I almost feel weird reviewing Mud Donahue and Son since I feel like it was a good show, but...just wasn't really for me. I don't want to be so quick to say it's for an older generation, as I love many shows that others might think are for an older generation, but between the fact that the average age of the audience appeared to be 60, the fact that the show is based on a old Vaudeville entertainer that I never heard of, and most importantly, the fact that the show is essentially a bunch of letters between Jack Donahue and his mother, Mud. I just don't think I was able to sit still so long while essentially being told a story, with hardly any actual action on the stage.
Jack Donahue (Shonn Wiley) is discovered in Manchester, and gets a job touring on a small Vaudeville circuit. This doesn't thrill his mother, Mud (Karen Murphy) who thinks he should stay at home and have a real job. The whole show consists of letters, apparently taken from letters between the real Jack Donahue and his mother. Jack promises to send his mother $5 a week, but each week, he always has a reason not to. Things aren't easy as home, as Jack's constantly-drinking father has disappeared again, and Mud cannot rely on his salary to support the family. As Jack stays longer on tour, he becomes less and less like the good wholesome boy he once was. He becomes quite materialistic, spending the money he said he would spent on Mud on girls and new, expensive shoes. Eventually, he starts to drink just like his father. This begins to affect his performances, and his relationship with his mother.
The story on its own is fairly compelling. It is interesting to watch the early days of Vaudeville, and how a boy changes as he leaves his town to go out into "show business," and what it does to him. Again, it's just the fact that most of the story is told through their letters is frustrating. Moments that are the exception to that are pretty much the best moments of the show: Jack's performances, a flasback Mud has to when their furniture was taken away, and how she told Jack they were gonna have a picnic, and the end, when the two characters are finally face-to-face. The songs work well in the context of the story, but the problem is, there isn't any action for the songs to interrupt, so my enjoyment of most of the songs, as well,
The most enjoyable part of the show was watching truly great performances. Karen Murphy conveys Mud's pain, lands both humor and tender moments, and has a beautiful voice. Shonn Wiley is at his best when he's dancing, and he is a true master at that. A scene where he is on the stage alone, though in the scene with 4 other people is one of his best moments, and he essentially beats up himself. His movement and flexibility in this scene are simply outstanding.
The audience really enjoyed the show. And I can't find too many flaws in the story or piece itself. Maybe this piece is aimed at a particular audience. Maybe it just wasn't for me.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Emma, 10/5
I'm a sucker for Jane Austen stories, so unsurprisingly, I went into Emma with high expectations, as I did Austentatious, but Emma certainly did not disappoint me.
If you're not familiar with the story of Emma, I'll just say Clueless was adapted from it. And I don't know what planet you're from if you haven't seen Clueless.
So yeah, I loved Emma, it's definitely up there as one of my favorite shows in the entire festival. The music was beautiful -- it was appropriate to the 19th century, and was very classical, and really wonderfully fit the show. There were several strong ensemble numbers, where the company beautifully harmonized, and some wonderful standout songs, including Mr. Knightley (Josh in Clueless)'s ballad, "Emma," and Emma's act-one closer, "Never Again." John Patrick Moore as Mr. Knightley and Leah Horowitz as Emma offer beautiful renditions of these songs, and Ms. Horowitz is a wonderful Emma. She commands the stage, has a beautiful song, and really makes you feel for her character, despite some misdeeds on her part.
I was never that familiar with the actual story of Emma, so I'd be interested to know what was cut from the original story, as I imagine much had it to be to fit in all the songs, but I must say it was wonderfully adapted. I was never confused, and honestly can't imagine what could have possibly been cut. It seems like that would be a giant task when attempting to adapt a Jane Austen novel into a musical, so bravo to the creators for that.
I just had a couple of qualms with the production, particularly the setting. There was mini-houses all over the set, which were constantly being carried on and off and rearranged. They were used sometimes as chests, sometimes as actual houses, but as a whole, they seemed unnecessary, and just clogged up the stage. I hope a setting is better conceived in future productions.
But, probably at least partially due to solid source material, Emma features a tight book, a great score, and I think is up there with Unlock'd as best of the festival.
The only other problem was that I kind of believed that Sir Elton had deeper feelings for Mr. Knightley than for Emma...
If you're not familiar with the story of Emma, I'll just say Clueless was adapted from it. And I don't know what planet you're from if you haven't seen Clueless.
So yeah, I loved Emma, it's definitely up there as one of my favorite shows in the entire festival. The music was beautiful -- it was appropriate to the 19th century, and was very classical, and really wonderfully fit the show. There were several strong ensemble numbers, where the company beautifully harmonized, and some wonderful standout songs, including Mr. Knightley (Josh in Clueless)'s ballad, "Emma," and Emma's act-one closer, "Never Again." John Patrick Moore as Mr. Knightley and Leah Horowitz as Emma offer beautiful renditions of these songs, and Ms. Horowitz is a wonderful Emma. She commands the stage, has a beautiful song, and really makes you feel for her character, despite some misdeeds on her part.
I was never that familiar with the actual story of Emma, so I'd be interested to know what was cut from the original story, as I imagine much had it to be to fit in all the songs, but I must say it was wonderfully adapted. I was never confused, and honestly can't imagine what could have possibly been cut. It seems like that would be a giant task when attempting to adapt a Jane Austen novel into a musical, so bravo to the creators for that.
I just had a couple of qualms with the production, particularly the setting. There was mini-houses all over the set, which were constantly being carried on and off and rearranged. They were used sometimes as chests, sometimes as actual houses, but as a whole, they seemed unnecessary, and just clogged up the stage. I hope a setting is better conceived in future productions.
But, probably at least partially due to solid source material, Emma features a tight book, a great score, and I think is up there with Unlock'd as best of the festival.
The only other problem was that I kind of believed that Sir Elton had deeper feelings for Mr. Knightley than for Emma...
Saturday, October 6, 2007
With Glee, 10/5
So yeah, considering today is the last day of the festival and therefore, the last day where my blog entries will be relevant, I have an hour to post 4 more "reviews," so from here on out, they're gonna be briefer and much less formal.
Five 13-year old males are shipped off to a boarding school in Maine against their will. Rooming and having to deal with each other doesn't make the experience any easier. There is Nathaniel, who has burnt down his school in the past in an attempt to make friends; Sam, who steals cars; Scott, who is demeaning his high-societal Vanderberg name; Kip, who's father is fearing is acting too feminine, and Clay, whose best friend is a boat named Mortimer. The 5 heavily clash at first, but then realize they have more in common than they initially thought, and perhaps the boarding school isn't as bad as they thought it would be.
I know, it sounds really cliche, but it does work, particularly at the end. The music is as responsible as anything for making this show work. The music serves as a tribute to Broadway, integrating songs that reflect some of the most famous shows and composers: "If You Want to Be a Vanderberg" is a Gilbert & Sullivan song in every way, featuring tongue-in-cheek lyrics, an extremely fast pace, and a chorus repeating a soloist. Additionally, a dance break in "Normal" reminded me of similar music in A Chorus Line. But the songs stand well on their own, particularly "Normal," a song reflecting a wish for all the boys to be out of this school so they can be normal. Another great song is "Back to Mom's," where 3 of the boys debate between who has it worse: someone who's parents have been divorced for years, someone who's parents are currently getting divorced, or someone who's parents are staying together despite fighting all the time. And from a completely objective standpoint, a song about the perfect girl, titled "Amanda" is one of the best songs I ever heard. :-) (If anyone wants to send me some sort of demo/copy of it, I'd love to be able to listen to it at will).
Though the story is cliche, the close bonding of the boys at the end, the fact that they don't all immediately become best friends, and a particularly interesting twist make this show go further than a simple coming-of-age story. Work still could certainly be done, as, in many of these kinds of stories, the sudden bonding of the boys seems to come out of left field, and feels quite forced. The reasons they are sent to school are pretty much expected, and I wish the reasons could be more complicated, making them more complex characters.
Still, for the most part, With Glee is a well-constructed and entertaining musical, and i look forward to further productions of it.
Five 13-year old males are shipped off to a boarding school in Maine against their will. Rooming and having to deal with each other doesn't make the experience any easier. There is Nathaniel, who has burnt down his school in the past in an attempt to make friends; Sam, who steals cars; Scott, who is demeaning his high-societal Vanderberg name; Kip, who's father is fearing is acting too feminine, and Clay, whose best friend is a boat named Mortimer. The 5 heavily clash at first, but then realize they have more in common than they initially thought, and perhaps the boarding school isn't as bad as they thought it would be.
I know, it sounds really cliche, but it does work, particularly at the end. The music is as responsible as anything for making this show work. The music serves as a tribute to Broadway, integrating songs that reflect some of the most famous shows and composers: "If You Want to Be a Vanderberg" is a Gilbert & Sullivan song in every way, featuring tongue-in-cheek lyrics, an extremely fast pace, and a chorus repeating a soloist. Additionally, a dance break in "Normal" reminded me of similar music in A Chorus Line. But the songs stand well on their own, particularly "Normal," a song reflecting a wish for all the boys to be out of this school so they can be normal. Another great song is "Back to Mom's," where 3 of the boys debate between who has it worse: someone who's parents have been divorced for years, someone who's parents are currently getting divorced, or someone who's parents are staying together despite fighting all the time. And from a completely objective standpoint, a song about the perfect girl, titled "Amanda" is one of the best songs I ever heard. :-) (If anyone wants to send me some sort of demo/copy of it, I'd love to be able to listen to it at will).
Though the story is cliche, the close bonding of the boys at the end, the fact that they don't all immediately become best friends, and a particularly interesting twist make this show go further than a simple coming-of-age story. Work still could certainly be done, as, in many of these kinds of stories, the sudden bonding of the boys seems to come out of left field, and feels quite forced. The reasons they are sent to school are pretty much expected, and I wish the reasons could be more complicated, making them more complex characters.
Still, for the most part, With Glee is a well-constructed and entertaining musical, and i look forward to further productions of it.
Going Down Swingin', 10/5
At this moment, when I hear the phrase, "Going Down Swingin'," I think of the Yankees already losing 2 of their playoff games, partially because of bugs. But fortunately, in this case, "Going Down Swingin'" refers to a well written musical.
