Stage Buzz

Stage Buzz Review by Byrne Harrison

When dealing with a theatre festival featuring 27 short plays performed in 3 groups by over 40 actors, it’s difficult to decide what to talk about. But that’s part of the fun of Turtle Shell Production’s 8 Minute Madness Playwright Festival. Now in its fifth year, this festival promises a little something for everyone.

Since the festival was divided into three groups, I was not able to attend all three shows. This review will focus on Groups A and C.

Given that there are 18 plays in Groups A and C, to talk about each would be a little cumbersome. Instead, I’ll hit some highs and lows. Group A featured some strong plays, though its comedies seem to be most effective. Director Gaye-Taylor Upchurch has a good sense of comic timing which makes the well-written comedies that much stronger and tends to mask the inadequacies of the weaker ones. First among the comedies is Mark Harvey Levine’s charming Surprise, a cute tale about Peter (Christian O’Brien), an unlucky-in-love psychic who can only see two minutes into the future, Whitney, the girlfriend (Monika Schneider) who is dumping him, and Esther (Constance Parng), the waitress who eventually shows Peter that love isn’t always written in the stars. Featuring some wonderfully timed sight gags, snappy dialogue, and a cast that works seamlessly together, Surprise is delightful.

Two other comedies stand out. First is Walter Thinnes’s Meeting Without End. Attendees at this meeting talk in consultant speak, clichés, and aphorisms. As the meeting goes on, the phrases freely mix and mingle (or perhaps mangle) leading each attendee to spew nonsense in an ever more absurd and amusing jumble. Ably overseen by Christine Booker as the Meeting Organizer, the play features attendees Robin Madel, Kaolin Bass, and Justin Tensen. To their credit, all four manage the increasingly odd language extremely well. The other strong comedy is Shaun Raviv’s Rats. This clever tale of a gullible rat (Bill Toscano) who finds some cheese and the fast-talking rat (Christian O’Brien) who convinces him not to eat it manages to work in animal rights, outsourcing, veganism, and blood diamonds. Toscano does a good job as the hungry, but simple rat. O’Brien nails the part of the slick con man (con rat, I suppose) and his come-uppance at the end of the play is wonderful.

To her credit, Upchurch proves equally adept at more dramatic works. The somewhat difficultly named The Ta Ta Song of the Aftermore: Movement One, Constance Parng’s meditation on memory and loss, is directed with an almost liquid motion that suits the material. In Parng’s play, three sisters (Santana Dempsey, Monika Schneider, and Christine Booker) remember the night their mother left, each in her own way. Parthy and Me by Ben Lewis seems at first to be an awkward morning after between Parthy (Emily Coffin) and Paul (Rob Welsh). As the play turns to confessions about broken hearts, desire, and need, Upchurch slows the pace, allowing the actors time to show some of their characters’ depth and motivations. Not an easy thing to do in an 8-minute play.

The acting in Group A is generally strong. Noteworthy examples are Christian O’Brien in Surprise and Rats, Christine Booker as a woman dealing with a friend who’d had a stroke in Struck, Eric Edward Glawe as an earnest love-struck elephant in Elephants and Coffee, and Emily Coffin in Parthy and Me.

Group C features more dramatic work, though most of them do have their comedic moments as well. Two plays in particular stand out. First is Nina Mansfield’s powerful play about harassment, Smile. Set in a police station, a Man (Bristol Pomeroy) and Woman (Pia Ambardar) each give statements concerning an assault. The beauty of this play, and much of the credit goes to Pomeroy and Ambardar, is that each character garners the audience’s sympathy at some point and at the end of the play, two different members of the audience could very easily disagree as to whether the Man or Woman were at fault. Director David Letwin does an outstanding job using an economy of movement. The second noteworthy play is Jeremy Handelman’s Tic-Tac-Toe in which the game is used as a metaphor for the various patterns that we can’t escape in our lives. As the manipulative Kenny (Byron Loyd) recovers from surgery, his sister Stacey (Lauren Robert), a woman who is “flypaper for emotionally needy men,” plans her escape into the arms of the man she believes is her last shot at love. An interesting piece, it shows Handelman’s skill with family drama.

