Masters Young & Old at the Cherry Lane

The Painters Project, Theater Three Collaborative’s new play at The Cherry Lane Theatre, presents a slew of fresh young talent guided by the wise hand of a theater maestro.  George Bartenieff conceived, directed, and appears briefly in this piece, but it is the seven young writer/performers who make this piece truly glow.

 

There is no credited set designer, but the lighting design by Alexander Bartenieff is deftly handled, and utilizes the limited instrumentation to full advantage.  The set itself consists of easels, chairs, tables, and all the accoutrements of a painter’s studio; at the top of the show it is piled in a veritable pyramid of wooden limbs, but it quickly transforms into a humble artistic abode as the lights dim for the first scene.

 

After a prologue wherein we are introduced to “The Old Painter” (Bartenieff, in a silent role that speaks volumes), we meet seven famous artists, who present slices of their lives as imagined through the eyes of our young performers.  Each painter is featured in several scenes, and if I have any criticisms of this show, it is that there may have been too many scenes overall; a little judicious editing could have made it run more smoothly.  There were a few moments when a good ending point was reached, and the performer would then appear for one or two more scenes.  The other slightly awkward choice with this piece is that although each performer appeared by themselves, they were often onstage with other imaginary characters; this wouldn’t usually bother me, but the imaginary characters in these segments were awfully talkative.

 

The first artist up was Salvador Dali, as performed by Sophia Remolde.  Sophia delivered a very physical performance, one that was at once grounded and expressive.  She seemed incredibly connected to her character, and as the evening wore on it quickly became apparent that all the performers had made very strong connections to the artists they were portraying.  Remolde’s Dali was a lot of fun, both in her physicality and in the warmth and humanity she brought to the artist.  Dali’s several speeches to his father were particularly poignant, as were the moments when Remolde donned Dali’s trademark clothing and mustache.

 

Tristan Grigsby was next with his incredibly moving Vincent Van Gogh.  On the one hand Grigsby’s Van Gogh seemed a little on the simple side, yet he managed to inject humor and not a little anger in just the right amount so that the audience could not just write off this particular artist as merely crazy.  Tristan’s body was taut with tension, as if he were a coiled spring full of gushing energy, just waiting to unwind.

 

Dinh Q. Doan finished out the  first act with René Magritte.  At first I was not sure what to make of Doan’s childlike exuberance, until it became obvious this Magritte actually was a child, at which point the performance took on a magical air, one that only intensified throughout the piece.  The specificity of Doan’s actions was delightful, providing a strong ending to a strong first act.

 

The second act was not quite as strong.  David Shih had some very nice moments as Gustav Klimt, particularly when he made his entrance into a meeting in progress of what would become the Vienna Secession.  Other scenes were a little more comical, not necessarily intentionally so, as when Klimt pulled a firearm on some would-be burglars.

 

Dara O’Brien followed with her take on Edward Hopper, which was a little subdued and dare I say lost amongst the action and excitement of the artists surrounding her.  Both her writing and her performance style seemed quiet and relaxed compared with the bluster of her fellows, and unfortunately she didn’t quite have the intensity or ability to stand toe to toe with the more famous artistes.

 

Francis Bacon was brought to life by Mauro Bossi, first in a scene that was almost painful to watch, involving Bacon’s abuse at the hands of his father, and later in scenes explaining how Bacon arrived at his own particular idiom.  Bossi staggered through much of his scenes like a drunkard, which made sense in the final scene, when he was actually supposed to be drunk.  To his credit, Bossi really blossomed in this final scene, making me almost forget the excesses of the earlier ones.

 

The play ended with Guenivere Donohue playing Jackson Pollock, and she did a wonderful job of channeling Pollock’s passion for paint.  Donohue delivered a moving performance, as well as showed her potential as a playwright with these final scenes of the play.  All of the participants proved that they are multi-talented, both as performers and writers (each of the performers wrote their own piece, after some inspiration from Mr. Bartenieff).  I for one am looking forward to seeing where these particular artists’ journeys will carry them.

 

The Painters Project runs May 21-23 & 28-30, 2009, at The Cherry Lane Theatre; visit

www.cherrylanetheatre.org for more information.

Flux Ensemble's Pretty Theft steals more than your heart...

