollars has already dampened expectations for the product. Though he thinks the Apple glasses will feature “gorgeous” technology, Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives thinks the company will sell just 150,000 units in its first year on the market — a small blip in the company’s portfolio . In comparison, Apple sells more than 200 million iPhones, its flagship product, every year. But the iPhone wasn’t an instant sensation, selling fewer than 12 million units in its first full year on the market.

Apparently aiming to inflate the expected price of Apple’s glasses, Zuckerberg specifically stated last week that the next Quest headset will sell for $500. This announcement comes four months before Meta Platform plans to showcase the latest device at its technology conference.

According to research firm CCS Insight, annual shipments of virtual and augmented reality devices have averaged 8.6 million units since 2016. The company expects sales to remain sluggish this year, with sales forecast at around 11 million of the devices before gradually increasing to 67 million in 2026.

But those projections were obviously made before it’s known if Apple might be launching a landscape-changing product.

“I would never disregard Apple, especially in the consumer market and especially when it comes to finding these killer apps and solutions,” said Diez of Magic Leap. “If someone cracked the consumer market early, I wouldn’t be surprised it would be Apple.”

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Porchlight Music Theater begins its ninth season of Chicago’s “lost” musical series with Porchlight Revisiting The Apple Tree, book and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, book and music by Jerry Bock, with additional material by James Coopersmith.

Each of the three musical stories in The Apple Tree is directed by a different person, Frankie Leo Bennett (The Diary of Adam and Eve), Jamal Howard (The Lady or the Tiger?) and Laura Savage (Passionella), with musical direction from David Fiorello. Porchlight Revisits The Apple Tree will be on Wednesday, December 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, December 8 at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. only at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn , presented for three performances street.

Porchlight Revisits subscriptions with three performance discounts are available and single tickets to Porchlight Revisits The Apple Tree are $52 at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theater box office at 773.777.9884.

Now in its ninth season, Porchlight Revisits celebrates the rarely seen musical gems of Broadway, Off-Broadway and beyond and is the ticket to go behind the scenes with an introduction to the luminaries who created the greatest musicals of all time, and an opportunity to discover a new “old” favorite in a big show. Chicago’s finest musical theater talent dusts off these treasures and, for a limited edition, transports audiences into the world of musical theater artistry from the past. In addition to productions from days gone by, each Porchlight Revisis includes the Behind the Show Backstory, an entertaining and informative multimedia presentation created and hosted by Artistic Director Michael Weber that introduces the evening’s production, including the show’s creative history, juicy backstage stories and much more.

The 2022-2023 Porchlight Revisits season begins with The Apple Tree from the songwriting team behind Fiddler on the Roof and She Loves Me. Nominated for Best Musical by Tony, this witty, melodic and charming piece is made up of three musical miniatures : The Journal of Adam and Eve, a whimsical, touching twist on the story of the world’s first couple, adapted from Mark Twain’s short stories; The Lady or the Tiger?, a 1960s rock ‘n’ roll fable set in a mythical kingdom and exploring the fickleness of love and passionella, based on Jules Feiffer’s offbeat Cinderella tale about a chimney sweep who dreams of it to be a “glamorous movie star”.

Additional Porchlight Revisits in the 2023-2023 season include Porchlight Revisits I am a Camera, Wednesday 8 February at 7:30pm and Thursday 9 February at 1:30pm, an addition to Porchlight’s Mainstage Cabaret, this special event production one Rare opportunity to experience the remarkable 1951 play that became the inspiration for the musical Cabaret and Porchlight Revisites Two by Two, Wednesday 24 May at 7:30pm and Thursday 25 May at 1:30pm and 7:00pm: 30pm Music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Martin Charnin and book by Peter Stone based on The Flowering Peach by Clifford Odets. Porchlight Revisites Two by Two tells the story of Noah, the Flood and their aftermath with touches of modern themes including the environment and generational differences.

The cast of Porchlight Revisits The Apple Tree includes Jonah Cochin (Adam/Ensemble); Maddison Denault (Princess Barbara/ensemble); Susan Hofflander (Snake/ensemble); Shea Hopkins (Flip/The Prince/Ensemble); Ruchir Khazanchi (Captain Sanjar/Ensemble); Michael Mejia (balladeist/ensemble); Leah Morrow (Ella/Passionella/Ensemble); Emma Rosenthal (narrator/ensemble) and Ciarra Stroud (Eva/ensemble).

