Broadway Served As Detour On Road To Detroit From Chicago
While I don't ordinarily write much about television, I'll be tuning in this evening to ABC as it premieres its gritty new cop drama "Detroit 1-8-7."
Regular readers of Steve On Broadway (SOB) probably already know my overriding reason for watching. It's because the new series stars Jon Michael Hill, a Steppenwolf ensemble member and Tony nominee earlier this year for his incredible performance in Superior Donuts. Among the many things I said in advance of his Broadway debut last fall, I advised:
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.
Of course, by tuning in to "Detroit 1-8-7" tonight, you'll have further bragging rights for seeing this "true star of tomorrow" in his ascent, now before a national audience. Hill will be portraying Lt. Damon Washington, described by ABC as follows:
Change is coming for Damon Washington. This homegrown kid is making a career change by becoming a homicide detective and he'll be making diaper changes as a brand new daddy. He has a solid track record on the beat and brings his enthusiasm to prove his keep in homicide. Washington anxiously awaits the "baby call" during his first day chasing down killers. His spirit and eagerness serve as a nice compliment to his resourcefulness and smarts.
Washington has to quickly adapt the art of balancing his personal and professional lives. His struggles growing up in Detroit will hopefully prep him for the growing pains he'll get on the job and in his marriage.
We're confident he'll learn and mature with a little guidance. We're just wondering if that'll come from his new partner, Louis Fitch. Time will tell if Washington has what it takes to earn Fitch's respect. We'll also get to see if his positive spirit rubs off on his hardened partner.
Personally, there's no doubt in my mind that in making his auspicious television debut in such a vital, promising role, Jon Michael Hill's name is on the precipice of household status. And deservedly so.
Just remember, for many of you, you first read his name here, just over four years ago.
"Detroit 1-8-7" airs on ABC at 10 p.m./9 p.m. Central.
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
Over the last couple days, I've offered up my "Best Of" lists for each of the four major stage categories honored by the Tony Awards, including Best Musical Revivals, Best Play Revivals, Best New Musicals and Best New Plays.
Now, before this evening's Tony Awards are bestowed, here’s how the best of the best rank in my personal countdown of the “10 Best” theatrical productions I saw over the course of the 2009-10 Theatrical Season (ending April 30, 2010):
Venue: Harvey Theatre, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, New York
Top 10 Worthiness:Liv Ullmann's crackling revival of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire became a must-see event not only because it starred the magnificent Cate Blanchett, but also because it so forthrightly showcased this classic work for what it is -- one of the best plays ever written.
Top 10 Worthiness: In Kenny Leon's exceptional revival of August Wilson's monumental Fences, Denzel Washington excels in delivering a solid line drive as former baseball player Troy Maxson -- once a player, always a player. Yet as Troy's wife Rose, Viola Davis hits this one out of the park with the most extraordinary, heartwrenching performance of the year.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Denzel Washington and Viola Davis.
Venue: McKnight Theatre, Theatre Latté Da, Ordway Center For The Performing Arts, St. Paul, Minnesota
Top 10 Worthiness: In one of those rarest of rarities, Theater Latté Da's excellent and thoroughly enjoyable revival of The Full Monty was actually much better than the Broadway original. Under Peter Rothstein's exceptional, confident direction, Terrence McNally's book and David Yazbek's underrated score became even more salient, all the more emotionally gripping and certainly more entertaining today.
Venue: Nederlander Theatre, New York City, New York
Top 10 Worthiness: Nothing could have prepared me for the earnest and devastating charms found in Neil Simon's superb Brighton Beach Memoirs. This semi-autobiographical period piece received an excellent (though sadly short-lived) Broadway revival, flawlessly executed by director David Cromer. Through Brighton Beach Memoirs, Cromer further burnished his credentials as a brilliant, visionary master at breathing vigorous new life into classic material.
Top 10 Worthiness:Tracy Letts' tasty and satisfying Superior Donuts may have appeared on my list last year, but since he and director Tina Landau further sharpened this dramatic comedy for its Broadway bow, the play once again earns its place on my list. Superior Donuts ostensibly left its audience with hope and an entreaty to wake up to the world around us, give a damn and take a stand.
Venue: Delacorte Theatre, Central Park, New York City, New York
Top 10 Worthiness: Love was in the air, and that breeze blowing straight through Central Park was William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Daniel Sullivan’s gorgeous gender-bending revival was brimming with bawdy charms and an extraordinary ensemble. I walked out of Central Park both enthralled and enchanted.
Top 10 Worthiness:The Brother / Sister Plays, Tarell Alvin McCraney's excellent and deeply poetic trilogy, cast an unusally enthralling spell over me through its lyrical power. Standing as a towering achievement, not only for the incredibly young yet wise-beyond-his-years playwright, but also for its outstanding ensemble, The Brother / Sister Plays may ultimately prove to be the most important new work of this new decade.
Top 10 Worthiness: What playwright Lynn Nottage and director Kate Whoriskey have achieved with the heartstopping and excellent Ruined was nothing short of monumental. They skillfully succeeded in placing many a human face on those who are grossly dehumanized, even if it ranks as one of the most difficult plays I ever sat through.