It’s 1956, and television is beginning to overtake radio in the entertainment industry. The best radio shows are being moved to TV, and that’s exactly the fate that Dean Newhouse (Christopher Shyer) wants for his show. Dean is a narcissistic, selfish, womanizer. His show consists of: his “second banana” for years (James Stovall), who is ready to move on; a soap star (Marla Schaffel), who has been one of Dean’s past lady-victims; an up-and-coming rock star (Leo Ash Evans), who possibly has a secret, a 28-year old former teen star still playing a 16-year old (Tom Deckman); a new naïve girl from a small town (Stacie Bono), who Dean attempts to put the moves on, and a performer who is onto Dean, and has aspirations for both herself and for Dean’s demise (Meredith Patterson).
Act 1 follows the rehearsal of an episode of “The Dean Newhouse Show,” while act 2 consists of a live performance of the show, one week later. This structure is effective, as all of the backstage relationships can be established in the first act, but, of course, any backstage drama that interferes with the live broadcast results in hilarity. The story is strong and captivating, though some of the radio skits are more entertaining than others.
The show has been creatively adapted from Mozart’s opera, Don Giovanni. It sticks very close to its source material, and some of the more famous opera songs are transformed into a more modern song in the score. But what is really admirable about this show is that it didn’t just attempt to adapt and update Don Giovanni, but added in other relevant issues, such as the beginning of television and the fall of radio, and also brings up the issue of the rarity of Black people on television in the 50’s. The way the show is cleverly structured, it can be appreciated greatly by both Don Giovanni fans, and by those who have never heard of the opera before.
The interesting aspect about the score of Going Down Swingin’ is that all of the songs are confined to the context of the radio show. Characters do not randomly burst into song to express their emotions; but rather, they sing songs for the radio program. Of course, these songs often do cleverly relate to the characters’ feelings and emotions, Perhaps the most effective of these songs is the beautiful, revealing 11 o’clock number, sung wonderfully by Meredith Patterson.
A masterful performance is turned in by Christopher Shyer as Dean Newhouse. He establishes all of the important qualities of Dean – the aforementioned bad qualities, but also an incredible amount of charm, so you can understand why girls fall for Dean, and why Willie has remained with Dean all this time. Shyer’s performance at the climax of the show is nothing short of brilliant. Special mention should also go to James Stovall as Willie, who’s huge smile and gorgeous voice and versatile movements absolutely light up the stage.
Going Down Swingin’ is a very tight musical. The songs integrate with the plot the way they are supposed to, characters are developed, the story holds your attention. These aspects, combined with strong performances all around help to make it one of best shows of the festival.
It’s 1956, and television is beginning to overtake radio in the entertainment industry. The best radio shows are being moved to TV, and that’s exactly the fate that Dean Newhouse (Christopher Shyer) wants for his show. Dean is a narcissistic, selfish, womanizer. His show consists of: his “second banana” for years (James Stovall), who is ready to move on; a soap star (Marla Schaffel), who has been one of Dean’s past lady-victims; an up-and-coming rock star (Leo Ash Evans), who possibly has a secret, a 28-year old former teen star still playing a 16-year old (Tom Deckman); a new naïve girl from a small town (Stacie Bono), who Dean attempts to put the moves on, and a performer who is onto Dean, and has aspirations for both herself and for Dean’s demise (Meredith Patterson).
Act 1 follows the rehearsal of an episode of “The Dean Newhouse Show,” while act 2 consists of a live performance of the show, one week later. This structure is effective, as all of the backstage relationships can be established in the first act, but, of course, any backstage drama that interferes with the live broadcast results in hilarity. The story is strong and captivating, though some of the radio skits are more entertaining than others.
The show has been creatively adapted from Mozart’s opera, Don Giovanni. It sticks very close to its source material, and some of the more famous opera songs are transformed into a more modern song in the score. But what is really admirable about this show is that it didn’t just attempt to adapt and update Don Giovanni, but added in other relevant issues, such as the beginning of television and the fall of radio, and also brings up the issue of the rarity of Black people on television in the 50’s. The way the show is cleverly structured, it can be appreciated greatly by both Don Giovanni fans, and by those who have never heard of the opera before.
The interesting aspect about the score of Going Down Swingin’ is that all of the songs are confined to the context of the radio show. Characters do not randomly burst into song to express their emotions; but rather, they sing songs for the radio program. Of course, these songs often do cleverly relate to the characters’ feelings and emotions, Perhaps the most effective of these songs is the beautiful, revealing 11 o’clock number, sung wonderfully by Meredith Patterson.
A masterful performance is turned in by Christopher Shyer as Dean Newhouse. He establishes all of the important qualities of Dean – the aforementioned bad qualities, but also an incredible amount of charm, so you can understand why girls fall for Dean, and why Willie has remained with Dean all this time. Shyer’s performance at the climax of the show is nothing short of brilliant. Special mention should also go to James Stovall as Willie, who’s huge smile and gorgeous voice and versatile movements absolutely light up the stage.
Going Down Swingin’ is a very tight musical. The songs integrate with the plot the way they are supposed to, characters are developed, the story holds your attention. These aspects, combined with strong performances all around help to make it one of best shows of the festival.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Such Good Friends
"Today we are engaged in a final, all-out battle between communistic atheism and Christianity" - Joseph McCarthy
This address made my Senator Joseph McCarthy launched the terrifying and destructive "McCarthy Era" attacks upon many US citizens. It is one of several parts of our country's history that we'd rather ignore, but Such Good Friends puts the era in the forefront of a new musical, and shows the massive impact it had on these citizens, and especially those in the entertainment industry.
Dottie Francis (Liz Larsen), Gabe Fisher (Brad Oscar), and Danny Factor (Jeff Talbott) have been best friends ever since they all met in a comedy club years ago. They've worked together to achieve their dream: "The Dottie Francis Show" on television! Dottie stars in it, Gabe directs it, and Danny writes for it. They all enjoy it, and are not afraid to invoke political satire that shows how ridiculous the McCarthy hearings are. But what happens when the three of them get called before The House of Un-American Activities Committee? In these days, anyone who didn't cooperate was sent to jail, and was then blacklisted from all television. Will they crack under pressure? Will their friendships remain intact? And most importantly, how will their lives be impacted?
Its two acts are quite distinct, as the second act is much darker than the first, in terms of both tone and mood. The first act focuses on the production of "The Dottie Francis Show," and establishes the friendship of the 3 main characters, while the second act begins with their testimonies in front of the committee, and follows the aftermath. It is effective that the relationships and general happiness of the characters are clearly established, so the audience truly grasps what is being destroyed. The show successfully portrays the tensions, paranoia, and general injustice associated with the McCarthy Era. The story becomes quite moving, and it's certainly hard not to shed a tear.
The score is a vital part of the show, as sparse dialogue is spoken between the musical's many songs. The music certainly captures the '50's sound, but, more importantly, as the show's tone changes, the songs are similarly altered. The music of the first act is generally upbeat, bouncy, and fun, while the songs become more solemn and slower in the second act. The score also succeeds in creating a motif that pops up every so often and is distorted, depending on the current events of the story. It first appears as an early song in the show, appropriately titled, "Such Good Friends," a song establishing the deep friendship between the three main characters. But as their relationships are stirred, the music reflects the differences. The theme creeps in every so often as a reflection of the current, changed state of their relationships. It is a prime example of truly using music to further explore the drama.
A great performance is turned in by Liz Larsen as Dottie. She lands her jokes, conveys her emotions, and belts out her songs. Jeff Talbott gives a heartbreaking performance as Danny, and sweetly, yet chillingly emotes his 11 o'clock number.
Such Good Friends has picked a wonderful topic to bring to the forefront of a musical: The McCarthy Era. It was a dark time for our country, and one that I'm sure tore people apart. Such Good Friends will leave you contemplating several issues as you exit the theatre, something that seems to be rarer with newer musicals these days.
This address made my Senator Joseph McCarthy launched the terrifying and destructive "McCarthy Era" attacks upon many US citizens. It is one of several parts of our country's history that we'd rather ignore, but Such Good Friends puts the era in the forefront of a new musical, and shows the massive impact it had on these citizens, and especially those in the entertainment industry.
Dottie Francis (Liz Larsen), Gabe Fisher (Brad Oscar), and Danny Factor (Jeff Talbott) have been best friends ever since they all met in a comedy club years ago. They've worked together to achieve their dream: "The Dottie Francis Show" on television! Dottie stars in it, Gabe directs it, and Danny writes for it. They all enjoy it, and are not afraid to invoke political satire that shows how ridiculous the McCarthy hearings are. But what happens when the three of them get called before The House of Un-American Activities Committee? In these days, anyone who didn't cooperate was sent to jail, and was then blacklisted from all television. Will they crack under pressure? Will their friendships remain intact? And most importantly, how will their lives be impacted?Its two acts are quite distinct, as the second act is much darker than the first, in terms of both tone and mood. The first act focuses on the production of "The Dottie Francis Show," and establishes the friendship of the 3 main characters, while the second act begins with their testimonies in front of the committee, and follows the aftermath. It is effective that the relationships and general happiness of the characters are clearly established, so the audience truly grasps what is being destroyed. The show successfully portrays the tensions, paranoia, and general injustice associated with the McCarthy Era. The story becomes quite moving, and it's certainly hard not to shed a tear.
The score is a vital part of the show, as sparse dialogue is spoken between the musical's many songs. The music certainly captures the '50's sound, but, more importantly, as the show's tone changes, the songs are similarly altered. The music of the first act is generally upbeat, bouncy, and fun, while the songs become more solemn and slower in the second act. The score also succeeds in creating a motif that pops up every so often and is distorted, depending on the current events of the story. It first appears as an early song in the show, appropriately titled, "Such Good Friends," a song establishing the deep friendship between the three main characters. But as their relationships are stirred, the music reflects the differences. The theme creeps in every so often as a reflection of the current, changed state of their relationships. It is a prime example of truly using music to further explore the drama.A great performance is turned in by Liz Larsen as Dottie. She lands her jokes, conveys her emotions, and belts out her songs. Jeff Talbott gives a heartbreaking performance as Danny, and sweetly, yet chillingly emotes his 11 o'clock number.
Such Good Friends has picked a wonderful topic to bring to the forefront of a musical: The McCarthy Era. It was a dark time for our country, and one that I'm sure tore people apart. Such Good Friends will leave you contemplating several issues as you exit the theatre, something that seems to be rarer with newer musicals these days.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
The Jewel is Unlock'd
Can it be? Do my ears deceive me? Do I really, truly hear an...
