By Byrne Harrison
Name: Melanie Gall
Show: My Pal, Izzy – The Early Life and Music of Irving Berlin
Website: www.melaniegall.com/izzy
How did you first get involved in theatre?
I have always performed. I started with a local Children’s Theatre troupe in Canada, and the St. Albert Kiwanis Festival, where I won first prize for school vocal solo for six years running.
Who are your biggest influences?
This is not exactly theatre-related, but one of my biggest influences is Israeli paratrooper Hannah Senesh. She was continually willing to risk everything in her life to do what she considered the right thing, and I only wish I could be as idealistic.
Tell me a little bit about your show.
My show is about the early life and music of Irving Berlin. Berlin’s story is told through his fictional childhood friend, vaudeville performer Rebecca Rosenstein. Using Berlin’s music, Rebecca tells about what it was like to grow up in New York in the early 1900s. She talks about Tin Pan Alley, and how even a poor, unknown boy could achieve astronomical success. The story is compelling, and a lot of the lyrics are hilarious. From the sage advice in ‘Don’t Take Your Beau to the Seashore’ to the admonition ‘If You Don’t Like My Peaches, You’d Better Stop Shaking My Tree,’ these songs are still very relevant today.
What inspired you to write it?
Last spring, I was hunting through the performing arts library, looking for some Bizet songs for a concert I was doing. Suddenly, I came upon three huge volumes containing the early songs of Irving Berlin. There are hundreds of songs, and they are just hilarious. After playing through a bunch of them, I started reading about Berlin, and decided that this often-overlooked early music and his story was just too good not to be told.
Who are your collaborators and how long have you been working with them?
My pianist is very talented, and my director/set designer, Karen Gall, is amazing. Karen has worked with me on several shows, including Europe, A Savvy Girl’s Guide: The Musical, which will be playing at the Saskatoon Fringe this year.
What's next for you after FRIGID?
Next I am jetting off to The Czech Republic, to sing in the American Spring Festival in Prague. Then I’m touring within that country and possibly Hungary, then flying to Bogota, Colombia for more singing. After that, I take Izzy on the road, starting with the Orlando Fringe. 7 Fringes in 4 months will be a little crazy, but hopefully there will be time to change clothes or for a shower or two in between the performances.
And finally, if you could say anything to your potential audience, what would it be?
Come to my show, and bring the family! The songs will make you laugh (and maybe even cry), and the story will teach you something about the history of music in our great city.
My Pal Izzy: The Early Life and Music of Irving Berlin
Written by Melanie Gall & Directed by Karen Gall
Presented by Sisterscene Productions Brooklyn, NY
The Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street)
$16
Thu 2/24 @ 6pm, Fri 2/25 @ 7pm, Sun 2/27 @ 2:30pm, Wed 3/2 @ 9pm, Thu 3/3 @ 7:30pm, & Sat 3/5 @ 4pm
Sunday, February 20, 2011
FRIGID New York Interview - Rachelle Elie of "JOE: The Perfect Man"
By Byrne Harrison
Name: Rachelle Elie
Show: JOE:The Perfect Man
Website: crowningmonkey.com
How did you first get involved in theatre?
In Grade 8 I got the lead in the school play, and because I showed up two hours late to rehearsal, I got kicked out. My drama teacher really believed in me so instead of the play he asked me to do comedy bits in between the serious play transitions. I had a blast!! It was my first real live theatre performance and I got completely hooked on performance. Then in grade 9, I went to a school of the arts for ballet school, and I also started doing runway modeling. When I used to walk down the catwalk, I always smiled and looked at the audience instead of looking away distractedly like I was supposed to. I had a modeling mentor, and at that time she told me she thought I was more of an actor than a model. I applied to Bishop's University. At Bishop's I had many amazing acting teachers who really encouraged me to focus on theatre, and after several productions, I felt like I had found my home. I acted in several productions and decided upon graduating to continue my studies. I spent 4 years at Studio 58, graduated, and realized I was a clown, which then started my clown studies, while doing theatre and stand up comedy... I could go on for longer but will stop!
Who are your biggest influences?
Fellini, Philippe Gaulier, Francine Cote, Sasha Baron Cohen, Chris Rock, Lady Gaga, my kids, Julia Cameron.
Tell me a little bit about your show.
It's about a toothless, overweight, loveable loser who gets fired from his job and realizes he wants to play all the lead roles in Macbeth. The show highlights his ridiculous failures and missed attempts at brilliance as he stumbles through the audition of a lifetime.
What inspired you to write it?
I took a character workshop with clown master teacher Philippe Gaulier in Halifax. In class he asked us to come in class in disguise with the pleasure of not being recognized. I found an ugly old suit at a second-hand shop in Halifax. The character was a hit, and Philippe encouraged me to do a 90-minute show. I kept thinking one-man Macbeth... one-man Macbeth. It seemed absurd... I didn't even really like the play that much at the time. At the end of Philippe's class we did a class presentation, and that's what I did. Joe doing Macbeth. It was very well received, and my director, Adam, was in class assisting Philippe. We couldn't resist making a show. I won the caff touring lottery that year, so it seemed I was destined to tour the show!
Who are your collaborators and how long have you been working with them?
I met Adam Lazarus at a show years back and loved his work. I knew he was teaching buffoon, so I took his class and we hit it off immediately. We created several characters together, and found our brains were very funny together. When I took the Gaulier workshop in Halifax, we bought my JOE costume together. It was his idea that I go into class as a man. So already back then he was directing my work. We have worked on two other shows since JOE. Mike Kennard of Mump & Smoot is someone I met over 15 years ago at the world street fest in Edmonton when I just started clowning. He taught me years later and came on as a creative consultant for JOE. We had made several masks together in the past, so we started this process by making a JOE mask, and we were able to discover a lot about the characater that way. It really shaped the material as well. He worked the tragedy of the piece, whereas Adam really worked the funny.
What's next for you after FRIGID?
I have been doing festivals nonstop for over 5 years. This summer I plan to write and hibernate with my work for a bit. I am always performing, and I feel the need to regroup with my work, as I have several unfinshed projects that are demanding attention. I have a trip to Paris planned for April and continued studies with Francine Cote in May. Future plans to study with Philippe Gaulier.
And finally, if you could say anything to your potential audience, what would it be?
if you see one show this year make it JOE. Eye magazine called it "one of the best times you'll have in theatre all year." It is certainly a good time and may change the way you see theatre. A lot of people who are tired and bored of the theatre have told me JOE reinspired them. In a strange way it is anti-theatre. I hate how boring and serious theatre can be and this is a rebellion against that. I studied theatre acting for over ten years only to realize I was a clown, and this show actually allows me to be both! Also it has been called "one of the weirdest shows.." at several festivals. I take that as a high compliment!
Joe: The Perfect Man
Written by Rachelle Elie & Directed by Adam Lazarus
Presented by Crowning Monkey Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street)
$16
Fri 2/25 @ 4pm, Sun 2/27 @ 4pm, Mon 2/28 @ 7:30pm, Tue 3/1 @ 6pm, Fri 3/4 @ 8:30pm, & Sun 3/6 @ 2:30pm
Name: Rachelle Elie
Show: JOE:The Perfect Man
Website: crowningmonkey.com
In Grade 8 I got the lead in the school play, and because I showed up two hours late to rehearsal, I got kicked out. My drama teacher really believed in me so instead of the play he asked me to do comedy bits in between the serious play transitions. I had a blast!! It was my first real live theatre performance and I got completely hooked on performance. Then in grade 9, I went to a school of the arts for ballet school, and I also started doing runway modeling. When I used to walk down the catwalk, I always smiled and looked at the audience instead of looking away distractedly like I was supposed to. I had a modeling mentor, and at that time she told me she thought I was more of an actor than a model. I applied to Bishop's University. At Bishop's I had many amazing acting teachers who really encouraged me to focus on theatre, and after several productions, I felt like I had found my home. I acted in several productions and decided upon graduating to continue my studies. I spent 4 years at Studio 58, graduated, and realized I was a clown, which then started my clown studies, while doing theatre and stand up comedy... I could go on for longer but will stop!
Who are your biggest influences?
Fellini, Philippe Gaulier, Francine Cote, Sasha Baron Cohen, Chris Rock, Lady Gaga, my kids, Julia Cameron.
Tell me a little bit about your show.
It's about a toothless, overweight, loveable loser who gets fired from his job and realizes he wants to play all the lead roles in Macbeth. The show highlights his ridiculous failures and missed attempts at brilliance as he stumbles through the audition of a lifetime.
What inspired you to write it?
I took a character workshop with clown master teacher Philippe Gaulier in Halifax. In class he asked us to come in class in disguise with the pleasure of not being recognized. I found an ugly old suit at a second-hand shop in Halifax. The character was a hit, and Philippe encouraged me to do a 90-minute show. I kept thinking one-man Macbeth... one-man Macbeth. It seemed absurd... I didn't even really like the play that much at the time. At the end of Philippe's class we did a class presentation, and that's what I did. Joe doing Macbeth. It was very well received, and my director, Adam, was in class assisting Philippe. We couldn't resist making a show. I won the caff touring lottery that year, so it seemed I was destined to tour the show!
Who are your collaborators and how long have you been working with them?
I met Adam Lazarus at a show years back and loved his work. I knew he was teaching buffoon, so I took his class and we hit it off immediately. We created several characters together, and found our brains were very funny together. When I took the Gaulier workshop in Halifax, we bought my JOE costume together. It was his idea that I go into class as a man. So already back then he was directing my work. We have worked on two other shows since JOE. Mike Kennard of Mump & Smoot is someone I met over 15 years ago at the world street fest in Edmonton when I just started clowning. He taught me years later and came on as a creative consultant for JOE. We had made several masks together in the past, so we started this process by making a JOE mask, and we were able to discover a lot about the characater that way. It really shaped the material as well. He worked the tragedy of the piece, whereas Adam really worked the funny.
What's next for you after FRIGID?
I have been doing festivals nonstop for over 5 years. This summer I plan to write and hibernate with my work for a bit. I am always performing, and I feel the need to regroup with my work, as I have several unfinshed projects that are demanding attention. I have a trip to Paris planned for April and continued studies with Francine Cote in May. Future plans to study with Philippe Gaulier.
And finally, if you could say anything to your potential audience, what would it be?
if you see one show this year make it JOE. Eye magazine called it "one of the best times you'll have in theatre all year." It is certainly a good time and may change the way you see theatre. A lot of people who are tired and bored of the theatre have told me JOE reinspired them. In a strange way it is anti-theatre. I hate how boring and serious theatre can be and this is a rebellion against that. I studied theatre acting for over ten years only to realize I was a clown, and this show actually allows me to be both! Also it has been called "one of the weirdest shows.." at several festivals. I take that as a high compliment!
