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Play On Words is a new play by local playwright, Aubrey Nolan. It is jointly produced by Theatre Charlotte and the Yellow Bird Theatre Company, a new company dedicated to producing plays that deal exclusively with issues of sexuality and gender. The Yellow Bird Theatre Company is almost totally student run and managed. The play is well directed by Benjamin Brian McCarthy, who is also the Artistic Director of Yellow Bird. Kaity Neagle is the assistant director of the play.
I sat in on a dress rehearsal due to the short run of this poignant play, so I saw this "diamond in the rough” so to speak and didn’t see any obvious flaws. With a little polishing it is going to be a crown jewel that speaks from the heart.
It chronicles the emotional ups and downs of an insecure and gay young man, Colin McBride (played by Brandon Curry), from the first day of high school (at a select high school of the arts) through all four years; including his coming out talk with his mother and his falling in love with troubled, manipulative, Nick Emerson (played by Daniel Pietruszka). Both young men portray their roles excellently; Daniel with a twinkle in his eye that makes you want to instantly forgive him, and Brandon with earnestness that rings true whether it is angst, longing, fear, confusion, lust or love that he is feeling.
Rashon Murph plays Haley Fields, another troubled teenager with hatred to spew at everyone around her; hopefully she has a happier real life and is showing that she is a really good actress. Jessica Lit portrays Reena Smith–Jones, the chatty peacemaker of the class and friend and confidant to Colin, with confidence and ease.
The talents of this cast are reflected in the multiple facets of the characters they portray. The supporting cast members include: Dee Abdullah, who plays the supportive mother with love and lots of caring actions. Wes Turner IS the understanding, compassionate theatre arts teacher, and Megan Dallas has a cameo as a harried waitress. This is a strong debut for Yellow Bird Theatre Company. Review by Karen Lambruschi
Karen Lambruschi has been involved in theatre in South Carolina for over a dozen years as a stage manager, teacher, director and (under duress) an actress. She is currently on the board of Rock Hill Community Theatre and works in North Carolina in the entertainment industry.
Collaborative Arts brings their successful Shakespeare Festival from The Green uptown to the McGlohon Theatre with this engaging, polished production of Much Ado About Nothing. The play is a comedy that takes place in Messina, Sicily, and is about two couples: Claudio and Hero, and Beatrice and Benedick. As is usual in Shakespeare’s romantic comedies, the “course of true love never did run smooth.” These high-born people must contend with the rigid gender roles and social structure of their time while trying to find suitable spouses. What the play highlights (more darkly) is the dominance of men and the power imbalance that could easily disgrace and ruin a woman if her purity was in question.
Although no one would ever accuse Shakespeare of being a feminist (the word didn’t exist then), given that he was writing this play in the 16th century, it does have one of my favorite strong female characters, Beatrice, perfectly embodied by Elise Wilkinson as a witty, tart-tongued, independent lady, and cousin of Hero (well played by Leah Palmer-Licht). The two couldn’t be more opposite in that Hero has all the qualities desired for a young woman of her social station at that time: she is obedient, quiet, and compliant.
The story begins when Don Pedro, (an impressive Patrick Tansor), a prince, and several of his men return from a successful military campaign to visit with his friend Leonato (Craig Spradley, playing comedy/drama/guitar with equal ease), Hero’s father. He brings with him, Claudio (Chaz Pofahl, attractive/appealing), Benedick (Joe Copley, doing his best work onstage yet), and his illegitimate brother Don John (a suitably off-putting Greg Paroff), who is not in his favor. When they first arrive and are greeted by Leonato’s family, Claudio takes “note” of Hero and immediately falls in love with her. Beatrice and Benedick, having known each other previously begin to verbally spar to the amusement of all present. Both Beatrice and Benedick insist they will not marry at all, and a plot is hatched by Don Pedro who senses their affinity for each other, to get them together.
It all starts to go wrong when Don John sends Borachio (Myk Chambers, believable as a scamp) to have a tryst with Margaret (Ashli Stepp), while Don Pedro and Claudio watch from afar thinking it is Hero losing her chastity the night before her wedding to Claudio. At the wedding, Claudio exposes what he thinks to be the truth and berates Hero who begs her father to listen, but Leonato is as incensed as Claudio, and Hero faints. (Any shame for a woman is reflected on her husband or father, and dishonors them, too.) The Friar (Joe Falacco, in a good turn) convinced that Hero is innocent, asks Leonato to announce that Hero has died to give them time to find out the real truth behind the story. Ironically, it is Benedick, not previously open to love or marriage, who believes Hero and having told Beatrice of his love for her, supports Beatrice by agreeing to fight Claudio.
The local policeman, Dogberry (a funny Peter Smeal) provides comic relief with his malapropisms after the intense thwarted wedding scene and gets the truth out of Borachio after his night watchmen (Alex Brightwell, Julia Grigg, Christian Michelsen) overhear him and Conrade (James Shafer) talking about the ruse. When Claudio finds out the truth, he is remorseful and tells Leonato he will do whatever he asks to try and make up for his part in the fiasco.
Shakespeare, always mindful of his character’s inadequacies, doesn’t let that overwhelm the story in this comedy and cause an unhappy ending. The bad are ultimately caught and pay for their sins. There are deceptions, mix-ups, misconceptions, false accusations, misunderstandings, and mistaken identities that all play out, but are resolved to everyone’s satisfaction. In Much Ado About Nothing, the two couples, so different in every way, show what a conventional relationship looks like, and what a marriage between equals could be, which from the beginning of the play looks like it’s much more interesting, fun and equitable, especially from the modern point of view.
Although Shakespeare’s language may intimidate some, the director, Alexander Harrington, has done an excellent job in making this play understandable to the regular theatre-goer. He also makes it an immensely enjoyable experience by excellent casting, and directing the play to bring a high quality Shakespearean experience to the Charlotte stage. In addition, Alex Brightwell (Balthasar) adds his admirable singing voice, Allen England is amusing as the lecherous Antonio, and Greta Marie Zandstra plays Ursula and choreographs the show. The technical aspects are likewise excellent from the set design by Chris Timmons, costume design by Kendra Johnston, and lighting design by Trista Rothe.
This production is FREE, and that is some bargain! Don’t hesitate to get to the McGlohon and see this wonderful production. Support Collaborative Arts in bringing first-rate productions to Charlotte audiences. Review by Ann Marie Oliva
Ann Marie Oliva is an award-winning playwright with over 80 productions across the U.S. She is the producer/editor of ARTS à la Mode and a judge for the National Youth Theatre Awards. Ann Marie is a member of the Dramatists Guild.
Imagine approaching a producer and saying you have a musical comedy play about twenty-something, self-mocking, X-rated puppets; would he/she like to take a chance? Today, producing plays in New York, or anywhere for that matter, is not for the timid. Going halfway with Avenue Q would have been disastrous, but Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx have created a clever, entertaining show that provides the audience with enough recognition of this generation’s post-college plight that most will find it particularly hilarious, if sometimes achingly true.
How do you navigate your life after you (and your parents) have made a college degree the focus of years and years of your young existence, only to find out it’s not the magic answer you thought it would be? What next? That’s the question for the characters in this Sesame Street influenced show. How do you find a job/love/fulfillment once you’ve accomplished your educational goal? How do you deal with the let down?
You might think that actors in full sight holding puppets next to them would distract the audience, but it’s easy to accept, especially because of the wonderful puppetry and performances by the cast. Princeton (Robert McClure) follows his dream by rushing to New York City where his first shock is trying to find an affordable place to live. After starting at Avenue A, he ends up at Avenue Q. Here he and the rest of those he meets try to deal with the angst of their times. “What do you do with a BA in English?”
The music provides a background of simple childlike melodies yet is shrewd in using lyrics in the syntax of those growing up with unlimited possibilities, meaning delightfully politically incorrect and/or confrontational, with a liberal use of curse words. Especially amusing are: “Everybody’s a Little Bit Racist,” “The Internet is for Porn,” “Schadenfreude,” “You Can Be as Loud as the Hell You Want.” Because the words come from innocent-looking puppets it’s outlandish rather than shocking. There are also humorous videos that “instruct” the audience and add to the humor. The utilitarian set design by Anna Louizos is a perfect complement to the action, as is the lighting by Howell Binkley.
The ensemble cast is excellent across the board, with those manipulating puppets not breaking character, but rather reflecting the emotions of their puppets. Robert McClure plays the new college grad, Princeton, with a believable, naïve hopefulness, as well as playing Rod without awkwardness in switching characters. Anika Larsen brings wonderful energy to Kate Monster, Lucy and others. Angela Ai gets big laughs by going against the stereotype of a shy, demure Asian woman who defers to her man. Danielle K. Thomas, as Gary Coleman (yes the actor), keeps the audience from getting tired of jokes at his expense because she brings such good humor to the part. Cole Porter plays a likeable thirty-two year old still looking for himself. David Benoit shows versatility with his mix of characters. Maggie Lakis and others in the ensemble add to the fun when called on.
While some of the jokes can be crude, and the full frontal nudity (even with puppets) is jarring, it’s an evening that provides wit, originality, and imaginative soul-searching while making points about a generation told they could do anything, be anything they wanted, and that all are “special,” which turns out to be a huge overstatement. Not everyone’s dreams are going to come true, although the play ends on a high note.
It leads to some second thoughts like: if everyone’s a star who’s going to do the heavy lifting? Doesn’t the world still need plumbers? Review by Ann Marie Oliva
Ann Marie Oliva is an award-winning playwright with over 80 productions across the U.S. She is the producer/editor of ARTS à la Mode and a judge for the National Youth Theatre Awards. Ann Marie is a member of the Dramatists Guild.
This 1992 Tony-winning musical, based on the 1930 Gershwin show, Girl Crazy, adds more of their famous songs for a nostalgic return to the romantic, jazzy, tap-dance magic of an earlier era. The CPCC production brings both of the play's settings, New York City and Deadrock, Nevada, to full life on the stage--with fantastic sets and costumes, talented performers, and terrific energies.
We begin backstage with Bela Zangler (Gerald Colbert) and his Zangler Follies dancers. A young hopeful, Bobby Child (Nic Bryan), grabs Zangler for a quick tap audition, but blows it by landing on Zangler's foot. We then see the bright lights of Broadway, outside Zangler's theatre, with sparkling signs and a period limousine. Out of the car emerges Bobby's wealthy mom, Lottie Child (Elyse Williams), who fights with her son about his desire to work in theatre, while she wants him in her banking business--a drama resonating perhaps with some in the Charlotte audience today. Bobby is sent by her to Deadrock, to foreclose on an old theatre there (again ringing a current theme). He reluctantly accepts, also escaping his New York fiancée (Dionne Eleby), then day-dreams a dance with the Follies girls--who pour out of the limo to join him onstage.
The scene shift to Deadrock provides a radical change of tone--from New York glitz to the hot, dry, comical, yet still wild West. We soon see both the exteriors and interiors of a saloon and the defunct theatre--in elaborate multi-level designs by Robert Croghan, who also designed the amazing array of costumes. (Full disclosure: I work with Prof. Croghan in the Theatre Department at UNC-Charlotte. My son, Luke Pizzato, also plays Jimmy, one of the Deadrock miners, in this show.)