Venue: John Golden Theatre, New York City, New York
Top 10 Worthiness:John Logan's magnificent Red, masterfully directed by Michael Grandage, has forever changed how I'll view abstract art, particularly that of artist Mark Rothko. A modern-day masterpiece imported directly from London's Donmar Warehouse, Red intrigues and titillates the senses with its potent examination of the internal conflicts Rothko may have endured.
Top 10 Worthiness: The all too Brief Encounter stands out as the most magnificent entertainment production I saw anywhere this year.
As its conceit, director Emma Rice ingeniously builds on the precepts from the Oscar-nominated 1945 motion picture written by Noël Coward about two married individuals who enjoy a chance meeting in a train station only to find themselves swept away in a mad love affair. Silver screen images are shown on the stage, but it's seemlessly brought to life with a captivating fusion with live theatre. Topping off this delectable treat is a perfect blend of music from the era that breaks the fourth wall.
To say much more beyond this doesn't seem fair because this excellent production has to be seen to be believed and fully appreciated. But I'll add one more thing. It took Brief Encounter's spellbinding trip back in time to catch a glimpse of the future in entertainment and the integral role projection designs -- like those offered here by Gemma Carrington and Jon Driscoll to mesmerizing, dramatic effect -- can have in stage productions.
Fortunately, Broadway audiences will have their chance this fall to encounter this excellent work that defies description. And don't be surprised if there's further call for a new Tony Award category to be created for Best Projection Design. It's an element that's here to stay.
Status: Closed in April after limited run. Production will be mounted this fall at Broadway's Studio 54
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
What shows would be on your top ten list? Do you think I've completely missed the boat, or would your choices largely mirror mine?
I invite you to join the discussion and post your comments here.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
During the 2009-10 Theatrical Season, I've had the opportunity to see over 80 performances of a wide range of new and revived musicals and plays, as well as other theatrical events.
As noted earlier, unlike this past year's selection of musicals, the plays were once again "the thing." That included a startling array of first rate new plays on Broadway as well as other venues near and far.
So, without further ado, here is my list of the "5 Best New Plays" I've seen over the 12 months ending April 30, 2010:
5 - Superior Donuts (Music Box Theatre, New York City, New York)
Sure, Tracy Letts' tasty and satisfying Superior Donuts appeared on my list last year, but since he and director Tina Landau sharpened this work for its Broadway bow, this play deserves to be judged again as a new show. And this enthralling and profoundly moving work deserves to be on this list as it sits precisely where the American dream -- and all its endless possibilities -- intersects with fears of America lost.
The essential ingredients Letts has baked into this dramatic comedy were as sweet and savory as ever. Proving that no one backs Letts into a corner, Superior Donuts offered plenty of his trademark ribald barbs while ostensibly leaving its audience with hope and an entreaty to wake up to the world around us rather than to shut it out. To give a damn and take a stand. Once again, this courageous show lived up to its name.
The Brother / Sister Plays, Tarell Alvin McCraney's excellent and deeply poetic trilogy, cast an unusally enthralling spell over me through its lyrical power. Standing as a towering achievement, not only for the incredibly young yet wise-beyond-his-years playwright, but also for its outstanding ensemble, The Brother / Sister Plays may ultimately prove to be the most important new work of this new decade.
Director Tina Landau's singular focus ensures that McCraney's immense gift for language dances just as soulfully across all three portions of this mighty work as does the beautiful choreography from its first installment In The Red And Brown Water. Each play is anchored by the impeccable K. Todd Freeman as Ogun Size, arguably the heart pulsating throughout this ambitious work; Freeman imbues Ogun with a rare level of humanity that makes him and The Brother / Sister Plays simply breathtaking to watch.
3 - Ruined (New York City Center Stage I, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York City, New York)
It wasn't until this Theatrical Season that I finally saw Lynn Nottage's devastatingly exceptional Ruined. What Nottage and director Kate Whoriskey achieved with this heartstopping, excellent production was nothing short of monumental. They skillfully succeeded in placing many a human face on those who are grossly dehumanized even if it ranks as one of the most difficult plays I ever sat through.
Nottage created some of the year's most remarkable female roles, including a madame named Mama Nadi (a superb Portia) whose brothel doors are open to military officials and rebels alike. Nottage endowed each of her central characters with a breathtaking resilience, and a surprising degree of good humor. Ultimately, they demonstrated grace and resolve in their desperate attempts to rise above it all.
2 - Red (John Golden Theatre, New York City, New York)
John Logan's magnificent Red, masterfully directed by Michael Grandage, has forever changed how I'll view abstract art, particularly that of artist Mark Rothko. Imported directly from London's Donmar Warehouse, Red intrigues and titillates the senses with its potent examination of the internal conflicts Rothko (an excellent Alfred Molina) may have endured.
Molina paints his Rothko with a tortured, self-conscious brilliance that turns ferocious on dime, including on his young protégé Ken, a captivating Eddie Redmayne, in an absolutely stunning Broadway debut. Together, they transform Red into a modern-day masterpiece.
