Like most countries around the world, America has its fair share of times of poverty. With a large percentage struggling to survive within a failing economy trying to stay true to their origins and their own identity, while another percentage of the population lives off that same economy with no struggle at all. Speaking as a member of a family who has come very close to poverty, I can honestly say I understand what it's like to go through that kind of struggle. American families have struggled the most, in history, during the years of the Great Depression. Not since then have we as a nation struggled through that much poverty to that degree. Though we have come very close from time to time. In the realm of story telling one of the most common time period to tell dramatic survival stories (apart from contemporary zombie apocalyptic survival stories) has been the great depression. One of literature's champions of this time, was author John Steinbeck. He, like most authors of his time, lived through the Depression and injected his experiences into his stories. Whether it be Tortilla Flatts, East of Eden, Of Mice and Men, and of course the Grapes of Wrath. Most of these stories have been adapted on stage after their original publication to help bring Steinbeck's experiences for audiences of the struggling lower class to relate to. Salem State University has been presenting the dramatization of Steinbeck's novel, Grapes of Wrath.
-the Story-
The story of the dramatized version to Steinbeck's novel follows very closely to the original source material. Grapes of Wrath tells the story of Tom Joad, his old preacher friend Jim Casey, and his family as they make a cross-country trek from Oklahoma, through Route 66, to California in the hope of finding work. Along the way, tragedy is met with the Joad family, loosing more and more relatives either because they couldn't survive or because they parted ways at a particular checkpoint. Once the family reaches California, they begin to realize that the work they're committing to is built up on broken promises. The Joad family moves from Makeshift camp to Makeshift camp due to a variety of different reasons, whether because of corrupt law enforcement officers or because of a lack of resources. During this time, Casey begins forming a labor union and begins to lead a strike against the deputies and the corporate businesses. Casey is killed in a fight during the strike and Tom kills Casey's attacker in retaliation. He leaves the family behind while on the run from the police, as they continue their trek to land where there is more work.
-Honorable Mentions-
This was a very stellar cast, all around. Each member of the central cast as well as the ensemble had moments of sadness and humor. It kept a very good balance for the tone of the production. Many of the ensemble members portrayed more than one character as the story progressed, each one with a very different personality. But the four performances that stood out the most, for me, were the most powerful performances. First is Adrian Peguero as Jim Casey. Casey is a former preacher who has lost his faith. His faith in authority is diminished but his faith in people remains in tact. He helps form the labor union and helps lead the strike due to his rebellious attitude towards the corrupted status quo. Peguero gives the character a lot of wisdom and like-ability. Second, Zack Georgian as Tom Joad. In the book as well as this production, Tom might be the central character, however, to me he seems more like the observer. The story of these characters are told through his eyes. The characters and events of the story evolve around him. Georgian did a very good job as Tom. Because Tom was arrested and put in prison for homicide, we know he could snap back into another episode throughout the story, andGeorgian gets that down very well. At times he's funny and love able, other times he can be violent and intimidating. And finally, Ma and Pa Joad, played by Danielle Woods and James Sheridan. These two worked off of each other perfectly. Whenever you saw them on stage together, you believed that this was a loving married couple who were the heads of this vast and dysfunctional family who weren't giving up but continuing to work to survive. These two ARE Ma and Pa Joad, as far as I'm concerned. They ARE the ones in charge.
-What I did like-
The direction by Professor Peter Sampieri was spot on. One of my favorite additions to this production was adding live folk musicians performing ballads in between scenes. Not only that, but the musicians also used very primitive sound effects. For example, during a thunder storm, a musician would numerously hit a thunder sheet along with the lighting effects. Or when the family was starting off on their journey, their truck wouldn't start at first. So instead of getting pre recorded sound bites, they instead had the musicians use their percussion instruments to simulate the sounds of the engine. The set design turned the entire theatre into the inside of a barn, making it seem like the audience was watching this show be performed within a spacious barn, using whatever materials they have at their disposal to help tell the story.
-Overall Recommendations-
This show made me think a lot about what has been going on in the world lately. Even in our own country. People struggling through poverty, unable to trust the people who have the power to keep them employed, and trying to find out what their place in the world is and who they are as people. Not only is Steinbeck's story emotionally powerful to begin with, but the decision to do a production of Steinbeck's story now, of all times, makes seeing this show all the more significant and meaningful. Salem State University's production of Grapes of Wrath goes from Dec 3 - 13. You won't want to miss this kind of show. If you have already seen this show, let me know what you thought of it in the comment box below.
#salemstate #ssutheatre
Friday, December 11, 2015
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Huntington Theater Company - A Confederacy of Dunces
-the Story-
Confederacy of Dunces is a stage adaptation of picaresque novel of the same title, by John Kennedy Toole. In 1960s New Orleans, Ignatius J. Reilly a knowledgable idealist lives his life roaming around the streets and mocking the contemporary world for it's modern pop culture and lack of intelligence and creativity. Especially his own widowed mother, Irene, whom he still lives with. One night, after bailing Ignatius out of the police station for disturbing the peace, Irene accidentally backs her car into the side of a building due to Ignatius distracting her by insulting her driving skills, leading to her having to come up with five-hundred-thousand dollars to pay for the damages. Because she has only a small fraction of that amount to her name and Ignatius' name, Ignatius himself is forced to find a job. Throughout the play, Ignatius goes through several different jobs over the course of a few weeks. Each job ending with him getting fired as a result of him leading rebellions against each of his employers. From office clerk at a family own pants factory to pushing a roadside hotdog stand. All while writing love letters to Myrna Minkoff, a young woman he fell in love with during his college years.
During the story, there are three other subplots occurring as well. From Irene slowly learning to stand up for herself to Ignatius and forming a romantic relationship with a man who was arrested for disturbing the peace the same time Ignatius was arrested, to a black janitor of a local strip club being part of the owner's plan to up her business by making her employee perform strip teases with her pet cockatoo, to the inept police officer who is demoted to a bathroom stall guard at the station in multiple disguises as punishment for arresting Ignatius instead of the other man earlier.
-Honorable Mentions-
The story has it's complicated moments (as does any comedy in existence) however, it's still funny as hell. Playwright, Jeffrey Hatcher, really knows how to write very tongue-in-cheek comedy, in a British comedic fashion. A lot of Ignatius' dialogue and jokes are made up of an intellectual dialect, yet I could still understand what he was saying and found the jokes and insults all the funnier. Watching this performance made me feel like I was watching a classic comedy, like Abbott and Castello or the Marx Brothers. It's nice to know that even to this day, playwrights are still creating stories that harken back to that golden age of comedy and drama.
This production used almost no props at all. The cast mime the use of the props they're suppose to use while being backed up by the use of sound effects. The synchronization between the entire cast and the sound effects by Mark Bennett and Charles Coes is absolutely spot on. Very seldom is there a delay between the two.
-What I liked-
The look of this production was very median. What I mean is, the production was half and half. The characters wore full costumes, hair and makeup, however there were absolutely no props and very little set pieces. Like in my previous blog on Wheelock Family Theatre's production of Trumpet of the Swan, Confederacy of Dunces reminded me a lot of the works by Bertolt Brecht. In which, he used minimal sets, props, and costumes thereby allowing the audience to use their imagination to fill in the blanks. With the use of Bennett and Coes' sounds, lights by Scott Zielinski, and projection images by Sven Ortel we, the audience, were able to do just that. I definitely give credit to the show's director, David Esbjornson. His decision to make this production semi minimalistic made it all the more enjoyable for me to watch.
The cast performed perfectly. Like in a Brechtian play, most of the ensemble cast played more than one character. And, at times, it was kind of hard to notice who was playing who. With the constant quick changes and the immediate switching from one character to a completely different character, this proved to be a very strong ensemble to watch perform. And, of course, there are the two main leads; Nick Offerman as Ignatius and Anita Gillette as Irene. It's no surprise that Offerman's performance is beyond hilarious. His subtle and dignified performance matched with his intellectually insulting dialogue made his performance the funniest part of the production. Gillette's performance as Irene was very special. She starts off as an affectionate mother who cares for nothing more than her own son and continuously takes the verbal beating by him despite what she's done for him. And, my god does she take such a beating from him. You become more invested in her and actually want to see her evolve more as a character when she starts breaking out of her own comfort zone; partying with her friends and forming a new romantic relationship after living the life of a single mother for so long. And that's just what the two arch for these two characters are about, the two of them learning to break out of their comfort zones in order to escape the uneventful lives they live.