The Porchlight Revisits The Apple Tree creative team includes Frankie Leo Bennett (director, The Diary of Adam and Eve), Jamal Howard (director/choreographer, The Lady or the Tiger?) and Laura Savage (director, choreographer, Passionella); David Fiorello (Music Director), Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Designer); Rachel West (lighting designer), Matthew R. Chase (sound designer); Alden Vasquez (stage manager); Emily Marrazzo (assistant stage manager); Kevin Vilchez (assistant stage manager); Majel Cuza (Production Manager) and Michael Weber (Artistic Director).

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Porchlight Music Theater began its ninth season of Chicago’s “lost” musicals series with Porchlight Revisites The Apple Tree, book and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, book and music by Jerry Bock with additional material by James Coopersmith.

Each of the three musical stories in The Apple Tree is directed by a different person, Frankie Leo Bennett+ (The Diary of Adam and Eve), Jamal Howard+ (The Lady or the Tiger?), and Laura Savage* (Passionella) with musical direction by David Fiorello+.

Porchlight Revisits The Apple Tree was presented for three performances only Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 pm and Thursday, Dec. 8 at 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. Three-show discounted Porchlight Revisits subscriptions are available and single tickets to Porchlight Revisits

Now in its ninth season, Porchlight Revisits celebrates the rarely seen musical gems of Broadway, off-Broadway and beyond and is the ticket to go behind the scenes with an introduction to the luminaries who created the greatest musicals of all time and an opportunity to discover a new ‘old’ favorite all in one big show.

Chicago’s finest music theater talents dust off these treasures and escort audiences into the world of the art of music theater’s past for a limited run. In addition to productions from days gone by, each Porchlight Revisits includes the Behind the Show Backstory, an entertaining and informative multimedia presentation, created and hosted by Artistic Director Michael Weber+, introducing the evening’s production including the show’s creative history, juicy backstage stories and much more.

The 2022 – 2023 Porchlight Revisits season begins with The Apple Tree from the songwriting team behind Fiddler on the Roof and She Loves Me. This witty, tuneful and charming piece that was Tony nominated for Best Musical is made up of three miniatures: The Diary of Adam and Eve, a quirky, touching spin on the tale of the world’s first couple, adapted from Mark Twain’s short stories; The Lady or the Tiger?, a 1960’s rock and roll fable set in a mythical kingdom, which explores the fickleness of love and Passionella based on Jules Feiffer’s offbeat Cinderella story about a chimney sweep who dreams of being a “glamorous movie star.”

Additional Porchlight Revisits in the 2023 – 2023 season includes Porchlight Revisits I am a Camera, Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 pm and Thursday, Feb. 9 at 1:30 , a complement to Porchlight’s Mainstage Cabaret, this special event production is a rare opportunity to experience the remarkable 1951 play that became the inspiration for the musical Cabaret and Porchlight Revisits Two by Two, Wednesday, May 24 at 7:30 pm and Thursday, May 25 at 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm, with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Martin Charnin and book by Peter Stone based The Flowering Peach by Clifford Odets. Porchlight Revisits Two by Two tells the story of Noah, the flood and its aftermath with touches of modern themes including the environment and the differences from generation to generation.

The cast of Porchlight Revisits The Apple Tree includes Jonah Cochin+ (Adam/ensemble); Maddison Denault* (Princess Barbara/ensemble); Susan Hofflander* (Snake/ensemble); Shea Hopkins+ (Flip/The Prince/ensemble); Ruchir Khazanchi+ (Captain Sanjar/ensemble); Michael Mejia^ (balladeer/ensemble); Leah Morrow* (Ella/Passionella/Ensemble); Emma Rosenthal* (Narrator/ensemble) and Ciarra Stroud* (Eve/ensemble).

The Porchlight Revisits The Apple Tree creative team includes Frankie Leo Bennett+ (director, The Diary of Adam and Eve), Jamal Howard+ (director/choreographer, The Lady or the Tiger?), and Laura Savage* (director, choreographer, Passionella); David Fiorello+ (music director), Rachel Sypniewski* (costume designer); Rachel West* (lighting designer), Matthew R. Chase+ (sound designer); Alden Vasquez+ (stage manager); Emily Marrazzo+ (assistant stage manager); Kevin Vilchez* (assistant stage manager); Majel Cuza* (production manager) and Michael Weber+ (artistic director).

