Review by Bryan Stryker
When a play has a title such as Assholes and Aureoles, you know you're not in for a squeaky clean Neil Simon experience.
A series of eight interwoven scenes involving domestic abuse, child molestation, rape, self-identification, sexual harrassment, and more are served up with an extra twist of the knife. Just when you think you know where a scene is heading, it veers off in the opposite direction. This thoroughly engaging (not to mention laugh-out-loud funny) piece comes from the delightfully warped minds of its performers, the spritely Diane Kondrat, her performance partner, the Amazonian Karen Irwin, and playwright Eric Pfeffinger.
"What must it feel like to do such good...and be so hot," muses Kondrat during a monologue, as she holds up an 8x10 glossy of Chris Hansen, host of the "Dateline NBC" program's "To Catch a Predator" series. The wide-eyed admiration and adulation for the investigative reporter glistens from her eyes and you can't help but laugh. From there, she launches into a sexual fantasy involving Hansen as if he was a member of a junior debate team competing at a regional competition in Rochester.
Irwin shines during her monologue about a woman who is about to be raped but is able to deftly fend off her attacker by claiming it wouldn't be rape, as she would consent to the act.
"But it'll be rough," she growls as the rapist.
"That's the only way I like it," she drawls.
The seriousness of the subject matter and the subversive take Irwin gives the matter makes you squirm while laughing at the same time.
With four solid scenes under their belt, Irwin and Kondrat tackle what is termed in the playbill as "The Long Scene" set in a woman's domestic abuse shelter. Kondrat plays the harried social worker interviewing volunteer Irwin, and takes her through a role play scene of how to handle certain situations. Kondrat's abused wife with an "undeterminable Eastern European accent" and Irwin's social worker soon include other characters like the redneck husband, an Irish coworker, and a good old boy cop.
While the actresses magically throw themselves into these characters, I couldn't help but think that I've seen the same "actress-playing-multiple-parts-in-one-scene" bit done before and much better (Kristine Nielsen in Durang's Betty's Summer Vacation comes to mind). The timing seemed off during the performance as if it should have played much quicker with less transitioning between character changes.
Additionally, "long" is a bit of an understatement for the scene, as the it dominates the running time of the show and could have been trimmed by a good five to seven minutes while still maintaining the integrity of the scene. Sadly, the momentum generated by the actresses during their first four scenes is lost during this segment. The goodwill generated from the audience during the prior scenes seemed to slowly dissipate, and the final two scenes dealing with suicide and political correctness did not get the response that it could or should have.
Leonora Trey deftly maneuvers her players across the stage with minimal props and staging. Through the two chairs, a card table, modular boxes, and a few pieces of fabric, Trey, along with lighting designer, Marc Tschida recreates the staging for each scene making it easily recognizable and identifiable within the first few moments of each vignette.
Assholes and Aureoles is a delightful comic romp that requires you to leave your sense of right/wrong, black/white, good/bad at home, and embrace a slightly skewed view of some taboo topics.
Assholes and Aureoles
Written by Eric Pfeffinger
Creative Consultant: Nell Weatherwax
Fight Choreographer: Adam Noble
Lighting Designer: Marc Tschida
Featuring: Diane Kondrat and Karen Irwin
WorkShop Theater Company - Jewel Box Theater
312 West 36th Street, 4th Floor
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Review - Pretençión (Pinchbottom and Collective: Unconscious)
Review by Byrne Harrison
Photo by Ted D'Ottavio
Burlesque is generally not what one would consider a highbrow art form. But imagine if it were. In Pretençión, Pinchbottom's latest theatrical burlesque being presented as part of the undergroundzero festival, burlesque impresario Jonny Porkpie imagines a world where burlesque is every bit as pretentious as Cirque du Soleil (not that they are ever mentioned by name). But, egads and alas, Nasty Canasta and Tigger!, performers in this cirque de burlesque, have lost their pretension. And without pretension, all that's left is just, well, boobs.
Enter Jonny Porkpie, the man who can save the cirque and help them to retrieve their pretension. He urges Nasty and Tigger! to use their imaginations to enter another world (one remarkably similar to Oz and which contains Jonny Porkpies of the North, South, East and West) where they can find their lost pretension, with the help of the lovely Naughtia Nice and unwilling audience member, Arrogant Mick. As Nasty, Tigger!, Naughtia and Mick travel through this land of imagination, they encounter its numerous inhabitants, most of whom happen to be lovely young women (the various guest stars, each with an amazing burlesque number).
Will Nasty and Tigger! get back their pretension? Will Arrogant Mick learn to loosen up and use his imagination? Are we ready to live in a world with more than one Jonny Porkpie? Is all of this just a flimsy excuse to showcase some of the city's hotest burlesque talent?
The answer to most of the questions (all, if you happen to be Jonny Porkpie) is yes.
Porkpie has spun a cute tale with just enough plot to make the show interesting, but not so much as to weigh it down. With a lewd wink and a sly nod, he makes fun of everything, himself included, and makes sure the audience has a good time.
Nasty Canasta, Naughtia Nice and Tigger! give solid and amusing performances, as does Arrogant Mick, who starts the show as an audience member. Mick plays a good foil to Jonny Porkpie's Willy Wonka-esque character, and shows off a remarkable voice during the musical finale, though he alone out of the cast doesn't strip down.
The July 16 performance featured Amber Ray as a gleefully malevolent bunny, Julie Atlas Muz in a Balinese inspired dance, Ms Tickle in a white feathered costume that was the most amazing of the evening, and the always amazing Gigi La Femme in a naughty spanking number.
Though Pretençión has closed, look for Pinchbottom's upcoming Marx Brothers inspired show A Day on the Boardwalk, A Night at the Sideshow in August. For information, visit Pinchbottom's web page.
Pretençión
Script by Porkpie
Set Design: Pink Inc.
Press Photos: Ted D'Ottavio
Directorial Assistance: Greg Cicchino
Stage Manager: David Bishop
Stage Kittens: Sapphire Jones (Wed, Thurs), Jasmin (Fri), Lefty Lucy (Sat, Sun)
Presented in association with Collective: Unconscious and Tom Keenan
Associate Producer for Collective: Unconscious: Vik Keenan
Starring: Nasty Canasta, Jonny Porkpie, Naughtia Nice, Arrogant Mick, Tigger!
Guest stars:
Wed 7/15: Angie Pontani, Dirty Martini, Mat Fraser, Peekaboo Pointe
Thu 7/16: Amber Ray, Gigi La Femme, Julie Atlas Muz, Ms Tickle
Friday 7/17: Bambi the Mermaid, Clams Casino, Jo Boobs, Ruby Valentine
Sat 7/18: Darlinda Just Darlinda, Harvest Moon, Legs Malone, Leroi the Girl Boi
Sun 7/19: Creamy Stevens, Gal Friday, Little Brooklyn, Madame Rosebud
PS 122
150 First Ave.
Photo by Ted D'Ottavio
Burlesque is generally not what one would consider a highbrow art form. But imagine if it were. In Pretençión, Pinchbottom's latest theatrical burlesque being presented as part of the undergroundzero festival, burlesque impresario Jonny Porkpie imagines a world where burlesque is every bit as pretentious as Cirque du Soleil (not that they are ever mentioned by name). But, egads and alas, Nasty Canasta and Tigger!, performers in this cirque de burlesque, have lost their pretension. And without pretension, all that's left is just, well, boobs.
Enter Jonny Porkpie, the man who can save the cirque and help them to retrieve their pretension. He urges Nasty and Tigger! to use their imaginations to enter another world (one remarkably similar to Oz and which contains Jonny Porkpies of the North, South, East and West) where they can find their lost pretension, with the help of the lovely Naughtia Nice and unwilling audience member, Arrogant Mick. As Nasty, Tigger!, Naughtia and Mick travel through this land of imagination, they encounter its numerous inhabitants, most of whom happen to be lovely young women (the various guest stars, each with an amazing burlesque number).
Will Nasty and Tigger! get back their pretension? Will Arrogant Mick learn to loosen up and use his imagination? Are we ready to live in a world with more than one Jonny Porkpie? Is all of this just a flimsy excuse to showcase some of the city's hotest burlesque talent?
The answer to most of the questions (all, if you happen to be Jonny Porkpie) is yes.
Porkpie has spun a cute tale with just enough plot to make the show interesting, but not so much as to weigh it down. With a lewd wink and a sly nod, he makes fun of everything, himself included, and makes sure the audience has a good time.
Nasty Canasta, Naughtia Nice and Tigger! give solid and amusing performances, as does Arrogant Mick, who starts the show as an audience member. Mick plays a good foil to Jonny Porkpie's Willy Wonka-esque character, and shows off a remarkable voice during the musical finale, though he alone out of the cast doesn't strip down.
The July 16 performance featured Amber Ray as a gleefully malevolent bunny, Julie Atlas Muz in a Balinese inspired dance, Ms Tickle in a white feathered costume that was the most amazing of the evening, and the always amazing Gigi La Femme in a naughty spanking number.
Though Pretençión has closed, look for Pinchbottom's upcoming Marx Brothers inspired show A Day on the Boardwalk, A Night at the Sideshow in August. For information, visit Pinchbottom's web page.
Pretençión
Script by Porkpie
Set Design: Pink Inc.
Press Photos: Ted D'Ottavio
Directorial Assistance: Greg Cicchino
Stage Manager: David Bishop
Stage Kittens: Sapphire Jones (Wed, Thurs), Jasmin (Fri), Lefty Lucy (Sat, Sun)
Presented in association with Collective: Unconscious and Tom Keenan
Associate Producer for Collective: Unconscious: Vik Keenan
Starring: Nasty Canasta, Jonny Porkpie, Naughtia Nice, Arrogant Mick, Tigger!
Guest stars:
Wed 7/15: Angie Pontani, Dirty Martini, Mat Fraser, Peekaboo Pointe
Thu 7/16: Amber Ray, Gigi La Femme, Julie Atlas Muz, Ms Tickle
Friday 7/17: Bambi the Mermaid, Clams Casino, Jo Boobs, Ruby Valentine
Sat 7/18: Darlinda Just Darlinda, Harvest Moon, Legs Malone, Leroi the Girl Boi
Sun 7/19: Creamy Stevens, Gal Friday, Little Brooklyn, Madame Rosebud
PS 122
150 First Ave.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
5th Avenue Theatre Cancels July 23rd and 24th Previews of Catch Me If You Can
By Byrne Harrison
The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle has announced the cancellation of the first two previews of Catch Me If You Can, the new musical based on the 2002 Dreamworks film. According to the Seattle Times, this is due to the death of Teresa Butz, sister of Norbert Leo Butz, who was killed during an attack in her South Park home. Her partner was also injured, but was treated and released.
Norbert Leo Butz, a Broadway stalwart and Tony Award winner most recently seen on Broadway in Speed the Plow, is scheduled to star as Carl Hanratty opposite Aaron Tveit as Frank Abagnale, Jr.
Our prayers go out to his family in this difficult time.
The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle has announced the cancellation of the first two previews of Catch Me If You Can, the new musical based on the 2002 Dreamworks film. According to the Seattle Times, this is due to the death of Teresa Butz, sister of Norbert Leo Butz, who was killed during an attack in her South Park home. Her partner was also injured, but was treated and released.
Norbert Leo Butz, a Broadway stalwart and Tony Award winner most recently seen on Broadway in Speed the Plow, is scheduled to star as Carl Hanratty opposite Aaron Tveit as Frank Abagnale, Jr.
Our prayers go out to his family in this difficult time.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Review - The Hunger Artist (Human Group and Horse Trade Theater Group)
Review by Byrne Harrison
Photo by Romina Memoli
"I have to fast, I can't do otherwise."
Imagine that you have a unique talent. One that leads to acclaim from the masses - even though they don't quite understand it. You bask in that acclaim; it becomes your sustenance.
And then, tastes change and it all disappears.
What would you do with that aching need to perform?
This is the world of the hunger artist (Nick Fesette). Once renowned for his asceticism and his ability to fast, he is now looked upon as a mere oddity; just another circus attraction that you pass on your way from the big top to the menagerie. Where his impresario once set up his cage in the middle of the town square and people came from all around to watch, he is now just another attraction at a circus, sitting alone and forgotten, as the crowds hurry by him with cursory, incurious glances.
While this seems like a curse to the artist, it soon becomes a blessing. Now freed from his impresario's watchful eyes and his limit of forty days for any fast, the hunger artist can finally reach his true potential. He begins a fast that will be longer than any he has ever completed.
But will anyone, including the hunger artist himself, ever realize what he has achieved?
Adapted from Kafka's short story, "Ein Hungerkünstler," Nick Fesette's The Hunger Artist is a dark and expressionistic piece. Using only a bare, straw-covered stage, Fesette turns The Red Room into a cage, with the audience peering in through imaginary bars. At times, the hunger artist puts his arm through these bars, inviting us to marvel at how thin they are. And though he performs for us and makes us laugh, the bars that separate him from us are not nearly as strong as his disdain for people like us.
This disdain is starkly illustrated by the way he sees the impresario and the people who come to observe him (Julia Crockett, William Slater Welles, Stephen Arnoczy). Loud, crass, and awkward in movement, they are grotesque, nightmarish creatures, who at once sustain him and torture him.
Fesette gives a visceral and mesmerizing performance, inspiring a range of emotions from sympathy and disgust. Crockett, Welles and Arnoczy also excel, especially given the completely unrealistic acting style called upon by the play. Their Weimar-flavored costumes, no designer is credited, complete the effect, and help reinforce the difference between them and the hunger artist, who is clothed only in a pair of black leggings.