Faced with a mortgage they cannot pay, the theatre's owners, Polly Baker (Julianne Katz) and her father (Kevin Campbell), are offered a buyout by the saloon owner, Lank Hawkins (Michael Seward). They resist, of course. Then Polly and Bobby fall in love, through the Gershwin magic of "Shall We Dance?" And Bobby comes up with a plan to save the theatre by bringing the Zangler dancers, now on break, to Deadrock for a benefit. But when Polly learns that Bobby is the banker sent to close her theatre, she falls out of love with him. So, he disguises himself as Zangler to continue his plan and recapture her heart.
As the dancers arrive and teach the local miners new moves, Gershwin passions take over again. The clumsy miners are transformed into dapper tappers and the girls also become musical instruments in their hands, with a comical, joyous rendition of "Slap That Bass." Such magic, while bringing a ghost-town theatre back to life, fails to draw an audience on opening night. Even the two British tourists (the Fodors), arriving on the train, merely sample Lank's saloon-hotel and skip the show. And yet, the chorus and leads still realize an East-West rebirth with "I Got Rhythm"--and us as their audience.
After the real Zangler arrives, pursuing his beloved dance director, Tess (Emily Hunter), we get more farcical fun with the double Zanglers, with the miners rehearsing a saloon shoot-out, and with corny puns sprinkled liberally throughout the play. Of course, the desired audience does come eventually, with Bela's advertising budget, and true love is found in multiple ways through Deadrock's theatrical goldmine.
All the acting here matches the sleek sophistication and yet silly charm of the many musical numbers, in an overall blend well mixed by director Tom Hollis. The tap choreography by Eddie Mabry is especially spectacular--across the stage floor or on roof tops, a table, and gold-mining pans. Overall, this is a Broadway-quality musical, with local and regional actors, bringing high-class pizzazz to the dusty West--and to our Southern summer stock. The rousing encore at curtain call is also not to be missed; so don't leave early, humming Gershwin tunes, after the first round of applause. Review by Mark Pizzato
Mark Pizzato is Professor of Theatre at UNC-Charlotte and author of Ghosts of Theatre and Cinema in the Brain and Theatres of Human Sacrifice. His plays have been published by Aran Press and his screenplays, produced as short films, have won New York Film Festival and Minnesota Community Television awards.
What is an American? Where is home?
What if the law views you as "illegal" in the only country you've known since childhood? And threatens to prevent you from returning if you leave--or may force you to leave if the authorities find you? If that's the way it is, then you're in "limbo."
With this show, CAST creates a new kind of theatre for the Charlotte community, combining traditional Latin American music, singing, and dancing with a real-life, political drama in English, Spanish, and Spanglish. This can be a powerful mixture for Latinos in the audience who, like many in the show's cast, have backgrounds and current conflicts akin to those of the main character. Yet, many spectators who are not bicultural, or not bilingual, will still appreciate the story of Marie González. She is a Missouri college student who dreams of reuniting with her Costa Rican parents, while also continuing her life in America, but can't because they were deported and she might be barred from returning if she left--because of her legal limbo.
CAST also brought Marie González to Charlotte to speak after the show during its opening weekend. She explained that she's become a political activist to help the many others who are also in "limbo" now, as children of immigrants who were raised in the U.S. and feel it is their home, yet do not have the legal right to live here. As Limbo shows, her parents came to the U.S. on a tourist visa, ran a Chinese restaurant, and yet failed to get resident status. They were deported, but she was given a special, limited "deferral" to finish college--though not to stay for graduate school.
Others rallied around her cause, including Senator Dick Durbin (Democrat from Illinois), who is trying to get a "Dream Act" through Congress, which will give more rights to immigrant Americans who have lived most of their lives here, but were not born here. As González explained, her parents risk a 10-year ban against visiting the U.S. if they come to see her here and she risks the same if she goes to Costa Rica. Yet, she cannot apply for a student visa (to go to law school here) unless she leaves the country. Clearly, this is a Catch 22 in the current law, which likewise affects thousands of high school graduates in America, she says, who cannot go to college.
This is also a very timely issue in North Carolina, since our community college system decided just last May to ban undocumented students from degree programs here, based on the state attorney general's interpretation of national law. (The UNC system still admits illegal immigrants, but they must pay out-of-state tuition rates.)
Once again, CAST has transformed its lobby, as well as its larger theatre space, for this production. Murals with Latino images (created by Carlos Herrera Burgos) extend from the lobby into the theatre, forming a background to the stage. The audience is invited to join in a salsa dance prior to the show. There is also much dancing, guitar playing, and singing at key points during the play, with traditional folk ballet and brightly colored costumes, or newly choreographed movements (by Christy Edney and Brenda Giraldo) in the drama's transition points.
Marie's life story is framed by a tale of two college students, one white (Bob Glahn) and one Chicano (Juan Carlos Piedrahita) who make a documentary film, using interviews with Marie (Brenda Giraldo) and others--as Glenn Hutchinson used in writing this play. Some of the interviews are acted out. Interviews are also shown on video-screens above the stage, along with other dramatic scenes projected there. The multi-media, multi-ethnic, and multi-lingual mix thus reflects both the play's creation and the participation of many in the audience--as well as the cast--in its stories, emotions, and politics.
Many questions remain about specifics in Marie's life, including legal and political details, or about others also struggling for their identities and rights. Especially compelling is the subplot of Danielle (Cristina Layana) who fights with her co-worker Isabel (Elena Mateus) about whether she should marry an American to get legal status. But only fragments of her drama are shown. Likewise, Marie's parents (Frank Dominguez and Delia Rabah) are sympathetic but not fully developed as characters--when visited in their home by La Migra (Jonavan Adams and Christy Edney), then questioned, and forced to return to Costa Rica within 45 days. Yet, even spectators whose politics are different from the play's will probably be made more aware of the human suffering caused by a strict adherence to the current law in such cases.
Some of the actors in this show have more experienced onstage than others, but all contribute to an ensemble work with much to offer. Powerful emotions of real-life Latinos are expressed throughout the play. In dance, music, song, and drama (onstage and onscreen), Limbo celebrates and documents a pressing problem for many in our community, as well as an important political issue in this election year. With our current terrorist fears, racial rivalries, and legal conflicts, can the immigrant's sueño still be realized as a free American life? Review by Mark Pizzato
Mark Pizzato is Professor of Theatre at UNC-Charlotte and author of Ghosts of Theatre and Cinema in the Brain and Theatres of Human Sacrifice. His plays have been published by Aran Press and his screenplays, produced as short films, have won New York Film Festival and Minnesota Community Television awards.
Shakespeare Carolina continues their season with the ambitious production of one of Shakespeare’s bloodier plays, Richard III. Despite the nearly three-hour playing time, it is an engrossing evening. Hank West’s unapologetically nefarious Richard and Brian Willard’s charmingly amoral Buckingham are a fascinating duo and drive the play very well. The careful use of original music (by Jill O’Neill) and Cyd Knight’s artful lighting create a foreboding atmosphere that belies the utilitarian setting (used with little variation by both Twelfth Night and Richard III). This is one to see.
Audiences will surely find the labyrinthine plot a challenge, but briefly the play tells the story of Richard the Third’s rise to power through murder and deceit. The play is (for the most part) artfully cut down to its essence (and is still nearly three hours), so audience members should try to read the play before attending or at the very least download a synopsis. Some key characters are cut (though still referred to in the script) and some actors are double cast, so if you’re not familiar with the play, you’re likely to become confused. Still, O’Neill shepherds his cast well and the meat of the play is readily accessible.
O’ Neill is particularly interested in the women of this play, and through careful stage pictures and casting, this focus is clear. The women are the survivors of so much of the devastation this play portrays. Stephanie Howieson is marvelous as the bitter Queen Margaret whose powerful curse haunts the rest of the play and provides one of Shakespeare’s darker messages: sometimes revenge is enough to live for and enough to die for. Iesha Hoffman, who is equally wonderful in Twelfth Night embodies the horrified mother of Richard very well. These two performers are forces to be reckoned with, and they are a joy to watch. Carrie Anne Hunt’s (who is so lovely in Twelfth Night) portrayal of Lady Anne is darker and more raw than some might be used to. Though often it is portrayed that Lady Anne is seduced by Richard’s words (though he has killed her father and her husband), O’Neill and Hunt give us a woman who has no choice but to go along with whatever the man in power tells her to do. It is a study in the effects of oppression. Karen Surprise’s Queen Elizabeth also embodies this theme.
As mentioned before, Hank West’s Richard is strongly defined. Hunch-backed with a withered hand, Richard is universally reviled and his own self-hatred drives his villainy. West’s sly looks, serpentine glances, and his measured portrayal of a man’s descent into paranoia and madness is effective. His scenes with Brian Willard are particularly powerful. Willard plays Buckingham with a kind of boyish earnestness that is a nice contrast to his evil intent.
The rest of the company is strong as well, though some of the moments of double casting are confusing. Many of the actors from Twelfth Night are also in Richard III and I applaud their dedication to their craft and the countless hours they must have invested into these fine productions.
Some of the cuts in the play lead to confusion, especially the elimination of the Duke of York (young Prince Edward’s brother), because the princes are referred to in the plural throughout the play. Cutting such a complicated work is a necessary evil and insanely complicated, so this is a minor quibble.
Technically the play is elegant and effective. The costuming, though simple, is appropriate and conveys the information we need to know about each character. I particularly enjoyed the original music.
My sixteen-year-old daughter attended the play with me and said that Richard III is in her “top five” favorite Shakespeare plays now (right after Hamlet), and it’s easy to see why. With sword fights, intrigue, strong female characters, and one of the most interesting anti-heroes ever put on the stage, as I said before, this is one to see. Review by Tim Baxter-Ferguson
Tim Baxter-Ferguson is an associate professor of Theatre at Limestone College and Chair of that program. He is a resident playwright at Theatre Charlotte and has had his plays produced throughout the United States and Canada.
Having run off and on since 1997, Shakespeare Carolina has provided Carolina audiences with classic theatre, including last year's productions of The Taming of the Shrew and Hamlet (both performed at Theatre Charlotte). This year they are back (again at Theatre Charlotte) with a production of the bard's most famous gender-bending comedy, Twelfth Night. Once again, we are given a thoroughly enjoyable evening that makes Shakespeare's sometimes difficult language crystal clear.
Running at a brisk two hours, this production speeds through the story of Duke Orsino's pursuit of the Lady Olivia. Unfortunately, Olivia is still deeply in mourning for both her father and (more recently) her brother. Meanwhile, a ship wreck separates twins Viola and Sebastian. Viola, thinking her brother is dead, disguises herself as a man in order to serve Duke Orsino. It is in this position that both Orsino and Olivia fall in love with Viola.
The magical kingdom of Illyria is suggested simply by stacked platforms and wooden cubes. The simplicity of the staging is effective enough and does not detract from the magic of the story. In fact, it is when this production keeps things simple that it is most effective.