-Overall Recommendation-
The combination of both the classic verbal humor and the Brechtian style of story telling, this was a very well-done and very enjoyable show. The humor is very witty and tongue-in-cheek, the performances are fun and memorable, and the work behind the scenes is very impressive. If you are a fan of classic witty comedies, definitely go check it out. The Huntington Theatre Company's A Confederacy of Dunces continues until Sunday, December 13th. For ticket prices and more information, go to http://www.huntingtontheatre.org/season/2015-2016/confederacy-of-dunces/ You won't want to miss it. If you have already seen this show, let me know what you thought in the comment box below.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Wheelock Family Theatre - the Trumpet of the Swan
Recently I have noticed that many professional theaters, as well as some community theaters, have starting becoming innovative with their story telling to audiences. Especially to those with physical and mental disabilities. These theaters have opened up to the variety of audience members who are handicap or have disabilities by making the performances more accessible to them. Not that this is a brand new thing, but it has become more common and frequent in the theatre scene today. One theatre which serves as an example is the Wheelock Family Theatre, located in Boston. I have only seen two shows presented by this company, and the one thing that I appreciated the most from both performances is how accessible they have made their performances to the handicapped.
Their most recent show at Wheelock, the Trumpet of the Swan, has not only continued with this accessibility, but also deals with a certain disability as well. Suffering from communication disorders. The inability to form words or sounds. Though Trumpet of the Swan is a children's story about a swan who can't talk, family audiences can take comfort in seeing how the characters find ways of communication, not just for the main character but also for those who may be suffering from disorders including; Autism, sensory impairments, Aphasia, Learning disabilities, and speech disorders.
Their most recent show at Wheelock, the Trumpet of the Swan, has not only continued with this accessibility, but also deals with a certain disability as well. Suffering from communication disorders. The inability to form words or sounds. Though Trumpet of the Swan is a children's story about a swan who can't talk, family audiences can take comfort in seeing how the characters find ways of communication, not just for the main character but also for those who may be suffering from disorders including; Autism, sensory impairments, Aphasia, Learning disabilities, and speech disorders.
-The Story:
The Trumpet of the Swan, based on the children's book by E.B WHite, tells the story of Louis, a Trumpeter Swan who was born a mute. He quickly becomes the "Ugly Duckling" among his Cygnet siblings, and his parents worry that he might not be able to find a mate if he cannot communicate verbally. On his own, Louis decides that he wants to try and learn to communicate by reading and writing. Louis meets an 11- year-old boy named Sam Beaver, who saved his parents nest some time in the past, before he was born. After telling him that he wants to learn how to read and write, Sam takes Louis to school with him who turns out to have a unique talent in doing so. Sam then buys Louis a chalkboard slate, so he can write his words down. Unfortunately, Louis' parents can't understand the words he is writing down. His father decides to get a trumpet for Louis to use as a means of communicating. He steals it from a local music store, breaking the store window in the process. The humans then start looking for Louis' father for the damage he has done, and he must pay for said damage. Louis tries to play his new trumpet to the love of his life, Serena, but she has flown north. By Sam's suggestion, Louis gets a job in order to obtain the money for his father to pay back. He starts by working at the summer camp that Sam goes to and gets a job as a trumpet player for the campers. After the summer is over, Louis travels along the east coast getting jobs as a trumpet player from the Swan Boats of Boston to the Philadelphia Zoo. While in Philadelphia, Louis saves Serena, who was blown off course by a wind storm, from being kept as an addition to the Zoo. Both Louis and Serena journey back to visit his parents and tell them that they have gotten married. Louis gives the money he has earned to his father in order to pay back the music shop keeper. As Cob is about to land outside of the store, the shop keeper shoots him in the shoulder. As he delivers a message from Louis and the money, Cob flies away. Some years pass and Sam is now 20 years old, camping in Canada, where he hears the sound of Louis playing his trumpet to his children.
-Honorable Mentions:
The first thing that stood out the most to me, at first, were the costumes designed by Lisa Simpson and Katiee Tredway. The costumes, for the animal characters especially, work very well with style of the music that Director, Shelly Bolman, decided to use. Which was Jazz. The costumes for Cob (Jaime Carillo), Cygnus (Caroline Lawton), and Louis (Elbert Joseph) are a perfect combination of Swan like movement and jazz style.
This production seemed like it was a lot of fun to perform. The cast, both adults and children, clearly are having the time of their lives, and are having a lot of fun playing these characters. Jaime Carillo, playing Cob, was my favorite performance. He was clearly having more fun than everyone else in the cast. His character is often overly dramatic and it fits perfectly in a children's show.
The first thing that stood out the most to me, at first, were the costumes designed by Lisa Simpson and Katiee Tredway. The costumes, for the animal characters especially, work very well with style of the music that Director, Shelly Bolman, decided to use. Which was Jazz. The costumes for Cob (Jaime Carillo), Cygnus (Caroline Lawton), and Louis (Elbert Joseph) are a perfect combination of Swan like movement and jazz style.
This production seemed like it was a lot of fun to perform. The cast, both adults and children, clearly are having the time of their lives, and are having a lot of fun playing these characters. Jaime Carillo, playing Cob, was my favorite performance. He was clearly having more fun than everyone else in the cast. His character is often overly dramatic and it fits perfectly in a children's show.
-What I liked:
This production reminded of a children's production of Winnie the Pooh I saw at my community college, Northern Essex Community Collage (NECC). The way the costumes were designed were similar to how the costumes were designed in Trumpet of the Swan. Using a combination of regularly stylized clothing to help depict the animal character. Not only the costumes, but the simplicity of the plot and conflicts that may seem fairly light and simple to adults but heavy and important to children. One other thing that I liked about this production. was the fact that the character of Louis would sometimes talk in sign language. This goes back to what I said earlier with other theaters trying to add more elements into their shows to make them more accessible for children with deafness. It was a nice touch being something the children can look up to as a role model as well as adding to the character's uniqueness.
-What I didn’t like:
These may seem like minor nit-pick, but a lot of the logic behind the plot and some of the character choices seemed very unrealistic. I understand that this is a children's story, but it's hard to believe that a swan would learn to read and write so easily, learn to play a trumpet, and have to be a working member of society. On top of that, all the human characters see all this happening, and they treat it so calmly, like it's an everyday occurrence. There was one scene where a human character meets up with Louis and discovers that he can write and at first thinks about telling other people about this, but then changes his mind believing that no one would believe him. In any other story, I would have a major problem with these problems, but it's a children's story. It runs on child logic.
-Overall recommendation: This production reminded of a children's production of Winnie the Pooh I saw at my community college, Northern Essex Community Collage (NECC). The way the costumes were designed were similar to how the costumes were designed in Trumpet of the Swan. Using a combination of regularly stylized clothing to help depict the animal character. Not only the costumes, but the simplicity of the plot and conflicts that may seem fairly light and simple to adults but heavy and important to children. One other thing that I liked about this production. was the fact that the character of Louis would sometimes talk in sign language. This goes back to what I said earlier with other theaters trying to add more elements into their shows to make them more accessible for children with deafness. It was a nice touch being something the children can look up to as a role model as well as adding to the character's uniqueness.
-What I didn’t like:
These may seem like minor nit-pick, but a lot of the logic behind the plot and some of the character choices seemed very unrealistic. I understand that this is a children's story, but it's hard to believe that a swan would learn to read and write so easily, learn to play a trumpet, and have to be a working member of society. On top of that, all the human characters see all this happening, and they treat it so calmly, like it's an everyday occurrence. There was one scene where a human character meets up with Louis and discovers that he can write and at first thinks about telling other people about this, but then changes his mind believing that no one would believe him. In any other story, I would have a major problem with these problems, but it's a children's story. It runs on child logic.
Wheelock is clearly trying to put on a lot of children shows that are fun to watch for the whole family but also tackle situations that children with disabilities can relate to. Seeing characters that deal with similar problems that they do gives them hope and inspires them to preserver through whatever problems they encounter in life. I can see this show doing just that for children. I highly recommend taking the family to see this. There is definitely things in here for both children and parents.
