The Play That Changed My LifeOver the past week, the theatre blogosphere has been buzzing as members of the
Independent Theatre Bloggers Association (to which I belong)
have been sharing fascinating stories from an array of theatre world luminaries on the plays that forever changed their lives.
Today, I'm proud to add to the ongoing discussion in sharing stories from two of this year's Tony-nominated actors,
Gregory Jbara (who went on to win a Tony) and
Gavin Creel. I've had the good fortune to meet both of these extraordinary actors, so it's a thrill for me to provide their anecdotes exclusively on Steve On Broadway (SOB). Additionally, I'll also tell you a little bit about the inspiration behind these stories and an associated contest, along with the play that indeed changed my life.
First, about that inspiration. Proving yet again that it is so much more to the international theatrical community than simply "the Tony Award organization,"
The American Theatre Wing is celebrating the December 1 launch of its new book,
The Play That Changed My Life. In it, 19 of the foremost American playwrights talk about the works that first captured their imaginations and inspired them in their careers and thus transformed their lives.
So what were the impetuses that propelled Jbara and Creel to Broadway's boards? Here are their stories.
Gregory JbaraAs one of Broadway's most beloved contemporary actors, Gregory Jbara has seven Main Stem shows among his stage and screen credits, including Serious Money, Born Yesterday, Damn Yankees, Victor/Victoria, Chicago and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Jbara can still be seen in his first Tony-winning role as Dad in Billy Elliot - The Musical. This Michigan native first came to my attention as Mr. Bernstein in Victor/Victoria, and he's even graciously provided yours truly with a backstage tour of his current show.
When asked to name the play that changed his life, Jbara said: I don’t know that there was any one specific play that I had that experience.
I’d have to say it was being an altar boy in church. It was High Mass, which is, you know, a lot of theatre. In third grade, that was my experience in front of people that I really think gave me the bug for speaking in front of large groups.
Crazy, crazy as it is, I have to attribute the Catholic Church for me being an actor. It was either that or a nun. So I’m glad it was being an actor.
Gavin CreelAs one of today's fastest-rising stars, Gavin Creel not only has three Broadway shows among his credits, including Thoroughly Modern Millie, La Cage aux Folles and the current revival of Hair, but he's already been nominated for two Tony Awards. I've had the pleasure of seeing this Ohio native in all three Rialto productions, as well as in the Chicago incarnation of the Stephen Sondheim musical known as Bounce. I had the pleasure of catching up with Creel at this year's Drama League Awards and was surprised a couple days later at a performance of Hair when this gifted actor tried something new out on me in my second row seat.When asked to name the play that changed his life, Creel said:Mine was The Most Happy Fella.
I saw a musical production of it at the University of Michigan that the university put on there and I thought I was watching a movie on stage. I thought it was the most beautiful thing, the music was stunning, the performances were incredible.
Totally The Most Happy Fella.
Edited by
Ben Hodges, The American Theatre Wing's new book features an introduction from
Paula Vogel.
The Play That Changed My Life features distinguished contributors, who have a combined total of some 40 Tony Awards, Pulitzer Prizes and Obies. They include
Edward Albee,
David Auburn,
Jon Robin Baitz,
Nilo Cruz,
Christopher Durang,
Charles Fuller,
A.R. Gurney,
Beth Henley,
David Henry Hwang,
Tina Howe,
David Ives,
Donald Margulies,
Lynn Nottage,
Suzan-Lori Parks,
Sarah Ruhl,
John Patrick Shanley,
Diana Son,
Regina Taylor and
Doug Wright.
In further celebrating the launch of the original book, The American Theatre Wing has also kicked-off an online essay contest. Here is your official invitation to participate:
[W]hether you work in theatre, hope to make your life in the theatre or just enjoy being in the audience, surely you’ve had that same experience: a single play (or musical) that you saw at some point in your life that had a profound effect on you, be it a childhood production of Cinderella in a school auditorium featuring an older sibling, a parent’s appearance at the local community theatre, a Broadway spectacle like Les Misérables or The Phantom of the Opera, a journey to a small out-of-the-way theatre that told its story with a minimum of technical tools.