I was impressed with the comic lunacy of last year's production of Taming of the Shrew; Twelfth Night takes that lunacy even further and to even better effect. Featured in the play are Colby Davis, who plays the incorrigible clown Feste; Tom Ollis, who portrays the partying drunkard, Sir Toby Belch; David Loehr as the mincing would be suitor to Olivia, Sir Andrew Aguecheek; and finally the earthy Karen Surprise, who plays Lady Olivia's servant. It is this quartet that drives the energy and comedy of this production. The musical numbers are particularly inventive!
Also especially strong in this production are the performances of Carrie Anne Hunt as the cross-dressing Viola/Cesario and Iesha Hoffman as the Lady Olivia. Hunt is charming and plays both boyish charm and feminine wiles equally well. Hoffman is a joy to watch and commands every scene she is in.
In contrast, Jimmy Cartee as Orsino is an unusual choice for the role. With glasses on and a humorous, almost nerdy Woody Allen-like demeanor, it is a different take on the lovestruck duke than I am used to. He's not given a lot of time to establish this portrayal, so it was difficult to decide if it worked or not.
Similiarly, Joe Mertes as the other half of the twins is one of the more problematic actors in the play. Though he looked every inch the romantic lead and has a wonderful voice, his habit of pausing before many lines made it difficult to determine if it was for dramatic effect or a problem with memorization. (I saw this production in the first week and it's possible some of this will have improved in later performances.)
Though both the lighting and scenic design are simple and effective, I did feel the costuming seemed overdone. I would have liked to see the elegance and simplicity of the set mirrored in the costumes. I question, in particular, the fact that the twins are not really costumed similarly despite the fact the script mentions on more than one occasion that they are wearing nearly identical outfits. I am more than willing to suspend my disbelief (and happily) but when the “twins” have nearly a foot's difference in height between them and are not dressed similarly at all, it is difficult to understand why anyone would confuse the two—especially, and here's a big SPOILER to follow—Olivia marries Sebastian because she thinks he is Cesario.
All in all, despite these minor quibbles, I strongly recommend this production. It's truly one of Shakespeare's more enjoyable comedies and it's well-realized here. One of the strengths of Shakespeare Carolina's productions is that the clarity of the play is stressed and even those unfamiliar with his work should be able to follow the plot and enjoy it. It's important to support companies such as this, and I hope the crowds continue to grow. Review by Tim Baxter-Ferguson
Tim Baxter-Ferguson is an associate professor of Theatre at Limestone College and Chair of that program. He is a resident playwright at Theatre Charlotte and has had his plays produced throughout the United States and Canada.
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SIDE SHOW
Book and Lyrics by Bill Russell
Music by Henry Rieger
Directed by Glenn T. Griffin
Choreographed by Eddie Mabry
Musical Direction by Marty Gregory
Queen City Theatre Company
McGlohon Theatre
July 3 - July 19, 2008
Queen City Theatre Company presents their most ambitious production to date with the musical Side Show, which plays at the McGlohon Theatre through July 19th . The musical, which tells the story of the rise to stardom and maturity of real life conjoined twins Violet and Daisy Hilton, is a sheer joy from start to finish. It is truly one of the most satisfying evenings of theatre I’ve had in a long time. Considering how rarely this particular musical is produced (this is no Oklahoma after all), I strongly encourage anyone who enjoys cutting edge musicals to find a way to see this one.
The musical is minimally produced with a collection of different chairs, two chandeliers, and some hanging drapes providing most of the scenery. Still, despite this, because of some truly stunning costumes provided by Stuart Williams and Leighton Aycock and some remarkable lighting design by Andrew Fisher, the musical seems lush and spectacular. Leighton Aycock’s vaudeville costumes for the twins and company are particularly impressive.
The success of this show is dependant on the abilities of the actors playing Daisy and Violet Hilton. They must be believable as twins, convince us of their “affliction,” and have distinct characteristics that generate sympathy in the audience. Alyson Lowe, who plays the fame-seeking and more cynical of the twins, is wonderfully brassy and captivating. Sydney Shepherd, who is only seventeen years old, holds her own despite her young age, and creates a remarkably layered performance that evokes the pain and yearning the more innocent and romantic of the twins must have faced. The two are amazing performers individually but it is their interaction as conjoined twins that really sells the show.
The musical opens with The Boss, the seedy manager of some far off sideshow, played with appropriate menace by Kristian Wedolowski (though his accent did make for some challenging moments for the audience during the opening number) introducing his collection of freaks to the audience. The company is strong and impressive. Marcus Sherman, who plays the sideshow “cannibal” and who is deeply in love with Violet, is particularly good. He steals the show in the song, “The Devil You Know,” and is heartbreakingly vulnerable when he realizes that though he is willing to give up everything for the love of a conjoined twin, his love interest (Violet) is unwilling to even consider being in a relationship with an African-American man.
Soon after we are introduced to the freaks, we meet the earnest young Buddy Foster (played with bright-eyed intensity by Benjamin Brian McCarthy) and his partner, producer Terry Connor (played by Steven Martin), who decide to take the twins to vaudeville. This is complicated by Violet’s romantic feelings for Buddy and Daisy’s less romantic infatuation with Terry. Most of the musical is built upon the conflicting feelings of the two men and whether or not they can find it in themselves to ignore the fact that any relationship they might have becomes a threesome. Steven Martin and Alyson Lowe illustrate the tortured attraction in the dreamlike song, “Private Conversation.” When Buddy Foster agrees to marry Violet (simply to keep her from feeling sad), McCarthy, Lowe, and Shepherd present the comically perverse “One Plus One Equals Three,” during which Buddy leers at the audience, suggesting that his motives are less than pure.
The musical, despite its serious subject matter, mixes pathos with big production numbers, and though it runs well over two hours, flies by and was over before I knew it. Again, I encourage everyone to see this very special musical. By now, the fact that Violet and Daisy Hilton spent their last years in Charlotte is no secret. I would like to think they are smiling down on this performance. They have every reason to. Review by Tim Baxter-Ferguson
Tim Baxter-Ferguson is an associate professor of Theatre at Limestone College and Chair of that program. He is a resident playwright at Theatre Charlotte and has had his plays produced throughout the United States and Canada.
Theresa Rebeck’s script is smart, funny, deceptively simple, and director Ann Marie Costa and cast make the best of it. Ms. Rebeck is not only a playwright, but a television writer with many credits for, among others, the Law & Order series, (a show that has single-handedly employed more New York actors then probably any TV show ever will). So she has observed the actor’s plight up close. She knows that pop culture moves along quickly and not everybody is able to keep up. Take Charlie (Brian Robinson), for instance, a former sit-com star; he’s now a jobless has-been actor whose wife Stella (Allison Lamb) supports him with a high-powered casting job she hates. That dynamic sets the stage for the events that follow as Charlie runs around railing against the system and the fates for letting him down.
Charlie and his best friend Lewis (Dave Blamey), meet Clea (Kelsey Formost) a young twenty-something from small town Ohio who is thrilled to be in New York. Although her syntax is annoying to Charlie, especially her use of the word “surreal,” there’s no getting away from the fact that she’s a beauty, and men being what they are…well, hey, naturally they want to have sex with her, even if she is empty-headed or maybe because of it. Except---Clea’s not as dumb or naïve as they think. A hint may be that she turns down initial offers of a drink claiming she doesn’t drink because her mother is an alcoholic, and then accedes, only to down the vodka in one gulp--twice.
Lewis invites Clea to his apartment and starts to make progress in pursuing her until Charlie shows up in a rage about a former high school friend named Nick who essentially wants Charlie to beg him for a nothing role in his new TV pilot. It’s a script so bad, according to Charlie, it might actually get made (Ms. Rebeck throws this in-joke in for the many writers who often wonder why such dreck is produced while good scripts languish). Clea is turned on by Charlie’s explosions of bile, sensing he’s ripe for somewhere to put his “anger.” (By the way, early on Stella turned Clea down for a job, much to her displeasure.) Stella is stunned by the betrayal, since she has been the “competent, perfect” wife and grown-up in the marriage. She’s devastated by the thought of losing her last hope of motherhood since she and Charlie were planning on adopting a baby.
The acting is top notch by all as director Costa perfectly cast the play. As Charlie, Brian Robinson proves again what a talented actor he is. While the audience could be put off by the character’s bitter narcissism, Mr. Robinson gives him just enough humanity and humor to keep us intrigued and wanting to see more of his personal train wreck. Dave Blamey continues to show his versatility on Charlotte stages. His Lewis, more low key than the others, has the outsider’s view on all the scummy goings on. A basically decent sort, he tries to deal with the scene the best he can. Allison Lamb is a terrific addition to our theatre scene. As the wronged woman, it’s easy to root for her steady, hard-working Stella. Yet, she also brings an extra dimension to the character when showing her belated acknowledgment that her very competency is one reason her husband’s ego couldn’t hold up. As for Kelsey Formost as Clea, this pretty young woman (who is still in college!), has star power. Unlike her character, Ms. Formost has the talent to realize her potential. In five years if Clea hasn’t snagged a rich man, or made some kind of solid career move, she will be watching the next bunch of Cleas come into New York taking over her territory. Whereas, Ms. Formost has all the attributes to take her to high levels and keep her in acting for the long haul.
The audience has come to expect technical excellence from Actor’s Theatre and The Scene is no exception, with lighting by Hallie Gray, costumes by Donna Conrad, and especially the set by Chip Decker, all adding to the excellent quality of the production. The plot, while not an overly original set-up is interesting when viewed in the context of modern pop culture and the desperation/grasping/desire for money/power/fame, deserved or not. The dialogue is sharp, barbed, clever; a real avenue to success for the play. You’ll laugh, cringe, gasp, nod in recognition, but most of all you’ll have a good time at The Scene. It’s first-rate theatre. Don’t miss it. tragedy in real life. Review by Mark Pizzato
Mark Pizzato is Professor of Theatre at UNC-Charlotte and author of Ghosts of Theatre and Cinema in the Brain and Theatres of Human Sacrifice. His plays have been published by Aran Press and his screenplays, produced as short films, have won New York Film Festival and Minnesota Community Television awards.
Don't let the ticket price (or absence of tickets) fool you. Free Shakespeare can still offer fine acting, with beautiful poetry and precise gestures, even when set on The Green between Charlotte's big businesses and buildings.
In this two-hour version of Shakespeare's romantic tragedy about young lovers caught in a family feud, the key notes are all presented well. Despite the challenge of traffic noises, from Tryon and College Streets on each side of The Green's open space, the performers captivate their audience and use various areas around them as stages. The large fish statues on one side of the Green give a backdrop to "fair Verona," with a newscaster as initial Chorus, introducing the play. Groundskeepers in modern clothes (designed by Kimberly Pixton Millar) then challenge others passing through the park, picking a fight in the Italian way, by biting their thumbs. Elegantly dressed elders in the powerful Capulet and Montague families are separated by a Prince and his men in soldiers' uniforms. But their passions only increase as the young Juliet and Romeo cross these family battle lines.