OVERTURE?!
Is it sheer coincedence that out of the eleven 2007 NYMF shows I've seen to date, the only one of the eleven that has a true overture is easily the best of the eleven?
Based on Alexander Pope's poem, "The Rape of The Lock," Unlock'd centers around Belinda (Sarah Jane Everman), a maiden whom all of the men in the kingdom are desperately in love with. She loves the flattery, but has no intention of marrying anytime soon. This frustrates many of other maidens in the kingdom, as all of the potential suitors are focused on Belinda. Included in this group is Clarissa (Jackie Burns), Belinda's stepsister, whom Belinda has neglected ever since she became so attractive. Clarissa schemes to help get the Baron (Jim Weitzer) one of Belinda's locks, for that would all but promise marriage. The lock is eventually taken, but by who? When affections change, will everyone achieve their "happily ever after"?
Also affecting the situation are three sylphs -- virginal fairy-like creatures -- who want to keep Belinda a virgin like them at all costs. They spurn the advances of 3 gnomes, who, in turn, bet that they can get Belinda to marry. It seems as though humans aren't the only ones who will be impacted by the events in Unlock'd.
The musical does a wonderful job of integrating its fairy-tale setting, the music, the story, and even several monologues spoken entirely in couplet, as a tribute to the Pope poem. The story takes an unexpected turn, providing for a great deal of heart, wisdom, and cleverness, all of which can't help but make you smile. The show openly addresses aspects of fairy tales you may generally dislike, and the plot twist ensures that these aspects are eradicated from this story. The important characters are all likable, although they each certainly have their flaws.
The overture sets the stage for a beautiful score that has an appropriate magical/whimsical sound. The composer is not afraid to use operatic music, even though it seems like today's audiences prefer pop music that they can sing as they leave the theater. The music really grabbed me as I hung onto every note of Sarah Jane Everman's lovely soprano and Jim Weitzer's powerful baritone. I can only imagine how gorgeous this score will sound when played by a 25-piece orchestra. (yes, I said "will.")
There are even aspects of this small production that shine. The costumes, designed by Colleen Kesterson, are both appropriate and lovely. Furthermore, directorial decisions, such as having the sylphs ride on moving walls to give the impression that they are high above the ground, as fairies are, deserve praise. The design of these walls also provide for a clever visual in the show's final scene.
Strong performances are turned in by all, particularly by Sarah Jane Everman as Belinda. Her comic timing and gorgeous voice contribute to a great performance. Jim Weitzer is a well suited, love-struck Baron, and as previously mentioned, his baritone soars. Jackie Burns does a great job of establishing Clarissa as a complex character. She makes her monologues of couplets fit in perfectly to the rest of the story, and gives us insight into her character, and so, we are truly able to understand her motivations. She is a strong female, yet insecure. Chris Gunn makes a cute and geeky Edwin, the Baron's brother. Also making an impression is Christopher Totten as a love-struck gnome.
Between an enticing story, a beautiful score, a child-friendly environment, and a setting that certainly lends its way to at least a degree of spectacle, I would not be at all surprised if Unlock'd made it Broadway. Not only that...I think it could have a successful Broadway run.
OVERTURE?!
Is it sheer coincedence that out of the eleven 2007 NYMF shows I've seen to date, the only one of the eleven that has a true overture is easily the best of the eleven?
Based on Alexander Pope's poem, "The Rape of The Lock," Unlock'd centers around Belinda (Sarah Jane Everman), a maiden whom all of the men in the kingdom are desperately in love with. She loves the flattery, but has no intention of marrying anytime soon. This frustrates many of other maidens in the kingdom, as all of the potential suitors are focused on Belinda. Included in this group is Clarissa (Jackie Burns), Belinda's stepsister, whom Belinda has neglected ever since she became so attractive. Clarissa schemes to help get the Baron (Jim Weitzer) one of Belinda's locks, for that would all but promise marriage. The lock is eventually taken, but by who? When affections change, will everyone achieve their "happily ever after"?Also affecting the situation are three sylphs -- virginal fairy-like creatures -- who want to keep Belinda a virgin like them at all costs. They spurn the advances of 3 gnomes, who, in turn, bet that they can get Belinda to marry. It seems as though humans aren't the only ones who will be impacted by the events in Unlock'd.
The musical does a wonderful job of integrating its fairy-tale setting, the music, the story, and even several monologues spoken entirely in couplet, as a tribute to the Pope poem. The story takes an unexpected turn, providing for a great deal of heart, wisdom, and cleverness, all of which can't help but make you smile. The show openly addresses aspects of fairy tales you may generally dislike, and the plot twist ensures that these aspects are eradicated from this story. The important characters are all likable, although they each certainly have their flaws.
The overture sets the stage for a beautiful score that has an appropriate magical/whimsical sound. The composer is not afraid to use operatic music, even though it seems like today's audiences prefer pop music that they can sing as they leave the theater. The music really grabbed me as I hung onto every note of Sarah Jane Everman's lovely soprano and Jim Weitzer's powerful baritone. I can only imagine how gorgeous this score will sound when played by a 25-piece orchestra. (yes, I said "will.")There are even aspects of this small production that shine. The costumes, designed by Colleen Kesterson, are both appropriate and lovely. Furthermore, directorial decisions, such as having the sylphs ride on moving walls to give the impression that they are high above the ground, as fairies are, deserve praise. The design of these walls also provide for a clever visual in the show's final scene.
Strong performances are turned in by all, particularly by Sarah Jane Everman as Belinda. Her comic timing and gorgeous voice contribute to a great performance. Jim Weitzer is a well suited, love-struck Baron, and as previously mentioned, his baritone soars. Jackie Burns does a great job of establishing Clarissa as a complex character. She makes her monologues of couplets fit in perfectly to the rest of the story, and gives us insight into her character, and so, we are truly able to understand her motivations. She is a strong female, yet insecure. Chris Gunn makes a cute and geeky Edwin, the Baron's brother. Also making an impression is Christopher Totten as a love-struck gnome.
Between an enticing story, a beautiful score, a child-friendly environment, and a setting that certainly lends its way to at least a degree of spectacle, I would not be at all surprised if Unlock'd made it Broadway. Not only that...I think it could have a successful Broadway run.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Sympathy Jones, 9/29
Sympathy Jones is one of the NYMF shows that has been receiving quite a bit of press, due in no small part to the fact that Kate Shindle (Vivenne in Legally Blonde) is playing the title role. While Ms. Shindle deserves all of the press and praise she has been receiving, the show leaves quite a bit to be desired.
Sympathy Jones (Kate Shindle) is a secretary at the top-notch spy agency in the country. She dreams of turning in her typewriter and becoming a full-fledged agent, working in the field. She gets her chance when a confidential case file is accidentally left on her desk: a watch that is able to keep one young forever is stolen by its inventor's ex-wife, Kitty Hawk (Jane Summerhays). She and her husband's former worker, Tick Tock (Glenn Peters) plan to use it to create a time bomb that will freeze the world, so that they can control the world. Sympathy and the assigned agent, David Hunter (Charlie Pollock) team up to stop Kitty. Can Sympathy save the world, prove her talent as a super secret agent, and manage to avoid losing her job?
The show seems to lack a true identity. Is it satirizing the spy-agent genre, or is it using the genre as a backdrop to tell the story of a woman following her dreams, and "making it" in a man's profession? It's not fully clear. The plot seems pretty thin for a 2-act musical.
There are also some aspects of the plot that don't work so well. While Sympathy's yearning to be in the field is fully developed, the same cannot be said of the details of the case at hand. It unfolds too rapidly, not giving the audience enough time to digest the details. Moreover, The major subplot of the musical is also less than stellar. It involves the budding relationship between Sympathy's best friend, Caprice (Lucy Sorenson) and agent Nick Steele (Jimmy Ray Bennett), who has become essentially useless because he is stuck on crutches. There is little chemistry between the characters, and attempts to get Nick off of crutches just seem to waste time.
The strongest aspect of the show is easily its score, as its style is perfectly suited for the show. It has a unique spy-sound to it. Though it is odd for a secondary character to be singing the show's first song, the song is well executed, and is a good introduction to Sympathy's world. A particularly heartfelt song is "I Should Have Known," where for the first time, Sympathy doubts her abilities and decisions. The song is sung exquisitely by Kate Shindle.
Speaking of Kate Shindle, she shines in the title role. She has the heart, the yearning, and definitely the pipes to handle the role. Her performance indicates quite a versatile actress, as the role is very different from her current role as Vivienne in Legally Blonde. I look forward to seeing Ms. Shindle's versatility in future roles. The only other standout in the cast was Amanda Ryan Paige as Sympathy's nagging intern, Doris. Her obnoxiousness and annoyance make her presence quite notable in the limited amount of stage time she receives.
I must also give special mention to the wonderful lighting design. It was the first technical aspect of any NYMF show that made an impression, but great use was made of flashing light to help to acquaint the audience with the spy-agent world.
After reading this review, you're probably thinking that I didn't like the show. That's not true. Despite its flaws, it's a fun show. My roommates can couch that I ran into our apartment, making a spy pose, and singing, "Sympathy Jones, super secret agent..." If Sympathy Jones is not a great show, it is certainly a likable one.
Sympathy Jones (Kate Shindle) is a secretary at the top-notch spy agency in the country. She dreams of turning in her typewriter and becoming a full-fledged agent, working in the field. She gets her chance when a confidential case file is accidentally left on her desk: a watch that is able to keep one young forever is stolen by its inventor's ex-wife, Kitty Hawk (Jane Summerhays). She and her husband's former worker, Tick Tock (Glenn Peters) plan to use it to create a time bomb that will freeze the world, so that they can control the world. Sympathy and the assigned agent, David Hunter (Charlie Pollock) team up to stop Kitty. Can Sympathy save the world, prove her talent as a super secret agent, and manage to avoid losing her job?The show seems to lack a true identity. Is it satirizing the spy-agent genre, or is it using the genre as a backdrop to tell the story of a woman following her dreams, and "making it" in a man's profession? It's not fully clear. The plot seems pretty thin for a 2-act musical.
There are also some aspects of the plot that don't work so well. While Sympathy's yearning to be in the field is fully developed, the same cannot be said of the details of the case at hand. It unfolds too rapidly, not giving the audience enough time to digest the details. Moreover, The major subplot of the musical is also less than stellar. It involves the budding relationship between Sympathy's best friend, Caprice (Lucy Sorenson) and agent Nick Steele (Jimmy Ray Bennett), who has become essentially useless because he is stuck on crutches. There is little chemistry between the characters, and attempts to get Nick off of crutches just seem to waste time.
