Emerging Artists Theatre To Present Joe Godrey's A Queer Carol

Two versions, Two casts: all-male and all-female. What's your preference?

Two winters ago, Emerging Artists Theater presented a staged reading of Joe Godfrey's A QUEER CAROL, a twist on the Dickens holiday classic. This one-night-only holiday benefit for EAT was such a hit, it deserves to become a tradition! So we're bringing it back,and it's more twisted than ever. Choose your performance carefully, because it's the girls against the boys:

Emerging Artists Theatre presents
A Queer Carol

But there will be only one chance to see each version
See one, the other, or both, but don't miss it!

Sun Dec 19th at 2:00 pm - All Female Cast
Sun Dec 19th at 5:00 pm - All Male Cast

TADA! Theatre
15 West 28th Street (btn Broadway & Fifth Avenue)
(N/R to 28th Street)
Tickets are $20
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT brownpapertickets.com

Directed by Melissa Attebery
Peter Saxe on the piano


Featuring:

WOMEN
BENITA SCROOGE - Vivian Meisner
ROBERTA CRATCHIT - Danielle Quisenberry
TINA/YOUNG SCROOGE - Erin Hadley
JACOBINA MARLEY - Rebecca Nyahay
GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT - Andrea Alton
GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST, ET AL. - Karen Stanion
SCROOGE'S MOTHER, ET AL. - Laura Fois
SCROOGE'S FATHER, ET AL. - Christine Bruno
FEZZIWIG, ET AL. - Amy Bizjak

MEN
EBENEZER SCROOGE - Marc Castle
ROBERT CRATCHIT - Mark Finley
TIM/YOUNG SCROOGE - Tim Seib
JACOB MARLEY - Kaolin Bass
GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT - J. Stephen Brantley
GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST, ET AL. - Desmond Dutcher
SCROOGE'S MOTHER, ET AL. - Ron Bopst
SCROOGE'S FATHER, ET AL. - Eric Chase
FEZZIWIG, ET AL. - Christopher Borg

This Month's Title Photo

This month's title photo is by Onno de Jong and is from an innovative "larger than life" family-friendly production, A Wonderfully Flat Thing, based on Mark Twain's short story, "A Fable," a magical journey of self-discovery told with puppets, dance, and music.

"The play's message is incredibly fun and relevant today on many levels,"”says artistic director Manju Shandler, who previously created masks and puppetry for The Lion King on Broadway. “"For kids, it is an entertaining riddle, a romp on stage with surprising puppets - an ostrich, a snake, a donkey, a house cat and an elephant prince! For adults, it's a piece about self reflection and how we interpret technology. The focus of the play is encompassed by Twain's moral: ‘You can find in a text whatever you bring, if you stand between it and the mirror of your imagination."



A Wonderfully Flat Thing

Join Mark Twain and his animal friends on a fun journey of self-discovery and magic. With puppets, dance, music, and interactive video projections, kids ages 3 & up will be delighted by this visual feast. Based on Mark Twain’s short story, A Fable, our talented cast discovers a mysterious “flat thing,” a mirror, and each sees something different. Is it magic? Only Mark Twain has the answer! A Wonderfully Flat Thing is an innovative children’s theater production your kids will love!

A Wonderfully Flat Thing is one of the first productions to be mounted in The 14th Street Y’s newly renovated LABA Theatre. It is the result of a collaboration between artist fellows from the 14th Street Y’s LABA: The National Laboratory for New Jewish Culture.

A Wonderfully Flat Thing
Based on A Fable by Mark Twain
Created by Manju Shandler & Basmat Hazan
Directed by David Winitsky*
Choreography by Jesse Zaritt
Script Adapted for the Stage by Valerie Work, Manju Shandler, & Basmat Hazan
Multimedia & Lighting Design by David Tirosh
Original Music by Tamar Muskal
Puppet & Set Design by Manju Shandler
With additional lyrics by Stephen Hazan Arnoff

Artistic Director: Manju Shandler
Producing Director: Becky Skoff
Music arrangement and production by Milica Paranosic

Cast:
Mark Twain/Donkey: Jake Goodman
Cat: Emily Hartford
Elephant: Shawn Shafner
Snake: Sarah Painter
Ostrich: Sarae Garcia

A WONDERFULLY FLAT THING plays the following schedule:

Saturday, 12/18 11:30AM (Preview)
Sunday, 12/19 11:30AM & 2:30PM (Preview)
Saturday, 1/8 11:30AM, 2:30PM & 5:00PM
Sunday, 1/9 2:30PM & 5:00PM
Saturday, 1/15 11:30AM, 2:30PM & 5:00PM
Sunday, 1/16 11:30AM & 2:30PM

Review - Clemenza & Tessio Are Dead

By Byrne Harrison
Photos by Nick Tochelli

"The Godfather" gets a little of the Tom Stoppard treatment in this amusing play by Gregg Greenberg. Drawing on Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, though staying away from the more absurdist elements of that work, Clemenza & Tessio Are Dead tells the story of "The Godfather" from the point of view of two of the minor, yet important characters, Peter Clemenza and Sal Tessio, as they play a waiting game while the larger events of the Corleone family play out.

Greenberg's script is full of humor, though as the major events (murders, the rise and fall of the Corleone brothers, etc.) turn dark, so does the play. There are not nearly as many laughs in second half of Clemenza & Tessio as in the first, but that's a good thing.