Joe: The Perfect Man
Written by Rachelle Elie & Directed by Adam Lazarus
Presented by Crowning Monkey Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street)
$16
Fri 2/25 @ 4pm, Sun 2/27 @ 4pm, Mon 2/28 @ 7:30pm, Tue 3/1 @ 6pm, Fri 3/4 @ 8:30pm, & Sun 3/6 @ 2:30pm
Saturday, February 19, 2011
FRIGID New York Interview - Zach Stasz of "A Kind Kind Man"
By Byrne Harrison
Name: Zach Stasz
Show: A Kind Kind Man
Website: staszpruitt.com
How did you first get involved in theatre?
I was originally a Mathematics major at my alma mater, Nazareth College of Rochester. Because of it's liberal arts program, I had to take a theater class freshman year. I absolutely fell in love with the stage and picked up a minor in Theater Arts. Eventually, however, that wasn't enough for me. After discovering directing and putting on my own productions, I ended up double majoring in both Theater Arts and Mathematics.
Who are your biggest influences?
The Coen Brothers, David Mamet, Elia Kazan, and Georg Büchner.
Tell me a little bit about A Kind Kind Man.
When 14-year-old Flora shows up on Willard's doorstep selling toothpaste with a smile, Willard's repressed masculinity surfaces, triggering desires to drop his perfect muffin-baking wife and run off with the unwilling Flora to the Virgin Island.
What inspired you to direct it at FRIGID?
I originally saw the first reincarnation of this project at Powerhouse Theater's Summer Playwright Apprentice Reading. I was really drawn to the unorthodox dialogue and passionate characters. Influenced by Nicky Silver and Christopher Durang, this show is a hilarious mix of over-the-top emotions with questionable situations that would normally be offensive if it weren't for the laughs that proceed it.
Who are your collaborators and how long have you been working with them?
Elliott Pruitt and I have been co-owners of Stasz/Pruitt Productions since we started in 2008. He produces the shows and I direct them.
Catherine Weingarten, the playwright, and I met this past summer at Powerhouse Theater.
The actors - Jeffrey Coyne, Tali Custer, and Victoria Guthrie - auditioned for the show this past december.
And my casting director, Caitlin Jones, and I went to college together.
What's next for you after FRIGID?
We plan on doing An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein during the summer. This has been a Stasz/Pruitt flagship show since we put it on twice in 2009.
And finally, if you could say anything to your potential audience,
what would it be?
We're not responsible for any intense toothpaste craving you may have after seeing it.
A Kind Kind Man
Written by Catherine Weingarten & Directed by Zach Stasz
Presented by Stasz/Pruitt Productions Queens, NY
UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place)
$14
Thu 2/24 @ 7:30pm, Sat 2/26 @ 2:30pm, Wed 3/2 @ 9pm, Fri 3/4 @ 6pm, & Sat 3/5 @ 7pm
Name: Zach Stasz
Show: A Kind Kind Man
Website: staszpruitt.com
I was originally a Mathematics major at my alma mater, Nazareth College of Rochester. Because of it's liberal arts program, I had to take a theater class freshman year. I absolutely fell in love with the stage and picked up a minor in Theater Arts. Eventually, however, that wasn't enough for me. After discovering directing and putting on my own productions, I ended up double majoring in both Theater Arts and Mathematics.
Who are your biggest influences?
The Coen Brothers, David Mamet, Elia Kazan, and Georg Büchner.
Tell me a little bit about A Kind Kind Man.
When 14-year-old Flora shows up on Willard's doorstep selling toothpaste with a smile, Willard's repressed masculinity surfaces, triggering desires to drop his perfect muffin-baking wife and run off with the unwilling Flora to the Virgin Island.
What inspired you to direct it at FRIGID?
I originally saw the first reincarnation of this project at Powerhouse Theater's Summer Playwright Apprentice Reading. I was really drawn to the unorthodox dialogue and passionate characters. Influenced by Nicky Silver and Christopher Durang, this show is a hilarious mix of over-the-top emotions with questionable situations that would normally be offensive if it weren't for the laughs that proceed it.
Who are your collaborators and how long have you been working with them?
Elliott Pruitt and I have been co-owners of Stasz/Pruitt Productions since we started in 2008. He produces the shows and I direct them.
Catherine Weingarten, the playwright, and I met this past summer at Powerhouse Theater.
The actors - Jeffrey Coyne, Tali Custer, and Victoria Guthrie - auditioned for the show this past december.
And my casting director, Caitlin Jones, and I went to college together.
What's next for you after FRIGID?
We plan on doing An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein during the summer. This has been a Stasz/Pruitt flagship show since we put it on twice in 2009.
And finally, if you could say anything to your potential audience,
what would it be?
We're not responsible for any intense toothpaste craving you may have after seeing it.
A Kind Kind Man
Written by Catherine Weingarten & Directed by Zach Stasz
Presented by Stasz/Pruitt Productions Queens, NY
UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place)
$14
Thu 2/24 @ 7:30pm, Sat 2/26 @ 2:30pm, Wed 3/2 @ 9pm, Fri 3/4 @ 6pm, & Sat 3/5 @ 7pm
FRIGID New York Interview - Tania Katan of "Saving Tania's Privates"
By Byrne Harrison
Photo by Angela Ellsworth
Name: Tania Katan
Show: Saving Tania’s Privates
Website: www.savingtaniasprivates.com & www.taniakatan.com
How did you first get involved in theatre?
Like most people, I got cancer. Isn’t that how it works? You get sick and you either find religion or art. Thank fucking God I found art!
Who are your biggest influences?
Gilda Radner, Tracey Ullman, Harry Chapin, Holly Hughes, Bob Flanagan, Sandra Bernhard, The Carter Family, Lisa Kron, Joelle Katan, Elliott Richards, and on and on and on.
Tell me a little bit about your show.
Saving Tania’s Privates is like "Run Lola Run" meets "The Singing Detective" and swings by "The L Word" for a cocktail! Lights up, I’m standing onstage being felt up by a male TSA guard. Do I shrink away and comply with his demands, or distract him with a joke and start running? Do I move-in with the brooding dyke who looks like Pony Boy or do I move in with my French mother? Do I opt for chemotherapy and a mastectomy, or radiation and a lumpectomy? Can I race for a cure when I’m not cured? Can my best friend really contract HIV when I still have cancer? Saving Tania’s Privates invites the audience to enter a world where surgeons are ninjas and best friends don’t get AIDS; a world where running topless is legal, disco never dies, and scars are celebrated. It explores whether bad girlfriends can give you cancer and whether good ones can take it away.
What inspired you to write it?
I wrote the book first, a memoir entitled "My One Night Stand With Cancer." Then I realized that this is a story about the body, the sick body, the silly body, the dying body, the living body and yet it was sort of idle inside of a book. Because theatre is such a live and active form of storytelling, it became imperative for me to adapt the book into a play. Although I didn’t have ME in mind to perform the one-woman play — DUH! — I came to realize how important and urgent it is for me to invite an audience to bear witness to my story, to confirm that these events really occurred, and to show them that I am still alive, able to embody this story, visually and textually answering questions that readers of the book continue to ask me.
Who are your collaborators and how long have you been working with them?
I’ve been lucky enough to work with friend/producer: AJ Epstein; friend/Director Carys Kresny, and friend/Co-Producer: Liza Comtois for about three years! My friend/Stage Manager, Emily Reitman is a new addition to STP team and friend/Stage Manager Devorah Spadone handed her the baton. I adore and respect all of the team personally and professionally, which allows for us to go deeper, explore the script and performance more fully, and, honestly, crack each other up A LOT! If we could afford team uniforms, I’m certain we would all wear them, at all times! And, of course, the well-known visual and performance artist, Angela Ellsworth. For some odd reason she has chosen to live with me and be my constant life collaborator. Thank Art!
What's next for you after FRIGID?
Off to Los Angeles to perform a new solo show Thank You and Good Luck, which will explore auditioning for civil rights as I try to become America’s next Lesbian Bachelor on ABC’s reality show "The Bachelor." It will premiere at the 18th Street Art Center as a part of Richard Newton’s project Have You Seen My Privacy through the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time.
Also, I’m working on a second book entitled "A Laugh Riot." It’s about cracking people up while subverting perceptions. Funny activism with serious impact!
And finally, if you could say anything to your potential audience, what would it be?
What you are about to see is a comedy. And like all good comedies, there are many catastrophes within that framework. There are moments when the characters will find themselves in compromised positions, feeling othered and unable to move forward. Sometimes a character will choose to French kiss another character instead of getting a biopsy. Sometimes a character will believe that they are cooler than they are based on alcohol consumption. That is the beauty of humor; humor springs from a place of fear, discomfort, vulnerability, and otherness and yet somehow allows us to feel less fear, discomfort and otherness. My hope is that you will come see Saving Tania’s Privates and witness the acts of falling in love, breaking up, awkward dance moves, hiding in hyper-reality, blown veins, and laughing at inappropriate moments.
Saving Tania's Privates
UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place)
$12
Wed 2/23 @ 7:30pm, Fri 2/25 @ 9pm, Sat 2/26 @ 1pm, Tue 3/1 @ 6pm, Wed 3/2 @ 7:30pm, & Sat 3/5 @ 10pm
Photo by Angela Ellsworth
Name: Tania Katan
Show: Saving Tania’s Privates
Website: www.savingtaniasprivates.com & www.taniakatan.com
Like most people, I got cancer. Isn’t that how it works? You get sick and you either find religion or art. Thank fucking God I found art!
Who are your biggest influences?
Gilda Radner, Tracey Ullman, Harry Chapin, Holly Hughes, Bob Flanagan, Sandra Bernhard, The Carter Family, Lisa Kron, Joelle Katan, Elliott Richards, and on and on and on.
Tell me a little bit about your show.
Saving Tania’s Privates is like "Run Lola Run" meets "The Singing Detective" and swings by "The L Word" for a cocktail! Lights up, I’m standing onstage being felt up by a male TSA guard. Do I shrink away and comply with his demands, or distract him with a joke and start running? Do I move-in with the brooding dyke who looks like Pony Boy or do I move in with my French mother? Do I opt for chemotherapy and a mastectomy, or radiation and a lumpectomy? Can I race for a cure when I’m not cured? Can my best friend really contract HIV when I still have cancer? Saving Tania’s Privates invites the audience to enter a world where surgeons are ninjas and best friends don’t get AIDS; a world where running topless is legal, disco never dies, and scars are celebrated. It explores whether bad girlfriends can give you cancer and whether good ones can take it away.
What inspired you to write it?
I wrote the book first, a memoir entitled "My One Night Stand With Cancer." Then I realized that this is a story about the body, the sick body, the silly body, the dying body, the living body and yet it was sort of idle inside of a book. Because theatre is such a live and active form of storytelling, it became imperative for me to adapt the book into a play. Although I didn’t have ME in mind to perform the one-woman play — DUH! — I came to realize how important and urgent it is for me to invite an audience to bear witness to my story, to confirm that these events really occurred, and to show them that I am still alive, able to embody this story, visually and textually answering questions that readers of the book continue to ask me.
Who are your collaborators and how long have you been working with them?