The strongest aspect of the show is easily its score, as its style is perfectly suited for the show. It has a unique spy-sound to it. Though it is odd for a secondary character to be singing the show's first song, the song is well executed, and is a good introduction to Sympathy's world. A particularly heartfelt song is "I Should Have Known," where for the first time, Sympathy doubts her abilities and decisions. The song is sung exquisitely by Kate Shindle.
Speaking of Kate Shindle, she shines in the title role. She has the heart, the yearning, and definitely the pipes to handle the role. Her performance indicates quite a versatile actress, as the role is very different from her current role as Vivienne in Legally Blonde. I look forward to seeing Ms. Shindle's versatility in future roles. The only other standout in the cast was Amanda Ryan Paige as Sympathy's nagging intern, Doris. Her obnoxiousness and annoyance make her presence quite notable in the limited amount of stage time she receives.
I must also give special mention to the wonderful lighting design. It was the first technical aspect of any NYMF show that made an impression, but great use was made of flashing light to help to acquaint the audience with the spy-agent world.
After reading this review, you're probably thinking that I didn't like the show. That's not true. Despite its flaws, it's a fun show. My roommates can couch that I ran into our apartment, making a spy pose, and singing, "Sympathy Jones, super secret agent..." If Sympathy Jones is not a great show, it is certainly a likable one.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
The Brain From Planet X, 9/28
Aliens trying to take over Earth, will-benders, audience participation, and "feel-o-rama" (where audience members can feel what the characters feel) -- it's all part of The Brain From Planet X!
Fred and Joyce Bunson (Rob Evan and Amy Bodnar) are a typical nuclear family living in the San Fernando Valley in the '50s. He is a determined inventor, and she is a typical, doting housewife. Into this conflict-free environment, a UFO drops in, containing the ruler of Planet X, a large brain (Barry Pearl), and his minions, Zubrick (Cason Murphy), who gets a *tad* annoyed at humans' "stupidity," and Yoni (Alet Taylor), who greatly enjoys the male human physical anatomy. They are supposedly evolved humans, who rely solely on intelligence, and see no need for feelings, love, or family. They plan to take over the planet, and eraticate humans of these weak entities. Fred leads the team to prevent this alien take over, but will the aliens get a hold of Joyce to foil Fred's plan?
The show is appropriately campy, silly, and fun. There is an added level of audience interaction, both through the use of the aforementioned "feel-o-rama," and because one "lucky" audience member gets to have his brain tapped (which is of course accompanied by a company-wide tap dance). I was one of the audience members in consideration, but The Brain dubbed me "too smart." Takes one to know one, I guess. (This has also provided me with a wonderful lead-in to a story: since The Brain is played by Barry Pearl, who played "Doody" in the Grease movie, I've been telling my friends: "Doody says I'm too smart!)
The show makes absolutely no attempt to take itself seriously, which would not at all be appropriate in this wacky spoof. The title song is spoofy (don't care if it's not a word) and appropriate, complete with a perfect final pose each time it is reprised. The act one closer, "Now," is truly a powerful moment: each character we have encountered puts their own spin on how things will turn out...it's almost as if they're singing about what happens...in one more day...or something like that. (If there is any doubt, the characters all begin marching as the characters in Les Miz do at the end of the first act). I've decided something I love about these shows is the little references to other musicals. It's very likely that some audience members are theatre fanatics, such as yours truly, and will get and appreciate the jokes, whereas nothing is taken away from those who don't get them.
The show features several standout performances. The first comes from Amy Bodnar as Joyce. She is great at whatever her role entails, whether it's being a typical suburban housewife, changing her ways and lashing out at her husband and daughter, calling her daughter a bitch, or just staring with a blank expression on her face. The latter, especially, is hysterical every time she does it. Another standout is Cason Murphy as Zubrick. He has an amazing stage presence, and truly turns his two songs into the giant production numbers they are supposed to be. He is a true triple-threat, with some great dancing, a great voice, and certainly wonderful comedic acting. Barry Pearl also deserves mention for his turn as The Brain, if nothing else for creating a character when his head is stuck inside a huge brain, and his body inside a black coat. I couldn't help staring at him, and imaging how frustrating it must be to have no use of your arms and hands.
Oh, and there's a great scene involving hot men naked except for golden swimsuits. Enough said.
There's been a trend in theatre these days, of both adapting movies into musicals, and of overdoing satire/ironic mentions. While The Brain From Planet X indulges in both of these practices, it works where this show is concerned. I mean with the title of the show, what do you expect, the next Sweeney Todd? The show is sure to put you in a good mood, and even manages to leave you with a heartfelt message about the importance of family, and of not complaining when things aren't bad. Not to mention an important moral: men should get their own beer. What more could you want from a show entitled The Brain From Planet X?
Fred and Joyce Bunson (Rob Evan and Amy Bodnar) are a typical nuclear family living in the San Fernando Valley in the '50s. He is a determined inventor, and she is a typical, doting housewife. Into this conflict-free environment, a UFO drops in, containing the ruler of Planet X, a large brain (Barry Pearl), and his minions, Zubrick (Cason Murphy), who gets a *tad* annoyed at humans' "stupidity," and Yoni (Alet Taylor), who greatly enjoys the male human physical anatomy. They are supposedly evolved humans, who rely solely on intelligence, and see no need for feelings, love, or family. They plan to take over the planet, and eraticate humans of these weak entities. Fred leads the team to prevent this alien take over, but will the aliens get a hold of Joyce to foil Fred's plan?The show is appropriately campy, silly, and fun. There is an added level of audience interaction, both through the use of the aforementioned "feel-o-rama," and because one "lucky" audience member gets to have his brain tapped (which is of course accompanied by a company-wide tap dance). I was one of the audience members in consideration, but The Brain dubbed me "too smart." Takes one to know one, I guess. (This has also provided me with a wonderful lead-in to a story: since The Brain is played by Barry Pearl, who played "Doody" in the Grease movie, I've been telling my friends: "Doody says I'm too smart!)
The show makes absolutely no attempt to take itself seriously, which would not at all be appropriate in this wacky spoof. The title song is spoofy (don't care if it's not a word) and appropriate, complete with a perfect final pose each time it is reprised. The act one closer, "Now," is truly a powerful moment: each character we have encountered puts their own spin on how things will turn out...it's almost as if they're singing about what happens...in one more day...or something like that. (If there is any doubt, the characters all begin marching as the characters in Les Miz do at the end of the first act). I've decided something I love about these shows is the little references to other musicals. It's very likely that some audience members are theatre fanatics, such as yours truly, and will get and appreciate the jokes, whereas nothing is taken away from those who don't get them.The show features several standout performances. The first comes from Amy Bodnar as Joyce. She is great at whatever her role entails, whether it's being a typical suburban housewife, changing her ways and lashing out at her husband and daughter, calling her daughter a bitch, or just staring with a blank expression on her face. The latter, especially, is hysterical every time she does it. Another standout is Cason Murphy as Zubrick. He has an amazing stage presence, and truly turns his two songs into the giant production numbers they are supposed to be. He is a true triple-threat, with some great dancing, a great voice, and certainly wonderful comedic acting. Barry Pearl also deserves mention for his turn as The Brain, if nothing else for creating a character when his head is stuck inside a huge brain, and his body inside a black coat. I couldn't help staring at him, and imaging how frustrating it must be to have no use of your arms and hands.
Oh, and there's a great scene involving hot men naked except for golden swimsuits. Enough said.
There's been a trend in theatre these days, of both adapting movies into musicals, and of overdoing satire/ironic mentions. While The Brain From Planet X indulges in both of these practices, it works where this show is concerned. I mean with the title of the show, what do you expect, the next Sweeney Todd? The show is sure to put you in a good mood, and even manages to leave you with a heartfelt message about the importance of family, and of not complaining when things aren't bad. Not to mention an important moral: men should get their own beer. What more could you want from a show entitled The Brain From Planet X?
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Little Egypt: An Original Gem (though still in need of a lot of work)
In Southern Illinois, three rivers meet: The Wabash, the Ohio, and the Mississippi. This area is known as Little Egypt.
-Lynn Siefert (book writer)
So is the setting of this unique musical playing at NYMF. Of all the shows I've seen at NYMF thus far, Little Egypt seems to be the one in its earliest stages of development. Songs need to be cut, songs need to be added, the score is jumbled and lacks identity, transitions are awkward...and yet, it is one of the most original musicals I have in seen in quite a while (and I see a *lot*), that has a really strong story.
Celeste (Sara Rue) comes home to her mother and sister in Southern Illinois after 12 years of being away, revealing to her sister that he has just tried to kill herself. Celeste is a socially-awkward, nerdy intellect, who had more than just a daughter's love for her father. At the mall, she meets Victor (Raphael Sbarge), an even-more socially-awkward, needy security guard, who can't even lie down because he keeps seeing these horrible images of his past. They meet and fall in love, but can they stay together despite their insecurities, emotional instability...not to mention outside forces, like Victor's good friend, Watson (Gregg Henry)?
As I stated, the story is unique and well conceived. It comes full circle in a really interesting way, and to its credit, I had absolutely no idea how it was going to end, which is rare. It doesn't fall into any cliches, and doesn't even really fit into a defined genre -- it has comic elements, but isn't really a comedy; it has tragic elements, but isn't really a tragedy.
It seems very much like this started out as a straight play, and is in the process of being musicalized. Though I think the material could serve well enough as a play, I think adding music to it could really enhance the story. Some songs do, such as "Fishing for the Moon," and "Guard My Life," but overall, the score, especially, needs of a lot of work. The first 2 songs are essentially rock songs, and they do little to further the plot. Moreover, these early songs give the audience the feeling that this is a rock musical, which it isn't, and nor should it be. Many of the songs seemed unnecessary, and didn't fit very well into the overall tone of the show. Meanwhile, many passed by where I think a song could have enhanced the moment. Furthermore, some songs seem to end abruptly, and then there was just a blackout. A couple of scenes ended abruptly, as well. It also seems inappropriate for the cast to sing a reprise at curtain call.
