Something Witchy (The SOB Review) - Partizan Theater, Minnesota Fringe Festival, U of M Rarig Center Thrust, Minneapolis, Minnesota***1/2 (out of ****)Someplace far beyond where the improbable seems to run forever parallel to the possible -- with no apparent chance for ever intersecting -- the former veers directly into the latter.
Such was the case forty years ago this summer when
Charles Manson and his "Family" of followers shocked the world with their
heinous crimes against the bold and the beautiful in Los Angeles. Their brand of drug-induced, racially-tinged,
Beatles-inspired "
Helter Skelter" over the course of two nights left seven brutally murdered, including actress
Sharon Tate and grocer
Leno LaBianca.
The
Tate-LaBianca Murders, of course, would become the stuff of never-ending notoriety. There would be countless
books,
movies and even an "official"
blog. So large is the continued fascination that the thirst for new angles on this 40-year old story never seem to be fully quenched.
It's against this backdrop that
Partizan Theater's
Something Witchy manages to find that obscure place where the improbable gives way to the possible yet again. Set in 1986,
Something Witchy conjures up the insatiable thirst of one man (
Chris Carlson) for his own angle, resulting in a search for a long-since missing 16 year old Family Member. That search ends in the Midwestern suburban home of Rachel (
Catherine Johnson Justice), who has quietly assumed a new identity and life as a wife and mother of her own 16 year old daughter Cody (
Lindsey Alexandra Hartley).
Instead of merely turning in
another ripped-from-the-headlines story -- ten years ago,
Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) member Kathleen Ann Soliah was found to have quietly taken root as Midwest wife and mom
Sara Jane Olson -- playwright and director
James Vculek brilliantly turns that twist on its head with a far creepier, crawlier take on the inherent perils of stalking itself.
Clocking in at just an hour,
Something Witchy is a spine-tingling, taut thriller anchored by three riveting performances. Hartley projects the requisite frustration of a teen who can't quite figure out her mysterious mother (even if her voice doesn't always project nearly enough). Carlson lends a truly creepy air to his man on a mission, making us wonder what his true motives in tracking Rachel really are -- is it his own fame and fortune or some twisted lust?
Justice is simply off-the-charts as the cornered Rachel, whose face can't belie the facts when confronted. But is she relieved to finally share her dark secret or is there a dormant Family aspect that's been bubbling under the surface all these years?
For a work set amid the fringes of society,
Something Witchy is far from average
Minnesota Fringe Festival fare. Far from improbable, it succeeds in standing on its own weight here, and its possibilities point to a meatier stand-alone play that will hopefully cast its spell in other theatres to come.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Catherine Johnson Justice, Chris Carlson, James Vculek, Lindsey Alexandra Hartley, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota Fringe Festival, Partizan Theater, Play, Something Witchy, The SOB Review
Ruined (The SOB Review) - New York City Center Stage I, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York, NY
**** (out of ****)It isn't until the second act of
Lynn Nottage's devastatingly exceptional
Ruined that we learn the Congolese people's secret for surviving recurring civil wars. According to one central character, they must simply pretend to ignore the inhumanity all around them.
But
Ruined is much too excellent to ignore. Unlike the Congolese, all too many Americans go on about their lives, blissfully unaware of the violent savagery occurring on a daily basis in places like the Congo. Of course, simply ignoring it doesn't mean it's not happening.
What Nottage and director
Kate Whoriskey have achieved with this heartstopping production is nothing short of monumental. They have skillfully succeeded in placing many a human face on those who are grossly dehumanized.
While
Ruined's title specifically refers to the unspeakable rape and mutilation of Congo's women, it most certainly serves as an apt metaphor for the war-ravaged nation itself. Yet ostensibly, this is a story about the harrowing humiliation Congolese women endure, ranging from the scourge of rape to the rejection from their families after suffering at the hands of others. It should be noted that Nottage crafted her script from actual heartwrenching interviews with women "who bravely shared their stories."