Frankly, it could be any production, and that’s what ATW wants to hear about: what show had the greatest impact upon you, when you saw it in the course of your life, and most importantly why it meant so much to you. Entries (limited to 350 words) will be judged based on their creativity, their clarity and perhaps most importantly, for how they convey your passion for the theatre.
So tell ATW about the play that changed your life – those few hours in the theatre, at any age, in any theatre, that had the greatest impact on your life and your perception of theatre — and have the opportunity to share your story with the thousands of visitors to americantheatrewing.org while getting the chance to win an autographed copy of The Play That Changed My Life and other theatrical books from Applause Publishing. Enter by clicking here.
The contest entry period runs through Sunday, November 29. The final expert panel judging the contest includes ATW Board of Directors Chairman and President of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, Ted Chapin; Applause Books’ Editorial Director Carol Flannery; award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang; and former Time Magazine arts editor and Broadway & Me blogger (as well as dear SOB friend) Janice Simpson. Additional prizes will be given based on voting by the general public, which will continue through December 11.
As for the play that changed my life? Regular readers will recall that earlier this year,
I waxed nostalgic regarding the thirty years that have passed since I first took in a Broadway show, albeit on the London stage. That show was the British mounting of
Annie.
In that post, I mused:
[M]y view of the world and all its possibilities was forever and inalterably changed.
Little did I know upon entering London's Victoria Palace Theatre (current home to Billy Elliot - The Musical) how swept away I could become by just one show. From my front row center mezzanine seat, I witnessed nothing short of pure magic.
I was absolutely riveted by the legendary Stratford Johns as Daddy Warbucks and the glorious Sheila Hancock as Miss Hannigan -- she simply blew me away with a sublime performance I can still vividly recall even today.
I marveled at Charnin's ingenious direction, Peter Gennaro's breathtaking choreography and Theoni V. Aldredge's dazzling costume design. But it was David Mitchell's sliding set designs that completely floored me as they transported Annie's array of characters across the stage without them even having to take a step.
To say it transported me as well would be a major understatement. I was wowed. Big time. [T]he exhilaration I felt in seeing Annie was a life-changer of a different order.
With a strange new tingling sensation down my spine, I was replete with goosebumps from head to toe. This live performance would forever change my expectations of entertainment. I now saw just how brilliant stagecraft could be. Entertainment became art. And I was forever hooked on live theatre.
For those of you who may quibble that a musical doesn't count as a play, you may be interested in knowing that later in 1979 when I was a freshman in college -- with memories of
Annie still dancing in my head -- I decided to take in a Broadway tour during its Milwaukee swing at the
Pabst Theatre.
That play was
The Belle of Amherst starring none other than the legendary, 5-time Tony winner
Julie Harris, who also was honored with a Tony for this show.
Seeing Harris was like striking theatrical gold. Directed by
Charles Nelson Reilly, Harris completely mesmerized in this solo performance with her brilliant portrayals of poet Emily Dickinson and her contemporaries, including Charles Wadsworth. I had no idea that an actor could take on so many diverse roles and make each and every one of them seem so believable and immensely credible.
In learning how potent the power of the spoken word could be when delivered so passionately by Harris that one evening 30 years ago, I was spellbound. Thus,
The Belle Of Amherst truly was the play that changed my life.
What play changed yours?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Annie, Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, Charles Nelson Reilly, Gavin Creel, Gregory Jbara, Hair, Julie Harris, Milwaukee, Musical, Play, The Belle Of Amherst
Are You Effable?If you're among those who read Steve On Broadway (SOB) on a regular basis, you know that I'm not one to let the F-Bombs drop on this site. So perhaps you've wondered whether I was intentionally trying to titillate with that title.
While "effable" is no longer commonly used in Americanized English, the word actually means "Capable of being uttered or explained; utterable."
There's an organization straddling Manhattan and Brooklyn that seeks to capitalize on theatrical expressibility called
Effable Arts. They've just announced their premiere production
Stop, Collaborate & Listen: 20Nothings. With a nod and a wink to what you
may have thought effable meant, they're promising, "A cherry-popping weekend of twentysomethings and celebrity 'survivors.'" With a title inadvertently inspired by
William H. Macy, the production will play in two parts on September 5 and 6 at The Producer’s Club Grand Theater at 358 West 44th Street in New York.
