Stage

l-r: Rich Hebert, Kittson O’Neill and Kimberly S. Fairbanks. (Photo: Paola Nogueras)

Sweat
By Lynne Nottage
Directed by Justin Emeka
Suzanne Robert Theatre, Philadelphia

http://www.philadelphiatheatrecompany.org

Oct. 17- Nov 4

The Philadelphia Theatre Company is back on the boards at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre after a year shutdown to regroup under the artistic direction of Paige Price, who chose Lynn Nottage’s 2017 Pulitzer Prize winning play Sweat to launch PTC’s new season.

Justin Emeka directs a fine ensemble cast of Philly-based actors- Brian Anthony Wilson, Matteo Scammell, Walter DeShields, Kimberly S. Fairbanks, Rich Hebert, Kittson O’Neill, Suli Holum, J. Hernandez and Damian J. Wallace.

Nottage’s drama bounces back and forth between 2008 and 2000 to explore the impact of economic collapse in Reading, PA where factory and industrial plant workers were watching their wages shrink, their jobs disappear as manufacturers outsourced production lines and  their unions splinter. The  worker squeeze was on and it gets very personal.

Sweat opens in 2008 as Jason, a young white man just out of prison faces off with his parole officer Evan who knows that Jason is probably headed back to prison if he doesn’t deal with his rage quick. Jason’s former best friend Chris, black a young black man, also just out of prison but with a plan to rebuild his life.

What brought these two men to this crossroads is told in flashback as they hang out in the neighborhood bar with their families and and a tight group of friends who all work in the same Reading manufacturing plant.

Chris’s mother Cynthia and Jason’s mother Tracey are at the bar celebrating their coworker Jessie birthday and everyone is plastered.  The party is interrupted when Cynthia’s estranged husband Damien shows up strung out on drugs and in dire straits since he lost his job after a union walkout the previous year. He tries to reconcile with Cynthia and convince her he is clean, but she isn’t having it until he gets help. Jason’s mother Tracey is a lifelong factory worker who feels her job is on the line. When Cynthia gets promoted to management it threatens their friendship as rumors of union busting swirls and Cynthia is caught in the middle.

Meanwhile, her son Chris has decided not to waste his life in the factory and plans to go to college for a teaching degree and Jason tries to talk him out of it. Nottage’s carves out the overt and subtle racial divides that surface through the economic crisis as Reading’s white and black workers are pitted against each other. Oscar, a Hispanic who works in the bar, is invisible to the others until he seeks a job at the factory as temp, while management shuts out the longtime workers.

Cynthia frustration living day to day for the possibility of a promotion to management. When she does get promoted, she is used as a corporate pawn and it ruins her friendship with Tracey and Jessie.

The cast is uniformly excellent. Fairbanks, O’Neill and Holum equally dynamic in conveying their private emotional turmoil feeling betrayed by each other.  Scammell and DeShields turn in powerhouse performances as the broken best friends who must come to terms with lives going forward.

Nottage doesn’t short hand much. She drives home the political points in meaningful, if sometimes heavy-handed ways. The images of news politicians from 10 years ago is a bit overdone. But how ripe it is to see them put forth their own empty promises.

There are some some bumpy transitional scenes and Nottage seems to run out of ideas for Tracey, for instance, and O’Neill seems to be stuck voicing the same rant about losing her job. J. Hernadez’s Oscar is almost a poetic symbol and his fate is resolved a bit too neatly. But even with the rough edges and character slights, but is emotionally earned by this cast.

Wallace brings so much depth as Brucie who escapes his reality through drugs and alcohol to the point that it has ruined his relationship with his wife and son. Walter DeShields and Matteo Scammell (Chris and Jason) Kimberly Fairbanks and Kittson O’Neill (Cynthia and Tracey) all navigating the emotional terrain of broken relationships and the path to reconciliation. Suli Holum punch drunk Jessie, seems like comic relief, but Nottage finally gives her a central heartbreaking moment, as she reminisces about her youthful idealist plans.

The set design of the bar by Christopher Ash seems like a real place, with real history. The pool table alone looks like it’s been slept in and spilled on.  Ultimately, ‘Sweat’ wears its raw edges proudly, Nottage has written another brave play that speaks to some of the root causes of where we are as a nation now.

 

Stage

 

 

Fiddler on the Roof

Barlett Sher, director

2016 Broadway revival National Tour

Academy of Music, Philadelphia

Fiddler on the Roof

 

Director Barlett Sher’s 2016 Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof embarked on a National tour with opening weeks Syracuse, then for a week’s run at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia.  Jerome Robbins’ 1964 original production was a sensation and this major revival, under Sher’s direction proves Fiddler has lost none of its luster, starting with its powerhouse score by composer Sheldon Harnick and lyricist Jerry Bock is not only vintage musical classic, but all the richer now, with the new orchestrations by Ted Sperling. and a vibrant 10 piece orchestra led by musical director/conductor Michael Uselmann.