Perhaps it's because of those first-hand accounts that Nottage so painstakingly and vividly creates some of the year's most remarkable female roles. Chief among them is the madame named Mama Nadi (a superb
Portia) whose brothel doors are open to military officials and rebels alike. She houses three women, including Josephine (a swaggering
Cherise Booth as a boastful daughter of a former chief) and two young women who have been brought to the safehouse the brothel has become -- Salima (a devastating
Quincy Tyler Bernstine) and Sophie, the eponymously described victim Sophie (played during my performance by a heart-shattering Rachael Holmes).
Fortunately, given the myriad letches of men, Nottage provides one decent soul among them --an earnest businessman named Christian (a brilliant
Russell G. Jones), who is not only trying to defy all odds by staying above the civil war's fray, but is also on a seemingly quixotic pursuit toward finding love among the
Ruined.
Nottage endows each of her central characters with a breathtaking resilience, and a surprising degree of good humor, which undoubtedly serves as a much-needed salve for sheer survival. Ultimately, they demonstrate grace and resolve in their desperate attempts to rise above it all.
Ruined may very well be the most singular difficult play I've ever sat through. Even as my heart is still racing one day after seeing it, I can't think of a production that has so thoroughly affected me and awakened me from a complacency quite the way this excellent play has. It is without question the best new work I've seen in 2009.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning
Ruined has already been extended several times, but it will close on September 6. You simply can't afford not to see it.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Cherise Boothe, Kate Whoriskey, Lynn Nottage, Manhattan Theatre Club, Off-Broadway, Play, Portia, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Rachael Holmes, Ruined, Russell G. Jones, The SOB Review
God Of Carnage (The SOB Revisit) - Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, New York, New York
*** (out of ****)Consider this my visceral tribute to
Yasmina Reza's exceptionally brilliant writing that I must now look back on my
SOB Review of the 2008 London mounting of her
God Of Carnage and revise my overall rating to three and a half stars. Credit the absolute, blissful perfection in the performances from its four stars,
Ralph Fiennes,
Tamsin Greig,
Janet McTeer and
Ken Stott.
By finally taking in the Broadway mounting of
God Of Carnage with a New York-centric translation from
Christopher Hampton, I suffered from the inevitable affliction of comparisons. Yes, the Broadway cast --
Jeff Daniels,
Hope Davis,
James Gandolfini and
Marcia Gay Harden -- is certainly top drawer, but with the sole exception of the magnificent Davis, none of these actors come close to the far superior West End performances that singed themselves into my memory well over a year ago.
Harden may have won the Tony for Best Actress, but she's no McTeer, whose earlier, breathtaking portrayal of Véronique (now Veronica) seemed so much more genuine -- particularly from the start. Daniels is fine, but nothing could be finer than Fiennes' slow steely burn as Alain (now Alan). Gandolfini never quite finds the nuances of Michel (now Michael) quite the way Stott did.
Hope Davis, on the other hand, manages to upstage everyone else, and it's not merely because she literally erupts. It's because she plumbs the depths of Annette's pathos with such natural ease, and yes, grace, that she delivers one of the year's most exciting performances period. Ironically, for the one sole character whose name has not changed in translation, Davis provides a vibrant and exciting new take.
And coming full circle, aside from Davis, the real star of
God Of Carnage is Reza's razorsharp wit and ingeniously constructed story, making this a recommended show nonetheless.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Christopher Hampton, God Of Carnage, Hope Davis, James Gandolfini, Janet McTeer, Jeff Daniels, Ken Stott, Marcia Gay Harden, Play, Ralph Fiennes, Tamsin Greig, Yasmina Reza
And That's The Way It IsLast Friday, one of broadcast journalism's greatest and most respected pioneers
Walter Cronkite died at the age of 92.
So why would I write about him on a blog devoted to live theatre? Well, for starters, Cronkite often joked that it was his long secret ambition to be a
song-and-dance man of the stage and screen.
Maybe that's one of the reasons why he allowed his voice to be used in two Broadway productions, including the revivals of
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1995) and
Gore Vidal's The Best Man (2000). The latter show ranked as one of my personal favorites of the 2000-01 Theatrical Season.