While Fesette has created an affecting piece of theatre and excels as an actor, the weakness in The Hunger Artist is in its direction. A short play, lasting only an hour, The Hunger Artist nevertheless occasionally drags, most obviously when dealing with the "others" being portrayed by Crockett, Welles and Arnoczy. Giving the actors odd bits of business - repeating phrases, fainting on or otherwise interacting with the audience, stylized movement - is effective in setting them apart from the hunger artist and showing how he feels about them, but a little bit goes a long way. Although this short show would be even shorter if some of their business were trimmed, it would more easily hold the audience's attention.
Expressionistic and experimental, The Hunger Artist is a challenging production that will not be to everyone's liking. But in a world of realistic theatre, it's nice to see something so completely theatrical, and Human Group is to be commended for staging it.
The Hunger Artist
Performance authored by Nick Fesette
From the story by Franz Kafka
Additional texts by Sarah Kane, Tadeusz Rozewicz, Georg Buchner
Lyrics for "Baal's Song" by Bertolt Brecht
"Panther's Song" by Winston Cook Wilson
Original Music: Winston Cook Wilson
Lighting and Stage Management: Randi Rivera
Produced for Human Group by Lindsey Hope Pearlman
Publicity: Emily Owens PR
Featuring: Nick Fesette, Julia Crockett, William Slater Welles, Stephen Arnoczy
The Red Room
85 E. 4th Street
July 16, 17, 18 - 8 PM
Photo by Romina Memoli
"I have to fast, I can't do otherwise."
Imagine that you have a unique talent. One that leads to acclaim from the masses - even though they don't quite understand it. You bask in that acclaim; it becomes your sustenance.
And then, tastes change and it all disappears.
What would you do with that aching need to perform?
This is the world of the hunger artist (Nick Fesette). Once renowned for his asceticism and his ability to fast, he is now looked upon as a mere oddity; just another circus attraction that you pass on your way from the big top to the menagerie. Where his impresario once set up his cage in the middle of the town square and people came from all around to watch, he is now just another attraction at a circus, sitting alone and forgotten, as the crowds hurry by him with cursory, incurious glances.
While this seems like a curse to the artist, it soon becomes a blessing. Now freed from his impresario's watchful eyes and his limit of forty days for any fast, the hunger artist can finally reach his true potential. He begins a fast that will be longer than any he has ever completed.
But will anyone, including the hunger artist himself, ever realize what he has achieved?
Adapted from Kafka's short story, "Ein Hungerkünstler," Nick Fesette's The Hunger Artist is a dark and expressionistic piece. Using only a bare, straw-covered stage, Fesette turns The Red Room into a cage, with the audience peering in through imaginary bars. At times, the hunger artist puts his arm through these bars, inviting us to marvel at how thin they are. And though he performs for us and makes us laugh, the bars that separate him from us are not nearly as strong as his disdain for people like us.
This disdain is starkly illustrated by the way he sees the impresario and the people who come to observe him (Julia Crockett, William Slater Welles, Stephen Arnoczy). Loud, crass, and awkward in movement, they are grotesque, nightmarish creatures, who at once sustain him and torture him.
Fesette gives a visceral and mesmerizing performance, inspiring a range of emotions from sympathy and disgust. Crockett, Welles and Arnoczy also excel, especially given the completely unrealistic acting style called upon by the play. Their Weimar-flavored costumes, no designer is credited, complete the effect, and help reinforce the difference between them and the hunger artist, who is clothed only in a pair of black leggings.
While Fesette has created an affecting piece of theatre and excels as an actor, the weakness in The Hunger Artist is in its direction. A short play, lasting only an hour, The Hunger Artist nevertheless occasionally drags, most obviously when dealing with the "others" being portrayed by Crockett, Welles and Arnoczy. Giving the actors odd bits of business - repeating phrases, fainting on or otherwise interacting with the audience, stylized movement - is effective in setting them apart from the hunger artist and showing how he feels about them, but a little bit goes a long way. Although this short show would be even shorter if some of their business were trimmed, it would more easily hold the audience's attention.
Expressionistic and experimental, The Hunger Artist is a challenging production that will not be to everyone's liking. But in a world of realistic theatre, it's nice to see something so completely theatrical, and Human Group is to be commended for staging it.
The Hunger Artist
Performance authored by Nick Fesette
From the story by Franz Kafka
Additional texts by Sarah Kane, Tadeusz Rozewicz, Georg Buchner
Lyrics for "Baal's Song" by Bertolt Brecht
"Panther's Song" by Winston Cook Wilson
Original Music: Winston Cook Wilson
Lighting and Stage Management: Randi Rivera
Produced for Human Group by Lindsey Hope Pearlman
Publicity: Emily Owens PR
Featuring: Nick Fesette, Julia Crockett, William Slater Welles, Stephen Arnoczy
The Red Room
85 E. 4th Street
July 16, 17, 18 - 8 PM
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Review - America: A Problem Play (On the Square Productions and the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity)
Review by Bryan Stryker
In an era when wiretapping is conducted sans warrants, government officials determine that they can ignore portions of the Geneva Convention, citizens willingly give up personal privacy and rights under the Patriot Act, only to see how intrusive the government could and would be, and leaders in both major parties are guilty of major moral failings, Deborah Wolfson’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s problem play Measure for Measure comes at a timely point in our country’s history.
America: A Problem Play doesn’t veer much from its original source. Duke Vincentio (Kareem M. Lucas) is leaving on a diplomatic mission and temporarily turns over power to Angelo (Devon Anderson), a trusted judge. Under the Duke’s leadership, things have gotten a wee bit lax in the enforcing of local laws. Sadly for the citizenry, Angelo believes in a firm hand when dispensing judgment. There is no grey area for him; there is only the crime and the prescribed punishment. When Claudio (Michael Swarz) is arrested for impregnating his girlfriend, he is promptly arrested and sentenced according to the law – death. His sister Isabella (Samantha Debicki) intercedes with Angelo on his behalf and learns that the only way that she can free her brother is to sleep with him, thereby exposing himself as a hypocrite. Meanwhile Duke Vincentio has disguised himself as a local friar in order to keep an eye on Angelo. He befriends Isabella, who divulges what is being asked of her. Together they concoct a plan to one-up Angelo at his own game, and submit him to the same punishment that he rendered to Claudio.
The title for Shakespeare’s play comes from the Bible:
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. – Matthew 7:2
For many years it was considered, oddly enough, to be a comedy but was then reclassified as a “problem play” where the situation that is put forth by the playwright is representative of a social issue or problem. For playwright and director Deborah Wolfson, the inspiration for this piece clearly comes from the George W. Bush presidency, and what she views as a stricter society with less personal liberties than in past years. While still holding true to the original piece, Wolfson has also interspersed the writings of author Naomi Wolf throughout the piece. These moments seem jarring as characters slip out of their Shakespearean dialogue into a more modern jargon, but they still fit the context of the play.
Samantha Debicki shines as the conflicted Isabella, torn between sacrificing her virtue for her brother’s life. Her scenes with Devon Anderson’s diabolical Angelo are riveting to watch. Kareem M. Lucas is a suitable Duke Vincentio, though at times his focus seems to waver. In the ensemble, the comic relief of Nik Kourtis’ Pompey and Anna Marquardt’s Mistress Overdone are a delight, helping break the tense moments with a well-timed zinger.
Zane Robert Enloe’s set, six simple freestanding, doublesided art works, helps the audience understand the transition in power. With the cast members rotating the pictures to their other side, Enloe helped reinforce playwright Wolfson’s vision.
America: A Problem Play
Written and Directed by Deborah Wolfson
Set Design: Zane Robert Enloe
Lighting Design: Matt Lausi
Costume Design: Nicky Smith
Production Stage Manager: Debra Stunich
Some Text & Inspiration: Naomi Wolf
Featuring: Devon Anderson (Angelo), Samantha Debicki (Isabella), Bethany Geraghty (Provost), Jeffrey Golde (Friar Thomas/Servant), Nik Kourtis (Pompey), Kareem M. Lucas (Duke Vincentio), Anna Marquardt (Mistress Overdone), Kyle Masteller (Lucio), Aaliyah Sams (Escalus), Michael Swarz (Claudio), Emily Tucker (Mariana)
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity
Closed June 25th
In an era when wiretapping is conducted sans warrants, government officials determine that they can ignore portions of the Geneva Convention, citizens willingly give up personal privacy and rights under the Patriot Act, only to see how intrusive the government could and would be, and leaders in both major parties are guilty of major moral failings, Deborah Wolfson’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s problem play Measure for Measure comes at a timely point in our country’s history.
America: A Problem Play doesn’t veer much from its original source. Duke Vincentio (Kareem M. Lucas) is leaving on a diplomatic mission and temporarily turns over power to Angelo (Devon Anderson), a trusted judge. Under the Duke’s leadership, things have gotten a wee bit lax in the enforcing of local laws. Sadly for the citizenry, Angelo believes in a firm hand when dispensing judgment. There is no grey area for him; there is only the crime and the prescribed punishment. When Claudio (Michael Swarz) is arrested for impregnating his girlfriend, he is promptly arrested and sentenced according to the law – death. His sister Isabella (Samantha Debicki) intercedes with Angelo on his behalf and learns that the only way that she can free her brother is to sleep with him, thereby exposing himself as a hypocrite. Meanwhile Duke Vincentio has disguised himself as a local friar in order to keep an eye on Angelo. He befriends Isabella, who divulges what is being asked of her. Together they concoct a plan to one-up Angelo at his own game, and submit him to the same punishment that he rendered to Claudio.
The title for Shakespeare’s play comes from the Bible:
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. – Matthew 7:2
For many years it was considered, oddly enough, to be a comedy but was then reclassified as a “problem play” where the situation that is put forth by the playwright is representative of a social issue or problem. For playwright and director Deborah Wolfson, the inspiration for this piece clearly comes from the George W. Bush presidency, and what she views as a stricter society with less personal liberties than in past years. While still holding true to the original piece, Wolfson has also interspersed the writings of author Naomi Wolf throughout the piece. These moments seem jarring as characters slip out of their Shakespearean dialogue into a more modern jargon, but they still fit the context of the play.
Samantha Debicki shines as the conflicted Isabella, torn between sacrificing her virtue for her brother’s life. Her scenes with Devon Anderson’s diabolical Angelo are riveting to watch. Kareem M. Lucas is a suitable Duke Vincentio, though at times his focus seems to waver. In the ensemble, the comic relief of Nik Kourtis’ Pompey and Anna Marquardt’s Mistress Overdone are a delight, helping break the tense moments with a well-timed zinger.
Zane Robert Enloe’s set, six simple freestanding, doublesided art works, helps the audience understand the transition in power. With the cast members rotating the pictures to their other side, Enloe helped reinforce playwright Wolfson’s vision.
America: A Problem Play
Written and Directed by Deborah Wolfson
Set Design: Zane Robert Enloe
Lighting Design: Matt Lausi
Costume Design: Nicky Smith
Production Stage Manager: Debra Stunich
Some Text & Inspiration: Naomi Wolf
Featuring: Devon Anderson (Angelo), Samantha Debicki (Isabella), Bethany Geraghty (Provost), Jeffrey Golde (Friar Thomas/Servant), Nik Kourtis (Pompey), Kareem M. Lucas (Duke Vincentio), Anna Marquardt (Mistress Overdone), Kyle Masteller (Lucio), Aaliyah Sams (Escalus), Michael Swarz (Claudio), Emily Tucker (Mariana)
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity
Closed June 25th
Review - Wait of the World (Peter and Matt’s Production Company and the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity)
Review by Bryan Stryker
What if the fate of the entire world was controlled by the temperament of one person? Is one person really controlling everything from Hurricane Katrina to the tsunami that ravaged southeast Asia? That is the premise of Wait of the World by Peter Dagger and presented by the Planet Connections Theater Festivity.
As an astronomy class starts, the students learn that their beloved professor (Jenny Checchia) is not going to be in, and that a substitute will be taking her place. While they wait, the students begin to argue the basic tenets of their class; this leads into a discussion of astronomy versus astrology. Soon the students discover a notebook that their teacher left behind for them. It's instructions say that the contents should be read to the entire class. With this, the audience is introduced to Adam Moody (Harry Einhorn) – a child conceived entirely out of love, whose father was killed by a lightning strike at the moment of Adam's conception.
Adam has always been an odd child. The house he lives in keeps sinking into the ground. His mother has grown used to getting concerned phone calls from teachers due to the graphic nature of Adam’s poetry and pictures. Thankfully, his Mother (Joyce Miller) never had to worry about putting those pictures on the refrigerator, since Adam seems to have the power to keep magnets from staying on the fridge. As the story progresses we learn of Adam’s “power” – namely his mood swings that have caused everything from the tragic Southeast Asia tsunami to Hurricane Katrina. In fact, the professor has discovered that Adam is the child the Mayan’s predicted would ultimately hurl Earth into the Sun in 2012.
In her final message to her class, the professor advises her students to live life to the fullest. With only a few years left until Earth is destroyed by the sun, she is choosing to go out and find her own love, rather than staying shuttered in her scientific realm.
Director Jeremy Bloom makes an intriguing move in staging Wait of the World – he moves the audience to the stage and the actors to the platforms that normally house the seating area. This clever use of space, superbly realized by designer Sean Ward, allows the actors to perform in a multi-level environment. The only downside of such a choice is that late comers to the play easily steal focus when they open the door, as they are directly in the audience's line of sight, and the positioning of a few seats directly under speakers sometimes impedes the ability to hear the actors. Otherwise Bloom keeps what could be a rather banal piece moving and engaging, and incorporates grade school science “tricks” to emulate the turmoil in Adam and the havoc he is causing.
While the play is about Adam, who is wonderfully brought to live by Harry Einhorn, the true standout of the show is Joyce Miller. She wonderfully portrays a combination of exhaustion from raising a most unique child, and, seemingly, indifference as well. Nothing fazes Mother and that comes across in Miller’s performance. Through her performance we empathize with her, and marvel at how she has managed to make it this far.
