The Amish Project @ American Theatre Co.

On October 2, 2006, a man walked into a one-room Amish schoolhouse & shot 10 schoolgirls, killing 5, before taking his own life. On June, 10, 2009 The Amish Project opened Off-Broadway at Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre. On September 23, 2011, this highly-praised new script made its’ Chicago debut at American Theatre Company.

I liked the script but it is a play I would rather read than see performed. This script consisted of 7 characters: 2 being Amish, the rest being members of the surrounding community. I didn’t do my homework before seeing this show. In the first few minutes of the show, I assumed this was a 7-actor piece towards which they were taking a strange artistic and/or economic approach by casting only one actor. After reading up on the history of this script, I realized that playwright played all roles originally, so obviously other productions would regurgitate that idea. It made more sense to have one actress play all the roles when that actress is the playwright, because it would naturally infuse a sense of continuity and authentic expression of the playwright’s original intent. I don’t know if that fact translates to every re-interpretation of the script. There was a lack of clarity & a disconnect from the basis narrative at times. I wish they had re-imagined the script & cast 7 actors to play 7 parts because it would have been much clearer & emotionally effective.



Sadieh Rifai did pull it off, a feat in itself as these roles are all incredibly difficult challenges. She excelled in the more aggressive characters (especially as the gunman’s widow), which in turn caused the softer characters (namely the two Amish sisters) to get lost in the muddle. It would have been a cool idea if it had been an intentional element in the script--the reality of the victim getting lost in the drama of the aftermath. But this was an unintentional result of a lack of production-based support for the challenges of this role. The portrayal of the Amish sisters became increasingly difficult to discern from each other. Generally, I really dislike adults playing children, despite the skill-level of the actor; it would have been so much more emotionally effective to have little girls play little girls. It is an important dynamic to acknowledge the gunMAN versus the schoolGIRLS; the dynamic of his power play through attack on innocence was all lost.

Sadieh Rifai is a great actress; my complaints with the production have nothing to do with her quality as an actress. The faults in her performance stem largely from the lack of dramaturge on staff because her Amish characters lacked, not only the level of skill, but the her own level of confidence. She seemed to declare a more distinct ownership of the non-Amish characters. This production would have benefited insurmountably by the presence of a dramaturge.

 

Despite changing of the hats, the play largely maintained one note. That is not the fault of the actress, but the fault of the production staff. In a cast of one actor portraying seven different roles, the rest of the production needs to rise up to the challenge and provide technological & artistic innovations to support this actress needed in being the script’s sole ambassador. Moments of irony lost in the muddle, a little satiric lighting or a sound cue would have given this highly-skilled actress the support she needed to carry this show on her own. The set was sparse but well-executed and a great utilization of the theatre’s space.

In a cast consisting of one actor, it is unacceptable for the costume choices to be anything but impeccable. This was not the case, as our lone actor’s attire was sloppily constructed with puckered stitching more suited for a community theatre production. Her dress & apron were unflattering & ill-fitting. Her bonnet did not look authentic, more like a last-minute purchase made at a local costume shop. Her hair was twisted in a way that resembled authenticity but was executed incorrectly. If given the support of artistic production and a dramaturgically-based foundation, Sadieh Rifai had the acting chops to pull off this innovative script & provide an amazing production. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and we are left with a series of well-delivered, confusing monologues of the familiar community surrounding the seemingly-foreign community that was actually effected by this tragic loss.

ARTonNews: Les Mis Movie Initial Cast

Papers have been signed & the plans are in the works for Les Miserables: The Movie Musical. Original producer Cameron Mackintosh will oversee the film, which will be directed by Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech). Filming is set to start in London in February with a projected release date of December 7, 2012. Partial initial casting as been confirmed with Hugh Jackman as Jean ValJean, Russell Crowe as Javert, and Anne Hathaway as Fantine. Rumors are indicate that Geoffrey Rush & Helena Bonham Carter will be playing The Thenardiers.

"Even though I have dreamt about making the film of Les Miserables for over 25 years, I could never have imagined that we would end up with the dream director Tom Hooper, and the dream cast of Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe as the two great protagonists Jean Valjean and Javert…Not only were they born to play these roles vocally, but they thrillingly inhabit this great score. I can’t wait to hear the people sing at my local cineplex."

-Cameron Mackintosh

Hugh Jackman as Jean ValJean

I dislike this casting. He lacks the seasoned, gruff & base street-smart quality of a criminal who has seen Hell but chooses Heaven. I get it. He’s an accomplished Hollywood actor who has proven versatility in roles, the ability to act and sing at the same time, & a face that will sell tickets. But he is just too young & green to play ValJean. I would have loved to see him cast as Marius, a much more appropriate casting for his specific skill-set. This is the ValJean that Victor Hugo envisioned and I am curious & doubtful as to whether Captain Jackman will suffice compared to his predecessors.

