This review of Ten Foot Rat Cabaret at Under St. Mark's Theater was written by Christopher M. Struck and published in Volume X, Issue 7 (2017) of the online edition of Applause! Applause!
Ten Foot Rat Cabaret
Jillian Thomas - Master of Ceremonies
Produced by Gregory Levine & Rob Dub
Featuring Various Performers
Under St. Mark's Theater
94 St. Mark's Place
New York, New York 10009
Reviewed 8/2/17
Ten Foot Rat Cabaret is an entertaining and worthwhile experience for anyone interested in a taste of the New York Cabaret Scene. In a small black-box theater on St. Mark's Place, this variety show has been running for four years now. As far as cabarets go, this extravaganza features older, experienced performers as well as newcomers. With a rotating roster combining the classic single singer, comedy, and burlesque routines from month to month, there is an opportunity to immerse yourself in New York Culture and get an idea of what types of shows might interest you. Additionally, you may see one or more of these performers returning, and perhaps also get a surprise visit by Neil Diamond - if only. The following six performers were featured at the Ten Foot Rat Cabaret on August 2nd: She She Dance, Kevin Michael Smith, Gregor of Berlin, Galatea Stone, Shayna Bliss and the JJs, and artist-in-residence Bill Chambers as Neil Diamond. The comedian, Jillian Thomas, was the Master of Ceremonies. I am told the name Ten Foot Rat Cabaret was inspired "by those giant inflatable union-local on-strike Rat balloons seen throughout New York City and, of course, our durable hometown critters themselves."
She She Dance opened and closed the night. Introduced by Jillian Thomas as one of their returning performers, she opened us up with a bang. Blues singer She She Dance, a pseudonym for Azusa Dance, has a strong voice, a positive attitude, and solid dance moves. Putting those together in the intimate, grungy atmosphere at Under St. Mark's Theater was like putting an energizer bunny into your living room if your living room looked and smelled like a basement with a bar. She sang Dancing In The Street and Ain't Nothing But A Hound Dog with the verve of a Red Bull. At times, her deep voice was a little scratchy, but she really packed a lot of power into each line which made for a good opening.
Kevin Michael Smith was next up. An Air Force Man, Kevin's jokes tended to revolve around his time as both a reserve and deployed member of the USAF in Afghanistan. Some of the references that might have drawn a few cheers from a different crowd didn't get the same reaction from this Lower East Side audience. Still, he earned a few good laughs and was able to adjust his routine to the audience as he went including the gem that he probably set the record for "most condoms on (him) at one time while having unprotected sex." He performs a weekly show, Polished Comedy, at Beauty Bar in Manhattan.
He was followed by Gregor of Berlin (Gregory Levine) who was "contractually obligated" to appear. First, he pontificated on the trials of being relegated to a lower status of a comedian by his agent who wanted him to hone his craft. It was a clever sequence of self-effacing jokes which appeared within grander statements. He would remark on his frustrations on being sent to rooms with comedians who actually needed the help as if he was unaware that his comedy wasn't quite up to snuff. One of these destinations was Disney World where Gregor entertained children. With a stalwart set of stout anti-jokes, Gregor was able to deliver jokes in the form of advice and mockery of American children. He'll be at 54 Below on September 8th. He also hosts and co-directs Guilty Pleasures Cabaret.
Gregor also got the best job of the night according to him, introducing the burlesque dancer, Galatea Stone. Galatea strutted in dressed in blue with a feathery turquoise scarf that draped to the floor on what looked like 9-inch heels. Somewhere 7 or above at least. Talent. She danced for the song Sex & Candy by Marcy Playground, gradually pulling articles of clothing off and enticing the crowd to follow her hand gestures. It seemed like she would bare it all only to reveal a pair of stickers covering up her nipples. If you are interested, she'll be at Legion in Brooklyn for her monthly show, We Are Legion, at 8 p.m. on August 9th.
Shayna Bliss followed Galatea and disarmed the crowd with her voice rather than her legs although she did dance a little to the music as well. Accompanied by the JJs, a pair of brothers on the drums and piano, she sang Patsy Cline's Strange and The Beatles' The Fool On The Hill. She brought a lot of emotion to her performance which struck me as she seemed to pour her soul into her music. She wasn't quite able to coax the same volume out of the PA system that She She Dance did, but she obviously dug deep. An enticing performer, I look forward to seeing her again.
Neil Diamond came last. The impersonation portrayed an astute parody of the pop-culture giant, but I must confess to having never seen Neil Diamond live. A crowd more familiar with the hallmarks of a Diamond performance might have gotten more out of the solid Bill Chambers' performance. Still, his jokes about weed and old New York hit a few members in the audience, and his singing of one of Neil Diamond's classics while gyrating violently was a nice touch.
Very fun stuff. That's what you can expect from Ten Foot Rat Cabaret. Tickets for $10.00 can be purchased online at http://www.tenfootrat.com/blog/wordpress/ or at the door. Starting next month, the show will be on a Saturday night. The next show will mark their 4th Anniversary!
FALSE FACT: It has always been hard for performers to find audiences and fill theater seats. One day, a struggling comic saw one of those Ten Foot Rats and observed 15-20 union members just standing around talking to one another and holding signs. He thought to himself - there's an audience! He stopped off and did a 10-minute set that was well-appreciated. The next day, he brought more of his friends down to perform and entertain. As time went on, the Ten Foot Rat Cabaret moved from site to site earning for itself some press and a very positive reputation. Eventually, the Ten Foot Rat Cabaret moved indoors, got a following, and continues to entertain audiences who would otherwise just be standing around somewhere talking to one another.
Sunday, August 6, 2017
Saturday, August 5, 2017
Applause! Applause! Review of Chesney Snow's The Unwritten Law at Dixon Place by Christopher M. Struck
This review of Chesney Snow's The Unwritten Law at Dixon Place was written by Christopher M. Struck and published in Volume X, Issue 7 (2017) of the online edition of Applause! Applause!
The Unwritten Law
Written & Performed by Chesney Snow
Direction & Choreography by Rebecca Arends
Co-Created by Chesney Snow & Rebecca Arends
Production Management by Joe Flowers
Visual Design by Emre Emirgil
Lighting Design by Ro-z Edelston
Dixon Place
161-A Chrystie Street
New York, New York 10002
Reviewed 7/31/17
"The Unwritten Law" are social norms you are expected to follow. If you disobey them, you can expect an extreme and potentially violent reaction by some members of your community. For every gender, ethnic, racial and/or religious group, the social norms differ. In a conservative Muslim country, the unwritten law might be that a woman should not dress too immodestly. An effeminate man in America might need to "butch it up" in some settings. For a black man in America fifty years ago, it might mean not walking down the street with a white woman, or in the case of Chesney Snow's relative Charles, the offense was for having the audacity to shoot back after being attacked by Klan members in the middle of the night. The punishment, of course, is death.
Chesney Snow, a well-spoken African-American young man, has overcome many obstacles in his life. His gutsy, visceral performance brought tears to his eyes as he relayed major turning points in his life. He discussed the trials and tribulations of his mother and how over decades of injustice and reconciliation, his family has made marginal socio-economic gains which have been achieved through hard work. That is especially evident in the life of Chesney Snow, which is told in this show through narration, poetry, dance, and live music. Before he starts to tell his own story, he takes a bit of a winding road approach I don't think was altogether necessary. But the stories he told were interesting and revealing. He was delightfully aided in that by the talented interpretive dancers Rebecca Arends and Winston Dynamite Brown with pianist A.J. Khaw, and cellist, Varuni Tiruchelvam.
The story of his mother was particularly moving. At age 17, his mom lies almost dying on the sidewalk but through an indomitable spirit that would characterize much of his and her life, she gets up and lives to have him three years later in 1979 when she is age 20. His mom is the true heroine of this story. Through near Herculean effort, she carried her family on her shoulders. She worked in a Nursing Home where she endured "endless days and nights of wiping asses, bathing and feeding elderly patients" including one old man who tormented her with egregious insults. When he realized she was pregnant, his mom told him it was her intention to name her son after him. He then broke down, cried and apologized to her for enduring years of his abusive behavior. Chesney relates having gone through "grade school hell" because of his name. Because his father was pursuing a career in radio, money was coming in slow, and when Mr. Swift refused to get "a real job," his mom took him to Chicago where she met "Michael, the Eiffel" (so nicknamed because he was tall). His little sister is born, and everything seems blissful until young Chesney realizes his mother is being beaten and that drugs are a constant curse. Chesney stands up to Michael one day during one of his mother's beatings by smashing him in the leg with a hammer. They leave temporarily for Mississippi, but after a brief return to Chicago, his mother decides enough is enough when she discovers Michael has touched Jackie, Chesney's six-year-old sister.
Chesney reflects that his mother must have endured those beatings for him and his sister, and it serves again to show how strong a woman she was. For the next five years, Chesney and Jackie live with GG, his grandmother, who he describes as being so tough and no nonsense that she once shot her own drunken sister in the ass. This is also when Chesney began to beatbox, an art form where the performer replicates the sound of percussion by using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and voice. With his cousin Bobby, they began to perform publicly. Bobby may have had the voice of an angel, Chesney remarks, but he was also brought down by muscular dystrophy. The last steps he would take were to GG's house where she would love and feed him while they made music. Things pick up for a little while for Chesney and his family when his father finally earns some money and renown in Oklahoma City as a radio show host. Chesney spent some time with dad, and after five years, his mother returns with a new man, Jessie. Unfortunately, the good times did not last. Jessie pulls a gun on Chesney's mom, and thanks to a scream by Jackie, the family is able to escape. They end up living in a small town in Wisconsin, where they are the only black family in the neighborhood.
Adjusting to that new life wasn't easy. At first the kids gave him a hard time, but eventually, the community welcomed him especially because of his musical skills. Perpetuating the patterns and choices that stand in the way of breaking out of one's socioeconomic class, at sixteen years old, Chesney gets his girlfriend pregnant and realizes he has failed his mom. He calls his dad for help only to learn that his dad has been arrested. Chesney does everything he can to get custody of his son Deron, but a couple of slip-ups with fighting at school and a failed marijuana test result in his son going to live with his baby momma's trailer park grandma. His argument that his own mother bought a house wasn't enough to sway the custody decision in his favor. He would spend the next seven years trying to rescue Deron from this hell but Deron would only disappear further into the abyss of Child Services after Chesney tried to take him, without permission, across state lines. After five more unsuccessful years, Chesney begins grinding with what he does best, beatboxing until he begins to make Off-Broadway performances in 2010 and receives a cryptic e-mail from someone claiming to be Deron.