The most enjoyable part of Clemenza & Tessio comes from watching the strong performances of the lead actors Frank Senger (Clemenza) and Anthony Gallo (Tessio). Both play their characters with gusto, though Gallo's is the more nuanced performance. Joining them in the play is Troy Dane, who plays all the incidental roles, including Don Corleone and his sons, Michael and Fredo. Dane plays his roles a little broader than Senger and Gallo, though for the most part, it works.

Designer Nick Tochelli keeps things remarkably simple with his less-is-more set. Using only a few props, he creates a number of different locations. This pared down aesthetic lets the play move quickly (drawn out scene changes would have kept the tension from building).

Senger, who also directs, keeps things moving quickly, but the production never feels rushed or mechanical. I'm not entirely sure the play needs to have an intermission. It might be a stronger production without this interruption.

The main question I had about this show was would I be able to enjoy it, not having seen "The Godfather." I need not have worried. Greenberg's play never leaves behind the Godfather newbies. By focusing squarely on two interesting characters and their unique views of events mostly outside their control, Greenberg creates a play that will appeal to the aficionado and newcomer alike.

Clemenza & Tessio Are Dead
Written and Produced by Gregg Greenberg
Directed by Frank Senger
Production Stage Manager/Production Designer: Nick Tochelli
Press: Bunch of People Press & Publicity

Featuring: Frank Senger (Clemenza), Anthony Gallo (Tessio), Troy Dane (Buttonman, Don Corleone, Luca Brasi, Michael Corleone, Mrs. Clemenza, Fredo Corleone)

Shell Theater
Times Square Arts Center300 West 43rd Street
Suite 403

December 2nd through December 19th
Thursday-Saturday at 8pm
Sunday at 3pm

Interview with Jonathan Goldberg and Tom Ridgely of The Land Whale Murders

By Byrne Harrison
Photo by Eric Michael Pearson

Jonathan A. Goldberg (Playwright - The Land Whale Murders) has had work seen at The Public Theater, The Barrow Street Theater, NJ Rep, the Theater Garage in Minneapolis, the Pear Theater in Northern California and the Complex in Hollywood. His play How to Shoot a Bull Moose won the Israel Baran award from the Theatricum Botanicum. He was a guest artist at the LABrynth Summer Intensive and was a Jerome Fellowship finalist. He won the Rita and Burton Award for Playwriting and received an MFA in dramatic writing from the Tisch School of the Arts. This summer he was the book-writer and co-lyricist for the Waterwell musical The Wizard of Wall Street, presented at IU for their Premier Musical Program. He is thrilled to be once again working with Shelby Company.

Tell me a little bit about The Land Whale Murders.

Jonathan: The Land Whale Murders is a murder mystery comedy set in Victorian New York City. It revolves around the death of one of The Four Elementals, the city’s self-appointed science elite. From there we travel to a misguided bird release, a missing whale, more murder, the birth of NYC’s first super hero, and much more. It’s a jam-packed adventure with fights, fish, fowl, running away from danger, and terrible deductive reasoning.

I like the idea of a play that touches on eco-terrorism, but is set in the Victorian era. What influenced you to write on this topic, and as a murder mystery to boot?

Jonathan: The Victorian era provides a treasure trove of references and touchstones that can be mined for comedy as well as provide a window on where we’ve gone wrong environmentally. By setting the play in this time -- loosely, there are several anachronisms -- it gives us a chance to explore our complicated relationship with ourselves and the natural world. I felt that the murder mystery structure would be the best way to shape this story. There is a lot of information and ideas being thrown at the audience, but it’s wrapped in a familiar structure. There is this one basic mystery that is set up at the beginning: “Who killed Hiram Blud?” This anchors the play and ultimately everything that happens—wild as it gets—is all tied to this event.

If you could say one thing to your potential audience, what would it be?

Jonathan: Octopussed.

Tom Ridgely (Director - The Land Whale Murders) is a co-founder of Waterwell and has directed its #9, The|King|Operetta [NY Mag Culture Award Nom – Best New Musical], Marco Millions (based on lies) [Drama Desk Nom – Outstanding Director] and The Persians…a comedy about war with five songs [3 IT Award Nom’s, incl. Outstanding Production of a Musical], among others. Other NYC: Jonathan A. Goldberg’s Luck Of The Ibis (Shelby Company); Kimmy Gatewood’s Hat-trick (Ars Nova); Centralia’s Uncle and Au Bon Panic (PIT) [ECNY Nom – Best Improv Group]; Gatewood, Johnson & Lowe's The Apple Sisters (PIT, tour) [ECNY Award – Best Musical Act; IT Award – Outstanding Original Music]; Paden Fallis’ The Play About The Coach (Tank, tour) [Dallas-Fort Worth Theater Critics Forum Award – Outstanding Touring Production]. Regional/Educational: The Wizard of Wall Street (Indiana), The Water Knows My Name (Perry-Mansfield), Once Upon A Mattress (Johns Hopkins), The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged (Playhouse on Park), Union (Axial Theatre), and Bat Boy: The Musical (Fordham). Upcoming: Art (Playhouse on Park).

I understand that The Land Whale Murders has a steampunk aesthetic. What was it like working in that style?

Tom: I wouldn’t say it has a steampunk aesthetic per se, though there are definitely elements in common. Jonathan set his play in an impossibly fantastic 1896 New York and chocked it full of anachronisms and inaccuracies, particularly in the language. So a lot of the early talks were about how to reconcile all that design-wise. Jason Simms (set designer) brought it up first, and Deanna (costume designer) really ran with it, and it turned into this sort of sexy opium chic – a demimonde that never existed.