The Trumpet of the Swan is at Wheelock Family Theatre from October 23 to November 22. For more information on tickets, visit their website http://www.wheelockfamilytheatre.org/current-season.aspx and follow the hashtags #trumpetingwft #wft35. If you have already seen this show, let me know what you thought in the comment box below.
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
SSU - Student Theater Ensemble - 12 Angry Jurors
WIthin the past two years, this nation has been bombarded with tragedies being told to us through social media. Most frequently recent, cases of police officers severely harming suspects for crimes, or reasons, not always clear. The positions of who is more violent towards the other have varied through every case, likewise to the opinions of spectators. Through social media, spectators have all developed their own opinions on the cases based on the evidence they have read about or their own speculations based on their own personal reasons. With that said, there never has the opinions of other spectators been more important than in the realms of courtroom juries. Some jurors have based their verdicts on their opinion on either the crime or the suspect higher than the evidence that is hidden deeper between the lines. Negating said evidence all together. These episodes have occurred for a very long time, since the use of courtroom juries began.
-The Story:
In 1964, Reginald Rose wrote a stage adaptation of, "Twelve Angry Men", based on the teleplay he wrote ten years earlier. The play takes place in 1954 in a jurors room in a local courthouse. There are twelve jurors present discussing the case of the defendant, a colored teenager who is accused of stabbing his father to death out in public. The jurors must come to a unanimous verdict of guilty or not guilty, and all vote guilty in the beginning until one of the jurors votes not guilty. The lone juror tries to convince the rest of the jury that the case is not so easily one-sided as they originally thought, despite the (often prejudice) stubbornness of the other jurors. What starts out as an easily one-sided verdict progresses into a battle between logic and strategy against stubbornness and prejudice to move the verdict to another side.
Salem State University presents the Student Theatre Ensemble (STE)'s adaptation of Rose's play, with the style of later productions. In which the setting is somewhat modern day, instead of the early 1950's, and the cast, which originally consisted of a all male cast, now includes male and female performers, changing the title from "Twelve Angry Men," to "Twelve Angry Jurors."
-Overall recommendation:
Samuel Lewis, the director of this production, took a classic drama and made it relevant due to the numerous tragedies effecting this country within the past two years. If ever there was a time to present this production to an audience consisting mostly of college students, it is now. If you are someone who feels strongly about any of the past tragedies occurring all across the country or the people that may have caused it or been a part of it, this show will most likely make you think twice before passing final judgement.
Though some of the dialogue is a bit dated, and some things about the world building is unclear, this is still a well done courtroom drama. Definitely worth checking out. 12 Angry Jurors opens Thursday November 5th and runs until Sunday November 8th in the Metro room inside the Ellison Campus Center at Salem State University. Order tickets online by emailing stetickets@gmail.com or call the STE hotline at 978-542-7000.
-The Story:
In 1964, Reginald Rose wrote a stage adaptation of, "Twelve Angry Men", based on the teleplay he wrote ten years earlier. The play takes place in 1954 in a jurors room in a local courthouse. There are twelve jurors present discussing the case of the defendant, a colored teenager who is accused of stabbing his father to death out in public. The jurors must come to a unanimous verdict of guilty or not guilty, and all vote guilty in the beginning until one of the jurors votes not guilty. The lone juror tries to convince the rest of the jury that the case is not so easily one-sided as they originally thought, despite the (often prejudice) stubbornness of the other jurors. What starts out as an easily one-sided verdict progresses into a battle between logic and strategy against stubbornness and prejudice to move the verdict to another side.
Salem State University presents the Student Theatre Ensemble (STE)'s adaptation of Rose's play, with the style of later productions. In which the setting is somewhat modern day, instead of the early 1950's, and the cast, which originally consisted of a all male cast, now includes male and female performers, changing the title from "Twelve Angry Men," to "Twelve Angry Jurors."
-Honorable Mentions:
Each character in this play has no names, they only go by their juror numbers, with the exception of the Foreman (who manages the group), the security guard (who guards the door outside), and the Judge and Clerk (both voice over). The cast do a very good job with their performances. Because this play was originally written in the 50's, the dialogue from most of the characters comes off as corny and somewhat stereotypical. But, honestly it makes the performances fun to watch. Out of all the arguing and conflicts that transpires in the jury room, the most intense conflict is between Juror Eight and Juror Three. Juror Eight being the only juror that votes not guilty and Juror Three being the juror that wants to see the defendant pay for his crime more than anyone else in the room. Each character is given an equal share in the spotlight, allowing the story to show that there is more to them than originally expected. However, the two performances that stand out the most are the two opposing jurors. Juror EIght, played by Jodi Buoncuore, plays a very strong-hearted and determined woman who simply wants true justice to be served where it is deserved. Buoncuore (who was previously in STE's production of Circle Mirror Transformation) has the attributes that make an empowering female lead. The kind that audiences can get behind and route for every step of the way. Juror Three, played by Ted Silva, plays the perfect antagonist. A true opposite to juror Eight. Stubborn, vengeful, hot-headed, but most importantly passionate about what he believes is true justice. Despite how one dimensionally cruel the character is, Silva still manages to make the character enjoyable to watch. He makes the character funny, annoying, intensely intimidating, yet also sympathetic. You can tell that there is something the character is hiding which causes him to be in this mind-set, but you don't need it spelled out for you. Which is what SIlva does perfectly.
-What I didn't like?
As I said earlier, the play was originally written in 50's. Naturally, the dialogue in this production seems a little bit dated at times. It makes it hard to stay in the world these characters are in, when the majority of the time they are talking like they should be on Dragnet. For example, in the beginning of the play, after the group of jurors have entered the room and have gotten settled in, they start talking about themselves and the case all through exposition. One of the jurors, tells the group that she works in advertising. She says this numerous times throughout the show, and at first I found it funny. Until she kept mentioning the same thing at least five times, if not more. It started to get a little annoying to me, almost to the point where I kept thinking to myself, "We get it! You work in advertising! Please move on!" Not only that, but it's never fully established whether this production is suppose to take place in modern day or somewhere in the 50s. At the very top of the show, we hear a montage of different news stations covering many different homicide stories, All from modern day. yet we have characters enter the juror room dressed up like they're all from I Love Lucy.
-What I liked?
Despite the dialogue being very dated, I really did enjoy the performances from the cast, all around. Each character had a distinct personality. And the cast did a really good job portraying these personalities. Though 12 Angry Jurors is suppose to be a heavy courtroom drama, I think it had a good flow and it certainly knew when to lighten up and be a little funny once in a while. The story and the characters certainly know how to suck you into the case with them. When the group goes over the different demonstrations of how the murder may have gone down, you can't help but try to work with them in trying to figure out the truth. Even though the demonstrations themselves might seem a little dated and a lot more simple and innocent compared to days studies, I still think the clues they find are pretty creative.This show makes you want get into the case and try to solve the mystery along with them. Samuel Lewis, the director of this production, took a classic drama and made it relevant due to the numerous tragedies effecting this country within the past two years. If ever there was a time to present this production to an audience consisting mostly of college students, it is now. If you are someone who feels strongly about any of the past tragedies occurring all across the country or the people that may have caused it or been a part of it, this show will most likely make you think twice before passing final judgement.
Though some of the dialogue is a bit dated, and some things about the world building is unclear, this is still a well done courtroom drama. Definitely worth checking out. 12 Angry Jurors opens Thursday November 5th and runs until Sunday November 8th in the Metro room inside the Ellison Campus Center at Salem State University. Order tickets online by emailing stetickets@gmail.com or call the STE hotline at 978-542-7000.
Thursday, October 1, 2015
North Shore Music Theater - Billy Elliot (Musical)
We live in a time where there are two things we strive to discover for ourselves, who are we as individuals and what certain community do we belong in? Both are equally difficult to figure out when we're in our adolescent years, but obviously the older we get the more easier it gets for us. But this subject seems to be the main theme of North Shore Music Theater's newest show, Billy Elliot the musical. The musical, an adaptation of the 2000 movie of the same title, takes place in north-eastern England during the coal miners strike of 1984 through 85 and revolves around an eleven year old boy, Billy Elliot, who develops a passion for dancing ballet. However, because of the current situation in his community and the emotional and mental states of his dad, older brother, and grandma, Billy must keep this a secret. Not until he meets a local Ballet instructor, Mrs Wilkinson, who immediately sees Billy's talent and encourages him to continue seeing her so she can train him to audition for the Royal Ballet School to pursue his dream.