Playwright Peter Dagger's play is a little unwieldy at times and without the strong direction from Jeremy Bloom, the moral he wishes to convey could easily get lost. There is a bit of a letdown at the end when you learn Doctor’s message is simply to go out and live life to the fullest. The moment falls flat and takes the power out of the previous 90 minutes.
Wait of the World
Written by Peter Dagger
Directed by Jeremy Bloom
Scenic Designer: Sean Ward
Featuring: Jenny Checchia (Doctor), Joyce Miller (Mother), Joe Tannenbaum (Scientific Researcher), Rachel Richman (Priestess), Harry Einhorn (Adam Moody)
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity
Closed June 27th
What if the fate of the entire world was controlled by the temperament of one person? Is one person really controlling everything from Hurricane Katrina to the tsunami that ravaged southeast Asia? That is the premise of Wait of the World by Peter Dagger and presented by the Planet Connections Theater Festivity.
As an astronomy class starts, the students learn that their beloved professor (Jenny Checchia) is not going to be in, and that a substitute will be taking her place. While they wait, the students begin to argue the basic tenets of their class; this leads into a discussion of astronomy versus astrology. Soon the students discover a notebook that their teacher left behind for them. It's instructions say that the contents should be read to the entire class. With this, the audience is introduced to Adam Moody (Harry Einhorn) – a child conceived entirely out of love, whose father was killed by a lightning strike at the moment of Adam's conception.
Adam has always been an odd child. The house he lives in keeps sinking into the ground. His mother has grown used to getting concerned phone calls from teachers due to the graphic nature of Adam’s poetry and pictures. Thankfully, his Mother (Joyce Miller) never had to worry about putting those pictures on the refrigerator, since Adam seems to have the power to keep magnets from staying on the fridge. As the story progresses we learn of Adam’s “power” – namely his mood swings that have caused everything from the tragic Southeast Asia tsunami to Hurricane Katrina. In fact, the professor has discovered that Adam is the child the Mayan’s predicted would ultimately hurl Earth into the Sun in 2012.
In her final message to her class, the professor advises her students to live life to the fullest. With only a few years left until Earth is destroyed by the sun, she is choosing to go out and find her own love, rather than staying shuttered in her scientific realm.
Director Jeremy Bloom makes an intriguing move in staging Wait of the World – he moves the audience to the stage and the actors to the platforms that normally house the seating area. This clever use of space, superbly realized by designer Sean Ward, allows the actors to perform in a multi-level environment. The only downside of such a choice is that late comers to the play easily steal focus when they open the door, as they are directly in the audience's line of sight, and the positioning of a few seats directly under speakers sometimes impedes the ability to hear the actors. Otherwise Bloom keeps what could be a rather banal piece moving and engaging, and incorporates grade school science “tricks” to emulate the turmoil in Adam and the havoc he is causing.
While the play is about Adam, who is wonderfully brought to live by Harry Einhorn, the true standout of the show is Joyce Miller. She wonderfully portrays a combination of exhaustion from raising a most unique child, and, seemingly, indifference as well. Nothing fazes Mother and that comes across in Miller’s performance. Through her performance we empathize with her, and marvel at how she has managed to make it this far.
Playwright Peter Dagger's play is a little unwieldy at times and without the strong direction from Jeremy Bloom, the moral he wishes to convey could easily get lost. There is a bit of a letdown at the end when you learn Doctor’s message is simply to go out and live life to the fullest. The moment falls flat and takes the power out of the previous 90 minutes.
Wait of the World
Written by Peter Dagger
Directed by Jeremy Bloom
Scenic Designer: Sean Ward
Featuring: Jenny Checchia (Doctor), Joyce Miller (Mother), Joe Tannenbaum (Scientific Researcher), Rachel Richman (Priestess), Harry Einhorn (Adam Moody)
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity
Closed June 27th
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Review - Our Country (Unrelenting Monkey Productions and the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity)
Review by Byrne Harrison
Country music fans forgive of a lot of things. Arrested for DUI? Boys will be boys. A bit of domestic violence? It's bad, but you're forgiven. Drugs? We all make mistakes.
Gay? Well now, that's something else entirely.
Our Country, a new musical with music and lyrics by Tony Asaro and book by Dan Collins, confronts the issue head on. Tommy Dautry (Justin Utley) has it all - a great voice, a hit love song, "Honestly," that's climbing the country charts, a top-notch band, and a killer smile that charms everyone who sees it.
He also has Duane (Jeremy Pasha), his keyboard player and down-low boyfriend.
Knowing that he'll never catch the brass ring with a boyfriend in tow, Tommy dumps Duane and kicks him out of the band. While he does become a success, the pressure of leading a double life and hiding his sexuality (with the help of the occasional hustler, as explained in the rollicking "Hookers") becomes a bit too much to bear. After an incident involving an undercover cop and a men's room, Tommy spirals down to rock bottom. Faced with continuing to live a lie or embracing his true self, he picks up his guitar and starts over as an out and proud country singer, with a new band in tow. Our Country is presented as a performance on his comeback tour, one that seems limited to skanky venues in out of the way towns.
Begining with the rousing and funny "Lord, Lord, Lord, How the Mighty Fall," Tommy narrates the story of his rise and fall, from his first taste of love (the charming "Not Like That At All"), leaving his small town life behind ("Hittin' the Highway), desire to live his life openly ("Sicka Singin' 'Bout Girls"), and his revelation about life and his place in it ("When Music Mattered" and "Our Country"). Asaro proves himself an exceptional songwriter, capturing the sound and spirit of country music and the storytelling of musical theatre.
Dan Collins' book captures much of the same spirit of Asaro's songs. He also does a good job of taking the needs of the story (exposition, interaction between Tommy and Duane, etc.) and making them work in the context of Tommy's comeback performance. The result is much more theatrical than any country music concert would be, but Collins has captured the essence completely. One weakness in the book is the idea that Tommy would need to start from scratch in rebuilding his career. Embracing one's sexuality openly and honestly tends to lead to universal acclaim from the gay community (athletes Esara Tuaolo and Ian Roberts come to mind, or Neil Patrick Harris and Lance Bass). What made Tommy a pariah among country music fans would have made him a celebrity in gay circles. Our Country shows Tommy performing at a gay sex club, and while it allows Tommy and his band some ribald banter and emphasizes the message of the first song "Lord, Lord, Lord, How the Mighty Fall," it doesn't ring true.
One of the strongest aspects of this production of Our Country is Justin Utley. He has it all - looks, charm, talent, and an excellent voice. He's great when interacting with Pasha (the two have really good stage chemistry), the band, and the audience. As played by Utley, it's easy to see why Tommy was a star, and easy to imagine that he will be again. Jeremy Pasha performs well as Kevin and Duane (it's complicated, but Duane is played by Kevin, Tommy's current keyboard player, who is in turn played by Pasha). Kudos to the rest of the band - Eric Day, Matt Hinkley, Justin Smith, Arvi Sreenivasan - who are not only good musicians, but do a good job serving as a sort of chorus for Tommy.
Minor problems aside, Our Country is a terrific show and features some outstanding songs. While you may have missed your chance to see it at the Planet Connections Festival, it wouldn't surprise me to see this show get revived soon.
Our Country
Music and Lyrics: Tony Asaro
Book: Dan Collins
Producer: Tony Asaro
Director: David Taylor Little
Music Director: Eric Day
Production Stage Manager: Debra Stunich
Associate Producer: Jennifer Ashley Tepper
Orchestrations: Tony Asaro
Set Designer: David Taylor Little
Lighting Designer: Nick Soylom
Sound Designer: Gregory Jacobs-Roseman
Costume Designer: Gordon Leary
Sound Board: Bill Nelson
House Manager: Kevin Cummines
Featuring: Justin Utley (Tommy Dautry), Jeremy Pasha (Kevin/Duane)
Band: Eric Day (Electric Bass/Music Director), Matt Hinkley (Electric Guitar), Justin Smith (Fiddle), Arvi Sreenivasan (Drums), Jeremy Pasha (Piano)
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity
440 Studios
440 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor
Closed June 27th
Country music fans forgive of a lot of things. Arrested for DUI? Boys will be boys. A bit of domestic violence? It's bad, but you're forgiven. Drugs? We all make mistakes.
Gay? Well now, that's something else entirely.
Our Country, a new musical with music and lyrics by Tony Asaro and book by Dan Collins, confronts the issue head on. Tommy Dautry (Justin Utley) has it all - a great voice, a hit love song, "Honestly," that's climbing the country charts, a top-notch band, and a killer smile that charms everyone who sees it.
He also has Duane (Jeremy Pasha), his keyboard player and down-low boyfriend.
Knowing that he'll never catch the brass ring with a boyfriend in tow, Tommy dumps Duane and kicks him out of the band. While he does become a success, the pressure of leading a double life and hiding his sexuality (with the help of the occasional hustler, as explained in the rollicking "Hookers") becomes a bit too much to bear. After an incident involving an undercover cop and a men's room, Tommy spirals down to rock bottom. Faced with continuing to live a lie or embracing his true self, he picks up his guitar and starts over as an out and proud country singer, with a new band in tow. Our Country is presented as a performance on his comeback tour, one that seems limited to skanky venues in out of the way towns.
Begining with the rousing and funny "Lord, Lord, Lord, How the Mighty Fall," Tommy narrates the story of his rise and fall, from his first taste of love (the charming "Not Like That At All"), leaving his small town life behind ("Hittin' the Highway), desire to live his life openly ("Sicka Singin' 'Bout Girls"), and his revelation about life and his place in it ("When Music Mattered" and "Our Country"). Asaro proves himself an exceptional songwriter, capturing the sound and spirit of country music and the storytelling of musical theatre.
Dan Collins' book captures much of the same spirit of Asaro's songs. He also does a good job of taking the needs of the story (exposition, interaction between Tommy and Duane, etc.) and making them work in the context of Tommy's comeback performance. The result is much more theatrical than any country music concert would be, but Collins has captured the essence completely. One weakness in the book is the idea that Tommy would need to start from scratch in rebuilding his career. Embracing one's sexuality openly and honestly tends to lead to universal acclaim from the gay community (athletes Esara Tuaolo and Ian Roberts come to mind, or Neil Patrick Harris and Lance Bass). What made Tommy a pariah among country music fans would have made him a celebrity in gay circles. Our Country shows Tommy performing at a gay sex club, and while it allows Tommy and his band some ribald banter and emphasizes the message of the first song "Lord, Lord, Lord, How the Mighty Fall," it doesn't ring true.
One of the strongest aspects of this production of Our Country is Justin Utley. He has it all - looks, charm, talent, and an excellent voice. He's great when interacting with Pasha (the two have really good stage chemistry), the band, and the audience. As played by Utley, it's easy to see why Tommy was a star, and easy to imagine that he will be again. Jeremy Pasha performs well as Kevin and Duane (it's complicated, but Duane is played by Kevin, Tommy's current keyboard player, who is in turn played by Pasha). Kudos to the rest of the band - Eric Day, Matt Hinkley, Justin Smith, Arvi Sreenivasan - who are not only good musicians, but do a good job serving as a sort of chorus for Tommy.
Minor problems aside, Our Country is a terrific show and features some outstanding songs. While you may have missed your chance to see it at the Planet Connections Festival, it wouldn't surprise me to see this show get revived soon.
Our Country
Music and Lyrics: Tony Asaro
Book: Dan Collins
Producer: Tony Asaro
Director: David Taylor Little
Music Director: Eric Day
Production Stage Manager: Debra Stunich
Associate Producer: Jennifer Ashley Tepper
Orchestrations: Tony Asaro
Set Designer: David Taylor Little
Lighting Designer: Nick Soylom
Sound Designer: Gregory Jacobs-Roseman
Costume Designer: Gordon Leary
Sound Board: Bill Nelson
House Manager: Kevin Cummines
Featuring: Justin Utley (Tommy Dautry), Jeremy Pasha (Kevin/Duane)
Band: Eric Day (Electric Bass/Music Director), Matt Hinkley (Electric Guitar), Justin Smith (Fiddle), Arvi Sreenivasan (Drums), Jeremy Pasha (Piano)
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity
440 Studios
440 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor
Closed June 27th
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Review - Suckers (Cross-Eyed Bear Productions and the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity)
Review by Bryan Stryker
Vampires are the hot, new, "in" thing. From TV's True Blood to the Twilight book and movie franchise, vampires and those that love them are popping up everywhere. Because of this, Duncan Pflaster's Suckers caught my eye and could not be refused.
The play opens with Jeff (Jared Morgenstern) and Romaine (Paula Galloway) in their local park star-gazing. Jeff implores Romaine to join him on the grass gazing toward the heavens, which he says is a much more visceral experience. Romaine, however, fears acquiring Lyme disease. While she does eventually relent, she clearly doesn't enjoy it. They are soon joined in the park by Kendal (Rebecca Hirota) and Rich (Alan McNaney), a lively pair who delight in entertaining the couple. When told of Jeff's desire to lay on the grass and look at the stars, the flirtatious Kendal doesn't hesitate to do a complete split and gaze heavenward, much to Romaine's displeasure. Despite the late hour and Romaine's concern about having an early morning because of church, she and Jeff accompany their new friends to local café.
There they meet Elvis (Sean McLaughlin), a particularly dramatic creature who is in the middle of a poetry recitation. Also at the coffee bar are Harry (Eric C. Bailey), the goth barista, decked out in a fishnet shirt with red velvet vest (excellently created by costume designer Mark Richard Caswell), Raquel (Katherine Damingos) a jittery girl whose parlor trick is knowing celebrities' dates and causes of death, and David, a fey, musical-theatre-loving, sylph-like creature who is under the special care of Elvis. While the mood is festive, Romaine's natural reserve puts a damper on things. That is, of course, until she and Jeff are served a cup of Elvis' special house blend coffee. Suddenly, they are overwhelmed by sensations they've never experienced, and a new world appears before them. Romaine throws off her reserve and joins Elvis in his recitation, wowing the crowd with her astute observations. Jeff tries, but proves himself her intellectual inferior.