Fiddler is based on stories by Sholem Aleichem about the peasants in Anatevka, a Russian shtetl circa 1905 where life was as perilous as a fiddler on the roof. Tyeve, the dairyman, and his Golde are struggling to raise their five daughters , a poor Jewish family keeping the traditions of their faith and culture in a quickly changing world, with revolution in the air and the czar’s dragoons brutalize the Russian Jews.

The original production was criticized for sanitizing many of the brutal realities that Aleichem describes, but Sher’s production in subtle ways gives it a harsher, more realistic edge, especially visually, that resonates.

Meanwhile, it is a musical to behold right from the start with the thrilling prologue number ‘Tradition.’ A showstopper made so iconic by Zero Mostel that it was hard to imagine anyone else but singing it, but the part of Tevye, is such a theatrically big role- full of pathos, humor, musicality that seasoned actors can put their stamp on it.

Yehezkel Lazarov stars as Tevye in the Barlett Sher’s National tour of the 2016 B’way revival of Fiddler on the Roof

There have been many great Tevyes- Topol, Hershel Bernardi (who I saw on Broadway in 1967), Theodore Bickel, just to name a few and Sher has cast Israeli film and stage star Yehezkel Lazarov who can definitely be added to that list, delivering an altogether powerhouse vocal and soulful performance.  Maite Uzal’s makes the most of a mostly one note role as Golde,  especially ‘Do You Love Me’ her touching duet with Tevye.  Golde is one of the sketchier aspects of Fiddler’s book by Joseph Stein

Of course one of the other star of Fiddler is the celebrated choreography by Robbins, also in a class by itself in its spirited documentation of traditional Hasidic dance and Russian folkloric dance, with new variations by Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter giving it even more refinement and cultural depth.  The show’s dance cast in top form throughout.

Tevye and Golde are raising their five daughters in a time of political upheaval in Russia. But Tevye has other things on his mind. Golde and Yente, the town matchmaker have arranged for their oldest daughter Tzeitel to be married off to Lazar Wolf, the old town butcher, who Tevye’s foe. But Golde makes them meet and Tevye consents to the marriage. The set up for a scene for both men to get drunk and the rousing number “To Life” the mens’ dance is fueled to a frenzy after a few drinks and met with the outsiders from the city who fly into acrobat Cossack flips, spins, ground kick outs. The two groups mix into one wild dance bacchanal.

Kudos to Paul Morland for his flawless physicality (& string syncing)  and as the Fiddler, and of course the real violinist Ionut Corsarea playing those solo lines from the pit.

Strong lead cast all around headed by Lazarov and Maite Uzal as Golde, trying to be practical in her love by being rigidly practical by arranging their marriages with the Yente, the matchmaker.  But Tzeitel, their eldest, is secretly in love with Motel, the poor tailor and they want to marry.   Golde tells Tzeitel,  she must marry Lazar Wolf, the 60-year-old butcher.  Tzeitel is horrified and melts Tevye’s heart until he in gives in, concocting an outrageous story of a haunted dream to convince Golde she should marry the young tailor.

Meanwhile, Hodel (Ruthy Frock) falls in love with Perchik (Ryan Nardecchia) a scholar & political dissident.   Tevye sees them intimately talking and intends to put a stop to it.  But  Perchik announces that they are in fact engaged and will not be asking Tevye permission to marry, but want his blessing.  He weighs it out with his discussions with God, and gives in.   Chava (Natalie Powers) falls in love with Fyedka, the young non-Jewish man and this match tests Tevye’s love the most.

Strong performances by all of the supporting lead cast – Meg Wen, Ruthy Froth and Natalie Power, the three eldest daughters all in fine voice right out of the gate with “Matchmaker, Matchmaker.”  Strong chemistry between all of these young couples. Theatrically they have wonderful matches in Ryne Nardecchia as Perchik, the scholar;  Joshua Logan Alexander as Fyedka and Jessie Weil, the sweetest bari-tenor rendition of ‘Miracle of Miracles.’

Carol Beaugard’s Yente is played for all of its comic relief and hearkens back to authentic Yiddish theater of early 20th century.  Even broader comedy comes in Tevye’s made up dream with Golde’s Grandma Tzeitel (Carolyn Keller) and the butcher’s dead first wife Fruma-Sarah, conjured by the hilariously scary soprano range of Olivia Gjurich. Jonathan von Merling also brings character humor to the crusty butcher Wolf.

Wedding scene from Fiddler on the Roof

Absolutely stunning and impressive staging of the wedding scene that shifts from gorgeous ceremonial and the stirring ‘Sunrise, Sunset’ chorale captivates musically and visually.  After the ceremony, it turns into a joyous celebration with the famous bottle dance with the men in those dramatic knee drop steps across the stage with bottles on their heads, is vintage Robbins.  The celebration is destroyed when Russian military come to terrorize the guests and tear the place apart.

The rustic sets by Michael Yeargan, in tandem with Donald Holder’s lighting design, has a poetic realism that conjures memorable stage pictures. The ending tableau of the brutal realities of  the peasants driven out of Anatevka.  even as the Fiddler’s songs haunt with universal hope.