Having seen the movie first, I figured that the musical would follow it almost note for note. It does, with the exception of a few added elements. In the movie, it is implied that Grandma was once an aspiring dancer when she was younger. In the musical, there is an entire musical number dedicated to telling the story of ambitions for dancing and her marriage to Billy's Grandfather. Some parts of the movie that might have been skimmed over were explored more deeply in the musical, which made it hard to decide which version was better.
Nevertheless, this production was very good. The performances from the ensemble were very enjoyable to watch all together. Ranging from very funny, to very intense, to very touching. Nicholas Dantes was amazing as Billy. Everyone who has either seen the movie or seen a preview of the show will know that the dancing that Billy does is intensely fast, and Dantes certainly gives out a jolt of electricity whenever he performs. Janet Dickinson played a very good Mrs. Wilkinson. To me she seemed like a less sinister version of Ms. Hannigan from Annie. In that she has the disillusioned-sassy wisdom that she shares with the kids that look up to her. Her chemistry with Dantes was very believable and realistic. Finally, Timothy Gulan's performance as Billy's dad, Jackie, was somewhat different from the movie's Jackie. In the movie, Jackie came off as a lot more mean spirited and more violent towards his sons. Which given the circumstances that lead him to be in this mind set, you can kind of understand. In the musical, Jackie's attitude towards his sons are pulled back a little bit. They took the liberties of making him a little bit more humorous and more lighthearted. He is still the miserable stern father, but he is less intense in this version. When he is being humorous, you can't help but laugh and enjoy this character. The music by Elton John and Lee Hall was composed amazingly by Andrew Bryan and the North Shore orchestra. Likewise to the choreography by the production's director Adam Pelty, Assistant Choreographer Bryan Thomas Hunt and dance captain Vanessa Russo.
Billy Elliot brings up several different subjects in today's society; self discovery, unity among communities, union strikes, homosexuality, and standing up for your passions in life. With the way the show handles these subjects, this production was very enjoyable to watch. Very heavy on the foul language, so I would think about bringing the kids to see this. Besides that, I highly recommend seeing it.
Billy Elliot the musical is being held at North Shore Music Theater, in Beverly MA from September 30th to October 11. For tickets, visit their website at http://www.nsmt.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1180 .
Having seen the movie first, I figured that the musical would follow it almost note for note. It does, with the exception of a few added elements. In the movie, it is implied that Grandma was once an aspiring dancer when she was younger. In the musical, there is an entire musical number dedicated to telling the story of ambitions for dancing and her marriage to Billy's Grandfather. Some parts of the movie that might have been skimmed over were explored more deeply in the musical, which made it hard to decide which version was better.
Nevertheless, this production was very good. The performances from the ensemble were very enjoyable to watch all together. Ranging from very funny, to very intense, to very touching. Nicholas Dantes was amazing as Billy. Everyone who has either seen the movie or seen a preview of the show will know that the dancing that Billy does is intensely fast, and Dantes certainly gives out a jolt of electricity whenever he performs. Janet Dickinson played a very good Mrs. Wilkinson. To me she seemed like a less sinister version of Ms. Hannigan from Annie. In that she has the disillusioned-sassy wisdom that she shares with the kids that look up to her. Her chemistry with Dantes was very believable and realistic. Finally, Timothy Gulan's performance as Billy's dad, Jackie, was somewhat different from the movie's Jackie. In the movie, Jackie came off as a lot more mean spirited and more violent towards his sons. Which given the circumstances that lead him to be in this mind set, you can kind of understand. In the musical, Jackie's attitude towards his sons are pulled back a little bit. They took the liberties of making him a little bit more humorous and more lighthearted. He is still the miserable stern father, but he is less intense in this version. When he is being humorous, you can't help but laugh and enjoy this character. The music by Elton John and Lee Hall was composed amazingly by Andrew Bryan and the North Shore orchestra. Likewise to the choreography by the production's director Adam Pelty, Assistant Choreographer Bryan Thomas Hunt and dance captain Vanessa Russo.
Billy Elliot brings up several different subjects in today's society; self discovery, unity among communities, union strikes, homosexuality, and standing up for your passions in life. With the way the show handles these subjects, this production was very enjoyable to watch. Very heavy on the foul language, so I would think about bringing the kids to see this. Besides that, I highly recommend seeing it.
Billy Elliot the musical is being held at North Shore Music Theater, in Beverly MA from September 30th to October 11. For tickets, visit their website at http://www.nsmt.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1180 .
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Newburyport Firehouse - I love you, You're perfect, Now change
In every relationship there are three stages throughout. The first stage consists of finding the right person, going out into the world and fishing through the sea for the right catch. Going on dates, giving/receiving the first kiss, trying to impress each other in and out of the bedroom, and taring down the walls of distrust replacing it with the tall structure of trust. The second stage consisting of taking the new-found relationship to the next levels. Sharing families together, owning a house together, and sharing marital vows together. The third stage consisting of dealing with the aftermath of previous stages. Dealing with commitments, sacrificing the thrills of the single life for the good of the new marital and parental life, and debating whether they made the right decisions in entering this new life.
On Thursday, June 18, the Newburyport Firehouse will open it's new musical production of I love you, You're Perfect, Now Change. The play is a series of vignettes performed by an ensemble of four. This ensemble consists of Carli Hamilton, Carol Smilinsky, Arthur Gomez, and Stephen Faria, directed by John Budzyna. The music, originally by Jimmy Robberts and Joe DiPietro is performed by Alisa Bucchiere. The play itself is a series of romantic comedies that greatly interpret the three stages of every relationship. The highs and lows. And they are all brought together by the hilarious performances by all four cast members, the classical piano playing by Bucchiere, and of course the brilliant direction by Budzyna.
This show is perfect for all those who have been in relationships, whether newly formed or ongoing for many years. No matter what sort of relationship people have been in, audiences will get a great kick out of the tongue-in-cheek humor of this show. I love you, You're perfect, Now change runs from June 18-28. Get your tickets on there website, http://www.firehouse.org/iloveyou.html.
On Thursday, June 18, the Newburyport Firehouse will open it's new musical production of I love you, You're Perfect, Now Change. The play is a series of vignettes performed by an ensemble of four. This ensemble consists of Carli Hamilton, Carol Smilinsky, Arthur Gomez, and Stephen Faria, directed by John Budzyna. The music, originally by Jimmy Robberts and Joe DiPietro is performed by Alisa Bucchiere. The play itself is a series of romantic comedies that greatly interpret the three stages of every relationship. The highs and lows. And they are all brought together by the hilarious performances by all four cast members, the classical piano playing by Bucchiere, and of course the brilliant direction by Budzyna.
This show is perfect for all those who have been in relationships, whether newly formed or ongoing for many years. No matter what sort of relationship people have been in, audiences will get a great kick out of the tongue-in-cheek humor of this show. I love you, You're perfect, Now change runs from June 18-28. Get your tickets on there website, http://www.firehouse.org/iloveyou.html.
Monday, April 20, 2015
SSU - Spring Awakening
Art is continuously changing. transitioning from different medium to different medium as a new generation comes and goes. The performing arts are no exception. All throughout the twentieth century the performing arts have evolved through different mediums, whether as straight plays or musicals. Different styles, different interpretations, and different genres yet still presented with the familiar conventions. Before the new millennium, these were only few and far between. But by the turn of the century, the shows with these conventions began to change entirely and in greater numbers. Taking already existing plays from the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century and putting a more modern, revolutionary, even Bohemian spin on them. One of the most revolutionary and most well-known of these plays is this article's subject, Spring Awakening.