Another reason for writing about the man dubbed "Uncle Walter" is that for as long as I can remember in my lifetime, he was an essential part of the fabric of American life. His integrity was one of the reasons he was proclaimed as the most trusted man in America.
In 1994, I enjoyed my own personal opportunity to meet him in a very unlikely place: Lisbon, Portugal. Cronkite was among an impressive roster of speakers and entertainers -- including President
George H.W. Bush, the late
Charles Kuralt,
Marvin Hamlisch and
Maureen McGovern -- the trade association where I worked had brought to the Portugese capital as part of its annual convention.
Being one of the organization's PR people, I was often made a minder for some of our dignitaries, including helping them get to where they needed to be next. In the case of this 1994 meeting, I was instructed to go to our version of a green room to collect President Bush. When I walked into the green room, there was our 41st President, deep in conversation with his former
National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft and Walter Cronkite. I actually had to interrupt their conversation, but was quite relieved that the three took it all in stride and good humor, avoiding making my awkward moment an awkward situation.
As he helped sooth a troubled nation time and again, providing relief and respite from countless awkward situations, Walter Cronkite and his voice will be sorely missed. Rest in peace.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB), and that's the way it is.
Labels: Broadway, In Memoriam, Walter Cronkite
Age On StageEver since
August: Osage County premiered at
Steppenwolf two years ago, I've heard one common "complaint" about one member of its cast, "
Sally Murphy (pictured, far left) is
way too young to be playing the role of Ivy Weston."
No matter that Ivy is written as a 40 year old woman.
Oh I know, I know. Sally Murphy certainly doesn't look anything close to 40. After all, her last Broadway role prior to
August was as the young, baby-faced Tzeitel in the 2004 revival of
Fiddler On The Roof. But truth be told, Sally Murphy was born in the fall of 1962, making her just a tad older than Ivy Weston. Murphy isn't getting older, she's getting better.
More recently, I've been struck by the number of people (including yours truly) who found an incongruity in matching
Jayne Atkinson (pictured, middle) with Rupert Everett (pictured, right) as her husband in the recently departed Broadway revival of
Blithe Spirit. No, no one was musing anything about real-life sexual orientation. Instead, I kept hearing, "Jayne Atkinson's Ruth looks way too old to be the wife of
Rupert Everett's Charles."
As my dear friend SarahB at
Adventures in the Pursuit of Endless Entertainment has continually reminded me, the lovely Atkinson was made up to appear older than she really is. Because in actuality, Atkinson -- born on February 18, 1959 -- is a mere three months older than Everett, who was born on May 29, 1959. Ironically, I didn't hear a soul complain about the stretch of Everett being paired with
Christine Ebersole as his first wife Elvira. The eternally youthful looking Ebersole celebrated her 56th birthday just three days after Atkinson turned 50.
My point in all this? Our ageist culture does a tremendous disservice to individuals of all ages, actors and otherwise, as it tries to peg people into stereotypes based on age or lack thereof. Since we've seen color-blind and to a lesser degree gender-blind casting, maybe age-blind casting should be seriously considered, too. The stage is perhaps the best laboratory to make it happen.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: August Osage County, Blithe Spirit, Broadway, Christine Ebersole, color blind casting, Jayne Atkinson, Rupert Everett, Sally Murphy
Broadway, Meet Jon Michael HillTake a close look at the smiling face to the left. Examine it very carefully. Because this is the exciting face of tomorrow's Broadway.
Actor
Jon Michael Hill has been a
Steppenwolf ensemble member for a mere three years, but as one of the estimable troupe's youngest actors, he's quickly become one of its most awe-inspiring contemporary stars. And now, Jon Michael Hill is heading to the
Music Box Theatre for his Broadway debut. Watch out!
Earlier this afternoon, the full casting for Steppenwolf's Broadway transfer of
Tracy Letts'
Superior Donuts was announced. The best part of the announcement was that the entire Chicago cast, including Hill, will be reassembled under
Tina Landau's brilliant direction.