Why do you think this style seems to resonate with audiences?

Tom: Um…sexy opium chic? The question answers itself.

You mentioned some of your collaborators. Tell me a little bit about your design team.

Tom: The design team for The Land Whale Murders is a murderer’s row of theatre genius. Jason Simms’s devised a gorgeously simple set that frames the action perfectly. Deanna Frieman’s costumes are worth the price of admission alone. Greg Goff’s lighting is endlessly evocative and does almost all the heavy lifting with time and place. And M. L. Dogg is simply one of the best in the biz; an omnivore of sound. Our secret weapon though is Rod Kinter, who did all the fights – he is the Petipa of Punch, the Fokine of Fence, the Robbins of Roughhouse.

This is not your first collaboration, having worked together on Luck of the Ibis earlier this year. How did that familiarity help with this production?

Jonathan: Tom and I have worked on several projects now. We first met when I was a grad student at NYU. He was a guest director in a class at the Public Theater and we created a fast paced non-musical musical called Capitalism: The Musical! It had like 20 parts played by 4 actors and was performed in a hallway, but was a lot of fun. Tom has an amazing touch as a director and I think he brings a grounding and inner reality to my work. He isn’t afraid of my stage directions like “a dead bird falls from the sky” or “underwater ballet.” He’s very inventive and I think enjoys the challenges my scripts present him. I feel that anything can be achieved on stage and Tom has never tried to limit me or scale back my vision, if anything he’s found a myriad of ways to improve them.

Tom: I love Jonathan. For my money he’s the most exciting young writer working right now. This is our fourth project together this year, and each one has been a joy. In a way Land Whale is the show that started it all. I came to a reading at an apartment in Brooklyn last year, and that’s when we got reacquainted. Familiarity breeds trust. And contempt. Fuck off, Jonathan.

What's next for both of you after this production?

Jonathan: I have a few projects in the works. Some readings are coming up along with some of my short work featured at the Jewish Humor Festival in Minneapolis, Minnesota in January. Also I’m working with Waterwell on a musical about financier Jay Gould. The show had a workshop production at Indiana University this summer and we’re looking to take the next step with that.

Tom: Version 2.0 of The Wizard of Wall Street – the Jay Gould show. And Waterwell’s monthly run of Goodbar, our concept concert based on Looking for Mr. Goodbar, created in collaboration with glam/punk band Bambї. This is also the inaugural year of Waterwell’s Drama Program for 6-12th graders at the Professional Performing Arts School (PPAS), a hugely rewarding challenge. Directing-wise, after this I go right into rehearsals for Art at the Playhouse on Park in West Hartford – starring among others Land Whale’s own Rich Hollman.

Finally, what advice do you have for any theatre students who might be reading this?

Jonathan: Don’t be afraid to take big risks and to even fail at times. An exciting failure is always better than a mediocre success. Also don’t let anyone tell you something is impossible; the stage is limitless and you can put anything you want upon it. Also find people who are like-minded and surround yourself with them. People from all corners of the theater world: designers, writers, directors, and actors - support them and cheer on each of their victories. There’s enough people out there who want to tear things down, don’t be one of them – try to always look for the good in things. Sorry if that sounds too much like a fortune cookie. Ultimately though, work with people you like, it makes life a lot easier.

Tom: Sleep your way to the top. That’s how I got here.

The Land Whale Murders
Written by Jonathan A. Goldberg
Directed by Tom Ridgely

Featuring Richard Hollman, Carl Howell, Nathaniel Kent, Amy Landon, and Jennifer Joan Thompson

Theatre 3
311 West 43rd Street, 3rd Floor

December 2-18, Wed.-Sat. at 8 PM

Happy Thanksgiving

By Byrne Harrison

As a thank you for all the people who have helped me with StageBuzz.com over the years - the theatre professionals who have let me interview them or review their work, the publicists who've let me know about upcoming "don't miss" shows, the people visiting my site, and my favorite theatre writers who inspire my writing and let me know about great shows that I might otherwise miss - I'm going to try something new this Thanksgiving.

Since my favorite part of having this website is getting to talk to other people who love theatre, I'm offering you a chance to be interviewed on StageBuzz.com. Do you have a show coming up that you want to talk about? Are you a theatre fan who wants to describe the best play you've ever seen? Are you fresh off the bus and looking to get your name and face out there? Are you one of my many friends who is working in theatre and wants to share some practical advice with those people just starting out?

If so, let me know. Send me an e-mail with the subject line "Interview Me" and tell me a little bit about yourself. I'll send you five questions to answer. I'll begin posting these interview in December.

Thanks again for being part of StageBuzz.com. I can't wait to talk theatre with you.

Interview With Peter Turo of All Fall Down

By Byrne Harrison

Peter Turo is the writer and director of All Fall Down, a new play, and Equity showcase, premiering November 30th at The Tank. All Fall Down is his first NYC production.

I understand All Fall Down is your first full-length play. What's your theatre background?

I’ve been acting for about 13 years; I started doing shows in high school and then continued in college. I’ve also done some community theater. In terms of writing, this is my first full-length work outside of something I had to write for school.

The play centers on a group of former friends and lovers who come together for the first time in years. Reunions are always fertile ground for drama. What inspired you to tell this story?