Salem State University has just opened their new musical for the 2015 spring semester, the 2006 rock musical by Duncan Sheik and Steven Stater. Spring Awakening, is a rock musical adaptation of the German play under the same title by Frank Wedekind. It tells the story about a group of adolescent boys and girls in late-nineteenth century Germany discovering the peeks of their own sexual maturity. It expresses different topics and issues that are continuously brought up, even to this day; teenage angst, sexual awareness, puberty, homosexuality, teenage pregnancy, breaking traditional conventions, and so on. This production of Spring Awakening is performed by SSU students; Krystal Hernandez, Courtney Plati, Lia Parisi, Brittani Napoli, Caitlyn Jones, Mat Stanley, Scott Jacobs, Nikos Koutsogiannis, David Meredith, Bobby Brennan, Jimmy McCormick, Andy LeBlanc, and Elizabeth Jelinek, and directed by William Cunningham.
Each cast member performed their character greatly, the central characters and side characters both. The ensemble is lead by the three central characters Wendla (Hernandez), Melchior (Stanley), and Moritz (Jacobs), facing a number of the issues I mentioned earlier. Each of them are as enjoyable to watch and as emotionally moving as one another. However, the two performances that stood out to me the most was, first, Mat Stanley. Last summer I had the privilege of working with this young man backstage at North Shore Music Theater. He was on the run crew and I was a spotlight operator. I can honestly say that it was a treat to work with him then, but it was an absolute joy to see him perform in a show such as this, almost a year later. Stanley portrayed the free thinking rebel, Melchior, spot on. Every scene he was in, you would either laugh, cry, or become inspired. Or all of the above. The same can easily be said about Andy LeBlanc as the figurative roles of the male grown ups. Ranging from the boys latin professor to the father of all the young characters. One scene in particular stood out the most displaying LeBlanc's ability to make us laugh and cry, all within an instant. I have seen this man perform in four shows now, at SSU. Each one he has played a combination of different characters, all with different personalities. And in each show, his performance as these characters has been extraordinary. I have enjoyed watching him perform in the past, and I look forward to watching him perform in the future.
This goes without saying, but Salem State University's production of Spring Awakening comes highly recommended. Speaking as a student who is planning on becoming a grade school teacher, I really enjoyed seeing a show that glorifies the creativity that younger generations can produce, and can be held up today as a parallel to what issues are transpiring in the educational system. Spring Awakening continues this Thursday until Sunday, April 26. If you would like to see this coming of age story be told by a group of coming of age students, come and see for yourself.
Each cast member performed their character greatly, the central characters and side characters both. The ensemble is lead by the three central characters Wendla (Hernandez), Melchior (Stanley), and Moritz (Jacobs), facing a number of the issues I mentioned earlier. Each of them are as enjoyable to watch and as emotionally moving as one another. However, the two performances that stood out to me the most was, first, Mat Stanley. Last summer I had the privilege of working with this young man backstage at North Shore Music Theater. He was on the run crew and I was a spotlight operator. I can honestly say that it was a treat to work with him then, but it was an absolute joy to see him perform in a show such as this, almost a year later. Stanley portrayed the free thinking rebel, Melchior, spot on. Every scene he was in, you would either laugh, cry, or become inspired. Or all of the above. The same can easily be said about Andy LeBlanc as the figurative roles of the male grown ups. Ranging from the boys latin professor to the father of all the young characters. One scene in particular stood out the most displaying LeBlanc's ability to make us laugh and cry, all within an instant. I have seen this man perform in four shows now, at SSU. Each one he has played a combination of different characters, all with different personalities. And in each show, his performance as these characters has been extraordinary. I have enjoyed watching him perform in the past, and I look forward to watching him perform in the future.
This goes without saying, but Salem State University's production of Spring Awakening comes highly recommended. Speaking as a student who is planning on becoming a grade school teacher, I really enjoyed seeing a show that glorifies the creativity that younger generations can produce, and can be held up today as a parallel to what issues are transpiring in the educational system. Spring Awakening continues this Thursday until Sunday, April 26. If you would like to see this coming of age story be told by a group of coming of age students, come and see for yourself.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
SSU-Student Theater Ensemble-circle mirror transformation
Theater, as well as the art of performing, has always held the power to entertain audiences around the world since the very beginning. Tragedies have made us cry, Comedies have made us laugh, Histories have educated us, and Musicals have inspired us. Time and time before, I have said that theater can be performed anywhere and by anyone. I append this by saying that theater can be performed in any sort of way. This is most prominent, when it comes to performance classes, whether at a school/university or community center such as YMCA, boys and girls club, etc. These classes, mostly, consist of a series of exercises focusing on the actors body rather than working on an actual show.
This week, from thursday April 9th to sunday April 12th, the Student Theater Ensemble of Salem State University opens their new show Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker. The play consists of performances by Kellie Moon, Olivia Duamine, Jodi Buoncuore, James Wechsler, and Ryan Hull, and directed by Alex Portenko. Circle Mirror Transformation is about a class of five individuals of different ages; Marty (Moon) the teacher of the class, James (Wechsler) Marty's husband, Theresa (Dumaine) an energetic woman from the city, Shultz (Hull) a carpenter, and Lauren (Buoncuore) a high school theater student, and their six week long journey through different performance exercises.
Both the direction from director Portenko and performances by the ensemble are equally masterful. The play, itself, is written with a lot of unfinished sentences, long pauses, and awkward chemistry between characters. Making this play all the more realistic. All performed perfectly by each cast member. Portenko's main direction for this play, was to take something ordinary and transform it into something extraordinary. Pun intended.
This play comes highly recommended. It shows what exercises may be performed in performance classes, as well as what kind of effect these sort of classes can do. They not only can help you discover and practice different exercises to help warm up when performing, but they can also assist in self realization, togetherness among strangers, and opening yourself up to what lies ahead before all of us in life as well as what questions to ask ourselves and consider along the way.
This week, from thursday April 9th to sunday April 12th, the Student Theater Ensemble of Salem State University opens their new show Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker. The play consists of performances by Kellie Moon, Olivia Duamine, Jodi Buoncuore, James Wechsler, and Ryan Hull, and directed by Alex Portenko. Circle Mirror Transformation is about a class of five individuals of different ages; Marty (Moon) the teacher of the class, James (Wechsler) Marty's husband, Theresa (Dumaine) an energetic woman from the city, Shultz (Hull) a carpenter, and Lauren (Buoncuore) a high school theater student, and their six week long journey through different performance exercises.
Both the direction from director Portenko and performances by the ensemble are equally masterful. The play, itself, is written with a lot of unfinished sentences, long pauses, and awkward chemistry between characters. Making this play all the more realistic. All performed perfectly by each cast member. Portenko's main direction for this play, was to take something ordinary and transform it into something extraordinary. Pun intended.
This play comes highly recommended. It shows what exercises may be performed in performance classes, as well as what kind of effect these sort of classes can do. They not only can help you discover and practice different exercises to help warm up when performing, but they can also assist in self realization, togetherness among strangers, and opening yourself up to what lies ahead before all of us in life as well as what questions to ask ourselves and consider along the way.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Crabgrass Puppet Theater - African Adventure Tales
As a lover of the theater, the arts and all the different styles of both, I went to see a one day puppet theater performance, today. The Newburyport Firehouse presented, African Adventure Tales, a children's puppet theater production by Crabgrass Puppet Theater. African Adventure Tales presents two short African folktales; "Koi and the Kola Nuts," and "Anansi and the Talking Melon."
Koi and the Kola Nuts tells the story of a son of an african chief who inherits three Kola nuts from the family Kola tree. He ventures out into the wilderness in the hopes of making his own fortune. Along his journey, he meets three animals; a colony of ants, a snake, and a crocodile. He helps each one of them by giving them each a single Kola nut. In return each animal assists him in tasks that are appointed to him to prove his status. This tale teaches the lesson that kindness towards others are often rewarded in return.
Anasi and the Talking Melon tells the story of a spider, named Anasi, who eats a number of large melons and finds himself stuck in the biggest one. While stuck, he is able to walk around and talk. A passing ELephant comes across the melon and hears Anasi talking inside. Believing that the melon is magical and can talk, he goes to every animal he is friends with in the kingdom. From a Hippo to a Rhino and finally to the king of the kingdom, a Monkey. All but the king hear the melon talk and actually believe the Elephant. After being cast aside, Anasi frees himself from the melon and becomes hungry again, eating himself into a banana in the end.