A small wooden building with a balcony (added to The Green by designer Tim Baxter-Ferguson) suggests various locales, with entry and exit doors for the actors. It's especially useful for the famous wooing scene--with the real moon shining overhead to reflect Juliet as "the sun." The Green's location also provides a much taller skeleton of a building in the background, with moving cranes and distant work noises even at night, reflecting the patriarchal powers that clash with the lovers' natural passions.
Body-mikes help the actors to be heard across The Green. Yet, much concentration is demanded of the audience, especially with the tragic nature of this play. It's a bit odd to hear the actors' voices coming from raised speakers in the background--more than from their own lips. But precise performances, using the Bard's poetry to sculpt a wide range of passions, reengage the audience despite such distractions.
Especially intriguing is Robert Lee Simmons as Mercutio, with evocative gestures, poetic spells, and a violent wit--when speaking of dreams, summoning Romeo, or fighting his mortal enemy. Corlis Hayes as the Nurse also provides comic relief with expressive antics. Peter Smeal's Friar adds a ritual conviction to his role, yet reveals its perverse trickery, when he wraps the lover's hands in his rosary beads, while secretly marrying them, or when he pauses and gestures slightly to suggest the opposite of his line about young men's passion coming through the "eyes."
The leads, Chaz Pofahl and Greta Marie Zandstra, play the young lovers' ecstasy, fear, and suicidal passions without sacrificing clarity. Others provide many moments of contemporary insight as well. Catherine Howard plays Lady Capulet with a poise and vulnerability well beyond her years, as she tries to make her daughter conform to paternal decisions. Caroline Granger is an obedient, yet suspicious Servant and Soldier. James Shafer becomes a sneaky, hooded Apothecary, like a modern drug-dealer in the park. Joe Copley as Lord Capulet takes his belt off his pants, whipping it against the ground (and slipping into a Southern accent) to impress Juliet with his marriage demand. And Jonavan Adams presents an Obama-like Count, who aligns himself also with patriarchal power in order to advance beyond a woman's feelings.
Whether you know this play well or only by its fame, whether you admire the lovers or lament their foolishness, this romantic tragedy, in its current incarnation on The Green, warrants another look. Given the current idolizing of young bodies and their passions onscreen, while others pull strings behind the scenes, a dose of Shakespeare's poetic tricks might be just what we need to cure us from too much tragedy in real life. Review by Mark Pizzato
Mark Pizzato is Professor of Theatre at UNC-Charlotte and author of Ghosts of Theatre and Cinema in the Brain and Theatres of Human Sacrifice. His plays have been published by Aran Press and his screenplays, produced as short films, have won New York Film Festival and Minnesota Community Television awards.
If you're a purist and have the poetic verse of Shakespeare's Dream memorized, you may be scandalized by this musical adaptation. But if you're open to verbal changes that make the script more accessible and musical interludes that convey its emotional spirits, then this new version of a classic is well worth a try.
Depta and Peal, as set designer and technical director for this show, have transformed the Duke Power Theatre into a magical space. Rather than the usual bank of seats with a limited stage area, they've arrayed the audience around a circular thrust with multiple platforms, providing an Athenian palace at one end and a fountain-like fairy cliff at the other, plus forked tree limbs and trunks between. Fantastic costumes, wigs, makeup, and masks (designed by Amy Holroyd and Ryan Fischer) also run the gamut from ancient Greek robes, with bright colored layers and batik patterns, to furry, horned, and hook-nosed animal spirits. A puppet creature even pops up--out of cut tree trunk. Great lighting effects (designed by Stephen Clifford) add further magic, including a floating fluorescent ball.
Although just one musician (Caroline Firczak) plays the keyboard, Peal's music ranges from pop, with the young lovers, to operatic with the Athenian and woodland rulers. The quality of performers' voices is mixed, but the appealing variety of songs amplifies the many mood shifts and passionate twists in the Bard's lyricism--even while losing much of its original phrases and rhythms. Amy Van Looy provides the most powerful voice and sensual movements as Titania, Queen of the Fairies. But her spirit's force is matched by William Boyer as Oberon, the Fairy King, with his well-muscled form sniffing the air like an animal and his alpha commands directing Puck's tricks. Yet, despite her boss's authority, Barbi Van Schaick (one of the main chameleons at Children's Theatre) performs Puck with rebellious enthusiasm for the "play" of misplaced passions in the foolish mortals that she's manipulating.
Puck also finds inspiration in the Mechanicals--the bumbling laborers who rehearse their court play in the woods--as she watches them and decides to "be an actor, too." She then returns with Bottom (Stan Peal), the ham actor, transformed into a donkey-man, whom Titania falls in lust with, due to a magic flower and Oberon's vengeance. The young lovers from the Athenian court also have their passions twisted in a knot, through the fairies' flower power, with two men who loved one women then switching both to another woman, who'd complained that she's "as ugly as a bear." (Casting two black and two white actors in these roles makes the mix-ups even more intriguing.)
All is put right finally for a triple wedding as happy ending--and for the Mechanicals to delight the court and theatre audience with their farcical attempt at performing moonlight, a lion, a wall, and the tragedy of suicidal lovers (spoofing Romeo and Juliet). Bottom even adds a ballad about his dream in the woods, which is only suggested by Shakespeare's text.
Much is cut from the original by this show, especially in the jump from Puck's mischief to putting all the passions back in order. But, if this appetizer pleases, especially through its added arrangements of music and song, then the full course is still available in the Bard's script--but this is for those who are open to the magic of spirits at work in each of us during a midsummer night's dream. Review by Mark Pizzato
Mark Pizzato is Professor of Theatre at UNC-Charlotte and author of Ghosts of Theatre and Cinema in the Brain and Theatres of Human Sacrifice. His plays have been published by Aran Press and his screenplays, produced as short films, have won New York Film Festival and Minnesota Community Television awards.
In the tradition of the Capitol Steps of Washington, DC, Charlotte is squawking again this year, for the fifth in a row, with its best bird brains satirizing local and national politics in a musical review. Part Broadway, part stand-up comedy, and part Saturday Night Live, this show continues to sparkle with stinging commentaries and songs about the famous people and foibles of our fair city.
Mike Collins leads the group in introducing the review as his "Charlotte Talks" radio show "on crack." The year's news thus becomes fodder for song parodies and surprise lyrics, with comical illustrations projected above. The satire ranges from Nik Mackey to Eliot Spitzer, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, George Bush, and John McCain, then back to local names like Humpy Wheeler, and even to Kermit the frog asking for a "civil election" instead of vicious TV attack ads. There are send-ups of our new light rail system, of US Airways' Frequent Flyer program, of rednecks, of HMOs, of Starbucks' coffee, of the Whitewater Center, of our sports teams, and much, much more. We also learn about the whorehouse in town and the true meaning of "Morehead Inn." There's even a choir song, as encore, about our street names leading to illusion and confusion.
The costumes and props, designed by Rebecca Cairns and Ann Hoskins, are decorative and useful. The musicians are superb. And the cast is excellent, especially the voices and personas of Mike Collins, Beth Troutman, Bobby Tyson, and Alan Morgan. But Kashanna Brown, Kevin Harris, Robbie Jaeger, Carmen Schultz, and LouAnn Vaughn also bring a special twist to the musical horse-play at various points.
It helps if you know the year's news when you see this show, or if you're a follower of Broadway and pop songs, so you get the multiple parodies of media images, sound bites, singers and lyrics, political celebrities, and plots. But even if you're not, there's much to learn through laughter in this topical treat, which puts the Queen City on the entertainment map once again. Review by Mark Pizzato
Mark Pizzato is Professor of Theatre at UNC-Charlotte and author of Ghosts of Theatre and Cinema in the Brain and Theatres of Human Sacrifice. His plays have been published by Aran Press and his screenplays, produced as short films, have won New York Film Festival and Minnesota Community Television awards.
Is Jesus a "superstar"? When the record album, stage musical, and movie first appeared more than 30 years ago, the association of Jesus Christ with media stardom in a rock opera was controversial--even sacrilegious to some. So was Mary Magdalene singing passionately about how to love Jesus and Judas blaming God for murdering him as he commits suicide. But today the mixing of Christology and rock music is familiar to many church-goers, as is the idea of Jesus (or one of his ministers) as a mass-media star.
And yet, seeing Ted Neeley, who played Jesus those many decades ago on Broadway and on the silver screen, resurrected now in the role presents a new twist to the rebellious beat of this rock opera. Early in the touring show, his voice seems a bit hoarse, as if he's been too long on a dusty trail. Other details become strange, too, with this more wrinkled Jesus, such as Mary Magdalene singing about how to love him (though Tiffany Dodson's voice is still beautiful and poignant) or his own song's lyrics about "three years" seeming "like thirty."
But Neeley's power--in voice and body--builds during the course of the two-hour performance, until he becomes almost superhuman, like his character. He shows alienation and vulnerability, however, both as the character and as an actor, in relation to the different generation that's cast around him. Thus, this aging movie star, also eclipsed by his younger self in the same role onscreen, portrays our current illusions and yet persistent beliefs about godlike figures, secular and religious.
Pilate almost steals the show, too, in his main scenes--with his ominous dream about the Galilean and then his passionate questioning of Jesus’ desire to die. Craig Sculli combines extraordinary vocal power and yet a shaking hand in showing Pilate's tragic flaw of authority, seeking a "crime" to convict the King of the Jews, while also trying to rationalize his vulnerability to the crowd's chant of "crucify him." Caiaphas (Darrel R. Whitney) likewise shocks the audience with his seductive politics, using his very, very deep voice to lure us, along with Judas, toward a bottomless well.
Corey Glover (lead singer of the band, Living Colour) plays Judas in this production, as a black man with red-dyed hair, crouching throughout the show with the weight of his treacherous fate, almost a tragic, raging clown, until he reappears at the end, after death, in MTV mode. His suicide by rope also gains new meaning as a self-lynching, blaming God then and the watching theatre audience, as well as the history between Christ's time and hours, for his role as villain.
The show's beginning makes such references as well, with a slow-motion massacre of civilians by soldiers in ancient costumes, using large-bladed battle axes. Yet, after the massacre (but still during the wordless musical overture), Jesus heals one of the slaughtered, raising him to life again.
The setting is both ancient and modern, with mostly period costumes, until Herod's (Aaron Fuksa's) bathrobe harem court and the MTV-like "Superstar" song near the end, questioning Jesus’ meaning to us today. The set design involves angular, metal platforms and a background bridge, with hanging nets in between. Jesus and his followers wear white and light-colored robes. The Pharisees, soldiers, and Pilate are in blacks and dark purple, with flat hats or a simple headband as signs of authority.
But there are also spectacular moments onstage, such as the bodies writhing in a collective mass of suffering under a grey cloth, asking the holy man for healing. Or Jesus in slow agony on the cross (where Neeley shows even more physical power as a 62-year-old actor) and then ascending upward after death, like the Dali Christ. Lighting effects include the audience as well, in the spillover of onstage transcendence and in the complicity of religious, mass-media idealism--or raging iconoclasm.