Other interesting plays in Group C include Scripted by Mark Harvey Levine, in which a couple, Elaine (Danielle Faitelson) and Simon (Collin Smith) awake to find that someone has left them a script of their day, each action and word they’ll speak already set down on paper, and Low & Away by Demetra Kareman, in which Frank (Bristol Pomeroy) and Carol (Elise Rovinsky) try to raise an “alpha” daughter, but worry that neither is up to the task.

Group C also features one of the more risky works, Spence Porter’s Men/Women, where a battle of the sexes is played out using only two words of dialogue: Men and Women. Gamely and kinetically directed by David Ledoux, this show has some good moments, but Porter’s conceit quickly grows tired. One must admire his daring, however, and Turtle Shell is to be commended for trying it out.

The performances in Group C are at times hit or miss, especially among some of the younger actors. However, Group C does feature some excellent work by Bristol Pomeroy. As the father in Low & Away, the assault victim in Smile, and a man running a stoop sale in The Dali Lama Drinks His Own Pee (certainly the most intriguingly named play in the festival), Pomeroy excels.

Each Group’s audience voted for the top four plays from that night. The winners of Group A (The Ta Ta Song of the Aftermore: Movement One, Parthy and Me, Meeting Without End, and Rats), Group B (Abuse from Another Life, What’s on Your Mind, A Lovely Moon, and Our Lady of the Sea) and Group C (Low & Away, Smile, Tic-Tac-Toe, and I Understand Your Frustration) will duke it out this week in the final competition. Only one playwright will be chosen as the winner of the 8 Minute Madness Playwright Festival. That winner, along with the winners of the outstanding actor awards, will be announced at the Awards & Gala event at The Irish Rogue this Sunday, March 16th at 6 PM.

Since this week’s fare includes the best of each series, if you want to see the best of Turtle Shell and the Terrapin Troupe (their acting company), now is the time to visit the Times Square Arts Center.

Playwrights: Group A - Mark Harvey Levine (Surprise), J. Stephen Brantley (Struck), Rich Rubin (A Most Unsuitable Conversation), Aoise Stratford (Elephants and Coffee), Constance Parng (The Ta Ta Song of the Aftermore: Movement One), Ben Lewis (Parthy and Me), Walter Thinnes (Meeting Without End), Shaun Raviv (Rats), Henry W. Kimmel (The Dilemma of a Standing Ovation); Group B – Fran Handman (Abuse from Another Life), Jane Prendergast (The Diers), Ann-Marie Oliva (Momology), Edward Musto (Poor Hearts), Rich Espey (Peelers), David Fox (What’s on Your Mind), Evan Guilford-Blake (A Lovely Moon), John Buczko (The Final Chuckle), Aoise Stratford (Our Lady of the Sea); Group C - Spence Porter (Men/Women), Mark Harvey Levine (Scripted), Demetra Kareman (Low & Away), Lynn Snyder (Don’t Look! ), Nina Mansfield (Smile), Eric Alan Bower (The Dali Lama Drinks His Own Pee), Jeremy Handelman (Tic-Tac-Toe), Steven Korbar (I Understand Your Frustration), William Munt (Big Red Button)
Directed by Gaye-Taylor Upchurch, John W. Cooper, Arthur French, David Ledoux, David Letwin
Stage Managers: Nate Brauner and Amanda-Mae Goodridge Producer/Artistic Director: John W. Cooper Assistant Production Manager: Amanda-Mae Goodridge Scenic Designer: Ryan Scott Lighting Designer: Eric Larson Costume and Props: Christina Gianinni Sound Design: Susan Smale

