Opera is no doubt a powerful, highly expressive art, but most productions of operas usually disappoint. Why? Simple–every other production element that goes into making a theatrical event is simply ignored; all that is concentrated on is the actual singing. Acting, directing, set design, costumes, make up, lights…these get treated like step-children and, unbeknown to the director, their production suffers as a result. Add the Met’s recent production of Tosca to this list of passable but mediocre endeavors.

Happily, however,  this notion has made a U Turn of sorts, at least for the short while. The Bronx Opera’s production of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale has not only exceeded expectations, but has done the near impossible–taken a minor, insignificant work, and converted it into a captivating, entertaining, successful evening. Sometimes taking a small step, sometimes a great leap, this version surprises at every turn.

Donzinetti composed this near the end of his life, taking all of two weeks; sometimes it feels as if he were double parked while writing. The music is unmemorable and as dull as dishwater; the plot is a tiresome, grade-school cliched collage of trickery that dozens of composers have done better. The hidden gem, however, is the libretto, sung in English, and still sparkling 160 years after its inception. A tip of the hat goes to Director Royston Coppenger for simply having the good insight or fortune of casting correctly, which in turn brought this gem into a vital, glistening light.

It is highlighted by the brilliant, wise-cracking, scheming-but-with-a-good-heart Ms. Nicole Lee Aiossa. She portrays the sexy, wistful Norina with uncommon wit and charm, and is worth the price of admission by herself. She is helped by the able Jack Anderson White, who portrays the title role quite effectively.

The company is also to be commended for its non-traditional casting of Robert Arthur Hughes in the role of Ernesto, Don Pasquale’s nephew. Mr. Hughes need a bit more seasoning as far as his acting goes, yet his voice– in his arias but in particular in his duets with his love interest Norina–provides a haunting contrast, and made for several memorable stretches of true dramatic story telling.

As mentioned, some of the other elements of dramatic story telling fall by the wayside in a sea of neglect. If an actor is waiting for a cue for their entrance, they must not be seen in the wings actually waiting. If one receives a letter from a servant, it must be in an envelope; if it is not, it changes the plot of the play. If one is packing clothing in a pair of suitcases, it must appear that there is at least something in these cases besides air. If a significant part of the Act II plot hinges on an actual slap, from husband to wife, then an actual slap–fingers to cheek–must occur. When you are successful, the willing suspension of disbelief enjoyed by the audience will go a long way…but then is momentarily destroyed when these inexcusable missteps occur. The costumes are from the Edwardian England Era, which would be quite an accomplishment, since the opera takes place in Italy, and the Era was nearly 70 years away, safely ensconced in the following century. A program note of time and place is required.

No matter. The Bronx Opera on the beautiful Lehman Campus hosted an enjoyable night at the opera!

Every season, The Bronx Opera dares to be different and present a rare or unique opera to start its year. This time, they present one that is rare AND unique. Die Drei Pintos, a piece created by Carl Weber, was incomplete at time of his passing. It was parceled from composer to composer until – 65 years later – it was brought to fruition by Gustav Mahler. What is finally there is an engaging, joyous work brought to appreciative audiences in The Bronx and Manhattan. The plot focuses on privileged student Don Gaston deciding to have a little fun with immensely MORE privileged squire Don Pinto by stealing his papers and attempting to woo his rich fiancée, Clarissa – call it 17^th century identity theft. He drags girlfriend Inez and long-suffering servant Ambrosio along for the ride. He thought it would be easy as Clarissa’s father, Don Pantaleone, never met the man to become his daughter’s husband, until he encounters a stumbling block in her secret boyfriend Don Gomez – who Pantaleone also never met. Get the picture?

Eapen Leubner as Gaston has a marvelous voice and excellent stage presence. He played the adventurous young man like a matinee idol complete with self-absorption and ultra-brite smile. He was a great foil to Kirk Dougherty’s Gomez who – macho in voice and presence – found all the fun in the role. Jeremy Moore achieves perfection as the droll servant Ambrosio with a top notch voice peppered with great falsetto and well-timed double-takes. Moore was a standout. Hannah Rosenbaum was lovely as Inez, playing the innkeepers daughter with a wink towards Carmen. Catherine Meyers and Patrice Eaton were simply superb as the befuddled bride-to-be and her savvy servant. Both were in great voice and both handled Ben Spierman’s witty topical translation to perfection. Kudos to Brace Negron, who played the pompous Pantaleone with great command, and special nods to Jonathan Harris as the snarky innkeeper and Michael Sarnoff-Wood as the sycophantic servant to the lord of the manor.