I’ve been lucky enough to work with friend/producer: AJ Epstein; friend/Director Carys Kresny, and friend/Co-Producer: Liza Comtois for about three years! My friend/Stage Manager, Emily Reitman is a new addition to STP team and friend/Stage Manager Devorah Spadone handed her the baton. I adore and respect all of the team personally and professionally, which allows for us to go deeper, explore the script and performance more fully, and, honestly, crack each other up A LOT! If we could afford team uniforms, I’m certain we would all wear them, at all times! And, of course, the well-known visual and performance artist, Angela Ellsworth. For some odd reason she has chosen to live with me and be my constant life collaborator. Thank Art!
What's next for you after FRIGID?
Off to Los Angeles to perform a new solo show Thank You and Good Luck, which will explore auditioning for civil rights as I try to become America’s next Lesbian Bachelor on ABC’s reality show "The Bachelor." It will premiere at the 18th Street Art Center as a part of Richard Newton’s project Have You Seen My Privacy through the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time.
Also, I’m working on a second book entitled "A Laugh Riot." It’s about cracking people up while subverting perceptions. Funny activism with serious impact!
And finally, if you could say anything to your potential audience, what would it be?
What you are about to see is a comedy. And like all good comedies, there are many catastrophes within that framework. There are moments when the characters will find themselves in compromised positions, feeling othered and unable to move forward. Sometimes a character will choose to French kiss another character instead of getting a biopsy. Sometimes a character will believe that they are cooler than they are based on alcohol consumption. That is the beauty of humor; humor springs from a place of fear, discomfort, vulnerability, and otherness and yet somehow allows us to feel less fear, discomfort and otherness. My hope is that you will come see Saving Tania’s Privates and witness the acts of falling in love, breaking up, awkward dance moves, hiding in hyper-reality, blown veins, and laughing at inappropriate moments.
Saving Tania's Privates
UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place)
$12
Wed 2/23 @ 7:30pm, Fri 2/25 @ 9pm, Sat 2/26 @ 1pm, Tue 3/1 @ 6pm, Wed 3/2 @ 7:30pm, & Sat 3/5 @ 10pm
Friday, February 18, 2011
FRIGID New York Interview - Bricken Sparacino of "I'm Not Sure I Like the Way You Licked Me!"
By Byrne Harrison
Photo by Cathryn Lynne
Name: Bricken Sparacino, writer and performer
I have been doing theater since I was very young, 8. I wrote my first play a year later. It was about Misty of Chincoteague.
Who are your biggest influences?
I have always been inspired by British comedy - Monty Python, Young Ones - and particularly the ladies of Absolutely Fabulous. But my current show is a break from strait comedy.
"I'm Not Sure..." is a story telling show. I was inspired to write this show from working as director on other writers one person shows. So for this show you could say my influences are Chris Harcum, Michael Birch, Joy Gabrielle, Marsha and Laura Mannino. I also enjoyed watching other story tellers like Martin Dockery and Adam Wade.
Tell me a little bit about your show.
This show is very personal but I hope with the stories I tell a universal tone is created. It is about all the small crummy things that happen, they pile up and can at times feel overwhelming.
I talk about my bad luck, weird injuries and the small injustices I have survived. Most of the stories are either funny or uplifting. I chose these stories to tell because when I workshopped this show they are the ones people came up to me later and said "Hey that happened to me too!" or "That reminded me of something I had forgotten all about". As the audience and I laugh, sigh and survive all my "licks" we leave the theater ready to stand up for ourselves (when appropriate). PS. Yes there is a story about a bad kiss that includes a LOT of licking!
What inspired you to write it?
Other people inspired me to create my own solo show. I have directed eight one-person shows, written one play and a hundred sketches. I have always avoided writing a piece about myself, being more comfortable with comedy and character-based writing. Whenever I directed someone's solo show they would say "Bricken, you should do one about yourself!" "You have great stories," etc.
I ignored the comments for about 2 years. Then I started to think that I did have something to share and I took the dare.
Who are your collaborators and how long have you been working with them?
My director is Lori Kee. We have been working together for a long time now. Lori and I are members of the all female sketch comedy group, Comedy Period. Together we have written and performed comedy all over NYC. Lori was co-director on my 2009 entry to the Frigid Festival, Are We Freaks. We are happy to be collaborating again for this years festival. My co-producer on this project is Michael Birch. Michael and I have produced many projects together including the long running comedy show 10:17 Comedy Night, MEDICATION (FringeNYC) and the well-reviewed Michael Birch's One Man Hamlet (currently touring http://www.onemanhamlet.net/). The show ends with an original song I wrote with Eric Chercover. Chercover has been working with me since the 10:17 days. We have collaborated on music for One Man Hamlet, American Treacle and many musical sketches!
What's next for you after FRIGID?
After the Frigid, I will be directing Emleigh Wolf's The Terrible Manpain of Umberto MacDougal for the mini Frigid in the summer and turning my short plays Pointy the Starfish and Are We Freaks into full-length plays. I will also perform at Penny' Open Mic, where I workshopped many parts of this play. You can see me there working on the next play soon.
And finally, if you could say anything to your potential audience, what would it be?
Really, come to see my show I'm Not Sure I Like the Way You Licked Me! It is going to be fun. If you ever felt like life isn't fair, after seeing my show, you will feel a little better.
I'm Not Sure I Like the Way You Licked Me!
UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place)
$10
Wed 2/23 @ 9pm, Sun 2/27 @ 1pm, Mon 2/28 @ 9pm, Thu 3/3 @ 7:30pm, & Sat 3/5 @ 8:30pm
Photo by Cathryn Lynne
Name: Bricken Sparacino, writer and performer
Show: I'm Not Sure I Like the Way You Licked Me!
Website: http://www.bricken.org/
How did you first get involved in theatre?
I have been doing theater since I was very young, 8. I wrote my first play a year later. It was about Misty of Chincoteague.At the time I loved horses. I had trouble finding actors and blocking a pony fight was difficult. But I did not turn back. It was theater for me from then on.
I have always been inspired by British comedy - Monty Python, Young Ones - and particularly the ladies of Absolutely Fabulous. But my current show is a break from strait comedy.
"I'm Not Sure..." is a story telling show. I was inspired to write this show from working as director on other writers one person shows. So for this show you could say my influences are Chris Harcum, Michael Birch, Joy Gabrielle, Marsha and Laura Mannino. I also enjoyed watching other story tellers like Martin Dockery and Adam Wade.
Tell me a little bit about your show.
This show is very personal but I hope with the stories I tell a universal tone is created. It is about all the small crummy things that happen, they pile up and can at times feel overwhelming.
I talk about my bad luck, weird injuries and the small injustices I have survived. Most of the stories are either funny or uplifting. I chose these stories to tell because when I workshopped this show they are the ones people came up to me later and said "Hey that happened to me too!" or "That reminded me of something I had forgotten all about". As the audience and I laugh, sigh and survive all my "licks" we leave the theater ready to stand up for ourselves (when appropriate). PS. Yes there is a story about a bad kiss that includes a LOT of licking!
What inspired you to write it?
Other people inspired me to create my own solo show. I have directed eight one-person shows, written one play and a hundred sketches. I have always avoided writing a piece about myself, being more comfortable with comedy and character-based writing. Whenever I directed someone's solo show they would say "Bricken, you should do one about yourself!" "You have great stories," etc.
I ignored the comments for about 2 years. Then I started to think that I did have something to share and I took the dare.
Who are your collaborators and how long have you been working with them?
My director is Lori Kee. We have been working together for a long time now. Lori and I are members of the all female sketch comedy group, Comedy Period. Together we have written and performed comedy all over NYC. Lori was co-director on my 2009 entry to the Frigid Festival, Are We Freaks. We are happy to be collaborating again for this years festival. My co-producer on this project is Michael Birch. Michael and I have produced many projects together including the long running comedy show 10:17 Comedy Night, MEDICATION (FringeNYC) and the well-reviewed Michael Birch's One Man Hamlet (currently touring http://www.onemanhamlet.net/). The show ends with an original song I wrote with Eric Chercover. Chercover has been working with me since the 10:17 days. We have collaborated on music for One Man Hamlet, American Treacle and many musical sketches!
What's next for you after FRIGID?
After the Frigid, I will be directing Emleigh Wolf's The Terrible Manpain of Umberto MacDougal for the mini Frigid in the summer and turning my short plays Pointy the Starfish and Are We Freaks into full-length plays. I will also perform at Penny' Open Mic, where I workshopped many parts of this play. You can see me there working on the next play soon.
And finally, if you could say anything to your potential audience, what would it be?
Really, come to see my show I'm Not Sure I Like the Way You Licked Me! It is going to be fun. If you ever felt like life isn't fair, after seeing my show, you will feel a little better.
I'm Not Sure I Like the Way You Licked Me!
UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place)
$10
Wed 2/23 @ 9pm, Sun 2/27 @ 1pm, Mon 2/28 @ 9pm, Thu 3/3 @ 7:30pm, & Sat 3/5 @ 8:30pm
FRIGID New York Interview - David Mogolov of "There Is No Good News"
By Byrne Harrison
Name: David Mogolov
How did you first get involved in theatre?
Who are your biggest influences?
Spalding Gray and Mike Daisey in the theatre. George Carlin in comedy. The rest of my main influences are novelists and essayists: Graham Greene, Cynthia Ozick, Kurt Vonnegut. I think the common thread is that I like funny people who are clear writers and aren't afraid of paradox and complexity.
Tell me a little bit about your show.
There Is No Good News is a monologue, a mix of storytelling, characters and reflection, stitching together seemingly disparate stories and ideas into what I hoped--and have been told is--a surprisingly tight-knit whole. Through it all, I try to get the joke density of stand up comedy into what you might call a "theatrical essay." God, that sounds terrible. Really, it's great. I promise.
What inspired you to write it?
The show grew out of two things: the financial crisis and the birth of my daughter. I'd done several one-person shows before, and I knew I wanted to do another inspired by what I thought was a real sickness in our culture, which really ripped wide open with the financial crisis. I was first pulling together ideas for that show when we found out my wife was pregnant, and the two topics merged in a fantastic way. The original idea is just barely represented in the show, but I can return to it another time. I'm much, much happier with how it turned out than how it might have been.
Who are your collaborators and how long have you been working with them?
I've been working with my director, Steve Kleinedler, since 2001. Steve and I have been working together so long that we tend to anticipate some of each others' quirks and complaints, and each show we do, I think we get closer and closer to some sort of bizarre mindshare. We don't always agree, but we understand and respect each other enough that we're both listening, and I get more from his moments of opposition than I get from most people's support.
What's next for you after FRIGID?
I've started work on a show tentatively titled "I'm Hungry From All Of This Eating." I hope to send it into the world in early 2012.
And finally, if you could say anything to your potential audience, what would it be?
Prepare for eye contact.