Stretching from the Vietnam War to Iraq War era, with its movie star onstage and its superstar Jesus, this revival of an early rock opera offers many pleasures and challenges to our Bible-Belt audience. Too bad it only came for two days and not a third or more. But we can always hope for another resurrection. Review by Mark Pizzato
Mark Pizzato is Professor of Theatre at UNC-Charlotte and author of Ghosts of Theatre and Cinema in the Brain and Theatres of Human Sacrifice. His plays have been published by Aran Press and his screenplays, produced as short films, have won New York Film Festival and Minnesota Community Television awards.
We all have certain genres of entertainment that we enjoy more than others. Me? I’m always up for another rerun of an old (or new) western, film noir, anything Billy Wilder and some family fare and chick-flicks that would surprise those outside my family. My theatre tastes are not much different. I lean more toward Neil Simon than to Ibsen. But nothing can hold me in tighter grip than a good courtroom drama. I love them… all of them. From the box office champs like Witness for the Prosecution and The Caine Mutiny to some that very few even know about, much less remember - like Sgt. Rutledge which starred Woody Strode, one of my favorite African-American movie stars of the fifties and sixties.
But I’ve always reserved the top shelf of the court drama trophy case for Twelve Angry Men which is in a class by itself. The film has such an iconic status in my memory that I was a little intimidated at having to review a live performance that didn’t include Henry Fonda, Martin Balsam, Lee J. Cobb, E. G. Marshall et al. Come to think of it, Marshall also starred in my all-time favorite courtroom series The Defenders, which made all the Perry Masons and Matlocks look like little leaguers.
My preconceptions of Richard Thomas, the star of this show, were minimal. I’m probably one of a very small minority of viewers who has never watched a complete showing of The Waltons, the popular, long-running foster child of the movie, Spencer’s Mountain.
I quickly set aside any reservations about this production when we took our seats in the Belk and I got a good look at the jury room setting which seemed more authentic than I thought possible. Everything in the room looked tired, smudged and worn. Even the windows were stained and dirty, but you could still see some of the outside walls of the courthouse through them. It wouldn‘t have surprised me to see a pigeon camped out on the window sill. I had the impression that if this were the old days when curtains rose to start the show, we would have been so captivated by the set that we’d have gasped and broke into applause. (Note to myself: when did theatre start leaving the set sitting naked before the show without a curtain to cover it?)
That authenticity carried through the whole evening. I quickly forgot about Fonda, Cobb and the other film guys and became absorbed in what was happening with the cast on the stage in front of me. Aside from Thomas, the only actor I recognized was Kevin Dobson who used to be in Kojak. Like the set, the words were familiar, for the movie I had watched so often had obviously stayed true to its stage roots. And like the film, this was an ensemble effort with each actor getting several opportunities to shine. And they all did.
Unlike film, which lets the director use close-ups and camera angles to influence the viewer’s focus, this cast carried the weight of the story and the underlying tensions and prejudices all on their own. It’s difficult to single any actor out because (apologies to Mr. Thomas) it’s the work of the ensemble itself that is the star of the show. The script gives Julian Gamble and Kevin Dobson (Juror Three and Juror Ten) the most dramatic moments as they let their characters explode, releasing their deep-rooted anger and hatred on the other panelists. But other cast members were equally effective in letting their characters use humor, sarcasm or quiet thoughtfulness to raise questions or make points.
Although Richard Thomas’ Juror Eight seemed to lack the underlying strength of Fonda’s film character, I felt that his uncertainty about what really happened in the murder case and about the position he carved for himself in the jury room were very effective. It was that lack of certainty and his unfamiliarity with being the lone voice of dissent that made his character more human and intriguing. Despite his billing, Mr. Thomas seemed less a star than just another member of a cast that worked well with each other. That’s when ensemble theatre works best. And this was theatre at it’s best.
While my wife and I were in the parking lot elevator after the show, several of our fellow passengers were debating whether this production was as good or better than the performance they saw at the Roundabout Theatre in New York. We smiled because it doesn’t matter where or when it happens. This kind of theatre doesn’t come around that often, so it’s best to enjoy it while you can. Review by Don Cook
Don Cook is a retired film and speech writer who worked primarily for the car companies in Detroit and Los Angeles. He was also a founding member of two Detroit professional theatres and his plays have been produced in eight states. He is now a resident playwright at Theatre Charlotte.
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte celebrates its 61st season with the Ensemble Company as an example of the innovation that keeps it so popular with parents and children. The Ensemble is for serious high school actors, with instruction on various techniques provided free for those who successfully audition and work throughout the school year. Their selection for this May’s production is Blood Wedding, an interesting choice.
Federico Garcia Lorca, an acclaimed Spanish poet/playwright was martyred in his prime by his political murder at the hands of Generalissimo Franco’s militia in 1936. His work was poetic, symbolic, surreal, and avant-garde for its time, raising the continuing question about artists---are they different because they’re artists, or are they artists because they’re different? In the context of the play, several characters go against the convention of their time, and Lorca was both praised and damned for daring to write about such issues. It cost him his life, but he left us with powerful works that still have resonance today because they deal with universal (if out of control) emotions.
Blood Wedding, about a love triangle, is said to be based on an actual account of a family tragedy in Spain. A Mother (Brittany Kvitko), bitter over the death of her husband and one of her sons, learns that her remaining son’s bride-to-be is related to the Felix family who had a hand in the killings. There is foreshadowing early on as she uses a knife to cut food, and her son, The Groom (Luke Pizzato), takes it back. They travel to see The Bride (Abbey Spoon) and her Father (Judson Abraham) to arrange the wedding. The Bride’s former love, Leonardo (Alex Brightwell) is married to her cousin (Adara Blake) who has had one child and is expecting another.
Needless to say, anger and passions run wild when right after the wedding Leonardo and The Bride run away into the forest to be together. The Groom pursues them looking for revenge. It’s never explained why the couple didn’t marry to begin with, but it’s clear their lust completely overtakes them when faced with separation, no matter the consequences or what that means for anyone else.
Lorca incorporated music/song, dance, verse and symbolism in the play as the Moon (Julia Grigg) decides she will cast enough light for the pursuers to catch the couple. She is encouraged by the Beggar Woman (Judson Abraham), representing death (payback for sins against morality?).
Director Mark Sutton has put together an impressive cast although some gender switches seem unnecessary and distracting in the first half where there is more humor. Brittany Kvitko does a good job as The Mother with her grief turned to anger, or resentment always just below the surface. Abbey Spoon as the Bride is effective in portraying a young woman trapped and unhappy, but willing to risk everything for a few moments of freedom. Alex Brightwell is suitably intense and believable as a frustrated husband caught in a loveless marriage. Luke Pizzato navigates his role well as the initially naïve, happy Groom trying to please his mother, then the betrayed new husband. Elijah Allred provides most of the comic relief as The Neighbor and The Servant. Adara Blake elicits sympathy as Leonardo’s confused and very pregnant wife. Julie Grigg does a nice job as The Moon, and Judson Abraham shows versatility as both The Father and the Beggar Woman. The other actors, Arianna Knox and Justin Kennedy, also add to the overall effect of the play.
The set is kept suitably spare, though there seemed a few awkward moments between scenes. The second act is more poetic, darker in tone, and more compelling when Leonardo and The Bride run away, and works better in reflecting the power of Lorca’s play. The production is particularly effective here showcasing the talent and potential of the young actors as the passions that drive the story lead inevitably to blood and death for their characters. Review by Ann Marie Oliva
Ann Marie Oliva is an award-winning playwright with over 80 productions across the U.S. She is the producer/editor of ARTS à la Mode and a judge for the National Youth Theatre Awards.
I didn’t see this show the first time around at Actor’s Theatre and that’s my loss, for I get the feeling that, as with any classic piece of art, new nuances and insights emerge with every repeat visit…and often just as many new questions arise. So even though several things about this show left me puzzled, one thing was perfectly clear – I had just witnessed an extraordinary theatrical tour de force that I’ll remember for a very long time. Scott Ripley’s performance is so compelling, and his immersion into his central character so complete, that that I'm glad he took off his head covering for the curtain call so we could separate the performer from that character and all the satellite roles that orbited around her. Stepping up to a one-person show is a daunting enough challenge, but taking on a one-person show that has over 30 characters, covers more than three-quarters of a century and utilizes more than ten languages and/or dialects seems as difficult as trying to define the reaches of infinity without Mr. Einstein’s theories to lean on.
The central character in this play is Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, once-known-as Luther Berfeld. She is a transvestite who survived the intolerance and brutality of her father, Hitler’s Nazi Germany, Russian controlled East German Communists and even the post-unification skinheads. Under all those regimes, homosexuals and others who were either non-conformists or whose lifestyles did not come up to the mandated social/political standards faced the same fate as the Jews and Poles.
Wearing a woman’s black dress, shoes, and headscarf, Ripley’s Von Mahlsdorf introduces us to her life's work - a museum that holds her carefully chosen collection of classic furniture, gramophones, art and other relics from Germany’s glorious past. The complex plot structure hangs neatly from a single peg - a playwright is conducting research and then personally interviews Charlotte because her collection and history are so intriguing. A neat twist to this device is that Doug Wright, the playwright of I Am My Own Wife, weaves himself into the fabric of the plot as a character named…Doug Wright. Most of Charlotte’s life-story is revealed in almost shy tones by von Mahrsdorf herself, yet Ripley lets the pride shine through when she talks about her collection and her survival.
My notes, taken in the semi-dark of the theatre, include some of my favorite lines that showed how Wright deftly added humor to lighten Charlotte’s shadowy story but also to add details that might have been overlooked without them. For instance, a note about a skinhead raid on a homosexual hangout said simply: “The gays ran; the lesbians stayed to fight.” In another, a psychologist sums up Charlotte’s account as…”not lies per se, but self-mitigation.” And then there’s another character’s assessment that Charlotte “doesn’t run a museum; she is one.”
There are also two facets of this production that impressed me more than others. The first is Charlotte’s revelation that her home not only became the Grunderseit Museum, but that it also survived detection by the SS and the Stasi as a gathering place for gays and lesbians during the Nazi and Communist regimes. Any history buff or anyone familiar with The Diary of Anne Frank or Schindler’s List would be impressed and even astonished by that accomplishment.
The second is a staging effect that I didn’t see coming. Even though Charlotte tells us that her treasure trove of collectibles is displayed elsewhere in the museum, we never see more than a few of them. I am pretty sure at this point that she is a little delusional; that her collection is probably no grander than what you’d find in any well-preserved historical home. I was wrong. Near the end of Act One, the stage lights dim and little red lights (almost like votive candles) can be seen through the backdrops that form the walls of the set. I liked the effect because it suggests that there really is more to her world that we have seen thus far. Wrong again. As the performance winds down to the final curtain, the stage lights cross-fade again and reveal the extent of her collection. Behind the scrim-curtain walls, the little points of light have been joined by a staggering array of furniture, art, gramophones and other collectibles that far exceed anything I had anticipated. It is a breathtaking and delightful moment that ties up the evening’s event with beautiful bow.