I’ve always been a fan of stories that take place all in one night, and I was feeling pretty inspired one night after re-reading Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. I developed the plot around the characters, so once their relationships were defined, I knew what was going to/had to happen. The original title was “Perspective” which is an idea I really wanted to be front and center with this show: how does the way you look at yourself conflict with how others look at you, and what do you do to resolve those conflicts?

Tell me a little bit about your collaborators on this project? How did you pull the cast and crew together?

I’m lucky enough to have worked with all of them before in some variety. The entire cast (and myself) went to Manhattanville College in Westchester and I’ve done at least one show with not only my actors but also my tech staff. They’re magicians, dancers, stage managers, retail workers, teachers, students… all people involved in some type of performance. And they’re great at it.

In addition to writing All Fall Down, you're directing this production. How has directing been?

It’s my first time, so definitely a challenge. It’s a learning experience—I talked to a few directors I know beforehand and tried to remember things directors I’ve worked with have done that I liked and things I didn’t like. I respect my actors and their choices, so we worked from there but there were definite moments where I went “no no no…do this instead…” You learn. Definitely a challenge, but I’ve had a lot of fun.

If you could say anything to your potential audience, what would it be?

I hope you enjoy it? What I’d ask is to listen/watch closely—the story is told out of sequence, so following what plays out is pretty important. And also the “enjoying themselves” thing.

What's next for you after this production?

I’ll be trying to market All Fall Down to some other theaters and some festivals. I have a few more plays in my head, but I really want to see where this one can go first. This is most definitely not the last time this show will be presented.



All Fall Down opens November 30th at The Tank in NYC at 354 West 45th Street. It runs three performances - 11/30, 12/1, 12/2 at 9:30pm.

Interview With Lorna Littleway of the Juneteenth Legacy Theatre

By Byrne Harrison

After attending Juneteenth Blues Cabaret, I was interested in finding out more about the Juneteenth Legacy Theatre. I had an opportunity to speak with Lorna Littleway, Juneteenth Legacy's founder and producing director.

Tell me how Juneteenth Legacy Theatre came about.

I attended a summit, in 1999, on the state of black theater that was convened by August Wilson at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. At the time I was vice-president of Black Theatre Network, a service organization for theater academics, and I was teaching at the University of Louisville where I was co-Director of the African American Theatre Program. The conference identified needs of black theatre and number one was the development of black playwrights. It was noted that hardly any black theater companies had multiple stages and were in a position to develop emerging playwrights. I came away from the summit INSPIRED, not just by August’s words and the workshops, but also by the rural environment around Lebanon, NH. Fugitive slaves beating a path to Canada could have passed through that part of New Hampshire. Sharing thoughts over food and drink in a local tavern there was so MYSTICAL. I felt the ancestors encouraging me to DO SOMETHING. When I returned to Louisville, I vowed to start a black theater company there that focused on developing new works because the school program was mostly it for black theater in Louisville, Kentucky. So in December 1999 with a graduating senior, Kristi Papailler, I co-founded Juneteenth Legacy Theatre. In 2002, the company incorporated in NY State; and in 2005 in addition to producing in Louisville, started producing in the city - mostly at summer festivals like the NYCFringe and Midtown International Theater Festival. Three years ago we started producing at Nuyorican slowly expanding from one show a year to two, and in this our third year plan to produce our Juneteenth Festival of New Plays, which was a staple at Actors Theatre of Louisville for eleven years. Up until this past summer, we were producing in the two cities, Louisville and New York. But this season and for the foreseeable future, we are producing solely in NYC.

Having growing up in Texas myself, I'm familiar with Juneteenth and the celebrations that go along with it. Being a New York-based company, why did you decide to commemorate that event in your name?

I worked in radio news when I was a grad student at SMU in Dallas, Texas and heard about Juneteenth for the first time. I was very excited about the story of “delayed” emancipation being announced to slaves in Galveston 2 ½ years after the fact; and the image of their mass movement to Dallas to celebrate their freedom for ten days followed by an exodus north, east and west to inform other communities of slaves about their decreed freedom. Imagine the life change of being able to commune together, do whatever - talk and share freely among each other when previously your every move, thought and being was strictly dictated. Those moments of marveling were followed by disgust about yet another event in our American history being omitted in the classroom. So nearly 20 years later when I co-founded a theater company, the name Juneteenth was chosen to give wider play to that historic event because everyone inquires about the origin of the company’s name. The name Juneteenth also was chosen to underscore the universality of the African-American experience. And personally it has been very freeing as an artist to have and lead a theater company.

Tell me a little bit about your current show, Juneteenth Blues Cabaret.

We have been developing the play over seven years. Several actors, directors and designers have contributed to the process and there have been previous productions in Kentucky, Indiana and New York City. The songs have stayed the same, the text changes minimal to accommodate three-women and two-women/one man casts. With this production the score was changed and created by Music Director Ivan Thomas collaborating with “Blues Queen”, Jannie Jones. Can you believe Ivan was the original “Cool Dude”? With this production all the elements have come together – cast, composition, scenery, costumes, lights and venue! We’re working on posting “The Making of Juneteenth Blues Cabaret” on our website.

What drew you to these particular five singers (Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, and Lena Horne)?