 

 

 

Stage

Once

music by Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová

book by Edna Walsh

Ensemble in Arden Theatre Company’s Once. Photo by Ashley Smith, Wide Eyed Studios.

Directed by Terrence J. Nolen
David P. Gordon, scenic design
Thom Weaver, lighting design
Elizabeth Atkinson, sound design
Ryan Touhey, musical director

Arden Theater, 40 n. 2nd St. Philadelphia

extended through Oct. 28

http://www.ardentheatre.org

Once, the musical is based on a hit indie movie of the same name, about the real life musical journey of singer-songwriter Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova.  Their central ballad  “Falling Slowly”  won the Academy Award for best song and their Broadway adaptation of film story picked up  8 Tony Awards including for best musical, followed by a hit National Tour.

The National Tour boasted a top notch cast and which played to capacity crowds at the Academy of Music, but its B’way veneer and stylizations traded off some of the indie spirit of the movie.

The artistic intimacy of Hansard and Irglová’s music is front and center in director Terrence J. Nolen’s scaled down production at the Arden Theater.  The book by Edna Walsh won a Tony, has a quieter theatricality and Nolen’s cast of wonderful singer-actor-musicians conjure that indie fire.

The story unfolds in the pubs and on the streets of Dublin as Guy, a talented Irish singer-songwriter, bitter over a recent breakup with his girlfriend, who is in the US.  A Czech young woman, toting a vacuum cleaner happens in on this scene and hears him sing ‘Leave.’  He tells her of his plans to give up being on his dream of being a singer/songwriter and be content fixing Hoovers repairs working in his dad’s appliance store.

 

They immediately start fighting over his plans to give up and she suddenly is at the piano playing his charts to Falling Slowly. Of course the sparks are flying as they fall hard for each other, but they bury their feelings and concentrate on recording a demo-disc with their ragtag pickup band.

Turns out she is a Czech émigré who also write songs, plays piano and works a musicstore. She is temporarily separated from her husband and raising her daughter Ivanka with the help of her mother.  The Guy is accepted in the Czech musical community and cross-culturalism cues a lot of great music, meanwhile the sparks continue to fly between the songwriters, as their previous complicated relationships keep them apart.

David P. Gordon’s design of Irish pub atmospherics, and its neighborhood environs keep giving, especially in tandem with  Thom Weaver’s masterful lighting design. Nolen eventually uses every corner of the Arden’s all around configuration with the characters making music everywhere in the space and wrapping the audience in immersive musical theater magic all at Once.

The émigrés speak both in English (with Czech supertitles projected on the walls) appear family and friends,  Nolen orchestrates this fine ensemble both dramatically and musically.

Scott Greer is the big hearted music store owner Billy, who has shed 30 pounds busting karate moves (to bounce anyone who gets out of line) and is also game enough  to tango with rocker violinist Reza, played with rocker swagger by Kendall Hartse.

Alex Bechtel’s Andrej, the proud barista who is pumped to shed his uniform for his musical dreams. Lucia Brady is the stage ready Ivanka who can play a mean fiddle just like her grandma Baruska, played by Emily Mikesell, the knowing matriarch who is ready to cook up old world meals at any moment as well as dish out seasoned wisdom.

Ken Allen Neely is an rustic Irish crooner with a wounded emotional reserve a guitar chord away from baring his soul.  Kathleen Fried  can riff on Mendelssohn’s piano concerto and also possesses a gold center voice with  lilting upper tremolo). Fried and Neely’s duets are intoxicatingly romantic. 

Engaging choreography by Steve Pacek, with spirited dances while the cast members are also rigorous playing their string instruments, especially the folkloric dance choreography in the urban- gypsy number Gold.

Some  chamber music via string accompaniment, with Fried on piano and soulful vocal on ‘The Hill.’   In that number and throughout  much credit also goes to Ryan Touhey for muscled musical direction of the score, rendering its full Irish, Czech and urban authenticity. & kudos as well to Elizabeth Atkinson sustaining acoustical power and nuance to all of the orchestration.

 

 

 

 

Stage

the cast of A Year of Frog & Toad (photo: Mark Garvin)

A Year With Frog and Toad

Arden Children’s Theatre
40 N. 2nd St. Philadelphia PA
http://www.wilmatheatre.org
Through Jan 29

What a perfect winter of collective discontent to spend “A Year With Frog and Toad” those best buddies hanging out in their cabins on the pond in director Whit MacLaughlin’s altogether magical staging at the Arden Theater- in its 3rd revival since 2004, it is perhaps the most beloved show in the stellar Children’s Theatre series. This is a too much fun-for- all-ages musical based on the popular children’s stories by Arnold Lobel, with music by composer Robert Reale and lyricist Willie Reale. And if that’s not enough, its original stars Jeff Coon as always dapper, optimistic Frog and Ben Dibble as charmingly fretful Toad, are also back.