Another of the show’s most intriguing features are the questions about her life that are left unanswered. The most important of these is whether or not Charlotte accumulated her treasures at the expense of her fellow citizens. She does admit that, under threat of death, she agreed to be a government informant, and records show that she often acquired the belongings of neighbors, friends and other locals after they were arrested and carted off. However, following the reunification of Germany, other Stassi records indicate that she gave the officials no information of importance and was dismissed as an informant. So we are left with that ambiguity and a suspicion that the truth probably lies somewhere between the rumors and the dusty files of a now-defunct regime.
In looking for a downside to this production, I’d probably only quibble about the length of the play. The first act sped along like a Porsche roadster on the autobahn. The second seemed to get stuck in idle occasionally and I wanted to get back up to speed. I’m not sure whether the problem is with the script, the performance, or this viewer’s sleep-deprivation, but my guess is that trimming a minute of two from the second act would improve the flow without losing any important story-points.
That criticism in itself is revealing, for I was forced to stretch a bit to find something to knock. The script, performance, direction, lighting, set design - and yes, even the costume (singular) - all surpassed my expectations of what a local production can bring to the table. A very nice job indeed by Actors Theatre... and a well-earned standing O from a guy who doesn’t do that very often. Review by Don Cook
Don Cook is a retired film and speech writer who worked primarily for the car companies in Detroit and Los Angeles. He was also a founding member of two Detroit professional theatres and his plays have been produced in eight states. He is now a resident playwright at Theatre Charlotte.
The original musical opened up off Broadway 26 years ago this week. I don’t know if the timing is coincidental or planned but it works out very nicely. This show is totally campy and fun to watch. Wish I hadn’t had a linebacker in front of me, but I had an aisle to lean into. Come out and enjoy an oldie but a goodie and have a very punny time.
The narrators are the three urchins named Ronette, Chrystal and Chiffon. (Do the names sound familiar?) These Doo Wop caricatures of some of the great girl groups of the 60s musically carry the storyline along. Played in order by Monica Williams, Kecia Capers and Tonya Rogers; these girls can sing!! As well as throw in some comic relief.
Mr. Mushnik, the proprietor of the flower shop is portrayed by Stuart Spencer who is normally behind the scenes but found himself in a role on the stage. The lovable, gruff penny-pinching Mr. Mushnik (think Mr. Whipple) is great. The nerdy horticulturist, Seymour, is played earnestly by Patrick Chittenden (a high school sophomore) so well that the shyness, ineptness, insecurities and geekiness of his character are consistent throughout the show. Excellent job. Audrey, the cute, sweet, abused stereotypical Barbie doll is played by Christina Enrico to the "Nth" degree. Christopher Brown plays Orin (the cad) the leather clad motorcyclist, Audrey’s abusive boyfriend and sadistic dentist and various other roles. Audrey II takes the combined efforts of Paul Ash to manipulate her / him and is given voice by Matt Corbett.
Ellen Robison directs a small but powerful band to accompany the actors. They include: Jim Duckworth on guitar, Pat Cray on keyboards, Matt Curl playing percussion, Don Jaeger on bass and Ellen Robison at the piano. Review by Karen Lambruschi
Karen Lambruschi has been involved in theatre in South Carolina for over a dozen years as a stage manager, teacher, director and (under duress) an actress. She is currently on the board of Rock Hill Community Theatre and works in North Carolina in the entertainment industry.
Okay, we’re back on track now. My now eight-year old grandson found time in his busy schedule to go with me to a kid’s show, thus saving me the embarrassment of again sitting by myself in an auditorium filled with kids, parents and suspicious glances. However, when I couldn’t give him much advance info about the plot or the songbird in the play’s title, he hedged his bet by taking his new GameBoy along … “just in case, Papa.” I like to think that this has something to do with his Cub Scout training of being prepared and not a reflection of the old guy’s tastes in entertainment.
The precaution wasn’t necessary. The Nightingale is a marvelous little show (less than an hour in length) that kept both of us entertained throughout. The kid enjoyed the story that was unfolding on stage on one level; I enjoyed the political insinuations that jumped from ambush every now and then. Nothing heavy-handed here; just nice little jabs that are especially relevant in light of the current administration and its response to global issues.
The play itself takes place in China many years ago. The emperor lives in a magnificent place surrounded by beautiful gardens. He has no knowledge of – or interest in – anything that is going on in the real world outside the palace walls.
One night the emperor reads of a bird - the nightingale – that has the most beautiful song in the world. Being a William Randolph Hearst kind of collector of things beautiful, he commands his courtiers to bring the bird to him by the end of the day or they “will all be trampled.” It should be noted that the word trampled was in the original story by Anderson and is used as a frequent, delightful threat throughout the play. When the nightingale is eventually brought to the emperor, its song is so beautiful that he confines it to the palace. Its days of freedom are over. However, it isn’t long before the nightingale and its intricate melodies are replaced by the song of a mechanical bird from Japan which sings the same notes over and over. Eventually the mechanism breaks down and the emperor is so distraught he is in danger of dying (I have some relatives that reacted the same way to Elvis’s death). Only the return of the nightingale can save his life. It happens, of course, but the nightingale (probably with the help of an NFL agent) negotiates an I-need-some-space-outside-the-walls clause in the contract before everyone lives happily ever after.
Just as I like the team concept over the superstar system in sports, I prefer a true ensemble cast devoid of star focus in theatre. That’s one of the strengths of this cast which played multiple roles with flair and skill that translated into pure fun for themselves and the audience. The nightingale itself was a hand puppet (well, really a two-hand puppet) that was flown and sung by Ashby Baker who seemed to be having a ball with the role. However, in fairness it should be mentioned that his rendition of the supposedly ethereal melody of the nightingale probably wouldn’t have made the qualifying round of American Idol, and may have gotten Mr. Baker trampled by all three judges. But if an audience can accept that a man running around the stage with feathers on his hands is a bird, they can accept that his voice is the stuff that songs are made of. It’s all in the ears of the be-listener.
Darlene Parker Black played the lead role of Emperor with ease and didn’t seem conflicted by the gender-bending. Stephen Seay (as advisor Feng) and Leslie Ann Giles (as the kitchen maid) complete a more than competent cast that not only handled several roles, but also took on stagehand chores as they moved small panels and furniture pieces around the stage when the setting changed.
And as usual, the audience frequently got in on the act with enthusiasm. Whenever the emperor would enter, leave or even change position, Feng would turn to the audience and chant “All hail the emperor.” The kids responded on cue with “The emperor is great!” and then they all giggled.
I found most of my own giggles in what was between the lines. Aaron Moore and Nicia Carla did a good job of contemporizing Anderson’s tale and inserting some social commentary without bashing anyone over the head with a political agenda. For instance, outside the walls, the kingdom is experiencing such a severe drought that fields are left bare. A peasant asks the emperor to release water that is being diverted from the river to the palace grounds and thus alleviate the drought conditions that threaten the kingdom. The advisors assure the emperor that the rumors of a drought are exaggerated and that giving water to the farmers would mean that the palace fountains would go dry and the beauty of the grounds would be diminished. The farmers do not get their water. Another citizen requests more books so the children of the kingdom can be better educated. The request is overridden when an advisor convinces the emperor that there are not enough funds in the treasury for both books and swords. Swords win; books lose. Sounded sadly familiar…and so, right on.
Now I do have to admit that there was a bit of stage business that was very nice theatrically but which I didn’t really get. When the nightingale would sing, a wide piece of sheer fabric would come from his mouth and into the hands of the listeners on stage. Did the fabric represent the melody? Or love? Or…? During the talk-back session afterwards, I was tempted to ask the cast about the fabric but didn’t want to be the only adult with a question. Especially when the answer might be so obvious to everyone that I could be in danger of being trampled by the cast and audience. I was equally sure my grandson wouldn’t voice my question for me, so I settled for asking a woman who was exiting with us. She said she didn’t know either but thought it might represent the love of the music. I should have asked the cast.
Anyway, my grandson’s GameBoy never got used until we were back in the car because the kid was into the show from the opening scene. He even turned to me once mid-performance and said, “Papa, I really like this. “ When we were driving home he said liked The Nightingale better than The Commedia Pied Piper. That’s high praise indeed because that has been the benchmark he measures all shows by. And I wouldn’t argue with his judgment. This Nightingale is a keeper. Review by Don Cook
Don Cook is a retired film and speech writer who worked primarily for the car companies in Detroit and Los Angeles. He was also a founding member of two Detroit professional theatres and his plays have been produced in eight states. He is now a resident playwright at Theatre Charlotte.
Even though The Miracle Worker is over fifty years old from when it was first produced for television, it still has the power to move an audience. This is especially true when two very good directors are at the helm. Corlis Hayes and Corey Mitchell, though they are hampered by the odd stage dimensions of Pease Auditorium (soon to be renovated); they have obviously worked hard with their cast to bring the play to life.
The fact that everyone knows the story of Helen Keller doesn’t diminish the heartfelt performances of the lead actors. Full credit and kudos go to both Amanda Berkowitz as Helen Keller, and Courtney Wright as Annie Sullivan who do a terrific job individually, and together. One can only imagine the hours of rehearsal to get the timing and choreography of their “dinner” scene to look as natural as it does. Tony Wright, fight choreographer, has done an impressive job with that aspect of the show.
The large cast all do their best with Samantha Driver the most convincing as Helen’s mother Kate who loves her disabled daughter in a heartbreaking way that parents will understand. Even Maggie the dog gives some character to the proceedings.
It’s difficult to imagine now, but Annie Sullivan was only twenty when she first worked with Helen Keller. Her own deprived, desperate childhood gave her the wisdom to know that Helen needed discipline first and not pity to make the most of her life. Their inspiring story is well worth our time and consideration. Review by Ann Marie Oliva
Ann Marie Oliva is an award-winning playwright with over 80 productions across the U.S. She is the producer/editor of ARTS à la Mode and a judge for the National Youth Theatre Awards.
Gone With the Wind, a dud? That’s what David O. Selznick believed three weeks into filming the adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s famous novel. Based on “true events” Moonlight and Magnolias is a behind-the-scenes show biz story of the obsessive Selznick’s efforts to save the movie, and himself, from ruin. As the play begins, Selznick has fired George Cukor, replacing him with Victor Fleming who is pulled off The Wizard of Oz. He also calls in his friend, the playwright and former newspaper man Ben Hecht, to rewrite the script. The problem? Hecht’s never read the book. Selznick calls in his chips with Hecht and strong arms him by sheer force of will to help him. The three are locked in his office for five days with Selznick and the former macho chauffeur Fleming acting out the book as Hecht types a new screenplay. The set-up is inherently funny. The problem comes with the expectation that the play is “hilarious.”
Though billed as a comedy, the play is really a comedy/drama that tends to get heavy-handed at times. Discussions of the Hollywood treatment of Jews who run the studios but can’t join the country clubs; racism of the South that is accurately portrayed in this novel epic melodrama; who/what makes the movies successful as the producer/director/writer each pleads his case are all debated in between the fast paced comedy.