I first witnessed Hill's star on ascent three years ago this month when Steppenwolf world premiered
Bruce Norris' riveting and raucous four-star
The Unmentionables, directed by
Anna D. Shapiro and starring
Amy Morton. At the time,
I noted:
Even as the booming off-stage voice instructs the audience to silence their cell phones, a menacing, cocky young man named Etienne (Hill) saunters down the aisle looking as if he might not belong before finally calling out to the audience that they should not bother staying for this show. Of course, it's all a ruse, but it's clearly designed to set the stage for the play and challenge some pre-conceived notions about race and appearance even before the performance begins.
Nobody knew who this guy was as he toyed with the audience on his way to the stage. Hill ended up with them in the palm of his hand. No wonder that right around the same time, Steppenwolf announced that this gifted young actor was becoming part of its increasingly eclectic ensemble and summarily infused it with no-holds-barred excitement.
Next, Hill starred opposite
Michael McKean of
Superior Donuts last summer to tremendous effect. Giving the show four stars, I
was effusive with praise:
McKean has clearly lost himself in this most unglamorous of roles, but the audience wins as a result. Equally excellent is Hill's Franco, whose tremendous zest for living is infectious, and whose woes make us actually give a damn.
Since last summer, Steppenwolf fans have had two additional opportunities to see Hill further burnish his credentials with seemingly little effort in
Kafka on the Shore (2008) and earlier this year as he more than held his own alongside
Frank Galati and
Lois Smith in
The Tempest, another Landau-helmed triumph.
Now, with the transfer of
Superior Donuts, New Yorkers will get to know one of the Windy City's formerly best kept secrets. Now that the word is out that Jon Michael Hill is coming to Broadway, do yourself a favor and see him early to get those bragging rights for you'll be seeing a true star of tomorrow shine today.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Jon Michael Hill, Kafka On The Shore, Steppenwolf, Superior Donuts, The Tempest, The Unmentionables, Tina Landau, Tracy Letts
You've Got To Be Carefully TaughtI've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you
- Wicked
There's nothing like a little trip down memory lane, particularly when it involves going home again. But it's always most rewarding when you stop and take in the landmarks of your life.
Less than two months ago,
I filled in some of the blanks on my own personal back story. In
my April post, I detailed how I became a bona fide theatre devotee after taking in a London production of
Annie 30 years ago. In addition to discussing my genuine excitement about that trip, I also alluded to my burgeoning theatre interest leading up to it:
Prior to this trip, I could probably count the number of times I had seen stage performances on both hands, and with one exception, they were all high school productions (Bye Bye Birdie, Don't Drink The Water, Fiddler On The Roof, Gypsy, Harvey, Oklahoma!, Romeo And Juliet, South Pacific and You Can't Take It With You). Mind you, I really enjoyed seeing each show, especially those under the expert direction of Homestead's musical director Sonia Simonsen, but they only hinted at the overall experience that professional theatre would afford.
Over the course of this past weekend, I returned home to
Mequon, Wisconsin for the reunion of the
Homestead High School's Class of '79. In addition to being able to see so many of the dear friends from my formative years, I was thrilled to see the one and only
Sonia Simonsen herself, a major landmark teacher and director in my life. Not only did she helm several of the shows listed above, but she also directed me in my one true stage role when I played Lieutenant Joe Cable in Homestead's 1977 production of
South Pacific.
Sonia has long since retired from teaching and now makes her home in Florida. But she made the trip to Mequon, and were we ever glad she did.
As you can see from the photo above, Sonia still has that unmistakable twinkle in her eye. She has managed to maintain that same incredible wit and outspoken tell-it-like-it-is vitality that her students came to respect, admire and love. And how could I not adore the woman who first opened my eyes to stage musicals and their mesmerizing capacity to tell moving stories? It was Sonia who directed the very first stage musical I ever saw --
Gypsy -- way back in the mid-70s at my then future high school.
Then is it any wonder that the musical I (and so many others) routinely rank as the best musical of all time is also my unequivocal, hands-down favorite? I had no idea until this past weekend that Sonia, an accomplished actress in her own right, has even portrayed Mama Rose. Would I have loved to see that! Fortunately, she sang a few lines for me, and I was spellbound.