Stop, Collaborate & Listen: 20Nothings is billed as "a collection of original one-acts, monologues, dance, music and art depicting the hilarity and horrors of twentysomething-ness in 2009. Presented in two parts by artists age 23-27, this collaborative production throws a spotlight on mid-twenties purgatory with riotous, touching and insightful results."
According to the release I received, the Effable Arts production "also features an exclusive exhibition of advice for twentysomethings from 'Survivors' of their own transitional twenties, including not only the aforementioned Macy, but also Tony Award winners
Rondi Reed (
August: Osage County,
Wicked),
Laura Benanti (
Gypsy, Broadway’s upcoming
In the Next Room) and
Gregory Jbara (
Billy Elliot,
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels);
Will Swenson (
Hair);
Will Chase (
Billy Elliot,
Rent); and
Seth Rudetsky (
The Ritz ); along with the requisite "many, many more."
Part One on September 5 will begin at 8 p.m. EDT. "Audiences discover the true meaning of the term
20Nothings through a vibrant cast of characters, including a writer who must choose between his art or
Snakes on a Plane: The Musical!, an urban warrior trapped on the losing end of a battle with vermin, a young woman racing the hourglass of chronic illness, a pair of foul-mouthed sisters smacked in the face by formal 'adulthood,' two singles attempting to mate in the Facebook era and a set of friends who may have accidentally crossed from twentysomething purgatory right into Hell."
Part Two on September 6 begins at 7 p.m. EDT; it "explores the deeper side of Generation Y, showcasing the hope, fear, hurt and pride of an age-group just beginning to recognize its power. Through dance and song, artists remember the historic Stonewall Riots while emphasizing the fight is not yet over, examine the unstable nature of young relationships, use Dante’s famed Inferno as a metaphor for life’s daily struggles and remind everyone that even the bleakest of days can be cured with peanut butter and a little hope."
Both performances will feature letters and advice from the successful artists outlined above who also reflect on their own "youthful missteps."
Tickets for
Stop, Collaborate & Listen: 20Nothings are $15 each or $25 for a two-night pass. Please call the Effable Arts box office at 917.576.4149 to reserve seats; note that tickets must be paid in cash only at the door.
Since Effable Arts is a non-profit organization, they'll gladly accept your tax-deductible donations when you click
here like I just did. And you know what? For the first time in my life, I'm feeling a little effable.
This is Steve On Broadway.
Labels: Effable Arts, Gregory Jbara, Laura Benanti, Off-Broadway, Play, Rondi Reed, Seth Rudetsky, Stop Collaborate and Listen: 20Nothings, Will Chase, Will Swenson, William H. Macy
Billy Elliot - The Musical (The SOB Revisit) - Imperial Theatre, New York, New York
***1/2 (out of ****)Third time was most definitely the charm for me in seeing
Billy Elliot - The Musical, this time (finally) on Broadway.
For the third time in four years and across three continents, I've seen how the miles on a show can either
infuse electricity or
take it away. In the case of
Stephen Daldry's soaring Broadway mounting, he's achieved a breathtaking kinetic wattage to behold.
Triple threat
Kiril Kulish, who portrayed Billy during my performance, offers the most electrifying take on the eponymous role I've now seen. He's not only born to boogie, but he also possesses a star quality I've rarely seen in someone so young. His talent is pure joy to witness
During my performance, I was disappointed to learn that the key role of Michael would be played by understudy
Keean Johnson. But once he expressed himself with his natural-born stage presence, I was left wondering why he doesn't perform the role on a regular basis. He is exceptional and has a great future ahead of him.
As pivotal as Billy and Michael are, the supporting cast is every bit as vital in ensuring the requisite electricity. In the role of his lifetime, the incredibly talented
Gregory Jbara is spot-on as Billy's father, whose eleventh hour epiphany is powerfully moving without being overly sentimental. The wonderful
Haydn Gwynne reprises the role I saw her brilliantly create in London. And the lovely
Carole Shelley offers one of the year's top scene-stealing performances as Billy's Grandma.