Director Ron Bashford draws good work from the ensemble cast, especially Scott Treadway as the manic, go-for-broke producer Selznick. Charles McIver’s contrast showing the tough director Fleming throwing his weight around and then acting out his “birthing” scenes are some of the funniest in the show. Willie Repoley is more effective when Hecht intellectualizes about the prejudices of Hollywood towards Jews and African-Americans rather than showing the cynical, rough-edged reporter turned script doctor, which reflects the more pragmatic side of his character. Lauren Fortuna has a nice character arc as the initially calm, servile secretary turned flustered, frustrated professional assistant trying to meet the crazy boss’ every demand.
North Carolina Stage Company brings a welcome professionalism to the Charlotte stage. The technical elements of the show: set by Rob Bowen, lighting design by Keith Kirkland, sound design by Hans Meyer, costume design by Deborah Austin are all well done. Moonlight and Magnolias is an entertaining comic back story of “old Hollywood” and one of our most revered movies that, incidentally, won eight academy awards including one for Selznick and one for Fleming. Ben Hecht chose not to be credited and someone else won for adapted screenplay for the movie. That’s Hollywood for you… Review by Ann Marie Oliva
Ann Marie Oliva is an award-winning playwright with over 80 productions across the U.S. She is the producer/editor of ARTS à la Mode and a judge for the National Youth Theatre Awards.
Okay, so I went to this kids’ show alone. Again. That’s twice in a row. And the only explanation I have is that both my grandson and his mom are sorely in need of PDAs. Despite advance notice, this soon-to-be 8-year-old kid’s afterschool calendar was over-booked with a baseball practice, birthday party at a judo dojo (cool!) and a sleep-over with some teammates who were playing in a Saturday soccer tournament. All of these items had higher priority than going with Grampa to the theatre. But he did say he wanted to see the show, so I said I’d swap tickets to a night when his social calendar was more flexible. I struck out because this show is sold out for the next two weeks. I settled with a promise to buy some tickets to the third week, and I headed for ImaginOn alone. And feeling again that no adult should go to a children’s theatre performance without being escorted by a much shorter, much younger companion. This was going to be a downer if there ever was one.
Boy, was I wrong. This show was so much of an upper that it seemed a shame to waste it on kids. But kids were there aplenty. In fact, the place was packed to the walls with kids and parents who themselves appeared to be too young to remember the 70’s show on ABC TV which introduced a unique concept: let’s make learning enjoyable by writing clever lyrics and wrapping them in a rock-and-roll package that kids can sing and dance to.
I’m not sure how closely the TV show stuck to real rock-and-roll music, but I do know that the stage show I saw last night had more jazz and blues numbers than rock. The kids and parents around me didn’t seem to notice the discrepancy…or maybe they just didn’t care because they were having so much fun. Why quibble about terminology when lessons about multiplication tables, grammar, history, civics and science are all heading for the dance floor and the playground. The songs were great and the kids in the audience jumped right in. I loved the word play on the parts-of-speech songs like Verb: That’s what’s Happening, or A Noun Is a Person Place Or Thing, or Conjunction Junction, and others which were all cleverly written and performed. But what surprised me the most was the audience reaction that followed the gospel-rock rendition of Preamble to The Constitution. That’s right; the cast sang and danced The Preamble. When they finished, the two little girls in front of me were clapping and cheering louder than their mothers. And so did kids all over the auditorium. In other words, they got it! And so did I. I teared up (my wife could have predicted that one) and I can see some hope for the next generation after all.
And so it went--a simple, highly entertaining show that involved audience participation, simple costume changes, props, even roller skates and shopping carts to provide added interest. The sets and lighting were also simple and imaginative, helping to move the flimsy plot lines from one song to another. But most of these devices were not needed because what worked on TV thirty years ago worked even better today. A great deal of the credit for that is due to the enthusiastic performance of the six-person cast that went all-out to see who could wow the audience the most: Caroline Bower, Kashanna Brown, Nicia Carla, Robbie Jaeger, Lawrence Levine, Mark Sutton. If I had to select a favorite performer, I couldn’t; they worked so well as a team that I wouldn’t do them that disservice.
From opening curtain to final bows, this blast from the past show energized everyone in the opening night audience. Well, let me hedge that statement a little. About two rows down and five seats to my left, there was a grumpy looking dad guy and his kid sitting glumly and expressionless through the whole evening. I suspect that they had not behaved well at home and the McColl theatre was their time-out chair. They were the first to head out the door and down the ramp when the show was over.
The rest of us stayed behind to give the cast a well-deserved standing O. Review by Don Cook
Don Cook is a retired film and speech writer who worked primarily for the car companies in Detroit and Los Angeles. He was also a founding member of two Detroit professional theatres and his plays have been produced in eight states. He is now a resident playwright at Theatre Charlotte.
Actor's Theatre of Charlotte offers here a behind the screens look at the gay side of Hollywood. Not "gay" as in the merriness of a classic, black and white movie. But rather, you know, like the rumors about Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes being so "happy" together--for other reasons.
The ATC set, designed by Stan Peal, suggests this immediately with classic commercial icons imprinted on the walls, like Warhol prints, but with a large bedroom center stage--gray bed cover and gray carpet--along with side areas for further locations and angles of insight. (A central, upper platform also flips over, near the end, to reveal airplane seats for one character's escape from the hypocrisy of the other scenes.) The play is structured with many inner monologues and extended asides by various characters, involving the audience directly and ironically in their passions and ploys. The main mood of this "edgy comedy," as one character reflects, is snide humor--with romantic hopes of honesty and true love returning to the cynical, yet practical motto of laughing through the tears.
There's fine acting from all corners, especially by Brian Robinson as Mitchell, the rising celebrity, and Kim Cozort as Diane, his crafty agent-manager who pretends to be his girlfriend, but loves him in a much more intimate way as her protégé and potential mega-star. The twist comes when Mitchell meets Alex (Ian Bond), a younger, bisexual, male prostitute who brings out the star's desire to have a long-term boyfriend, or just a "date," in public. Alex also has a girlfriend, the boarding-school party-girl, Ellen (Glynnis O'Donoghue). But his love for Mitchell eventually grows beyond his connection to Ellen--while something else grows inside her. Even more ironically, Diane is wheedling and dealing to get a hit play about gay romance turned into a similar movie starring Mitchell. Yet this can only happen--as a major Hollywood picture, not just an art film--if Mitchell still appears to be straight. So, Diane comes up with an ingenious solution and proposes it to all three--as an alternative to the hush money.
Funny twists and witty lines abound in this play. But in the end, the joke's on us. We're the ones who idolize the Hollywood stars and force them to be false--in order to fill up our dreams with them, as ideal beauties, and yet also tear them down, through malicious gossip, scandalous photos, and tabloid lies. The soap-opera plot of this play, with its mostly superficial characters and their many quips, thus touches on many sore spots in our current mass-mediated lives--even while we, as little dogs, laugh at the dish running away with the spoon. Of course, for those little dogs in the audience who must also wear masks in their everyday lives, there's another level of poignancy here as well. Review by Mark Pizzato
Mark Pizzato is Professor of Theatre at UNC-Charlotte and author of Ghosts of Theatre and Cinema in the Brain and Theatres of Human Sacrifice. His plays have been published by Aran Press and his screenplays, produced as short films, have won New York Film Festival and Minnesota Community Television awards.
CAST offers a unique experience with this play--to go inside the virtual mind of a chat-room trickster. The theatre's entryway and lobby, as well as its stage space, have been redesigned with computer circuits, mouse devices, keyboard letters, and video screens. But the actors do even more to embody the dangerous wizardry of the web, under the able direction of Paige Johnston Thomas--involving also the multimedia wonders created by her husband, Jay Thomas.
One of the best actors in town, Robert L. Simmons, plays the lead in this dark comedy. (He also designed the play's fantastic set.) As Nick, he guides us through the desires of online chat-room users, selecting one, named Adam, because of his innocent purity--to tempt toward perdition. In his Mephistophelian role, Simmons charms and teases the audience, until we become complicit in the "dark play" of Web masks and plot spinning.
Nick uses the Web to convince Adam (Robert Crozier) that he's met the perfect girl, Rachel. But she's a fiction, co-created by the two men through lines of dialogue, projected on screens over the audience, and yet also played with stunning beauty, both real and manufactured, by Jennifer Barnette onstage.
Meanwhile, Nick is repeatedly questioned by his new girlfriend, Molly (Sarah Provencal), who wants to know about the scars on his stomach--after their passion has been consummated. But this dark secret from Nick's past is not revealed until it is acting out again in the present of his Web dream/memory at the climax of the play.
The interplay of theatre and Web, actors and spectators, is further reflected with scenes of Nick's high school drama teacher, Ms. Spiegel (Cynthia Farbman), inspiring her students with the idea of "dark play" as a game where only some of the players know it's not real. (Ms. Farbman also plays Nick's mother, giving us insights as to why his bisexual desires become so cruel toward those he loves, both virtual and real, and toward himself as well.)
Various other characters (played by Tamara Ivins, Kristy Morley, Lamar Wilson, and Matthew Melton) emerge through the devilish tricks that Nick plays on Adam, such as a mafia-like step-dad, Capisce 911, and a "Special Victims Unit" cop, derived from the Law and Order TV show. But all of them eventually prove to exist only in the collective dream/memory space of this theatre within the Web, or Web within a theatre, which brain circuits in the audience also create--if they choose to connect and play. Review by Mark Pizzato
Mark Pizzato is Professor of Theatre at UNC-Charlotte and author of Ghosts of Theatre and Cinema in the Brain and Theatres of Human Sacrifice. His plays have been published by Aran Press and his screenplays, produced as short films, have won New York Film Festival and Minnesota Community Television awards.
Wicked is so clever at every turn you can’t help but be swept away by the real magic created by the talented cast, musicians, and technical crew of the show. Gregory Maguire gets credit for the idea of using one of pop cultures most compelling stories to craft a whole new mythology with this narrative about the Witches of Oz. The music, lyrics, superior singing, choreography, dialogue, costumes, sets, lighting, etc., work to make it a perfect blend of all things enchanted and fantastic.
The story begins with Glinda (a wonderful Katie Rose Clarke) descending in her “bubble” to calm the people of Oz after the Wicked Witch of the West, better known as Elphaba (an equally wonderful Carmen Cusack) has died. The town’s people confront her about rumors of their friendship, and she tells the story in flashback beginning with how Elphaba got her unfortunate green skin tone. Of course, in school Elphaba is an outsider and perpetual outcast in a world that rewards beautiful, popular people like Glinda. The song, “Popular” is the highlight of Act I sung/acted to perfection by Ms. Clarke with Ms. Cusack playing her part deadpan, which can’t be easy given all the comic moments the audience enjoys.