Flux Theatre Ensemble’s Pretty Theft is a near-flawless production that kept me spellbound from start to finish.  Indeed, as the play ended, I found I needed several minutes to both dry my eyes and process the elegant beauty of what I had just witnessed.

A wonderful example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, each magnificent detail, from the heartfelt interweaving of the character’s lives in Adam Szymkowicz’s clever script to the powerful performances of the magnificent ensemble, from Heather Cohn’s deceptively simple set design to the near omnipresent sounds conceived by Kevin Fuller, from Ashley Martinez’s choreography to the vision of director Angela Astle that brought everything together, all of these elements combine to create an effect that inspires the spirit and dazzles the soul. 

            So many things touched me about this production, it’s hard to know where even to begin.  I wasn’t sure at first what to make of the space, with its white walls and unblocked windows, along with its preponderance of pink; I quickly decided I preferred this particular space for this piece over the usual black-box type set-up.  My next question was about the length of the scenes towards the beginning, which seemed like very short vignettes.  But as the scenes began to weave together, I began to appreciate the artistry of the writing, which dropped tantalizing hints about what was going on in ways that disguised what was really going on.

The story of the play is hard to discuss without giving away some key plot points that would diminish the impact of the play, so suffice it to say that the action primarily revolves around the characters of Allegra (played by Marnie Schulenburg) and Joe (Brian Pracht), her ward at a special care facility.  Along the way we meet Allegra’s “friend” Suzy (Maria Portman Kelly), the thief Marco (Todd D’Amour),  the boyfriend Bobby (Zack Robidas), and a slew of other characters & ballerinas (played by Candice Holdorf, Lynn Kenny, & Cotton Wright).  Every performance is nuanced and extremely well crafted; Marnie Schulenburg’s sometimes withdrawn but always-searching-for-something portrayal of Allegra, Todd D’Amour’s delightfully creepy thief of we know not what, Cotton Wright’s marvelous turn as Allegra’s emotionally detached mother, Candice Holdorf’s suspicious yet hopeful waitress, Zack Robidas’s hysterical delivery as Bobby the boyfriend, Maria Portman Kelly’s touching portrayal of a girl who sees herself as ugly and just wants to be loved by anyone, Lynn Kenny’s Nurse Ratchet-like Supervisor, and Brian Pracht’s beautiful, tear-jerking performance as Joe.  This ensemble could easily stand in the ranks of the greatest ensembles ever assembled:  The Group Theater, Steppenwolf, The Royal Shakespeare Company… and Flux Theatre Ensemble.

            The staging was simple yet elegant, utilizing the set (comprised of a central raised platform, a couple of workout bars, a pair of cubes, table and chairs, and some movable flats) in interesting ways that only deepened the meaning of the story.  Transitions were nearly seemless, and never was there the feeling of impatience one sometimes gets while waiting for the action to continue.  This was in part aided by the subtle-yet-clever sound design of Kevin Fuller, which provided quite a bit of underscoring to the show.  The lighting design by Andy Fritsch also added a lot to the sheer visual beauty of this show.

            Pretty Theft is one of the very few shows that I would wish an open-ended commercial run on, so that everyone could get a chance to experience the beauty of live theatre in a meaningful way.  And it could easily live among the best and brightest Broadway has to offer.  One can only wish…

 

Flux Theatre Ensemble’s production of Adam Szymkowicz’s Pretty Theft runs through May 17 at The Access Theater Gallery, 380 Broadway, 4^th Floor.  For tickets and more information, please visit www.fluxtheatre.org

Lost & Foundling; Kaspar Hauser Rocks at The Flea

There is so much good to be said about Kaspar Hauser: A Foundling’s Opera, it’s hard to know where to start. How about with comparisons? As I exited the theater, I overheard quite a few, from Ludwig Van Beethoven to Stephen Sondheim to The Dresden Dolls. There was definitely an air reminiscent of Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, most notably when the ensemble comes together for the final swelling chorus, which brought tears to my eyes and made more than a few people in the audience gasp. Powerful, powerful stuff.