Anne Hathaway as Fantine

A very confusing casting choice, to say the least. Just as Hugh Jackman would have been a better fit for Marius, Hathaway could have been a great Eponine. They could have still had their faces on the posters without them playing the headlining characters. She & Jackman have the same problem: lack of authentic weathering as an actor. I don’t want to see a bright-eyed, simple belter as Fantine. I want to see an actress of epic proportions who happens to also have an amazing voice. I want to see an actress I associate with no other major movie roles so that I can accept her as a new Fantine.

Russell Crowe as Javert

If this casting was in reference to purely cinematic interpration of the character in the novel, I would be 100% supportive. But can Russell Crowe seriously sing?? I think he communicates Javert's history more than his present. Textually, Javert grew from a guttered childhood to become the pristine, respected police inspector. Crowe has the brooding history, the intimidating mannerisms, but lacks the clean intimidation Javert consistently displays in this adaptation.

ARTonNews: Denzel Washington Hearts the ARTS



On October 3, Fordham University announced that alumnus Denzel Washington donated $2.25 million dollars to their theatre department. Two million will be used to create The Denzel Washington Chair in Theatre. Actress Phylicia Rashad was personally appointed by Washington to fill this position. Best known for her work on The Cosby Show, Rashad is also an accomplished stage actress who won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Play for her role in A Raisin in the Sun (making her the first African-American actress to win in the category). One of her first responsibilities will be teaching a class called "Creating a Character." The remaining $25,000 of his gift will be dedicated towards a scholarship for a minority student in the undergraduate theatre program.

 

Upon the bestowment of his gift, Washington acknowledged

his late professor Bob Stone as an inspiration.  

“Show me a successful individual, and I’ll show you someone who has had positive influences in his or her life. The late Bob Stone, my mentor, was a former actor and professor at Fordham University. Bob was one of those influences in my life. He believed in me and gave me something to live up to. I wanted to create the Denzel Washington Endowed Scholarship and Chair in Theatre at Fordham in order to offer the next generation of students positive influences. Phylicia Rashad, as the inaugural holder of the chair, will provide the care, compassion and that extra push to help take students where they’re meant to go.”

-Denzel Washington

Halloween WishList

Salem! The Musical!

Annoyance Theatre & Bar

New to the neighborhood, bumbling businessman Reverend Parris and his daughter get wrapped up in the most musical witch-hunt in history. Salem! The Musical is a bewitching musical set in the Puritan town of Salem in 1692 - just when things were getting interesting.

I used to live in the town next to Salem, so I will always have a soft spot for witch trials. I've never seen anything at Annoyance & they always seem to have clever ideas behind their comedic inspiration, so I have faith that the executions would be of equal quality.  

Fridays until Nov. 25

A BEHANDING IN SPOKANE

Profiles Theatre

In this darkly comical new work from the acclaimed playwright Martin McDonagh, the mysterious gun-toting Carmichael has been searching for his missing left hand for decades. Enter two bickering lovebirds with a hand to sell, and a hotel clerk with an aversion to gunfire, and soon life and death are up for grabs. A Behanding In Spokane turns over American daily existence, exposing the obsessions, prejudices, madness, horrors, and above all, the absurdities that crawl beneath it. A Behanding In Spokane, McDonagh’s first play set in America, received its World premiere on Broadway in 2010 starring Christopher Walken as Carmichael. For their version, the age of the character was changed to match the age of the actor, now in his middle 60s. Profiles’ production returns the character to McDonagh’s originally intended age, featuring Profiles ensemble member Darrell W. Cox (Fifty Words, Killer Joe) in the role.

I'm so glad that Profiles is so close to my apartment. I loved their production of reasons to be pretty, while also featured Darrell W. Cox. I also love Pinter's work, even when I don't especially like it, so I'm excited to see his newest piece.

Runs Oct. 16 -Dec. 4

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Noble Horse Theatre

Noble Horse Theatre presents Washington Irving's classic haunted horse tale at the last historic riding hall remaining in Chicago. This performance of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow features horses and riders from all over the globe, combining classical riding with amazing tricks. Noble Horse's production follows the classic Halloween tale with all the familiar characters including a real headless horseman on his majestic steed. The show also features magnificent white stallions, powerful Cossack trick riders and fire-leaping horses, making for a truly exciting production of the frightful tale of Ichabod Crane's encounter with the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow.

Noble Horse is located right down the block from where I work. So I have always been intrigued by the stables you can see from the Brown Line & the weird theatre company that performs plays on horseback. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow seems the perfect piece to be the first horse-back production.

On-Going Run

The Great Fire @ Lookingglass



Towards the end of my Lookingglass internship, I attended a staff meeting where they announced the 2011-12 season. I was immediately excited about The Great Fire. It was a challenging production with a hugely intriguing & applicable subject matter for the audience base. Artistic Director Andy White also discussed the applicability of this piece of history to the American audience in this post-9/11 world because it showcases a city’s ability to rise from the ashes and revive itself. Part of what this play highlighted was how foreign it feels to envision an urban disaster without our contemporary advances & conveniences. The play opened & closed with vignettes of letters of people communicating the disaster of the fire with their distant loved-ones. The mayor had to telegraph The White House to seek assistance. The communication culture clash was an interesting element to emphasize & address. In the same juxtaposed light, it was a very cool effect to enter the Water Tower, see those pipes, and then leave the theatre with the realization that everything around me had been leveled by the fire except for the building I was leaving.