They were my Mom’s favorites. She would play their records as she combed my hair at night before I would go to bed. I loved the stories the songs told. They were like mini plays. I would sneak and play them on Saturday mornings when my parents slept in. Also I grew up to Ethel Waters. I watched “Beulah” and saw her movie, “Pinky” as a kid. As described in the book, I too was disappointed by Ethel’s refusal to support the Civil Rights movement, unlike Lena Horne, who did. But I was not embarrassed by her show, “Beulah”. I thought it was great that a black actress starred in her own television show. Beulah was the brains and moral compass of that family.

If you could meet one of these blues divas in person, whom would you choose?

That’s a hard one, but if I must choose then it’s Dinah Washington. She was my Mom’s favorite. “Dinah Washington Sings Bessie Smith” was a cherished LP in our home. Her blues medley: The Blues Aint Nothing But a Woman Cryin For Her Man, Mean Ole Man’s World and Nobody Knows How I Feel This Morning is a three act play and Jannie delivers with such fervor

What's next for Juneteenth Legacy Theatre?

Our spring show, which opens March 31st, is an adaptation of scenes from three of Pearl Cleages’ plays, A Night With Pearl Cleage’s Women. The concept is similar to August Wilson’s Women which we produced last season and focused on 14 women from all ten of his plays. It’s a great way to introduce audiences to the body of a playwright’s work. Generally they are familiar with one or two, like Fences or Joe Turner’s Come and Gone for August, or Flying West for Pearl. One of the most satisfying comment from audiences, last year, was they didn’t know that August had written so many plays and that they now were interested in reading his plays because they had seen excerpts from all of them. Kind of how Juneteenth Blues Cabaret made you want to pull out your CDs and listen again to your collection of songs by Ethel Waters and Lena Horne. What I want to do is inspire people to stay connected to the black legacy in American culture.


Juneteenth Blues Cabaret

Nuyorican Poets Cafe
236 E. 3rd Street

Thursday-Saturday at 7 PM, through November 19th
November 20th at 3 PM

Hardware Dreams Ticket Giveaway

By Byrne Harrison

Now that you know a little more about the people behind Modesto Lacén and Nueva Escena, Inc.'s production of Sunilda Caraballo's Hardware Dreams, how would you like a pair of free tickets to the production?

Courtesy of Kampfire PR and Marketing, I have a pair of tickets available to the Saturday, November 20th performance at 3 PM, and to the Sunday, November 21st performance at 3 PM.

To enter for a chance to win a pair of tickets, leave a comment on this post with your name, e-mail address, and the performance you'd like to attend. Winners will be announced Wednesday.

Interview with Sunilda Caraballo and Joe Ricci of Hardware Dreams

By Byrne Harrison

Sunilda Caraballo is a native of Santurce, Puerto Rico. This multitalented performer, now a proud mother, began her career in the performing arts as a dancer. She started her training with Ballet Teatro Municipal de San Juan and later on with the School for the Performing Arts. Dance credits include: Ballet Hispanico, The Metropolitan Opera Ballet The Magic Flute directed by Julie Taymor, The New York City Opera La Traviata, Thomas/Ortiz Dance Company, Radio City Music Hall, MTVTr3s, Telemundo, Olga Tanon, Jerry Rivera, among others. Theatre credits: Off-Broadway and tour company of Celia, based on the life and music of Celia Cruz, where she got rave reviews for her multiple roles, including the role of Tia Ana; Repertorio Español and the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre. She has also performed her own writing material as a stand-up comedian at Carolines on Broadway, Nuyorican Poets Café, and the Triad Theatre. Her one-woman show Hardware Dreams, has had successful runs at the People Improve Theatre, La Tea’s One Festival, and the Midtown International Theatre Festival. Sunilda is the recipient of the 2009 NBC Improv Diversity Scholarship, as well as the 2009 and 2010 "Best Choreography” HOLA Award. She holds a B.A. in Communications, with a minor in theatre and dance from the University of Puerto Rico.

I'm always fascinated by people with a diverse training background. You've done dance, theatre and stand up. What is your favorite part of performing?

Sunilda: Being able to express my creativity with and without words it is truly a blessing. With dance as much as theatre and stand up the most rewarding thing is to see people react… with laughter, a tear or any other emotion.

Tell me a little about Hardware Dreams.

Sunilda: Hardware Dreams is a show full of comedy, dance and Latin flavor. The show tells the unique fun moments I had with my family while growing up, which sometimes made me feel a little “different” or even embarrassed, but as an adult and now as a mother, they are not only joyful but also the strength that allows me to keep pursuing my career in New York City. I’m not only sharing my family story, but my culture, my dreams and how I’m dealing with motherhood in such different and difficult times.

So it is based on your own life and experiences.

Sunilda: The stories are very personal and almost 99 percent of them are told word for word how they really happened, even though at times they might seem made up stories. I grew up in a family and a neighborhood full of very unique and eccentric characters, like for example, my dad, which besides working at the hardware store with my mom, the four kids and four dogs, was also a passionate inventor. He invented a wheelchair for my disabled dog and made news in Puerto Rico . He was so creative and outspoken that once, he picketed in front of our school because they were asking for too much money.

What made you decide to do a solo show?

Sunilda: It all started at an acting class I took 4 years ago, where I had to write a personal monologue as part of an exercise, and when I told the class my monologue they didn’t only laughed pretty loud about it, but they also couldn’t believe that it was true. Right then, I felt the need and responsibility of telling more of my story and make people laugh even harder at me and my family. And I also get to showcase all the different talents I have in my little “bag of tricks”, including my accent.