The Unwritten Law shares a heartfelt story of one person's life. It presents the challenges Chesney Snow faced in his struggle to rise up and achieve. The heroine of the story, his mom, played an ample role in the way the drama of his life played out and perhaps she deserves more credit than he gave her. Few people face such difficult circumstances and I think it's inspiring to see how hard Chesney has worked to make a name for himself. Has he found his son? He didn't say. Perhaps that is part of the purpose of this performance. There are a couple of times Chesney showed off not only his skills to rhyme and twist words but also to beatbox and rap. It was a unique performance and a definite treat. Chesney Snow is an entertaining storyteller and he raises plenty of issues for the audience to contemplate. You can catch The Unwritten Law at Dixon Place from July 30-August 14, 2017. To get tickets, call 212-219-0736 or go to www.dixonplace.org
The Unwritten Law
Written & Performed by Chesney Snow
Direction & Choreography by Rebecca Arends
Co-Created by Chesney Snow & Rebecca Arends
Production Management by Joe Flowers
Visual Design by Emre Emirgil
Lighting Design by Ro-z Edelston
Dixon Place
161-A Chrystie Street
New York, New York 10002
Reviewed 7/31/17
"The Unwritten Law" are social norms you are expected to follow. If you disobey them, you can expect an extreme and potentially violent reaction by some members of your community. For every gender, ethnic, racial and/or religious group, the social norms differ. In a conservative Muslim country, the unwritten law might be that a woman should not dress too immodestly. An effeminate man in America might need to "butch it up" in some settings. For a black man in America fifty years ago, it might mean not walking down the street with a white woman, or in the case of Chesney Snow's relative Charles, the offense was for having the audacity to shoot back after being attacked by Klan members in the middle of the night. The punishment, of course, is death.
Chesney Snow, a well-spoken African-American young man, has overcome many obstacles in his life. His gutsy, visceral performance brought tears to his eyes as he relayed major turning points in his life. He discussed the trials and tribulations of his mother and how over decades of injustice and reconciliation, his family has made marginal socio-economic gains which have been achieved through hard work. That is especially evident in the life of Chesney Snow, which is told in this show through narration, poetry, dance, and live music. Before he starts to tell his own story, he takes a bit of a winding road approach I don't think was altogether necessary. But the stories he told were interesting and revealing. He was delightfully aided in that by the talented interpretive dancers Rebecca Arends and Winston Dynamite Brown with pianist A.J. Khaw, and cellist, Varuni Tiruchelvam.
The story of his mother was particularly moving. At age 17, his mom lies almost dying on the sidewalk but through an indomitable spirit that would characterize much of his and her life, she gets up and lives to have him three years later in 1979 when she is age 20. His mom is the true heroine of this story. Through near Herculean effort, she carried her family on her shoulders. She worked in a Nursing Home where she endured "endless days and nights of wiping asses, bathing and feeding elderly patients" including one old man who tormented her with egregious insults. When he realized she was pregnant, his mom told him it was her intention to name her son after him. He then broke down, cried and apologized to her for enduring years of his abusive behavior. Chesney relates having gone through "grade school hell" because of his name. Because his father was pursuing a career in radio, money was coming in slow, and when Mr. Swift refused to get "a real job," his mom took him to Chicago where she met "Michael, the Eiffel" (so nicknamed because he was tall). His little sister is born, and everything seems blissful until young Chesney realizes his mother is being beaten and that drugs are a constant curse. Chesney stands up to Michael one day during one of his mother's beatings by smashing him in the leg with a hammer. They leave temporarily for Mississippi, but after a brief return to Chicago, his mother decides enough is enough when she discovers Michael has touched Jackie, Chesney's six-year-old sister.
Chesney reflects that his mother must have endured those beatings for him and his sister, and it serves again to show how strong a woman she was. For the next five years, Chesney and Jackie live with GG, his grandmother, who he describes as being so tough and no nonsense that she once shot her own drunken sister in the ass. This is also when Chesney began to beatbox, an art form where the performer replicates the sound of percussion by using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and voice. With his cousin Bobby, they began to perform publicly. Bobby may have had the voice of an angel, Chesney remarks, but he was also brought down by muscular dystrophy. The last steps he would take were to GG's house where she would love and feed him while they made music. Things pick up for a little while for Chesney and his family when his father finally earns some money and renown in Oklahoma City as a radio show host. Chesney spent some time with dad, and after five years, his mother returns with a new man, Jessie. Unfortunately, the good times did not last. Jessie pulls a gun on Chesney's mom, and thanks to a scream by Jackie, the family is able to escape. They end up living in a small town in Wisconsin, where they are the only black family in the neighborhood.
Adjusting to that new life wasn't easy. At first the kids gave him a hard time, but eventually, the community welcomed him especially because of his musical skills. Perpetuating the patterns and choices that stand in the way of breaking out of one's socioeconomic class, at sixteen years old, Chesney gets his girlfriend pregnant and realizes he has failed his mom. He calls his dad for help only to learn that his dad has been arrested. Chesney does everything he can to get custody of his son Deron, but a couple of slip-ups with fighting at school and a failed marijuana test result in his son going to live with his baby momma's trailer park grandma. His argument that his own mother bought a house wasn't enough to sway the custody decision in his favor. He would spend the next seven years trying to rescue Deron from this hell but Deron would only disappear further into the abyss of Child Services after Chesney tried to take him, without permission, across state lines. After five more unsuccessful years, Chesney begins grinding with what he does best, beatboxing until he begins to make Off-Broadway performances in 2010 and receives a cryptic e-mail from someone claiming to be Deron.
The Unwritten Law shares a heartfelt story of one person's life. It presents the challenges Chesney Snow faced in his struggle to rise up and achieve. The heroine of the story, his mom, played an ample role in the way the drama of his life played out and perhaps she deserves more credit than he gave her. Few people face such difficult circumstances and I think it's inspiring to see how hard Chesney has worked to make a name for himself. Has he found his son? He didn't say. Perhaps that is part of the purpose of this performance. There are a couple of times Chesney showed off not only his skills to rhyme and twist words but also to beatbox and rap. It was a unique performance and a definite treat. Chesney Snow is an entertaining storyteller and he raises plenty of issues for the audience to contemplate. You can catch The Unwritten Law at Dixon Place from July 30-August 14, 2017. To get tickets, call 212-219-0736 or go to www.dixonplace.org
Thursday, August 3, 2017
Applause! Applause! Review of Tamar Bartaia's A Toy Gun at Teatro Circulo by Christopher M. Struck
This review of Tamar Bartaia's A Toy Gun at Teatro Circulo was written by Christopher M. Struck and published in Volume X, Issue 7 (2017) of the online edition of Applause! Applause!
A Toy Gun
Written by Tamar Bartaia
Directed by Becky Baumwoll
Translated by Donald Rayfield
Teatro Circulo
64 East 4th Street
New York, New York 10003
Reviewed 7/29/17
A Toy Gun, a play by Tamar Bartaia, is part of the Georgian-American Theatrical Feast, a festival of new works written by playwrights from the Republic of Georgia. It begins in a small Georgian town but the country's setting and the sequence of events that affect it during the lifetimes of our two main characters, Medea (Tara Giordano) and Yoram (Luke Younger), could have happened anywhere else in the world. The writer and actors successfully present universal themes that resonate beyond the circumstances of any one country. One of the main plot points is how the two characters react to current events in their home country from their changing perspectives following a shared incident with a toy gun.
The two characters meet on an empty black stage when Medea (Mea) goes to an audition for a role in a play that her teen idol, Yoram (Yo) is putting on. The actors portray the emotions of the moment very well while they also begin spreading colored sand along the ground which accumulates as time passes. At the start, Mea is giddy with hope while Yo is cursing the fame that isolates him. He can't stand love letters or his adoring fans while Mea makes up having received even one. While she waits in line to audition, she catches Yo's attention, but not for the right reasons. She has had a drink of Brandy, and Yo notices that her eyes glisten. He asks her to audition, but while in her mind, she impresses, in reality, Yo can barely stand the sight of her. He sends her away saying, "You have no talent." Mea storms out, and when at home, she fumes. With excellent chemistry and rhythm, the two actors were able to make all this believable whether there were supposed to be two or twenty people in their fictional world.
At first, she plans to kill him with her dad's shot gun but then goes to grab her brother's toy gun. She intends to humiliate Yo in front of his audience by showing him what a great actress she is but when she arrives, he is alone working late. He hears her coming up the stairs and tries to calm himself down by telling himself it is probably just one of his fans looking for an autograph. Mea appears and threatens him with the toy gun. To her surprise, Yo breaks down crying. She loses all respect for him and tosses the gun on the floor beside the sniveling Yo. He grabs it after she's left and realizes instantly that it is only a toy. There are many emotional aspects portrayed in this scene but there was still a long way to go. The toy gun incident alters both characters' paths in life. Mea runs home to tell her family she no longer wants to be an actress - to their relief. Yo goes home to wallow in the misery of his realization of having broken down in front of this little girl. Mea suddenly has more confidence in school, and Yo begins to cancel shows so that no one sees him miserable. At one point, he throws the gun out the window only to look for it in the dark. When he finally does come out for a show, he is haunted by Mea's face and sees her everywhere in the crowd. But he does the performance and receives applause.
Years go by. Yo stays an actor, and Mea gets married and has kids. One day, for her confidence and unique mezzo soprano voice, she is selected for a prestigious scholarship at the famous La Scala in Milan. Everyone is proud and Yo sees Mea on television saying how beautiful she is and not recognizing her as the child with the toy gun. The roles have now been reversed. While Mea once looked up to Yo as untouchable, now Yo looks at Mea the same way. Unfortunately, while she is gone, a civil war breaks out. Yo is brave and fights hard. He is one of two survivors from his battalion. Meanwhile, Mea watches helplessly from abroad and begins to feel the isolation, loneliness, and imprisonment of fame Yo once felt. Because of their fame, both were asked, "Which side are you on?", and both couldn't tell a difference between the sides.
The remainder of the play deals with this dichotomy. The lives of the two characters are ruled more by their roles in society than by their own desires. Mea continues to succeed as a singer, and ultimately when offered a contract late in her career, she turns it down to return to buy her father's old house to reinvigorate the community. Although her search for purpose abroad had turned into homesickness, the aging Yo, inspired by the incomparable Mea, has begun to learn English and frets that he has wasted too much time. Even when a second civil war breaks out for a little over a week, he risks marching through the dangerous streets in order to study English at his tutor's house. He discovers that English is not as hard as he thought, and he falls in love with his tutor's twin children, who call him Grandpa. He begins to write plays in English, and one of his plays is accepted for production in England. On the same flight he takes into Heathrow, Mea leaves for home. In England, Yo realizes the plays there are pretty bad, saying the audiences "are bound to like (mine)." He plans to write plays at home so he can spend time with the twins. However, on the flight home, he has a stroke after writing his final play, A Toy Gun. Mea, now living in the same town as Yo, rushes to his bedside to confess that she was the girl from that day long ago. A week later, posted from the day before Yo's death, Mea receives a package and inside is her brother's toy gun and the words, "Thank you for everything dearest."
The solid structure and depth of this play are apparent from the start when society and class lines are insinuated by the briefest mention, but astounding detail lies just beneath the surface at every turn. For example, from London, Mea sees the civil war as lasting three days while in-country Yo and the tutor see a civil war that lasts almost two weeks. These are small things but they serve to create the perspective that details may change based on from whom and when the information is received. The actors brought out the level of depth that made this play well-worth seeing. They engaged the audience to create an intimate setting and deserve credit for solidly executing their lines. There were no complex fight scenes or dramatic dances but they talked easily and moved around the stage pouring different colored sand from envelopes and packing boxes. This seemed to represent the experiences that one accumulates in life because, in the end, each of them had their own large pile and the rings they had formed at the start of the play had become muddled and unclear. It was a cool image and helped to keep my attention.