Sensing a chink in Romaine's armor of reserve, Elvis' uses her love of books to woo her into his private chamber for further conversation, while Rich and Kendal are left to tend to the wired Jeff, who is enjoying his second cup of the wicked brew. They immediately drop their cheery facades, and show their true conniving, blood sucking ways, feasting on Jeff's blood, while revealing their desire to usurp Elvis.
Meanwhile, Elvis reveals his vampiric self to Romaine and offers her the chance to be his queen, in a totally platonic sense, of course. Elvis realizes the threat that Kendal and Rich pose to him, and given Romaine's intellectual prowess, he knows she'd be the perfect complement and help keep them at bay. But can Romaine reconcile her temptation to join Elvis with her Roman Catholicism? Even if she does agree to help, what about Jeff? Will Elvis and Romaine be strong enough to defeat Kendal and Rich? What about the wild cards, Harry, Raquel, and David? Who will they fight with, if they fight at all? While the outcome is uncertain, one thing is sure - there will be blood.
Suckers comes from the wonderfully warped mind of Duncan Pflaster, who also directs. I must admit to being somewhat wary of playwrights who direct their own work as they tend not to see the holes in their story line, refuse to alter the storyline when it's not working, or sacrifice direction for the sake of the story. It is primarily the latter in this production - the direction is not as strong as it could be. In addition the well-crafted story weakens at the end as Pflaster tries to tie up all the loose ends.
Leading lady Paula Galloway steals the show with her spot-on comedic timing and glares. Her Romaine is endearing and you can't help but root for her as she tries to save Elvis, Jeff, and herself from the clutches of Rich and Kendal. While she flubs a few lines during the course of the 90-minute show, Galloway takes Pfaster's campy story to heart and delivers in scene after scene, often garnering laughs without saying a word.
Shawn McLaughlin's Elvis is about as campy a vampire as you could get. His droll delivery combined with a certain rakish charm makes is clear why others would be drawn to him - even without his hypnotic vampire powers. His dramatic entrance riding atop the coffee counter during a scene change sets the tone for his larger than life persona. Duncan Pflaster has written Elvis as a star and Shawn McLaughlin does not disappoint.
In the ensemble, attention must be paid to that dastardly duo of Rebecca Hirota and Alan McNaney. As Kendal and Rich, they play off of each other so well. They have level of onstage chemistry that is rarely achieved and so much fun to watch - even (or perhaps especially) when they're being bad.
Suckers
Written and Directed by Dunan Pflaster
Fight Choreography: Christopher C. Cariker
Costume Design: Mark Richard Caswell
Featuring: Eric C. Bailey (Harry), Katherine Damingos (Raquel), Joe Fanelli (David), Paula Galloway (Romaine), Rebecca Hirota (Kendal), Shawn McLaughlin (Elvis), Alan McNaney (Rich), Jared Morgenstern (Jeff)
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity
Closed June 27
Vampires are the hot, new, "in" thing. From TV's True Blood to the Twilight book and movie franchise, vampires and those that love them are popping up everywhere. Because of this, Duncan Pflaster's Suckers caught my eye and could not be refused.
The play opens with Jeff (Jared Morgenstern) and Romaine (Paula Galloway) in their local park star-gazing. Jeff implores Romaine to join him on the grass gazing toward the heavens, which he says is a much more visceral experience. Romaine, however, fears acquiring Lyme disease. While she does eventually relent, she clearly doesn't enjoy it. They are soon joined in the park by Kendal (Rebecca Hirota) and Rich (Alan McNaney), a lively pair who delight in entertaining the couple. When told of Jeff's desire to lay on the grass and look at the stars, the flirtatious Kendal doesn't hesitate to do a complete split and gaze heavenward, much to Romaine's displeasure. Despite the late hour and Romaine's concern about having an early morning because of church, she and Jeff accompany their new friends to local café.
There they meet Elvis (Sean McLaughlin), a particularly dramatic creature who is in the middle of a poetry recitation. Also at the coffee bar are Harry (Eric C. Bailey), the goth barista, decked out in a fishnet shirt with red velvet vest (excellently created by costume designer Mark Richard Caswell), Raquel (Katherine Damingos) a jittery girl whose parlor trick is knowing celebrities' dates and causes of death, and David, a fey, musical-theatre-loving, sylph-like creature who is under the special care of Elvis. While the mood is festive, Romaine's natural reserve puts a damper on things. That is, of course, until she and Jeff are served a cup of Elvis' special house blend coffee. Suddenly, they are overwhelmed by sensations they've never experienced, and a new world appears before them. Romaine throws off her reserve and joins Elvis in his recitation, wowing the crowd with her astute observations. Jeff tries, but proves himself her intellectual inferior.
Sensing a chink in Romaine's armor of reserve, Elvis' uses her love of books to woo her into his private chamber for further conversation, while Rich and Kendal are left to tend to the wired Jeff, who is enjoying his second cup of the wicked brew. They immediately drop their cheery facades, and show their true conniving, blood sucking ways, feasting on Jeff's blood, while revealing their desire to usurp Elvis.
Meanwhile, Elvis reveals his vampiric self to Romaine and offers her the chance to be his queen, in a totally platonic sense, of course. Elvis realizes the threat that Kendal and Rich pose to him, and given Romaine's intellectual prowess, he knows she'd be the perfect complement and help keep them at bay. But can Romaine reconcile her temptation to join Elvis with her Roman Catholicism? Even if she does agree to help, what about Jeff? Will Elvis and Romaine be strong enough to defeat Kendal and Rich? What about the wild cards, Harry, Raquel, and David? Who will they fight with, if they fight at all? While the outcome is uncertain, one thing is sure - there will be blood.
Suckers comes from the wonderfully warped mind of Duncan Pflaster, who also directs. I must admit to being somewhat wary of playwrights who direct their own work as they tend not to see the holes in their story line, refuse to alter the storyline when it's not working, or sacrifice direction for the sake of the story. It is primarily the latter in this production - the direction is not as strong as it could be. In addition the well-crafted story weakens at the end as Pflaster tries to tie up all the loose ends.
Leading lady Paula Galloway steals the show with her spot-on comedic timing and glares. Her Romaine is endearing and you can't help but root for her as she tries to save Elvis, Jeff, and herself from the clutches of Rich and Kendal. While she flubs a few lines during the course of the 90-minute show, Galloway takes Pfaster's campy story to heart and delivers in scene after scene, often garnering laughs without saying a word.
Shawn McLaughlin's Elvis is about as campy a vampire as you could get. His droll delivery combined with a certain rakish charm makes is clear why others would be drawn to him - even without his hypnotic vampire powers. His dramatic entrance riding atop the coffee counter during a scene change sets the tone for his larger than life persona. Duncan Pflaster has written Elvis as a star and Shawn McLaughlin does not disappoint.
In the ensemble, attention must be paid to that dastardly duo of Rebecca Hirota and Alan McNaney. As Kendal and Rich, they play off of each other so well. They have level of onstage chemistry that is rarely achieved and so much fun to watch - even (or perhaps especially) when they're being bad.
Suckers
Written and Directed by Dunan Pflaster
Fight Choreography: Christopher C. Cariker
Costume Design: Mark Richard Caswell
Featuring: Eric C. Bailey (Harry), Katherine Damingos (Raquel), Joe Fanelli (David), Paula Galloway (Romaine), Rebecca Hirota (Kendal), Shawn McLaughlin (Elvis), Alan McNaney (Rich), Jared Morgenstern (Jeff)
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity
Closed June 27
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Review - Hound (Rachel Klein Productions and the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity)
Review by Byrne Harrison
There are certain directors whose work is instantly recognizable. Having seen a few Rachel Klein productions, I would add her to this list. Klein's productions feature an otherworldly feel, highlighted by odd costume pieces, choreographed movement, and a bold, non-realistic acting style. The effect is like seeing the world through a kaleidoscope - there are things that are familiar, though bent out of shape and rearranged, and while the picture is odd and possibly unsettling, it is beautiful.
At first blush, a play based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes novel, "The Hound of the Baskervilles" seems an odd choice for Klein's theatrical stylings. This Victorian mystery about a wealthy landowner seemingly done in by a hound from hell, certainly has supernatural elements that Klein's fanciful style could highlight, but ultimately this story is one in which cool, rational observation triumphs over irrational fear and superstition.
Hound, John Patrick Bray's play inspired by Conan Doyle's book, is a different story altogether, and one that is indubitably suited for Klein's direction. Bray takes the focus off the Baskervilles and Holmes, and explores the character of Dr. Watson (Cavan Hallman). This Watson is not the affable sidekick that is normally seen in Holmes stories. He is full of despair and doubt, his life shattered by the loss of his beloved wife, Mary. When Holmes (Ryan Knowles) is approached by Dr. Mortimer (Elizabeth Stewart) about the murderous hell hound and her concerns for the new Baskerville heir (Grant Boyd), Holmes sees a mystery to be tamed and truth to be uncovered. When Watson hears about the supernatural hound and the mysteries surrounding the Baskerville family, he sees a doorway to the next world and a possible way to contact his lost love.
What follows has more to do with a rational man's struggle to comprehend a world that no longer makes sense, and his flailing attempts to grab on to anything that seems to answer his unanswerable questions. The theatrical elements of Bray's play - monologues by secondary characters explaining their backstory, talking dogs that Watson can understand, use of flashback - all combine to create a world that to Watson's eye is completely off-kilter. Klein's direction and costumes underscore that alien feeling. The result is decidedly theatrical and unrealistic, but certainly entertaining.
The acting in the production is strong, and the actors, especially those whose characters are wildly over-the-top, excel at creating this surreal vision of Victorian England. Chief among these are Elizabeth Stewart as the quirky Dr. Mortimer, and Blaine Peltier, as Stapleton, the eccentric naturalist. Holmes is played with a twinkle in his eye by Ryan Knowles, a late addition to the cast. With a impressive voice and commanding appearance, his Holmes looks and sounds like those who have come before him, but Knowles captures the humor and compassion that others have missed in the cool and logical detective. Overall, it is Cavan Hallman who is given an opportunity to shine as the tortured Dr. Watson, and he takes full advantage of it, making the most of Watson's highs and lows as he navigates this unfamiliar landscape, both literal and figurative, that he finds himself in.
While those seeking a traditional staging of Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Hound of the Baskervilles" may be put off by John Patrick Bray and Rachel Klein's creation, those with and adventurous spirit and a desire to see something original will be delighted by Hound.
Hound
Written by John Patrick Bray
Directed by Rachel Klein
Stage Manager: Teresa Maranzano
Sound Designer: Sean Gill
Costume Designer: Rachel Klein
Costume Design Consultant: Emily Taradash
Make-up Designer: Anita Rundles
House Manager: Erin Trinidad
Board Op: Victoria M. Moshy
Press Representative: Emily Owens PR
Photographer: Joseph Stipek
Holmes Photographer: Rachel Adams
Model for Holmes Photograph: Evan Melancon
Graphic Designer: Danielle Bienvenue Bray
Featuring: Grant Boyd (Sir Henry Baskerville), Jack Corcoran (Mr. Barrymoore), Meredith Dillard (Mrs. Hudson/Mrs. Barrymore), Cavan Hallman (Watson), Abigail Hawk (Beryl Stapelton/Mary), Ryan Knowles (Sherlock Holmes), Blaine Peltier (Stapleton), Alyssa Schroeter (Curley the Spaniel/Toby the Dog/The Hound), Elizabeth Stewart (Mortimer), Jason R. Stroud (Mounted Officer/Boy/Seldon)
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity
440 Studios
440 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor
Closed June 25th
There are certain directors whose work is instantly recognizable. Having seen a few Rachel Klein productions, I would add her to this list. Klein's productions feature an otherworldly feel, highlighted by odd costume pieces, choreographed movement, and a bold, non-realistic acting style. The effect is like seeing the world through a kaleidoscope - there are things that are familiar, though bent out of shape and rearranged, and while the picture is odd and possibly unsettling, it is beautiful.
At first blush, a play based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes novel, "The Hound of the Baskervilles" seems an odd choice for Klein's theatrical stylings. This Victorian mystery about a wealthy landowner seemingly done in by a hound from hell, certainly has supernatural elements that Klein's fanciful style could highlight, but ultimately this story is one in which cool, rational observation triumphs over irrational fear and superstition.
Hound, John Patrick Bray's play inspired by Conan Doyle's book, is a different story altogether, and one that is indubitably suited for Klein's direction. Bray takes the focus off the Baskervilles and Holmes, and explores the character of Dr. Watson (Cavan Hallman). This Watson is not the affable sidekick that is normally seen in Holmes stories. He is full of despair and doubt, his life shattered by the loss of his beloved wife, Mary. When Holmes (Ryan Knowles) is approached by Dr. Mortimer (Elizabeth Stewart) about the murderous hell hound and her concerns for the new Baskerville heir (Grant Boyd), Holmes sees a mystery to be tamed and truth to be uncovered. When Watson hears about the supernatural hound and the mysteries surrounding the Baskerville family, he sees a doorway to the next world and a possible way to contact his lost love.
What follows has more to do with a rational man's struggle to comprehend a world that no longer makes sense, and his flailing attempts to grab on to anything that seems to answer his unanswerable questions. The theatrical elements of Bray's play - monologues by secondary characters explaining their backstory, talking dogs that Watson can understand, use of flashback - all combine to create a world that to Watson's eye is completely off-kilter. Klein's direction and costumes underscore that alien feeling. The result is decidedly theatrical and unrealistic, but certainly entertaining.