Complications naturally ensue, including: the resentment of Elphaba’s sickly sister Nessarose (a touching Deedee Magno Hall); a snoopy, busybody matron named Madame Morrible (a delightfully corrupt Alma Cuervo); a handsome, misunderstood love interest Fiyero (a suitably charming/believable Cliffton Hall); the flaky Wonderful Wizard of Oz (well done by Lee Wilkof); as well as talking animals, flying monkeys, political intrigue/outrage, great costumes, huge sets, and a terrific ensemble. Other performances of note include: Brad Weinstock, Tom Flynn, and Spencer Jones. If there were any glitches, I was too intent on the action to catch them. And there are some interesting twists and reversals by the end.
The genius of Wicked, though, goes deeper than the story the audience is watching on stage. No matter what gender/race/sexual orientation/age/family situation/heritage, everyone at some point in his/her life has an equivalent of the cursed green color. It is the thing that one either is defined by or one transcends. It is this universal feeling of being different that is often unacknowledged but just below the surface; unnamed but deeply felt that keeps people from living as fully as they can. Friendship for women begins early and goes deep. The extent to which the push/pull of the relationship between Glinda and Elphaba accurately reflects down-to-earth friendship provides some of the most poignant moments in the show.
Books have been written; theories abound about the meaning of witches in folk stories and fairytales. Some current wisdom says she represents the wish of the child for the bad scary mother (often portrayed as the stepmother, not the “real” mother) to go away, and therefore must die; the good witch being the good part of mother that loves and protects the child. Whatever the reason, witches fulfill some need in the collective unconscious and children (and adults) are fascinated by them. Here they seem like opposite sides of the same person, because the point is that good/bad isn’t either/or, but rather manifests along a continuum. We tend to ignore or don't understand the reality that bad people aren’t necessarily evil, and good people aren’t necessarily nice. Review by Ann Marie Oliva
Ann Marie Oliva is an award-winning playwright with over 80 productions across the U.S. She is the producer/editor of ARTS à la Mode and a judge for the National Youth Theatre Awards.
The Tarradiddle Players offer inventive, charming entertainment for some of Charlotte’s youngest audience members. This show, aimed at three to five year olds, lasted about forty minutes which is a good time frame for this age group. There were only a few children having difficulty sitting still (which is very good) while the vast majority were watching the stage intently and participating in the fun when called on to do so.
Tarradiddle Travels tells four folk tales from different parts of the world. The first takes place in Mexico and features a poor put-upon donkey. The man and boy with the donkey get various points of view about whether they should or should not be riding instead of walking. You can’t please everyone! The next story called Mouse Marriage from Japan is a well-known one about a father mouse who thinks his daughter mouse is so special she should marry only the most powerful entity he can find until he realizes each one has to contend with a force he cannot defeat, and it brings him back where he started. The third tale from Puerto Rico about a fussy cricket that makes flan (a type of custard dessert) is fun, but my favorite is the fourth called Caps for Sale from the Sudan about monkeys who have some comical moments mimicking a lazy salesman.
Director Matt Cosper has cleverly put the show together so that the children’s short attention span is taken into account and the audience is directed around the stage, between the actors, and the changes of props. Full use is made of narrative story-telling, singing, and dialogue. The three young actors in the cast are engaging. Tania Kelly gets more of the reactive roles, but has her funny moments as the cricket, and the salesman. Jack Stevenson is expressive and does well with the singing and male roles. Alyson King’s energy is contagious and she is simply terrific in all her various incarnations as her face and body contort in unexpected, amusing ways.
Tarradiddle productions are meant to be spare, simple productions, but I do wonder if music could have been used in some way to enhance the performance since children respond so well to it; but overall this is a fun and worthwhile endeavor for our youngest/newest theatre goers. Review by Ann Marie Oliva
Ann Marie Oliva is an award-winning playwright with over 80 productions across the U.S. She is the producer/editor of ARTS à la Mode and a judge for the National Youth Theatre Awards.
In the Euro-American tradition, theatre is often considered a separate art form from dance. But in many Asian cultures, dance dramas have been performed for centuries or perhaps millennia. Once a year, Charlotteans have a chance to see Indian dance theatre onstage--when Maha Gingrich presents the local dancers she has trained, along with other professional artists.
This year, the performance began with an invocation dance, seeking the blessings of Shiva, god of dance and destruction/rebirth, and Ganesh, the elephant-headed god of good luck. But first, Gingrich explained the dance and demonstrated some of its mudras (symbolic hand gestures). More such explanations with each of the dances would have helped spectators perceive further details. Yet, all of the dances were also enjoyable as abstract forms, for those who could not read the signs.
The first dance began with a bright light near the performers, turning their figures into shadows behind a screen. (Unfortunately, the light was so bright it made the screen difficult to look at.) The second and third performances, like the first, exemplified how dance is often a form of worship in India. These pieces gave spectators a taste of Bharatha Natyam (originally a temple dance) with images of the gods Shiva and Krishna projected on the screen behind the dancers.
The last piece in the first act was an even more elaborate example of dance drama: three scenes from "Shiva Leela," in the Kuchipudi style. With snow-capped mountains projected on the screen, illustrating the setting, the god Shiva (Deepak Hemnani) meditated atop the Himalayas and gave a blessing to his son Ganesh (Beejal Patel). But then the proud goddess Ganga (the River Ganges) entered the scene, disturbing Shiva's meditation. She was performed by Gingrich with wild, fluid gestures--and was also shown with aerial views of a mighty river onscreen. Shiva grasped at Ganga, but was unable to catch her. Then he used the power of his "third eye" (between the other two) with another hand gesture from his forehead, containing Ganga's destructive force on earth and tying her in the locks of his hair, to make her flow as the holy river, which purifies India today.
In the next scene of this dance drama, Shiva, while mourning the death of his first wife, became distracted by Cupid's flowers and arrows--and by the beauty of Parvathi. In his rage at Cupid's arrogance, Shiva killed him, but then regretted his violence and brought Cupid back to life. The final scene showed Shiva marrying Parvathi--as a happy end to the concert's first act.
The second act included half dozen folk dances from various parts of India, some of which told stories (with wives complaining about their husbands or other women worshipping a god). But there were also some surprise insertions. Rodrigo Jimenez and Vadim Kolpako performed a Russian gypsy (Romani) dance, with high kicks and body slaps. And there was an improvised "rhythmic challenge" between Gingrich, wearing 300 ankle bells, and the internationally famous drummer, Jim Brock.
Yet, the most unique piece in the concert came at the climax, with a combined dance--to live Latino music--of Indian and gypsy styles, along with flamenco and ballet. The entire show thus proved Gingrich's assertion of "unity in diversity." It also demonstrated once again that Charlotte is a cosmopolitan, "world-class" city, especially through the passion, skill, and energy of its Indian artists and interethnic community. Review by Mark Pizzato
Mark Pizzato is Professor of Theatre at UNC-Charlotte and author of Ghosts of Theatre and Cinema in the Brain and Theatres of Human Sacrifice. His plays have been published by Aran Press and his screenplays, produced as short films, have won New York Film Festival and Minnesota Community Television awards.
Oh my ... gosh. A musical based on a porn movie playing in Charlotte! What's this city coming to?
For those spectators open-minded enough to try it, director Jim Yost offers many edgy ironies in BBTG's first musical production. Cheerleaders and football studs may be easy targets for farce. But this show goes far beyond exaggerating such stereotypes for laughs. It plays upon the extremes of our mass-media desires, showing how silly we become in trying to see and have it all.
Despite the title, Debbie only does Dallas as a dream here--trying to leap from high school cheerleading straight to stardom as a professional "Cowgirl." She glimpses this American Idol goal through a try-out in "Small Town, USA," and then gets a mysterious letter saying she's made the squad. But her parents won't give her the money to travel to Dallas, so she and her teenage girlfriends get various odd jobs to enable her to go.
As in any porn movie, such a simple, superficial plot is just the cover for various sexy situations. Yet, the joy of this show goes far beyond erotic envy and fantasy. We laugh at ourselves as well as the characters--while watching the girls' foolish enthusiasm for making it big in others eyes and their gradual loss of dignity in doing anything for more and more money.
The simulations of hard-core sex scenes and twisted orgies are uproariously funny, skirting yet never crossing the line to the fully obscene. Set pieces, props, gestures, and choreography are all terrifically campy, especially when streamers fly and performances spill out--into the audience. The acting is uniformly excellent, even when cheerleading and football uniforms are exchanged for towels in the locker room scenes. Five fine actresses play Debbie and her girlfriends (Heather Leanna, Kristen Jones, April Leanna, Rachael Roberts Kozlowski, and Greta Marie Zandstra). Three versatile actors play their boyfriends and various bosses--each with a perverse desire that's realized at a price (Joshua Looney, Chaz Pofahl, and Ryan Stamey). It takes great courage for actors to play such farce and much skill to keep the waves of laughter rolling, especially when more and more of their bodies are revealed, as well as their characters' souls.
There are many sweet, campy songs in this show about cheerleading dreams, about the moral dilemma of making money by letting a boss see and touch one's breasts, about candlepower (you'll have to see it to believe it), and about "doing Debbie." There's even some crooning about the joy of stealing a friend's boyfriend and about the loss of that boyfriend--or of one's virginity. And there are further scenes teasing the audience with how far this show might go in presenting the girls' "Teen Services" business.
On the first night, the pre-recorded music was too loud at times and cut off abruptly during one song. Yet, Heather Leanna sang on bravely, making her performance even better than planned. At 90 minutes this musical might benefit, too, from an intermission break, at least to let the audience catch its breath amidst all the laughter. But these are minor problems compared with the fun physicality and wicked wise-cracks of this musical. It may be mostly foreplay, with its biggest climax in spectators' minds. Yet this show connects us with the subjectivity of the characters as sex objects, far beyond the 1970s porn movie on which it is based and the "male gaze" that women must still negotiate in their daily lives--while dreaming of true love and future appreciation. Review by Mark Pizzato
Mark Pizzato is Professor of Theatre at UNC-Charlotte and author of Ghosts of Theatre and Cinema in the Brain and Theatres of Human Sacrifice. His plays have been published by Aran Press and his screenplays, produced as short films, have won New York Film Festival and Minnesota Community Television awards.
In this problem play, three teens dig each other deeper and deeper into trouble--through curiosity, camaraderie, and confusion. The best part of the play is the discussion at its end, led by actors reading statements about their characters and asking for spectators to raise their hands if they agree, then continuing with many insights from both sides of the stage edge.
Jessie (Abbey Spoon) is bored hanging out with her friend Serena (Emily Moore), whom she teases as an "AP Princess," and with Moss (Daniel Szymczyk), whom she taunts about not being brave enough to use the switchblade that he's stolen from his older brother. She then leads this mini-gang to investigate the mystery of another teen's disappearance. They believe that the absent Corky is dead and that his "old man," Mr. Leisner (Sidney Horton), must have killed him. So they sneak into Mr. Leisner's house to find evidence, after taking an oath not to tell on each other if caught.
These friends need each other--to tease, bully, and trust--but their talk and actions show that they need caring adult guidance even more. They distrust parents and police. But when the drunken Mr. Leisner comes home, locks them in his house, and grabs Serena, Abbey shows her outrage against and fear of authority--expressed as a violent rage.
All three teens have wounds that are g