I'd recommend this play. It is short and meaningful and shows that the search for meaning in life goes beyond finding a day to day purpose. Instead, it is about connecting and forming bonds between people even if by some strange incident involving a toy gun. This play runs from July 19th through August 3rd at Teatro Circulo (www.teatrocirculo.org).
A Toy Gun
Written by Tamar Bartaia
Directed by Becky Baumwoll
Translated by Donald Rayfield
Teatro Circulo
64 East 4th Street
New York, New York 10003
Reviewed 7/29/17
A Toy Gun, a play by Tamar Bartaia, is part of the Georgian-American Theatrical Feast, a festival of new works written by playwrights from the Republic of Georgia. It begins in a small Georgian town but the country's setting and the sequence of events that affect it during the lifetimes of our two main characters, Medea (Tara Giordano) and Yoram (Luke Younger), could have happened anywhere else in the world. The writer and actors successfully present universal themes that resonate beyond the circumstances of any one country. One of the main plot points is how the two characters react to current events in their home country from their changing perspectives following a shared incident with a toy gun.
The two characters meet on an empty black stage when Medea (Mea) goes to an audition for a role in a play that her teen idol, Yoram (Yo) is putting on. The actors portray the emotions of the moment very well while they also begin spreading colored sand along the ground which accumulates as time passes. At the start, Mea is giddy with hope while Yo is cursing the fame that isolates him. He can't stand love letters or his adoring fans while Mea makes up having received even one. While she waits in line to audition, she catches Yo's attention, but not for the right reasons. She has had a drink of Brandy, and Yo notices that her eyes glisten. He asks her to audition, but while in her mind, she impresses, in reality, Yo can barely stand the sight of her. He sends her away saying, "You have no talent." Mea storms out, and when at home, she fumes. With excellent chemistry and rhythm, the two actors were able to make all this believable whether there were supposed to be two or twenty people in their fictional world.
At first, she plans to kill him with her dad's shot gun but then goes to grab her brother's toy gun. She intends to humiliate Yo in front of his audience by showing him what a great actress she is but when she arrives, he is alone working late. He hears her coming up the stairs and tries to calm himself down by telling himself it is probably just one of his fans looking for an autograph. Mea appears and threatens him with the toy gun. To her surprise, Yo breaks down crying. She loses all respect for him and tosses the gun on the floor beside the sniveling Yo. He grabs it after she's left and realizes instantly that it is only a toy. There are many emotional aspects portrayed in this scene but there was still a long way to go. The toy gun incident alters both characters' paths in life. Mea runs home to tell her family she no longer wants to be an actress - to their relief. Yo goes home to wallow in the misery of his realization of having broken down in front of this little girl. Mea suddenly has more confidence in school, and Yo begins to cancel shows so that no one sees him miserable. At one point, he throws the gun out the window only to look for it in the dark. When he finally does come out for a show, he is haunted by Mea's face and sees her everywhere in the crowd. But he does the performance and receives applause.
Years go by. Yo stays an actor, and Mea gets married and has kids. One day, for her confidence and unique mezzo soprano voice, she is selected for a prestigious scholarship at the famous La Scala in Milan. Everyone is proud and Yo sees Mea on television saying how beautiful she is and not recognizing her as the child with the toy gun. The roles have now been reversed. While Mea once looked up to Yo as untouchable, now Yo looks at Mea the same way. Unfortunately, while she is gone, a civil war breaks out. Yo is brave and fights hard. He is one of two survivors from his battalion. Meanwhile, Mea watches helplessly from abroad and begins to feel the isolation, loneliness, and imprisonment of fame Yo once felt. Because of their fame, both were asked, "Which side are you on?", and both couldn't tell a difference between the sides.
The remainder of the play deals with this dichotomy. The lives of the two characters are ruled more by their roles in society than by their own desires. Mea continues to succeed as a singer, and ultimately when offered a contract late in her career, she turns it down to return to buy her father's old house to reinvigorate the community. Although her search for purpose abroad had turned into homesickness, the aging Yo, inspired by the incomparable Mea, has begun to learn English and frets that he has wasted too much time. Even when a second civil war breaks out for a little over a week, he risks marching through the dangerous streets in order to study English at his tutor's house. He discovers that English is not as hard as he thought, and he falls in love with his tutor's twin children, who call him Grandpa. He begins to write plays in English, and one of his plays is accepted for production in England. On the same flight he takes into Heathrow, Mea leaves for home. In England, Yo realizes the plays there are pretty bad, saying the audiences "are bound to like (mine)." He plans to write plays at home so he can spend time with the twins. However, on the flight home, he has a stroke after writing his final play, A Toy Gun. Mea, now living in the same town as Yo, rushes to his bedside to confess that she was the girl from that day long ago. A week later, posted from the day before Yo's death, Mea receives a package and inside is her brother's toy gun and the words, "Thank you for everything dearest."
The solid structure and depth of this play are apparent from the start when society and class lines are insinuated by the briefest mention, but astounding detail lies just beneath the surface at every turn. For example, from London, Mea sees the civil war as lasting three days while in-country Yo and the tutor see a civil war that lasts almost two weeks. These are small things but they serve to create the perspective that details may change based on from whom and when the information is received. The actors brought out the level of depth that made this play well-worth seeing. They engaged the audience to create an intimate setting and deserve credit for solidly executing their lines. There were no complex fight scenes or dramatic dances but they talked easily and moved around the stage pouring different colored sand from envelopes and packing boxes. This seemed to represent the experiences that one accumulates in life because, in the end, each of them had their own large pile and the rings they had formed at the start of the play had become muddled and unclear. It was a cool image and helped to keep my attention.
I'd recommend this play. It is short and meaningful and shows that the search for meaning in life goes beyond finding a day to day purpose. Instead, it is about connecting and forming bonds between people even if by some strange incident involving a toy gun. This play runs from July 19th through August 3rd at Teatro Circulo (www.teatrocirculo.org).
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Applause! Applause! Review of Patrick Vermillion's Jessica at IRT Theater by Dr. Thomas Robert Stevens
This review of Sanguine Theatre Company's production of Patrick Vermillion's Jessica at IRT Theater was written by Dr. Thomas Robert Stevens and published in Volume X, Issue 7 (2017) of the online edition of Applause! Applause!
Jessica
Written by Patrick Vermillion
Directed by Emily Jackson
Scenic & Lighting Designer: Tyler M. Perry
Costume Designer: Amanda Aiken
Sound Designer: John McKenna
IRT Theater
154 Christopher Street
New York, New York 10014
Reviewed 7/23/17
Jessica has disappeared and over the past four years, her devoted, controlling, rich boyfriend Allister has been searching for her. Did the pressures of life cause Jessica to run away to Paris or did she take her own life? Without a body, no one in Jessica's life has been able to find closure. Finally, Allister comes up with an unconventional, controversial plan to have an Android Jessica programmed with sufficient personal information so that when Android Jessica's "neural net" is activated, she will think so much like the real flesh-and-blood Jessica that she will be able to provide her family and friends with information about where she went and what happened to her. Their goal is to re-create Jessica's "exact mental state from the night she disappeared." Allister commissions LYFE Industries, a company that up to this point in time has made "companions" (i.e. sex robots) to handle the project and pays them three million dollars. This ambitious endeavor will be supervised by Rudi, the software engineer, and Jessica's best friend Mari and sister Lillian will be brought in to assist.
Rudi has researched Jessica for four years and has programmed Android Jessica with all the information he could find about her and her friends. Allister contributed Jessica's personal diary, which her best friend Mari finds objectionable. Mari also has other concerns. She questions whether Jessica would want to be found or even if she would wish to come back. Mari questions Allister's motives and wonders whether he is creating a "Jessica Companion" for himself. After Allister agrees he will deactivate Android Jessica if they are unable to locate the real one, Mari agrees to contribute memories she shared with Jessica in their youth. However, she is concerned Jessica might not remember those incidents in quite the same way she does. Her sister Lillian is absolutely appalled at the whole project and confesses that "some of us are less enthusiastic about having her back." Apparently, Lillian was the last person to see Jessica, and during a fight over a $5,000.00 loan Jessica never paid back, Lillian threw a plate at her head and said, "the whole family would be better off without you." Allister has also made the controversial decision not to tell Rudi about Jessica's mental illness and depression, which compromises the chances of the project's success. Intrigue follows and a self-aware Jessica is somehow activated.
The project is a success. Android Jessica has all the thoughts of Real Jessica, except she recognizes she is in a robot's body and that "the real me is in my actual body." Her friends question whether it's the real Jessica speaking or someone pretending to be Jessica. Perhaps there is no relevant difference. They ask Jessica what happened to her and where she is. Her response is, " I know where I am but I can't tell you" or more precisely, "I don't want to tell you." All she says is, "I don't want to be found" and "I am not coming back." I think the playwright intended these last interactions with Jessica to bring closure to the lives of her friends and family but the ending of the play was poorly written and was not at all satisfying. Android Jessica told Mari to find a new best friend and that the rest of her life was up to her. She also told Allister that while he was "nice," she didn't think she loved him. Lillian's reaction was that since she now knows Jessica is dead and not coming back, she can start to sell her things and get back the $5,000.00 she was never repaid. One possible alternative ending might be having Android Jessica thrilled to be alive again fully regretting her impetuous decision to commit suicide and grateful for the opportunity she now has to continue to live and experience life. The play could end with her friends and family shutting her down against her will, or else leaving her with Rudi and LYFE Industries to make her own way in an uncertain future.
This play raises many interesting questions about artificial intelligence. It will keep you interested and engaged as it unfolds. The set was impressive and the acting top-notch. Alli Trussell was particularly amazing as Jessica and Alison Scaramella is an accomplished actor who drew the attention of the audience whenever she appeared as Lillian, Jessica's sister. Anna Nemetz successfully portrayed Jessica's frumpy but devoted best friend Mari, who moved to Chicago and returned to assist Allister in his efforts to locate Jessica. Will Sarratt was appropriately cast as Rudi, the software engineer, who became more devoted to the project than he was to his client. His view of Jessica was that "she was a nice but flawed person, just like everyone else." Lillian questioned whether Android Jessica was a person or a product. Finally, Michael Patrick Trimm, who played Allister, was successful in representing the many aspects of his character's personality. The ensemble cast interacted well with each other and deserves credit for the success of this play.
Oh, by the way, I forgot to ask, "Do you have any waffles?" No? That's alright. I'll just buy them during intermission at the next performance of Jessica at IRT Theater. The show runs through August 5, 2017. Tickets ($18.00) are available online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2954473 or by calling 1-800-838-3006. If available, tickets at the door can be purchased for $25.00. Use discount code "SHESBACK" online at tinyurl.com/jessicatix for $15.00 tickets.