If you could say anything to your potential audience, what would it be?

Sunilda: You will not only have a great time laughing , but also relate to my story by remembering all those fun moments you had with your family, the struggles we all go through to follow our dreams and goals and like my mom use to say “when life gives you lemons make lemonade”.

Any advice for people just starting out in theatre or dance?

Sunilda: Always keep that inner kid alive and don’t forget to have fun.

What's next for you after Hardware Dreams?

Sunilda: I can’t wait to see all the great projects that will come from this run of Hardware Dreams; who knows, maybe a TV show or a movie could be made about the show, it certainly has potential for it. I’m also finishing my studies in Improvisational comedy at the People Improv Theatre with a scholarship I won from NBC last year. But the biggest project I have ahead of me is raising my baby, and being the best mom I can be.


In addition to directing Hardware Dreams, Joe Ricci is the writer and co-host of the ongoing hit Vintage Variety at the Triad theatre. He is also in pre-production as the director of a new play, Anywhere, Anywhere, due to have its premiere in early 2011. He directed the critically acclaimed Tricia Brouk Dining Alone - an amazing experience where he not only had his first foray into directing a dance play, but he ended up marrying the star, Tricia Brouk. As an actor, Joe recently made his Broadway debut as Mike in the hit A View from the Bridge starring Liev Schreiber and Scarlett Johansson. He spent a better part of the last 10 years in and out of the Off-Broadway hit, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.

What attracted you to Hardware Dreams?

Joe: Having worked with Sunilda before as an Actor, I jumped at the chance to work with her again in any capacity. But, when I read the script, it was really her story that grabbed me… I got excited to help tell the story when I read it.

You've directed solo shows in the past. As a director, what are some of the pros and cons of this type of show?

Joe: The pros are that you are accomplishing something that is very difficult. Not many performers can pull this off. It requires a lot of stamina and focus and guts. So when you pull it off, it’s an incredible high. I spend a lot of time analyzing the script as the director. And when you’re working with an actor who is also the writer you have an incredibly collaborative experience. Sunilda has been great about working with me on the script. The con is that because there is only one person on stage, your focus is never off of them. There is never a moment when you can say, “Great, now work on that while I go over here and stage this other scene that you’re not in.”

Since you're both a director and an actor, you've seen the process from both sides. Do you find your acting experience informing your directing and vice versa?

Joe: I also write and everything influences everything. Each is influenced by the other. But there is always a need to translate depending on what you’re doing and who your audience is. I process a certain way as an actor, but that doesn’t mean someone I’m directing will work that way.

Any advice for young directors out there?

Joe: To quote Nike… Just Do It!

What's next for you after Hardware Dreams?

Joe: I am the writer and Co-Host of a show called Erotic Broadway-Vintage Variety. Currently, we’re performing it once a month at the triad theatre. It’s a very sexy show, with hot dancers and singers. I’m in pre-production for a play that I’m directing about two men who fall in love after leaving Vietnam. And just to round things out… I’m writing the book of a musical.

Hardware Dreams
By Sunilda Caraballo
Directed by Joe Ricci

November 18-21, 2010
Thursday and Friday 8 PM
Saturday and Sunday 3 PM and 8 PM

Theater for the New City
155 1st Ave,between 9th and 10th streets

Review - Juneteenth Blues Cabaret (Juneteenth Legacy Theatre)

By Byrne Harrison

Good cabaret will often send me home wanting to hear more music by the artists who were highlighted in the show. It is a credit to Juneteenth Blues Cabaret that following the Friday night performance, I spent two hours digging through my blues CDs to continue listening to the music of Ethel Waters and Bessie Smith, two of the blues divas featured in the show. Also featuring the work of Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, and Lena Horne, the cabaret is equal parts history lesson and entertainment, and it succeeds well on both fronts.

Part of Juneteenth Legacy Theatre's efforts to highlight the female African-American experience, the cabaret features five women who have had a profound effect on the development of the blues, and demonstrates the effect each of these singers had on the women who followed. With songs chosen by director Lorna Littleway that best illustrate both the talents and lives of the singers, Juneteenth Blues Cabaret features many well-known standards, including "Fine Fat Daddy," "Sweet Georgia Brown," "Summertime," "What a Diff'rence a Day Made," and "Stormy Weather." Sung with nuance and power by Blues Queen (Jannie Jones) and her partner and foil Cool Dude (Jamil A.C. Mangan), and featuring music director Ivan Thomas, the show is a delight.

Jannie Jones does an excellent job channeling the styles and even the physicality of these five diverse singers. She has a strong, vibrant voice that is equally suited to the raucous numbers as it is to the quiet, sentimental ones. Jamil A.C. Mangan has a terrific onstage presence. Effortlessly changing from lothario to henpecked lover, he is the perfect foil or complement to Jones as each song requires. Though a confident performer who can handle both Littleway's dialogue and Robin Hemmings' choreography, he is a somewhat tentative singer. In some songs, this works perfectly, but in others, those where the Blues Queen needs a Cool Dude who is in every way her vocal equal, he falls a little short.

Overall, this is a strong cabaret piece, helped out immensely by the atmosphere provided by the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. It's an excellent space for this show, and one that can accommodate a decent-sized crowd.

If you are a fan of the blues or simply want to find out more about the remarkable women behind the songs, I highly recommend this cabaret.