The show in fact is all about loyalty, friendship, diversity and individualism. Arden was full of kids and parents on Dec. 23, Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa’s eves, and this audience was not only in a festive mood, but completely captivated by the actors, music and stagecraft of this show.

Dibble and Coon, both fine singers-actors, are also great movers, ready to careen down a snowy bank, or leap around in toady manner or leap frog into a soft shoe for their duet “He’ll Never Know.” They are joined by songbirds, Leigha Kato,Elexis Morton and Steve Pacek, who swoop in to sing about the four seasons, wake up Frog & Toad from their hibernation with some intoxicating three part harmony and this talented trio also double as other forest characters throughout the play.

A favorite with this crowd is a country ditty sung by Pacek as Snail with the tag line “I’m the snail with the mail” pumping his arms furiously, but his feet are still slo-mo, drew peals of laughter as he inches on. Later, Pacek is also a golden voice belter on the showstopper “I’m Coming Out of My Shell.”

“Getta Load of Toad” is a snappy tune about body image sung when everybody finds out that Toad thinks he looks funny in a bathing suit. Turtle (Morton), Lizard (Pacek) and Mouse (Kato) tease him, all in fun, until he gets out of the water and flaunts his body, warts and all.

MacLaughlin knows how to conjure stage magic for kids, with authentic stagecraft that time and again, proves that young audiences give something to young audience that they don’t get anywhere else, especially on tv or at blockbuster movies. Who cares about stale popcorn when Toad is baking and singing about eating as many ‘Cookies, cookies, cookies’ as you want.

The score is a mix of traditional American orchestrals, Charleston swings, and some show-stopping looney tunes and given a rich sound by conductor/pianist Amanda Morton, Mike Reilly (percussion), Dan Perelstein (bass), Spiff Wiegand (banjo/ guitar).

MacLaughlin is a proponent of inventive physical theater that engages kids of all ages. It is especially fluid in tandem with choreographer Lee Ann Eztold dancey character movement. Richard St. Clair’s witty costume designs keep giving the birds in smart cutaways with feathery vests and all us kids were loving Snail’s bedroll and Turtle’s cushy shell. Precision lighting designs by Thom Weaver casting the visual poetry of the seasons on Donald Eastman’s storybook set featuring Frog and Toad’s neighboring cabins on the pond.

How encouraging it is to hear young audience members, inundated with overblown effects and assaulting wall-to-wall media to be completely captivated by real stagecraft and natural singing voices.

After the performance the cast sat onstage and answered questions about the show. When you hear the kids ask questions to the cast, they are interested in how the houses move, how the lights work, how long it takes to rehearse, why the actors moved a certain way portraying different characters and other penetrating questions, this is exciting theater. And who can’t love the fact that the productions are not only affordable for families, its community outreach program arranges for thousands of underprivileged kids will get to experience the Arden’s Children Theatre series for free.

Stage

{photo: Thibaut Baron}

Seuls survivor
Wilma Theater
Broad & Spruce Sts. Philadelphia
Nov. 29-Dec. 11
http://www.wilmatheater.org

In “Seuls” writer Harwan is so preoccupied with his 15,000 page thesis on theater and director Robert Lepage that he barely notices the odd things that are happening in his dingy hotel room- an old phone rings without being plugged in and the shadows move around on its own volition and there is even a little inside snowing. Meanwhile, Harwan is beating back loneliness of a recent breakup, arguing with his family over the phone and loosing his cool trying to track down Lepage for a vital interview. These are the peripheral plot points of in Seuls, Wajdi Mouawad’s 2008 tour de force “Seuls” currently in a limited run at the Wilma Theater in Philadelphia.

Mouawad is a prolific Lebanese-Canadian playwright, actor and famed director directs himself in the play, which he performs in French with English subtitles, except when he speaks Arabic, in lines that are not translated. Mouawad’s play “Scorched” (staged at the Wilma Theater in 2009, to wide acclaim) a political drama with themes of refugee exiles and émigrés that is both timely and universal. Mouawad explores these themes in Seuls. Harwan’s father moved his family from war torn Lebanon to Canada, Harwan grapples with what was left behind and what it might mean now in various aspects of his life in his adoptive country. Seul is French meaning alone, so pluralizing it suggests that there may be more than one puzzle to solve.

Harwan cancels a visit with his father over the phone and the conversation devolves into a bitter family fight. Meanwhile Lepage is unreachable by phone and is rehearsing a new play in Russia. Harwan books a flight and at the airport he has to take a visa photo. But he receives a fateful phone call in the picture kiosk from his sister Layla that their father has had a stroke and is in a coma. Harwan goes to him and recalls places, events and images from his childhood and pivotal moments in their relationship that dredges up bitterness and the intractable bonds between father and son.

Flash forward to Europe where he has just found out that Lepage is back in Canada. Harwan takes the news well, but starts to unravel when he realizes that, on top of being stranded again, he has luggage filled with paint canisters. Meanwhile that corded phone is also in the room and it is ringing again, his sister Layla is leaving him a message about their dad on that phone that phone rings without being plugged in.