Jessica
Written by Patrick Vermillion
Directed by Emily Jackson
Scenic & Lighting Designer: Tyler M. Perry
Costume Designer: Amanda Aiken
Sound Designer: John McKenna
IRT Theater
154 Christopher Street
New York, New York 10014
Reviewed 7/23/17
Jessica has disappeared and over the past four years, her devoted, controlling, rich boyfriend Allister has been searching for her. Did the pressures of life cause Jessica to run away to Paris or did she take her own life? Without a body, no one in Jessica's life has been able to find closure. Finally, Allister comes up with an unconventional, controversial plan to have an Android Jessica programmed with sufficient personal information so that when Android Jessica's "neural net" is activated, she will think so much like the real flesh-and-blood Jessica that she will be able to provide her family and friends with information about where she went and what happened to her. Their goal is to re-create Jessica's "exact mental state from the night she disappeared." Allister commissions LYFE Industries, a company that up to this point in time has made "companions" (i.e. sex robots) to handle the project and pays them three million dollars. This ambitious endeavor will be supervised by Rudi, the software engineer, and Jessica's best friend Mari and sister Lillian will be brought in to assist.
Rudi has researched Jessica for four years and has programmed Android Jessica with all the information he could find about her and her friends. Allister contributed Jessica's personal diary, which her best friend Mari finds objectionable. Mari also has other concerns. She questions whether Jessica would want to be found or even if she would wish to come back. Mari questions Allister's motives and wonders whether he is creating a "Jessica Companion" for himself. After Allister agrees he will deactivate Android Jessica if they are unable to locate the real one, Mari agrees to contribute memories she shared with Jessica in their youth. However, she is concerned Jessica might not remember those incidents in quite the same way she does. Her sister Lillian is absolutely appalled at the whole project and confesses that "some of us are less enthusiastic about having her back." Apparently, Lillian was the last person to see Jessica, and during a fight over a $5,000.00 loan Jessica never paid back, Lillian threw a plate at her head and said, "the whole family would be better off without you." Allister has also made the controversial decision not to tell Rudi about Jessica's mental illness and depression, which compromises the chances of the project's success. Intrigue follows and a self-aware Jessica is somehow activated.
The project is a success. Android Jessica has all the thoughts of Real Jessica, except she recognizes she is in a robot's body and that "the real me is in my actual body." Her friends question whether it's the real Jessica speaking or someone pretending to be Jessica. Perhaps there is no relevant difference. They ask Jessica what happened to her and where she is. Her response is, " I know where I am but I can't tell you" or more precisely, "I don't want to tell you." All she says is, "I don't want to be found" and "I am not coming back." I think the playwright intended these last interactions with Jessica to bring closure to the lives of her friends and family but the ending of the play was poorly written and was not at all satisfying. Android Jessica told Mari to find a new best friend and that the rest of her life was up to her. She also told Allister that while he was "nice," she didn't think she loved him. Lillian's reaction was that since she now knows Jessica is dead and not coming back, she can start to sell her things and get back the $5,000.00 she was never repaid. One possible alternative ending might be having Android Jessica thrilled to be alive again fully regretting her impetuous decision to commit suicide and grateful for the opportunity she now has to continue to live and experience life. The play could end with her friends and family shutting her down against her will, or else leaving her with Rudi and LYFE Industries to make her own way in an uncertain future.
This play raises many interesting questions about artificial intelligence. It will keep you interested and engaged as it unfolds. The set was impressive and the acting top-notch. Alli Trussell was particularly amazing as Jessica and Alison Scaramella is an accomplished actor who drew the attention of the audience whenever she appeared as Lillian, Jessica's sister. Anna Nemetz successfully portrayed Jessica's frumpy but devoted best friend Mari, who moved to Chicago and returned to assist Allister in his efforts to locate Jessica. Will Sarratt was appropriately cast as Rudi, the software engineer, who became more devoted to the project than he was to his client. His view of Jessica was that "she was a nice but flawed person, just like everyone else." Lillian questioned whether Android Jessica was a person or a product. Finally, Michael Patrick Trimm, who played Allister, was successful in representing the many aspects of his character's personality. The ensemble cast interacted well with each other and deserves credit for the success of this play.
Oh, by the way, I forgot to ask, "Do you have any waffles?" No? That's alright. I'll just buy them during intermission at the next performance of Jessica at IRT Theater. The show runs through August 5, 2017. Tickets ($18.00) are available online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2954473 or by calling 1-800-838-3006. If available, tickets at the door can be purchased for $25.00. Use discount code "SHESBACK" online at tinyurl.com/jessicatix for $15.00 tickets.
Sunday, July 23, 2017
Applause! Applause! Review of Pippin at SoLuna Studio by Dr. Thomas Robert Stevens
This review of Pippin at SoLuna Studio was written by Dr. Thomas Robert Stevens and published in Volume X, Issue 7 (2017) of the online edition of Applause! Applause!
Pippin
Music & Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Book by Roger O. Hirson
Directed & Choreographed by Karen Braun
Assistant Director/Choreographer: Greg Pepe
Musical Director: Danny Passadino
Assistant Musical Director: Jack Tanzi
Lights, Sounds & Set: Megan Pietroforte
Fight Choreographer: Mark Maurice
Costumes: Leighann Martone & Karen Braun
SoLuna Studio
659 Old Willets Path
Hauppauge, New York 11788
Reviewed 7/21/17
This was my first time reviewing a show at SoLuna Studio, and if this production of Pippin is any indication of the quality of their work, I can assure you I will be back. The staff is friendly, the stage is large, and the concession items are reasonably priced. There is even a raffle with many wrapped basket items that will be drawn for at the end of the current run. Some of their productions have alternate casts performing on different days. I saw Main Stage Cast A. However, I was told Justin Autz, the main actor playing Pippin, also performs the role as part of Main Stage Cast B. Pippin premiered on Broadway at the Imperial Theater on October 23, 1972, and ran for 1,944 performances before closing on June 12, 1977. The original Broadway production won 5 Tony Awards: Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (Ben Vereen), Best Direction of a Musical (Bob Fosse), Best Choreography (Bob Fosse), Best Scenic Design (Tony Walton) & Best Lighting Design (Jules Fisher). Pippin was revived on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre with previews starting on March 23, 2013, and an opening on April 25, 2013. The Broadway revival closed on January 4, 2015, and won 4 Tony Awards: Best Revival of a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical (Patina Miller), Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Andrea Martin), and Best Direction of a Musical (Diane Paulus).
Even though Pippin is a story about Charlemagne and his first-born son, the theme of a young person seeking meaning and fulfillment in life is universal. As was the case with Pippin, after years of having his ego boosted with no real responsibilities, some children come to believe they are special and destined to do extraordinary things. They seek to find their "corner of the sky." Then, at some point, reality strikes and their dreams are shattered. This musical uses the premise of a mysterious performance troupe, led by a Leading Player, to tell the story of Pippin as he searches for something to do that is significant and worthwhile. He tries war, music, fornication, revolution, politics, the church, and finally settles down to work every day on a farm doing simple things with the love of a good woman, but none of these endeavors fulfill him. The Leading Player eventually offers Pippin the opportunity to go out in a blaze of glory in a manner people will never forget. But he declines and is lost having no good options left. Perhaps his grandmother was correct when she told him "you think too much."
While Pippin's journey for fame and glory is over, every day many young people seek to climb to the summit of their own personal mountain only to settle or "compromise" when they finally give up their unrealistic dreams. While the musical is upbeat and in this production, immersive with actors dressed in colorful costumes performing stunts and dancing all around the audience members, the overall theme is quite depressing. Morning Glow, the song ending Act I, never hit me as hard as it did in this production. After all, it is sung just after Pippin kills his father in cold blood in a church and before he can ask for his knife back in Act II. I should also add that this musical is far more adult-themed and violent than it is generally promoted as being. Charlemagne kills thousands of his own peasants and while working with the Pope to convert nonbelievers, he offers heathens the choice between "Baptism or Beheading." Charlemagne's own wife sets him up for assassination by Pippin so she can advance her son's chances of becoming King. Finally, Pippin engages in orgies and has premarital sex with Catherine. Even Berthe, Pippin's grandmother, is a bit of a slut. In my opinion, caution should be used before exposing this show to young children.
There were many extraordinary actors in this production but the standout performer, by far, was Jordan Yates, who played Lewis (Pippin's half brother who is second in line to the throne). Yates' portrayal of Lewis ("who loves weightlifting, wrestling, and above all else, himself") was absolutely hilarious. Jordan Yates is a charismatic and talented actor who never stepped out of character. It was my pleasure to watch him perform on stage and I hope to see more of him in future productions. Fastrada, his mother and current wife of King Charles, was masterfully portrayed by Haley Licata. She has a strong stage presence and a powerful voice. Robert Sock was King Charles The Great. His unique facial expressions and dance movements combined to make the part of Charlemagne his own. I was very sorry to see him killed near the end of Act I but I forgot that in Pippin "there is magic to do, just for you!". Kylie Lavrenchik brought innocence and light to the stage as Catherine, the widow who convinces Pippin to take up responsibilities as head of the household, until he gets bored and leaves. Finally, Samantha Jurman hit a home run playing Berthe, Pippin's exiled grandmother. She was an audience favorite!
Justin Autz, who played Pippin, and Mia Donneruno, who was Leading Player, are both good actors. They looked the part and wore costumes appropriate for their respective roles. However, Justin Autz lacked sex appeal and had trouble staying on key when singing some of the songs, and Mia Donneruno just wasn't strong enough to carry off Leading Player. I kept wondering how different the show would have been had Haley Licata been Leading Player. The supporting cast was very talented and I particularly liked the disembodied head, who was not credited in the program that had no bios for any of the actors. Karen Braun deserves credit both for her direction and for the choreography. Particularly impressive was the Fight Choreography, designed by Mark Maurice. Bravo! The costumes were magnificent. Credit for them goes to Leighann Martone and Karen Braun. Finally, since some of the actors (Pippin & Catherine) demanded appropriate spotlights, Megan Pietroforte gets credit for turning them on when required - on cue.
During this anecdotal revue, there are some funny lines. As Pippin sought fulfillment, he joined the Church hoping to be "touched by an angel" but "it wasn't an Angel who touched him." He tried the Arts, but every time Charlemagne slashed the budget, funding for the Arts was always the first to go. After a successful battle, Pippin participated in the rape and sacking ("an essential part of victory) but he found War Sex to be "empty and vacant" (he thought there would be "more plumes"). The King believed Lewis was "the perfect soldier - fierce and stupid." Pippin appeared shocked when Lewis spoke favorably about raping Visigoth women. Seeing Pippin's reaction, Lewis apologized saying, "I am sorry to have offended your bookish sensibilities." Pippin responded, "No, it's not that. I'm just shocked you like women now." Reflecting a universal conflict, Berthe confesses she has been banished from Court "due to a personality conflict with my daughter-in-law." In the end, The Guardian of Splendor invited Pippin the opportunity "to remain in our minds forever" by jumping from the highest height into the flames below where he would be "like the sun blazing in the sky at its zenith." Pippin declines and the troupe calls him a "compromiser." He considers going back to Catherine because he now understands,"If I'm never tied to anything, I'll never be free." On the other hand, he also recognizes "There is no color I can have on Earth that won't finally fade." No resolution is offered and the audience leaves the theater contemplating their own destiny and their search for meaning and fulfillment.