Juneteenth Blues Cabaret
Book/Director: Lorna Littleway
Music Composition: Todd Hildreth
Music Director: Ivan Thomas
Choreographer: Robin Hemmings
Set/Props: Karen Leriche
Costume Designer: Ali Turns
Lighting Designer: Rome Neal
Dramaturg: Peach Pittinger
Publicis: Bunch of People
Casting: Lawrence Evans

Nuyorican Poets Cafe
236 E. 3rd Street

Thursday-Saturday at 7 PM, through November 19th
November 20th at 3 PM

Review - MilkMilkLemonade (Astoria Performing Arts Center APAC)

By Byrne Harrison
Photos by Rhys Harper

Walking into the theatre at the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, it would be easy to believe that MilkMilkLemonade is a children's show; one of the old school types with vibrant primary-colored sets, built by young students under the watchful eye of a couple of young theatre teachers. In fact, the opening scenes of the play featuring Nikole Beckwith's amusing Lady in a Leotard certainly reinforce that feeling. The Lady, who serves as the rather awkward narrator of the play, begins the show with an uncomfortable chorus of Head Shoulders Knees and Toes. It is a very Vacation Bible School moment.

Playwright Joshua Conkel takes this format and turns it upside down by presenting the story of an effeminate young boy, Emory (Andy Phelan), his no-nonsense Nanna (Michael Cyril Creighton), the bully next door, Elliot (Jess Barbagallo), who is both repulsed by and attracted to Emory, and Linda (Jennifer Harder), a huge talking chicken with dreams of stardom and a knack for avoiding the processing machine. Facing head on the sort of topics that children's theatre would normally avoid, or worse, preach about - brutal death, sexual experimentation, bullying, homosexuality, and the comic stylings of Andrew Dice Clay - MilkMilkLemonade creates a world that lets adults remember the pain of childhood is a way that is so clearly artificial that it never allows pathos to slip in. The audience is removed enough to enjoy the humor, and it is a wildly amusing play, without feeling too badly for Emory, who is a remarkably well-adjusted and resilient boy.

The acting is outstanding across the board. In fact, this is one of the tightest ensembles I have seen in a while. It's helped no doubt by the fact that this is the same cast from the original production. They never strike a false note, and have a good sense of comic timing, letting the audience enjoy the laugh lines without moving on to quickly or waiting too long. Phelan and Barbagallo have excellent chemistry, in particular Barbagallo is outstanding dealing with Elliot's struggle between attraction and hatred. Harder and Beckwith shine in their roles. Their scenes in which the Lady in a Leotard translates Linda the chicken's speech are brilliant. Creighton is wonderful as the tough, doll-burning, chicken-killing matriarch.

Director Jose Zayas does an excellent job with this production, keeping his touch light and letting the script and actors shine. Other technical aspects are strong, especially Nicole Beerman's choreography and Sydney Maresca's costuming.

It's rare to see a production brought back to the stage as quickly as this one was (the original production was only last fall), but MilkMilkLemonade certainly earned another run. If you missed these two productions, keep your eyes open. I have no doubt we'll see more of this play, and certainly more of Joshua Conkel.

MilkMilkLemonade
By Joshua Conkel
Director: Jose Zayas
Choreographer: Nicole Beerman
Set Design: Jason Simms
Costume Design: Sydney Maresca
Lighting Design: Bruce Steinberg
Sound Design: David Margolin Lawson
Press Representative: Katie Rosin/Kampfire Films PR
Associate Set Design: Caite Hevner
Production Manager: Annie Jacobs
Technical Director: Andrew T. Chandler
Production Stage Manager: Alex Mark
1st Assistant Stage Manager: Katy Moore
2nd Assistant Stage Manager: George Spencer
Master Electrician: Michael "PJ" Collins & Keith Schneider
Graphic Designer/Production Photographer: Kate Northern
Box Office Manager: Dave Charest
Lead Carpenters: Ashanti Coombs-Ziths & Matt Groeneveld
Build Crew: Mabel Bermejo, Patrick Cecala, Tom Cogan, Michael "PJ" Collins, Jonathan Gregg, Stephanie Halbedel, Sean Romano, Ashlee Springer

Featuring: Andy Phelan (Emory), Jess Barbagallo (Elliot), Michael Cyril Creighton (Nanna), Jennifer Harder (Linda), Nikole Beckwith (Lady in a Leotard)


Good Shepherd United Methodist Church
30-44 Crescent St, Astoria, NY

Closes Saturday, November 13

Visit APAC's website for details.

Anyone Up For a Trip to Saint Paul?

A Klingon Christmas Carol

November-December 2010: Landmark Center, Saint Paul, MN
Playwrights: Christopher O. Kidder & Sasha Walloch
Translated by: Laura Thurston, Bill Hedrick, and Christopher O. Kidder
Additional Content and Translation by: Chris Lipscombe
Lyrics to qu'wI' by: Terrence Donnelly

Scrooge has no honor, nor any courage. Can three ghosts help him to become the true warrior he ought to be in time to save Tiny Tim from a horrible fate? Performed in the Original Klingon with English Supertitles, and narrative analysis from The Vulcan Institute of Cultural Anthropology.

The Dickens classic tale of ghosts and redemption adapted to reflect the Warrior Code of Honor and then translated into tlhIngan Hol (That's the Klingon Language).

A co-production of Commedia Beauregard and the IKV RakeHell of the Klingon Assault Group.