Mouawad is a consummate actor, believable in every moment over the course of two unpaused hours. Seuls will not be for everyone, as impressive this work is, it doesn’t escape a level of theatrical tedium- There are allusions to Lepage’s work and business wrangling with a publisher that strikes as filler, and way to much business with phones, computers and mobiles that hit the same notes of verisimilitude. In this ‘sixth sense’ moment, Mouawad unleashes a long visually arresting denouement.

Fortunately the play’s artistic designs rescue some of any static theatrical rhythms, chief among them Dominique Daviet’s masterful film projections in tandem with lighting design by Éric Champoux and equally compelling soundscape and original music by Michel Maurer and Michael Jon Fink. The arresting designs framed in Emmanuel Clolus’ stark set prove to be a most poetic visual template for Mouawad’s unforgettable and transformational finale.

Stage

RIZZO  by Bruce Graham

directed by Joe Canuso

Theater Exile & Philadelphia Theatre Company

Suzanne Roberts Theatre, extended through Oct. 23

“Love me or hate me… you will never forget me.” So promised legendary Philly mayor Frank Rizzo used at a climatic end line Bruce Graham’s bio-play Rizzo.  Indeed, Rizzo’s rep lives on. At the 2016 Dem Convention in Philadelphia, members of Black Lives Matter placed a KKK hood over the Rizzo statue near City Hall to remind all what Rizzo represented to Philly’s African American population.

Rizzo premiered last year at Theater Exile and the revival with the same cast co-presented at The Roberts Theater by Philadelphia Theater Company.  The Mummers were in the lobby posing with former mayor Ed Rendell, who recounted a few stories about being DA under Rizzo before the play.

As police chief Rizzo was a flashpoint of racial and minority divides and his police state tactics continued when he became mayor.  White majority voters of the time elected him twice to ‘clean up the city’ and shut down crime, despite his own infamous scandals, like his lie-detector stunt which proved he lied, his flagrant cronyism and other abuses of office.

Graham’s explores the dualities of Rizzo’s character as well as the good, bad and ugly of Rizzo’s political life.  RIZZO debuted at Theater Exile last, directed by Joe Canuso and starring Scott Greer as Frank and Damon Bonetti as a political writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer who covered Rizzo’s years in office.

The story is told in flashback as Rizzo is mounting his 3^rd term bid for office. Rizzo tries is muscling a police officer to swear an affidavit that he saw his opponent Ron Castille drunk and out of control. The highs and lows of his career are depicted in flashbacks about his life growing up in South Philly, becoming a beat cop, then police commissioner, and then twice mayor.

‘The showdowns in black neighborhoods, his routine raids on gay bars and hauling in “faggots” in Center City.  He calls on unions to shut down the Philadelphia Inquirer to prevent papers getting out an unflattering story. His enemies list and his publicity stunts to a lie detector test and Rizzo is exposed. Meanwhile, his affability in many neighborhoods and his personal touch out of the public arena, kept him in power.

Graham covers these episodes, many of them ‘told’ rather than ‘shown’, some with more fluency and dramatic fire than others, more consistently interesting is the private man. Graham builds a portrait of Rizzo as not just political myopic, but a man of uncontrolled impulses, private doubts and not to mention an untamable mouth.

One of the strongest scenes is the newly appointed Police commissioner being dressed down by his father, a beat cop, for using bullying tactics, including striking a “hooker” and giving her stitches.   And all too brief scenes with his wife Carmela.  His chess game with the reporter, also in clipped scenes, is eclipsed by big events.  So Graham constructs an erratic theatrical arc. But, they don’t overshadow the play’s many strengths, starting with a great cast.

Director Canuso keeps everything moving with invention and but Graham’s over use of characters describing action, rather than dialogue scenes, but the cast ably glides through some heavy handed monologues.

Damon Bonetti, in a largely narrating role, until the second act, brings wit and naturalism to this old –style nice guy reporter who still keeps digging until he has the real story.   Amanda Schoonover plays all the women’s roles, most impressive in her instant range from the protective Carmela Rizzo to Shelly Yanoff who took Rizzo on by gathering petitions for an election recall of his win.

All of the supporting players Steven Wright, Robert DaPonte, Paul L. Nolan, William Rahill juggling also juggling multiple roles with ensemble ease.  Wright a standout in his wry portrait of black civic leader Cecile B. Moore who goes head to head with Rizzo over the strife he causes in North Philly.

But the night belongs to Scott Greer, a fine musical theater actor, a five time Barrymore Award winner adds another portrait of flawless performances of a complex man.  His Frank accent perfect, without trying to imitate Rizzo, and embodies the image and conveys the inner turmoil of his many masks.