For more information about upcoming productions of SoLuna Studio, visit their website at www.solunastudiony.com or call them at 631-761-6602.
Pippin
Music & Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Book by Roger O. Hirson
Directed & Choreographed by Karen Braun
Assistant Director/Choreographer: Greg Pepe
Musical Director: Danny Passadino
Assistant Musical Director: Jack Tanzi
Lights, Sounds & Set: Megan Pietroforte
Fight Choreographer: Mark Maurice
Costumes: Leighann Martone & Karen Braun
SoLuna Studio
659 Old Willets Path
Hauppauge, New York 11788
Reviewed 7/21/17
This was my first time reviewing a show at SoLuna Studio, and if this production of Pippin is any indication of the quality of their work, I can assure you I will be back. The staff is friendly, the stage is large, and the concession items are reasonably priced. There is even a raffle with many wrapped basket items that will be drawn for at the end of the current run. Some of their productions have alternate casts performing on different days. I saw Main Stage Cast A. However, I was told Justin Autz, the main actor playing Pippin, also performs the role as part of Main Stage Cast B. Pippin premiered on Broadway at the Imperial Theater on October 23, 1972, and ran for 1,944 performances before closing on June 12, 1977. The original Broadway production won 5 Tony Awards: Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (Ben Vereen), Best Direction of a Musical (Bob Fosse), Best Choreography (Bob Fosse), Best Scenic Design (Tony Walton) & Best Lighting Design (Jules Fisher). Pippin was revived on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre with previews starting on March 23, 2013, and an opening on April 25, 2013. The Broadway revival closed on January 4, 2015, and won 4 Tony Awards: Best Revival of a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical (Patina Miller), Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Andrea Martin), and Best Direction of a Musical (Diane Paulus).
Even though Pippin is a story about Charlemagne and his first-born son, the theme of a young person seeking meaning and fulfillment in life is universal. As was the case with Pippin, after years of having his ego boosted with no real responsibilities, some children come to believe they are special and destined to do extraordinary things. They seek to find their "corner of the sky." Then, at some point, reality strikes and their dreams are shattered. This musical uses the premise of a mysterious performance troupe, led by a Leading Player, to tell the story of Pippin as he searches for something to do that is significant and worthwhile. He tries war, music, fornication, revolution, politics, the church, and finally settles down to work every day on a farm doing simple things with the love of a good woman, but none of these endeavors fulfill him. The Leading Player eventually offers Pippin the opportunity to go out in a blaze of glory in a manner people will never forget. But he declines and is lost having no good options left. Perhaps his grandmother was correct when she told him "you think too much."
While Pippin's journey for fame and glory is over, every day many young people seek to climb to the summit of their own personal mountain only to settle or "compromise" when they finally give up their unrealistic dreams. While the musical is upbeat and in this production, immersive with actors dressed in colorful costumes performing stunts and dancing all around the audience members, the overall theme is quite depressing. Morning Glow, the song ending Act I, never hit me as hard as it did in this production. After all, it is sung just after Pippin kills his father in cold blood in a church and before he can ask for his knife back in Act II. I should also add that this musical is far more adult-themed and violent than it is generally promoted as being. Charlemagne kills thousands of his own peasants and while working with the Pope to convert nonbelievers, he offers heathens the choice between "Baptism or Beheading." Charlemagne's own wife sets him up for assassination by Pippin so she can advance her son's chances of becoming King. Finally, Pippin engages in orgies and has premarital sex with Catherine. Even Berthe, Pippin's grandmother, is a bit of a slut. In my opinion, caution should be used before exposing this show to young children.
There were many extraordinary actors in this production but the standout performer, by far, was Jordan Yates, who played Lewis (Pippin's half brother who is second in line to the throne). Yates' portrayal of Lewis ("who loves weightlifting, wrestling, and above all else, himself") was absolutely hilarious. Jordan Yates is a charismatic and talented actor who never stepped out of character. It was my pleasure to watch him perform on stage and I hope to see more of him in future productions. Fastrada, his mother and current wife of King Charles, was masterfully portrayed by Haley Licata. She has a strong stage presence and a powerful voice. Robert Sock was King Charles The Great. His unique facial expressions and dance movements combined to make the part of Charlemagne his own. I was very sorry to see him killed near the end of Act I but I forgot that in Pippin "there is magic to do, just for you!". Kylie Lavrenchik brought innocence and light to the stage as Catherine, the widow who convinces Pippin to take up responsibilities as head of the household, until he gets bored and leaves. Finally, Samantha Jurman hit a home run playing Berthe, Pippin's exiled grandmother. She was an audience favorite!
Justin Autz, who played Pippin, and Mia Donneruno, who was Leading Player, are both good actors. They looked the part and wore costumes appropriate for their respective roles. However, Justin Autz lacked sex appeal and had trouble staying on key when singing some of the songs, and Mia Donneruno just wasn't strong enough to carry off Leading Player. I kept wondering how different the show would have been had Haley Licata been Leading Player. The supporting cast was very talented and I particularly liked the disembodied head, who was not credited in the program that had no bios for any of the actors. Karen Braun deserves credit both for her direction and for the choreography. Particularly impressive was the Fight Choreography, designed by Mark Maurice. Bravo! The costumes were magnificent. Credit for them goes to Leighann Martone and Karen Braun. Finally, since some of the actors (Pippin & Catherine) demanded appropriate spotlights, Megan Pietroforte gets credit for turning them on when required - on cue.
During this anecdotal revue, there are some funny lines. As Pippin sought fulfillment, he joined the Church hoping to be "touched by an angel" but "it wasn't an Angel who touched him." He tried the Arts, but every time Charlemagne slashed the budget, funding for the Arts was always the first to go. After a successful battle, Pippin participated in the rape and sacking ("an essential part of victory) but he found War Sex to be "empty and vacant" (he thought there would be "more plumes"). The King believed Lewis was "the perfect soldier - fierce and stupid." Pippin appeared shocked when Lewis spoke favorably about raping Visigoth women. Seeing Pippin's reaction, Lewis apologized saying, "I am sorry to have offended your bookish sensibilities." Pippin responded, "No, it's not that. I'm just shocked you like women now." Reflecting a universal conflict, Berthe confesses she has been banished from Court "due to a personality conflict with my daughter-in-law." In the end, The Guardian of Splendor invited Pippin the opportunity "to remain in our minds forever" by jumping from the highest height into the flames below where he would be "like the sun blazing in the sky at its zenith." Pippin declines and the troupe calls him a "compromiser." He considers going back to Catherine because he now understands,"If I'm never tied to anything, I'll never be free." On the other hand, he also recognizes "There is no color I can have on Earth that won't finally fade." No resolution is offered and the audience leaves the theater contemplating their own destiny and their search for meaning and fulfillment.
For more information about upcoming productions of SoLuna Studio, visit their website at www.solunastudiony.com or call them at 631-761-6602.
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Applause! Applause! Review of The Producers at Back Stage Theatre by Dr. Thomas Robert Stevens
This review of The Producers at Back Stage Theatre was written by Dr. Thomas Robert Stevens and published in Volume X, Issue 7 (2017) of the online edition of Applause! Applause!
The Producers
Book by Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan
Music & Lyrics by Mel Brooks
Music arranged by Glen Kelly & Doug Besterman
Directed by Brian Stalter
Second Stage Productions
Back Stage Theatre
1750-A Merrick Avenue
Merrick, New York 11566
Reviewed 7/16/17
The Producers opened at the St. James Theatre on Broadway on April 19, 2001, and ran for 2,502 performances, closing on April 22, 2007. The show originally starred Nathan Lane as Max Bialystock and Matthew Broderick as Leo Bloom. The production won 12 Tony Awards, breaking the record held for 37 years by Hello, Dolly!, which had won 10. If you are unfamiliar with this musical, you should be forewarned that some of the jokes and themes are X-rated, and the book, written by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, is extremely politically incorrect objectifying women and liberally making fun of homosexuals and other minorities. If you are easily offended, I think you might be well-advised to pass on seeing this musical. If you have a good sense of humor and enjoyed Mel Brooks' 1974 movie, Blazing Saddles, then this is the show for you.
Barry Kaplan does a fine job playing Max Bialystock, a famous Broadway producer who hasn't had a hit in quite some time. (He also made some bad decisions, like inventing Theater In The Square, where no one had a good seat.) He raises money for his productions (never putting in a dime of his own) by fooling around with women with walkers who are well past their prime. He remembers each one by the key-phrase they use during foreplay. For example, the very aggressive Hold Me - Touch Me, quite believably portrayed by Judy Mahoney, is interested in their role-playing as the Milk Maid and The Well-Hung Stable Boy. Exhausted, at one point Max suggests they play a game that doesn't involve any sex, like The Jewish Princess & Her Husband. Leo Bloom, a shy, virgin Accountant from Whitehall & Marks, happens to be in Max's office when Hold Me - Touch Me is visiting. He is shocked and yet intrigued by what he has witnessed. At some point, he makes an off-handed comment that a producer could make more money with a flop than with a hit by overselling shares in a production that quickly closes. Eventually, the two team up to carry out this scheme. Vin Maiello, who really dedicated himself to the role and eventually pulled it off, was almost twice the age the part calls for, and with silver hair, he had his work cut out for him to win over the audience. I am happy to report his performance was a great success. If only Barry Kaplan could have remembered who was Max and who was Leo, their teaming up would have been perfect.
Zoe Carpentieri shines as Ulla Inga Hansen Benson Yansen Tallen Hallen Svaden Swanson, the Swedish bombshell who auditions for Max and Leo and is eventually hired to be their "secretary-slash-receptionist." After her audition for a part in "Springtime For Hitler," they tell her, "We may be sitting down my dear but we are giving you a standing ovation." After listening to her morning routine, they tell her she should get to the office at 11 a.m., the time "Ulla likes to have sex." Ulla and Leo eventually fall in love leaving Max the odd-man out. Hoping for a flop, Max and Leo buy the exclusive rights to "Springtime For Hitler" from Franz Liebkind, a former Nazi who coerces them to dance and take an oath. Max and Leo take the oath but somehow forget to raise the correct finger while taking it. Michael Janover nailed the part of Franz Liebkind both in accent and through his enthusiastically performed German dance numbers - "In Old Bavaria," "Der Gutten Tag Hop-Clop," and "Have You Ever Heard The German Band." To guarantee a flop, they filled half the audience with Jews and hired Roger DeBris, a flamboyant gay director, who intended to have the Nazis win World War II during the second act of the play. Franz Liebkind was originally cast to play Hitler but when he broke his leg, Roger took over. As you probably know, the play was a hit. This was despite the fact, as Leo observed, that our leading man "was so gay, he nearly flew away." The standout performances of the evening were by Michael Harrison Carlin, who embodied Roger DeBris, and by Michael Harrington, who played Carmen Ghia, DeBris' "common-law assistant." Their acting was one of the highlights of the show. We also learned that Adolf Hitler and Roger DeBris had something in common - both have "Elizabeth" as their middle name and were "descended from a long-time of British Queens."