And then there was the titular Pinto. An orchestra unto himself, Michael O’Hearn’s interpretation of the foppish Pinto in question was truly uproarious. Clothed straight out of Moliere, O’Hearn’s deep tones and larger than life presence was a guilty pleasure from beginning to hilarious end. His delivery of such simple lines as “I shall marry … a woman” brought peals of laughter from the house. A touch of a snore was enough to make an hilarious drunken bit end perfectly. One can imagine O’Hearn as a Falstaff with ease.

Ben Spierman’s deft pairing of classical style staging with a witty and even slightly sarcastic translation make a visit to The Bronx Opera enjoyable for all tastes. Meganne George’s sunny day in Spain set was gorgeous and made for a fine canvas to Joshua Rose’s expert lighting plan. Meg Zeder’s costume design – like Spierman’s juxtaposition of past and present – gave a hint of time period and a helping of social status for each character with Gaston looking like a (non-Tramp) Charlie Chaplin, Ambrosio straight out of Dickens and Pinto – as a parable to him being behind the times – in full classical wig and cloak.

The orchestra sounded lovely under the baton of Michael Spierman (Eric Kramer – who penned the bright and breezy overture of the opera – conducted the opening). And a top-notch chorus was wrangled well by Michael Hagler.

If you were to Google current productions of Boheme or Traviata, you would undoubtedly get scores of hits – pardon the pun. Goggling rare works like this will supply a lot less – and that shows the real bravery and dedication of The Bronx Opera. They are on to the more intimate and recognizable Don Pasquale in May in its native Bronx and out to Long Island. With quality an expectation from this sincere company, I am sure it will be worth the trip to The Bronx – and beyond.

Genesis Repertory was founded on the idea of making theater – classical theater mainly – accessible to everyone. They do this by transferring the Bard’s works into new locations. Jean Cocteau once stated that a legend belongs to all times and places, so as it is with Genesis and Shakespeare. Through their history, productions were translated into Hebrew and Arabic, German and Spanish, and everything was brought to this century. Shylock debated with Nazis, Caesar was gunned down, and Juliet was Muslim.

In Manhattan, the company renovated and ran The Mazer Theater on East Broadway and the Jan Hus Playhouse on the Upper East Side. In Long Island City, the company utilized the Greek Cultural Center and the 30th Avenue Masonic meeting hall– which legend has it once was a performance spot of Ethel Merman (hence the Shriners lyric in Gypsy). Now here in Brooklyn – between Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst – they become the resident theatre company of The Block Institute, utilizing their 350-seat theatre, a lovely structure, ironically reminiscent of The Globe, with its wooden-columned architecture.

Act I of the decade celebration was a compilation of great moments from the company’s stabbing at the Bard followed by a really fascinating Romeo & Juliet segment citing all the musical and classical versions – including two musicals, two operas, and its likeness to Rostand’s Les Romantiques. The second act consisted of coming attractions of the company’s new musical theater division, which will present a concert of the Stephens – Flaherty, Sondheim, and Schwartz; a tribute to American standards; a children’s show; and even original works by the company’s musical director, Jake Lloyd, who put together some lovely solos and ensemble work for the evening. Lloyd’s original material was as good as anything presented from the great musical masters.