My favorite part of the show was the design of the puppets and sets. The sets were minimalistic, yet very suggestive, and for a puppet show, thats all that there needs to be. The puppets themselves were very creative and faithful to African cultural designs. And their performances were entertaining and engaging. Each puppet being puppeteered by Crabgrass co-founder, Jamie Keithline. This show was obviously made for children. However, just because a puppet show is more kid friendly that doesn't mean that people of all ages can't enjoy them either. When we see puppet shows, we obviously see the puppeteer controlling it, but if we pay more attention to the puppet itself, we begin to see them more as the actual characters who's stories are being told on stage. It's why we still enjoy watching the Muppets on television and movies. There is an art to puppet theater, not just in making the puppets but in performing as them as well. So, with that all said, if any of you readers have kids who like to see live puppet shows, or if you are a fan of the art of puppet making, I recommend checking out other productions by the Crabgrass Puppet Theater company. They perform at schools, theaters, libraries, etc. For more information check out their website at www.crabgrasspuppets.com.
Koi and the Kola Nuts tells the story of a son of an african chief who inherits three Kola nuts from the family Kola tree. He ventures out into the wilderness in the hopes of making his own fortune. Along his journey, he meets three animals; a colony of ants, a snake, and a crocodile. He helps each one of them by giving them each a single Kola nut. In return each animal assists him in tasks that are appointed to him to prove his status. This tale teaches the lesson that kindness towards others are often rewarded in return.
Anasi and the Talking Melon tells the story of a spider, named Anasi, who eats a number of large melons and finds himself stuck in the biggest one. While stuck, he is able to walk around and talk. A passing ELephant comes across the melon and hears Anasi talking inside. Believing that the melon is magical and can talk, he goes to every animal he is friends with in the kingdom. From a Hippo to a Rhino and finally to the king of the kingdom, a Monkey. All but the king hear the melon talk and actually believe the Elephant. After being cast aside, Anasi frees himself from the melon and becomes hungry again, eating himself into a banana in the end.
My favorite part of the show was the design of the puppets and sets. The sets were minimalistic, yet very suggestive, and for a puppet show, thats all that there needs to be. The puppets themselves were very creative and faithful to African cultural designs. And their performances were entertaining and engaging. Each puppet being puppeteered by Crabgrass co-founder, Jamie Keithline. This show was obviously made for children. However, just because a puppet show is more kid friendly that doesn't mean that people of all ages can't enjoy them either. When we see puppet shows, we obviously see the puppeteer controlling it, but if we pay more attention to the puppet itself, we begin to see them more as the actual characters who's stories are being told on stage. It's why we still enjoy watching the Muppets on television and movies. There is an art to puppet theater, not just in making the puppets but in performing as them as well. So, with that all said, if any of you readers have kids who like to see live puppet shows, or if you are a fan of the art of puppet making, I recommend checking out other productions by the Crabgrass Puppet Theater company. They perform at schools, theaters, libraries, etc. For more information check out their website at www.crabgrasspuppets.com.
Saturday, March 21, 2015
(Special Blog)-the Importance of being modest
In my blog article on "An afternoon of Arthur Miller," I said, "Theater can be performed anywhere and by anyone." This saying sums up the connection between a community of theater goers. Theater, as well as the many different mediums of art, has been the central entity that has held a community of people together. Most of these bonds have been held together by the similar interests of the medium that is shared between the community, whether it be critiquing theater, producing theater, performing in theater, or simply observing theater. The more time the community spends time in theater, the more their interests expand and the closer the bond grows between one another.
Some people look at community theater and describe it as a less mainstream version of a theatrical production. True, the production value for a number of community productions are much less than that of a professional production, most of the time. The technical elements of the production are not state-of-the-art, the cast and crew don't always get paid or work on the production full time, the productions themselves may not run for months on end, and the stars in the production might not be as well known on Broadway as Sutton Foster or Joel Grey. With all that being said, in the long run, what is most important is taking a community of theater goers and putting on a show for other theater goers.
The theaters I have worked with, have taken the forms of all shapes and sizes. Ranging from large cathedral halls, to small dinner theaters, to the open outdoors. Each one using the space to their advantage, and each one having a certain charm and atmosphere to their houses. This charm was assisted by the that of their staff members. Particularly, their cast of performers. With community theater, people will always see some familiar faces during the run of the productions, whether onstage performing or in the audience observing. The more times people comes to these places to see these productions, more often they can call them, "a place where everybody knows your name."
For seven years, I have worked closely with a wide range of community theater companies. Both onstage and backstage. Some have been an established company with a long history and others have, unfortunately had to step down from their places in their communities. These establishments, with their long history, have formed such close bonds. Families of friends. As understandable as the reasons may be, it has still remained heartbreaking for me to see the homes that sheltered these families fade away into obscurity. Within the house of these theaters, their history is preserved by different forms of memorabilia for outsiders to observe. When they are shut down, their history is preserved within the memories of those who were there, and share them with others through word of mouth.
As fleeting as these small theaters might be, there will always be a group of people who love theater enough to venture out on the town and enter a realm of comedy, tragedy, and sometimes music. Thus bringing us to the true meaning of community theater. It is a form of live theater created by the community and presented for the community.
Some people look at community theater and describe it as a less mainstream version of a theatrical production. True, the production value for a number of community productions are much less than that of a professional production, most of the time. The technical elements of the production are not state-of-the-art, the cast and crew don't always get paid or work on the production full time, the productions themselves may not run for months on end, and the stars in the production might not be as well known on Broadway as Sutton Foster or Joel Grey. With all that being said, in the long run, what is most important is taking a community of theater goers and putting on a show for other theater goers.
The theaters I have worked with, have taken the forms of all shapes and sizes. Ranging from large cathedral halls, to small dinner theaters, to the open outdoors. Each one using the space to their advantage, and each one having a certain charm and atmosphere to their houses. This charm was assisted by the that of their staff members. Particularly, their cast of performers. With community theater, people will always see some familiar faces during the run of the productions, whether onstage performing or in the audience observing. The more times people comes to these places to see these productions, more often they can call them, "a place where everybody knows your name."
For seven years, I have worked closely with a wide range of community theater companies. Both onstage and backstage. Some have been an established company with a long history and others have, unfortunately had to step down from their places in their communities. These establishments, with their long history, have formed such close bonds. Families of friends. As understandable as the reasons may be, it has still remained heartbreaking for me to see the homes that sheltered these families fade away into obscurity. Within the house of these theaters, their history is preserved by different forms of memorabilia for outsiders to observe. When they are shut down, their history is preserved within the memories of those who were there, and share them with others through word of mouth.
As fleeting as these small theaters might be, there will always be a group of people who love theater enough to venture out on the town and enter a realm of comedy, tragedy, and sometimes music. Thus bringing us to the true meaning of community theater. It is a form of live theater created by the community and presented for the community.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Newburyport Firehouse - Almost Maine
The first vignette, "Her Heart" staring Robert Ringuette and Jasmine Rush and directed by Bob DeLibero, revolves around two characters. Glory, played by Rush, camps out in the yard of local mechanic East, played by Rignuette, in the hope of seeing the northern lights in the sky in memory of her late husband, West, while carrying her broken heart in a paper bag. What starts out as a funny misunderstanding becomes a sign of fate written brightly in the sky.
The second vignette, "Sad and Glad" staring Josh Paradis, Christin Clohosey, and Kate Ventiglimia and directed by Jannie Kitchen, is about two former lovers, Jimmy played by Paradis and Sandrine played by Clohosey, meeting each other after several years and catching up by coincidence in a local bar, constantly being interrupted by their enthusiastic waitress, played by Ventiglimia. Sandrine has moved on to another partner, while Jimmy has stayed in his state of woe since the break up. For Jimmy, as one door finally closes another opens.
The third vignette, "This hurts" staring Abigail Seabrook and Conor Burke and directed by Stephen Faria, is about two neighbors, Marvalyn played by Seabrook and Steve played by Burke, in the laundry room of their apartment complex. Marvalyn accidentally hits Steve over the head with her ironing board, to which he assures her everything is alright by explaining to her he cannot feel any sort of pain. Through their conversations together, Steve learns the differences between two types of pain. Physical and emotional.