Featuring in Group A - Surprise: Monika Schneider (Whitney), Christian O’Brien (Peter), Constance Parng (Esther); Struck: Christine Booker (Veronica), Bobby Tuttle (Adrian), Rob Welsh (Brit); A Most Unsuitable Conversation: Justin Tensen (A), Bill Toscano (B); Elephants and Coffee: Robin Madel (Woman), Eric Edward Glawe (Elephant); The Ta Ta Song of the Aftermore: Movement One: Santana Dempsey (August), Monika Schneider (Ava), Christine Booker (Elizabeth); Parthy and Me: Rob Welsh (Boy/Paul), Emily Coffin (Girl/Parthy); Meeting Without End: Christine Booker (Meeting Organizer), Robin Madel (Confirmed Attendee), Kaolin Bass (Requested Attendee), Justin Tensen (Tentative Attendee); Rats: Bill Toscano (Rat), Christian O’Brien (Tar); The Dilemma of a Standing Ovation: Kaolin Bass (Adam), Audra George (Eli), Natalie Anderson (Mavis), Santana Dempsey (Tara), Justin Tensen (Jerry)
Featuring in Group B - Abuse from Another Life: Traci Hovel (Ernest), Justin Morck (Prudence), Jonathan M. Castro (Armand); The Diers: Deidre Lynn (Betty), Kendall Zwillman (Hele), Susan Wallack (Sally), Anna Savant (Nurse); Momology: Coleen Sciacca (Mom #1), Ingrid Kullberg-Bendz (Mom #2), Barbra Ann Smilko (Mom #3); Poor Hearts: Alison Crane (Young Lady), Justin Morck (Young Man), Tony Mirchandani (Driver); Peelers: Cynthia Fellowes (Bookmaker), Jonathan M. Castro (Marengo), Carol Lambert (Miss Anna); What’s on Your Mind: Tony Mirchandani (Dave), Cynthia Fellowes (Karen), Jonathan M. Castro (Jeff); A Lovely Moon: Traci Hovel (Julia), Barbra Ann Smilko (Lynn), Tony Mirchandani (Warren); The Final Chuckle: Benato Biridin (Jackie Jordan), Edward Sheldon (Father L.D. Riley); Our Lady of the Sea: Justin Morck (Brother), Bill Toscano (Father), Jonathan M. Castro (Boyfriend)
Featuring in Group C - Men/Women: Bernardo Cubria (He 1), Mark Becker (He 2), Annie Mistak (She 1), Emily Elizabeth Simoness (She 2); Scripted: Danielle Faitelson (Elaine), Collin Smith (Simon); Low & Away: Bristol Pomeroy (Frank), Elise Rovinsky (Carol); Don’t Look!: Kaolin Bass (Paul), Annie Mistak (Cheryl); Smile: Bristol Pomeroy (Man), Pia Ambardar (Woman); The Dali Lama Drinks His Own Pee: Bristol Pomeroy (Sherwin), Emily Elizabeth Simoness (Lisa), Patrick Cann (Tim), Tara Gadomski (Angela), Bernardo Cubria (Nathan), Shiloh Klein (Babs); Tic-Tac-Toe: Lauren Robert (Stacey), Byron Loyd (Kenny); I Understand Your Frustration: Patrick Cann (Ted), Pia Ambardar (Brad); Big Red Button: Bernardo Cubria (1), Mark Becker (2)

The Turtle’s Shell Theater (in the Times Square Arts Center)
300 W. 43rd Street

Through March 15
Wed.-Fri.: 8 PM; Sat.: 3 and 8 PM
Awards & Gala Event: Sunday, March 16 (see http://www.turtleshellproductions.com for details)

Tickets: Theater Mania 212-352-3101

Stage Buzz Review by Byrne Harrison

There are two shows called Austentatious currently playing at the Julia Miles Theater. One of them is a horrifyingly bad adaptation of Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ being put on at a local community theatre by a group of mediocre thespians. The other is the fun musical about the birth of that production with music and lyrics by Matt Board and Joe Slabe, and book by Board, Slabe, Jane Caplow, Kate Galvin and Luisa Hinchliff. The former is as deliciously terrible as the latter is clever and amusing.

Austentatious the musical follows the birth of Austentatious the play being performed by the Central Riverdale Amateur Players. Their long-time creative director has left to do bigger and better things – dinner theatre – leaving the company without a leader. Hoping to fill that gap is Emily (Stacey Sargeant), a dancer/playwright/behind the scenes director, who has written Austentatious and is staging it with the help of Dominic (Stephen Bel Davies), a pretentious, wannabe director who has little knowledge of the theatre and even less of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (he owns the DVD and is shocked to discover they made a book out of it).

The production is plagued by problems from the beginning. Only five people show up for the audition: Emily, who plans to star in the show she’s written; Jessica (Lisa Asher), a veteran of the Central Riverdale Amateur Players; Blake (Paul Wyatt), a young man with a bit of a drug habit who is using the play to get out of his group therapy sessions; and a couple, Lauren and David (Amy Goldberger and George Merrick) – she plans to play Elizabeth and he’s there to help her, not to audition. David, of course, ends up as Mr. Darcy, while Emily is cast as Elizabeth by her boyfriend, Dominic. Watching over them all is Sam (Stephanie D’Abruzzo), the stage manager. She is above the egos and the in-fighting. She only wants to see the show succeed.