Photo Credit: Oni Wright

Ruchir Khazanchi, Maddison Denault and Michael Mejia

Ciarra Stroud, Jonah Cochin and Susan Hofflander

Shea Hopkins, Leah Morrow, and Emma Rosenthal

The cast of PORCHLIGHT REVISITS THE APPLE TREE

Director and Choreographer Jamal Howard, THE LADY OR THE TIGER?, Director Frankie Leo Bennett, THE DIARY OF ADAM AND EVE and Porchlight Artistic Director Michael Weber

David Fiorello, Justin Akira Kono, Cara Strauss, Greg Strauss

David Sabbagh, Emily Marrazzo, Alden Vasquez, Jordan Large and Abbey Nettleton

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Porchlight Music Theater invited audiences to take another bite of musical theater history with Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick’s THE APPLE TREE. The musical, composed of three one-acts centered on the theme of temptation, was the season opener for the Porchlight Revisits series. As usual, Porchight Artistic Director Michael Weber introduced the show with a brief educational talk on THE APPLE TREE’s history.

THE APPLE TREE features a deft ensemble of nine actors, all who play various roles in each of the show’s three acts. While the original production featured the same leads across all three pieces, Porchlight’s production puts different actors (and directors) front and center for each. It’s a concept that works well, allowing the actors to take the lead in the roles most suited to their talents. Frankie Leo Bennett directs THE DIARY OF ADAM AND EVE; while it’s no fault of Benett’s, this is the most unoriginal and creaky of the three acts in THE APPLE TREE. It’s a rather traditional play on the origin story of Adam and Eve, and of course, the infamous Snake that tempts Eve to eat the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. While Jonah Cochin, Ciarra Stroud, and Susan Hofflander bring out the quirks in Bock and Harnick’s particular versions of Adam, Eve, and Snake, THE DIARY OF ADAM AND EVE meanders. It’s also hard not to look at the gender roles in this one act as mostly dated and uninteresting. In some moments, the one act seems ahead of its time, as when Stroud’s Eve is forced to laugh when Cochin’s Adam claims he has invented humor and tells her an extremely unfunny joke-ah, the origins of women laughing at men’s jokes just to get through the day. Outside of moments like that, though, Bock and Harnick present a rather tired portrait of Adam as strong and adventurous, while Eve is a mother figure and caretaker. The music for this act is pretty, and Stroud has a lovely, soaring tone, but it’s also not as distinctive as the score for the other two acts.

After departing the Garden of Eden, we arrive at THE LADY OR THE TIGER?, directed and choreographed by Jamal Howard. Musically, Bock and Harnick have given THE LADY OR THE TIGER? a more specific style-musical theater aficionados will recognize the narrative stylings of Balladeer (Michael Mejia), who brings audiences into the show at the act’s start. He queues up the story of the mighty King Arik (Hofflander, again displaying her comedic chops), who finds it just to have prisoners stand trial by standing before two doors. Behind one door, there’s a tiger, who will devour the prisoner. Behind the other, there’s a maiden from among the populace in the royal court-the prisoner will be freed but must marry her immediately. Of course, Princess Barbara has fallen for a commoner, Captain Sanjar (Ruchir Khazanchi). When King Arik discovers their forbidden love, he makes Sanjar stand the ultimate test. Wanting to save her lover’s life, Princess Barbara finds out which door will be which at Sanjar’s trial. But when she learns that a beautiful woman in court will stand behind one of the doors, she must decide if she wants to be selfish or selfless for her love.

THE LADY OR THE TIGER? is a fantastic comedic vehicle for Maddison Denault as Princess Barbara. She delivers the act’s comedic power ballads with verve. While Khazanchi’s presence isn’t quite as formidable, he’s a great scene partner for Denault. This is also a much more concise and lively one act as written than the previous one, and Howard’s direction and choreography keep it moving along at a brisk pace.

THE APPLE TREE concludes with PASSIONELLA, a riff on the classic Cinderella story centered on Ella-a poor chimney sweep who dreams of becoming a Hollywood movie star. Directed and choreographed by Laura Savage, THE APPLE TREE saves the best for last. PASSIONELLA is a delightful and exaggerated satire with jazz influences in the score. And in Leah Morrow, Porchlight has cast a total star in the dual roles of Ella/Passionella. Morrow seems born to play this part; she’s an outsized comedic actor who also maintains the absolute truth of her character-and she’s also one of the strongest singers in the ensemble. Morrow also plays terrifically off Emma Rosenthal in the role of the Narrator and Fairy Godmother. Rosenthal taps into the Narrator’s dry sense of humor, and her more understated presence is a great contrast to Morrow’s overly dramatic Ella. Of the three acts in THE APPLE TREE, PASSIONELLA as written has the strongest sense of style, place, and narrative; it’s fitting that Bock and Harnick would end with the act tied most specifically to the moment in which they wrote the show.