There Is No Good News
The Red Room (85 East 4th Street)
$10
Thu 2/24 @ 6:30pm, Sat 2/26 @ 2pm, Tue 3/1 @ 9:30pm, Fri 3/4 @ 8pm, Sat 3/5 @ 5pm, & Sun 3/6 @ 6:30pm
Name: David Mogolov
Show: There Is No Good News
Website: http://www.mogolov.com/
How did you first get involved in theatre?By accident. My first appearance onstage as an adult was the result of my getting cast in a show before I fully comprehended what I was signing on for. It was the equivalent of getting hired from an "informational interview." As anybody who's ever auditioned for anything knows, that's a harbinger of doom.
Who are your biggest influences?
Spalding Gray and Mike Daisey in the theatre. George Carlin in comedy. The rest of my main influences are novelists and essayists: Graham Greene, Cynthia Ozick, Kurt Vonnegut. I think the common thread is that I like funny people who are clear writers and aren't afraid of paradox and complexity.
Tell me a little bit about your show.
There Is No Good News is a monologue, a mix of storytelling, characters and reflection, stitching together seemingly disparate stories and ideas into what I hoped--and have been told is--a surprisingly tight-knit whole. Through it all, I try to get the joke density of stand up comedy into what you might call a "theatrical essay." God, that sounds terrible. Really, it's great. I promise.
What inspired you to write it?
The show grew out of two things: the financial crisis and the birth of my daughter. I'd done several one-person shows before, and I knew I wanted to do another inspired by what I thought was a real sickness in our culture, which really ripped wide open with the financial crisis. I was first pulling together ideas for that show when we found out my wife was pregnant, and the two topics merged in a fantastic way. The original idea is just barely represented in the show, but I can return to it another time. I'm much, much happier with how it turned out than how it might have been.
Who are your collaborators and how long have you been working with them?
I've been working with my director, Steve Kleinedler, since 2001. Steve and I have been working together so long that we tend to anticipate some of each others' quirks and complaints, and each show we do, I think we get closer and closer to some sort of bizarre mindshare. We don't always agree, but we understand and respect each other enough that we're both listening, and I get more from his moments of opposition than I get from most people's support.
What's next for you after FRIGID?
I've started work on a show tentatively titled "I'm Hungry From All Of This Eating." I hope to send it into the world in early 2012.
And finally, if you could say anything to your potential audience, what would it be?
Prepare for eye contact.
There Is No Good News
The Red Room (85 East 4th Street)
$10
Thu 2/24 @ 6:30pm, Sat 2/26 @ 2pm, Tue 3/1 @ 9:30pm, Fri 3/4 @ 8pm, Sat 3/5 @ 5pm, & Sun 3/6 @ 6:30pm
Album Review - Weird Romance: Two One-Act Musicals of Speculative Fiction [Masterworks Broadway]
By Sherry Shaffer
Weird Romance, which debuted in 1992 at the WPA Theater, is actually two one-act musicals under a main title. The Girl Who Was Plugged In and Her Pilgrim Soul are both science fiction stories that deal with love, reincarnation, and memory. The Girl Who Was Plugged In is about a homeless woman who is convinced by a company who “manufactures” celebrities to allow her mind to be transferred into a new, perfect body. She learns a new life and falls in love with the son of one of the executives. When she tries to confess that she is not what she seems, her soul is taken from the body and replaced with another. Her Pilgrim Soul focuses on a scientist who is developing full, three-dimensional holograms. One day, the hologram of a baby appears in his lab and begins to rapidly grow into a woman. The scientist becomes obsessed with the holographic woman and discovers himself while researching her.
Alan Menken (best known for Little Shop of Horrors and various Disney hits) and David Spencer wrote the music and lyrics, with Alan Brennert as the book writer. Brennert adapted Her Pilgrim Soul from his own short story; The Girl is taken from another writer’s work. Ellen Greene, Jonathan Hadary, Sal Viviano, Danny Burstein, Jessica Molaskey, Valarie Pettiford, and Eric Riley make up the cast of both halves and are featured on the original cast album.
Reviews of the show were tepid, especially for the first act, The Girl, but has since achieved a bit of a cult following. Listening to the album, I could understand why most of the praise went to the second half, Her Pilgrim Soul. The Girl has some good moments and the songs are pleasant enough. (Critics did not like the staging and felt the characters were restrictive, something that isn’t a consideration if all you’re doing is listening to the album.) Ellen Greene gets some nice mileage out of “Feeling No Pain” and “Stop and See Me”, but it’s almost like Menken saved the really good stuff for Brennert’s story. Or maybe the story itself is just more romantic – The Girl comes off more as a cautionary tale – fitting the style of music better. The mix of explanatory, comic, and romantic songs gives you the gist without having to see the show. I listened to this with little background, but was able to get the full reach of the story just through the music – I looked up a complete synopsis later. Danny Burstein’s comic turn as the lab assistant with “Need to Know” is catchy, light and very funny. Ellen Greene as the hologram and Jonathan Hadary as the scientist darn near brought me to tears during the final duet, “Someone is Waiting.”
The cast of Weird Romance is made up of strong voices who sing with emotion and bring out the best in the songs. (Ignore the opening number, “Weird Romance” and you’ll feel much better about the whole show. It’s jarring and doesn’t fit in with the rest of the score at all.) I enjoyed this album. It’s not as funny as Little Shop of Horrors or as jubilantly romantic as Beauty and the Beast, but it’s well-written with a few numbers that will pleasantly stay with you and have you humming the refrain.
Weird Romance: Two One-Act Musicals of Speculative Fiction
Release Date: November 30, 2010
Label: Masterworks Broadway
Performers: Danny Burstein (Daniel, Fan, Technician, Reporters), Ellen Greene (P. Burke, Nola), Jonathan Hadary (Isham, Kevin), Marguerite MacIntyre (Delphi, Fan, Susan), Jessica Molaskey (Carol, Fan, Voice Coach, Technician, Voice), Valarie Pettiford (Shannara, Rebecca, Make-up Specialist, Technician), Eric Riley (Zanth, Movement Coach, Technician, George Lester), Sal Viviano (Paul, Johnny Beaumont), William Youmans (Joe, Chuck, John Ruskin)
Conductor, Keyboard I: Kathy Sommer
Associate Conductor, Keyboard II: Garth Roberts
Bass: Steve Mack
Drums, Percussion: Ray Grappone
Synthesizer Programming: Douglas Besterman
Orchestrations by Douglas Besterman
Musical Direction and Vocal Arrangements by Kathy Somme
Weird Romance, which debuted in 1992 at the WPA Theater, is actually two one-act musicals under a main title. The Girl Who Was Plugged In and Her Pilgrim Soul are both science fiction stories that deal with love, reincarnation, and memory. The Girl Who Was Plugged In is about a homeless woman who is convinced by a company who “manufactures” celebrities to allow her mind to be transferred into a new, perfect body. She learns a new life and falls in love with the son of one of the executives. When she tries to confess that she is not what she seems, her soul is taken from the body and replaced with another. Her Pilgrim Soul focuses on a scientist who is developing full, three-dimensional holograms. One day, the hologram of a baby appears in his lab and begins to rapidly grow into a woman. The scientist becomes obsessed with the holographic woman and discovers himself while researching her.Alan Menken (best known for Little Shop of Horrors and various Disney hits) and David Spencer wrote the music and lyrics, with Alan Brennert as the book writer. Brennert adapted Her Pilgrim Soul from his own short story; The Girl is taken from another writer’s work. Ellen Greene, Jonathan Hadary, Sal Viviano, Danny Burstein, Jessica Molaskey, Valarie Pettiford, and Eric Riley make up the cast of both halves and are featured on the original cast album.
Reviews of the show were tepid, especially for the first act, The Girl, but has since achieved a bit of a cult following. Listening to the album, I could understand why most of the praise went to the second half, Her Pilgrim Soul. The Girl has some good moments and the songs are pleasant enough. (Critics did not like the staging and felt the characters were restrictive, something that isn’t a consideration if all you’re doing is listening to the album.) Ellen Greene gets some nice mileage out of “Feeling No Pain” and “Stop and See Me”, but it’s almost like Menken saved the really good stuff for Brennert’s story. Or maybe the story itself is just more romantic – The Girl comes off more as a cautionary tale – fitting the style of music better. The mix of explanatory, comic, and romantic songs gives you the gist without having to see the show. I listened to this with little background, but was able to get the full reach of the story just through the music – I looked up a complete synopsis later. Danny Burstein’s comic turn as the lab assistant with “Need to Know” is catchy, light and very funny. Ellen Greene as the hologram and Jonathan Hadary as the scientist darn near brought me to tears during the final duet, “Someone is Waiting.”
The cast of Weird Romance is made up of strong voices who sing with emotion and bring out the best in the songs. (Ignore the opening number, “Weird Romance” and you’ll feel much better about the whole show. It’s jarring and doesn’t fit in with the rest of the score at all.) I enjoyed this album. It’s not as funny as Little Shop of Horrors or as jubilantly romantic as Beauty and the Beast, but it’s well-written with a few numbers that will pleasantly stay with you and have you humming the refrain.
Weird Romance: Two One-Act Musicals of Speculative Fiction
Release Date: November 30, 2010
Label: Masterworks Broadway
Performers: Danny Burstein (Daniel, Fan, Technician, Reporters), Ellen Greene (P. Burke, Nola), Jonathan Hadary (Isham, Kevin), Marguerite MacIntyre (Delphi, Fan, Susan), Jessica Molaskey (Carol, Fan, Voice Coach, Technician, Voice), Valarie Pettiford (Shannara, Rebecca, Make-up Specialist, Technician), Eric Riley (Zanth, Movement Coach, Technician, George Lester), Sal Viviano (Paul, Johnny Beaumont), William Youmans (Joe, Chuck, John Ruskin)
Conductor, Keyboard I: Kathy Sommer
Associate Conductor, Keyboard II: Garth Roberts
Bass: Steve Mack
Drums, Percussion: Ray Grappone
Synthesizer Programming: Douglas Besterman
Orchestrations by Douglas Besterman
Musical Direction and Vocal Arrangements by Kathy Somme
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
MTWorks' Antonio Miniño to Perform in "All About Valentines" Event
MTWorks' company member Antonio Miniño will be singing at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe (236 East 3rd St. between B and C, Manhattan) on Sunday, February 20th at 7 PM as part of The Fresh Fruit Playhouse and their "All About Valentines" event hosted by Frank F. Calo and Rita Petite.The line-up also includes performances by Amada Anderson (reading Empress of Sex - 2011 NewBorn Festival), David Vincent Brooks, Knox Bundy, Teresa Fischer, Lady Clover Honey, It's A Little Stormy, Phil Kadet, Evan Laurence, Jed Ryan, Drew Sotomayor, Francisco White and many more.
There will also be a Bachelor/Bachelorette auction and "The Love Game."
Tickets are $10.00
For more information contact artisticdirector@freshfruitfestival.com
To place your reservaton (highly suggested) visit www.nuyorican.org (and select Feb 20th on the calendar).
"The New York Idea" - Frothy Fun
Review by Judd Hollander
Lovingly resurrected from the dustbin of forgotten farces is the Atlantic Theater Company's delightful presentation of The New York Idea, David Auburn's world-premiere adaptation of a 1906 script from Langdon Mitchell. With a theme that was probably old even when the play first premiered, the devilish delivery, back-and-forth bantering and a very strong cast makes the entire escapade well worth seeing.