Thanks to Daldry's invigoratingly taut direction and
Peter Darling's inventive choreography, the cast abounds in endless energy. They infuse
Lee Hall and
Elton John's score -- which strikes a deeper and infinitely more poignant chord with each listen -- with all possibility that individuality really represents, particularly during these financially troubled times.
If you're going to see
Billy Elliot anywhere, make this the one.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, Carole Shelley, Elton John, Gregory Jbara, Haydn Gwynne, Keean Johnson, Kiril Kulish, Lee Hall, Musical, Peter Darling, Stephen Daldry, The SOB Review
Twittering The TonysBy now, you already know that
Billy Elliot - The Musical won the most Tonys during last evening's ceremony (click
here to view a full list of all of this year's Tony Award winners).
Billy Elliot earned 10 Tonys in all ... or
12 if you count
David Alvarez,
Trent Kowalik and
Kiril Kulish individually for the joint Tony they received as "Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical" -- a topic I'll circle back to shortly.
The evening started out surprisingly enough as
Martin Koch (
Billy Elliot - The Musical) and
Michael Starobin and
Tom Kitt (
next to normal) were both declared winners in a tie for Best Orchestrations.
But it all ended up seeming so, well, mostly predictable. While I accurately predicted 19 out of 27 categories, I was dead-on in almost every one of the major categories.
The predictabity was OK, not just because I liked most of the shows and performances that won, but also given the wonderfully witty
11:00 number offered up by host
Neil Patrick Harris, which only needed a
few last-minute changes from
Marc Shaiman and
Scott Wittman. The only things completely unpredictable were the excrutiatingly painful headbanging poor
Bret Michaels endured or the embarrassing mics that seemed to not work more often than they did.
Unlike last year, when I enjoyed the Tony Awards from a great orchestra seat at Radio City Music Hall, I was in the comfort of my own living room offering up my Tony tweets via
Twitter. It was a totally unique experience for me, but one that I have to admit enjoying primarily because of the banter with other theatre Twitters.
The only downside was that during the first hour of the televised awards, I hit Twitter's limit on the number of tweets any one individual can post in any given hour. Who knew? I certainly didn't! Fortunately, after being sidelined for over a half hour, I was able to get back on, although I ended up being a bit more judicious in what I posted.
Now, coming back full circle on the awards, the only winner I still can't wrap my head around is giving all three Billys the Tony for Best Performance by
a Leading
Actor in a Musical. Don't get me wrong, I am sure they are each very talented. Yet, how can the four other nominees who give 8 performances each week compete with three actors who perform 3 times tops per week? And to say that they are all equally worthy? Well that thinking's akin to the way they give away soccer trophies just so no one's feelings will get hurt.
Yes, I know about the bizarre Tony precedents.
In 1960, all of the young actors portraying the von Trapp family children in the original production of
The Sound Of Music --
Lauri Peters,
Kathy Dunn,
Evanna Lien,
Mary Susan Locke,
Marilyn Rogers,
William Snowden , and
Joseph Stewart -- were nominated
together in the category of Best Featured
Actress in a Musical. Wonder if Snowden and Stewart ever fully recovered from
that!
This year's Tony winning Best Performance by a Leading Actress
Alice Ripley had to share a joint nomination for the same award with
Emily Skinner for
Side Show back in 1998 simply because they were portraying conjoined twins Violet and Daisy, respectively. I always thought conjoined twins had their own individual personalities.
There used to be a rule that whoever opened in the show was eligible for the Tony. Just ask
Frank Dolce, who alternates with Tony nominee
David Bologna as Michael in
Billy Elliot - The Musical. Same show, different rules apparently apply. Maybe it was their rousing ode to individuality called "Expressing Yourself" that did them in.
I'll get off my soapbox long enough to admit how pleased I was with the rest of the results overall -- in fact, I plan to finally see both
Billy Elliot and
God Of Carnage on Broadway after having first seen them in London.
I was downright thrilled (sorry David Bologna) when
Gregory Jbara -- one of Broadway's nicest actors -- won for his role in
Billy Elliot. I got goosebumps when
Angela Lansbury earned her fifth acting Tony. And I was giddy with delight that
The Norman Conquests rightfully won Best Revival of a Play during prime time where it belonged (although I thought director
Matthew Warchus deserved to win for that effort over his other
God Of Carnage).