The all too Brief Encounter stood out as one of the most magnificent entertainment productions you were likely to see anywhere this past year.
As its conceit, director Emma Rice ingeniously builds on the precepts from the Oscar-nominated 1945 motion picture written by Noël Coward about two married individuals who enjoy a chance meeting in a train station only to find themselves swept away in a mad love affair. Silver screen images are shown on the stage, but it's seemlessly brought to life with a captivating fusion with live theatre. Topping off this delectable treat is a perfect blend of music from the era that breaks the fourth wall.
To say much more beyond this doesn't seem fair because this excellent production has to be seen to be believed and fully appreciated. But I'll add one more thing. It took Brief Encounter's spellbinding trip back in time to catch a glimpse of the future in entertainment and the integral role projection designs -- like those offered here by Gemma Carrington and Jon Driscoll to mesmerizing, dramatic effect -- can have in stage productions. Fortunately, Broadway audiences will have their chance this fall to encounter this excellent work that defies description.
So what were the best new plays you saw over the past year? I invite you to join the conversation by sharing your theatre experiences with me.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
This Sunday, the American Theatre Wing’s 64th annual Tony Awards ceremonies will honor the best of Broadway's 2009-10 Theatrical Season. As we count down the days to the Tonys, it's time for me to place my wagers on those nominees I believe will actually win, as well as tell you whom I think should win.
As noted on Monday, I've been extraordinarily fortunate to see every single show, eligible and otherwise, that opened on Broadway over the past year. So unlike last year, I'll be able to at least make informed decisions. Whether I'm right or not remains to be seen.
There is plenty of momentum behind Red, La Cage Aux Folles and Fences, and it doesn't hurt that they all remain open to Tony voters and that they're pulling in respectable audiences. In the case of Fences, it's become box office titanium.
Given the dearth of truly new musicals this season, Tony voters are going to reward Memphisfor being one of the lone tuners with original score and an actual book, plus it stands the best chance of being a hit on tour. The exception for Memphis will come (but shouldn't) in Tony voters' starstruck decision for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical.
Something also tells me that given the lack of nominations -- except for one key nod -- for one of the season's earlier critical hits, Superior Donuts, along with the love shown already this awards season for its talented nominee that you shouldn't be surprised when they call his name. Similarly, with a certain Ragtimeactor becoming a bona fide darling of the stage, don't be surprised if he pulls off an upset as well as Tony voters recognize the future star they have a chance to honor now.
Here are my picks:
Best Play In The Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play) - Author: Sarah Ruhl Next Fall - Author: Geoffrey Nauffts Red - Author: John Logan Will Win/Should Win Time Stands Still - Author: Donald Margulies
Best Musical American Idiot Fela!Should Win Memphis Will Win Million Dollar Quartet
Best Book of a Musical Everyday Rapture - Dick Scanlan and Sherie Rene Scott Should Win Fela! - Jim Lewis & Bill T. Jones Memphis- Joe DiPietro Will Win Million Dollar Quartet - Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre The Addams Family - Music & Lyrics: Andrew Lippa Enron - Music: Adam Cork Lyrics: Lucy Prebble Fences - Music: Branford Marsalis Memphis - Music: David Bryan, Lyrics: Joe DiPietro, David Bryan Should Win/Will Win
Best Revival of a Play Fences Should Win/Will Win Lend Me A Tenor The Royal Family A View From The Bridge
Best Revival of a Musical Finian's Rainbow La Cage Aux Folles Should Win/Will Win A Little Night Music Ragtime
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play Jude Law - Hamlet Alfred Molina - RedShould Win Liev Schreiber - A View From The Bridge Christopher Walken - A Behanding In Spokane Denzel Washington - FencesWill Win
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play Viola Davis - Fences Should Win/Will Win Valerie Harper - Looped Linda Lavin - Collected Stories Laura Linney - Time Stands Still Jan Maxwell - The Royal Family
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Kelsey Grammer - La Cage Aux Folles Sean Hayes - Promises, Promises Douglas Hodge - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win Chad Kimball - Memphis Sahr Ngaujah - Fela!Should Win
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical Kate Baldwin - Finian's Rainbow Sherie Rene Scott - Everyday Rapture Montego Glover - MemphisShould Win Christiane Noll - Ragtime Catherine Zeta-Jones - A Little Night MusicWill Win
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play David Alan Grier - Race Stephen McKinley Henderson - Fences Jon Michael Hill - Superior Donuts Should Win/Will Win Stephen Kunken - Enron Eddie Redmayne - Red
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play Maria Dizzia - In the Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play) Rosemary Harris - The Royal Family Jessica Hecht - A View From The Bridge Scarlett Johansson - A View From The Bridge Jan Maxwell - Lend Me A Tenor Should Win/Will Win
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical Kevin Chamberlin - The Addams FamilyShould Win Robin De Jesús - La Cage Aux Folles Christopher Fitzgerald - Finian's Rainbow Levi Kreis - Million Dollar Quartet Bobby Steggert - RagtimeWill Win
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical Barbara Cook - Sondheim On Sondheim Katie Finneran - Promises, Promises Should Win/Will Win Angela Lansbury - A Little Night Music Karine Plantadit - Come Fly Away Lillias White - Fela!