Stage

Michael Castillejos in Gentlemen Volunteers (photo Lindsay Browning)

Pig Iron Theater Company is renowned as one of Philly’s most innovative theatrical troupes. They are celebrating their 20th anniversary by restaging their production of Gentlemen Volunteers by Suli Holum who was also one of PITC ‘s founders. First staged by the company in 1998, its powerful antiwar message resonates more that ever. Set in 1916-17 as America was about to enter the WWI, it follows the lives of Red Cross nurses and soon to be US recruits on the front lines in France.

The play is deftly staged at in the rustic brick and iron foundry space at Christ Church Neighborhood House and co-directed by PITC founders Dan Rothenberg, Quinn Bauriedel and Dito van Reigersberg.
The audience is instructed to move around en la ‘promenade’ around these scenes, which leads to some audience scrambling, but this element, playing to the scene, jars the senses.

There is a captivating musical prologue as the audience files in the theater as Francoise de la Tour (Melissa Krodman) sings a rousing French cabaret song and if followed by Jean (Michael Castillejos) her accordionist who then sings the saucy Ragtime tune “Everybody’s doing it!”

The story starts on the Yale athletics field where a recruiter is looking for volunteers to assist in France in anticipation of the US entry into the war. Yalies Rich Conwell (Bryant Martin) dreams of learning how to drive a Model T, while Vincent Barrington (Scott Sheppard) a budding poet looking to chronicle his experiences in the service of a good cause.

They head ‘over there’ as drivers and assistants in a Red Cross field hospital near the front where Francoise is head nurse, who runs her unit with steely command. Her English cousin Mary Pinknell (Lauren Ashley Carter) has also just arrived to start as a nurse volunteer. She starts off on the wrong foot, but Francoise gets her up to speed without pause. Mary is attending her first patient, with Rich suddenly at her side, who then faints she attends to a wounded soldier’s wound. The chance meeting turns into something more, but not before Francoise walks in admonishes them “this is not a cabaret.” she barks. Later she tells her nurse corps (aka, the audience) “You are here working between life and death….and don’t you forget it.”

Lauren Ashley Carter & Bryant Martin (photo Lindsay Browning)

But Francoise forgets it and falls into a torrid affair with Vincent, after they get drunk in a bar. Now she doesn’t have time to keep an eye on Mary, who spends every off duty hour in bed with Rich.

The directors devise elements of physical theater, mime and ensemble acting to orchestrate Holum’s gritty, economic, sometimes whimsical dialogue, elegiac meditations about war.

Some of pantomime scenes – in the operating room or operating an ambulance crank-shaft on period vehicles are easy to decipher, but there is also more cryptic mime relating to the senses and emotional motives between the characters, who remain tentative under the stress and trauma of war.

The lover scenes are particularly well handled with tension and tenderness of the circumstances. Francoise and Vincent fall in love and their after hours affairs unravels la Tour’s guarded secrets. When they are separated Vincent writes her passionate letters, but she can’t bring herself to read them. Meanwhile Mary has surprising news for Rich, but he has joined up as a commissioned Doughboy off to fight in Italy. Everybody looses. Vincent articulates the pyrhic victories and vows to write about the realities of war.

In brief flashbacks, Castillejos is a dynamic Jean, revealed as Francoise’s husband, a casualty of war. He also is L’Homme d’ Orchestre, playing a Ravel nocturne on clarinet timpani for various precision battlefield effects. He also performs the original (award winning) sound designs by James Sugg. As in the days of radio they are performed manually with such items as paper, fabric, typewriter, eggbeater, enamel basin, surgical instruments, etc.

As Vincent, Scott Sheppard conveys warmth and humor and a sober drive of a writer witnessing fateful events. As Rich, Bryant Martin has the spunk of an All-American and deftly communicates his growing disillusionment observing the real cost of war. Lauren Ashley Carter is all heart and courage as Mary and has a hilarious mis-en-scene doubling as an snarky cockney war photographer. Melissa Krodman gives nothing less than a tour de force performance as the heroic and tragic Francoise de la Tour.

During the run, there are two scheduled benefit performances performed by the original 1998 cast which included Dito van Reigersberg and Quinn Bauriedel as Rich and Vincent, Cassie Friend as Mary, Emmanuelle Delpech as Francoise and James Sugg as Jean.

Gentlemen Volunteers runs through Dec. 27, 2015 with performances at Christ Church Neighborhood House, 20 N. American Street, Philadelphia.
http://www.pigiron.org

Stage

Clarke & Peakes as the plotting Macbeths

(ph:MarkGarvin)

Arden Theatre Company
Macbeth
directed by Alexander Burns

Of all of Shakespeare’s plays that spin on political corruption and murderous betrayals, “Macbeth” may be the adaptable to any number of historically craven regimes. The current production at the Arden Theater, directed by Alexander Burns, turns up volume on both the real and psychic costs of megalomaniacs in power.

For those not already lured by Shakespeare‘s language, the Arden production boasts visuals that could give the movies a run for their weekend box office. These elements will appeal to young audiences weaned on hi-def flash and graphic gore. Burns, artistic director of Quintessence Theater, effectively uses elements of physical theater to tell much of the story.