The cast is top-notch in this production, and the "best of the best" performance is given by Mr. Sbarge as Victor. His characterization of Victor is so unique that it's difficult to describe. He excitedly recites back stories that are being told to him, he stumbles over words and gets frustrated, and it's obvious that he's harboring a dark secret. Ms. Rue provides a perfect counterpoint as Celeste; she reads books about penicillin, creates stories where she is an exotic princess, and has a really great heart, as illustrated by a difficult decision she makes. also making an impression is Gregg Henry as Watson, who is constantly losing jobs, was "the rebel" back in high school, and whose true character and intentions are unknown throughout much of the musical.
Little Egypt certainly has the potential to be an absolutely beautiful production, both visually, and through the story and songs themselves. I very much hope that further development of it occurs, as it has a great deal of promise. Still, even as it stands in this current production, flaws and all, it is certainly worth seeing. If you think most works of musical theatre are the same, and that the form has lost all originality, seeing Little Egypt will restore your faith.
-Lynn Siefert (book writer)
So is the setting of this unique musical playing at NYMF. Of all the shows I've seen at NYMF thus far, Little Egypt seems to be the one in its earliest stages of development. Songs need to be cut, songs need to be added, the score is jumbled and lacks identity, transitions are awkward...and yet, it is one of the most original musicals I have in seen in quite a while (and I see a *lot*), that has a really strong story.
Celeste (Sara Rue) comes home to her mother and sister in Southern Illinois after 12 years of being away, revealing to her sister that he has just tried to kill herself. Celeste is a socially-awkward, nerdy intellect, who had more than just a daughter's love for her father. At the mall, she meets Victor (Raphael Sbarge), an even-more socially-awkward, needy security guard, who can't even lie down because he keeps seeing these horrible images of his past. They meet and fall in love, but can they stay together despite their insecurities, emotional instability...not to mention outside forces, like Victor's good friend, Watson (Gregg Henry)?As I stated, the story is unique and well conceived. It comes full circle in a really interesting way, and to its credit, I had absolutely no idea how it was going to end, which is rare. It doesn't fall into any cliches, and doesn't even really fit into a defined genre -- it has comic elements, but isn't really a comedy; it has tragic elements, but isn't really a tragedy.
It seems very much like this started out as a straight play, and is in the process of being musicalized. Though I think the material could serve well enough as a play, I think adding music to it could really enhance the story. Some songs do, such as "Fishing for the Moon," and "Guard My Life," but overall, the score, especially, needs of a lot of work. The first 2 songs are essentially rock songs, and they do little to further the plot. Moreover, these early songs give the audience the feeling that this is a rock musical, which it isn't, and nor should it be. Many of the songs seemed unnecessary, and didn't fit very well into the overall tone of the show. Meanwhile, many passed by where I think a song could have enhanced the moment. Furthermore, some songs seem to end abruptly, and then there was just a blackout. A couple of scenes ended abruptly, as well. It also seems inappropriate for the cast to sing a reprise at curtain call.
The cast is top-notch in this production, and the "best of the best" performance is given by Mr. Sbarge as Victor. His characterization of Victor is so unique that it's difficult to describe. He excitedly recites back stories that are being told to him, he stumbles over words and gets frustrated, and it's obvious that he's harboring a dark secret. Ms. Rue provides a perfect counterpoint as Celeste; she reads books about penicillin, creates stories where she is an exotic princess, and has a really great heart, as illustrated by a difficult decision she makes. also making an impression is Gregg Henry as Watson, who is constantly losing jobs, was "the rebel" back in high school, and whose true character and intentions are unknown throughout much of the musical.
Little Egypt certainly has the potential to be an absolutely beautiful production, both visually, and through the story and songs themselves. I very much hope that further development of it occurs, as it has a great deal of promise. Still, even as it stands in this current production, flaws and all, it is certainly worth seeing. If you think most works of musical theatre are the same, and that the form has lost all originality, seeing Little Egypt will restore your faith.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Maccabeat! The Hanukkah Musical! 9/26
“THIS is the true story of Hanukkah, sort of.”
This description of Maccabeat! The Hanukkah Musical! from its NYMF website show page pretty much tells you all you need to know about this musical: it’s certainly not meant to be historically accurate, and is not portraying a serious story. What Maccabeat does give you is an entertaining, made-up story; a bouncy score; and, most importantly, a fun night at the theater.
Judah (Mitch Dean), the son of a high priest, is torn between his world and the alluring world of the Greeks. He clashes with his father, tries out for the Olympics, falls for the sister of an important Greek official (Margaret Anne Florence), and has a genuine goal of merging the two cultures. However, unbeknownst to him, the Greek king, Antiochus (Michael Daly) plans to steal gold from the Jewish temple, and wants to ultimately force the Hebrews to bow down to Zeus. He won’t stop short of using Judah to achieve these ends. Ultimately, Judah finds his true destiny, and discovers who he truly is.
A less successful subplot involves Judah’s brother, John (Jeremy Cohen), and his arranged intended, Sarah (Rachel Frankenthal). Sarah decides to act more like a Jerusalem “valley girl” to entice John, and is successful, except now, John doesn’t even notice her when she’s not acting like a valley girl. Though there is an amusing word play between a girl who stands between two mountains and “valley girl,” the act is just annoying, and what’s the message supposed to be? Act like someone else to get someone to like you? It seems to distinctly clash with what Judah learns along the way.
Particularly effective and comedic in Maccabeat is its inclusion and references to modern-day entities, whether it be a play on modern stores (such as McDavid’s), or a take-off of comparatively modern songs (the song, “Shabbat Shalom” is sung to the oldies doo-wop tune of “Silhouettes”). Even though I can’t remember the exact names given to some of the other stores, it was still funny to see that the stores were renamed ot fit in these ancient times. Early in the show, when his father is reprimanding him for wearing a Greek toga, Judah argues that he purchased it at Abercrombie and [Hebrew word]. A coffee shop with the Starbucks logo comes up as Star[Hebrew word]. All of these stores carry the modern logos, making the name change all the more humorous.
The score is particularly catchy, and I found myself singing, “Follow the Maccabee” as I left the theater. Yet there are also sweet ballads, such as “Father,” and “Judah.” The songs were all well sung by the performers, and the chorus as a whole really meshed well together; their voices were in beautiful harmony.
Mitch Dean is well cast as Judah. He has great stage presence, and has the necessary charisma to pull off the character. He also has a great voice. Matching his vocal power is Howard Kaye, as Judah’s father. His rendition of “Judah” is heartfelt and incredibly powerful. Michael Daly turns in a humorous performance as Antiochus, especially in his unsuccessful attempts to pronounce Hebrew words, such as L’Chaim (“Hi-lee-um”?).
Despite minor plot flaws, I think Maccabeat! The Hanukkah Musical! is a well-crafted piece of theater, with songs that further the plot, and let us get to know the characters better. It is definitely a fun musical, and a visit over to the remaining performances at the Acorn Theater will surely be an enjoyable experience. So go, have fun, and follow the Maccabeat!
This description of Maccabeat! The Hanukkah Musical! from its NYMF website show page pretty much tells you all you need to know about this musical: it’s certainly not meant to be historically accurate, and is not portraying a serious story. What Maccabeat does give you is an entertaining, made-up story; a bouncy score; and, most importantly, a fun night at the theater.
Judah (Mitch Dean), the son of a high priest, is torn between his world and the alluring world of the Greeks. He clashes with his father, tries out for the Olympics, falls for the sister of an important Greek official (Margaret Anne Florence), and has a genuine goal of merging the two cultures. However, unbeknownst to him, the Greek king, Antiochus (Michael Daly) plans to steal gold from the Jewish temple, and wants to ultimately force the Hebrews to bow down to Zeus. He won’t stop short of using Judah to achieve these ends. Ultimately, Judah finds his true destiny, and discovers who he truly is.A less successful subplot involves Judah’s brother, John (Jeremy Cohen), and his arranged intended, Sarah (Rachel Frankenthal). Sarah decides to act more like a Jerusalem “valley girl” to entice John, and is successful, except now, John doesn’t even notice her when she’s not acting like a valley girl. Though there is an amusing word play between a girl who stands between two mountains and “valley girl,” the act is just annoying, and what’s the message supposed to be? Act like someone else to get someone to like you? It seems to distinctly clash with what Judah learns along the way.
Particularly effective and comedic in Maccabeat is its inclusion and references to modern-day entities, whether it be a play on modern stores (such as McDavid’s), or a take-off of comparatively modern songs (the song, “Shabbat Shalom” is sung to the oldies doo-wop tune of “Silhouettes”). Even though I can’t remember the exact names given to some of the other stores, it was still funny to see that the stores were renamed ot fit in these ancient times. Early in the show, when his father is reprimanding him for wearing a Greek toga, Judah argues that he purchased it at Abercrombie and [Hebrew word]. A coffee shop with the Starbucks logo comes up as Star[Hebrew word]. All of these stores carry the modern logos, making the name change all the more humorous. The score is particularly catchy, and I found myself singing, “Follow the Maccabee” as I left the theater. Yet there are also sweet ballads, such as “Father,” and “Judah.” The songs were all well sung by the performers, and the chorus as a whole really meshed well together; their voices were in beautiful harmony.
Mitch Dean is well cast as Judah. He has great stage presence, and has the necessary charisma to pull off the character. He also has a great voice. Matching his vocal power is Howard Kaye, as Judah’s father. His rendition of “Judah” is heartfelt and incredibly powerful. Michael Daly turns in a humorous performance as Antiochus, especially in his unsuccessful attempts to pronounce Hebrew words, such as L’Chaim (“Hi-lee-um”?).
Despite minor plot flaws, I think Maccabeat! The Hanukkah Musical! is a well-crafted piece of theater, with songs that further the plot, and let us get to know the characters better. It is definitely a fun musical, and a visit over to the remaining performances at the Acorn Theater will surely be an enjoyable experience. So go, have fun, and follow the Maccabeat!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Austentatious, 9/23, 8PM
Out of all the shows being offered at the festival, the show I was most looking forward to was Austentatious. Unfortunately, that also meant that it had the greatest potential to disappoint me, and, unfortunately, to a certain extent, it did.