Best Direction of a Play Michael Grandage - RedShould Win/Will Win Sheryl Kaller - Next Fall Kenny Leon - Fences Gregory Mosher - A View from the Bridge
Best Direction of a Musical Christopher Ashley - Memphis Marcia Milgrom Dodge - Ragtime Terry Johnson - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win Bill T. Jones - Fela!Should Win
Best Choreography Rob Ashford - Promises, Promises Bill T. Jones - Fela! Should Win Lynne Page - La Cage Aux Folles Twyla Tharp - Come Fly Away Will Win
Best Orchestrations Jason Carr - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win Aaron Johnson - Fela! Should Win Jonathan Tunick - Promises, Promises Daryl Waters & David Bryan - Memphis
Best Scenic Design of a Play John Lee Beatty - The Royal Family Should Win Alexander Dodge - Present Laughter Santo Loquasto - Fences Christopher Oram - RedWill Win
Best Scenic Design of a Musical Marina Draghici - Fela! Christine Jones - American Idiot Should Win/Will Win Derek McLane - Ragtime Tim Shortall - La Cage aux Folles
Best Costume Design of a Play Martin Pakledinaz - Lend Me a Tenor Constanza Romero - Fences David Zinn - In The Next Room (Or The Vibrator Play) Catherine Zuber - The Royal Family Should Win/Will Win
Best Costume Design of a Musical Marina Draghici - Fela!Should Win Paul Tazewell - Memphis Matthew Wright - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win
Best Lighting Design of a Play Neil Austin - Hamlet Neil Austin - RedWill Win Mark Henderson - Enron Should Win Brian MacDevitt - Fences
Best Lighting Design of a Musical Kevin Adams - American Idiot Should Win Donald Holder - Ragtime Nick Richings - La Cage Aux FollesWill Win Robert Wierzel - Fela!
Best Sound Design of a Play Acme Sound Partners - Fences Adam Cork - Enron Should Win/Will Win Adam Cork - Red Scott Lehrer - A View from the Bridge
Best Sound Design of a Musical Jonathan Deans - La Cage Aux Folles Will Win Robert Kaplowitz - Fela!Should Win Dan Moses Schreier and Gareth Owen - A Little Night Music Dan Moses Schreier - Sondheim On Sondheim
Do my picks for this year's Tony Awards match yours? Let me know.
Tune in to CBS this Sunday, June 13, when Sean Hayes hosts the three-hour live broadcast.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
SOB's Favorite Shows Of The Noughties: #24 - Superior Donuts (2008, Downstairs Theatre, Chicago, Illinois/2009, Music Box Theatre, New York, New York)
Introduction: Hard as it is to comprehend that we're already 119 months into this "new" millennium, we are fast approaching the end of its first decade. While we have yet to agree on what exactly we should call the '00s, I'll take a cue from the fine folks at The Times of London and the BBC and henceforth refer to them at the Noughties. With that small introduction, I'm pleased to present my list of plays and musicals that wowed me the most during that time. Out of the hundreds and hundreds of shows I've seen over the last ten years, I give you my countdown of my 25 personal favorite shows of the Noughties.
Tracy Letts' profoundly moving Superior Donuts intelligently combats some urban myths about race. Thanks in large measure to Tina Landau's loving direction and outstanding, memorable performances from a superb ensemble led by Michael McKean and Jon Michael Hill, Superior Donuts feels genuine, gritty and real, right down to its climactic brawl.
Losing himself in a most unglamorous role, McKean anchored both the premiere production and its subsequent Great White Way outing with amazing humility. Hill provided one of the most memorable Broadway debuts in recent memory. With plenty of humanity and heart to be found deep inside of this thoughtful and entertaining play, I dare anyone not to be touched.
If you still haven't seen this show that closes January 3, 2010, it really is time to make the Donuts.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post. I paid my own way for each performance.
So it was with a heavy heart that I first reported via Twitter on Wednesday that the show would be closing on January 3.
Earlier, tickets had been selling through March 28, but in recent weeks, this particular show wasn't exactly selling like hot cakes. Over the last two reported weeks, Superior Donuts had been playing to less than 50% capacity. Like Brighton Beach Memoirs, this is one excellent show deserving of a much larger audience than it was able to attract.
While critics liked the show, many Broadway watchers say it suffered from not being the "must-see" even that playwright Letts' August: Osage Countyhad been just two years ago. "They" also say that in a season where star turns seem to make the difference (including the arguably inferiorone just across the street), Superior Donuts had simply been overlooked.
If you haven't already had an opportunity to see it, do everything you can to get to the Music Box Theatre before Superior Donuts closes. You will thank me.
If you've been a longtime reader of Steve On Broadway, the name Jon Michael Hill is not new to you. In fact, I first wrote about this gifted young actor in this space on July 10, 2006 when he was performing in the excellent Bruce Norris play, The Unmentionables.
