Thursday, June 23, 2011

June WishList: Part II

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Chemically Imbalanced Theatre
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An evening of comedic performances exploring
two very different sides of the service industry:
1/2 Caf Chronicles
Written and performed by Paul Whitehouse
A semi-autobiographical collection of stories
about a young man's short lived career as a barista.
Trapped in a Box
Written and performed by Casey Pilkenton
A story of Audrey losing her patience, her drive,
and her sanity working in a Box Office.

Closes: June 30
This piece caught my attention because I know about the life of a barista, having spent years of my life tapping the tamp, foaming the milk, and trying to figure out the point of latte art. It is a really great idea for a comedic, one-person, one-act. Hopefully the quality of the writing will be equal to the strength of the initial concept.



Oak Park Festival Theatre
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A new single-evening adaptation of
Shakespeare's Henry IV Part I and Part II.

Closes: July 9
Henry IV is one of my Shakespearean favorites. I saw Henry IV Parts I & II at London’s National Theatre in 2005 (directed by Nicholas Hytner!). There was a full-length matinee of Part I, a dinner break, then a full-length evening production of Part II. It was a great experience (one of my TopTen ever), but a loooong day. The editing of two whole plays into one intrigues me. Artistic Director Jack Hickey is playing Falstaff, so it’s going to be a true reflection of the company’s skill level & perspective. Not to mention that outdoor Shakespeare is a perfect summer pastime.



BoHo Theatre @ The Wit
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In Edwin Sanchez's deeply lyrical and haunting play, a mismatched gathering of strangers has converged on an empty ocean-front beach house, all of them damaged, physically or otherwise, each yearning for something unattainable. In this sharp, Godot-like dreamscape, these outcasts must discover what true beauty really means.


I love the aesthetic of the graphics. In a myth-based, creatively-oriented show like this, I need to have faith in the theatre company’s artistic perspective & the first-impression from the poster is the only indicator I have (being unfamiliar with the company). I’m glad this production looks a little whimsical, not so super serious like the tone of so many plays based (even loosely) on Greek myths.
Closes: July 24

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

DreamCast: Blood Brothers

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Blood Brothers just might be the best musical ever written. It is so thick & so poignant, especially for being penned in the 80s. I was lucky enough to see it in London & it was one of my Top-Ten Theatre Experiences. I love the dingy setting, the creepy undertones of the music, the quietly complicated characters, & the serious nature seasoned with perfect moments of light.

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Jane Krakowski
Mrs. Johnstone
Something about her screams deadened potential.
I first met her on the soundtrack to Grand Hotel,
now she is associated more her with 30 Rock & Ally McBeal
(both positive associations, IMO).
But first impressions say it all: to me,
she will always be a quality & capable
musical theatre rockstar.

The Narrator
I apologize for the repetition,
but I can't stop casting this man in my imagination.
What an exceptional actor,
what a great &expressive face, &
what positive associations for me from the Lost years.

Laura Linney
Mrs. Lyons
For some reason, she plays the suburban crazy very well.
I liked that she had the same coloring as Jane Krakowski
because Mrs. Lyons should serve as a foil
of who Mrs. Johnstone could have been.
Mrs. Lyons is a symbol of Mrs. Johnstone's lost potential,
& requires an untouchable quality that Laura Linney could convey.
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Jack McBrayer
Eddie
He has proven on 30 Rock that he is a smart actor.
It takes such articulated effort to play a believable idiot.
Not that Eddie is an idiot, but he is a man
whose mind has been simplified by the luxury of an easy lot.

Ellie Kemper
Linda
She has grown into one of my favorite character on The Office
I could see her though Mickey's eyes:
 as his familiar partner in crime.
I could see her through Eddie's eyes:
as a an idealized & eternally adored armpiece.
Jeremy Sisto
Mickey
He is a crazy great actor.
I first loved him in Clueless, but his work on Six Feet Under
solidified my confidence in his solid skills.
He has such a strong performance presence,
a strong & striking speaking voice, &
creates crazy, great characters out of nowhere.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Father's Day

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Today marks my third father-less Father's Day.
Time doesn't help so much, but
my appreciation for the father I had
grows greater with every day I have to live in a world without him.



 This blog directly reflects my father's influence:
I would not love theatre
if it had not been for my father encouraging me to articulate my passion. And being so supportive that the word supportive loses meaning. Not only did he encourage my interest, but he adopted it as his own. He was an athlete who was intrinsically non-artistic, but was open to love this new arena because it was introduced to him from the love of his daughters. His encouragement towards his children to do what God created us to do was astounding.

I would not have moved to Chicago alone
if he hadn't instilled in me the importance of independence. Not to mention his confidence in my ability to be my own person & flourish in any environment. It is hard to doubt yourself when the person you respect most in the world has the utmost confidence in you.
 