Because certain elements are dated and others are tied specifically to the 1960s, it makes complete sense that Porchlight Revisits would showcase THE APPLE TREE-it’s not a musical that’s likely to be revived any time soon. It displays Bock and Harnick’s talents as a composer/lyricist team, though, and the intelligence of using the theme of temptation-and the powerful notion that getting everything you ever wanted rarely looks like how you think it will-into each of the three acts .

While I didn’t care much for the material in THE DIARY OF ADAM AND EVE, I also deeply appreciate that Bock and Harnick pulled temptation and longing into the other acts as the narrative thread-rather than making this a musical all about Bible stories. That’s a much more interesting, universal, and human idea, and it justifies THE APPLE TREE’s spot in the Porchlight Revisits series.

Visit PorchlightMusicTheatre.org to learn about the remaining productions in the 2022/2023 season.

Photo Credit: Oni Wright

Review by Rachel Weinberg

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Ghostlight Players will present “The Apple Tree,” a musical from the creators of “Fiddler on the Roof” and “She Loves Me,” from October 13 – 16 at Hemsley Hall.

“The Apple Tree” features a book and score by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, with additional material by Jerome Coopersmith.

“The Apple Tree” is three one-act musical playlets: “The Diary of Adam and Eve” a quirky, touching spin on the tale of the world’s first couple, adapted from Mark Twain’s Extracts from Adam’s Diary; “The Lady or the Tiger?” is a rock and roll fable set in a mythical barbarian kingdom, which explores the fickleness of love; “Passionella” is based on Jules Feiffer’s offbeat Cinderella story about a chimney sweep whose dreams of being a “glamorous movie star” nearly sabotage her one chance for true love.

Directed by Charlie Siedenburg with music direction by Donna D’Ermilio, the cast features Gary Bradley (Adam/Ensemble/Flip), Danielle Oliveira (Eve/Ensemble), Gavin Matthias (The Snake/Balladeer/Narrator), Courtney Lee (Princess Barbara /ensemble), James McKeon (Capt. Sanjar/ensemble), Rich Ryan (King Arik/ensemble), Rachel Sievers (Ella/Passionella), Meredith Sladek (ensemble), Joyce Gordon (ensemble), Lloyd Lerner (ensemble), Eve Steinmetz (ensemble) and Charles Sullivan (Voice of God).

The orchestra features Donna D’Ermilio (piano/conductor), Glenn Kaiser (keyboard 2), Matthew Sommerfield (bass), Amy Beshara (violin) and Joe Piazza (percussion).

The production is designed by Charlie Siedenburg and Craig Kwasnicki, costume design by Adrienne Ferretti and Charles Sullivan, lighting and sound design by Nick Diaz. Stephanie Kwasnicki scenic artist. Michael Whelan is assistant director.

Songs include “Here in Eden,” “Eve,” “Go to Sleep Whatever You Are,” “What Makes Me Love Him,” “I’ll Tell You A Truth,” “I’ve Got What You Want,” ” Tiger, Tiger,” “Oh, to Be a Movie Star,” “Gorgeous,” “(Who, Who, Who, Who) Who Is She?,” “Wealth,” and “You Are Not Real.”

The musical, which featured a Tony-winning performance by Barbara Harris, also starred Alan Alda and Larry Blyden, opened at Broadway’s Shubert Theater in October 1966, playing 463 performances. Directed by Mike Nichols, “The Apple Tree” was nominated for seven Tony Awards including Best Musical. Jerome Coopersmith provided additional material.

Performances for “The Apple Tree” are October 13-16 (Thursday-Saturday at 8:00pm and Sunday at 3:00pm) at Hemsley Hall (4 Arthur Kill Road). Tickets for “The Apple Tree” are $25 adults and $20 seniors/students and available for purchase online at www.our.show/apple.

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Porchlight Music Theater begins its ninth season of Chicago’s “lost” musicals series with Porchlight Revisits The Apple Tree, book and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, book and music by Jerry Bock with additional material by James Coopersmith.

Each of the three musical stories in The Apple Tree is directed by a different person, Frankie Leo Bennett (The Diary of Adam and Eve), Jamal Howard (The Lady or the Tiger?), and Laura Savage (Passionella) with musical direction by David Fiorello. Porchlight Revisits The Apple Tree is presented for three performances only Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 pm and Thursday, Dec. 8 at 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street.

Three-show discounted Porchlight Revisits subscriptions are available and single tickets to Porchlight Revisits The Apple Tree are $52 at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theater box office at 773.777.9884.