Even as the booming off-stage voice instructs the audience to silence their cell phones, a menacing, cocky young man named Etienne (Jon 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 preconceived notions about race and appearance even before the performance begins.
More recently, I provided many of you with your more recent introduction to his talents when I wrote this past July 16:
Take a close look at the smiling face to the left. Examine it very carefully. Because this is the exciting face of tomorrow's Broadway.
Ever since Hill made his impressive Broadway debut in the superb Superior Donutsthat opened October 1, he's been the subject of a lot of good buzz that amounts to so much more than just a sugar rush. Flush with great reviews and even some well-deserved Tony talk, Hill is making a name for himself on the Great White Way.
It may be a month overdue, but The New York Times is finally sitting up and taking notice. In a terrific story by Patrick Healy, Hill is profiled and assessed by his peers, including director Tina Landau, who states:
“Jon was one reason I said, ‘Count me in,’ ” said Tina Landau, a Steppenwolf ensemble member who directed the play in Chicago and New York. “He’s completely mercurial. He can do everything and its opposite. That’s so exciting to see in a young actor.”
Like I've said before, keep your eye on this exciting young actor. By swinging by the Music Box Theatre and seeing him perform this fall, I have no doubt that you'll have bragging rights in someday saying -- when he's a major star -- that you saw him when.
Superior Donuts (The SOB Review)– Music Box Theatre, New York, New York
**** (out of ****)
With nary an empty calorie in sight, Tracy Letts' tasty and satisfying Superior Donuts possesses a filling center that is at once enthralling and profoundly moving. Its shop sits precisely where the American dream -- and all its endless possibilities -- intersects with fears of America lost.
Despite a bit of a makeover from the initial Chicago premiere last year (which I reviewed), including new set design from James Schuette, the essential ingredients Letts has baked into this dramatic comedy are as sweet and savory as ever.
If anything, Tina Landau's sharpened direction enables each of Letts' wide assortment of characters -- each of whom defy any tidy stereotype -- to rise to perfection. As you'd expect from Letts, none of them are wafer-thin, whether it's the sage bag Lady Boyle (Jane Alderman), the rough-edged flirt in Officer Randy Osteen (Kate Buddeke), the seriously serious beam-me-up-fetishist Officer James Hailey (James Vincent Meredith) or the budding Russian tycoon with a soft spot Max Tarasov (Yasen Peyankov). Each of these secondary roles, not to mention the leads, is multi-layered, adding exquisite depth to Letts' overarching effort.
Now make no mistake, if you’re going into Broadway’s Music Box Theatre intent on seeing another August: Osage County, you’re in the wrong place. No one backs Letts into a corner. That doesn't mean he's lost his penchant for fully realized characters. Sure, Superior Donuts has plenty of his trademark ribald barbs, including a sly yet stinging commentary on the status of today’s America that is becoming his signature. Yes, Letts once again explores familial fissures that lead to a breaking point -- a point so bleak that once again one of his principals escapes via self-medication.
Yet in many more ways, Superior Donuts is the antithesis of August: Osage County. His latest work ostensibly leaves its audience with hope rather than despair, a challenge to wake up to the world around us rather than to shut it out. To give a damn and take a stand.
Set amidst an oxymoronically named doughnut and coffee shop in Chicago's timeworn Uptown neighborhood, Letts caffeinates his latest play with an abundance of jolts, literally and figuratively.
On the literal side, you’ll no doubt hear more than you’ll want to know about the show’s pivotal fight scene. Mind you, the contenders are both well past their prime.
In one corner is the nearly sixty year old Arthur Przybyszewski (a breathtaking, brilliant Michael McKean), who has ducked from battles his entire life, whether dodging the Vietnam draft or his own late father who labeled him a coward because he went AWOL. There’s no reason to assume he’d even know how to throw a decent punch. Yet, the young, aspiring writer Franco Wicks (Jon Michael Hill in one of the most astonishing Broadway debuts I've ever seen) has not only helped bring the doughnut shop back to life, but he's also awakened Arthur's soul enough to rejoin the human race and, consequently, to finally take a stand.
In the other corner is Luther Flynn (the aptly named Robert Maffia), a middle-aged hood afflicted by a painful ulcer. As menacing as he'd like to be, he's almost as likely to ask for a drink of milk as he is to ask his minion to do his bidding. It’s no wonder he initially laughs off Arthur’s challenge to fight, perhaps thinking that if even one punch landed in his stomach, he’d be down for the count.
There’s an enormous ineptitude about this fight. It’s not at all in the way that it's staged, but very much in the gritty reality of what you’d expect from two such men. I posit that real fights don’t happen the way they do in movies. Genuine brawls look an awful lot like the clumsy one in Superior Donuts.
As for the figurative jolts, they are liberally scattered throughout. They're not so much like the tiny, inconsequential sprinkles that merely decorate a doughnut top, but more they're a much more richly satisfying food for thought, as well as for the soul.