After the success of "Springtime For Hitler," Leo Bloom decides he is going to turn himself into the authorities and beg for leniency. Max disagrees and they are fighting over possession of the accounting books when Roger & Carmen crash into their office and observe Leo mounting Max from the rear yelling, "Give it to me!" "Give it to me!" In one of the funniest lines of the show, Roger DeBris says, "That's what I call celebrating!" Upset that the play made his idol, Adolf Hitler, look bad, Franz Liebkind enters the office with a gun that eventually goes off. The police arrive and discover the two accounting books - one entitled "Show To The IRS" and the other entitled "Never Show To The IRS." Max tries to pose as an innocent Irishman but is arrested anyway. An African-American police officer tells Max they are serving something he might enjoy eating and Max's response was, "I have heard of Black Irish but this is ridiculous!" Leo escapes to Rio with Ulla and the two million dollars not confiscated by the police. They get married and have sex but eventually feel guilty and return to testify on Max's behalf. It does no good and Max and Leo are sentenced to five years in state prison. After having their sentences commuted by the Governor for bringing music and joy to their fellow prisoners, it's Bloom Day after all, and Max and Leo go on to produce many hit musicals including Prisoners Of Love, Katz, 47th Street, and South Passaic.
This production of The Producers featured a fine supporting cast. I particularly enjoyed the three young ladies who played Franz Liebkind's pigeons and Keith Jones who was eclectically cast as both a Storm Trooper having trouble pronouncing Hitler's name and as a Transgender Chorus Girl eager to offer up his services to Leo Bloom, who started off as "a weak and droopy daffodil" but ended up becoming a producer, which was everything he wasn't when he started out on this path.
This production of The Producers is a huge success. I highly recommend you see it. Tickets cost only $20.00 and can be purchased at the door. Remaining performances are on Friday, July 21st at 8:00 p.m., Saturday, July 22nd at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday, July 30th at 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.2ndStageProductions.com or call 516-996-0303.
The Producers
Book by Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan
Music & Lyrics by Mel Brooks
Music arranged by Glen Kelly & Doug Besterman
Directed by Brian Stalter
Second Stage Productions
Back Stage Theatre
1750-A Merrick Avenue
Merrick, New York 11566
Reviewed 7/16/17
The Producers opened at the St. James Theatre on Broadway on April 19, 2001, and ran for 2,502 performances, closing on April 22, 2007. The show originally starred Nathan Lane as Max Bialystock and Matthew Broderick as Leo Bloom. The production won 12 Tony Awards, breaking the record held for 37 years by Hello, Dolly!, which had won 10. If you are unfamiliar with this musical, you should be forewarned that some of the jokes and themes are X-rated, and the book, written by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, is extremely politically incorrect objectifying women and liberally making fun of homosexuals and other minorities. If you are easily offended, I think you might be well-advised to pass on seeing this musical. If you have a good sense of humor and enjoyed Mel Brooks' 1974 movie, Blazing Saddles, then this is the show for you.
Barry Kaplan does a fine job playing Max Bialystock, a famous Broadway producer who hasn't had a hit in quite some time. (He also made some bad decisions, like inventing Theater In The Square, where no one had a good seat.) He raises money for his productions (never putting in a dime of his own) by fooling around with women with walkers who are well past their prime. He remembers each one by the key-phrase they use during foreplay. For example, the very aggressive Hold Me - Touch Me, quite believably portrayed by Judy Mahoney, is interested in their role-playing as the Milk Maid and The Well-Hung Stable Boy. Exhausted, at one point Max suggests they play a game that doesn't involve any sex, like The Jewish Princess & Her Husband. Leo Bloom, a shy, virgin Accountant from Whitehall & Marks, happens to be in Max's office when Hold Me - Touch Me is visiting. He is shocked and yet intrigued by what he has witnessed. At some point, he makes an off-handed comment that a producer could make more money with a flop than with a hit by overselling shares in a production that quickly closes. Eventually, the two team up to carry out this scheme. Vin Maiello, who really dedicated himself to the role and eventually pulled it off, was almost twice the age the part calls for, and with silver hair, he had his work cut out for him to win over the audience. I am happy to report his performance was a great success. If only Barry Kaplan could have remembered who was Max and who was Leo, their teaming up would have been perfect.
Zoe Carpentieri shines as Ulla Inga Hansen Benson Yansen Tallen Hallen Svaden Swanson, the Swedish bombshell who auditions for Max and Leo and is eventually hired to be their "secretary-slash-receptionist." After her audition for a part in "Springtime For Hitler," they tell her, "We may be sitting down my dear but we are giving you a standing ovation." After listening to her morning routine, they tell her she should get to the office at 11 a.m., the time "Ulla likes to have sex." Ulla and Leo eventually fall in love leaving Max the odd-man out. Hoping for a flop, Max and Leo buy the exclusive rights to "Springtime For Hitler" from Franz Liebkind, a former Nazi who coerces them to dance and take an oath. Max and Leo take the oath but somehow forget to raise the correct finger while taking it. Michael Janover nailed the part of Franz Liebkind both in accent and through his enthusiastically performed German dance numbers - "In Old Bavaria," "Der Gutten Tag Hop-Clop," and "Have You Ever Heard The German Band." To guarantee a flop, they filled half the audience with Jews and hired Roger DeBris, a flamboyant gay director, who intended to have the Nazis win World War II during the second act of the play. Franz Liebkind was originally cast to play Hitler but when he broke his leg, Roger took over. As you probably know, the play was a hit. This was despite the fact, as Leo observed, that our leading man "was so gay, he nearly flew away." The standout performances of the evening were by Michael Harrison Carlin, who embodied Roger DeBris, and by Michael Harrington, who played Carmen Ghia, DeBris' "common-law assistant." Their acting was one of the highlights of the show. We also learned that Adolf Hitler and Roger DeBris had something in common - both have "Elizabeth" as their middle name and were "descended from a long-time of British Queens."
After the success of "Springtime For Hitler," Leo Bloom decides he is going to turn himself into the authorities and beg for leniency. Max disagrees and they are fighting over possession of the accounting books when Roger & Carmen crash into their office and observe Leo mounting Max from the rear yelling, "Give it to me!" "Give it to me!" In one of the funniest lines of the show, Roger DeBris says, "That's what I call celebrating!" Upset that the play made his idol, Adolf Hitler, look bad, Franz Liebkind enters the office with a gun that eventually goes off. The police arrive and discover the two accounting books - one entitled "Show To The IRS" and the other entitled "Never Show To The IRS." Max tries to pose as an innocent Irishman but is arrested anyway. An African-American police officer tells Max they are serving something he might enjoy eating and Max's response was, "I have heard of Black Irish but this is ridiculous!" Leo escapes to Rio with Ulla and the two million dollars not confiscated by the police. They get married and have sex but eventually feel guilty and return to testify on Max's behalf. It does no good and Max and Leo are sentenced to five years in state prison. After having their sentences commuted by the Governor for bringing music and joy to their fellow prisoners, it's Bloom Day after all, and Max and Leo go on to produce many hit musicals including Prisoners Of Love, Katz, 47th Street, and South Passaic.
This production of The Producers featured a fine supporting cast. I particularly enjoyed the three young ladies who played Franz Liebkind's pigeons and Keith Jones who was eclectically cast as both a Storm Trooper having trouble pronouncing Hitler's name and as a Transgender Chorus Girl eager to offer up his services to Leo Bloom, who started off as "a weak and droopy daffodil" but ended up becoming a producer, which was everything he wasn't when he started out on this path.
This production of The Producers is a huge success. I highly recommend you see it. Tickets cost only $20.00 and can be purchased at the door. Remaining performances are on Friday, July 21st at 8:00 p.m., Saturday, July 22nd at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday, July 30th at 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.2ndStageProductions.com or call 516-996-0303.
Applause! Applause! Review of The Producers at Back Stage Theatre by Dr. Philip Ernest Schoenberg
This review of The Producers at Back Stage Theatre was written by Dr. Philip Ernest Schoenberg and published in Volume X, Issue 7 (2017) of the online edition of Applause! Applause!
The Producers
Book by Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan
Music & Lyrics by Mel Brooks
Music arranged by Glen Kelly & Doug Besterman
Directed by Brian Stalter
Second Stage Productions
Back Stage Theatre
1750-A Merrick Avenue
Merrick, New York 11566
Reviewed 7/16/17
I thoroughly enjoyed The Producers performed by Second Stage Productions at the Back Stage Theatre. It was the theatrical equivalent of a home run with all the bases loaded: great book, great music, and great performances by a cast that sang and acted well.
The six main characters and the lesser characters were all perfect in their roles thanks to their selection and direction by Brian Stalter. Unfortunately, the Playbill was too bare bones and didn't provide any bio or background on the truly wonderful actors. In this Long Island Community Theater that is in the process of extensive renovation, the least underpaid actors can receive is recognition. For example, Roger DeBris was expertly played by Michael Harrison Carlin, an Equity professional, as an outrageous, incompetent gay cross-dressing director. On the other hand, Leo Bloom was played by Vin Maiello, a gifted amateur. Without makeup, the silver-haired, middle-aged Maiello successfully portrayed a much younger Leo Bloom who found a savior and mentor in Max Bialystock. Barry Kaplan was the wily, conniving Max Bialystock desperate for success of any kind when he was inspired by Bloom to commit outright fraud. Franz Liebkind is played as the perfect fool by Michael Janover, who has written "Springtime For Hitler," an outrageous musical paying tribute to his idol Adolf Hitler. Carmen Ghia, the partner of Roger DeBris, acted by Michael Harrington as a character so light in the loafers he almost floated off the stage (remarkably beating out Keith Jones in that category). Zoe Carpentieri exuded sex appeal as Swedish bombshell Ulla Inga Hansen Benson Yansen Tallen Hallen Svaden Swanson.
The second tier actors were equally well-cast and performed their roles with gusto, enthusiasm, and authenticity. Staci Ertel and Samantha Szillus were perfect as the bookend Usherettes. Judy Mahoney was quite believable as the "Hold Me - Touch Me" aged granny investor that Max Bialystock must sacrifice himself to in order to get financing for his plays. Chris Williamson and Keith Jones performed several roles quite capably and even director Brian Stalter joined in on the fun portraying the Judge and Leo Bloom's boss. The show girls who performed a multitude of roles and costume changes were enthralling and enthusiastically played by Nadina Espinosa, Camilla Montoya, Shannan Lydon, Meghan Jacobsen, Emily Missbach, and Jenna Kavaler. As for the remainder of the cast, there wasn't a clinker in the batch.
The set was well-designed by Vin Maiello, who also played Leo Bloom. The sound by Laura Stalter was initially too loud at the beginning but was adjusted to a more reasonable level. In addition, someone's microphone kept scratching creating a significant distraction at numerous times throughout the evening. Sebastien Diaquoi's Lighting Design highlighted the actors well. Peter Berenberg has his job as House Manager cut out for him. Second Stage Productions has just taken over its space at the Back Stage Theatre. The theatre was well-air-conditioned but there was only one bathroom for the entire cast and audience. There appeared to be new seats but none large enough for a big-boned person such as myself. The actors could also use secure storage lockers for their costumes and it would have been nice if refreshments were available during intermission. Since the front door of the Back Stage Theatre faces west, the sun came glaring into the theatre from under the door which was quite distracting until the sun set.