Seeing Sonia was an absolute highlight of a weekend filled with extraordinary memories. Fortunately, it also provided me with a long overdue opportunity to express to her my deepest appreciation for first exposing me to the limitless magic and wonder of musical theatre. Without Sonia's influence and passion for the art form, both instrumental in shaping the person I've become, I have no doubt that my life could have been dramatically different.
Sonia, I know you read this blog. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the landmarks you have placed in my life. I know I'm who I am today because I knew you as a landmark teacher and director. I'm especially grateful to count you among my cherished friends.
Now, let's plan on seeing each other at a Broadway show!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Gypsy, Homestead High School, Mequon, Reunion, Sonia Simonsen, South Pacific, Wisconsin
Will Steady Rain Open Box Office Flood-gates?Yesterday came
official news that
Hugh Jackman and
Daniel Craig are Broadway-bound this September in what is sure to be one of the 2009-10 Theatrical Season's hottest tickets.
The dynamic duo will bond as Chicago cops in
Keith Huff's
A Steady Rain, directed by
John Crowley, who received a Tony nomination for helming
The Pillowman in 2005.
As everyone knows, neither of these two actors are just another couple of pretty faces.
Jackman, of course, scored bigtime with his heartbreaking take on the late
Peter Allen in
The Boy From Oz back in 2003. Almost in spite of the lackluster material, the Australian actor soared high above it, winning praise, adoring fans and a permanent place in the hearts of Broadway theatregoers with his Tony-winning performance.
As for Craig, although this marks his Broadway debut, he's an established stage presence in London theatre circles. Long before he captured the public's attention as James Bond, he first made his mark doing Shakespeare in the
National Youth Theatre when he was just 16. Craig burnished his stage credentials with West End roles, including in the
Royal National Theatre's original London production of
Angels In America; Craig played four roles, including Joseph Porter Pitt.
A Steady Rain made its debut at the tiny
Chicago Dramatists in 2007 under the direction of Russ Tutterow. At the time,
Chris Jones of The Chicago Tribune described the two-hander play as:
...a gritty, rich, thick, poetic and entirely gripping noir tale of two Chicago police officers whose inner need to serve and protect both consumes them and rips them apart.... [T]he storytelling skills of this Iowa-trained playwright are truly remarkable.
A Steady Rain will pour at the
Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre beginning September 10 with opening night slated for September 29. The limited engagement will run through December 6.
Expect a deluge at the box office (American Express cardholders get first dibs tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. EDT via
Telecharge). If it goes dry, then the economy is really much worse than any of us thought.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: A Steady Rain, Broadway, Chicago, Daniel Craig, First Word On New Show, Hugh Jackman, John Crowley, Keith Huff, Play
Paving The Way For Fresh Theatre In ChicagoUnless you're a new Steve On Broadway (SOB) reader, you already know how much I absolutely adore Chicago's
Steppenwolf Theatre Company, along with all the incredible individuals behind the scenes who make it all come together.
As with many maturing theatre organizations, Steppenwolf takes enormous pride in championing tomorrow's creative stage visionaries today. Each year, Steppenwolf provides a select group of talented young men and women with the opportunity to intern and learn the ropes, often quite literally.
During my visits through the last several years, one highlight for me has been getting to know many of these incredibly gifted individuals. When one of them, a remarkably self-assured David Perez, happened to tell me that he was starting a theatre company with two of his peers from the Steppenwolf Theatre Apprentice Program (Brittany Barnes and Julia Dossett), I was intrigued. Being regaled by Perez's fearless determination and sheer grit, I just knew that this was someone to watch -- no matter that he may have been serving me a drink as part of his apprenticeship duties.
Perez, Barnes and Dossett, along with Tim Schoen, formed
Pavement Group "with the endeavor to provide bold artistic opportunities for emerging playwrights, designers, directors, and arts managers." I love the fact that the vision of these Steppenwolf graduates is to serve as a test-kitchen for new plays and playwrights alike.