This version of the Kaspar Hauser story was written by Elizabeth Swados and Erin Courtney, with music composed by Swados (who also helmed the production as director). Although being billed as a world premiere at The Flea Theater, according to Ms. Swados’ program note, she has been working on this piece for ten years, with a lot of people putting in a lot of time helping to develop it. And it shows. Although there is plenty of debate in theatre circles about shows undergoing “endless development”, there is something very satisfying about seeing a production that has had so much time, energy, and love put into it. For me, these shows are truly masterpieces, the only difference between them and, say, a Rembrandt or a Manet being in the ephemeral nature of theatre, the fact that the art exists only for the span of time it takes to present it to the audience, and then it lives on only in the memory of that audience. And yet, theatre survives as an art form, even through each successive generation's cries of “Theatre is Dead!” How can it be, when we are given such beautiful reminders of the vibrancy of theater as the work of master artists like Elizabeth Swados, Erin Courtney, and others?

But I digress. The ensemble of Kaspar was entertaining to watch, being composed primarily of Bats (the resident acting company at The Flea), along with reinforcements in the form of Swados’ collaborators such as Preston Martin (as Kaspar) and Eliza Poehlman (as Kaspar’s Mother). Youthful and full of energy, the Bats tend to tackle their material with the spunky enthusiasm of recent or soon-to-be drama school graduates, but this isn’t always a bad thing; along with the cocky attitude, there is a polish and a confidence that good training often instills, and the Bats exhibit both in spades. Perhaps it’s just the knowledge that they are working on some of the best material by the best creators under the guidance of the best theater practitioners in town.

John McDermott’s set was practical and functional, elegant in it’s versatility, and slyly subtle in it’s evocation of Bavarian aesthetics. The benches, tables, and seats were so very clever, as were the moving platforms and stairs, complete with choreographed brake setting. The lighting by Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew and sound design by Sam Goldman was perfectly suited to the gothic nature of the play. Normandy Sherwood’s costume choices were particularly apt, and the actors inhabited their costumes well; having performed in Restoration-era dresses, I know how difficult those changes can be, and turning the entire company from villagers to nobles in the space of a few minutes (well covered by a clever and timely speech) is no small task, but somehow the actors were able to pull it off.

Kris Kukul provided the musical direction, as well as performed in the small but powerful orchestra. The score itself was intense, with moments of sublime beauty; for example Kaspar’s Mother, played by Eliza Poehlman, had several sweet ballads that served almost as lullabies, a welcome counterpoint to harder sounds of the villagers or scientists studying Kaspar. Preston Martin as Kaspar did not get to show off his vocal ability so much as polish his acting chops, but there were some moments. The true musical star here was the ensemble, as they tackled a libretto that continued to build & build to its exciting climax.

Kaspar Hauser is a welcome addition to the canon of adaptations of a story that has captured the imaginations of many for almost two centuries now, as well as to the collection of dark and gritty musical theatre pieces we have been fascinated by for centuries, but which have only recently come back into vogue in the past few decades.

It opened on February 28th, 2009, and continues through March 28th, 2009, at The Flea Theater, 41 White Street (between Broadway & Church).

For more information & tickets visit: www.theflea.org

The End, For Good or Evil, is Nigh, in Johnna Adams' Angel Eaters Trilogy

These plays make me happy. Let me say that again, in case it's not clear: The three plays by Johnna Adams making up The Angel Eaters Trilogy (Angel Eaters, Rattlers, and 8 Little Antichrists), currently running at The Wings Theater and produced by Flux Theatre Ensemble, make me extremely happy. I'll say it again before this review is over, but I walked out of each of these shows feeling so friggin' happy I didn't know what to do with myself. Seldom has a theater experience left me feeling so fulfilled, and in such a downright pleasant and generally, no, specifically, good mood, and when questing for the reason, I had to ask myself why?

Which is not to say these plays were perfect, by any means. Yes, this was truly one of the most uplifting and satisfying theater experiences of my life. Yes, I feel like a giddy adolescent fanboy geek about to launch into a discourse on the timelessness of the original Star Wars trilogy. Yes, I want everybody I've ever met, known, or had any contact with to drop what they are doing and rush out to see these shows NOW!!! But why?