Macbeth’s potent atmospherics start right away as the Three Weird Sisters appear and vanish out of the foggy stony circular stage portending ill winds at court. Presently, fully armored soldiers do battle with the actors sometimes suspended in slo-mo or freeze frames. Burn and fight director Paul Dennhardt give the movement visceral full on choreographic ’attack.’

Meanwhile, Duncan, the King of Scotland, assembles his castle court as Macbeth, his general, and his wife plot to murder him in his sleep and seize the crown. Faster than you can say soliloquy Macbeth and Lady Macbeth set up their corrupt tyrannical regime, dispatching anyone else who gets in their way.

Being Shakespeare, ultimately, the play’s language is the thing and different approaches by various actors can lead to erratic focus and pacing on opening night. Ian Merrill Peakes’ Macbeth seemed tentatively lyrical in the front scenes as he and Banquo debrief coming off the battlefield. Peakes’ locks onto a more naturalized Shakespearean cadence as soon as Judith Lightfoot Clarke, a most alpha Lady Macbeth, enters the picture. Their chemistry together and particularly Clarke’s vocal prowess (and hypnotic physicality) take command.

Ben Dibble as Banquo, also initially seemed to be in his own zone with the lyrical dialogue, but soon enough dove deeper with clarity and chilling invention. As Macduff, the Scottish nobleman, Terence MacSweeny is a most passionate Scottish avenger, even if his accent is all over the place. Carl Clemons-Hopkins’ steely baritone as a most noble and imposing Ross. As Malcolm, Duncan’s son, Josh Carpenter is a quieter volcano, roiling with passion as he plots to reclaim national honor.

Taking full bardian vocal control from the outset is Christopher Patrick Mullen as King Duncan (reminiscent of post-mannered Gielgud) proves a chameleon in his other roles as the hilarious punch drunk castle porter who hallucinates that he gatekeeper to hell, then as Hectate, who operatically orders the sisters in their evil ways.

As the Weird Sisters, E.Ashley Izard, Aime Donna Kelly and Mary Toumanen make the most of their uber-cool dance as they rap the “double, double, boil and trouble/cauldron bubble” text. You wonder how editorial Burns intents when ominous specters are summoned by the witches spells, including, at one point, having a phalanx of figures in burqas floating over the stage.

Peakes’ forceful interpretation rules the second act as he unspools the dimensions of Macbeth‘s villainy. At their first court masquerade ball, Macbeth is haunted by his treacherous deeds and Peakes unlocks all of the dark chambers of Macbeth, the soliloquies masterfully delivered, most notably, ’Tomorrow and tomorrow’ as Lady Macbeth lies lifeless before him. Clarke is coldly mercurial until guilt drives her to madness. During the “Out, out damn spot” scene, Clarke delivers a performance of modern sensibility and classical depth. It is hard to take your eyes or ears off of her.

Rosemarie E. Mckelvey’s costume design kept giving with a mix of breastplates and molded leather armor contrasted with Lady Macbeth‘s drop-dead vermillion velvet gown and in the ball scene, metallic Venetian masques. Brian Sidney Bembridge minimal scenic design of the circular stage, metallic spires and minimal castle design around the vaulted medieval chandelier, work very well. There is a cinematic scope to the sound design by James Sugg, combined with Solomon Weisbard’s lighting, punched us into Shakespearean dimensions more than once. Burns could tighten the pacing of the play’s shorter exposition scenes, but without doubt this is an unblinkingly brutal Macbeth that reflect our time.

Stage

Doubt at the Lantern TheaterBen Dibble & Mary Martello in Doubt (Photo by Plate 3 Photography)

Doubt : A Parable by John Patrick Shanley won the 2005 Tony award for best play, huge critical acclaim and deservedly the Pulitzer Prize for its economical, evocative dramatic power. Shanley directed his fine screen adaptation in 2008, starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, in which he was able to open the play up for the screen, hedge some bets by adding plot points, but retain its potent theatricality.

The plot is ostensibly about a possible case of sexual abuse by a parish priest with a 14-year-old black student at in St. Nicholas Church School where Sister Mary Aloysius Beauvier, the principle, wants to bring the progressive teaching methods of Father Flynn to a halt by any means necessary.

The playwright calls the play a ’parable‘ and sets in the Bronx circa 1964 as he examines the church as disconnected from the culture around them. The play‘s themes of abuse by priests in society reflected explosive headlines a decade ago of not only pedophile priest scandals, but the chain of command hierarchy of the Catholic Church that tolerated known abuse. Shanley challenges us to question our assumptions, prejudices and critical thinking vis-à-vis the explosive topic of sexual abuse by the clergy.

Lantern Theatre director Katherine MacMillan returns the play as a powerful, spare theater piece, but by now, its familiarity exposes the thinness of some scenes in the original script that were fleshed out a little more clearly on screen, but mostly Shanley‘s original concepts are fully realized. The Lantern Theatre’s current production is a strong interpretation of a great chamber theater piece for a quartet of actors.