Having evaded the draft 40 years earlier, Arthur has inadvertently been waging another, longer battle in both his mind and his heart. He wrestles the demons of never having had the opportunity to make peace with his now deceased father. Once he returned to the United States from Canada, Arthur essentially checked out, losing himself in his pot, even as he checked back into the business his father created. He doesn't even seem to notice or care when his shop has been broken into.
But he receives a major jolt when Franco Wicks walks into Superior Donuts. Heavy on dreams and loaded with his foot-thick "Great American Novel," Franco triggers something in Arthur's heart and soul. With remarkable finesse, due in large part to the charming Hill's nuanced performance, Franco challenges him as few have, reawakening his spirit and making him care.
To witness Jon Michael Hill spar with Michael McKean is a theatrical joy to behold -- a pleasure that comes along on the stage all too infrequently. Of course, Letts' superb gift for delivering the goods via perfect-pitched dialogue comes through yet again, and fortunately, Hill and McKean powerfully imbue their roles with emotional honesty. There's nothing treacly about them or Superior Donuts.
As I've said before, there's plenty of humanity and heart to be found deep inside of this intelligent and entertaining play. I absolutely love this courageous show and the fact it truly lives up to its name.
Less than two years after Tracy Letts earned extraordinary praise for his first Broadway play August: Osage County, along with just about every major honor he could possibly win, including the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award, the playwright/actor's latest play opens tonight at the Main Stem's Music Box Theatre.
Superior Donutsfollows a similar path as Letts' earlier effort, having originally premiered at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre. Directed by Tina Landau, Superior Donuts stars Broadway veteran Michael McKean opposite Jon Michael Hill. As I've noted before, while Hill may be new to Broadway audiences, he already lays claim to a distinguished array of credits as Steppenwolf's youngest ensemble member.
Unlike August: Osage County, which included the same scenic design on Broadway as it did at Steppenwolf, Superior Donuts receives a "fresh" look -- a term I use with tongue firmly planted in cheek -- from James Schuette.
Whether or not Superior Donuts follows in the rest of its precursor's footsteps remains to be seen. While I certainly want to see it savored by the critics and public alike, it already has found a special place in my heart, as well as in the annals my very own theatregoing history.
One of the reasons why I'm such an ardent Steppenwolf supporter and fan is because they regularly produce exceptional plays that resonate with me, challenge me and make me think. Yes, there are the occasional shows that leave me a little cold, but the vast majority are incredibly well-crafted and almost all universally are exceptionally well-acted.
Superior Donuts is, in my humble opinion, one of the best of their best, as I noted in my SOB Review after seeing it open in Chicago a year ago last summer. It's why I'm personally looking forward to attending its opening night this evening on Broadway -- a first for me. I'm hoping for a truly Superior Broadway experience in every way.
I first saw what is now the Great White Way's longest running show in London in 1988, as well as during its 1998 Los Angeles run when I was provided a free ticket.
As I've said before, I've never truly understood the lasting appeal of The Phantom Of The Opera. Some have said that it has essentially become a tourist attraction, while I view it as the very first entry level Broadway or West End show for the tens of millions who have seen one incarnation or another.
So in order to say I saw the show before it hits that magic 9,000 number tonight, as well as to finally scratch the last Broadway theatre off my list of venues I've never visited, I'm taking in today's matinee, which happens to be its 8,999th performance.
And as POTO fans gather for the evening's milestone performance, I'll be just a block away ... toasting the very first preview of Tracy Letts' Superior Donuts. While this latest import from Chicago's Steppenwolf most certainly won't go the distance of 9,000 performance, something tells me that it will be a whole lot more satisfying.
UPDATE (9.17.09):Imagine my surprise at yesterday's matinee for The Phantom Of The Opera when it was announced immediately prior to the performance that this would mark the 9,000th record setting milestone. I had read elsewhere, earlier, that #9,000 would occur that same evening.
Immediately after yesterday's matinee, countless television cameras and still photographers filled the aisles to capture the celebration as Andrew Lloyd Webber, Harold Prince and Gillian Lynne all appeared on stage to join in the festivities, with each delivering remarks. For his part, Webber announced that the sequel, Phantom: Love Never Dies will debut in London next spring and land on the Great White Way in November 2010.
Now that the dust has settled on yesterday's momentous occasion, I did some additional research. According to the Internet Broadway Database (IBDB), The Phantom Of The Opera had played 8,995 performances as of this last Sunday. Although the show is one of the few Broadway shows with a Monday performance, that one added to Tuesday's and the two on Wednesday only add up to 8,999, so my title of this piece is inaccurate as well.
Webber's Really Useful Productions indicates that the actual 9,000th performance comes this evening, but for some reason, the powers that be decided to celebrate at Wednesday's matinee.
So even though I got the photo opp yesterday, if you're seeing The Phantom Of The Opera at the Majestic on Thursday, September 17, you truly have the bragging rights to #9,000!
Take 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.
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.
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.
My dear friend Kevin Daly at Theatre Aficianado At Large was there for the closing performance, which had its own surprise before it even began. Kevin looked at the board next to the ticket counter and saw that Rondi Reed was back for the final performance. It wasn't long before he was tweeting about it to let the whole world know.