The acting in the production is strong, and the actors, especially those whose characters are wildly over-the-top, excel at creating this surreal vision of Victorian England. Chief among these are Elizabeth Stewart as the quirky Dr. Mortimer, and Blaine Peltier, as Stapleton, the eccentric naturalist. Holmes is played with a twinkle in his eye by Ryan Knowles, a late addition to the cast. With a impressive voice and commanding appearance, his Holmes looks and sounds like those who have come before him, but Knowles captures the humor and compassion that others have missed in the cool and logical detective. Overall, it is Cavan Hallman who is given an opportunity to shine as the tortured Dr. Watson, and he takes full advantage of it, making the most of Watson's highs and lows as he navigates this unfamiliar landscape, both literal and figurative, that he finds himself in.
While those seeking a traditional staging of Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Hound of the Baskervilles" may be put off by John Patrick Bray and Rachel Klein's creation, those with and adventurous spirit and a desire to see something original will be delighted by Hound.
Hound
Written by John Patrick Bray
Directed by Rachel Klein
Stage Manager: Teresa Maranzano
Sound Designer: Sean Gill
Costume Designer: Rachel Klein
Costume Design Consultant: Emily Taradash
Make-up Designer: Anita Rundles
House Manager: Erin Trinidad
Board Op: Victoria M. Moshy
Press Representative: Emily Owens PR
Photographer: Joseph Stipek
Holmes Photographer: Rachel Adams
Model for Holmes Photograph: Evan Melancon
Graphic Designer: Danielle Bienvenue Bray
Featuring: Grant Boyd (Sir Henry Baskerville), Jack Corcoran (Mr. Barrymoore), Meredith Dillard (Mrs. Hudson/Mrs. Barrymore), Cavan Hallman (Watson), Abigail Hawk (Beryl Stapelton/Mary), Ryan Knowles (Sherlock Holmes), Blaine Peltier (Stapleton), Alyssa Schroeter (Curley the Spaniel/Toby the Dog/The Hound), Elizabeth Stewart (Mortimer), Jason R. Stroud (Mounted Officer/Boy/Seldon)
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity
440 Studios
440 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor
Closed June 25th
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Review - Infectious Opportunity (Nosedive Productions)
Review by Byrne Harrison
Photos by Aaron Epstein
It all begins with one lie. A simple lie of omission - not even a lie, really, just a hint at something that you neither confirm nor deny, in order to get something you want. Surely, there won't be consequences on something so tiny, so innocent. How could there be when we are all guilty of the same little lies every day of our lives?
But what do you do if that lie suddenly opens doors? If it tempts you with an easy path to splendors you have coveted, but that you would otherwise spend years trying to achieve with no guarantee of success?
For Wes Farley (David Ian Lee) - screenwriter, activist, philanthropist, and person living with HIV - his tiny lie has spiraled out of control. The tiny lie? That he has HIV. At turns awestruck and jealous of Rob (DR Mann Hanson), a fellow film student with HIV, Wes allows him to think that he has HIV, too. Oddly enough, that lie provides him with a fast track to everything he wants - a degree, teaching position, and a string of movies.
Tortured by the fear that he will be exposed right as his star is ascending, Wes finds himself haunted by Josie (Andrea Marie Smith), a character from his critically acclaimed movie, "A Shoulder For the World To Cry On." Josie is based on a woman with whom Wes had a relationship, a former HIV+ heroin addict that he met in a support group. The relationship ended badly, and now Josie plays the part of his conscience. Or at least she tries. Tortured though he is, Wes is not going to give up everything he's been handed without a fight.
It's this fight between Wes and Josie, or really between Wes and himself, that forms the core of the dramatic action in Infectious Opportunity. Really, that's to be expected; it's Drama 101 - internal struggles make good drama. What Comtois is to be commended for is creating dramatic tension in the audience. Wes is doing something that any rational person would find deeply offensive. And yet, he's so damn sympathetic. Surely he has just let things spiral out of control through no fault of his own. We've all done it, albeit not on this scale. We just know that he will do the right thing in the end, because we see a little bit of ourselves in him, and we know that we would eventually do the right thing in the same situation. Comtois enables our sympathy every step of the way. He raises our expectations and knocks them down over and over again in this well-written play. He sets up red herrings that lull us into complacency and lead us smugly to decide that we've figured out his play. Then he smacks us across the face and shows us that he still has surprises up his sleeve. Like any good roller coaster ride, Infectious Opportunity leaves the audience with a racing heart, exhilarated, and a little bit nauseated.
The acting is superb, especially on the part of David Ian Lee and Andrea Marie Smith. While Smith at times seems a little too well-adjusted for someone who spent her life on the street as a heroin addict, she is playing a Hollywood version of the real Josie, so it actually works. Lee does a marvelous job eliciting the audience's sympathy and disgust for Wes, and he strikes the perfect note in the last monologue of the play, which is one of those moments that shouldn't be spoiled by giving away too much in a review. Suffice it to say, the last two sentences of the play are chilling thanks to Comtois' script and Lee's portrayal.
Each of the other actors has a moment to shine in the play. Rebecca Comtois shines as Jenny, one of Wes' star-struck students. Hanson is marvellous as Rob, Wes' film school rival and HIV mentor. Daryl Lathon, Ronica Reddick, and Matthew Trumbull round out the excellent cast.
Pete Boisvert directs with a steady hand, keeping the action moving and choreographing tight scene changes that make use of Rebecca Comtois and Ben VandenBooms wonderfully versatile set pieces, while not interrupting that building tension of the play. Ian W. Hill's lighting design and Patrick Shearer's sound design complement the play nicely.
Although Infectious Opportunity has completed its official run as part of the Antidepressant Festival, it is one of three productions from the festival (along with Adventure Quest and Suspicious Package Rx both of which have been added to the Game Play Festival) to have been extended. The final two performances of Infectious Opportunity will be July 19th at 3 PM and July 21st at 8 PM. As part of the Antidepressant Festival, Infectious Opportunity was selling out, so buy your tickets early.
Infectious Opportunity
Written by James Comtois
Directed by Pete Boisvert
Stage Manager: Stephanie Cox-Williams
Set Designers: Rebecca Comtois, Ben VandenBoom
Sound Designer: Patrick Shearer
Lighting Designer: Ian W. Hill
Costume & Prop Designer: Stephanie Cox-Williams
Makeup Designer: Leslie E. Hughes
Composer: Itai Sol
Producers: Pete Boisvert, James Comtois, Rebecca Comtois, Stephanie Cox-Williams, Patrick Shearer
Associate Producers: Marc Landers, Ben VandenBoom
Featuring: David Ian Lee (Wes), Andrea Marie Smith (Josie), Rebecca Comtois (Jenny/Moira/Interviewer/Student), DR Mann Hanson (Mark/Rob), Daryl Lathon (Brent/Student), Ronica Reddick (Professor Hale/Amanda/Diane/Interviewer/Student), Matthew Trumbull (Professor Franklin/Dude).
The Brick Theatre
575 Metropolitan Avenue
Photos by Aaron Epstein
It all begins with one lie. A simple lie of omission - not even a lie, really, just a hint at something that you neither confirm nor deny, in order to get something you want. Surely, there won't be consequences on something so tiny, so innocent. How could there be when we are all guilty of the same little lies every day of our lives?
But what do you do if that lie suddenly opens doors? If it tempts you with an easy path to splendors you have coveted, but that you would otherwise spend years trying to achieve with no guarantee of success?
For Wes Farley (David Ian Lee) - screenwriter, activist, philanthropist, and person living with HIV - his tiny lie has spiraled out of control. The tiny lie? That he has HIV. At turns awestruck and jealous of Rob (DR Mann Hanson), a fellow film student with HIV, Wes allows him to think that he has HIV, too. Oddly enough, that lie provides him with a fast track to everything he wants - a degree, teaching position, and a string of movies.
Tortured by the fear that he will be exposed right as his star is ascending, Wes finds himself haunted by Josie (Andrea Marie Smith), a character from his critically acclaimed movie, "A Shoulder For the World To Cry On." Josie is based on a woman with whom Wes had a relationship, a former HIV+ heroin addict that he met in a support group. The relationship ended badly, and now Josie plays the part of his conscience. Or at least she tries. Tortured though he is, Wes is not going to give up everything he's been handed without a fight.
It's this fight between Wes and Josie, or really between Wes and himself, that forms the core of the dramatic action in Infectious Opportunity. Really, that's to be expected; it's Drama 101 - internal struggles make good drama. What Comtois is to be commended for is creating dramatic tension in the audience. Wes is doing something that any rational person would find deeply offensive. And yet, he's so damn sympathetic. Surely he has just let things spiral out of control through no fault of his own. We've all done it, albeit not on this scale. We just know that he will do the right thing in the end, because we see a little bit of ourselves in him, and we know that we would eventually do the right thing in the same situation. Comtois enables our sympathy every step of the way. He raises our expectations and knocks them down over and over again in this well-written play. He sets up red herrings that lull us into complacency and lead us smugly to decide that we've figured out his play. Then he smacks us across the face and shows us that he still has surprises up his sleeve. Like any good roller coaster ride, Infectious Opportunity leaves the audience with a racing heart, exhilarated, and a little bit nauseated.
The acting is superb, especially on the part of David Ian Lee and Andrea Marie Smith. While Smith at times seems a little too well-adjusted for someone who spent her life on the street as a heroin addict, she is playing a Hollywood version of the real Josie, so it actually works. Lee does a marvelous job eliciting the audience's sympathy and disgust for Wes, and he strikes the perfect note in the last monologue of the play, which is one of those moments that shouldn't be spoiled by giving away too much in a review. Suffice it to say, the last two sentences of the play are chilling thanks to Comtois' script and Lee's portrayal.
Each of the other actors has a moment to shine in the play. Rebecca Comtois shines as Jenny, one of Wes' star-struck students. Hanson is marvellous as Rob, Wes' film school rival and HIV mentor. Daryl Lathon, Ronica Reddick, and Matthew Trumbull round out the excellent cast.
Pete Boisvert directs with a steady hand, keeping the action moving and choreographing tight scene changes that make use of Rebecca Comtois and Ben VandenBooms wonderfully versatile set pieces, while not interrupting that building tension of the play. Ian W. Hill's lighting design and Patrick Shearer's sound design complement the play nicely.
Although Infectious Opportunity has completed its official run as part of the Antidepressant Festival, it is one of three productions from the festival (along with Adventure Quest and Suspicious Package Rx both of which have been added to the Game Play Festival) to have been extended. The final two performances of Infectious Opportunity will be July 19th at 3 PM and July 21st at 8 PM. As part of the Antidepressant Festival, Infectious Opportunity was selling out, so buy your tickets early.
Infectious Opportunity
Written by James Comtois
Directed by Pete Boisvert
Stage Manager: Stephanie Cox-Williams
Set Designers: Rebecca Comtois, Ben VandenBoom
Sound Designer: Patrick Shearer
Lighting Designer: Ian W. Hill
Costume & Prop Designer: Stephanie Cox-Williams
Makeup Designer: Leslie E. Hughes
Composer: Itai Sol
Producers: Pete Boisvert, James Comtois, Rebecca Comtois, Stephanie Cox-Williams, Patrick Shearer
Associate Producers: Marc Landers, Ben VandenBoom
Featuring: David Ian Lee (Wes), Andrea Marie Smith (Josie), Rebecca Comtois (Jenny/Moira/Interviewer/Student), DR Mann Hanson (Mark/Rob), Daryl Lathon (Brent/Student), Ronica Reddick (Professor Hale/Amanda/Diane/Interviewer/Student), Matthew Trumbull (Professor Franklin/Dude).
The Brick Theatre
575 Metropolitan Avenue
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Review - The Imaginary Invalid: By Prescription Only (Aliza Shane and the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity)
Review by Byrne Harrison
Think you know The Imaginary Invalid? Aliza Shane's version is not like any other you will have seen. Adapted from Molière's original, The Imaginary Invalid: By Prescription Only takes aim not only at the doctors, but at modern society and our nearly universal belief that a happy life is just a pill away.
Unlike the original play, the doctors in Aliza Shane's version aren't complete quacks; they're just greedy. In a world where insurance foots the bill, they will prescribe anything and everything that Arganne (Stasi Schaeffer) wants - and with a half dozen doctors, that's a lot of pills. In order to save a little money on her co-pays, the miserly Arganne decides to marry off her daughter Angélique (Ayelet Blumberg) to her doctor's simpleton son (Anthony Aguilar). What better thing for a hypochondriac than to have a doctor in the family? Sadly, Angélique is in love with Cléante (Chris Cronwell), a young man without means. Only with the help of the wily servant Toinette (Michelle Foytek) and her wise aunt, Béralde (Kymberly Tuttle), can she hope to avoid her fate.
Aliza Shane takes aim at the major drug companies by making sure to mention by name the various medications that Arganne is taking. The actors, those not playing the six main roles, dramatically list the various side-effect of each medication that Arganne ingests. An intriguing concept, but one that quickly grows old since so many of the side-effects are the same. In addition, Shane give this Invalid a decidedly unhappy ending. Given the breakneck speed with which modern medicine is churning out remedies for everything (Restless Leg Syndrome? Really?), Shane's vision of a country that turns to pills at the slightest misfortune seems eerily on target.
As a director, Shane uses Chanda Calentine's choreography to accentuate the dreamy feel of the piece. Stripped to a barebones set (also designed by Shane), the chorus of actors becomes scenery, never obtrusively, but always in a "Wow, that's cool" way. Shane has a good eye for stage pictures, and her production always features something interesting to watch.