So, dear readers. What did you think of this year's Tony Awards? And how many of the winners did you get right?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Alice Ripley, Angela Lansbury, Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, David Alvarez, God Of Carnage, Gregory Jbara, Kiril Kulish, The Norman Conquests, Tony Awards, Trent Kowalik, Twitter
Billy Elliot Dances Way Into Critics' HeartsLast evening,
Billy Elliot The Musical opened at Broadway's
Imperial Theatre.
Directed by the same man who directed the
2000 film,
Stephen Daldry, and with a book and lyrics written by the same man who wrote the original screenplay,
Lee Hall, this tuner's music is by
Sir Elton John.
David Alvarez,
Trent Kowalik and
Kiril Kulish are alternating as Billy, while
David Bologna and
Frank Dolce alternate as Michael. The musical also stars
Haydn Gwynne,
Gregory Jbara,
Carole Shelley and
Santino Fontana.
Most critics have showered the show with praise. It's been ages since I've seen this type of swooning over a new tuner.
Declaring that "Broadway's long, dark, dry spell of big, smart, smash musicals is officially over," now that the "seriously thrilling" and "deeply lovable"
Billy Elliot has opened,
Newsday's
Linda Winer heaps on the huzzahs all around: "The show is crawling -- not to mention tapping and leaping -- with dauntingly talented children, presented with a blissful lack of preciosity and lots of blazing intelligence and theatricality by director Stephen Daldry and choreographer
Peter Darling.... On the basis of Tuesday's Billy, David Alvarez, the massive demands of this star role have not been overstated. Alvarez is terrific - with a grave-kid undercurrent, lots of unforced charm, finely sculpted long muscles and the ability to unspool ballet wizardry without losing the remarkable elegance of his line. His singing is simple and direct, with a musicality more important than show-biz salesmanship. About those songs. Elton John has written an ambitious, varied, altogether satisfying grown-up score."
Concluding by thanking "
Maggie Thatcher, for giving us something to sing about,"
New York Post's
Barbara Hoffman awards four out of four stars: "proving itself the best gift from Britain since
'Harry Potter.'... But unlike so many shows that plod from screen to stage,
Billy Elliot: The Musical makes the leap from reheated adaptation to reimagined creation. For that we can thank not only director Stephen Daldry, writer Lee Hall and a wonderful cast -- but also Elton John, whose idea it was to make it a musical in the first place.... Whether it's ballet, modern or tap -- or, in one case, tap-dancing while jumping rope -- dance is the show's single best special effect."
Proclaiming that the tuner "really does have something for everyone, and that something is, gloriously, art," Bloomberg's
John Simon is laudatory: "The story unfolds with drama and humor, exciting and tender moments. Expertly staged by Stephen Daldry, it is dazzlingly choreographed by Peter Darling in some breathtaking dance sequences of various genres, from classical ballet to contemporary forms.... There are mostly rousing but occasionally jolly Elton John songs, with simple but apposite lyrics by Lee Hall.... And then, amazingly, there is Billy.... I caught David Alvarez, a riveting prodigy: actor, singer, fabulous ballet and tap dancer (note his double tours) and spectacular acrobat. He combines skills few adults could match, and sustains them throughout a long and demanding evening."
Praising
Billy Elliot as "that rare production -- one that brings all the elements together and creates a fresh emotional experience,"
Joe Dziemianowicz of New York's
Daily News is also similarly enthusiastic: "The show's creative forces -- Stephen Daldry, Lee Hall and Peter Darling -- who repeat duties as director, writer and choreographer, and who are joined by composer Elton John -- are to be commended for bringing
Billy to the theater with smarts, clarity (yes, Americans will 'get' the across-the-pond references, including the expletives), imagination and tender loving care.... Even more than the terrific 2000 movie, the musical amplifies Billy's place in his community.... David Alvarez, who was on at my performance, is a dazzling dancer, strong actor and capable singer. As his brassy ballet teacher in shocking pink (and purple) tights, Haydn Gwynne, who originated the role in London in 2005, is a sublime mix of bark, bite and big-heartedness."