What follows is a little bit of ‘Waiting for Guffman’ with some Noises Off thrown in. Along the way there are some wonderful songs, a love story, a full-fledged meltdown by the overworked and underappreciated Sam, and a dance-off between Elizabeth Bennet and her sister, the Pirate Queen, on 42nd Street in New York City (seriously). It’s a fun, silly, crazy adventure that culminates in an awful, but wildly amusing production of the play.

For a musical, however, Austentatious seems a little light on music. Board and Slabe’s songs are good, especially Sam’s “I Manage,” David’s sweet “By the Book,” and the full company number “Tech,” which shows the technical rehearsal before the play opens. But several of the songs merely peer into the characters’ inner lives and motivations, which is interesting, I suppose, but in most cases doesn’t cover anything that the book and the actors themselves haven’t conveyed.

In addition, it’s worth noting that the most hilarious portion of the musical, the actual performance of Austentatious has no musical numbers, other than the dance-off.

Acting is solid throughout the production, with particularly good work by Stephanie D’Abruzzo, Stephen Bel Davies, and Paul Wyatt.

Austentatious, like most of the musicals in the festival, shares its space with other productions. Given that limitation, set designer Jesse Poleshuck and lighting designer Jeff Croiter do an excellent job. Also commendable is Sarah Maiorino’s costume design. The costumes for the play within the play were marvelous, and the street clothes worn by the actors seemed to fit each one’s personality to a tee.

Austentatious is a fun musical with a few flaws that might bother critics, but probably won’t interfere with your enjoyment of the show. It’s well worth a look.

Music and Lyrics by Matt Board and Joe Slabe
Book by Matt Board, Jane Caplow, Kate Galvin, Luisa Hinchliff, and Joe Slabe Directed by Mary Catherine Burke
Musical Director: Matt Castle
Choreographer: Rhonda Miller
Asst. Choreographer: Jennifer Littlefield
Stage Manager: Leah McVeigh
ASM/Prop Master: Marianne Ward
Scenic Design: Jesse Poleshuck
Lighting Design: Jeff Croiter
Lighting Programmer: Ku’uipo Curry
Costume Design: Sarah Maiorino
Costume Assistant: Elizabeth Ektefaei
Technical Supervisor: Nathan Watson
Set Construction: No Time for Love Productions, Ken Larson Company
Publicity: Sun Productions, Inc.
Producing Consultant: David Carpenter

Featuring Lisa Asher (Jessica), Stephen Bel Davies (Dominic), Stephanie D’Abruzzo (Sam), Amy Goldberger (Lauren), George Merrick (David), Stacey Sargeant (Emily), Paul Wyatt (Blake)

Featured Musicians: Matt Castle (Piano), Christopher Downes (Bass), Michael Klopp (Drums)

Julia Miles Theater
424 W. 55th Street

Closed Sunday, September 29th

Stage Buzz Review by Byrne Harrison

Science fiction films from the ’50s and ’60s have provided marvelous fodder for parodists. Their bright-eyed optimism, cheesy special effects and unabashed anticommunist messages seem to be especially fertile ground – witness such shows as Little Shop of Horrors, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Zombie Prom, and Reefer Madness (okay, not technically sci fi based, but it has the right vibe). Also consider Mystery Science Theater 3000, a show created to mock these over-earnest, over-acted films.

For The Brain From Planet X, writers Bruce Kimmel and David Wechter have created a show that is, at its best, a kitschy send-up of those sci fi groaners. Unfortunately, due primarily to a weak book, static direction by Kimmel, some lame borscht belt one-liners and sight gags, and a rather uncomfortable audience participation segment, the show never really lives up to its full potential.