Acting in the production is good, particularly Michelle Foytek as the sly maid Toinette. Ably showing off her physical comedy skills and mastery of clever retorts, Foytek's Toinette delights as she runs, schemes, and avoids the withering disdain of Arganne. Also amusing is Kevin Mitchell as Arganne's mincing gold-digger of a husband. Adding a note of quiet calm, Kymberly Tuttle plays the straight woman to all the insanity around her as Béralde, and provides a nice counterpoint to Schaeffer's cranky and distressed Arganne. Schaeffer hits all the right notes as the hypochondriac, and truly shines in her scenes with Foytek. As the young lovers, Blumberg and Cornwell lack chemistry, and make up for it by playing up the sexual innuendo. Cornwell, in particular, doesn't seem to know what to do with his character - Shane's version of Cléante is considerably different from Molière's original dashing young lover - and as a result, never seems to be fully incorporated into the play. This is a minor problem, given that most of the play focuses on the grownups.
Clever and timely, Aliza Shane's The Imaginary Invalid: By Prescription Only is a worthy adaptation of the original.
The Imaginary Invalid: By Prescription Only
Written and Directed by Aliza Shane
Based on Le Malade Imaginaire by Molière
Choreographer: Chanda Calentine
Assistant Director: Kenzie West
Assistant Director/Stage Manager: Fran Acuna
Lighting Designer: David Monroy
Costume and Set Design: Aliza Shane
Postcard and Logo Design by Duncan Pflaster
Produced by Aliza Shane, Darrell Fontenot, Dr. & Mrs. Alan and Fran Hirschman
Featuring: Anthony Aguilar (Doctor Five/Thomas Diafoirus), Melanie Bell (Doctor One/Dr. Purgon), Ayelet Blumberg (Angélique), Chris Cornwell (Cléante), Michelle Foytek (Toinette), Kevin Mitchell (Belin), Stasi Schaeffer (Arganne), Harlan Short (Doctor Two/Dr. Diafoirus), Emily Tuckman (Doctor Three/Dr. BonneFoi), Kymberly Tuttle (Béralde), Ebru Yönak (Doctor Four/Dr. Fleurant)
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity
440 Studios
440 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor
Closed June 27th.
Think you know The Imaginary Invalid? Aliza Shane's version is not like any other you will have seen. Adapted from Molière's original, The Imaginary Invalid: By Prescription Only takes aim not only at the doctors, but at modern society and our nearly universal belief that a happy life is just a pill away.
Unlike the original play, the doctors in Aliza Shane's version aren't complete quacks; they're just greedy. In a world where insurance foots the bill, they will prescribe anything and everything that Arganne (Stasi Schaeffer) wants - and with a half dozen doctors, that's a lot of pills. In order to save a little money on her co-pays, the miserly Arganne decides to marry off her daughter Angélique (Ayelet Blumberg) to her doctor's simpleton son (Anthony Aguilar). What better thing for a hypochondriac than to have a doctor in the family? Sadly, Angélique is in love with Cléante (Chris Cronwell), a young man without means. Only with the help of the wily servant Toinette (Michelle Foytek) and her wise aunt, Béralde (Kymberly Tuttle), can she hope to avoid her fate.
Aliza Shane takes aim at the major drug companies by making sure to mention by name the various medications that Arganne is taking. The actors, those not playing the six main roles, dramatically list the various side-effect of each medication that Arganne ingests. An intriguing concept, but one that quickly grows old since so many of the side-effects are the same. In addition, Shane give this Invalid a decidedly unhappy ending. Given the breakneck speed with which modern medicine is churning out remedies for everything (Restless Leg Syndrome? Really?), Shane's vision of a country that turns to pills at the slightest misfortune seems eerily on target.
As a director, Shane uses Chanda Calentine's choreography to accentuate the dreamy feel of the piece. Stripped to a barebones set (also designed by Shane), the chorus of actors becomes scenery, never obtrusively, but always in a "Wow, that's cool" way. Shane has a good eye for stage pictures, and her production always features something interesting to watch.
Acting in the production is good, particularly Michelle Foytek as the sly maid Toinette. Ably showing off her physical comedy skills and mastery of clever retorts, Foytek's Toinette delights as she runs, schemes, and avoids the withering disdain of Arganne. Also amusing is Kevin Mitchell as Arganne's mincing gold-digger of a husband. Adding a note of quiet calm, Kymberly Tuttle plays the straight woman to all the insanity around her as Béralde, and provides a nice counterpoint to Schaeffer's cranky and distressed Arganne. Schaeffer hits all the right notes as the hypochondriac, and truly shines in her scenes with Foytek. As the young lovers, Blumberg and Cornwell lack chemistry, and make up for it by playing up the sexual innuendo. Cornwell, in particular, doesn't seem to know what to do with his character - Shane's version of Cléante is considerably different from Molière's original dashing young lover - and as a result, never seems to be fully incorporated into the play. This is a minor problem, given that most of the play focuses on the grownups.
Clever and timely, Aliza Shane's The Imaginary Invalid: By Prescription Only is a worthy adaptation of the original.
The Imaginary Invalid: By Prescription Only
Written and Directed by Aliza Shane
Based on Le Malade Imaginaire by Molière
Choreographer: Chanda Calentine
Assistant Director: Kenzie West
Assistant Director/Stage Manager: Fran Acuna
Lighting Designer: David Monroy
Costume and Set Design: Aliza Shane
Postcard and Logo Design by Duncan Pflaster
Produced by Aliza Shane, Darrell Fontenot, Dr. & Mrs. Alan and Fran Hirschman
Featuring: Anthony Aguilar (Doctor Five/Thomas Diafoirus), Melanie Bell (Doctor One/Dr. Purgon), Ayelet Blumberg (Angélique), Chris Cornwell (Cléante), Michelle Foytek (Toinette), Kevin Mitchell (Belin), Stasi Schaeffer (Arganne), Harlan Short (Doctor Two/Dr. Diafoirus), Emily Tuckman (Doctor Three/Dr. BonneFoi), Kymberly Tuttle (Béralde), Ebru Yönak (Doctor Four/Dr. Fleurant)
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity
440 Studios
440 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor
Closed June 27th.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Avenue Q to End Broadway Run on September 13th
By Byrne Harrison
After six years of songs, laughs, and puppet-on-puppet action, Broadway's Avenue Q is set to close on September 13th. At the time of its closing, it will have played 22 previews and 2,534 performances to become the 20th longest-running show in Broadway history, surpassing Annie, Oklahoma!, and The Producers.
A musical about a group of 20-somethings living in New York City with big dreams and tiny bank accounts, Avenue Q features music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, book by Jeff Whitty, and is directed by Jason Moore. Based on an original concept by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, with puppets conceived and designed by Rick Lyon, Avenue Q has musical supervision by Stephen Oremus, choreography by Ken Roberson, scenic design by Anna Louizos, costume design by Mirena Rada, lighting design by Howell Binkley, and sound design by Acme Sound Partners.
The musical is produced on Broadway by Kevin McCollum, Robyn Goodman, Jeffrey Seller, The Vineyard Theatre and The New Group.
"We will miss our furry friends on 45th street, but are very proud of their longevity," stated Avenue Q producer Robyn Goodman. Ms. Goodman adds "a disappointed Rod was hoping for an Obama bailout and swore he would turn Democrat if it happened."
Beginning on Monday, July 6th, Avenue Q will welcome back original cast member Ann Harada in the role of Christmas Eve. Also joining the Broadway cast on July 6th, direct from the national tour are Robert McClure in the roles of Princeton and Rod, Anika Larsen in the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut, and Danielle K. Thomas in the role of Gary Coleman. Harada, McClure, Larsen and Thomas will join Christian Anderson, Nicholas Kohn and Jennifer Barnhart to comprise the final Broadway cast of Avenue Q.
Avenue Q will mark its 6th anniversary on Broadway on July 31, 2009. The musical began previews on Broadway on July 11, 2003, opened on July 31, 2003, and went on to win three 2004 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book of a Musical.
In addition to its long run on Broadway, Avenue Q spawned a 2005 Las Vegas production; a 2006 West End production - which concluded its run at the Noël Coward Theatre in March 2009 only to re-open at the Gielgud Theatre in June 2009; and a U.S. national tour - which recently concluded a successful two year run in May 2009.
Avenue Q continues Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 2:00pm & 8:00pm, and Sundays at 2:00pm &7:00pm (with added performances on Wednesday, July 1 at 2:00pm and 8:00pm).
After six years of songs, laughs, and puppet-on-puppet action, Broadway's Avenue Q is set to close on September 13th. At the time of its closing, it will have played 22 previews and 2,534 performances to become the 20th longest-running show in Broadway history, surpassing Annie, Oklahoma!, and The Producers.
A musical about a group of 20-somethings living in New York City with big dreams and tiny bank accounts, Avenue Q features music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, book by Jeff Whitty, and is directed by Jason Moore. Based on an original concept by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, with puppets conceived and designed by Rick Lyon, Avenue Q has musical supervision by Stephen Oremus, choreography by Ken Roberson, scenic design by Anna Louizos, costume design by Mirena Rada, lighting design by Howell Binkley, and sound design by Acme Sound Partners.
The musical is produced on Broadway by Kevin McCollum, Robyn Goodman, Jeffrey Seller, The Vineyard Theatre and The New Group.
"We will miss our furry friends on 45th street, but are very proud of their longevity," stated Avenue Q producer Robyn Goodman. Ms. Goodman adds "a disappointed Rod was hoping for an Obama bailout and swore he would turn Democrat if it happened."
Beginning on Monday, July 6th, Avenue Q will welcome back original cast member Ann Harada in the role of Christmas Eve. Also joining the Broadway cast on July 6th, direct from the national tour are Robert McClure in the roles of Princeton and Rod, Anika Larsen in the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut, and Danielle K. Thomas in the role of Gary Coleman. Harada, McClure, Larsen and Thomas will join Christian Anderson, Nicholas Kohn and Jennifer Barnhart to comprise the final Broadway cast of Avenue Q.
Avenue Q will mark its 6th anniversary on Broadway on July 31, 2009. The musical began previews on Broadway on July 11, 2003, opened on July 31, 2003, and went on to win three 2004 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book of a Musical.
In addition to its long run on Broadway, Avenue Q spawned a 2005 Las Vegas production; a 2006 West End production - which concluded its run at the Noël Coward Theatre in March 2009 only to re-open at the Gielgud Theatre in June 2009; and a U.S. national tour - which recently concluded a successful two year run in May 2009.
Avenue Q continues Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 2:00pm & 8:00pm, and Sundays at 2:00pm &7:00pm (with added performances on Wednesday, July 1 at 2:00pm and 8:00pm).
Friday, June 26, 2009
Review - From Russia With Angst (WorkShop Theater Company)
Review by Byrne Harrison
From Russia With Angst sounds like a familiar concept - an evening of Chekhov's one-act plays. The twist? These aren't Chekhov's plays; they are adaptations of five of his short stories. So if you're expecting The Bear, A Marriage Proposal, or The Wedding, you won't get it. Instead you'll peer into the mind of one of the world's greatest writers, through the filter of some of the WorkShop Theatre Company's talented writers. The results are mixed, but for fans of Chekhov's writing, are worth exploring.
The first act contains the least successful adaptations, in part due to Chekhov's stories themselves. A perfect example is the second adaptation of the evening, We'll Take a Cup of Kindness Yet, which was adapted by Scott C. Sickles from "Misery." The play deals with a hansom cab driver (Michael Gnat) in Central Park on New Year's Eve. Having just lost his child, he sees other's joy in the evening only through the prism of his loss and sadness. The main problem of the story is that not much happens, and the play has to fight to keep the audience's attention and involvement. Despite some lovely dialogue and good acting on the part of the cast, there is little dramatic tension, just one man's grief laid bare.
Death of a Government Worker by Jonathan Pereira has the look and feel of an absurdist play. A hen-pecked clerk (James Davies) with a shrewish wife and enormous newborn, tries to ask his boss for a raise, but only ends up sneezing on him each time he works up the nerve to ask. The boss (the wonderfully shady Stephen Girasuolo) may be having an affair with the wife. While the nonsensical and absurd aspects of the play work well, a reference to government sponsored torture seems shoe-horned in. Death is an odd little piece, but if you like absurdist comedy, it might be just your thing.
The final play in the first act, Joy by Robert Strozier, succeeds in that it touches on a timely subject, the pursuit of fame at all cost, and that it takes on a more modern feel. A young girl (Sutton Crawford) is having her moment. A YouTube video that she posted is climbing in popularity. Her parents are dismayed to discover that this is due in no small part to her singing a racy song while half-nude and drunk. Like the previous pieces, Joy is a slight play (Chekhov's short story is very short indeed), but it makes it's point - some people are happy to be famous no matter how it happens. Crawford does a good job as the teen, and director Elena Araoz excels.
The second act brings the strongest play of the evening. In Country, written and directed by Timothy Scott Harris, is well-written and extremely moving. This play about an awkward dinner date between Laurie (Dee Dee Friedman) and Steve (Jed Dickson) set up by Laurie's father (Noah Keen), at first seems like it will just be a light play about two mismatched people. Instead, Harris slowly spins a tale about shattered beliefs, the pain of self-discovery, and the fear faced by older people as they begin to realize the world that they knew is gone. Tightly written and directed and featuring an exceptional cast, In Country is reason enough to attend From Russia With Angst.
The final play of the evening, a parody of Chekhov's plays entitled Misery, Apathy and Despair: A Chekhovian Comedy in Four Mercifully Short Acts, by John McKinney, will provide laughs to anyone who is familiar with Chekhov's cannon. The play tends to take potshots at the easiest of Chekhovian targets - the bored upper class, the characters that talk constantly but do nothing, the vacuous lovelies - and leaves subtlety at the door, but it is humorous and a pleasant way to end the evening.