The company is distinguished by a plethora of young, passionate, intelligent artists. Each set forth a double portion for our enjoyment: Francis Callahan set the pace with “alas poor Yorick” and truly convincing as Shylock; Mary Elizabeth MiCari (the company’s artistic director and one of the two surviving founders) conveyed an electrifying Lady Macbeth, tugged at our heart-strings with Cry Me a River, and brought down the house with “I Dreamed A Dream” from Les Miserables. Joy Donze gave us imaginative takes on Juliet and Ophelia then broke our hearts with a ballad in the second act; Amanda Gagnon tackled two male roles – Mercutio and Dr. Faustus – with skill and vigor. Nikki Bohm was a sturdy Titania and intimidating Queen Margaret; Anna Frankl-Duval was rousing in a passage from Taming of the Shrew and demure as Louisa in The Fantasticks; Michelle Alexandra was a child-like Desdemona only to emit glorious sounds as Maria in West Side Story; Theresa Chow showed fine stage command in drama and comedy with Portia’s famed speech from the Merchant of Venice and a new musical piece from Jake Lloyd’s interpretation of Alice in Wonderland. Likewise was Louis Tullo, whose Marc Antony displayed cunning while his turn at music – one original and one from Wicked – showed stage charm. A nod to Lisa Tosti, whose Juliet in the famed balcony sequence was engaging and her rendition of “On My Own” from Les Miz was rich with pathos. Omnipresent in Act I was John Stillwaggon crossing genres as Romeo and the “Romeos” of the musicals, West Side Story and The Fantasticks. John’s charm and ease at jumping from the classics to classic musicals combined with a palpable stage presence make him one to watch in the coming season.

Amid the aforementioned tour de forces were star turns and guest spots: Wayne Gant was a smooth crooner while Robin Watkins – an obvious cabaret grand-dam was stunning; Dancer/choreographer Joyce A. Adams displayed great versatility as a venomous Queen Margaret from Richard III; Kristin O’Blessin and Robert Saunders (one from Genesis actors program, the other, a decade-long member, respectively) made classical appearances with strong competent pieces: Ms. O’Blessin as Lady Capulet from you-know-what and Mr. Saunders reciting a passage form a rare work of one of Shakespeare’s contemporaries – or if you believe the narration by director Jay Michaels (the other surviving founder) a target of possible plagiarism. The company gained notoriety in the New York Times some years back regarding a “lost works” series of Shakespeare that examined the famed conspiracy. It seems bits of that may be making it to Brooklyn.

Other members of the actors program were in the production including DeAnna DeCillis and members of the children’s division including Delia Feeney, Alondra Vargas, Alice in the whistling form of Ashley Chico, Molly Callahan presenting a lovely Puck, Adele Wendt displaying power far beyond her years with her rendition of “Castle in the Clouds,” (so you think, maybe, they plan on doing this musical someday?) and a truly marvelous “All the World’s a Stage” delivered by young Marc Carbonaro.

The company gave us an enjoyable two hours with tasty refreshments. What makes this newsworthy is what was said by Ms. MiCari at the top of the program. The company is here because they want to be here and give art to the patrons of Brooklyn. They were in Manhattan, they are here now, in the heart of Brooklyn. Shakespeare wrote for the people, Genesis presents him to the people. One can imagine the company becoming another regional staple, in which making the pilgrimage to Shore Parkway and Bay 44th is all part of the great experience.

The company returns in a month with Dickens’ Christmas Carol. Once you’re on the belt parkway, it’s smooth sailing.

The expression “history is written by the winners” can be interpreted for theater productions as “works that are affordable are remembered.” Encores got a hold on countless musicals teetering on the brink of obscurity and gave them life, now the Readers’ Ensemble Company does the same for straight comedies and dramas. This new group dedicates itself to finding and presenting, in de-constructed format, works that are either not done or can’t afford to be done anymore. The latter case fits their second entry in a four-play series – The Madwoman of Chaillot. We’ve all heard of this play, we may have seen it in a university setting, but when was the last time you saw a 24-character play performed on, or directly off, Broadway?

Director J. Michaels gave himself every obstacle in this Jean Giraudoux surreal comedy written as a response to World War II. A staged reading is tricky – daunting when done by two-dozen actors. He added performance elements (a dancing deaf mute, masque work – albeit very simple, and touches of modernization like a Spanish-speaking flower seller and a yuppie stock broker). His gamble paid off as the evening yielded a fine show.

The play opens in cartoon fashion with a President, Baron, Broker, and Prospector (Nick Fondulis, M. Alan Haley, John Stillwaggon, and Michaels himself, respectfully) gleefully chatting about their wealth, how to get more, and the middle and lower classes whom they disdain. Fondulis supplies us with an excellent mixture of mustache twirling villainy while keeping things real enough to make us think of every bank president across the country today, he is complimented by Haley’s confused aesthete of a baron, willing to sell his name to make money. The electricity was turned-up tenfold by Stillwaggon’s high-speed banter and game show host smile as the broker. J. Michaels added to the humor as a humorless old hermit prospector, deadpanning around the three corporate stooges.