I'll start, as I usually do, with the scripts. While comprising a set of linked stories, each play stands on it's own. However, the full experience is so satisfying, I have to encourage you to see all three shows, preferably in chronological order, but see them however you can (although the third play does include numerous references to the previous two pieces that make it highly amusing). Johnna Adams' writing is crystalline; she is a real pro, exhibiting a mastery of craft that is refreshing in it's familiarity. Everything feels like something I've seen, but it's not; watching these shows lulled me into comfortability, then snatched me by the throat and dragged me into a completely unexpected place. The styles of each piece were different, sometimes completely so, but the world created was linked in such a seamless manner that it just felt right. Yes, Angel Eaters, being set in Oklahoma in the era of the Great Depression, did conjure fleeting reminisences of Steinbeck and The Rainmaker, while Rattlers 70's era characters sometimes evoked those films that inspired Quentin Tarantino at his best, and 8 Little Antichrists slightly futuristic end-of-daysing had enough pop culture references to make my head nearly spin like Linda Blair's (I particularly was amused by a scene riffing on the sci-fi brilliance of Ridley Scott); the beauty of the scripts are that they work entirely on their own with no referencing to what has come before (except you really should know about the Empire of Disney for some of the jokes in the third play to land successfully). Adams has managed to take an ages old tale of good vs. evil and make it refreshingly her own. And dammit, these plays would make a kick-ass mini-series on the Sci Fi Network, and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible.

Before continuing to rave on and on, and repeating over and over that I am still so freaking happy about these shows, I should do my duty as a critic and theater artist and get my complaints out of the way so I can move on to the good stuff. Since I raved about the scripts, I should point out that there were some places I wasn't as happy with, and it may have been due to the writing, or the acting, or even the staging, though I tend to think it was probably a combination of elements. While I found most of the second play, Rattlers, hilarious, there were a couple of characters and scenes that felt a little unnecessary. As much as I rail against needless exposition, in these case I would have preferred those characters to be cut completely, and the necessary info to have been inserted via the dreaded exposition, because the play kind of stalled when veering away from the relationships I cared about (more on that later). In general, the acting was at a particularly good level with few exceptions, and I tend to be forgiving towards actors who seem a little out of place (they are being given the opportunity to learn from those around them; yes, I was an acting teacher too at one point). Each of these shows has performances that are a little rough around the edges, especially compared to the polish of some of the better performers. At the same time, there are some actors that are downright surprising in their ability to start off seeming to be one thing, and transforming into something completely and delightfully other. The third play, 8 Little Antichrists, suffered the most in its ambition, with sequences that are very difficult to evoke using the magic of stagecraft; what worked, worked well, what didn't thankfully didn't detract from the rest of the show, and was more than made up for by goddam cheerfulness of whole proposition. Never has the apocalypse been orchestrated in such an obtuse way, but such a delightful ringmaster.

Alright, I'm starting to rave again, and I was talking about what I didn't like. On to what I did: the set, designed by Caleb Levengood, was wonderful, and transformed beautifully from show to show. The lights and costumes did their jobs, but the sound design sort of punched me in the face, and it was such a good pain. Usually I want to not notice design elements, I want them unobtrusive, I don't want to be sitting there thinking "that was a beautiful light transition", but in these plays the sound design was so important and necessary, and Asa Wembler did a remarkable job, not only with the supporting sounds and ambience, but with the selection of music, which can sometimes make or break a show (my apologies if someone else picked the music, but it was darn good, whoever chose it).