Not to say that it doesn't have its bright spots, but the fault ultimately lies in the plot, which is unnecessarily complicated. A community theater is putting on a production of Pride and Prejudice. The script for the production is adapted, with a great deal of liberties, from the movie, by Emily (Stacey Sargeant), who conceives of the show as a dance musical, complete with a climactic tap-off. Emily is also playing the role of Elizabeth Bennett, and is dating the show's director, Dominic (Stephen Bel Davies), a film director who is making his theatrical directing debut. He doesn't understand the limitations of theatre, and envisions the show as an epic spectacular. Jealous of their relationship, and of Emily's part, is the actress playing Lydia Bennett, Lauren (Amy Goldberger). Her boyfriend, David (George Merrick), came to help her audition, and, surprisingly, ends up getting the part of Mr. Darcy. He begins to develop feelings for the show's hard-working and thankless stage manager, Sam (Stephanie D'Abruzzo), which also makes Lauren jealous, and she vows to sabotage their relationship. There is also Blake (Paul Wyatt), who likes to come to rehearsal right after getting high. Not to mention, they still haven't found an actor to play Wickham.
Whew! Still with me?
Some of these plot points work better than others. The budding relationship between Sam and David is cute, and the show nicely acknowledges the tireless effort put in by a stage manager. However, several of these plot points seem unnecessary, such as Dominic's vision of the production as a film epic -- the direction that Emily wants to take the show in certainly provides for enough conflict between the two, and seems to affect the final production much more. There are also constant mentions of the theatre group's old director who has gone on to head a dinner theater. These acknowledgements of him occur too often for a character never seen, and Lauren doesn't need to be equally jealous of two relationships.
Removing some of this unnecessary drama would cut down the show, and quicken the pace, so the show arrives quicker at what is easily its best moment -- the actual performance of Pride and Prejudice. This is perhaps the worst production you've ever seen since Springtime For Hitler, and it is absolutely hilarious. I think the staging of Pride and Prejudice might be worth the price of admission alone! Thanks mainly to this moment, act 2 works much better than act 1 as a whole, which made me feel that the intermission was unnecessary. I think this would run better as a 90-minute intermissionless musical, rather than the current time of 140 minutes.
The performers are not at fault; they do what they can with the material they're given. D'Abruzzo and Merrick, especially, provide heart to this zany musical. I did enjoy a few songs, such as "The Next Best Thing," and "Between the Lines," but overall, I found the score to be mostly forgettable.
So, at the price of $20, as I said, the show very well might be worth a visit to see the actual production of Pride and Prejudice. And maybe if you don't go in with high expectations as I did, you'll enjoy the show more as a whole.
Either way, Austentatious will certainly show one of the worst community theatre productions you've ever witnessed...no matter how many others you've seen!
Not to say that it doesn't have its bright spots, but the fault ultimately lies in the plot, which is unnecessarily complicated. A community theater is putting on a production of Pride and Prejudice. The script for the production is adapted, with a great deal of liberties, from the movie, by Emily (Stacey Sargeant), who conceives of the show as a dance musical, complete with a climactic tap-off. Emily is also playing the role of Elizabeth Bennett, and is dating the show's director, Dominic (Stephen Bel Davies), a film director who is making his theatrical directing debut. He doesn't understand the limitations of theatre, and envisions the show as an epic spectacular. Jealous of their relationship, and of Emily's part, is the actress playing Lydia Bennett, Lauren (Amy Goldberger). Her boyfriend, David (George Merrick), came to help her audition, and, surprisingly, ends up getting the part of Mr. Darcy. He begins to develop feelings for the show's hard-working and thankless stage manager, Sam (Stephanie D'Abruzzo), which also makes Lauren jealous, and she vows to sabotage their relationship. There is also Blake (Paul Wyatt), who likes to come to rehearsal right after getting high. Not to mention, they still haven't found an actor to play Wickham. Whew! Still with me?
Some of these plot points work better than others. The budding relationship between Sam and David is cute, and the show nicely acknowledges the tireless effort put in by a stage manager. However, several of these plot points seem unnecessary, such as Dominic's vision of the production as a film epic -- the direction that Emily wants to take the show in certainly provides for enough conflict between the two, and seems to affect the final production much more. There are also constant mentions of the theatre group's old director who has gone on to head a dinner theater. These acknowledgements of him occur too often for a character never seen, and Lauren doesn't need to be equally jealous of two relationships.
Removing some of this unnecessary drama would cut down the show, and quicken the pace, so the show arrives quicker at what is easily its best moment -- the actual performance of Pride and Prejudice. This is perhaps the worst production you've ever seen since Springtime For Hitler, and it is absolutely hilarious. I think the staging of Pride and Prejudice might be worth the price of admission alone! Thanks mainly to this moment, act 2 works much better than act 1 as a whole, which made me feel that the intermission was unnecessary. I think this would run better as a 90-minute intermissionless musical, rather than the current time of 140 minutes.
The performers are not at fault; they do what they can with the material they're given. D'Abruzzo and Merrick, especially, provide heart to this zany musical. I did enjoy a few songs, such as "The Next Best Thing," and "Between the Lines," but overall, I found the score to be mostly forgettable.
So, at the price of $20, as I said, the show very well might be worth a visit to see the actual production of Pride and Prejudice. And maybe if you don't go in with high expectations as I did, you'll enjoy the show more as a whole.
Either way, Austentatious will certainly show one of the worst community theatre productions you've ever witnessed...no matter how many others you've seen!
Monday, September 24, 2007
Die Hard: The Puppet Musical, 4/23, 11PM
A late '80s action movie, an infectious score, interspecies romance, (and by that, I mean human and puppet) unconfessed love between terrorists, and -- oh yeah -- killing: it's all part of Die Hard: The Puppet Musical!
John McClane (John Ardolino, also book writer and co-lyricist) is a New York City cop on a visit to LA to see his estranged wife, and their kids. His wife just happens to work for a company that is holding an immense amount of money in a safe downstairs that just happens to be targeted by a Russian terrosit group, led by the evil Hans (Nate Begle). Can McClane put a stop to this group's scheme, win back his wife, and avoid jet lag?
As I entered the theater, and saw a sign warning that this show contains "brief puppet nudity," I became a tad worried that this would be the Avenue Q version of Die Hard. Fortunately, very early on, this proved to not be the cast, as, in particular, the puppets used were incredibly varied and original. The owner of the company was portrayed by a giant balloon face over the body of the person doing the rest of the actions; the LA policeman who had a history of killing children was portrayed by a full-size body doll, one of the terrorists had a box-head, with a mop for hair; a giant care bear was...a giant care bear, and, in the most dazzling form of puppetry, Hans was simply a face that was held and voiced by Mr. Begle, standing in back of a woman who provided the body movements for Hans, while his "face" covered hers. These performers were so in sync that at times, it really seemed that her arms were attached to Hans' face. McClane was the only human character.
Aside from some dazzling puppetry, the show itself was, unsurprisingly, hysterical. I've actually never seen the Die Hard movie, but I can't imagine it being as funny as this musical version (even without the puppets), and so, I imagine, some creative liberties were taken with the source material to allow for all of the humor that occurred during the show. There is a reference to the different airplane regulations in the 80's, a character lovingly known as "The Chinese Guy Who Appears In Every Action Film Ever Made," and a very amusing end for the boss, the balloon character.
Though several songs serve the sole function of humor, much of the score was infectious and memorable. My personal favorite was Hans' song about how he became evil, brilliantly sung in a deep, bass voice by Mr. Begle. Other infectious songs included John's theme song, which opened the show, and "What's A Terrorist To Do (When He's In Love)," complete with slides detailing their relationship.
Performances were great all around. One of my only complaints was that I think the show could have been a tad shorter. At a time where I was ready for the climax of the show, I instead received one of the supporting characters' backstory. So, I would say the show runs at a good pace up until the last third, when it begins to drag. Also, the inclusion of a Muslim terrorist puppet was a little much, especially with him being on the plane, as well.
I can't envision the show having any sort of "run," but I could see it working very nicely as a once-a-month, once-every-two-months special midnight event. There is only one remaining performance of Die Hard: The Puppet Musical, and I highly recommend catching it, provided it's not yet soldout. Die Hard: The Puppet Musical will certainly leave you shouting, "Yippee - Ki - Yay, Motherf*cker!"
John McClane (John Ardolino, also book writer and co-lyricist) is a New York City cop on a visit to LA to see his estranged wife, and their kids. His wife just happens to work for a company that is holding an immense amount of money in a safe downstairs that just happens to be targeted by a Russian terrosit group, led by the evil Hans (Nate Begle). Can McClane put a stop to this group's scheme, win back his wife, and avoid jet lag?
As I entered the theater, and saw a sign warning that this show contains "brief puppet nudity," I became a tad worried that this would be the Avenue Q version of Die Hard. Fortunately, very early on, this proved to not be the cast, as, in particular, the puppets used were incredibly varied and original. The owner of the company was portrayed by a giant balloon face over the body of the person doing the rest of the actions; the LA policeman who had a history of killing children was portrayed by a full-size body doll, one of the terrorists had a box-head, with a mop for hair; a giant care bear was...a giant care bear, and, in the most dazzling form of puppetry, Hans was simply a face that was held and voiced by Mr. Begle, standing in back of a woman who provided the body movements for Hans, while his "face" covered hers. These performers were so in sync that at times, it really seemed that her arms were attached to Hans' face. McClane was the only human character.Aside from some dazzling puppetry, the show itself was, unsurprisingly, hysterical. I've actually never seen the Die Hard movie, but I can't imagine it being as funny as this musical version (even without the puppets), and so, I imagine, some creative liberties were taken with the source material to allow for all of the humor that occurred during the show. There is a reference to the different airplane regulations in the 80's, a character lovingly known as "The Chinese Guy Who Appears In Every Action Film Ever Made," and a very amusing end for the boss, the balloon character.
Though several songs serve the sole function of humor, much of the score was infectious and memorable. My personal favorite was Hans' song about how he became evil, brilliantly sung in a deep, bass voice by Mr. Begle. Other infectious songs included John's theme song, which opened the show, and "What's A Terrorist To Do (When He's In Love)," complete with slides detailing their relationship.
Performances were great all around. One of my only complaints was that I think the show could have been a tad shorter. At a time where I was ready for the climax of the show, I instead received one of the supporting characters' backstory. So, I would say the show runs at a good pace up until the last third, when it begins to drag. Also, the inclusion of a Muslim terrorist puppet was a little much, especially with him being on the plane, as well.