The fourth vignette, "Getting it Back" staring Lily MacLeod and Christian Doyle and directed by Kimm Wilkinson is about a couple, Gayle played by MacLeod and Lendall played by Doyle. Gayle begins to break up with Lendall, returning all the "bundles of love" he has given to her throughouttheir relationship and demanding that he return her's to her. By the end of the fight, Gayle discovers that the bundles of love one gives to another can take all sorts of shapes and sizes.
The fifth vignette, "They Fell" staring Will Fraser and Michael O'Malley and directed by Tim Diering is about two co workers, Chad played by Fraser and Randy played by O'Malley, spending the night together drinking beer and complaining about how much they fail at holding their relationships. By the end, they both realize that some relationships can actually be held up. All it takes is a little fall.
The sixth vignette, "Where it Went" staring Jeffery Rath and Adrienne Montezinos and directed by Stephen Faria is about a married couple, Phil played by Rath and Marci played by Montezinos, are discussing their flaws with their marriage after iceskating while simultaneously trying to find Marci's shoe. Phil and Marci spend so much time trying to find out what can be done and try to find a sign as to what should be done. By the end, they find it. The shoe as well.
The seventh vignette, "Story of Hope" staring Kyle Linehan and Sarah Gibby and directed by Bob DeLibero is about Hope, played by Gibby, trying to find a young man after she abandoned him years ago. She finds a man, played by Linehan, and discovers a revelation. One that parallels that of "Where it Went." Love that once was, has now lost hope.
The eighth vignette, "Seeing the Thing" staring Julie McConchie and Jim Manclark is about two co workers, Rhonda played by McConchie and Dave played by Manclark, who have spent a long time having fun with each other and enjoying each other's company. On this night, Dave decides to show Rhonda an encoded picture of how he feels about her. Rhonda, not being able to see the picture, struggles with understanding what Dave's feeling is. By the end, Rhonda discovers the big picture and what Dave is trying to tell her. When searching for the meaning to something, one must simply look closer and closer.
Finally, one vignette, which was the Prologue, the Interlogue, and the Epilogue, staring Max Sklar and Kari-Lyn Mayne. The vignette is about two friends, Pete played by Sklar and Ginette played by Mayne, hanging out on a park bench. After Ginette declares her love for Pete, he tells her that she is not close enough (based on the circulation of the planet). This forces Ginette to walk away from Pete. As time goes by, Pete sits on the bench waiting for her to come back. By the end, Pete realizes that the farther she gets from him the closer she gets back to him.
These plays were very well constructed, well directed, and well performed. The performers ranged from laugh-out-loud funny to realistically sympathetic. They all have this touch of pathos to them that is backed up by the humorous dialogue written by author John Cariani. Each story describes what adult life in northern Maine is like. What works very well with the acting and dialogue are the technical elements. The set, designed by David Stawasz consists of rotating platforms that, while minimalistic, make it clear to the audience that this scene takes place in a local bar or the front porch of a log cabin. The lighting, designed by James Atkins, shine brightest, pun intended. The backdrop of the set, for each vignette, is a starry night backdrop that shine in multicolors and twinkles magically and romantically.
If you are looking to treat yourself to an original, live, romantic comedy, representing one of our neighboring states in New England, and expressing the highs and lows of real life relationships, then this play comes highly recommended. The Newburyport Firehouse's new production, Almost, Maine continues throughout this weekend, Saturday March 21 at 8:00pm and Sunday March 22 at 3:00pm.
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Sea Change Theater - La Duse: Woman & Actor
Last night, Sea Change Theatre Company opened it's newest play, La Duse: Woman & Actor, written by Walt Vail, Directed by Jason Schaum and performed by Maggie Brooks, Laura Liberge, Tom Kelleher, and John Meredith. The play chronicles the career of Romantic stage actor, Eleanora Duse, as she transitions from the end of the melodramatic romantic period in into the Modern period of live theater. The two major factors in Eleanora's life, that the play touches upon, is her love for the romantic simplicity of melodramatic theater in Europe as well as her off again/on again relationships with the great writers, actors, and poets in the same realm. Her greatest flaw being her inability to decipher love from passion, believing that she can live out her real life as romantic as the melodramas she performs in, until it is too late.
This play was beautifully performed by the four person ensemble. Maggie Brooks is gorgeous in both appearance and performance as Eleanora. Seeing her perform as the actor is equal to seeing Greta Garbo in Camille, as she begins as a dreaming romantic to an independent heroine. Laura Liberge, as Matilde Serao, shines as the strong hearted independent spirit Eleanora will eventually become. She plays the writer and her friend as the voice of reason in Eleanora's life. Tom Kelleher plays two of Eleanora's numerous lovers, Martino Cafiero and Gabrielle D'Annunzio. The chemistry between the two real life lovers, is both beautiful and natural. As both men, Kelleher shows a dominating and demanding presence whenever he is on stage. Which works due to how domineering both men were in their relationships with Eleanora. John Meredith plays another lover of Eleanora's, Tebaldo Checchi. One of the good men she has been in a relationship with, who didn't take advantage of her. His performance as Checchi comes off as both romantic and charismatic.
The look of this play was beautiful yet very minimalistic. The majority of the set (Designed by Aubrey Mueller and constructed by Paige Hall) was painted black (by Ivy Neff) and arranged close together to easily represent the many different locations throughout Eleanora's life. Every transition would consist of Eleanora approaching down stage center, illuminated by classic footlights (Designed by Simon Skymba), monologuing about the transitions she experienced in her life, and changing into costumes (Assistant designed by Ally Rush) that some would harken back to the style of the heroines she portrayed on stage. What stood out the most for me about the transitions was that, even though the set was minimalistic, the set pieces that would show the audience where the scenes were taking place were a number of different landscape paintings (Illustrated by Jes Banta).
This production comes highly recommended. If you are a fan of the Romantic stage period and wish to see an original production about one of the giants of said period, then this production will be a fantastic art piece to look upon, fall in love with, and sympathies with by the end. Sea Change Theatre Company's production of La Duse: Woman & Actor continues March 7, 13, 14, 20, and 21. Fridays at 8pm and Saturdays at 3pm and 8pm.
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Newburyport Firehouse - An Afternoon of Arthur Miller
Today was the one day only that the Newburyport Firehouse Senior Readers performed, "An Afternoon of Arthur Miller," a stage read compilation of several scenes from some of the author's best works. Such classics like; The Crucible, Death of a Salesman, All My Sons, A View From the Bridge, After the Fall, Broken Glass, I Can't Remember Anything, and The Last Yankee. The stage readings of these plays were segmented by certain scenes. Each play would only be performed in two scenes. Some of the actors who read through performed in more than one scene, sometimes right after another.
The Firehouse Senior Readers is a live stage reading group of individuals at age 55 and older, where their performers can sit comfortably on stage with the script in front of them with no memorization or acting experience required. The group meets for classes on Tuesdays for seven weeks and performs not only at the Newburyport Firehouse, but at Senior Centers and Assisted Living Centers as well. The Senior Readers are also sponsored by The Firehouse, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, New England Biolabs, and the Friendship Foundation. If you wish to see one of their performances or join their group, registar online at www.firehouse.org/srt.
I can easily say that I had a great time watching this. Not just because Arthur Miller is one of my favorite playwrights, but because of what was said in the opening curtain speech, by the group's instructor Charles Van Eman. He talked about how, after all the snow storms Massachusetts has been getting and all the classes they have had to cancel, the readers pulled through and made to the stage for their presentation. Those who remained with the group showed dedication to the show, and I applaud them for their determination and perseverance. This is one of the many reasons why I have so much love and respect for community theater. No matter how busy their lives and everyday routines might be, community actors, writers, directors, designers, and technicians will still show their dedication to their cause through the amount of how much work they put into it. As well as giving living proof of both my professor's lesson and mine; "Theater can be performed anywhere and theater can be performed by anyone."