Finally, the acting: there were so many excellent performances, but I want to mention a few specifically. In Angel Eaters, Gregory Waller nearly ran away with the show with his nuanced performance of Fortune Clay; Marni Schulenberg was sometimes innocent, sometimes creepy, in the best possessed way; and Cotton Wright's appearances as Azazyel made me wish that she could have appeared in all the shows, a stunning combination of presence, showmanship, and make-up that left me wanting more. The Rattlers cast was full of brilliance, but the chemistry ignited between Matthew Crosby's Ted and Richard B. Watson's Everett was electrifying, the sorts of performance that can lead to an actor having to start memorizing speeches about who they'd like to thank; every line, every expression, was a pearl, and the audience was so mesmerized by these two characters that applause spontaneously erupted at the end of their first scene (they also managed to pull audience members out of their seats for a standing ovation at the end, a testament to their remarkable performances and the amazing relationship between these men crafted by Ms. Adams' words). In the final show, 8 Little Antichrists, Candice Holdorff had the lion's share of the work, playing six different characters, three of which end up in a Matrix-esque battle with each other in one of the most entertaining scenes I can ever remember in a theater. Jake Alexander and Joe Mathers were very much fun to watch as the convicts Thump & Fibber, and Zack Robidas was one of those very pleasant surprises, delivering a quite literally transformative performance as Jeremy. But the gem of the evening was August Schulenburg as the mysterious(?) Ezekiel; yes, he may have been channelling a little Mike Myers & Jim Carey, and more than a little Pee-Wee Herman (sorry, I meant Paul Reubens), but that certainly didn't take away from the fact that he was frikkin' HI-larious. His performance, his timing, his delivery were so spot-on I was shivering with anticipation for the next amazing thing that would happen while he was on stage.

Alright, so, all in all, one of the best theatre experiences... ever! You must see these shows! They are more than entertaining, they are Entertainments with a capital E! Congratulations Flux and Johnna!

For schedule & ticket info, visit www.fluxtheatre.org. The Angel Eaters Trilogy continues thru November 22 at The Wings Theatre, 154 Christopher Street

Thomas Bradshaw's Dawn at the Flea Theater

I would be remiss as a reviewer if I didn't mention that I saw this piece a month after working on Thomas Bradshaw's Southern Promises, directed beautifully by Jose Zayas, at PS 122 back in September; I tried to not let my admiration for him as a storyteller and wordsmith color my feelings, but I have to say I consider him one of the most exciting and important dramatists working at the moment, and Dawn is a prime example of why.

What starts as an intense character study of Hampton, a lonely, aging alcoholic estranged from his family (played humanely by Gerry Bamman), quickly turns into melodrama of the highest order when that same family is sucked into a battle for Hampton's very survival, and ultimately his soul. I use melodrama not in the derogatory sense of poor acting and/or directing of somewhat base material, but in the sense that this is a story crafted carefully for the stage, every moment heightened beyond that of the tedium of normal, everyday existence. Although there are moments in the play when I found myself wondering if the wasn't yearning for a screen treatment, ultimately the power of the piece rests in the in-your-face attitude and over-the-top intensity of seeing these human beings in these situations, with no place to go but space in front of the audience's eyes. Yes, this story could exist quite nicely on a screen someplace, but this piece of art works only in the presence of its audience, a distinction that draws the line between a morality fable and a trite movie-of-the-week, and places this production squarely on the side of art.

This production reaches that level of artistic excellence not only through Mr. Bradshaw's carefully constructed dialogue, but also through the able-bodied direction of Jim Simpson (also The Flea Theater's Artistic Director), the intelligent world created by the designers (Michael Goldsheft on set, Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew on lights, Brandon Wolcott on sound, and Claudia Brown with costumes), and not the least through the fiercely committed performances of the actors. While some performers were on stage for a relatively short period compared to Bramman's near omnipresence, I couldn't help but think of this cast as an ensemble. Drew Hildenbrand was electric in the role of Steven, Hampton's caring and concerned son who harbors a dark secret; Hildenbrand displays a virtuosity of emotion and changing character traits that pulls the audience from humor to disgust in the space of an instant. Jenny Seastone Stern doesn't disappoint as Crissy, the 14-year-old grandaughter of Hampton who has what some might call an unhealthy obsession with certain types of electronic entertainments; particular moments between Stern and Hildebrand will make the most jaded theatre-goer squirm, even those who don't have children of their own. Kate Benson plays Laura, Hampton's estranged daughter and mother to Crissy, with an intensity perfectly suited to the part; when Laura is cold, she is so very cold, and when she is raging, you don't want to be in her way. Benson and Stern share a scene about the legitamacy of incest that must have been a blast to work on, a scene that was as amusing as it was horrifying, and is a perfect example of the type of moment that in the hands of less capable actors or a less suited director could have made the entire production fall flat. Instead, we have been given another stellar jewel in the firmament of modern playwriting, thanks to the dedication and hard work of all those involved on this production.