From Russia With Angst
Supervising Director: Timothy Scott Harris
Set Designer: John Scheffler
Lighting Designer: Duane Pagano
Costume Designer: Lexie Devin
Sound and Projection Designer: David Schulder
Production Stage Manager: Jason Healy
Assistant Stage Manager: Eric Luers
Coordinating Producers: Carrie Edel Isaacman, Christina Romanello
Press Representative: Scotti Rhodes Publicity
Promotional Art/Logo: Todd Alan Johnson
Death of a Government Worker
Written by Jonathan Pereira
Based on "Death of a Government Clerk"
Directed by Katrin Hilbe
Featuring: James Davies (Ivan), Stephen Girasuolo (Mr. Breeze), Tracy Shar (Mary)
We'll Take a Cup of Kindness Yet
Written by Scott Sickles
Based on "Misery"
Directed by David Gautschy
Assistant Director: Cecily Benjamin
Featuring: Michael Gnat (Driver), Sean Singer (New Husband/Smooth Talker/Stablehand), Amanda Sayle (New Wife/Debutante/Female Driver), Mike Mihm (Provocateur/Beat Cop/Other Male Driver)
Joy
Written by Robert Strozier
Based on "Joy"
Directed by Elena Araoz
Featuring: Carrie Edel Isaacman (Marci), Joseph Franchini (Ted), Sutton Crawford (Ginger)
In Country
Written and Directed by Timothy Scott Harris
Based on "At a Country House"
Featuring: Dee Dee Friedman (Laurie), Noah Keen (Dad), Jed Dickson (Steve)
Misery, Apathy and Despair: A Chekhovian Comedy in Four Mercifully Short Acts
Written by John McKinney
Based on "An Artist's Story"
Directed by Richard Kent Green
Featuring: Liz Frost (Elena), David M. Pincus (Peter), Sutton Crawford (Masha), Caroline Messihi (Lydia)
WorkShop Theater
Main Stage
312 W. 36th Street, 4th Floor East
June 11-27
Wednesday - Saturday at 8 PM
Monday, June 15th at 7 PM
For reservations contact 212-695-4173 x5#
From Russia With Angst sounds like a familiar concept - an evening of Chekhov's one-act plays. The twist? These aren't Chekhov's plays; they are adaptations of five of his short stories. So if you're expecting The Bear, A Marriage Proposal, or The Wedding, you won't get it. Instead you'll peer into the mind of one of the world's greatest writers, through the filter of some of the WorkShop Theatre Company's talented writers. The results are mixed, but for fans of Chekhov's writing, are worth exploring.
The first act contains the least successful adaptations, in part due to Chekhov's stories themselves. A perfect example is the second adaptation of the evening, We'll Take a Cup of Kindness Yet, which was adapted by Scott C. Sickles from "Misery." The play deals with a hansom cab driver (Michael Gnat) in Central Park on New Year's Eve. Having just lost his child, he sees other's joy in the evening only through the prism of his loss and sadness. The main problem of the story is that not much happens, and the play has to fight to keep the audience's attention and involvement. Despite some lovely dialogue and good acting on the part of the cast, there is little dramatic tension, just one man's grief laid bare.
Death of a Government Worker by Jonathan Pereira has the look and feel of an absurdist play. A hen-pecked clerk (James Davies) with a shrewish wife and enormous newborn, tries to ask his boss for a raise, but only ends up sneezing on him each time he works up the nerve to ask. The boss (the wonderfully shady Stephen Girasuolo) may be having an affair with the wife. While the nonsensical and absurd aspects of the play work well, a reference to government sponsored torture seems shoe-horned in. Death is an odd little piece, but if you like absurdist comedy, it might be just your thing.
The final play in the first act, Joy by Robert Strozier, succeeds in that it touches on a timely subject, the pursuit of fame at all cost, and that it takes on a more modern feel. A young girl (Sutton Crawford) is having her moment. A YouTube video that she posted is climbing in popularity. Her parents are dismayed to discover that this is due in no small part to her singing a racy song while half-nude and drunk. Like the previous pieces, Joy is a slight play (Chekhov's short story is very short indeed), but it makes it's point - some people are happy to be famous no matter how it happens. Crawford does a good job as the teen, and director Elena Araoz excels.
The second act brings the strongest play of the evening. In Country, written and directed by Timothy Scott Harris, is well-written and extremely moving. This play about an awkward dinner date between Laurie (Dee Dee Friedman) and Steve (Jed Dickson) set up by Laurie's father (Noah Keen), at first seems like it will just be a light play about two mismatched people. Instead, Harris slowly spins a tale about shattered beliefs, the pain of self-discovery, and the fear faced by older people as they begin to realize the world that they knew is gone. Tightly written and directed and featuring an exceptional cast, In Country is reason enough to attend From Russia With Angst.
The final play of the evening, a parody of Chekhov's plays entitled Misery, Apathy and Despair: A Chekhovian Comedy in Four Mercifully Short Acts, by John McKinney, will provide laughs to anyone who is familiar with Chekhov's cannon. The play tends to take potshots at the easiest of Chekhovian targets - the bored upper class, the characters that talk constantly but do nothing, the vacuous lovelies - and leaves subtlety at the door, but it is humorous and a pleasant way to end the evening.
From Russia With Angst
Supervising Director: Timothy Scott Harris
Set Designer: John Scheffler
Lighting Designer: Duane Pagano
Costume Designer: Lexie Devin
Sound and Projection Designer: David Schulder
Production Stage Manager: Jason Healy
Assistant Stage Manager: Eric Luers
Coordinating Producers: Carrie Edel Isaacman, Christina Romanello
Press Representative: Scotti Rhodes Publicity
Promotional Art/Logo: Todd Alan Johnson
Death of a Government Worker
Written by Jonathan Pereira
Based on "Death of a Government Clerk"
Directed by Katrin Hilbe
Featuring: James Davies (Ivan), Stephen Girasuolo (Mr. Breeze), Tracy Shar (Mary)
We'll Take a Cup of Kindness Yet
Written by Scott Sickles
Based on "Misery"
Directed by David Gautschy
Assistant Director: Cecily Benjamin
Featuring: Michael Gnat (Driver), Sean Singer (New Husband/Smooth Talker/Stablehand), Amanda Sayle (New Wife/Debutante/Female Driver), Mike Mihm (Provocateur/Beat Cop/Other Male Driver)
Joy
Written by Robert Strozier
Based on "Joy"
Directed by Elena Araoz
Featuring: Carrie Edel Isaacman (Marci), Joseph Franchini (Ted), Sutton Crawford (Ginger)
In Country
Written and Directed by Timothy Scott Harris
Based on "At a Country House"
Featuring: Dee Dee Friedman (Laurie), Noah Keen (Dad), Jed Dickson (Steve)
Misery, Apathy and Despair: A Chekhovian Comedy in Four Mercifully Short Acts
Written by John McKinney
Based on "An Artist's Story"
Directed by Richard Kent Green
Featuring: Liz Frost (Elena), David M. Pincus (Peter), Sutton Crawford (Masha), Caroline Messihi (Lydia)
WorkShop Theater
Main Stage
312 W. 36th Street, 4th Floor East
June 11-27
Wednesday - Saturday at 8 PM
Monday, June 15th at 7 PM
For reservations contact 212-695-4173 x5#
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Review - Meredith's Ring and Anonymous (White Rabbit Theatre and Cuchipinoy Productions, and the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity)
Review by Byrne Harrison
Presented together as part of the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, Meredith's Ring and Anonymous both have one common plot point, a baby given up for adoption. Other than this, they tell completely different stories in very different ways.
Meredith's Ring by Andrew Rothkin is a coming-of-age tale in which an awkward teen, A.J. (Alexander Scally), experiences the first blush of love and sexual awakening with the new girl at his school. Meredith (Shelly Work) seems to be everything that A.J. isn't - brash, an outsider, angry, and more than anything else, mysterious. It's the mystery that surrounds her that makes her irresistible to him. As he draws closer to her, she at turns pulls him in and pushes him away, all the while nursing a hidden past, and trying to cover her vulnerabilities with bluster.
A.J., not used to women, and certainly not someone as complex as Meredith, constantly says and does the wrong thing. When the two find out that Meredith is pregnant, they make desperate plans to run away together. And while the resolution of the play really comes as no surprise to the audience, it is saved from cliche by A.J.'s touching monologue about his hope for the future, and two very earnest performances by Scally and Work.
As a director, Rothkin has a tendency to overcomplicate things. The production features a number of set changes and lighting and sound cues which due to technical problems, most noticeably with the sound, didn't work well at the performance I attended. Given that this is a festival, he could easily have pared down the technical aspects to the bare minimum and still have had an interesting production. Hopefully these issues merely opening day glitches and were ironed out in later performances.
Meredith's Ring features terrific set decoration by designer Yveyi Yi - two large hanging pieces that look like the type of collage created by teenagers in their school notebook. Featuring picture of places that are to play a part in the show, not to mention holding props that are Velcroed to its surface, the pieces are a very nice and effective addition to the play.
Rodney E. Reyes' Anonymous has a completely different tone. Where Meredith's Ring covers its message with a wide-eyed earnestness, Anonymous tends to mask its in vulgar humor and sullen anger. The results are decidedly mixed.
Anonymous is set in a police station, late shift. While it's just another night for Sarge (Tom Blewitt) to try to keep his rookie partner (Jian Huang) out of trouble, for the Rook, it's the end of a nice Father's Day weekend. By drawing out his taciturn partner, Rook finds out that Sarge once had a family, but that they have been estranged for years. He hasn't even seen his daughter in since she was a child. This revelation leads Rook to locate Sarge's teenage daughter (Vanessa Ramalho). The resulting meeting does not go at all well, and leads to the revelation of a number of hidden truths about Sarge's past, and an interesting look at what it means to take responsibility for a life that you've brought into the world.
The main story in Anonymous hinges on a series of hard to swallow coincidences, but theatre is often build on such stuff. In this case, the important thing is the examination of the relationship between Sarge and his daughter, and between both Sarge and his daughter and her newborn baby. Unfortunately, the deeper message is often lost in poor production values. Director Taylor Keith has too light of a touch for this production, allowing the pace to drag, even in what should be some incredibly intense moments . Blewitt exacerbates this slow-down by letting long pauses infiltrate his dialogue. Instead of indicating Sarge's reticence to display emotion in front of Rook and his daughter, it often has the feel of not being sure what the next line is because of a lack of intensity underneath his silences. Huang makes up for this by making Rook a manic character, but he comes dangerously close to clowning. Ramalho hits a middle ground between the two. Her character's silences carry hidden weight, and her explosions of activity seem grounded in actual frustration for the situation she finds herself in.
Mario Corrales has designed an interesting set, especially given other plays' tendency to strip down to next to nothing in this festival, and Keith has made good use of it, including an interesting set flip toward the end of the play that changes the audience's point-of-view. It's a nice touch in an otherwise very uneven production.
Meredith's Ring
Written and Directed by Andrew Rothkin
Assistant Director and Stage Manager: Tina Rogalski
Assistant Stage Manager: Chaz Muth
Lighting Designer and Sound Designer: Jeremy Pape
Set Designer: Yveyi Yi
Produced by White Rabbit Theatre
Featuring: Alexander Scally (A.J.) and Shelly Work (Meredith)
Anonymous
Written by Rodney E. Reyes
Director: Taylor Keith
Managing Director: Anna Payumo
Stage Manager: Eileen Gaughan
Set Designer and Technical Director: Mario Corrales
Produced by Cuchipinoy Productions
Featuring: Tom Blewitt (Sarge), Jian Huang (Rook), Vanessa Ramalho (Alanis)
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity
440 Studios
440 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor
June 13 1:00 PM
June 13 7:00 PM
June 14 3:00 PM
June 20 11:00 AM
June 20 5:00 PM
June 21 5:00 PM
Presented together as part of the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, Meredith's Ring and Anonymous both have one common plot point, a baby given up for adoption. Other than this, they tell completely different stories in very different ways.
Meredith's Ring by Andrew Rothkin is a coming-of-age tale in which an awkward teen, A.J. (Alexander Scally), experiences the first blush of love and sexual awakening with the new girl at his school. Meredith (Shelly Work) seems to be everything that A.J. isn't - brash, an outsider, angry, and more than anything else, mysterious. It's the mystery that surrounds her that makes her irresistible to him. As he draws closer to her, she at turns pulls him in and pushes him away, all the while nursing a hidden past, and trying to cover her vulnerabilities with bluster.
A.J., not used to women, and certainly not someone as complex as Meredith, constantly says and does the wrong thing. When the two find out that Meredith is pregnant, they make desperate plans to run away together. And while the resolution of the play really comes as no surprise to the audience, it is saved from cliche by A.J.'s touching monologue about his hope for the future, and two very earnest performances by Scally and Work.
As a director, Rothkin has a tendency to overcomplicate things. The production features a number of set changes and lighting and sound cues which due to technical problems, most noticeably with the sound, didn't work well at the performance I attended. Given that this is a festival, he could easily have pared down the technical aspects to the bare minimum and still have had an interesting production. Hopefully these issues merely opening day glitches and were ironed out in later performances.
Meredith's Ring features terrific set decoration by designer Yveyi Yi - two large hanging pieces that look like the type of collage created by teenagers in their school notebook. Featuring picture of places that are to play a part in the show, not to mention holding props that are Velcroed to its surface, the pieces are a very nice and effective addition to the play.
Rodney E. Reyes' Anonymous has a completely different tone. Where Meredith's Ring covers its message with a wide-eyed earnestness, Anonymous tends to mask its in vulgar humor and sullen anger. The results are decidedly mixed.
