"Bonita Vista By Two" Melodrama is Good Family Fun
Only Three Nights Left! Don't Miss Out!
I was fortunate to attend the opening night of "Bonita Vista by Two". It was clever, extremely entertaining and went off without a hitch.
Dr. Max Branscomb created the book, music and lyrics. "Bonita Vista by Two" is one of a myriad of melodramas written by Dr. Branscomb. He is one immensely-talented wordsmith and I have dubbed him "Playwright Extraordinaire" in a previous article.
As this was the 49th Bonitafest Melodrama, Chula Vista Mayor John McCann showed up with a proclamation to declare September 23, 2026 "Bonita Vista by Two" Day in Chula Vista and Bonita. The Bonitafest Melodrama is San Diego County's longest-running continuous theatrical production.The mayor gave an aside that as next year would be the fiftieth year, he planned to issue a week-long proclamation at that time.
Speaking to the two actors on stage, the mayor recalled how he attended Bonita Vista High School. He went on to share that he was a football player and his lovely wife, Myllissa "Myssie", was a cheerleader when they started dating in high school.
Dr. Branscomb thanked all the appointed VIPs present, followed by a special thank you to Glennalie Coleman who was credited for giving the Bonitafest Melodrama its start.
Below is a history of the Bonita Melodrama (from last night's playbill) and a chronology of all the Bonitafest Melodramas from the beginning (another borrow from last night's playbill). The photo is of Glennalie Coleman that I took at a Bonita Valley Garden Club party two years ago.
History of Melodramas | Glennalie Coleman | Chronology of Melodramas | Click on images to enlarge
Here's a little more of the "Feel Like a Gator (Lookin' fo' a Bite)" with gators running around and the youngest Barons cheerleaders throwing strings of beads into the audience.
Left to right: Malachi Veglia in a gator suit, "Lickpenny" actor Donavan Hash, and Remi Gudino handing strings of beads to the guests | Elliana Méndez warming up her arm to hurl more strings of beads into the audience | Click on images to enlarge
A framed collection of the entire cast and band greets you as you leave the theater.
The "Bonita Vista by Two" melodrama was first performed nine years ago in 2017. The cast was different by the playwright was the same.
The current production is showing at the Sweetwater Church Theater, located at 5305 Sweetwater Road, through September 26th. Nightly curtain time is 7:30PM.
Adult tickets are $20 and students are $10. Children under 3 are free. Tickets are available at the door or by calling the production line at 619.850.7126 for availability and reservations.
The companion historical showcase, "The Story of BonitaFest From The Archives," is also open through September 26, 2026 for anyone interested in the festival's 54-year history.
The showcase may be found at the Bonita Museum & Cultural Center, located at 4355 Bonita Road, Bonita 91902. The Museum is open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10AM until 4:00PM.
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