They are greeted by the titular character, Countess Aurelia, the Madwoman of Chaillot. The casting choice was spot-on with Sheila Mart. Ms. Mart’s majestic presence in a tiny frame epitomized the character. Her staccato delivery fooled the audience by alternating between doddering and ingenuous. This allowed us to follow her down her rabbit hole (literally) to the play’s surreal conclusion.

There are also lovers (of course). The innocent, not-from-these-parts, Irma (played by Brianna Carlson-Goodman) and the repentant juvenile Pierre (Jim deProphetis). Carlson-Goodman and deProphetis played off of each other well, sharing innocence and pain, love and loss. Carlson-Goodman’s Act I monologue was a refreshing moment of clarity, while deProphetis’ scenes with Aurelia were charming and engrossing.

The financial wizards are forced to do battle with a cacophony of tradesmen and vagrants including a sassy waitress (played with great vigor by Sara Minisquero), a Latina flower seller (played in Spanish by Jessica Real-Mohr, whose gestures allowed even the most dense to understand her dialog), a lunatic foot doctor (Tracy Lipson doing her best impression of a 3 a.m. infomercial), two wacky policemen (Josh Silverman, hilarious as a new cop on the beat, and John Payne, truly funny and commanding as an old-fashioned beat cop complete with brogue) all led by an urban Ragpicker, played by Lorenzo Valoy. Valoy’s high energy and inventive delivery as the bearer of bad news in Act I and fire and brimstone channeling of all the evil of the world in Act II were high-points of the evening.

Act II brings a group of new characters. A sewer man (played with surreal joy by Robert Saunders) who thinks he’s a stand-up comic; three other madwomen: Constance (Dana A. Iannuzzi), whose choice of puppet dog over invisible dog – how it is normally played – was inspired; Gabrielle (Carla Kelly), an innocent chanteuse with an overactive libido, whose facial expressions and strange noises were a source of great humor, and the commanding Josephine (queenly played by Theresa Chow). Chow manages to make some of the play’s most absurd dialog sound totally logical.

Wide-eyed, tattered, and diminutive, teenager Adele Wendt – a trained ballerina – danced her lines (another inspired touch) as the deaf mute, adding a new dimension to this reading. Her frenetic “conversations” with Irma were a witty diversion and her Act I “ballet” (choreographed by Joyce A. Adams) became the play’s parable – the smallest flower can have the deepest soul.

Producers Dana A. Iannuzzi and Justin Flagg are to be commended for making possible a series that includes a rare George Bernard Shaw one-act (last week’s Press Cuttings), a Russian work made famous by Lon Chaney (next week’s He Who Gets Slapped) and rising star Lynn Nottage’s African-American drama, Intimate Apparel, which closes the festival. The small, warm theater chosen for the presentations might be an indication of an austere budget – a fitting parable as to why certain plays are allowed to vanish.

The festival is at University of the Streets on East 7th Street.

For more details log on to readersensemblecompany.org

The Reader’s Ensemble Company presents four staged readings at
The University of the Streets
130 East 7th Street
New York City
$8 All Seats (check the website for discounts)
www.readersensemblecompany.org for reservation or further information.

Monday, July 20 at 7:00 p.m.:Press Cuttings by George Bernard Shaw, Laura Livingston, dir.
Monday, July 27 at 7:00 p.m.:The Madwoman of Chaillot by Jean Giraudoux, J. Michaels, dir.
Tuesday, August 4 at 7:00 p.m.:He Who Gets Slapped by Leonid Andreyev, Erik Gratton, dir.
Monday, August 10 at 7:00 p.m.:Intimate Apparel by Lynn Notage, Leslie Guyton, dir.

New York – The Readers’ Ensemble Company (Justin Flagg & Dana Iannuzzi, producers) opens its doors in downtown Manhattan with “REC Summer Festival ‘09,” a month-long series of fully staged readings of rarely performed works. Presented at the University of the Streets for its casual and accessible setting, each piece depicts part of the Recession Cycle: Greed, Collapse, Revolution, and Rebirth. The company’s goal is to reintegrate these forgotten masterpieces into the active dialogue on pop-culture and current events. In much the same way Encores! breathes life into forgotten musicals, REC plans to spotlight plays on the edge of obscurity and make them again worthy of production and discussion. A Q & A follows each performance.