The Brain From Planet X, predictably, deals with an invasion from outer space. It’s 1958 and aliens have set their sights on the San Fernando Valley. They won’t stop until all mankind is enslaved. The Brain (Barry Pearl), with sidekicks Yoni (Alet Taylor) and Zubrick (Cason Murphy) in tow, has the ultimate weapon, a Mind-Bending Ray, that saps the will from anyone who gets zapped by it. Only the Bunson family - good, upstanding, God-fearing Americans - stand in their way. Can the Bunsons stop the invasion and save mankind? Probably. But it’s the how and when that make it fun.

The show is certainly not without its charms. Foremost among these are Bruce Kimmel’s delightful songs. The opening number “The Brain from Planet X” gets the show off to a rousing start, aided by some able choreography by Adam Cates. Kimmel shows good range throughout the show with such songs as “Good Girl/Bad Girl,” “The World of Tomorrow,” his ironic look at the future from the standpoint of the ’50s, the fun and Sondheim-styled “Things Are Gonna Be Changing Around Here,” a duet featuring Amy Bodnar and Rob Evan, and the wild, though totally inappropriate for the show, “The Brain Tap,” a tap dance number which sounds like it could easily find a home in The Drowsy Chaperone.

Even the book has its moments. The role of the Narrator (played with mock seriousness by Benjamin Clark) is spot on. From his notice that a nurse is standing by to assist those whose constitutions might too weak for a show this terrifying to his explanation of the wonder of Feel-O-Rama (a brilliant touch by Kimmel and Wechter), he pokes fun at the terrific excesses of these films. Indeed, when the dialogue is following or even slightly mocking the overwrought dialogue from the ’50s films, it works. It’s when the show veers toward total camp, cheesy one-liners, and novelty songs that it loses steam.

Even when the book doesn’t come through, the acting goes a long way toward making up for it. Of particular note are Merrill Grant as Donna Bunson, the good girl who really wants to be bad, Alet Taylor as the man-hungry space alien, Yoni. The pixyish Grant shows off her athletic ability and comic timing in “Good Girl/Bad Girl,” while trying her best to seduce her beatnik boyfriend (Paul Downs Colaizzo). Taylor shines at several points, most notably during her song “I Need An Earthman.” Chad Harlow deserves praise for his work as Private Partz, a non-speaking role that he plays with much aplomb. A mere roll of his eyes is enough to get the audience laughing.

Also worth noting is the herculean effort put forth by Barry Pearl as the Brain. Covered from neck to feet by a black sheath and wearing a gigantic brain helmet (one of many wonderful costumes designed by Jessa-Raye Court) so he appears to be a giant floating brain, he nonetheless manages to be dynamic and amusing.

The Brain From Planet X has its share of flaws, but if you are a fan of the old sci fi movies it sends up, or just want to enjoy some good music, it’s worth checking out. If you have a low tolerance for cheesy one-liners, this one probably isn’t for you.

Book by David Wechter and Bruce Kimmel
Music and Lyrics by Bruce Kimmel Directed by Bruce Kimmel
Choreographed by Adam Cates
Scenic Design: Heather Wolensky
Costume Design: Jessa-Raye Court
Lighting Design: Jason Scott
Sound Designer: Sara Even
Orchestrations: Larry Moore
Additional Vocal and Dance Arrangements: Lawrence Goldberg
Technical Director: Travis Walker
Stage Manager: Rachel Maier
Music Direction/Conductor: Lawrence Goldberg
Casting: Michael Cassara Casting
Publicist: Sun Productions, Inc.
General Management: Martian Entertainment, Carl D. White, Lauren P. Yates

Featuring Amy Bodnar (Joyce Bunson), Benjamin Clark (Narrator/Professor Leder), Paul Downs Colaizzo (Rod), Rob Evan (Fred Bunson), Merrill Grant (Donna Bunson), Chad Harlow (Private Partz/Ensemble), Joe Jackson (Ensemble), Naomi Kakuk (Ensemble), Cason Murphy (Zubrick), Denise Payne (Ensemble), Barry Pearl (The Brain), Richard Pruitt (General Mills), Alet Taylor (Yoni), Erin Webley (Ensemble), Steven Wenslawski (Ensemble)

Featured Musicians: Lawrence Goldberg (Keyboard 1), Brian Cimmet (Keyboard 2), Greg Thymius (Reeds), Marc Schmied (Bass), Aaron Russell (Drums)

Acorn Theatre
410 W. 42nd Street

Closes Sunday, September 30th, see www.nymf.org for schedule and tickets