I can't envision the show having any sort of "run," but I could see it working very nicely as a once-a-month, once-every-two-months special midnight event. There is only one remaining performance of Die Hard: The Puppet Musical, and I highly recommend catching it, provided it's not yet soldout. Die Hard: The Puppet Musical will certainly leave you shouting, "Yippee - Ki - Yay, Motherf*cker!"
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Bernice Bobs Her Mullet, 9/19
I was lucky to attend the opening night of Bernice Bobs Her Mullet. There was an excitement in the audience that stayed with the show, despite a late start due to sound problems. I was looking forward to a cute, funny, typical teen musical comedy, and that is exactly what I got.
Bernice is a young redneck who leaves her hometown, Eau Claire, to experience life in the big city – Little Rock. She stays two weeks with her spoiled, popular, ditzy cousin, Marjorie, and soon discovers the politics of popularity. Tempted with the thrills of popularity, she must choose between staying true to herself or getting swept up in the glamour of being well-liked.
For the most part, the show is an enjoyable, fun, comic experience, featuring one-liners such as: "Don't judge the retarded girl from Texas; it's not her fault she's from Texas." This is just one of several laugh-out-loud moments. The show is certainly predictable, but you’ll still enjoy seeing the story unfold, anyway. It has its good deal of cheesy moments, but it is refreshing that the nicest girl doesn’t end the show by learning to be nice no matter what. The twist here will surely give you a laugh.
It is also effective that most of the cast double as Eau Claire characters and Little Rock characters, though their stage time as the Eau Claire characters are limited. The show takes an amusing shot at itself, allowing this double-casting to serve as an intelligent Wizard of Oz reference.
The score adequately fits the show, as the songs that come from the Eau Claire characters are distinctly different than those that come from the Little Rock characters. The formers’ songs sound more southern and country, and have a general optimistic and accepting tone to them. On the contrary, the latters’ songs sound more pop, and have a more pessimistic, satiric form to them, such as one of the score's highlights, "Hate Yourself." Though treated comically, this song offers an important, true insight into the life of an adolescent girl: to be popular, you must hate every aspect of yourself. As Bernice becomes more accustomed to city life, the tone of her songs change to a less country, less confident feel, and more of an insecure, innocent feel, such as her realization that she wishes she could be more like Marjorie, “More Like Her.”
My only issue with the show was its treatment of Marjorie, and the popular girls in general. The line between satiric portrayal and an over-the-top portrayal is a fine one, and Hollie Howard, as Marjorie, crosses it. Some antics, such as the shaking-of-her-butt, were funny, but…her voice, the way she talked, and the overdoing of ditziness were just too much for me. This could just be a personal issue, because many members of the audience seemed to enjoy her antics. But, for me, the general annoyance I had with the character distanced me more from the show than I would have liked to have been.
Not to say that Ms. Howard herself lacks talent; on the contrary, she is able to show off some of her distinct skills in “Hate Yourself,” as she performs a cartwheel, and does a split.
As for the rest of the cast, Garrett Long is a perfect fit for Bernice. She is able to convey natural southern tomboyness, self-worth, and total confidence in her outsider status at the first dance she attends with Marjorie. She also appropriately portrays Bernice’s questioning of her own values and beliefs, and then her transition to caring about what others think. Ms. Long has good stage presence, and is immediately likable. She also has a strong voice, and her emotional songs are especially effective.
It is good to see Ann Morrison (original Broadway cast of Merrily We Role Along) back on stage. She is the first one to enter the stage, and deservedly receives entrance applause. She is good as the mother of both Bernice and Marjorie, but her roles are unfortunately secondary in the adolescent story. Another standout in the cast is Nick Cearley as Otis, a freshman who has just joined Marjorie’s clique. He delivers several comic moments, including the song, “What An Awkward Moment.”
But without a doubt, Jeff Hiller steals the show, as a recently graduated Jesus freak, and a “transsexual” barber. Both character enter in a larger-than-life fashion, and Mr. Hiller maintains their larger-than-life personalities. Given the least amount of stage time, Mr. Hiller makes the biggest impression with the limited time he has.
Bernice Bobs Her Mullet isn’t the kind of piece that will leave you contemplating the suffering of human existence, but it will certainly keep you laughing, smiling, and will provide you with a cute, enjoyable night at the theater.
Bernice is a young redneck who leaves her hometown, Eau Claire, to experience life in the big city – Little Rock. She stays two weeks with her spoiled, popular, ditzy cousin, Marjorie, and soon discovers the politics of popularity. Tempted with the thrills of popularity, she must choose between staying true to herself or getting swept up in the glamour of being well-liked. For the most part, the show is an enjoyable, fun, comic experience, featuring one-liners such as: "Don't judge the retarded girl from Texas; it's not her fault she's from Texas." This is just one of several laugh-out-loud moments. The show is certainly predictable, but you’ll still enjoy seeing the story unfold, anyway. It has its good deal of cheesy moments, but it is refreshing that the nicest girl doesn’t end the show by learning to be nice no matter what. The twist here will surely give you a laugh.
It is also effective that most of the cast double as Eau Claire characters and Little Rock characters, though their stage time as the Eau Claire characters are limited. The show takes an amusing shot at itself, allowing this double-casting to serve as an intelligent Wizard of Oz reference.
The score adequately fits the show, as the songs that come from the Eau Claire characters are distinctly different than those that come from the Little Rock characters. The formers’ songs sound more southern and country, and have a general optimistic and accepting tone to them. On the contrary, the latters’ songs sound more pop, and have a more pessimistic, satiric form to them, such as one of the score's highlights, "Hate Yourself." Though treated comically, this song offers an important, true insight into the life of an adolescent girl: to be popular, you must hate every aspect of yourself. As Bernice becomes more accustomed to city life, the tone of her songs change to a less country, less confident feel, and more of an insecure, innocent feel, such as her realization that she wishes she could be more like Marjorie, “More Like Her.”
My only issue with the show was its treatment of Marjorie, and the popular girls in general. The line between satiric portrayal and an over-the-top portrayal is a fine one, and Hollie Howard, as Marjorie, crosses it. Some antics, such as the shaking-of-her-butt, were funny, but…her voice, the way she talked, and the overdoing of ditziness were just too much for me. This could just be a personal issue, because many members of the audience seemed to enjoy her antics. But, for me, the general annoyance I had with the character distanced me more from the show than I would have liked to have been.
Not to say that Ms. Howard herself lacks talent; on the contrary, she is able to show off some of her distinct skills in “Hate Yourself,” as she performs a cartwheel, and does a split.
As for the rest of the cast, Garrett Long is a perfect fit for Bernice. She is able to convey natural southern tomboyness, self-worth, and total confidence in her outsider status at the first dance she attends with Marjorie. She also appropriately portrays Bernice’s questioning of her own values and beliefs, and then her transition to caring about what others think. Ms. Long has good stage presence, and is immediately likable. She also has a strong voice, and her emotional songs are especially effective.It is good to see Ann Morrison (original Broadway cast of Merrily We Role Along) back on stage. She is the first one to enter the stage, and deservedly receives entrance applause. She is good as the mother of both Bernice and Marjorie, but her roles are unfortunately secondary in the adolescent story. Another standout in the cast is Nick Cearley as Otis, a freshman who has just joined Marjorie’s clique. He delivers several comic moments, including the song, “What An Awkward Moment.”
But without a doubt, Jeff Hiller steals the show, as a recently graduated Jesus freak, and a “transsexual” barber. Both character enter in a larger-than-life fashion, and Mr. Hiller maintains their larger-than-life personalities. Given the least amount of stage time, Mr. Hiller makes the biggest impression with the limited time he has.
Bernice Bobs Her Mullet isn’t the kind of piece that will leave you contemplating the suffering of human existence, but it will certainly keep you laughing, smiling, and will provide you with a cute, enjoyable night at the theater.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
The Rise of the Art Form Known as Dance Theatre
This past Wednesday, I was fortunate to attend two NYMF press events. The first was in the morning, and featured performers from several shows performing a song from their show. Three of the other interns were there, so I won’t touch much on that, only will mention that my favorite performance was from The Yellow Wood, and I also really liked the performance of Tully (in no particular order).
But I lucked out that my afternoon class was cancelled this past Wednesday, due to Rosh Hashanah, so I was able to event the afternoon event, where I got to watch three dance performances from three heavy-dance musicals. Or, you could say, examples of “dance theatre.”
Now, the integration of dance to the story being told by a musical has been slowly increasing since the debut of the American musical. In the early twentieth century, when American musicals featured flimsy plots, and shows seemed to be more like different Vaudeville acts performed in succession, dance did not have a heavy part in telling the “story.” Usually, characters would randomly burst into dance, and then the show would continue as if the dance had never happened. It was seen strictly as entertainment, and not something that had to be perfectly integrated into the rest of the show.
Of course, that has changed drastically over the years. The first person to recognize that dance can have an affect on the overall story was Agnes de Mille, choreographer of Oklahoma! She conceived of a dream ballet for Laurie that would illustrate her dilemma and fears of having to choose between Jud and Curly. By showcasing her deeper fears about Jud, the ballet clearly showed audiences that Laurie preferred Curly, and so the dance became a part of the story.
Jerome Robbins took the idea of dance as a storytelling form to another level in most of his shows, but particularly in West Side Story. The entire first ten minutes or so of the musical are told strictly through dance and non-vocal music. The dance told audiences everything that they needed to know about the feuding of the gangs. Similarly, many important moments of the show are told through dance: Tony and Maria’s first meeting, and the dual killing of Riff and Bernardo, for instance. Bob Fosse’s choreography became so integral to his musicals that several dance moves are now associated as a Fosse move. His choreography conveyed the moods of his shows – the kind of dark, tempting mood that shapes such shows as Chicago and Pippin. Michael Bennett took it a step further, as not only did dance tell the story in A Chorus Line, but the story of A Chorus Line was dance. And then all-dance shows began coming to Broadway, such as Contact and Movin’ Out.
Still, there is something that separates even the most recent dance shows from some of the shows that will be premiering at the NYMF. The pieces known as examples of “dance theatre” tend to feature hardly any words, either in dialogue or lyrics. The story is told entirely through dance. The first piece of dance theatre that I saw was Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands at BAM, which was essentially a ballet. Composers expanded the score of the movie, but no songs were sung, yet the story was very easy to follow, even to those who had not seen the movie.
Which brings me back to the NYMF press event. Three shows offered performances, and then cast and the creative team spoke about each show’s particular story, and what story they were trying to convey through the dance.