 

I appreciated the fact that this play served as a study on human reaction in the face of mass tragedy. Many people developed an immediate, morbid fascination with the fire & wanted to go watch the river while it was still south of the river; this is a realistic & rational acknowledgement because the attraction of tragedy to spectators seems to be a timeless human habit. It also honestly addressed the kindness of distant strangers in aftermath of a tragedy versus the dog-eat-dog factor during the tragedy. The script exposed an excellent cross-section of different reactions to the impending disaster: the Alderman wants to literally fight fire with fire, the businessmen who quickly adopt the mentality that confusion equals potential income, the comparative indifference of the masses as a result of overexposure to tragedy, and the prisoners who are released for fear of bad press & see the fire as freedom. However, the base & primary goal of all these characters is to gather up the loved ones & flee. Theatre should cause contemplation and this script & production was one that provoked self-reflection, new knowledge, and humbling appreciation for the safety & convenience of our contemporary world.



The Players

The cast was comprised of smart, small ensemble (with a refreshing disregard to age/gender) that served as a collective representation of the people of Chicago. As the personification of The Fire itself, Lindsey Noel Whiting created a character with the otherworldly, innocent seduction of a glowing fire while still also presenting the mocking, almost vindictive nature of the fire’s aggression. Just as the character she created was well-rounded, the quality of her performance was equally well-rounded in physicality, artistic presentation, and interaction with the text. But that sentiment applies to the ensemble and production as a whole.

October WishList



Putting It Together
Porchlight Music Theatre

Putting it Together is the emotional story of the entangled relationships of five guests attending a Manhattan cocktail party as they are confronted with the troubles of marriage, infidelity and divorce. The production includes songs from Sondheim's original musicals and films including A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Merrily We Roll Along, Anyone Can Whistle, Sunday in the Park with George, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, The Frogs, and Sweeney Todd.

Runs Through Oct. 16
 

Urinetown
Circle Theatre

One of the most uproariously funny musicals in years, Urinetown is a hilarious tale of greed, corruption, love, and revolution in a time when water is worth its weight in gold. In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. With a wink to its old “unisex” bathrooms, Circle can’t help but relish this edgy musical treat.

Runs Through Oct. 23
 

The Amish Project
American Theatre Company

Nickel Mines. 2006. Five years ago, a thirty-year old man walked into a one-room Amish schoolhouse and opened fire, killing 5 girls and himself. In a decision that shocks the world, the Amish community later the same day forgives his crime and offers aid to his grieving widow. ATC Ensemble Member Sadieh Rifai performs this devastating tour-de-force through the mystical world of the Amish and the ultimate limits of forgiveness.

Runs Through Oct. 23

ARTonNews: Defying Gravity

Our beloved musical cartoon Aladdin has been adapted for the stage & is currently playing in Anaheim, CA. The production’s formal title is Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular. The re-titling is understandable because Aladdin attracts children, Musical attracts an isolated audience base, but no one can resist a Spectacular spectacle. Since this new generation of cartoon-based musicals holds little interest for the adults ticket-buyers, these shows rely on spectacle to peak the interest parents while enchanting the young audience base. The cost of that reliance is become increasingly apparent. On September 25, Jasmine and Aladdin’s magic carpet flipped while flying over the audience. The performance was immediately halted & the audience was immediately evacuated. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but this incident is just another example of this dangerous new trend of pushing the limits of actors’ safety for the sake of shock & awe.

What this scene was supposed to look like:

How this scene fell out on Sept. 25:

This incident reminded me of the injuries plaguing Spiderman, Broadway‘s very own Big Dig. This article by ABC outlines the FOUR accidents that have resulted in actor injuries. Most notable and serious was the most recent accident on December 20, where an actor’s cable snapped & he fell 30 feet. This incident was serious enough that Actor’s Equity made the following statement to ABC: "Actors' Equity Association is working with management of Spider-Man and the Department of Labor to ensure that performances will not resume until back-up safety measures are in place." I am curious as to what their investigations found and what precautions were taken to ensure the safety of the both the cast of Spiderman and future casts who will face the same risks & pressures from their producers.

Audience Members' Reactions



Wicked first opened in 2003 to rave reviews and a general acknowledgment that there was an exciting, fresh, new musical on the scene. At the end of Act I, the Wicked Witch character Elpheba took flight  as a declaration of rebellion & self-actualized confidence. The flying was not used solely as a way to impress the audience, but was textually required while still being used for thematic commentary. To see the classic Wicked Witch of the West take flight on stage was so exciting at the time. We take these effects for granted now & require more to be shocked & awe-stricken by actors. When Wicked premiered, the excitement factor centered more on the fact that Idina Menzel gave an exceptional performance that happened to include some cool staging effects. That would not suffice for our current & eternally un-impressed audience members. The best productions I’ve ever seen did not require any actor to fly. The highest quality of theatrical productions focused on message, quality performances, artistic perspective, & innovation.

On-Stage Flying Done Right