Meanwhile, back at Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre last evening, Bridget Carpenter's Up was enjoying its opening night. This is the latest play to be helmed by Shapiro and it features her husband Ian Barford (the original Little Charles from August: Osage County) in the lead. Other noteworthy alums from August: Osage County were on hand, including Tony winner Deanna Dunagan (the original Violet Weston) and Francis Guinan (the original Charlie Aiken). Both were clearly thrilled to hear that Reed had returned for that final performance. Guinan will return to the Steppenwolf stage in Fakebeginning in September.
While dignitaries like Illinois Governor Pat Quinn were on hand to witness the troupe's latest treasure, the symmetry of Steppenwolf's sweet serendipitous Sunday in New York and Chicago rounded out with actor Jon Michael Hill of Lett's Superior Donuts being in the Windy City house. While I can't say whether he'll be part of the transfer to Broadway this fall, I expect great things from this incredible young talent and believe Great White Way audiences will celebrate his name sometime soon.
And once again thanks to Steppenwolf, I'll have bragging rights not unlike those when I was among the first to see August: Osage County nearly two years ago.
Back on June 28, 2007, Letts' sprawling, searing masterpiece began previews at its original Windy City home with a sizeable cross-section of talent from the company's estimable ensemble. As an enthusiastic and proud Steppenwolf supporter, I was disappointed to miss the original opening night in July of that year. But after seeing it one August night, I was enthralled as I found myself completely sucked in on one side and blown out the other.
Mind you, I'm blown away more often than not when I attend Steppenwolf's carefully selected plays. It's one of the reasons why I have become such an ardent supporter and fan. But the feeling I had after seeing August: Osage County the first time was something way beyond anything I typically experience. I knew I was witnessing something truly extraordinary and rare in the annals of theatre history.
Of course, by the time I saw it, word had already reached New York and beyond. In my initial review, I summed up by stating:
I've already heard rumor that this Steppenwolf world premiere play is already being touted for consideration by the Pulitzer Prize committee and that a Broadway transfer may be a real possibility. However, my strong recommendation is to do everything you can to see this modern-day, sure-to-be classic with its impeccable current cast.
Little did I realize then that nearly everyone from that original Chicago cast would make their way to New York for the initial Broadway run, which began previews on October 30, 2007. Nor did I realize quite the way they'd take New York by storm, conquering the hearts and minds of theatregoers who hungered for something exciting and new. It mattered little that the running time was nearly three and a half hours because as one of my favorite Steppenwolf friends once told me before I ever saw the work, "This is the fastest three and a half hours you'll ever spend inside a theatre."
Plans for August: Osage County's opening night were scuttled thanks to the stagehands strike in the fall of 2007 (yours truly had been thrilled to be invited to attend as it was to be my first opening night of any Broadway show). Shortly after the strike was settled, opening night performances for a slew of shows was hastily arranged, and just my luck, my work prevented me from attended the rescheduled opening on December 4, 2007, for August. Nevertheless, the play never got lost in the shuffle as it opened to rave reviews.
By now, you know that the accolades didn't stop there. On April 7, 2008, Tracy Letts was honored with a Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Nominations for all the major theatrical awards came shortly thereafter with the Tonys providing the cherry on top. On June 15, 2008, August: Osage County won five Tony Awards for Best Play, Best Actress in a Play (Deanna Dunagan for her bravura performance as Violet Weston), Best Director (Anna D. Shapiro), Best Featured Actress in a Play (Rondi Reed for her stellar turn as Aunt Mattie Fae Aiken) and Best Scenic Design (Todd Rosenthal).
I managed to see August: Osage County three times during its Broadway run -- once at the Imperial Theatre with everyone from the original Main Stem cast except, sadly, Dennis Letts, the playwright's father who was nearing the end of his valiant battle with cancer, and twice at the Music Box, which provided a much more intimate experience for taking in this larger than life drama.
Third time, by the way, was the charm when it came to my attending opening nights. It was a complete joy to be in London last November when most of the cast reassembled for the opening of August: Osage County at the National Theatre.
So while I'm a little melancholy today that the play is closing, it's hard to feel too sad when you consider that it's doing so after 648 remarkable performances -- longer than any other current play on Broadway and the longest run for a play since David Auburn's Pulitzer Prize/Tony-winning Proof enjoyed 917 performances from 2000-2003. It's been an amazing run. I continue to marvel how this work has reconfirmed the theatre world's interest in Steppenwolf and made a star out of Tracy Letts' breathtaking writing.
As one door closes, certainly another one opens. As noted in January, the North American tour of August: Osage County kicks off next month on July 24 in Denver at the lovely Ellie Caulkins Opera House before going on to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Toronto, Hartford, Washington DC, Tempe and Dallas, among many other cities. For a production that originally clicked its heels with a tagline, "There’s No Place Like Home," the tour will really come home to roost when it lands in Oklahoma on January 26, 2010 at the Tulsa PAC - Chapman Music Hall.