Friday, February 27, 2015
Actor's Studio Newburyport-Collaboration: Weekend Writers
Tonight was a fine evening to go out and see a number of new, original, short plays presented at the Actors Studio of Newburyport. All under the name, "Collaboration." The evening was compiled of seven short plays, each written (and sometimes directed) by members of a local group of talented in playwrights in the Newburyport area known as, "The Weekend Writers." Each play had it's twists and turns and had fun with it's subtle comedy. Each one baring a unique twist on certain characters. Proving once again that the Actor's Studio never fails to deliver a great piece of live theater. This review will be spoiler free for all pieces.
The first play, "Pregnant Pause," written by Nadia Schmidkas, directed by Jack Rushton and staring Josh Paradis and Alexa Crawford, is about a couple, Frank and Suzie, dealing (strangely positively) with pregnancy.
The second play, "Bastille Day," written and directed by Jack Rushton and staring Sherry Bonder, is about a french woman writing on the back of old family photographs to her sister, Tildie, recounting their childhood and her relationship with her husband, Frank.
The third play, "It's Not You," written by Dina Crawford, directed by Sherry Bonder, and staring Julie McConchie and Steve Saks, is about a "couple" giving a living and humorous example of the phrase, "It's not you, it's me."
The fourth play, "Dinner Theater," written and directed by Charles Bradley and staring Scott Sullivan, Astrid Lorentzson, and Sarah Gibby, is about a playwright, Timothy, eating dinner with his wife, Tamara, in celebration to the opening of his new play, while also discussing his next play and puting the moves on his leading lady, Lilith.
The fifth play, "Generation Huck," written by Scott Sullivan, directed by Kim Holliday, and stars Alan Hulsman and Josh Paradis, is about the relationship between two different generations. Even though they may not be so different after all.
The sixth play, "Spice," written by David Susman, directed by Charles Van Eman, and staring Kari Cretella-Nickou and Sanford Farrier, is about a middle-aged married couple attempting to make a sex tape to help save their marriage, and how far they are willing to go to do so.
The seventh and final play, "Acceptance," written by Lawrence Hennessy, directed by David Houlden, and staring Kathleen Henderson and Nicole Blackwood, is about a grandmother and her granddaughter saying their emotional and powerful final farewell to each other.
This new works event comes highly recommended, not for the originality and humor but for the order in which these pieces were presented in and what the concepts are about. The true meanings of these pieces are based off of emotions and situations that may seem outrageous at first but in the end are very much human, and believable. What is more meaningful is what they chose for the first play and what was chosen to be the last play. With these two pieces opening and closing the line-up, it brings the flow of these stories full circle.
Collaboration continues this weekend at the Newburyport Actor's Studio, February 28th at 8pm and March 1st at 6pm. I recommend seeing this new creative anthology. If you are looking to watch a number of new original pieces that are funny, creative, smart, and meaningful, then spending an evening with the weekend writers is one night you will not want to miss.
The first play, "Pregnant Pause," written by Nadia Schmidkas, directed by Jack Rushton and staring Josh Paradis and Alexa Crawford, is about a couple, Frank and Suzie, dealing (strangely positively) with pregnancy.
The second play, "Bastille Day," written and directed by Jack Rushton and staring Sherry Bonder, is about a french woman writing on the back of old family photographs to her sister, Tildie, recounting their childhood and her relationship with her husband, Frank.
The third play, "It's Not You," written by Dina Crawford, directed by Sherry Bonder, and staring Julie McConchie and Steve Saks, is about a "couple" giving a living and humorous example of the phrase, "It's not you, it's me."
The fourth play, "Dinner Theater," written and directed by Charles Bradley and staring Scott Sullivan, Astrid Lorentzson, and Sarah Gibby, is about a playwright, Timothy, eating dinner with his wife, Tamara, in celebration to the opening of his new play, while also discussing his next play and puting the moves on his leading lady, Lilith.
The fifth play, "Generation Huck," written by Scott Sullivan, directed by Kim Holliday, and stars Alan Hulsman and Josh Paradis, is about the relationship between two different generations. Even though they may not be so different after all.
The sixth play, "Spice," written by David Susman, directed by Charles Van Eman, and staring Kari Cretella-Nickou and Sanford Farrier, is about a middle-aged married couple attempting to make a sex tape to help save their marriage, and how far they are willing to go to do so.
The seventh and final play, "Acceptance," written by Lawrence Hennessy, directed by David Houlden, and staring Kathleen Henderson and Nicole Blackwood, is about a grandmother and her granddaughter saying their emotional and powerful final farewell to each other.
This new works event comes highly recommended, not for the originality and humor but for the order in which these pieces were presented in and what the concepts are about. The true meanings of these pieces are based off of emotions and situations that may seem outrageous at first but in the end are very much human, and believable. What is more meaningful is what they chose for the first play and what was chosen to be the last play. With these two pieces opening and closing the line-up, it brings the flow of these stories full circle.
Collaboration continues this weekend at the Newburyport Actor's Studio, February 28th at 8pm and March 1st at 6pm. I recommend seeing this new creative anthology. If you are looking to watch a number of new original pieces that are funny, creative, smart, and meaningful, then spending an evening with the weekend writers is one night you will not want to miss.
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Salem Theater Company - Crime and Punishment
As in the Dorstoyevsky novel, the story revolves around the mental breakdown of ex-student/teacher, Raskolnikov, who is disillusioned by the way the current world is, believing that it is filled with injustice towards poverty, believing that he can be the next Napoleon who can cleans the world of such "insects," as he refers to the people. Believing that he is helping out his neighbor, Sonia and her poverty stricken family, Raskolnikov robs and kills and old pawn broker and likewise to her younger sister, who witnesses the murder. He is then questioned by the detective Porfiry about his possible as well as his current mental state and both his political and social views of the world.
The play is told through nonlinear storytelling, with flashbacks of Raskolnikov conversing with Sonia as well as her drunken father, the old pawn broker, and her younger sister Lizaveta. As the play progresses, we see Raskolnikof slowly slipping into paranoid madness. What makes this play unique, is the acting from the performers. Jade plays the roles of Sonia, The Pawn Broker, Lizaveta, and Roskolnikov's mother. Through these multiple characters, she expresses young innocents through Lizaveta, miserable business planning through the pawn broker, and perseverance out of tragedy through Sonia. Cope plays the roles of Detective Porfiry and Sonia's alcoholic father, whom Roskolnikov meets and learns about Sonia's life style choices. But the stand out performance in this ensemble is Nunez as Raskolnikov. He plays the murderous insanity perfectly and allows the character to seem multidimensional. We don't sympathize with him due to his actions, but we are meant to understand what drives a man to commit a crime such as murder. The production, itself, is performed in a minimalistic way, mirroring the poverty stricken environment that the characters live in, through the direction of Catherine Bertrand.
If you are a fan of the original Dorstoyevsky novel, or interested in crime dramas, or character studies on how the mind of a killer works, then SalemTheater Company's new production of Crime and Punishment comes highly recommended. The show runs from January 22nd through February 14th.
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Player's Ring - Rush
This story is told in a nonlinear narrative to tell the story of Belinda and Frank's journey, and though this method of story telling is not told often in stage productions, it is what makes the performance work. Right from the first scene, introducing us to these characters, we the audience are left with questions as to, "What are they looking for?" "Where do they come from?" "Are they running from something?" As each scene segues through time, a new piece of evidence is discovered. Presenting new pieces to the puzzle for the audience to fit together and discover the big picture in the end. The characters were very well written, and likewise to the performances of each actor in the ensemble. None of the characters end up being the ones they begin as in their introductions.
What amazed me the most, was the nonlinear storytelling and likewise to the time period and location where the story took place. Like the flow of the story, not many old western stories have been presented in this way. Likewise to how this nonlinear western was told in such a small space with very little props and set pieces, allowing the audience to pay more attention to the story and characters. As I said, every performance in this ensemble was equally great, with the exception of two; Kate Gilbert and Kyle Milner. Their chemistry as brother and sister is fully realized and completely believable. Both full flesh out their characters and bring to life who their characters are and what things either of them are capable of doing for each others own safety. Especially in a time (and place) where people discover things about themselves they never knew existed. And that is how a great play is written, produced, and performed.
This show runs from January 2nd to January 18th. If you live in the Portsmouth or New Hampshire area and are looking to treat yourself to a fine piece of theater, to kick off the new year, then I highly recommend going to see and support The Players' Ring's new original production of "Rush."
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