Now in its ninth season, Porchlight Revisits celebrates the rarely seen musical gems of Broadway, off-Broadway and beyond and is the ticket to go behind the scenes with an introduction to the luminaries who created the greatest musicals of all time and an opportunity to discover a new ‘old’ favorite all in one big show. Chicago’s finest music theater talents dust off these treasures and escort audiences into the world of the art of music theater’s past for a limited run. In addition to productions from days gone by, each Porchlight Revisits includes the Behind the Show Backstory, an entertaining and informative multimedia presentation, created and hosted by Artistic Director Michael Weber, introducing the evening’s production including the show’s creative history, juicy backstage stories and much more.

The 2022 – 2023 Porchlight Revisits season begins with The Apple Tree from the songwriting team behind Fiddler on the Roof and She Loves Me. This witty, tuneful and charming piece that was Tony nominated for Best Musical is made up of three miniatures: The Diary of Adam and Eve, a quirky, touching spin on the tale of the world’s first couple, adapted from Mark Twain’s short stories; The Lady or the Tiger?, a 1960’s rock and roll fable set in a mythical kingdom, which explores the fickleness of love and Passionella based on Jules Feiffer’s offbeat Cinderella story about a chimney sweep who dreams of being a “glamorous movie star.”

Additional Porchlight Revisits in the 2023 – 2023 season includes Porchlight Revisits I am a Camera, Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 pm and Thursday, Feb. 9 at 1:30 , a complement to Porchlight’s Mainstage Cabaret, this special event production is a rare opportunity to experience the remarkable 1951 play that became the inspiration for the musical Cabaret and Porchlight Revisits Two by Two, Wednesday, May 24 at 7:30 pm and Thursday, May 25 at 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm, with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Martin Charnin and book by Peter Stone based The Flowering Peach by Clifford Odets. Porchlight Revisits Two by Two tells the story of Noah, the flood and its aftermath with touches of modern themes including the environment and the differences from generation to generation.

The cast of Porchlight Revisits The Apple Tree includes Jonah Cochin (Adam/ensemble); Maddison Denault (Princess Barbara/ensemble); Susan Hofflander (Snake/ensemble); Shea Hopkins (Flip/The Prince/ensemble); Ruchir Khazanchi (Captain Sanjar/ensemble); Michael Mejia (balladeer/ensemble); Leah Morrow (Ella/Passionella/Ensemble); Emma Rosenthal (Narrator/ensemble) and Ciarra Stroud (Eve/ensemble).

The Porchlight Revisits The Apple Tree creative team includes Frankie Leo Bennett (director, The Diary of Adam and Eve), Jamal Howard (director/choreographer, The Lady or the Tiger?), and Laura Savage (director, choreographer, Passionella); David Fiorello (music director), Rachel Sypniewski (costume designer); Rachel West (lighting designer), Matthew R. Chase (sound designer); Alden Vasquez (stage manager); Emily Marrazzo (assistant stage manager); Kevin Vilchez (assistant stage manager); Majel Cuza (production manager) and Michael Weber (artistic director).

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At the start of the year, a handful of developers, including Steve Troughton-Smith, found references to “realityOS,” the operating system for Apple’s long-rumored virtual and augmented reality headset. Now, a little more than a week before the start of WWDC 2022, the name has resurfaced in trademark filings seemingly linked to the company.

On Friday, Vox Media product manager Parker Ortolani took to Twitter to share two United States Patent and Trademark Office filings he found registered by a company called Realityo Systems LLC. As Parker and others have pointed out, there’s evidence to suggest Realityo Systems is a shell company created by Apple to obscure its tracks.

First, there’s the June 8th foreign filing deadline for both trademarks, which falls just two days after the start of WWDC 2022. Additionally, as noted by 9to5Mac, Realityo Systems LLC shares the same address as Yosemite Research LLC, the shell company Apple used to secure trademarks for past versions of its macOS operating system, including macOS Monterey. One more interesting tidbit of evidence is that in some countries Realityo Systems submitted trademark filings that include a realityOS logo written in Apple’s signature San Francisco typeface.

The timing of the filings suggests Apple is getting closer to the day it will feel comfortable sharing details about its augmented and virtual reality ambitions. However, we would caution against expecting an announcement as early as next week. In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman predicts the company won’t hold “a full-blown presentation” on its mixed-reality headset at WWDC. In fact, he says he would be “wary of expecting” such an announcement from the company. Gurman previously reported that Apple was considering pushing the device’s debut back to 2023 due to ongoing development problems. Still, the company is clearly moving forward with the project.

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