Another door that will soon open is for Tracy Letts' latest play, Superior Donuts. I loved this surprisingly tender show when I saw it last summer at Steppenwolf and understand that Letts has been reworking the script and preparing it for its October 1 opening on Broadway.
Perhaps the biggest door of all to open may in fact be for the silver screen incarnation of August: Osage County film. It was confirmed last August that the work would be transformed into a feature film. You have to bet that Hollywood's hottest actors are vying for the opportunity to try on the Weston Family for size.
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, before I launch into which Broadway shows would get my Tony vote if I couldactually vote and my own prognostications on who will win, here’s how the best of the best rank in my personal countdown of the “10 Best” theatrical productions I saw over the course of the 2008-09 Theatrical Season:
Top 10 Worthiness:9 To 5 wins by being so thoroughly and consistently entertaining. Not only exceedingly fun and funny, but Dolly Parton has delivered one of this season's most melodic scores, with plenty of tunes to keep you humming long after departing the theatre. You'd be hard pressed not to revel in 9 To 5's frivolity.
9 - The Cripple Of Inishmaan Venue: Linda Gross Theater, Atlantic Theater Company, New York, New York
Top 10 Worthiness:Martin McDonagh's The Cripple Of Inishmaan crackled with wit and pathos. With frequent McDonagh collaborator Garry Hynes at the helm, the playwright intrigues with his surprising compassion for humanity.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Excellent ensemble, but special nods to Aaron Monaghan and David Pearce.
Status: Closed after enjoying extended limited run.
Top 10 Worthiness: With a fierce, electrifying direction from Michael Greif, Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt’s next to normal is nothing if not atypical for Great White Way musical fare. But in tackling mental illness and its continued social stigma head-on, next to normal marks a welcome if downright shocking departure for Broadway.
Venue: Max Theatre, Signature, Arlington, Virginia
Top 10 Worthiness: John Kander and the late Fred Ebb's spellbinding "new" musical The Visit read like a who's who of the stage, including Terrence McNally with his shrewdly clever book, Ann Reinking for her captivating choreography and fine direction from Frank Galati. Kander & Ebb's score proved a formidible co-star.
Venue: Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York, New York
Top 10 Worthiness: When David Mamet's good, he's just about as stimulating and entertaining as any playwright can be. He's the real deal. In Neil Pepe's astounding and absorbing revival of Mamet's gutbusting Speed-The-Plow, this is almost as good as it gets.
Top 10 Worthiness:Michael Grandage's West End revival of Anton Chekhov's Ivanov was so vibrant and alive with pleasure, brimming with dark humor throughout, that I found myself completely rapt with attention. With excellent new adaptation from Tom Stoppard, Ivanov was both entertaining and enlightening, soaring with one of the year's best ensembles on either side of the Atlantic.
Top 10 Worthiness: Tracy Letts' profoundly moving new play Superior Donuts intelligently combats some urban myths about race and feels genuine, gritty and real, right down to its climactic brawl. There's plenty of humanity and heart to be found deep inside of this thoughtful and entertaining play.
Venue: Menier Chocolate Factory, London, United Kingdom
Top 10 Worthiness: There's pure heaven found in Trevor Nunn's gorgeous London revival of A Little Night Music. It enveloped every one of my senses like a welcome salve for these troubled times. Transcending all expectations, only a heart of stone could not be moved by Stephen Sondheim's ravishing score and Hugh Wheeler's über-clever book.
Top 10 Worthiness: Thornton Wilder’s classic stage drama Our Town has never looked better. Stripped down to its bare essentials by director David Cromer, it's hard to imagine live theatre could get anymore intimate than this. Making the case against living in the past, this mind-blowing production simply can’t be missed.
Status: Limited run scheduled through September 27, 2009.
Venue: The Circle in the Square Theatre, New York, New York
Top 10 Worthiness: Alan Ayckbourn's uproariously hilarious The Norman Conquests cuts with remarkable, exacting precision, but it also slices and dices its six fully-rounded characters in this jujitsu of love. Matthew Warchus' brilliant direction of each installment makes each story accessible and comprehensible in its own right. Yet it's only after seeing all three that all the complex pieces truly come together as an unequivocal masterpiece. This is the best show I've seen all year anywhere.
Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles Limited run extended through May 31, 2011 (Show will go on hiatus starting January 15 and reopen at Brooks Atkinson Theatre on February 8)
Rock Of Ages - Open-ended run (Show will go on hiatus starting January 9 and reopen at Helen Hayes Theatre in March)
As someone who has been involved in both politics and public relations, it's no wonder I love watching theatre. Good or bad, it's the raw energy of seeing a live performance that gets my adrenaline pumping. From the moment I saw my very first Broadway show ("Annie" in London in 1979), I was hooked. Now I see as many as 70 shows each year ranging from soaring musicals to two-hander plays. And these eyes just may be in an audience near you!
Personally, there's no doubt in my mind that in making his auspicious television debut in such a vital, promising role, Jon Michael Hill's name is on the precipice of household status. And deservedly so.