Postulating that the "show both artfully anatomizes and brazenly exploits the most fundamental and enduring appeal of musicals themselves,"
The New York Times'
Ben Brantley is surprisingly smitten: "Mr. Daldry and company turn tripe into triumph by making us understand the depth of the appeal of its classic show-business fairy tale, not only to us but also to the people whose dreary daily existences touch on Billy’s.... The performances, for the most part, are broader than they were in London, with more mugging and heart-tugging stickiness. But the two most essential portrayals -- that of Ms. Gwynne and Mr. Alvarez -- were spot-on the night I saw the show....
Billy Elliot never doubts that it’s the sobriety that endures in life. Which makes those intoxicating, fleet-footed flashes of art, where leaden bodies fly and discord turns into harmony, all the more to be cherished."
Asking, "Who would have guessed that a musical in which conservative economic policies deal a death blow to the working class could be such an uplifting experience?"
Variety's
David Rooney offers praise: "American audiences would have no trouble connecting with the universal sentiment of this bittersweet dual celebration of community and individuality.... The basic plot skeleton of an underdog rescued from adversity by the purity of his artistic pursuit is a familiar one, but it's given integrity here by the rich, melancholy textures of Hall's cultural and political backdrop.... Elton John's songs are more often serviceable than memorable, and the ballads are treacle, but there's a nice, brass-heavy Brit sound to the orchestrations that adds to the show's strong sense of place. Regardless of their quality as showtunes, almost all the significant numbers are elevated by Daldry's propulsive staging into buoyant setpieces."
Citing the show's "unapologetically sentimental score" and "characters ... drawn in broad strokes ... but little nuance,"
USA Today's Elysa Gardner still offers up a three-star review: "Billy Elliot shines brightest when its younger cast members are center stage, particularly when they're on their toes. A few production numbers lean too heavily on cute shtick -- there are dancing dresses and an enormous Thatcher puppet that may scare the kids -- but Peter Darling's choreography makes the raw, restless exuberance of youth accessible to all. In one sequence, Billy imagines and shadows an older version of himself, and both leap across the stage as the rapturous strains of
Tchaikovsky's
Swan Lake swell around them. And for a few moments -- no matter where you're from -- it's impossible to not be transported by this kid's amazing grace."
So with Wall Street in continued meltdown, could
Billy Elliot - The Musical be exactly the right salve at the right time? We'll find out as our next stop is the box office.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, Carole Shelley, Critics' Capsule, David Alvarez, Elton John, Film, Gregory Jbara, Haydn Gwynne, Lee Hall, Musical, Peter Darling, Stephen Daldry
Billy Elliot Ready To Shine On Opening NightThis evening, after 40 preview performances, what is arguably the Broadway Season's most anticipated new tuner finally opens at the
Imperial Theatre. Based on the
2000 film, Billy Elliot The Musical lands on the Great White Way after packing them in across the pond in London for over three years, along with another year of success Down Under.
If the musical seems true to the original movie, it's because of the artistry behind it. Not only does Academy Award nominated director
Stephen Daldry recreate the electricity on stage, but the film's Oscar nominated screenwriter
Lee Hall has also written the tuner's book, as well as the lyrics that accompany the music written by
Sir Elton John.
Actress
Haydn Gwynne is the only transfer from the original West End production. She will recreate the role of Billy's dance teacher Mrs. Wilkinson. Three young actors will alternate as the eponymous character:
David Alvarez this evening, and then
Trent Kowalik and
Kiril Kulish on successive nights. Likewise, the role of Billy's young friend Michael will alternate between
David Bologna and
Frank Dolce.
Other cast members include Broadway veterans
Gregory Jbara as Billy's Dad and
Carole Shelley as Grandma, along with
Santino Fontana as Billy's brother Tony.
Personally, I have not yet purchased my tickets for the Broadway incarnation having already seen both the original London production three years ago this month and the Australian production in Sydney just over three months ago. But you can bet that I'll be providing my critics' capsule of all the major reviews tomorrow.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: Billy Elliot The Musical, Broadway, Carole Shelley, David Alvarez, Elton John, Film, Gregory Jbara, Kiril Kulish, Lee Hall, Musical, Stephen Daldry, Trent Kowalik