Of course, the play is anchored on the veracity of the showdowns between Father Flynn and Sister Aloysius and Mary Martello and Ben Dibble deliver fine technical performances, and have formidable chemistry in the confrontational scenes, but it felt like they were still working out some of the more interpretive elements of the script.

Working actually better than the film is the relationship between Sister Aloysius and Sister Jane, played by Clare Mahoney, who doesn‘t come off as so willingly servile. They convey the guarded, but powerful emotions that roil under the surface of the physical language of their order. Mahoney subtly shifts and strengthens some of the focus of the play. It works.

After Sister Jane brings incriminating evidence against Flynn to the principal, everyone’s motives and value systems are brought into question. The student, Donald Muller, is the only African American in the school and he is dealing with racism and further being ostracized for being shy and what is mother realizes is “his nature.” But his mother wants desperately to keep him enrolled so he can matriculate to a better high school and have a chance at college.

Lisha McCay plays Mrs. Muller in the single pivotal scene when Aloysius and the boy’s mother have a conference that is brilliant crafted exposition with a lot of dramatic reach. McCay brings much to it, except that the scene, as played on opening night, seemed a bit rushed.

Building the intensity of the drama through austere visuals is Lance Kniskern’s fine set of a breakaway stone abbey, stairwell and warm dark wood principle’s office, without a paperclip out of place, keeps giving. Shon Causer’s lighting design gives the Lantern’s stage space airy dimension and definitely musing on every shadow of a doubt.

The Lantern Theater’s production of Doubt runs through Sun., Feb. 15.. Lantern Theater Company at St. Stephen’s Theater, 923 Ludlow St. 215.829.0395 | http://www.lanterntheater.org

Dance&TheaterMetros

(photoLW) Flash reviews- Looking for a last minute recommendation as the Fringe Festival winds down this weekend go for The Renegade Theater production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame | A Mute play. It embodies everything the Fringe is about, artistry, uniqueness and audience engagement. Renegade Artistic Director Michael Dirkin developed the piece over the past year and his inventive has troubadour esprit and luminous craft. The Presbyterian Church at 21st & Walnut couldn’t be a better stand in for Notre Dam & ’Sanctuary’ for Quasimodo to save himself and Esmerlda.

Hugo’s unrequited love story set in 15th century France is a j’accuse against a corrupt political and religious hubris. This troupe to make use all of the organ loft, the vaulted eaves & stonework providing a magnificent set for Hugo’s story about human cruelty. Mason Rosenthal is credited for ’movement’ and is pantomime, dance and narrative clarity at its best. Percussionist and soundtrack artist Adam Vidiksis floods the room with music and effects that. in fact, brings to mind some of the great composers of silent film. Costume designer Rebecca Kanach’s period designs ( knave vests, soldier doublets) not mention Esmerlda’s tarnished couture dance dress, just keeps giving.

Lee Minora radiating Esmerlda’s seductiveness and harsh life. Hug’s Quasimodo can go in the pantheon of great parts that holds a mirror up to an ugly society. And Dan Higbee‘s silent performance is luminous with dignity and power. In a riveting bit of choreography, after being lashed on the block, Quasimodo liberates is suffering by ringing his bells in pantomime Vidiksis’ sound design and these images engulfing the cathedral. Dirkin using the whole church, with a keen sense of scene focus and pace, crucial in a silent play. He also elicits wonderful performances from this true ensemble cast.

meanwhile~~
Garrett Matthew Photography

Later, on Spring Garden across town at the Latvian Society, there is a candle-lit maze that leads to dancer-choreographer Gunnar Montana’s Resurrection Room upstairs. Dancer Stephie-Lyneice, in just her bra and panties lands in a foreboding smoke filled in a chat room with her ‘operating system’ who is activating a futuristic virtual game of virtual survival. She is confronted by a cyborgy thing with a pink melty head with tubes sticking in and out…uggggllly. He is a threatening presence, but eventually become her protector after they engage in a rather rough and tumble dance macabre. Eventually his shirt comes off and his Gunnar sculpted torso is less hazardous. But it’s Beauty and the Beast meets Hellraiser, as other menacing creatures lurch with intent.

The pink melty headed drag geishas in 9-inch heels, who engage a runway stomp, fan and sash snap fight. There s a 9 ft. transformer dude in blade runner stilts and lots of breastplate hardware that Montana does battle with. Later, Gunnar slinks out of the smoke a rockass satyr wearing nothing but a half-pink beard, and a dancebelt with day-glo hairs sticking out & proceeds to attack with pink ooze. Kevin D. Washington also just in a dancebelt, has a scary pink Medusa mane that he can lash around doing mile-high kicks and ninja splits. Montana makes this glamour and gamely fetishista with a lot of props and effects, definitely a raucous cine-crowdpleaser. For dance fans, Resurrection Room is lighter on Montana’s dynamic choreography, but what there is, does hypnotize. A little more dance and movement content to overpower the hardware visuals and it will go to the next level.