This production of "A Klingon Christmas Carol" marks the fourth year of out-of-this-world holiday mayhem in the Twin Cities. The 12-show run will premiere on November 26, 2010 (Black Friday).

Visit the website for more details.

A Klingon Christmas Carol

Daniel Radcliffe Sings Tom Lehrer

A little something fun for those of you who like Tom Lehrer (or have seen Tom Foolery, the musical revue of his songs). Daniel Radcliffe sings Tom Lehrer's The Elements on The Graham Norton Show.

Interview with Seth Bisen-Hersh of BROADWAY CAN! A Concert for the Citymeals-on-Wheels and City Harvest

By Byrne Harrison

Seth Bisen-Hersh is a prolific and versatile New York City based musical theatre composer/ lyricist who works as a pianist, accompanist, musical director and vocal coach.

Bisen-Hersh made his professional cabaret debut at Don't Tell Mama with Two Singular Sensations, a battle of the ego through Broadway showtunes, co-starring Rori Nogee. Starting in 2003, Bisen-Hersh began doing nearly annual cabarets of his own material, commencing with solo acts then expanding to ensemble casts. Each cabaret consisted of 16-18 new songs grouped by theme: And Then She Dumped Me (2003), The Gayest Straight Man Alive (2004), Meaningful Sex (2005), Neurotic Tendencies (2006), Why Am I Not Famous Yet? (2007), Writer’s Block (2008) and I'll Relax When I'm Dead (2010).

Furthermore, Bisen-Hersh has developed two annual charity concerts of his work featuring Broadway actors: Broadway Meows for The Humane Society of New York, each summer and Broadway Can!, a can collecting concert each fall.

How did Broadway Can! come about?

The first charity concert we did was Broadway Meows in July 2009, which was a thank you to the Humane Society for saving my cat's life and not charging a fortune. After that great experience, we decided to do another concert during the holiday season, and I had a dream that we were doing a can raising drive called YES BROADWAY CAN! which was deemed too Obama-esque, so Broadway Can! became its title. This is our 2nd Annual one.

How do you recruit performers for the event?

Mostly through Facebook. I go through my friend list and start asking everyone I know with a Broadway credit. Also, with the stars I'm closer to I will ask for referrals. Actually, Facebook wouldn't let me go into my account without re-verifying it when I was writing so many strangers b/c they thought I was a stalker or something. Which I am, but that's a whole different story. Just kidding... mostly.

How did you choose this year's charities?

That was all Dennis Fowler! We wanted to find smaller charities that would be really happy to have us involved, and I think he probably did some google searches, and then contacted a few to see their reactions. I am thrilled with how the timing all worked out - our concert is two weeks before Thanksgiving, and we're giving all the money to Citymeals-on-Wheels for their Thanksgiving drive (They provide meals for senior citizens), and since they don't take cans, we decided to bring in a second charity, City Harvest, and give those to them for their Thanksgiving drive.

I understand this is the last time your fans will be able to see you for a while. Can you tell me a little about your new project?

Well, they can still come to my weekly showcases and watch my YouTube channel - youtube.com/sethbh42, but I am taking a 6-month hiatus from self-producing because I am exhausted and over-extended. I have 3 shows ready for Off-Broadway production, and I am going to take the time to focus on getting those produced and financed, not only in NYC, but around the country - all 3 are available for licensing at sethbh.com/shows3.html. There's LOVE QUIRKS which is an hourlong song cycle designed for colleges or black box theatres; STANLEY'S PARTY, a 50-minute musical based on the popular picture book, for children's theatres; and MORE TO LOVE, a two-act musical that takes place in a gym about accepting one's body, for community/ regional theatres.

But I think the new project you are referring to is my new web series: Every Day a Little Seth. It is still in its seminal state - I hope to film the first episode soon. Basically it's a shameless attempt to get an HBO sitcom. I am going to rant about situations and tell genuine anecdotes about my life, while illustrating how it could all be turned into a fleshed out show. Each episode takes its title from one of my songs, and that becomes the theme I will ramble about, and then at the end I will perform the song.

I think it'll be quite unique, and fairly humorous, and I am hoping to go viral... in the good sense of the word.

Broadway Can!
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH, 8PM

$22 Cover/ 2 Drink Minimum (cash only - $2 off with the donation of a canned good)

Don't Tell Mama, 343 W. 46th St.
Call for reservations after 4: 212-757-0788 or reserve online at donttellmamanyc.com

Canned Ham to Return to Dixon Place for a One-Night Benefit Performance

By Byrne Harrison

One year after premiering his one-man musical theatrical memoir Canned Ham at Dixon Place, Tom Judson returns to that same stage for a one-night-only "re-premiere" of the new, expanded version of the show Sunday, November 14th at 7:00pm. And that one night happens to coincide with Tom's 50th birthday, making for a truly celebratory evening.

Canned Ham details Tom's life in all areas of show business: acting in Broadway musicals (Cabaret, 42nd Street) composing music for film and television (Whit Stillman's Metropolitan, Sesame Street) and the work for which he is probably most widely known, appearing in gay adult films as Gus Mattox. Stories and songs are interwoven with visuals and musical numbers to describe a life that is extraordinary yet-because the story is bookended by the tale of his partner's death from AIDS-all too familiar to many. Tom accompanies himself on the piano, the accordion, the trumpet and nine other instruments - sometimes simultaneously.

For reservations visit www.dixonplace.org or call 212-219-0736.

To see the review of Canned Ham's Provincetown run, click here.