Despite these minor setbacks and limitations, my spirit soared as I experienced the baseball equivalent of a perfect game. Do not miss this show! It is well-crafted and brilliantly performed by a great ensemble cast. In my opinion, it's a Once In A Lifetime Experience! Additional performances of The Producers are Friday, July 21st at 8:00 p.m., Saturday, July 22nd at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday, July 30th at 7:00 p.m.. Tickets cost $20.00 and can be purchased at the door. For more information, visit www.2ndStageProductions.com or call 516-996-0303.
The Producers
Book by Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan
Music & Lyrics by Mel Brooks
Music arranged by Glen Kelly & Doug Besterman
Directed by Brian Stalter
Second Stage Productions
Back Stage Theatre
1750-A Merrick Avenue
Merrick, New York 11566
Reviewed 7/16/17
I thoroughly enjoyed The Producers performed by Second Stage Productions at the Back Stage Theatre. It was the theatrical equivalent of a home run with all the bases loaded: great book, great music, and great performances by a cast that sang and acted well.
The six main characters and the lesser characters were all perfect in their roles thanks to their selection and direction by Brian Stalter. Unfortunately, the Playbill was too bare bones and didn't provide any bio or background on the truly wonderful actors. In this Long Island Community Theater that is in the process of extensive renovation, the least underpaid actors can receive is recognition. For example, Roger DeBris was expertly played by Michael Harrison Carlin, an Equity professional, as an outrageous, incompetent gay cross-dressing director. On the other hand, Leo Bloom was played by Vin Maiello, a gifted amateur. Without makeup, the silver-haired, middle-aged Maiello successfully portrayed a much younger Leo Bloom who found a savior and mentor in Max Bialystock. Barry Kaplan was the wily, conniving Max Bialystock desperate for success of any kind when he was inspired by Bloom to commit outright fraud. Franz Liebkind is played as the perfect fool by Michael Janover, who has written "Springtime For Hitler," an outrageous musical paying tribute to his idol Adolf Hitler. Carmen Ghia, the partner of Roger DeBris, acted by Michael Harrington as a character so light in the loafers he almost floated off the stage (remarkably beating out Keith Jones in that category). Zoe Carpentieri exuded sex appeal as Swedish bombshell Ulla Inga Hansen Benson Yansen Tallen Hallen Svaden Swanson.
The second tier actors were equally well-cast and performed their roles with gusto, enthusiasm, and authenticity. Staci Ertel and Samantha Szillus were perfect as the bookend Usherettes. Judy Mahoney was quite believable as the "Hold Me - Touch Me" aged granny investor that Max Bialystock must sacrifice himself to in order to get financing for his plays. Chris Williamson and Keith Jones performed several roles quite capably and even director Brian Stalter joined in on the fun portraying the Judge and Leo Bloom's boss. The show girls who performed a multitude of roles and costume changes were enthralling and enthusiastically played by Nadina Espinosa, Camilla Montoya, Shannan Lydon, Meghan Jacobsen, Emily Missbach, and Jenna Kavaler. As for the remainder of the cast, there wasn't a clinker in the batch.
The set was well-designed by Vin Maiello, who also played Leo Bloom. The sound by Laura Stalter was initially too loud at the beginning but was adjusted to a more reasonable level. In addition, someone's microphone kept scratching creating a significant distraction at numerous times throughout the evening. Sebastien Diaquoi's Lighting Design highlighted the actors well. Peter Berenberg has his job as House Manager cut out for him. Second Stage Productions has just taken over its space at the Back Stage Theatre. The theatre was well-air-conditioned but there was only one bathroom for the entire cast and audience. There appeared to be new seats but none large enough for a big-boned person such as myself. The actors could also use secure storage lockers for their costumes and it would have been nice if refreshments were available during intermission. Since the front door of the Back Stage Theatre faces west, the sun came glaring into the theatre from under the door which was quite distracting until the sun set.
Despite these minor setbacks and limitations, my spirit soared as I experienced the baseball equivalent of a perfect game. Do not miss this show! It is well-crafted and brilliantly performed by a great ensemble cast. In my opinion, it's a Once In A Lifetime Experience! Additional performances of The Producers are Friday, July 21st at 8:00 p.m., Saturday, July 22nd at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday, July 30th at 7:00 p.m.. Tickets cost $20.00 and can be purchased at the door. For more information, visit www.2ndStageProductions.com or call 516-996-0303.
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Applause! Applause! Review of Silver Lining presented by The Singing Experience at The Triad by Dr. Thomas Robert Stevens
This review of Silver Lining presented by The Singing Experience at The Triad was written by Dr. Thomas Robert Stevens and published in Volume X, Issue 7 (2017) of the online edition of Applause! Applause!
Silver Lining
The Singing Experience Workshop #481
Director: Linda Amiel Burns
Associate Director: Joan Adams
Music Director: Richard Danley
Technical Director: Shannon Epstein
The Triad
158 West 72nd Street
New York, New York 10023
Reviewed 6/19/17
Linda Amiel Burns has been running The Singing Experience workshops for the past 40 years. The result has been that over 5,000 individuals have fulfilled their dream of performing on stage before family and friends in a supportive atmosphere. It is not so much about launching a new singing career than it is to gain self-confidence and to take steps to find happiness in your own life. As the charismatic and loving Ms. Burns says, "Music transforms you and makes you feel good." In this fun workshop, participants "sing, meet each other and find a song to perform that means something to each of them." After the show is over, the singers get a video tape of the performance and have a wrap party in Ms. Burns' apartment. The supportive Richard Danley (with "golden fingers that play in every key") is the Musical Director who works with each singer to bring out the best in them. Ms. Burns says he "transforms and transcends." Shannon Epstein, the Technical Director, made sure the lighting and sound were perfect for each performer's "big night." In the end, the "new stars" made new friends and had a fun and fulfilling experience. Many participants return to take additional workshops and at the end of every show, Singing Experience alumni are invited on stage to take part in the show's finale.
Family and friends of each performer were seated together and treated to free snacks prior to the show. Everyone was extremely friendly and in a very good mood since they were there to see a loved one or friend perform. The opening and closing numbers were sung as a group. We were told the singers did not know in which order they would appear on stage so they had to be ready when called upon. Each performer greeted the audience, gave a brief bio of what they do in real life and, after singing a song or two, introduced the next person up with a fictitious, over-the-top bio intended to inspire each singer to live up to their potential. This method of presentation didn't always work out since some of the performers forgot the names of their new friends. One particularly embarrassing moment was when Martin P. Klein forgot Michelle Yaskel's name and didn't seem to be particularly concerned about the faux pas. Some of the performers were dressed to the nines, while others didn't take the time to focus on anything else other than their singing.
The entire cast opened the show singing "Look For The Silver Lining." Particularly impressive newcomers included Janine Brunetti ("How Far I'll Go"), Shari Passales ("Nice N' Easy"/"That Face"), Georgia Buchanan ("How Are Things In Glocca Morra?"), and Michelle Joy Yaskel ("I Gotta Be Me"), who announced she got her start singing publicly at member events sponsored by the Beaux Arts Society, Inc. (founded 1857). Professional performers contributed to the evening's entertainment - Linda Amiel Burns ("Everybody Sing!"), Richard Danley ("The Haunting Memory"), and Bill Dyszel ("Embraceable You"), who sang at The New York City Opera. Others who love to sing included Vincent Blier ("Ain't No Sunshine"), Suzannah Grady ("Before The Parade Passes By"), Martin P. Klein ("Pretty Girl"/"Toot Toot Tootsie"), Joe Medeiros, Jr. ("Angel"), Rosemary Saporito ("Love Me With All Your Heart"), Bonnie Schneider ("Some People"), Mary Carol Tedeschi ("Strong Woman"), and Bill Thomas ("Easy To Be Hard"). The closing number, "On A Clear Day," contained the following line Ms. Burns wanted everyone in the audience to pay particular attention to: "Let the glow of your being outshine every star!"
If you have ever dreamt of singing on stage, I would encourage you to consider signing up for an upcoming workshop. The Singing Experience is best explained in the following note in the evening's program: "The Singing Experience is a complete performance workshop where you will learn everything you need to be a well-rounded, confident performer - on stage and in life. Through singing, you will embark on an extraordinary voyage of self-discovery. In a nurturing atmosphere, you'll learn more than technique; you will dare to take risks, soar above your imagined limitations, and discover the artist within. Come join the legions of The Singing Experience Alumni. Some are entertainment professionals and others sing for the thrill of it, but all have undertaken this joyous adventure of challenge, commitment, and fulfillment and learned to express their innermost self through singing. Give yourself a gift of song. The bliss is immediate, the benefits long-lasting." For more information about The Singing Experience, visit their website at www.SingingExperience.com or call 212-315-3500.
Linda Amiel Burns, the Director of The Singing Experience is a 2-time MAC & TRU Winner, who currently serves as President of the American Popular Song Society. She is also a Writer/Critic for Theater Pizzazz, Theater Life, and Theater Scene. Her dedication to all who have participated in The Singing Experience is admirable and praiseworthy. She has given it her all and has helped transform the lives of the people she has met. Brava!
Silver Lining
The Singing Experience Workshop #481
Director: Linda Amiel Burns
Associate Director: Joan Adams
Music Director: Richard Danley
Technical Director: Shannon Epstein
The Triad
158 West 72nd Street
New York, New York 10023
Reviewed 6/19/17
Linda Amiel Burns has been running The Singing Experience workshops for the past 40 years. The result has been that over 5,000 individuals have fulfilled their dream of performing on stage before family and friends in a supportive atmosphere. It is not so much about launching a new singing career than it is to gain self-confidence and to take steps to find happiness in your own life. As the charismatic and loving Ms. Burns says, "Music transforms you and makes you feel good." In this fun workshop, participants "sing, meet each other and find a song to perform that means something to each of them." After the show is over, the singers get a video tape of the performance and have a wrap party in Ms. Burns' apartment. The supportive Richard Danley (with "golden fingers that play in every key") is the Musical Director who works with each singer to bring out the best in them. Ms. Burns says he "transforms and transcends." Shannon Epstein, the Technical Director, made sure the lighting and sound were perfect for each performer's "big night." In the end, the "new stars" made new friends and had a fun and fulfilling experience. Many participants return to take additional workshops and at the end of every show, Singing Experience alumni are invited on stage to take part in the show's finale.
Family and friends of each performer were seated together and treated to free snacks prior to the show. Everyone was extremely friendly and in a very good mood since they were there to see a loved one or friend perform. The opening and closing numbers were sung as a group. We were told the singers did not know in which order they would appear on stage so they had to be ready when called upon. Each performer greeted the audience, gave a brief bio of what they do in real life and, after singing a song or two, introduced the next person up with a fictitious, over-the-top bio intended to inspire each singer to live up to their potential. This method of presentation didn't always work out since some of the performers forgot the names of their new friends. One particularly embarrassing moment was when Martin P. Klein forgot Michelle Yaskel's name and didn't seem to be particularly concerned about the faux pas. Some of the performers were dressed to the nines, while others didn't take the time to focus on anything else other than their singing.