To date, I've had the good fortune of seeing two incredibly well-acted and directed plays,
fracture/mechanics and
Lipstick Traces - A Secret History Of The 20th Century. Mind you, since I'm a generation older than these brilliant twenty-somethings, I know I'm not exactly their target audience. But no matter. They are striking a powerful chord by providing riveting entertainment geared toward weaning a whole new generation on the joys of live theatre.
Pavement Group has taken a very important step forward in their evolution. In addition to producing many plays, they have jumped through the necessary hoops to become a bona fide 501(c)(3) organization. And with that, they're able to accept your tax-deductible donations. I hope you'll consider
giving to this fledgling and immensely exciting theatre company.
Who knows? Pavement Group could very well be the Steppenwolf of tomorrow. But you can get those early bragging rights by
supporting it today.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Brittany Barnes, Chicago, David Perez, fractured/mechanics, Julia Dossett, Lipstick Traces: A Secret History Of The 20th Century, Pavement Group, Steppenwolf, Tim Schoen
More August Down Under With American Original
When
August: Osage County posted its closing notice for Broadway a couple weeks back, those prone to parsing statements may have noted
I concluded my wrap-up saying:
But something tells me that you haven't heard the last of the original cast of August: Osage County. And with that, I'll just say so long for now.
Now I can reveal what I had only hinted at.
According to the
Tuesday, July 7 issue of The Age:
The biggest-selling stage show so far this year, the Melbourne Theatre Company's production of hit August: Osage County will be staged in Sydney next year. But audiences will not get to see one of the grande dames of Australian theatre, Robyn Nevin, in one of her most defining roles.
Instead, the Sydney Theatre Company is importing the original production by Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company that has appeared in New York and London. It will be presented in the 900-seat Sydney Theatre and follows on from the importation of Alan Bennett's The History Boys by London's National Theatre in 2006.
It was the Steppenwolf production that Tracy Letts' play that won five Tony Awards in New York.
So, now you know more about this ever-evolving story that began just over two years ago last month in Chicago.
Anyone game for going Down Under?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: August Osage County, Australia, Chicago, First Word On New Show, Play, Sydney, Sydney Theatre Company, Tracy Letts
Up (The SOB Review) – Downstairs Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago, Illinois
***1/2 (out of ****)Maybe it’s that the title is exactly the same as the current
Disney/
Pixar hit.
You know the one. The
film out a pie-in-the-sky dreamer who yearns to be lifted from an ordinary life and uses balloons to take flight from the comfort of his own surroundings. Oh wait, that also neatly summarizes
Bridget Carpenter’s stirring and tender
Up as well. Funny though how dissimilar these two takes on the same essential theme can be.
After being lulled into a false sense that the only way
is up during the first act, Carpenter’s emotionally satisfying play about a wide-eyed visionary named Walter Griffin (a remarkable
Ian Barford) really takes off, even if against any predictable prevailing winds.
With
Anna D. Shapiro’s marvelous direction providing appropriately measured ballast and pitch,
Up is nothing short of a lofty, ambitious play about hope and capacity for discovery, including those of a decidedly introspective nature. And it works.
Years after Walter has succeeded in raising his personal stature by floating three miles high on his own lawn chair, he continues -- perhaps vainly -- in pursuit of the next big thing. He remains undaunted, even as others beat him to the punch.
But there’s a cost to these ongoing pipedreams. Patience is wearing thin at home.
His desperate non-house wife Helen (a beautifully raw
Lauren Katz) is tiring of being the lone family breadwinner and implores Walter to go out and find a real job, even if it means giving up on his dreams. Their emotionally awkward high school son Mikey (a brilliant
Jake Cohen) believes so strongly in his father that he lacks any faith in his own capabilities.
That is, until he meets Maria, a chatty pregnant classmate (the tremendously talented
Rachel Brosnahan), who not becomes his first real friend, but also provides him with an introduction to a new self-awareness wakened by her free-spirited Aunt Chris (
Martha Lavey in one of her two deliciously funny roles from each end of an amazingly wide spectrum).