Respected but divorced New York Judge Philip Philimore (Michael Countryman), a staid, proper and controlled fellow, is about to get married to Cynthia Karslake (Jamie Ray Newman), a bouncy, exuberant women with a love of horses, whose somewhat direct manner is quite off-putting to the Judge's aged mother (Patricia O'Connell) and aunt (Patricia Conolly). Both women feeling Cynthia, who is also divorced, is not a proper fit for polite society. As Philip and Cynthia are happily making final wedding preparations, Cynthia is horrified to learn that her ex-husband John (Jeremy Shamos) is selling her favorite horse, which the Judge becomes determined to buy as a wedding present for his intended.
This results in John entering the picture where, despite Cynthia's loudly proclaimed reluctance to talk to her ex, or even be in the same room with him, it is quite obvious there is still an attraction between the two. Meanwhile the horse in question (Cynthia K), winds up the property of the Judge's ex-wife, Vida (Francesca Faridany), who is every inch the modern woman (if Cynthia is a like a breath of fresh air in a stuffy world, Vida is more like a raging hurricane). Vida is so modern that she demands her maid Jacqueline (Mikaela Feely-Lehmann) address her by her first name. It's not long before Cynthia finds herself in a bit of conundrum. Will she stick to her guns and marry the Judge, or go back to her ex-husband? Or will she perhaps run off with Wilfred Cates-Darby (Rick Holmes), John's friend visiting from London, who is delighted by the "modern" New York arrangements he sees going on around him. There's also the future of the horse to consider.
More than a farce, the play quickly becomes a laugh riot not only because it sends up the staidness of society (such as when the Judge says how much he looks forward to spending time with Cynthia as they're both reading the morning paper), but also the over the top antics of the "modern woman" mystique, such as Vida's devil-may-care attitude and her trying to ride a hose for the first time. Faridany practically steals the show whenever she's on stage, endearing herself to the audience with a roughish heart of gold as she continually grabs life as hard and as fast as she can. In the same vein, the play shows that while one may be able to have it all, there are sacrifices one must make along the way, such as Cynthia deciding to marry Philip simply because he's the opposite of John.
The play is also filled with some rather politically incorrect dialogue at points, showing a sort of window into a world of a time long gone (look for a remark by Cates-Darby regarding Wimbledon). Not to mention references to things and situations that no longer exist. Such as some amusing comments by the Judge when he's explaining the reasons for not having a telephone at home.
Best of all are the characters themselves which are all played perfectly straight, making them that much more funny. In addition, all of them (the major ones anyway) are fully formed and interesting enough for the audience to care about them. Countryman is quite good as the no-nonsense judge who left Vida because of her wild ways (okay, he's boring), but as the same time, he loves Cynthia dearly. Newman is very enjoyable as Cynthia, a free spirit searching for a place to land, at least for a while. Shamos is fine as John, a failed lawyer and hopeless gambler. He's also a quiet and submissive sort of fellow, (audiences of the time would have called him deferential), yet a rock in his own way, getting into trouble whenever he puts his foot down, so to speak. Holmes is great as Cates-Darby, bouncing from girl to girl and having the time of his life in this strange country. Faridany is a delight as Vida (look for her line about a delicatessen number, which revolves around an incident which, ironically no truly modern woman would accept). Also enjoyable is Joey Slotnick as Philip's brother.
Feely-Lehmann is funny as Jacqueline, John Keating is fine as the cockney horse handler Fiddler, and Tom Patrick Stephens is good as a butler who always seems to do or say the wrong thing. Adding a bit of highbrow class to the proceedings are the able talents of O'Connell, Conolly and Peter Maloney, the latter as the somewhat bombastic and blustering Sudley.
Mark Brokaw's direction works very well, with great emphasis on the nuisances of Auburn's take on Mitchell's original text, yet allowing the actors to have great fun with their roles. Costumes by Michael Krass are excellent, each fitting the various characters perfectly-from Vida ostentatious outfits, to the sharp suits worn by Philip, to the proper but lovely gowns worn by Philip's mother and aunt, to John's more slovenly garments.
The only real problem is the set by Allen Moyer, which really doesn't do the play justice. Granted the Atlantic is not using its home base (it's under renovation), renting the Lucille Lortel instead, but the sets look like they were put up in a bit of a hurry and feel somewhat tacky, all of which diminishes the atmosphere of show as the characters would have only the finest materials in their homes (this is especially true for the opening scene in the Judge's house).
Still this is minor quibble when the rest of the play is such a delight. Definitely place your bet on The New York Idea for a show you really should see. You'll come home a winner.
The New York Idea
Adapted by David Auburn
From the original by Langdon Mitchell
Directed by Mark Brokaw
Sets: Allen Moyer
Costumes: Michael Krass
Lighting: Mary Louise Geiger
Original Music: Lewis Flinn
Period Etiquette and Style: Frank Ventura
Dialect Coach: Ben Furey
Presented by Atlantic Theater Company
Featuring: Patricia O'Connell (Mrs. Philimore), Patricia Conolly (Miss Henage), Tom Patrick Stephens (Thomas), Peter Maloney (Sudley), Jamie Ray Newman (Cynthia Karslake), Michael Countryman (Philip Philimore), Joey Slotnick (Matthew Philimore), John Keating (Fiddler), Jeremy Shamos (John Karslake), Rick Holmes (Wilfred Cates-Darby), Francesca Faridany (Vida Philimore), Mikaela Feely-Lehmann (Jacqueline)
Lucille Lortel Theatre
121 Christopher Street
January 6, 2011-February 26, 2011
Tuesday-Friday at 8pm
Saturday at 2pm & 8pm
Sunday at 3pm
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Running Time: 2 Hours
Lovingly resurrected from the dustbin of forgotten farces is the Atlantic Theater Company's delightful presentation of The New York Idea, David Auburn's world-premiere adaptation of a 1906 script from Langdon Mitchell. With a theme that was probably old even when the play first premiered, the devilish delivery, back-and-forth bantering and a very strong cast makes the entire escapade well worth seeing.
Respected but divorced New York Judge Philip Philimore (Michael Countryman), a staid, proper and controlled fellow, is about to get married to Cynthia Karslake (Jamie Ray Newman), a bouncy, exuberant women with a love of horses, whose somewhat direct manner is quite off-putting to the Judge's aged mother (Patricia O'Connell) and aunt (Patricia Conolly). Both women feeling Cynthia, who is also divorced, is not a proper fit for polite society. As Philip and Cynthia are happily making final wedding preparations, Cynthia is horrified to learn that her ex-husband John (Jeremy Shamos) is selling her favorite horse, which the Judge becomes determined to buy as a wedding present for his intended.This results in John entering the picture where, despite Cynthia's loudly proclaimed reluctance to talk to her ex, or even be in the same room with him, it is quite obvious there is still an attraction between the two. Meanwhile the horse in question (Cynthia K), winds up the property of the Judge's ex-wife, Vida (Francesca Faridany), who is every inch the modern woman (if Cynthia is a like a breath of fresh air in a stuffy world, Vida is more like a raging hurricane). Vida is so modern that she demands her maid Jacqueline (Mikaela Feely-Lehmann) address her by her first name. It's not long before Cynthia finds herself in a bit of conundrum. Will she stick to her guns and marry the Judge, or go back to her ex-husband? Or will she perhaps run off with Wilfred Cates-Darby (Rick Holmes), John's friend visiting from London, who is delighted by the "modern" New York arrangements he sees going on around him. There's also the future of the horse to consider.
More than a farce, the play quickly becomes a laugh riot not only because it sends up the staidness of society (such as when the Judge says how much he looks forward to spending time with Cynthia as they're both reading the morning paper), but also the over the top antics of the "modern woman" mystique, such as Vida's devil-may-care attitude and her trying to ride a hose for the first time. Faridany practically steals the show whenever she's on stage, endearing herself to the audience with a roughish heart of gold as she continually grabs life as hard and as fast as she can. In the same vein, the play shows that while one may be able to have it all, there are sacrifices one must make along the way, such as Cynthia deciding to marry Philip simply because he's the opposite of John.The play is also filled with some rather politically incorrect dialogue at points, showing a sort of window into a world of a time long gone (look for a remark by Cates-Darby regarding Wimbledon). Not to mention references to things and situations that no longer exist. Such as some amusing comments by the Judge when he's explaining the reasons for not having a telephone at home.
Best of all are the characters themselves which are all played perfectly straight, making them that much more funny. In addition, all of them (the major ones anyway) are fully formed and interesting enough for the audience to care about them. Countryman is quite good as the no-nonsense judge who left Vida because of her wild ways (okay, he's boring), but as the same time, he loves Cynthia dearly. Newman is very enjoyable as Cynthia, a free spirit searching for a place to land, at least for a while. Shamos is fine as John, a failed lawyer and hopeless gambler. He's also a quiet and submissive sort of fellow, (audiences of the time would have called him deferential), yet a rock in his own way, getting into trouble whenever he puts his foot down, so to speak. Holmes is great as Cates-Darby, bouncing from girl to girl and having the time of his life in this strange country. Faridany is a delight as Vida (look for her line about a delicatessen number, which revolves around an incident which, ironically no truly modern woman would accept). Also enjoyable is Joey Slotnick as Philip's brother.
Feely-Lehmann is funny as Jacqueline, John Keating is fine as the cockney horse handler Fiddler, and Tom Patrick Stephens is good as a butler who always seems to do or say the wrong thing. Adding a bit of highbrow class to the proceedings are the able talents of O'Connell, Conolly and Peter Maloney, the latter as the somewhat bombastic and blustering Sudley.
Mark Brokaw's direction works very well, with great emphasis on the nuisances of Auburn's take on Mitchell's original text, yet allowing the actors to have great fun with their roles. Costumes by Michael Krass are excellent, each fitting the various characters perfectly-from Vida ostentatious outfits, to the sharp suits worn by Philip, to the proper but lovely gowns worn by Philip's mother and aunt, to John's more slovenly garments.The only real problem is the set by Allen Moyer, which really doesn't do the play justice. Granted the Atlantic is not using its home base (it's under renovation), renting the Lucille Lortel instead, but the sets look like they were put up in a bit of a hurry and feel somewhat tacky, all of which diminishes the atmosphere of show as the characters would have only the finest materials in their homes (this is especially true for the opening scene in the Judge's house).
Still this is minor quibble when the rest of the play is such a delight. Definitely place your bet on The New York Idea for a show you really should see. You'll come home a winner.