The first performance came from Platforms, and their main form of dance was tap. But this wasn’t tap that came from the days of Vaudeville; this was intense, emotion-bearing tap dance. The theme of Platforms is life in New York City – the sounds, the environment, what New Yorkers dream of doing every day, and what some actually do every day.
The excerpt that I watched took place in Washington Square Park. There was a sort of “lady of the park,” and the piece explored her relationship with an ex-boyfriend. Several dance-offs took place, as if each person was trying to get the other on their side. There was an appropriate tension in the tapping, and it really did illustrate the sounds of New York. Exploring New York City platforms is a fascinating choice, as it is the one place where people from every different background and personal history are forced to come together. The piece in fact has five different choreographers, and I’m very interested to see how all of their work integrates into a cohesive whole.
The next performance came from Step. In theory, Step does not match the criteria that I have set forth for dance theatre, as there is a speaker/reader in addition to a step dancer. Even so, the words spoken added very much to the actual step dancing. The excerpt I watched was about connecting the art to its people -- step dancing with its African heritage, and also communication of the moving body. Though there was no music in the excerpt, the combination of the rhythm-speaking, and the noise of step-dancing created an appropriate score. Step dancing has been sort of an underground art form, and this is an opportunity to bring it “above ground,” so to speak. There is already wonderful buzz surrounding Step, as both of its performances are already entirely sold out.
But my favorite performance of the afternoon came from Freshly Tossed, for it introduced a form that I, at least, had never seen before: dance theatre comedy. Dance is often used as an expression as drama, so it was great seeing it used in comedic form. This excerpt featured two air guitarists falling in love. At first, there was just a male air guitarist, fooling around -- dropping the guitar, fitting it into his pants, etc. Then when he meets the female air guitarist, they try every which way to air guitar off of each other, and even while they’re dancing. The actors’ facial expressions made the whole dance hysterical, and it was well received by those in the audience. It was as if the excerpt had its own laugh track.
I was never a huge fan of dance for its own sake, but I am beginning to feel differently about dance theatre. It’s fascinating the way the creators are able to use dance to tell the story, and how original each piece that does it feels. Anyone that is interested in exploring new art forms, including dance theatre, should definitely check out some shows at NYMF.
But I lucked out that my afternoon class was cancelled this past Wednesday, due to Rosh Hashanah, so I was able to event the afternoon event, where I got to watch three dance performances from three heavy-dance musicals. Or, you could say, examples of “dance theatre.”
Now, the integration of dance to the story being told by a musical has been slowly increasing since the debut of the American musical. In the early twentieth century, when American musicals featured flimsy plots, and shows seemed to be more like different Vaudeville acts performed in succession, dance did not have a heavy part in telling the “story.” Usually, characters would randomly burst into dance, and then the show would continue as if the dance had never happened. It was seen strictly as entertainment, and not something that had to be perfectly integrated into the rest of the show.Of course, that has changed drastically over the years. The first person to recognize that dance can have an affect on the overall story was Agnes de Mille, choreographer of Oklahoma! She conceived of a dream ballet for Laurie that would illustrate her dilemma and fears of having to choose between Jud and Curly. By showcasing her deeper fears about Jud, the ballet clearly showed audiences that Laurie preferred Curly, and so the dance became a part of the story.
Jerome Robbins took the idea of dance as a storytelling form to another level in most of his shows, but particularly in West Side Story. The entire first ten minutes or so of the musical are told strictly through dance and non-vocal music. The dance told audiences everything that they needed to know about the feuding of the gangs. Similarly, many important moments of the show are told through dance: Tony and Maria’s first meeting, and the dual killing of Riff and Bernardo, for instance. Bob Fosse’s choreography became so integral to his musicals that several dance moves are now associated as a Fosse move. His choreography conveyed the moods of his shows – the kind of dark, tempting mood that shapes such shows as Chicago and Pippin. Michael Bennett took it a step further, as not only did dance tell the story in A Chorus Line, but the story of A Chorus Line was dance. And then all-dance shows began coming to Broadway, such as Contact and Movin’ Out.Still, there is something that separates even the most recent dance shows from some of the shows that will be premiering at the NYMF. The pieces known as examples of “dance theatre” tend to feature hardly any words, either in dialogue or lyrics. The story is told entirely through dance. The first piece of dance theatre that I saw was Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands at BAM, which was essentially a ballet. Composers expanded the score of the movie, but no songs were sung, yet the story was very easy to follow, even to those who had not seen the movie.
Which brings me back to the NYMF press event. Three shows offered performances, and then cast and the creative team spoke about each show’s particular story, and what story they were trying to convey through the dance.
The first performance came from Platforms, and their main form of dance was tap. But this wasn’t tap that came from the days of Vaudeville; this was intense, emotion-bearing tap dance. The theme of Platforms is life in New York City – the sounds, the environment, what New Yorkers dream of doing every day, and what some actually do every day.The excerpt that I watched took place in Washington Square Park. There was a sort of “lady of the park,” and the piece explored her relationship with an ex-boyfriend. Several dance-offs took place, as if each person was trying to get the other on their side. There was an appropriate tension in the tapping, and it really did illustrate the sounds of New York. Exploring New York City platforms is a fascinating choice, as it is the one place where people from every different background and personal history are forced to come together. The piece in fact has five different choreographers, and I’m very interested to see how all of their work integrates into a cohesive whole.
The next performance came from Step. In theory, Step does not match the criteria that I have set forth for dance theatre, as there is a speaker/reader in addition to a step dancer. Even so, the words spoken added very much to the actual step dancing. The excerpt I watched was about connecting the art to its people -- step dancing with its African heritage, and also communication of the moving body. Though there was no music in the excerpt, the combination of the rhythm-speaking, and the noise of step-dancing created an appropriate score. Step dancing has been sort of an underground art form, and this is an opportunity to bring it “above ground,” so to speak. There is already wonderful buzz surrounding Step, as both of its performances are already entirely sold out.
But my favorite performance of the afternoon came from Freshly Tossed, for it introduced a form that I, at least, had never seen before: dance theatre comedy. Dance is often used as an expression as drama, so it was great seeing it used in comedic form. This excerpt featured two air guitarists falling in love. At first, there was just a male air guitarist, fooling around -- dropping the guitar, fitting it into his pants, etc. Then when he meets the female air guitarist, they try every which way to air guitar off of each other, and even while they’re dancing. The actors’ facial expressions made the whole dance hysterical, and it was well received by those in the audience. It was as if the excerpt had its own laugh track.I was never a huge fan of dance for its own sake, but I am beginning to feel differently about dance theatre. It’s fascinating the way the creators are able to use dance to tell the story, and how original each piece that does it feels. Anyone that is interested in exploring new art forms, including dance theatre, should definitely check out some shows at NYMF.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
NYMF, rehearsals, and the evolution of a song
So, I recently attended a snippet of a rehearsal for the upcoming NYMF show, Love Sucks. It is a sexy, new, punk rock musical, which uses the premise of Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost as a springboard for this modern day story. The musical is set in the burgeoning underground scene of the 1970's East Village. Two competing rock bands, The Molotovs (all-male), and The Guttersnipes (all-female), swear off love because they've lost too many musicians to jealous lovers. In order to stay focused on the music, each band member can have sex with someone only three times. But when the guys and girls meet up, their rule comes back to bite them in the ass.
I watched them rehearse one of the songs that the Guttersnipes perform, “Rare Find.” The song takes an interesting twist, and it was fascinating to watch the song evolve in just half an hour. As a classical musician, if music is altered, I usually can’t play the new music until I am given a re-written copy of it. But on the guitar, the music can be altered simply by watching the new music being played. It was quite fascinating.
Moreover, as much as all musicals are collaborations, it seems as though there is unique pressure on everyone involved with a NYMF production to join forces and work extremely well together to create and tweak the piece. This certainly happened for the evolution of “Rare Find” in Love Sucks. It was great to see such changes in about half an hour, where everyone was contributing in one way or another. The director watches the song performed, and suggests tweaks and small changes that will encompass more of the characters and be a truer reflection of what is happening and what they are feeling. The actors are asked to improv a bit, and the composer comes up with some new chords to fit with what is being changed, and ensures that the song still works, sounds good, and fits its punk genre, and does not get too pop or heavy metal. And this all happens in the course of about half an hour. The time crunch seems to have a positive effect on everyone, as they are very much aware of how much they need to work together to allow the show to come together in such a brief time.
Shakespeare has been adapted to many mediums – movies, classic musicals, etc. But I can’t think of too many punk rock musicals that have been adapted from Shakespeare. It’s perhaps a bit of a risky move, but certainly has the potential to be very successful. It’s always fun to see how Shakespeare’s characters and situations get transformed to modern time (or in this case, the ‘70’s). However it turns out, one of the classic themes of Love’s Labour’s Lost certainly seems to stay intact:
“There is no evil angel but Love.”
I watched them rehearse one of the songs that the Guttersnipes perform, “Rare Find.” The song takes an interesting twist, and it was fascinating to watch the song evolve in just half an hour. As a classical musician, if music is altered, I usually can’t play the new music until I am given a re-written copy of it. But on the guitar, the music can be altered simply by watching the new music being played. It was quite fascinating.Moreover, as much as all musicals are collaborations, it seems as though there is unique pressure on everyone involved with a NYMF production to join forces and work extremely well together to create and tweak the piece. This certainly happened for the evolution of “Rare Find” in Love Sucks. It was great to see such changes in about half an hour, where everyone was contributing in one way or another. The director watches the song performed, and suggests tweaks and small changes that will encompass more of the characters and be a truer reflection of what is happening and what they are feeling. The actors are asked to improv a bit, and the composer comes up with some new chords to fit with what is being changed, and ensures that the song still works, sounds good, and fits its punk genre, and does not get too pop or heavy metal. And this all happens in the course of about half an hour. The time crunch seems to have a positive effect on everyone, as they are very much aware of how much they need to work together to allow the show to come together in such a brief time.
Shakespeare has been adapted to many mediums – movies, classic musicals, etc. But I can’t think of too many punk rock musicals that have been adapted from Shakespeare. It’s perhaps a bit of a risky move, but certainly has the potential to be very successful. It’s always fun to see how Shakespeare’s characters and situations get transformed to modern time (or in this case, the ‘70’s). However it turns out, one of the classic themes of Love’s Labour’s Lost certainly seems to stay intact:
“There is no evil angel but Love.”
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