I would not have started this blog
if he hadn't set such a strong example as one who works to create their work-based success & happiness. My father created goals for himself that weren't even on the table & achieved them at a higher caliber than anyone expected. His success was astounding, but not to his family because we saw the hours & focus behind his success.  Of all his legacies, the strength of his work ethic will undoubtedly be his most long-lasting & inspiring.

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Slaughter City by Jackalope Theatre Co. @ Raven Theatre

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Slaughter City
by Naomi Wallace/directed by Kaiser Ahmed

The effort & quality of the production outweighed the quality of the script. I loved the artistic interpretation of the script. It was very much my personal taste, and executed exquisitely. The pristine but crafty style of Julie Taymor meets tenement rags of Rags…it felt at the same time a period piece, a timeless commentary, & a futuristic cautionary tale. This is a feat of the production staff--the dramaturge (high-five for having one), the meticulous direction, truly artistic stage dressing, & a finely-tuned cast. However, none of this can make up for a script that I found largely lacking.

the production
A lot of the blocking written into the script. Which makes the over-direction & air-tight blocking somewhat necessary. It's a good directing style for actors who have talent but lack instincts, but for the high-quality, interpretive actor the restriction is nothing more than restrictive. A micro-managing director can stunt the growth of an actor, and I wonder how much authority these actors were given in the opportunity to interpret their roles. For some actors, such as Jack McCabe, this directing style is so necessary. I saw him in The Homecoming at Mary-Arrchie & his performance in this production was of a much higher caliber. It still was not the best casting choice, in my opinion; this role required a more layered, subtle, & engaging performance that he was able to execute.

the players
The roles of the factory workers required very specific actors, in race, physicality, & specific personal abilities. The cast fulfilled the specifications well. As Rose, Kristin Anderson was natural in her part & never broke focus. She was too young, but that’s a flaw I am willing to overlook due to skill & commitment level. Anne Sears was subtle, sweet, perhaps too guarded, but overall gave a strong performance. As the curious & central character Cod, AJ Ware mastered the dialogue & danced over the words with an articulated influx of emotion. This part can make or break a production & her performance was an excellent fulfillment of the demands of the role.
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the script
The script was just too serious & stylized for my taste. It vaguely reminded me a script InterAct would consider. I love a solid, serious, message-oriented script, but it has to be well-rounded. There was no humor at all. The only moments the audience laughed erupted out of awkwardness or irony, but a 2+ hour show requires a light moment here & there.

I wanted more historical context. Isn't that why we have dramaturges on staff? I wanted more narrative of the fire, not the fault of the company but still a fault of the production choice. I love that so much of Chicago-theatre is based on local history & the fire is an intriguing subject matter. With the script's literal smoke & mirrors, stomps, sharpened knives, & heavy-handed metaphors, it is easy to forget to wonder: What Is The Point? It was so thick in metaphor that I couldn’t figure out where to plant my feet. The script itself lacked a solid point-of-view & I didn't leave with a new perspective or education on the subject matter. 

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Thursday, June 16, 2011

Tony's Part II: MY Tony's

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Two days ago marked the
one-year anniversary of my move to Chicago.
How fitting & convenient that my anniversary
coincides with the Tony season.
So, it feels only appropriate to give
my own minature, very-limited, Chicago Tony Awards
For My Year:
1
leading no borders
Best Leading Actor: Andrew Jessop
Best Leading Actress: Lauren Hirte

3
Best Supporting Actor: Vance Smith
Best Supporting Actress: Darci Napela

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Best Costume Design: Peter Pan
Best Set Design: Cherrywood

2011 Tony Awards

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It is a funny Tony year for me. I have absolutely no interest in The Book of Mormon, which was the obvious & dominating winner. I'm sure it is so funny, articulately-written, & well-performed, but I dislike the subject matter so much that the quality of the production is irrelevant. I cannot find merit in a musical whose entire purpose to mock a religion, even if it isn't mine. If the musical was of the same quality, but the jokes had been directed towards sexual orientation, race, or a religion that is no so openly-mockable, I am curious to how it would have been received. Artistic expression seems acceptable as long as the majority can join in the group that is doing the criticizing rather than the group being criticized. Usually, I am so excited about watching the Tony's, but New York's theatre scene has been less than intriguing for me lately.

Chris Rock presented the Tony for Best Musical. I would really love to hear the legitimization for this decision, since this is the most important award of the evening, and should be presented by someone who has at least one legit foot in the theatre world (The MotherF**ker With The Hat does not legitimize him as stage actor to me). And what’s worse...Chris Rock presented the award to Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone from South Park & Avenue Q fame. I like South Park & can appreciate Avenue Q, even though I’m not a cartoon fan. But it is difficult to accept that the perspective & style of these writers has been translated into the best American musical of this season. It ended on a note that felt more VMA's than Tony's, which is not the appropriate tone for the Broadway I used to know.  