The entire cast opened the show singing "Look For The Silver Lining." Particularly impressive newcomers included Janine Brunetti ("How Far I'll Go"), Shari Passales ("Nice N' Easy"/"That Face"), Georgia Buchanan ("How Are Things In Glocca Morra?"), and Michelle Joy Yaskel ("I Gotta Be Me"), who announced she got her start singing publicly at member events sponsored by the Beaux Arts Society, Inc. (founded 1857). Professional performers contributed to the evening's entertainment - Linda Amiel Burns ("Everybody Sing!"), Richard Danley ("The Haunting Memory"), and Bill Dyszel ("Embraceable You"), who sang at The New York City Opera. Others who love to sing included Vincent Blier ("Ain't No Sunshine"), Suzannah Grady ("Before The Parade Passes By"), Martin P. Klein ("Pretty Girl"/"Toot Toot Tootsie"), Joe Medeiros, Jr. ("Angel"), Rosemary Saporito ("Love Me With All Your Heart"), Bonnie Schneider ("Some People"), Mary Carol Tedeschi ("Strong Woman"), and Bill Thomas ("Easy To Be Hard"). The closing number, "On A Clear Day," contained the following line Ms. Burns wanted everyone in the audience to pay particular attention to: "Let the glow of your being outshine every star!"
If you have ever dreamt of singing on stage, I would encourage you to consider signing up for an upcoming workshop. The Singing Experience is best explained in the following note in the evening's program: "The Singing Experience is a complete performance workshop where you will learn everything you need to be a well-rounded, confident performer - on stage and in life. Through singing, you will embark on an extraordinary voyage of self-discovery. In a nurturing atmosphere, you'll learn more than technique; you will dare to take risks, soar above your imagined limitations, and discover the artist within. Come join the legions of The Singing Experience Alumni. Some are entertainment professionals and others sing for the thrill of it, but all have undertaken this joyous adventure of challenge, commitment, and fulfillment and learned to express their innermost self through singing. Give yourself a gift of song. The bliss is immediate, the benefits long-lasting." For more information about The Singing Experience, visit their website at www.SingingExperience.com or call 212-315-3500.
Linda Amiel Burns, the Director of The Singing Experience is a 2-time MAC & TRU Winner, who currently serves as President of the American Popular Song Society. She is also a Writer/Critic for Theater Pizzazz, Theater Life, and Theater Scene. Her dedication to all who have participated in The Singing Experience is admirable and praiseworthy. She has given it her all and has helped transform the lives of the people she has met. Brava!
Sunday, July 16, 2017
Applause! Applause! Review of Lauren Yee's In A Word at The Cherry Lane Theatre by Christopher M. Struck
This review of Lauren Yee's In A Word at The Cherry Lane Theatre was written by Christopher M. Struck and published in Volume X, Issue 7 (2017) of the online edition of Applause! Applause!
In A Word
Written by Lauren Yee
Directed by Tyne Rafaeli
The Cherry Lane Theatre
38 Commerce Street
New York, New York 10014
Reviewed 7/2/17
In A Word delivered a thorough introspective of what it can be like to work with and raise difficult children. The play showcases a child seen as adorable in one moment and then troublesome in another. The juxtaposition of this child's different phases left me wondering whether I felt bad for any of the characters at all. At first, I empathized with the parents who had lost their little boy. The situation seemed so heartbreaking. A child had gone missing and his two loving parents were unable to move on, but as the sequences of the play revealed a clearer picture of the circumstances of the household, I felt like the audience was challenged. We were confronted with the question of whether the value of the loss and the parent's remorse changed with the knowledge that the child was mentally handicapped.
The play began in the living room of the Hamlet family. The husband, Guy, steps in to find the wife, Fiona, searching through boxes. It's the second anniversary of the disappearance of their adopted little boy, Tristan, and as Fiona frantically ransacks the apartment looking for evidence of their child, Guy tries to get her to go out for dinner for the first time since the tragic incident two years ago. Jose Joaquin Perez's performance as Guy was particularly patient and respectable alongside a clever Laura Ramadei. Perez brought a lot of emotion to his part as he made impassioned appeals to his wife. It makes sense right off the bat that he wants her to move on from their lost child, but she has a hard time letting go. He is concerned for her, but he can't understand why she has been so listless these past two years. He tells her, "This has to stop" and in almost the same breath, reminds her, "Was there something that you wanted to tell me?"
These appeals launch a series of flashbacks that became the main substance of the play. About every 3-5 minutes, the couple would say some lines of dialogue that would cue a flashback sequence and an extremely talented Justin Mark, who played a myriad of roles including the role of Tristan, joined the couple on stage. His comedic timing was impeccable. As a detective, Justin mockingly plays with a cantaloupe from Fiona who thought she had met the kidnapper at the grocery store. She has some trouble when she first sees Justin Mark, the detective because the kidnapper and Tristan were also played by Justin Mark. He says, "I just have one of those faces." It is revealed later that Fiona never saw the kidnapper on the day of Tristan's disappearance, but she is clearly hung up on the loss of her child. She not only hallucinates meetings with the supposed kidnapper, but she also paints a glossy picture over the time that she was living with Tristan. Fiona tells the newspapers that she "loved him" and that she "misses him very much," but Guy tells the audience, "funny, I never remember hearing those words (when Tristan was around)."
One of Fiona's favorite lines to young Tristan is "take care of your things or you're going to lose them." Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like Fiona took her own advice. As Guy brings up, Tristan was a much more difficult child than Fiona would let the media know. She likes to tell how great Tristan was, but in reality, he was "difficult." That's what Guy remembers hearing. At school, Tristan was a nuisance, and Fiona had to take him into her own class to keep him from going into special education. It is actually unclear as to why she does this considering that Tristan's behavior is revealed to actually be pretty horrible. He has trouble controlling is bowels. He has trouble learning. He can't make friends. His own father recognizes his developmental disabilities and calls him at one time "retarded." Fiona tries to avoid this word, but she can't seem to come to grips with the reality of Tristan's situation. After a particularly traumatic "picture day," the school gives her a leave of absence and she loses Tristan in the parking lot of a gas station when she stepped in to grab a candy bar. She finally reveals this to her husband, Guy, who reminds her that "even if we can't get justice, we can get better."
At the beginning of the play, I felt remorseful, but when I learned more about how Fiona handled her son's situation and education, I felt a lot less empathetic towards her and unfortunately, her child. It seems to me like she wanted to remain in denial rather than make tangible efforts to help Tristan get better, more helpful attention. That being said, I also wonder if I'd still feel as badly for the missing child as I did at the start if I knew then that he had these difficulties. I definitely feel bad for the husband and father, Guy, who has stayed patiently by his wife's side for these two years, but there is an element of "you reap what you sew" to the whole play. In A Word will keep you entertained for sure, but it may also leave you scratching your head at times at the behavior of the two parents. It's well-written, fluid, and makes you think. If you're looking for that, get tickets at www.CherryLaneTheatre.org or call OvationTix at 866-811-4111.
In A Word
Written by Lauren Yee
Directed by Tyne Rafaeli
The Cherry Lane Theatre
38 Commerce Street
New York, New York 10014
Reviewed 7/2/17
In A Word delivered a thorough introspective of what it can be like to work with and raise difficult children. The play showcases a child seen as adorable in one moment and then troublesome in another. The juxtaposition of this child's different phases left me wondering whether I felt bad for any of the characters at all. At first, I empathized with the parents who had lost their little boy. The situation seemed so heartbreaking. A child had gone missing and his two loving parents were unable to move on, but as the sequences of the play revealed a clearer picture of the circumstances of the household, I felt like the audience was challenged. We were confronted with the question of whether the value of the loss and the parent's remorse changed with the knowledge that the child was mentally handicapped.
The play began in the living room of the Hamlet family. The husband, Guy, steps in to find the wife, Fiona, searching through boxes. It's the second anniversary of the disappearance of their adopted little boy, Tristan, and as Fiona frantically ransacks the apartment looking for evidence of their child, Guy tries to get her to go out for dinner for the first time since the tragic incident two years ago. Jose Joaquin Perez's performance as Guy was particularly patient and respectable alongside a clever Laura Ramadei. Perez brought a lot of emotion to his part as he made impassioned appeals to his wife. It makes sense right off the bat that he wants her to move on from their lost child, but she has a hard time letting go. He is concerned for her, but he can't understand why she has been so listless these past two years. He tells her, "This has to stop" and in almost the same breath, reminds her, "Was there something that you wanted to tell me?"
These appeals launch a series of flashbacks that became the main substance of the play. About every 3-5 minutes, the couple would say some lines of dialogue that would cue a flashback sequence and an extremely talented Justin Mark, who played a myriad of roles including the role of Tristan, joined the couple on stage. His comedic timing was impeccable. As a detective, Justin mockingly plays with a cantaloupe from Fiona who thought she had met the kidnapper at the grocery store. She has some trouble when she first sees Justin Mark, the detective because the kidnapper and Tristan were also played by Justin Mark. He says, "I just have one of those faces." It is revealed later that Fiona never saw the kidnapper on the day of Tristan's disappearance, but she is clearly hung up on the loss of her child. She not only hallucinates meetings with the supposed kidnapper, but she also paints a glossy picture over the time that she was living with Tristan. Fiona tells the newspapers that she "loved him" and that she "misses him very much," but Guy tells the audience, "funny, I never remember hearing those words (when Tristan was around)."
One of Fiona's favorite lines to young Tristan is "take care of your things or you're going to lose them." Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like Fiona took her own advice. As Guy brings up, Tristan was a much more difficult child than Fiona would let the media know. She likes to tell how great Tristan was, but in reality, he was "difficult." That's what Guy remembers hearing. At school, Tristan was a nuisance, and Fiona had to take him into her own class to keep him from going into special education. It is actually unclear as to why she does this considering that Tristan's behavior is revealed to actually be pretty horrible. He has trouble controlling is bowels. He has trouble learning. He can't make friends. His own father recognizes his developmental disabilities and calls him at one time "retarded." Fiona tries to avoid this word, but she can't seem to come to grips with the reality of Tristan's situation. After a particularly traumatic "picture day," the school gives her a leave of absence and she loses Tristan in the parking lot of a gas station when she stepped in to grab a candy bar. She finally reveals this to her husband, Guy, who reminds her that "even if we can't get justice, we can get better."
At the beginning of the play, I felt remorseful, but when I learned more about how Fiona handled her son's situation and education, I felt a lot less empathetic towards her and unfortunately, her child. It seems to me like she wanted to remain in denial rather than make tangible efforts to help Tristan get better, more helpful attention. That being said, I also wonder if I'd still feel as badly for the missing child as I did at the start if I knew then that he had these difficulties. I definitely feel bad for the husband and father, Guy, who has stayed patiently by his wife's side for these two years, but there is an element of "you reap what you sew" to the whole play. In A Word will keep you entertained for sure, but it may also leave you scratching your head at times at the behavior of the two parents. It's well-written, fluid, and makes you think. If you're looking for that, get tickets at www.CherryLaneTheatre.org or call OvationTix at 866-811-4111.
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