The New York Idea
Adapted by David Auburn
From the original by Langdon Mitchell
Directed by Mark Brokaw
Sets: Allen Moyer
Costumes: Michael Krass
Lighting: Mary Louise Geiger
Original Music: Lewis Flinn
Period Etiquette and Style: Frank Ventura
Dialect Coach: Ben Furey
Presented by Atlantic Theater Company
Featuring: Patricia O'Connell (Mrs. Philimore), Patricia Conolly (Miss Henage), Tom Patrick Stephens (Thomas), Peter Maloney (Sudley), Jamie Ray Newman (Cynthia Karslake), Michael Countryman (Philip Philimore), Joey Slotnick (Matthew Philimore), John Keating (Fiddler), Jeremy Shamos (John Karslake), Rick Holmes (Wilfred Cates-Darby), Francesca Faridany (Vida Philimore), Mikaela Feely-Lehmann (Jacqueline)
Lucille Lortel Theatre
121 Christopher Street
January 6, 2011-February 26, 2011
Tuesday-Friday at 8pm
Saturday at 2pm & 8pm
Sunday at 3pm
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Running Time: 2 Hours
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
"Knickerbocker Holiday" - Fun For What It Is
Review by Judd Hollander
Photos by Erin Baiano
Thank heavens for groups like the Collegiate Chorale who present forgotten musicals and plays that otherwise would be relegated to the dustbin of history. Case in point, the Chrorale's recent concert staging of the tuneful Knickerbocker Holiday (music: Kurt Weill, book & lyrics: Maxwell Anderson), which premiered on Broadway in 1938. This is a show that will probably never be staged again as a full production, it being terribly politically incorrect and rather dated. However as it was presented at Alice Tully Hall on January 25 and 26, it allows the underlying political satire to come through full force, much of which is still quite timely these days. There's also the mostly very enjoyable score, given wonderful life by the Chorale in the chorus parts and winningly performed by the American Symphony Orchestra, conducted by James Bagwell.
The action starts in 1809 New York where a distraught Washington Irving (Bryce Pinkham) has had enough of writing salacious gossip columns and bits of news for the local paper, becoming determined to try his hand at penning a novel. Wanting to craft a political satire, he sets his tale in 1647 New Amsterdam, when Wall Street was indeed a wall; New York's population was about 600; Flushing was an unexplored wilderness and Indians (some friendly, some not) lived in Weehawken New Jersey. Irving, ever mindful of his readership, realizes he also has to tone down the satire somewhat as not to offend those he hopes will buy the book.
In 1647 the New Amsterdam town council is a completely corrupt, if none too bright body, anxiously awaiting the arrival of their new governor, Peter Stuyvesant (Victor Garber). Looking for someone to hang as proof of their law and order stance, the council settles on Brom Broeck (Ben Davis), a strong strapping fellow, who's in love with Tina Tienhoven (Kelli O'Hara), the daughter of council member Tienhoven (David Garrison). Brom and Tina would have been married long ago, only Brom has a problem of taking orders, of any kind, usually answering any such commands with his fists. This problem was also what prevented Brom from going to work for Tina's father. With his sidekick Tenpin (Christopher Fitzgerald), who has been killed numerous times over the years, Brom now makes his living as a knife sharpener. That is, until the council decides to string him up for criticizing them (it's again the law). However, at the last minute, the newly-arrived Stuyvesant decides to pardon Brom. Stuyvesant (beautifully written as a classic politician talking out of both sides of his mouth at once) soon lays down the law for the colony with a heavy hand and also quickly falls in love with Tina, whom he arranges to marry, only to find Brom opposing him in both his political and personal decisions.
Creators Weill and Anderson obviously had a great time in concocting the story, which takes jabs at both the political left and right, but was originally written as an attack on Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his New Deal policies (FDR reportedly loved the show by the way.) Some of the musical highlights include the song ("Hush Hush"), about bribery; "the one indispensable man," referring to the person who keeps payoff money flowing smoothly; and the rousing "How Can You Tell An American?" There's also the very enjoyable "There's Nowhere to Go But Up!," a reference to the Great Depression, which was going full swing when Knickerbocker Holiday originally premiered, but a song which can also quite easily reflect today's economic troubles. The dialogue is also quite biting at times, with the script noting that democracy means basically government by amateurs, along with the realization that all politicians are corrupt, it's just a question of how much. Great credits goes to Ted Sperling (who also serves as director) and Edward Barnes (one of the co-producers) in their adaptation of the original material for this presentation, and their keeping the essence of the work nicely sharpened and quite relevant.
The acting is quite good. In addition to Garber as the bombastic Stuyvesant, O'Hara is wonderfully appealing as Tina, with a powerful singing voice, very effectively bringing home the emotional appeal of the various ballads. Davis is nicely amiable as the romantic hero Brom and holds his own against O'Hara in their duets together. Garber also has a wonderful singing turn with the haunting "September Song" which went on to become a popular standard. Fitzgerald makes a good comic relief as Tenpin, with his continual "give me a break" expression. Garrison is fun as the dryly wry council member Tienhoven.
However, in the telling of the story, one can start to see some of the problems with the text. The continual use of the Irving character becomes more and more intrusive as the play goes on. Also, the accents of the cast are all over the place, the town counsel speaking in a mixture of Dutch and German, with O'Hara, Fitzgerald and Davis not really using any accents whatsoever. There's also a huge battle between Brom, Tenpin and a horde of Indians (staged offstage here) which looked a bit ridiculous the way the rest of the cast kept bobbing and weaving and watching something the audience couldn't see. There were also perhaps one too many ballads in the score; all quite lovely, but they started to sound the same after a while.
On the plus side, hearing the various tunes played by a full orchestra reminds one of what can be missed in this age of pre-recorded music. Under the able guidance of conductor Bagwell, the score feels both light and powerful, though it does sometimes drown out the performers, so one can't hear the lyrics. The Chorale does a wonderful job as the town of 600, shouting out comments at a public gathering and singing the different chorus parts throughout.
Sperling's direction works well here, keeping the story nicely paced, and if one is not totally enamored with the finished production, the satirical wit and biting commentary of the authors only serves to show that when it comes to politics and politicians, the more things change, the more they don't. All told, it was a pretty enjoyable experience, with a few reservations (including the Indians).
Knickerbocker Holiday
Music by Kurt Weill
Book and Lyrics by Maxwell Anderson
Concept Script Adaptation by Ted Sperling & Edward Barnes
Presented by the Collegiate Chorale
Music performed by The American Symphony Orchestra
James Bagwell: Conductor
Directed by Ted Sperling
Coordinating Producer: Edward Barnes
Lighting Designer: Frances Aronson
Sound Designer: Scott Lehrer
Stage Manager; John Finen
Featuring: Victor Garber (Peter Stuyvesant), Kelli O'Hara (Tina Tienhoven), Ben Davis (Brom Broeck), Christopher Fitzgerald (Tenpin), Bryce Pinkham (Washington Irving), Michael McCormick (Marshal Schermerhorn), Brad Oscar (Roosevelt), Steven Rosen (De Peyster), Brooks Ashmanskas (Van Cortlandt), Jeff Blumenkrantz (Van Rensselaer), Orville Mendoza (De Vries), Marie Mascari, Heather Hill and Teresa Buchholz (Three Girls)
Alice Tully Hall
Lincoln Center or the Performing Arts
January 25th and January 26, 2010
Running time: 2 Hours, 25 minutes
Photos by Erin Baiano
Thank heavens for groups like the Collegiate Chorale who present forgotten musicals and plays that otherwise would be relegated to the dustbin of history. Case in point, the Chrorale's recent concert staging of the tuneful Knickerbocker Holiday (music: Kurt Weill, book & lyrics: Maxwell Anderson), which premiered on Broadway in 1938. This is a show that will probably never be staged again as a full production, it being terribly politically incorrect and rather dated. However as it was presented at Alice Tully Hall on January 25 and 26, it allows the underlying political satire to come through full force, much of which is still quite timely these days. There's also the mostly very enjoyable score, given wonderful life by the Chorale in the chorus parts and winningly performed by the American Symphony Orchestra, conducted by James Bagwell.The action starts in 1809 New York where a distraught Washington Irving (Bryce Pinkham) has had enough of writing salacious gossip columns and bits of news for the local paper, becoming determined to try his hand at penning a novel. Wanting to craft a political satire, he sets his tale in 1647 New Amsterdam, when Wall Street was indeed a wall; New York's population was about 600; Flushing was an unexplored wilderness and Indians (some friendly, some not) lived in Weehawken New Jersey. Irving, ever mindful of his readership, realizes he also has to tone down the satire somewhat as not to offend those he hopes will buy the book.
In 1647 the New Amsterdam town council is a completely corrupt, if none too bright body, anxiously awaiting the arrival of their new governor, Peter Stuyvesant (Victor Garber). Looking for someone to hang as proof of their law and order stance, the council settles on Brom Broeck (Ben Davis), a strong strapping fellow, who's in love with Tina Tienhoven (Kelli O'Hara), the daughter of council member Tienhoven (David Garrison). Brom and Tina would have been married long ago, only Brom has a problem of taking orders, of any kind, usually answering any such commands with his fists. This problem was also what prevented Brom from going to work for Tina's father. With his sidekick Tenpin (Christopher Fitzgerald), who has been killed numerous times over the years, Brom now makes his living as a knife sharpener. That is, until the council decides to string him up for criticizing them (it's again the law). However, at the last minute, the newly-arrived Stuyvesant decides to pardon Brom. Stuyvesant (beautifully written as a classic politician talking out of both sides of his mouth at once) soon lays down the law for the colony with a heavy hand and also quickly falls in love with Tina, whom he arranges to marry, only to find Brom opposing him in both his political and personal decisions.Creators Weill and Anderson obviously had a great time in concocting the story, which takes jabs at both the political left and right, but was originally written as an attack on Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his New Deal policies (FDR reportedly loved the show by the way.) Some of the musical highlights include the song ("Hush Hush"), about bribery; "the one indispensable man," referring to the person who keeps payoff money flowing smoothly; and the rousing "How Can You Tell An American?" There's also the very enjoyable "There's Nowhere to Go But Up!," a reference to the Great Depression, which was going full swing when Knickerbocker Holiday originally premiered, but a song which can also quite easily reflect today's economic troubles. The dialogue is also quite biting at times, with the script noting that democracy means basically government by amateurs, along with the realization that all politicians are corrupt, it's just a question of how much. Great credits goes to Ted Sperling (who also serves as director) and Edward Barnes (one of the co-producers) in their adaptation of the original material for this presentation, and their keeping the essence of the work nicely sharpened and quite relevant.
The acting is quite good. In addition to Garber as the bombastic Stuyvesant, O'Hara is wonderfully appealing as Tina, with a powerful singing voice, very effectively bringing home the emotional appeal of the various ballads. Davis is nicely amiable as the romantic hero Brom and holds his own against O'Hara in their duets together. Garber also has a wonderful singing turn with the haunting "September Song" which went on to become a popular standard. Fitzgerald makes a good comic relief as Tenpin, with his continual "give me a break" expression. Garrison is fun as the dryly wry council member Tienhoven.However, in the telling of the story, one can start to see some of the problems with the text. The continual use of the Irving character becomes more and more intrusive as the play goes on. Also, the accents of the cast are all over the place, the town counsel speaking in a mixture of Dutch and German, with O'Hara, Fitzgerald and Davis not really using any accents whatsoever. There's also a huge battle between Brom, Tenpin and a horde of Indians (staged offstage here) which looked a bit ridiculous the way the rest of the cast kept bobbing and weaving and watching something the audience couldn't see. There were also perhaps one too many ballads in the score; all quite lovely, but they started to sound the same after a while.