I miss the Old Broadway. I am grateful that I grew to love Broadway & musicals in the late-1990’s because Broadway was authentic & exciting then. I remember subscribing to InTheatre magazine, a retired tabloid for the Broadway world because there was a Broadway community with its’ own exciting news, gossip, & rumors. That community has splintered from contemporary/potential Broadway legends being replaced by mediocre Hollywood actors, vacant & over-the-top productions, and big-ticket pricing. It’s funny that they made a point to mention that this was Broadway’s highest grossing year. Well, of course it was, since tickets cost $100+ these days. In my Broadway childhood, there were always $15 back-row tickets to Les Miz & Phantom, great student discounts, & the halfprice TKTS Discount Booth in Times Square was guaranteed to never disappoint in quality, price, & availability. The Old Broadway was warm & approachable; this New Broadway just seems cold, expensive, & weird.

Friday, June 3, 2011

DreamCast: Side Show

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"some hidden magnet is bringing me back,
back to this strange little show..."


I remember randomly buying the 1997 soundtrack to Side Show at Borders,
but not expecting much from it.
It grew into one of my strange favorites.
No question, it is a strange subject matter for a musical
Siamese twins in the 1920s 
breaking out of a Freak Show to find success on the Vaudeville Stage,
and finding love along the way is a
disfamailiar & intriguing plotline.
But the feelings are so relatable, &
the story seems crazy but is largely based on reality.

It's a crazy musical with some great one-liners:  
an awesome infusion of artistically altered history,
and songs that are the makings of musical theatre classics.
It is a difficult show to perform well.
The product-ablity curve is scaled against it.
Mostly because it has a tiny but weighted cast who has
to have lungs of steel & chemistry that is just as strong.
(really, how does one cast the chemistry that exists between Siamese sisters?),
the huge degree of artistic license that can be intimidating,
and the thematic controversy that erupts
from strikingly familiar, uncomfortable, & universal chords.

It only ran 91 performances on Broadway,
but has lived on well through fanatic fans as well
as regional, college, & high school productions.


  The Players
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as Daisy & Violet Hilton
Disclaimer: credit where credit is due. Ironically enough,
this perfect sister casting decision was my own perfect sister's suggestion.

I always mix these two actresses up in my head,
but have always appreciated their work.
Isla Fisher seems to have the urgent & flamboyant
undertone that Daisy demands,
while Amy Adams has the sweet, hopeful, & passive
demeanor Violet requires.
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Peter Krause as Buddy
On Six Feet Under, he had all the right Buddy characteristics down:
disheveled, charming earnest,
half-heartedly invested despite wanting to be fully-invested,
and an inherent strand of cowardice.

Eric Dane as Terry
He is so suave you can't help but distrust him.
Maybe he's generally a good guy,
but he complicates it with the intention of his energyy.

On Grey's Anatomy, he always begged the question:
Why so serious?
Just like Jake.
He plays unwavering & dedicated well.
And seems good, but not necessarily likable.

as The Ringmaster
This role gets back-burnered but it is so important.
He has the stage/screen presence to serve as a production's Ringmaster.
This part can be played as a bland predator,
or a narrator of sorts who
paints the picture of the reality of the freak show
He could pull off this amazing opening &
set the stage this show requires as our
Master of the Odditorium.

Queen City Theatre Company

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

June WishList

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Slaughter City @ Raven Theatre

Slaughter City is inspired by the brutal, centuries-long struggle for workers’ rights in America. As we witness the events in Wisconsin and throughout the Midwest, and approach the 100-year anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in which 146 workers died because the bosses had locked the doors from the outside- the time could not be riper for Wallace’s poetic tale of tumult in the meatpacking labor union of Slaughter City, USA.
I wish I had heard about this play earlier.
It looks like Cradle Will Rock! 


50 Words @ Profiles Theatre

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While their nine-year-old son Greg is away for the night on his first sleepover, Adam and Jan have an evening alone together, the first in years. Adam's attempt to seduce his wife before he leaves on business the next day begins a suspenseful nightlong roller-coaster ride of revelation, rancor, passion and humor that explores a modern-day marriage on the verge of either a breakup or deepening love and understanding. 

This show has gotten a lot of publicity,
so I have faith that the same degree of effort
was placed on the production.


Middletown @ Steppenwolf Theatre
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Mary Swanson just moved to Middletown. About to have her first child, she is eager to enjoy the neighborly bonds a small town promises. But life in Middletown is complicated: neighbors are near strangers and moments of connection are fleeting. Middletown is a playful, poignant portrait of a town with two lives, one ordinary and visible, the other epic and mysterious.

Steppenwolf has yet to let me down.
The description reminds me of one of
my favorite short stories, The Lottery.
I'm picturing The Lottery
meets Pleasantville meets Harold Pinter. 
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