Anonymous is set in a police station, late shift. While it's just another night for Sarge (Tom Blewitt) to try to keep his rookie partner (Jian Huang) out of trouble, for the Rook, it's the end of a nice Father's Day weekend. By drawing out his taciturn partner, Rook finds out that Sarge once had a family, but that they have been estranged for years. He hasn't even seen his daughter in since she was a child. This revelation leads Rook to locate Sarge's teenage daughter (Vanessa Ramalho). The resulting meeting does not go at all well, and leads to the revelation of a number of hidden truths about Sarge's past, and an interesting look at what it means to take responsibility for a life that you've brought into the world.
The main story in Anonymous hinges on a series of hard to swallow coincidences, but theatre is often build on such stuff. In this case, the important thing is the examination of the relationship between Sarge and his daughter, and between both Sarge and his daughter and her newborn baby. Unfortunately, the deeper message is often lost in poor production values. Director Taylor Keith has too light of a touch for this production, allowing the pace to drag, even in what should be some incredibly intense moments . Blewitt exacerbates this slow-down by letting long pauses infiltrate his dialogue. Instead of indicating Sarge's reticence to display emotion in front of Rook and his daughter, it often has the feel of not being sure what the next line is because of a lack of intensity underneath his silences. Huang makes up for this by making Rook a manic character, but he comes dangerously close to clowning. Ramalho hits a middle ground between the two. Her character's silences carry hidden weight, and her explosions of activity seem grounded in actual frustration for the situation she finds herself in.
Mario Corrales has designed an interesting set, especially given other plays' tendency to strip down to next to nothing in this festival, and Keith has made good use of it, including an interesting set flip toward the end of the play that changes the audience's point-of-view. It's a nice touch in an otherwise very uneven production.
Meredith's Ring
Written and Directed by Andrew Rothkin
Assistant Director and Stage Manager: Tina Rogalski
Assistant Stage Manager: Chaz Muth
Lighting Designer and Sound Designer: Jeremy Pape
Set Designer: Yveyi Yi
Produced by White Rabbit Theatre
Featuring: Alexander Scally (A.J.) and Shelly Work (Meredith)
Anonymous
Written by Rodney E. Reyes
Director: Taylor Keith
Managing Director: Anna Payumo
Stage Manager: Eileen Gaughan
Set Designer and Technical Director: Mario Corrales
Produced by Cuchipinoy Productions
Featuring: Tom Blewitt (Sarge), Jian Huang (Rook), Vanessa Ramalho (Alanis)
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity
440 Studios
440 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor
June 13 1:00 PM
June 13 7:00 PM
June 14 3:00 PM
June 20 11:00 AM
June 20 5:00 PM
June 21 5:00 PM
Review - Monetizing Emma (Thackeray Walsh, LLC and the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity)
Review by Bryan Stryker
Investing in the future.
It’s a phrase that we are all very familiar with, having heard it from everyone from parents to politicians. There’s an entire sector of the financial industry devoted to investing in the future of various commodities. But what if you could invest your money in the future of America’s youth. Felipe Ossa’s thoroughly enchanting, mesmerizing, and engrossing new work, Monetizing Emma, takes on this premise and fully delivers.
Meet Emma Dorfman (Nitya Vidyasagar), a shy, sweet, unassuming though highly gifted 15-year-old girl enthralled by the works of Jane Austen. As the play opens, she’s being interviewed as a prospective “commodity” that will be included as part of a new offering – “The Genius Trust.” Her background, interests, studies, and indeed her whole life are being scrutinized by Colleen (Janice Mann) and Tony (James Arden), commodity brokers overseeing the Trust, to see whether or not she would be a valuable addition. Colleen swears by her due diligence, while Tony hedges on whether or not Emma is the right candidate. Ultimately, Colleen wins out and encourages Emma’s mother Caroline (Dawn Jamieson) to do what it takes to get her daughter to join in.
While pondering whether or not to join the trust, Emma slips into her Jane Austen inspired make-believe world, penning a letter to her online friend, whom she calls Miss Elizabeth Woodbury, while signing her letters as “Kitty Gordon.” While Emma is shy and a bit timid in person, it is in this Austen world where she truly comes alive. The words here come effortlessly for Emma but in the presence of her mother she is silent. With her mother pushing all the right buttons, Emma finally relents and agrees to be the newest commodity of the Genius Trust.
No decision comes without a price. When word leaks that Emma was selected for one of the coveted positions, her school’s resident mean girls, Vanessa (Daniella Rabbani) and Annie (Tovah Rose) begin to terrorize her in the bathroom. Annie was wait-listed for the trust but if Emma gives up her position, she may be able to take part. Faced with threats of their spreading horrible rumors about her, Emma’s decision to continue her involvement with the venture wavers again. Over lunch with Colleen, Emma expresses her decision to drop out and is only spared when Tony mentions the essay she submitted with her application. Outing himself as a closet Jane Austen fan, Tony uses Emma’s words against her and convinces her to remain a part of the project. A friendship forms between the two, and Tony begins to bring Emma out of her shell. The only problem – Tony’s love of Jane Austen is a lie, a lie that has sparked romantic feelings in the adolescent Emma.
When the Genius Trust needs a face to promote the product to investors, Tony is more than willing to use Emma again. When sweet, innocent Emma is splashed across advertisements, the bond’s growth rate reaches exponential proportions, and Emma is now thrust into celebrity spotlight. Tony’s star is on the rise at his firm with a bonus and sizable promotion in his future. The Mean Girls court Emma for companionship while the Mean Girl at the firm plans to bring Tony down. The letters that Emma’s Kitty Gordon penned to Elizabeth Woodbury were being received by Colleen, proving her due diligence skills to be spot on. Hurt by the deception on both Colleen and Tony’s parts, Emma retreats back into her shell dismissing the pleas of her mother and friends. Only in reviewing the demands made upon her by the trust does Emma find the path to escape and truly stand on her own feet.
Felipe Ossa has written a powerful piece commenting on society’s desire to make money at almost any expense while simultaneously demonstrating our own personal desires to stay true to our own selves. Nitya Vidyasagar is the master of the dry sarcastic wit as she drolly delivers line after line, immediately demonstrating that Emma’s wisdom goes far beyond her years. Her body language is a careful study of teenage angst and awkwardness. When not on stage, her performance leaves the audience anticipating her return.
James Arden and Janice Mann are perfect foils for each other as the warring bankers determined not to get one-upped by the other. “Slimy” is the word that immediately comes to mind for Arden’s Tony, while “barracuda” seems appropriate for Mann’s Colleen. Their onstage chemistry is delightful to watch as they fight for control of Emma. The only note that doesn't ring true is costume designer Mira Veikley's choice of shoes for Colleen. Her gogo boots are an odd choice on a character who probably would feel much more at home in a pair of stilettos.
Ensemble members Dawn Jamieson, Tovah Rose, and Daniella Rabbani all shine in their moments on stage. Jamieson as the worrisome, if not manipulating mother, Caroline, arouses both sympathy and ire as she leads the audience to wonder if she loves her daughter or is more interested in the money she can generate. Rose and Rabbani delight as the Mean Girls who torment Emma, bringing a high school cruelty to life.
Leah Bonvissuto stages an extraordinary production that seamlessly transitions from scene to scene and still keeps the audience engaged. Her creative vision, Jane Austin meets "The Matrix," is fully realized and works sublimely. As the actors reset scenic designer Jasmine Vogue Pai’s set, they stay in character keeping the audience fully immersed in the story and never letting the tension that slowly builds throughout the show lapse. Never before has so much been done with just three chairs, a table, and a lamp. Pai’s set coupled with Laura Parrish’s excellent lighting takes Monetizing Emma from a simple festival play to fully staged production. This is a show that is not to be missed.
Monetizing Emma
Written by Felipe Ossa
Directed by Leah Bonvissuto
Scenic Designer: Jasmine Vogue Pai
Lighting Designer: Lauren Parrish
Costume Design: Mira Veikley
Featuring: James Arden (Tony), Dawn Jamieson (Caroline), Janice Mann (Colleen), Daniella Rabbani (Vanessa), Tovah Rose (Annie), Nitya Vidyasagar (Emma)
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity
440 Studios
440 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor
Wednesday, June 17th at 8 PM
Friday, June 19th at 6 PM
Monday, June 22nd at 4 PM
Tuesday, June 23rd at 6 PM
Thursday, June 25th at 8 PM
Friday, June 26th at 8 PM
Investing in the future.
It’s a phrase that we are all very familiar with, having heard it from everyone from parents to politicians. There’s an entire sector of the financial industry devoted to investing in the future of various commodities. But what if you could invest your money in the future of America’s youth. Felipe Ossa’s thoroughly enchanting, mesmerizing, and engrossing new work, Monetizing Emma, takes on this premise and fully delivers.
Meet Emma Dorfman (Nitya Vidyasagar), a shy, sweet, unassuming though highly gifted 15-year-old girl enthralled by the works of Jane Austen. As the play opens, she’s being interviewed as a prospective “commodity” that will be included as part of a new offering – “The Genius Trust.” Her background, interests, studies, and indeed her whole life are being scrutinized by Colleen (Janice Mann) and Tony (James Arden), commodity brokers overseeing the Trust, to see whether or not she would be a valuable addition. Colleen swears by her due diligence, while Tony hedges on whether or not Emma is the right candidate. Ultimately, Colleen wins out and encourages Emma’s mother Caroline (Dawn Jamieson) to do what it takes to get her daughter to join in.
While pondering whether or not to join the trust, Emma slips into her Jane Austen inspired make-believe world, penning a letter to her online friend, whom she calls Miss Elizabeth Woodbury, while signing her letters as “Kitty Gordon.” While Emma is shy and a bit timid in person, it is in this Austen world where she truly comes alive. The words here come effortlessly for Emma but in the presence of her mother she is silent. With her mother pushing all the right buttons, Emma finally relents and agrees to be the newest commodity of the Genius Trust.
No decision comes without a price. When word leaks that Emma was selected for one of the coveted positions, her school’s resident mean girls, Vanessa (Daniella Rabbani) and Annie (Tovah Rose) begin to terrorize her in the bathroom. Annie was wait-listed for the trust but if Emma gives up her position, she may be able to take part. Faced with threats of their spreading horrible rumors about her, Emma’s decision to continue her involvement with the venture wavers again. Over lunch with Colleen, Emma expresses her decision to drop out and is only spared when Tony mentions the essay she submitted with her application. Outing himself as a closet Jane Austen fan, Tony uses Emma’s words against her and convinces her to remain a part of the project. A friendship forms between the two, and Tony begins to bring Emma out of her shell. The only problem – Tony’s love of Jane Austen is a lie, a lie that has sparked romantic feelings in the adolescent Emma.
When the Genius Trust needs a face to promote the product to investors, Tony is more than willing to use Emma again. When sweet, innocent Emma is splashed across advertisements, the bond’s growth rate reaches exponential proportions, and Emma is now thrust into celebrity spotlight. Tony’s star is on the rise at his firm with a bonus and sizable promotion in his future. The Mean Girls court Emma for companionship while the Mean Girl at the firm plans to bring Tony down. The letters that Emma’s Kitty Gordon penned to Elizabeth Woodbury were being received by Colleen, proving her due diligence skills to be spot on. Hurt by the deception on both Colleen and Tony’s parts, Emma retreats back into her shell dismissing the pleas of her mother and friends. Only in reviewing the demands made upon her by the trust does Emma find the path to escape and truly stand on her own feet.
Felipe Ossa has written a powerful piece commenting on society’s desire to make money at almost any expense while simultaneously demonstrating our own personal desires to stay true to our own selves. Nitya Vidyasagar is the master of the dry sarcastic wit as she drolly delivers line after line, immediately demonstrating that Emma’s wisdom goes far beyond her years. Her body language is a careful study of teenage angst and awkwardness. When not on stage, her performance leaves the audience anticipating her return.
James Arden and Janice Mann are perfect foils for each other as the warring bankers determined not to get one-upped by the other. “Slimy” is the word that immediately comes to mind for Arden’s Tony, while “barracuda” seems appropriate for Mann’s Colleen. Their onstage chemistry is delightful to watch as they fight for control of Emma. The only note that doesn't ring true is costume designer Mira Veikley's choice of shoes for Colleen. Her gogo boots are an odd choice on a character who probably would feel much more at home in a pair of stilettos.
Ensemble members Dawn Jamieson, Tovah Rose, and Daniella Rabbani all shine in their moments on stage. Jamieson as the worrisome, if not manipulating mother, Caroline, arouses both sympathy and ire as she leads the audience to wonder if she loves her daughter or is more interested in the money she can generate. Rose and Rabbani delight as the Mean Girls who torment Emma, bringing a high school cruelty to life.
Leah Bonvissuto stages an extraordinary production that seamlessly transitions from scene to scene and still keeps the audience engaged. Her creative vision, Jane Austin meets "The Matrix," is fully realized and works sublimely. As the actors reset scenic designer Jasmine Vogue Pai’s set, they stay in character keeping the audience fully immersed in the story and never letting the tension that slowly builds throughout the show lapse. Never before has so much been done with just three chairs, a table, and a lamp. Pai’s set coupled with Laura Parrish’s excellent lighting takes Monetizing Emma from a simple festival play to fully staged production. This is a show that is not to be missed.
Monetizing Emma
Written by Felipe Ossa
Directed by Leah Bonvissuto
Scenic Designer: Jasmine Vogue Pai
Lighting Designer: Lauren Parrish
Costume Design: Mira Veikley
Featuring: James Arden (Tony), Dawn Jamieson (Caroline), Janice Mann (Colleen), Daniella Rabbani (Vanessa), Tovah Rose (Annie), Nitya Vidyasagar (Emma)
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity
440 Studios
440 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor
Wednesday, June 17th at 8 PM
Friday, June 19th at 6 PM
Monday, June 22nd at 4 PM
Tuesday, June 23rd at 6 PM
Thursday, June 25th at 8 PM
Friday, June 26th at 8 PM
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