There is so much to recommend this heartfelt production. However, I’d be remiss if I didn’t add that the penultimate scene was what ultimately had my trio of friends and I arguing long and hard afterward about what had just transpired and all it symbolized.
Far be it from me to even allude to what we discussed, but our strikingly disparate conclusions and our eagerness to vociferously debate points to the true genius in Carpenter’s brilliant writing. There aren’t many shows I experience where I’m passionately discussing it long after.
But Carpenter’s work, inspired by
true events, is nothing short of inspirational.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Anna D Shapiro, Bridget Carpenter, Chicago, Ian Barford, Jake Cohen, Lauren Katz, Martha Lavey, Play, Rachel Bresnahan, Steppenwolf, The SOB Review, Up
Mary Stuart (The SOB Review) – Broadhurst Theatre, New York, New York
*** (out of ****)
It was the best of times (and sigh!) it was the dullest of times.
Fortunately, once you sit through the extraordinarily dry exposition of the first act of
Phyllida Lloyd’s ultimately worthy revival of
Friedrich Schiller's
Mary Stuart (with new adaptation by
Peter Oswald), you’re in for one of the year’s most powerfully explosive acts, period.
Thanks to the unusually fierce, bravura performances from
Janet McTeer and
Harriet Walter starring as cousins
Queen Mary of Scots and
Queen Elizabeth I, respectively,
Mary Stuart comes close to becoming a theatrical
tour de force of epic proportions.
Certainly from the start, McTeer and Walter are more than enough to whet anyone’s appetite. But it’s not until the gales from the onset of Act Two that their portrayals of the original dueling divas truly reigns down on the stage with an intensity so pure and genuine that you forget for a moment you’re watching something set back in time over 400 years.
For the second year in a row, I’ve witnessed a level of virtuosity from McTeer I never before could have imagined (in 2008,
I saw her extraordinary turn in the earlier London mounting of the Tony-winning hit
God Of Carnage). While Walter nearly goes toe to toe, McTeer offers that rarest of theatrical delights: a performance for the ages.
So if you’re like me and easily tire of
Mary Stuart’s labored first act (despite McTeer and Walter’s exceptional efforts), rest assured that after intermission, you’re bound to get just a little, well, moist.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Broadway, Friedrich Schiller, God Of Carnage, Harriet Walter, Janet McTeer, Mary Stuart, Peter Oswald, Phyllida Lloyd, Play, Revival, The SOB Review
Avenue Q To Ride Off Broadway Via September ExitWhile the 2004 Tony Award-winning Best Musical
Avenue Q still resides on Broadway, it's simply for now. The little adult puppet musical will close on September 13 after playing 2,534 performances.
Avenue Q began as a "million dollar idea" initially conceptualized for television by
Jeff Marx and
Robert Lopez. But as it progressed, it took shape as a downtown musical with
Jeff Whitty providing its book in time for its original mounting at New York's
Vineyard Theatre. From there, it transferred to midtown to Broadway's
John Golden Theatre, where it opened July 10, 2003.
When I first caught the fledgling little
Avenue Q during the 2003-04 Theatrical Season with its original cast -- long before it was awarded the 2004 Tony for Best Musical -- I enjoyed its devious humor that tracked an ingenious parallel universe with television's "
Sesame Street." I vividly recall a fun time was had by all.
I was less enamored with the
current touring production when I caught it several years later, perhaps in part because of its unprecedented, all-out
campaign effort to win the Tony back in 2003, coupled with the
producers subsequent sell-out to Steve Wynn and Vegas
instead of touring. But I give the show and its creators enormous credit for having lasted so long and inspiring new audiences to enjoy live theatre.
Those die-hard
Avenue Q fans can take heart. The show still continues to
tour nationally, with stops scheduled through at least one year forward. Then there's the successful West End production that opened to
mixed reviews three years ago last Sunday.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Avenue Q, Broadway, Closing Notices, Jeff Marx, Jeff Whitty, London, Musical, Robert Lopez, The Vineyard