On the plus side, hearing the various tunes played by a full orchestra reminds one of what can be missed in this age of pre-recorded music. Under the able guidance of conductor Bagwell, the score feels both light and powerful, though it does sometimes drown out the performers, so one can't hear the lyrics. The Chorale does a wonderful job as the town of 600, shouting out comments at a public gathering and singing the different chorus parts throughout.
Sperling's direction works well here, keeping the story nicely paced, and if one is not totally enamored with the finished production, the satirical wit and biting commentary of the authors only serves to show that when it comes to politics and politicians, the more things change, the more they don't. All told, it was a pretty enjoyable experience, with a few reservations (including the Indians).
Knickerbocker Holiday
Music by Kurt Weill
Book and Lyrics by Maxwell Anderson
Concept Script Adaptation by Ted Sperling & Edward Barnes
Presented by the Collegiate Chorale
Music performed by The American Symphony Orchestra
James Bagwell: Conductor
Directed by Ted Sperling
Coordinating Producer: Edward Barnes
Lighting Designer: Frances Aronson
Sound Designer: Scott Lehrer
Stage Manager; John Finen
Featuring: Victor Garber (Peter Stuyvesant), Kelli O'Hara (Tina Tienhoven), Ben Davis (Brom Broeck), Christopher Fitzgerald (Tenpin), Bryce Pinkham (Washington Irving), Michael McCormick (Marshal Schermerhorn), Brad Oscar (Roosevelt), Steven Rosen (De Peyster), Brooks Ashmanskas (Van Cortlandt), Jeff Blumenkrantz (Van Rensselaer), Orville Mendoza (De Vries), Marie Mascari, Heather Hill and Teresa Buchholz (Three Girls)
Alice Tully Hall
Lincoln Center or the Performing Arts
January 25th and January 26, 2010
Running time: 2 Hours, 25 minutes
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Photos from Sunday's Launch of Hard Sparks
By Byrne Harrison
On Sunday, February 6th, J. Stephen Brantley held the launch party for his new theatre company, Hard Sparks. More on that later in an interview with Brantley.
For now, enjoy these photos from the launch featuring a reading of Brantley's play, Furbelow.
On Sunday, February 6th, J. Stephen Brantley held the launch party for his new theatre company, Hard Sparks. More on that later in an interview with Brantley.
For now, enjoy these photos from the launch featuring a reading of Brantley's play, Furbelow.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
This Month's Title Photo
This month's title photo features a scene from Theaterlab's Three Sisters Come and Go, a tragicomedy drawing on the texts of Anton Chekhov, Samuel Beckett & Julia Kristeva. The photo is by Enrico Luttman. Three Sisters Come and Go was performed in September and October of 2010, and featured Liza Cassidy, Claire Helene, and Jackie Lowe.
For more information about Theaterlab and their current season, please visit their website.
THREE SISTERS COME AND GO follows the lives of the three archetypal women of Chekhov's plays read through the lens of Beckett's comic take on the existential dilemma, and Julia Kristeva's insight regarding the transformation of despair and loss into joy and acceptance. Bound to living together, each of the sisters is comically obsessed with being the most unhappy of the group.
“The sisters play the game of theater finding a future in the present of the stage,” explains director Orietta Crispino. “After all, there is life beyond despair.”
THREE SISTERS COME AND GO opens with Samuel Beckett’s dramaticule Come and Go, which serves as the model for a geometry of the unspoken, the unsettling reality of consisting beyond the veil of representation. Three women sitting in perfect stillness together repeat a cycle of the action, the revelation of a secret never heard by the audience. The remainder of the piece features recombined text from
Chekhov’s major plays.
The piece was devised through a collective process among director Orietta Crispino (who conceived the piece), Italian dramaturg Marco Casazza, and the three actresses: Liza Cassidy (Patricia Wilson’s Zia Dance Company), Claire Helene, and Jackie Lowe (Broadway: THE TAP DANCE KID, AIN’T MISBEHAVIN, EUBIE, THE FIRST, and WIND IN THE WILLOWS). The group scoured Chekhov’s work act by act, collecting lines mostly from the female characters. Through a cut and paste technique, each actress reordered the material creating one monologue and one dialogue scene (using only Chekhov’s words). Then, Crispino and Casazza shaped and developed the piece.
For more information about Theaterlab and their current season, please visit their website.
THREE SISTERS COME AND GO follows the lives of the three archetypal women of Chekhov's plays read through the lens of Beckett's comic take on the existential dilemma, and Julia Kristeva's insight regarding the transformation of despair and loss into joy and acceptance. Bound to living together, each of the sisters is comically obsessed with being the most unhappy of the group.
“The sisters play the game of theater finding a future in the present of the stage,” explains director Orietta Crispino. “After all, there is life beyond despair.”
THREE SISTERS COME AND GO opens with Samuel Beckett’s dramaticule Come and Go, which serves as the model for a geometry of the unspoken, the unsettling reality of consisting beyond the veil of representation. Three women sitting in perfect stillness together repeat a cycle of the action, the revelation of a secret never heard by the audience. The remainder of the piece features recombined text from
Chekhov’s major plays.
The piece was devised through a collective process among director Orietta Crispino (who conceived the piece), Italian dramaturg Marco Casazza, and the three actresses: Liza Cassidy (Patricia Wilson’s Zia Dance Company), Claire Helene, and Jackie Lowe (Broadway: THE TAP DANCE KID, AIN’T MISBEHAVIN, EUBIE, THE FIRST, and WIND IN THE WILLOWS). The group scoured Chekhov’s work act by act, collecting lines mostly from the female characters. Through a cut and paste technique, each actress reordered the material creating one monologue and one dialogue scene (using only Chekhov’s words). Then, Crispino and Casazza shaped and developed the piece.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Album Review - The Zulu and the Zayda [Masterworks Broadway/Arkivmusic]
By Sherry Shaffer
The Zulu and the Zayda opened at the Cort Theatre on November 10, 1965 and ran for 179 performances. It was billed as a “comedy with music” as opposed to a full-on musical, probably because it lacked any big dance numbers. But as the production boasts eleven songs that were integral to the story, I’d say it’s a musical despite the lack of dance. The story is set in South Africa – modern day for 1965, so apartheid is still very much a way of life. An aging Jewish man is unable to live on his own and so moves in with his sons and grandsons. No one wants to watch after zayda (Yiddish for grandfather) so the butler’s brother (the Zulu) is employed to grandpa-sit. Cultural differences get in the way for a time, but in the end all is resolved. This is a feel-good comedy that got sound reviews for the production as a whole and shining reviews for Menasha Skulnik, who portrayed the zayda. Other notable cast members are Louis Gosset as the Zulu, Ossie Davis as the butler brother, Peter DeAnda as the son, and Christine Spencer as the daughter-in-law.
The Zulu and the Zayda was lyricist and composer Harold Rome’s (of I Can Get it for You Wholesale fame) last show. I’ll give Rome credit for somehow managing to integrate African and Jewish musical styles into a cohesive show. While there are very distinct differences in the styles, they blend together through the use of the same instruments and overall lightness of composition. The result is an even split between “African” and “Jewish” numbers that present a flavor of each culture for the audience pointing out both the similarities and differences .
I wish I could say that I was enchanted by the newly-released original cast album, because I really like the idea of juxtaposing the two cultures during such a turbulent time in South Africa. But I wasn’t that impressed. Partially, I’d say it’s because of the untrained voices in the cast. As this is a comedy with music, not a musical, I’m sure the actors were cast more for their acting and comedy skills than singing ability. Skulnik, as the elderly funnyman, doesn’t really have to have a great signing voice; he just needs to have the heart and the shtick. Gosset and Davis trade off leads on the African-influenced songs and aren’t bad, but I’d love to hear “How Cold, Cold, Cold” performed by someone with a really good voice. By contrast, Christine Spencer as the daughter-in-law sticks out like a sore throat with her highly trained vibrato sound. The music director should have asked her to tone it down a bit and cut the boys some slack.
The songs are nice enough, but without any standout pieces among them. Without context the jokes fall flat and the big-sounding numbers strike me as repetitive. I’m willing to bet that if you saw show in 1965 this would be a nice memory album and therefore more enjoyable. If you have no recollection of The Zulu and the Zayda, you’ll probably only want this album as a novelty or to complete a collection.
The Zulu and the Zayda
Release Date: 12/07/2010
Label: Rca Catalog #: 81366
Composer: Harold Rome
Performer: John Pleshette, Louis Gossett, Ossie Davis, Joe Silver, Sarah Cunningham, Philip Vandervort, Menasha Skulnik
Conductor: Meyer Kupferman
Orchestra/Ensemble: Orchestra
Number of Discs: 1
Recorded in: Stereo
The Zulu and the Zayda opened at the Cort Theatre on November 10, 1965 and ran for 179 performances. It was billed as a “comedy with music” as opposed to a full-on musical, probably because it lacked any big dance numbers. But as the production boasts eleven songs that were integral to the story, I’d say it’s a musical despite the lack of dance. The story is set in South Africa – modern day for 1965, so apartheid is still very much a way of life. An aging Jewish man is unable to live on his own and so moves in with his sons and grandsons. No one wants to watch after zayda (Yiddish for grandfather) so the butler’s brother (the Zulu) is employed to grandpa-sit. Cultural differences get in the way for a time, but in the end all is resolved. This is a feel-good comedy that got sound reviews for the production as a whole and shining reviews for Menasha Skulnik, who portrayed the zayda. Other notable cast members are Louis Gosset as the Zulu, Ossie Davis as the butler brother, Peter DeAnda as the son, and Christine Spencer as the daughter-in-law.
The Zulu and the Zayda was lyricist and composer Harold Rome’s (of I Can Get it for You Wholesale fame) last show. I’ll give Rome credit for somehow managing to integrate African and Jewish musical styles into a cohesive show. While there are very distinct differences in the styles, they blend together through the use of the same instruments and overall lightness of composition. The result is an even split between “African” and “Jewish” numbers that present a flavor of each culture for the audience pointing out both the similarities and differences .I wish I could say that I was enchanted by the newly-released original cast album, because I really like the idea of juxtaposing the two cultures during such a turbulent time in South Africa. But I wasn’t that impressed. Partially, I’d say it’s because of the untrained voices in the cast. As this is a comedy with music, not a musical, I’m sure the actors were cast more for their acting and comedy skills than singing ability. Skulnik, as the elderly funnyman, doesn’t really have to have a great signing voice; he just needs to have the heart and the shtick. Gosset and Davis trade off leads on the African-influenced songs and aren’t bad, but I’d love to hear “How Cold, Cold, Cold” performed by someone with a really good voice. By contrast, Christine Spencer as the daughter-in-law sticks out like a sore throat with her highly trained vibrato sound. The music director should have asked her to tone it down a bit and cut the boys some slack.