This season is promising a lot, and so far it has been delivering. I would easily place Thomas Bradshaw's Dawn alongside a handful of others, including Sarah Kane's Blasted at Soho Rep and the recent revival of Blackwatch at St. Anne's Warehouse, as productions not to be missed this year. And if you are not familiar with The Flea Theater at this point, Dawn makes a great entry-point into a company that continues to offer challenging, insightful and inciting theatre for the twenty-first century.

Thomas Bradshaw's Dawn, directed by Jim Simpson, runs continues its run at The Flea Theater, 41 White Street, Tribeca, from November 9th through December 6th. It features Gerry Bamman, Kate Benson, Laura Esterman, Drew Hildebrand, Jenny Seastone Stern, Irene Walsh, & members of the Bat Theater Company. Check out www.theflea.org for schedules, ticket and contact information.

I'm back! Where Have I Been?

Just a quick update: My reviews stopped flowing as I began to get busy with my own work, starting this summer with the FringeNYC production of Maura Campbell's Rosalee Was Here, directed by yours truly, and continuing into the fall with various projects. I was assistant stage manager on Thomas Bradshaw's Southern Promises at PS122 in September, and went right into production on Sheila Callaghan's 13P offering, Crawl Fade to White, in October. Both shows were well received, and I had a blast working on them; in the meantime, my intake of other productions slowed dramatically, but I did see some stuff, and I'll probably get around to posting reviews of some of those shows shortly. In the meantime, this week was fruitful, and I will be putting up reviews of Thomas Bradshaw's Dawn, which just opened at the The Flea Theater under Jim Simpson's direction, and Flux Theatre Ensemble's Angel Eaters Trilogy by Johnna Adams, which runs through next week. Please check these shows out, you will not be disappointed in any of them.

Cheers! Go see some shows!

Must-See Theatre: Vendetta Chrome & I, Object

Alright, I'm still playing catch-up, and full reviews of these will follow, I promise! Between my reading of Connor Ratliff's excellent script, People Like You, this past Monday at Theater For The New City, which featured Danaher Dempsey, Michael Esper, Birgit Huppuch, and Sammy Tunis, and auditions the rest of the week for my FringeNYC production of Maura Campbell's poignant Rosalee Was Here, I'm not as on the ball as I wish about keeping this blogging thing up. Having said that, I want to make sure that you don't miss a couple of knock-out shows that deserve to be seen again and again (I would see them both again anyway, if not for these pesky auditions!).

Let me start with Adhesive Theatre Company's production of I, Object at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn, part of the Brick's Film Festival: a Theatre Festival. One more night only (Thursday, June 19th), this piece was beautifully composed and executed on-stage by company members Corey Einbinder, Kalle Macrides, and Jared Mezzochi, with support from a stellar group of technicians and puppeteers. A moving tribute to life with technology, and technology with life, along with powerful statements about our relationships with the "stuff" in our life. I have a feeling this show will be seen again, but for now, if you have a chance to get out to the Brick this Thursday, you won't regret it.

Now for Sally Oswald's Vendetta Chrome, running as part of Clubbed Thumb's Summerworks 2008 Festival through this Saturday, June 21st. If you miss this one, you will regret it. This is a script that has something going for it that all too few new plays can say: it's fun. Pure, unadulterated fun. And not in a sketch-comedy, Neo-futurist, Upright Citizen's Brigade way. Yes, those shows can be great fun for those of us in the MTV generation, with our Attention Deficits and instant gratification syndromes, who can only take our fun in short, compulsive bursts. Here, Sally Oswald delivers an entire full-length play that manages to sustain a wonderful feeling of wimsy, brimming with intelligence and wit balanced with pulse-pounding excitement and sometimes terror; with stellar acting by a truly gifted ensemble cast, brilliantly staged by director Alexis Poledouris, with choreography by Tracy Bersley. The truly gifted cast, in no particular order, included Jeanine Serralles, Tracee Chimo, Rebecca Hart, Caroline Tamas, Lisa Rafaela Clair, Sam Breslin Wright, Jenny Seastone Stern, Ginger Eckert, and Ariani Venturi making her New York debut as the title character, the innocent-but-oh-so-eager Vendetta. Full review to follow, but take it from me, you gotta see this one!

Cheers, and Happy Play Going!