The songs are nice enough, but without any standout pieces among them. Without context the jokes fall flat and the big-sounding numbers strike me as repetitive. I’m willing to bet that if you saw show in 1965 this would be a nice memory album and therefore more enjoyable. If you have no recollection of The Zulu and the Zayda, you’ll probably only want this album as a novelty or to complete a collection.
The Zulu and the Zayda
Release Date: 12/07/2010
Label: Rca Catalog #: 81366
Composer: Harold Rome
Performer: John Pleshette, Louis Gossett, Ossie Davis, Joe Silver, Sarah Cunningham, Philip Vandervort, Menasha Skulnik
Conductor: Meyer Kupferman
Orchestra/Ensemble: Orchestra
Number of Discs: 1
Recorded in: Stereo
FRIGID New York Interview - Kevin J. Thornton of "I Love You, (We're F*#ked)"
By Byrne Harrison
Name: Kevin J. Thornton
Show: I Love You, (We're F*#ked)
Website: www.kevinjthornton.com
How did you first get involved in theatre?
I was little baby Jesus when I was 6 mos old. I cried the whole time apparently. I've been involved in theatre my whole life, although now I just mainly do stand up and music. And the occasional gay porn magazine.
Who are your biggest influences?
David Sedaris, Sandra Bernhard, Henry Rollins, Morrissey, Eddie Izzard, Van Morrison, Whoopi Goldberg, Prince.
Tell me a little bit about I Love You, (We're F*#ked).
It's a mix of stand up comedy, storytelling and music. Sometimes it's whatever the hell I feel like at the moment which has been known to include lap dancing. When it's storytelling I've been told it feels a little like David Sedaris/ Augusten Burroughs. When it's music it feels like Ryan Adams, John Hiatt and Van Morrison. When it's stand up it feels hacky.
What inspired you to write it?
I was living in LA working on some new stand up material and going through a pretty intense break up at the same time. I moved out and came to Indiana for the winter to hibernate and clear my head. Instead of clearing my head I ended up drinking a lot and writing folk songs. I decided to smash the stand up, the heartbreak and the music all together into, what I think, is an interesting (hopefully entertaining) evening of performance.
Who are your collaborators and how long have you been working with them?
Well artistically it's just me. And that's how I like it. My report card read "Does not play well with others." However business-wise I could get nothing done without my manager Carol Buttenham and Agency 55BC.
What's next for you after FRIGID?
I'm on tour all over the US in 2011 with this show (NYC is the world debut!) Indianapolis, Tucson, Phoenix, LA, San Francisco, Louisville, Atlanta, Nashville, Orlando, Cincinnati, DC, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Chicago, New Orleans and more!
And finally, if you could say anything to your potential audience, what would it be?
Uh... turn that frown upside down?
I Love You (We’re F*#ked)
Presented by 55BC Nashville, TN
UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place)
$15
Thu 2/24 @ 10:30pm, Sat 2/26 @ 4pm, Sun 2/27 @ 4pm, Fri 3/4 @ 9pm, & Sun 3/6 @ 1pm
Name: Kevin J. Thornton
Show: I Love You, (We're F*#ked)
Website: www.kevinjthornton.com
How did you first get involved in theatre?
I was little baby Jesus when I was 6 mos old. I cried the whole time apparently. I've been involved in theatre my whole life, although now I just mainly do stand up and music. And the occasional gay porn magazine.
Who are your biggest influences?
David Sedaris, Sandra Bernhard, Henry Rollins, Morrissey, Eddie Izzard, Van Morrison, Whoopi Goldberg, Prince.
Tell me a little bit about I Love You, (We're F*#ked).It's a mix of stand up comedy, storytelling and music. Sometimes it's whatever the hell I feel like at the moment which has been known to include lap dancing. When it's storytelling I've been told it feels a little like David Sedaris/ Augusten Burroughs. When it's music it feels like Ryan Adams, John Hiatt and Van Morrison. When it's stand up it feels hacky.
What inspired you to write it?
I was living in LA working on some new stand up material and going through a pretty intense break up at the same time. I moved out and came to Indiana for the winter to hibernate and clear my head. Instead of clearing my head I ended up drinking a lot and writing folk songs. I decided to smash the stand up, the heartbreak and the music all together into, what I think, is an interesting (hopefully entertaining) evening of performance.
Who are your collaborators and how long have you been working with them?
Well artistically it's just me. And that's how I like it. My report card read "Does not play well with others." However business-wise I could get nothing done without my manager Carol Buttenham and Agency 55BC.
What's next for you after FRIGID?
I'm on tour all over the US in 2011 with this show (NYC is the world debut!) Indianapolis, Tucson, Phoenix, LA, San Francisco, Louisville, Atlanta, Nashville, Orlando, Cincinnati, DC, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Chicago, New Orleans and more!
And finally, if you could say anything to your potential audience, what would it be?
Uh... turn that frown upside down?
I Love You (We’re F*#ked)
Presented by 55BC Nashville, TN
UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place)
$15
Thu 2/24 @ 10:30pm, Sat 2/26 @ 4pm, Sun 2/27 @ 4pm, Fri 3/4 @ 9pm, & Sun 3/6 @ 1pm
FRIGID New York Interview - Randy Anderson of "Yippie!"
By Byrne Harrison
Name: Randy Anderson
Show: Yippie! presented by The Beggars Group
Website: Book website at www.onmakingoff.com
How did you first get involved in theatre?
I auditioned for Cheaper by the Dozen in the 6th Grade and loved the experience. By the time I was in high school I was writing and directing shows. Our teacher didn’t know much about theater (he was an English teacher), so he let us create the curriculum and teach each other. That laid the groundwork for my collaborative style.
Who are your biggest influences?
Without a doubt, Theatre De Complicite. I saw three of their shows in London in 1994 and instantly got hooked by their physical, thematic, and non-linear style of storytelling. As far as writing goes, it would be Nicky Silver’s combination of crisp dialogue, short scenes, and direct address monologues which is masterful.
Tell me a little bit about your show.
Yippie! looks back on the life of Yippie founder Jerry Rubin and his transformation from laid back (yet concerned) 1960s activist, to super left-wing radical anarchist, to (what the courts deemed him as) hardcore political subversive who would stop at nothing to overthrow the government. Which, included risking the lives of thousands of young people during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Yippie! explores this period as Yuppie Jerry Rubin (yes, he transformed yet again into a Yuppie in the ‘80s) contemplates his past actions in the face of the new youth movement’s demise.
What inspired you to write it?
The Beggars Group produced this show in 2001. It was called Do It! then and was based on Jerry Rubin’s book of the same title. I found the book at a used bookstore in college and the second I started flipping through it, I knew it would make a great play. There are pictures, poetry, sex, drugs and hysterical hijinks. Not to mention some fantastic ‘scenarios’ that lent themselves perfectly to my newly emerging esthetic.
Who are your collaborators and how long have you been working with them?
Harrison Williams is co-writing and co-directing the production with me. He’s been with the Beggars Group since 2000. Scott Rad Brown is co-producing and Justin Sturges is designing the sound. We have a great cast who will portray characters such as; Jerry Rubin, Dave Dellinger, Nancy Kershon, John and Jane Doe (our '50s cautionary tale), and the show-stopping Sunny Tits.
What's next for you after FRIGID?
I’ll be publishing my book, On Making Off. It’s a memoir (I write that loosely) about a young kid (me) moving to New York and starting a theater company called The Beggars Group. Complete with porn stars, Asian trannies, drunken performances, heartbreak and hysteria, On Making Off glamorizes the grit of making theater in the basement theaters of New York. I’m self publishing on Amazon, Kindle, and Nook in March. It’s a great read!
And finally, if you could say anything to your potential audience, what would it be?
Come see Yippie! Sunny Tits will be serving shots of tequila.
YIPPIE!
Written and Directed by Randy Anderson & Harrison Williams
Presented by The Beggars Group Brooklyn, NY
The Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street)
$16
Wed 2/23 @ 9pm, Fri 2/25 @ 8:30pm, Sun 2/27 @ 1pm, Thu 3/3 @ 9pm, & Sat 3/5 @ 7pm
Name: Randy Anderson
Show: Yippie! presented by The Beggars Group
Website: Book website at www.onmakingoff.com
How did you first get involved in theatre?I auditioned for Cheaper by the Dozen in the 6th Grade and loved the experience. By the time I was in high school I was writing and directing shows. Our teacher didn’t know much about theater (he was an English teacher), so he let us create the curriculum and teach each other. That laid the groundwork for my collaborative style.
Who are your biggest influences?
Without a doubt, Theatre De Complicite. I saw three of their shows in London in 1994 and instantly got hooked by their physical, thematic, and non-linear style of storytelling. As far as writing goes, it would be Nicky Silver’s combination of crisp dialogue, short scenes, and direct address monologues which is masterful.
Tell me a little bit about your show.
Yippie! looks back on the life of Yippie founder Jerry Rubin and his transformation from laid back (yet concerned) 1960s activist, to super left-wing radical anarchist, to (what the courts deemed him as) hardcore political subversive who would stop at nothing to overthrow the government. Which, included risking the lives of thousands of young people during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Yippie! explores this period as Yuppie Jerry Rubin (yes, he transformed yet again into a Yuppie in the ‘80s) contemplates his past actions in the face of the new youth movement’s demise.
What inspired you to write it?
The Beggars Group produced this show in 2001. It was called Do It! then and was based on Jerry Rubin’s book of the same title. I found the book at a used bookstore in college and the second I started flipping through it, I knew it would make a great play. There are pictures, poetry, sex, drugs and hysterical hijinks. Not to mention some fantastic ‘scenarios’ that lent themselves perfectly to my newly emerging esthetic.
Who are your collaborators and how long have you been working with them?
Harrison Williams is co-writing and co-directing the production with me. He’s been with the Beggars Group since 2000. Scott Rad Brown is co-producing and Justin Sturges is designing the sound. We have a great cast who will portray characters such as; Jerry Rubin, Dave Dellinger, Nancy Kershon, John and Jane Doe (our '50s cautionary tale), and the show-stopping Sunny Tits.
What's next for you after FRIGID?
I’ll be publishing my book, On Making Off. It’s a memoir (I write that loosely) about a young kid (me) moving to New York and starting a theater company called The Beggars Group. Complete with porn stars, Asian trannies, drunken performances, heartbreak and hysteria, On Making Off glamorizes the grit of making theater in the basement theaters of New York. I’m self publishing on Amazon, Kindle, and Nook in March. It’s a great read!
And finally, if you could say anything to your potential audience, what would it be?
Come see Yippie! Sunny Tits will be serving shots of tequila.
YIPPIE!
Written and Directed by Randy Anderson & Harrison Williams
Presented by The Beggars Group Brooklyn, NY
The Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street)
$16
Wed 2/23 @ 9pm, Fri 2/25 @ 8:30pm, Sun 2/27 @ 1pm, Thu 3/3 @ 9pm, & Sat 3/5 @ 7pm
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