The roster for 2009:
Monday, July 20 at 7:00 p.m.:Press Cuttings by George Bernard Shaw, Laura Livingston, dir.
This early 20th Century comedy pits a greedy general and prime minister against women’s rights activists, the fear of foreign invasion, the consequences of universal draft, the arms race, and a population that now takes democracy seriously!

Monday, July 27 at 7:00 p.m.:The Madwoman of Chaillot by Jean Giraudoux, J. Michaels, dir.
Paris, 1945 or New York 2009 – hard to tell – as the city is overrun with bankers and financiers collapsing the economy for their own profit. The only ones left to save the world are the artists, tradesmen, and vagrants – led by an enigmatic “madwoman” whose plot might be crazy enough to work!

Tuesday, August 4 at 7:00 p.m.:He Who Gets Slapped by Leonid Andreyev, Erik Gratton, dir.
Paris, 1920. The lure of fame and the bitter aftertaste of celebrity are seen in this Russian revolutionary drama about a great scientist wronged by a larcenous financier. Eventually the scientist becomes nothing more than a circus attraction in which humiliation is his gimmick.

Monday, August 10 at 7:00 p.m.:Intimate Apparel by Lynn Notage, Leslie Guyton, dir.
NYC, 1905. Esther, a black seamstress, must choose between two suitors: a Caribbean man she knows only through letters and a Hasidic clothing merchant. Esther’s choice and what she does with her life because of it is the basis for this tale of rebirth – her own and that of the entire world.

The program only lists an executive producer, Mr. Rocco LoFaro Buonpane. I am guessing that the church itself produced this show along with Mr. Buonpane.

The orchestra led by Jake Lloyd was superb; very small but very talented. I especially was impressed with Daisuke Suzuki the Violinist. He offered me many opportunities to see a fine musician enjoy playing music, added great dimension to Mr. Lloyd’s orchestration and was a delight to watch. The orchestra was situated on the floor center stage. This caused me to watch them (no problem for me) at times much more than the performers on stage. Perhaps next time they ought to be on the side more. Jake Lloyd’s orchestrations were beautiful as well. He also handled the vocal arrangements wonderfully. Congratulations to him. A fine job.

There was A LOT of music. All of it disjointed with no through line. No explanation of the thought behind what songs were chosen for this review, no narrator to help me understand. That all said, in general the show aimed at a high standard. The choreography by Dustin Cross was also top-notch. Fun, fast and exciting. It helped the show come alive!

There were some performances that were standouts. Rocco Buonpane had a great stage presence and wonderful voice. Dustin Cross a triple threat (actor, singer, and dancer), and gorgeous to look at, was a delight to watch in each number. Erica Vasaturo sang gorgeously. William Doyle was funny, with excellent stage presence. Dancer Elizabeth Brocsious was terrific. There was some competent singing by Jessica Unice and Carly Howard’s acting ability brought the music to life.

Understandably when doing local talent-based productions there are some people that are cast that require further training. However, what some lacked in talent and training they seemed to make up for in energy.

Problems arose from technical elements. Lighting was dark and unfocused, sound came in and out, the set…wasn’t — people got trapped in it, on it, and behind it. It made a small stage even more cluttered. The choice of color….melon … unappealing … what did that set have to do with the music? Not sure. Choices of clothing and costume changes were confusing to me. I was not sure what I was looking at. It might have been better to have just concert clothing for the singers and dancewear for the dancers. There were many shiny faces, sweaty and pale… leading me to believe that there was no makeup on many faces…a no-no when there are such strong lights and a warm theater. In addition, if you have tattoos cover them on stage.

Overall, it was a pleasant night filled with energy, good music and an energetic cast. The producers should be proud of brining culture to Bay Ridge in an easy to understand form.

As an aside, the room was very warm. This was a problem for the audience on and off during this show. The show started late, which caused the children in the audience to become agitated and noisy. In addition, when first entering the theater I noticed some of the singers milling around in shorts in the house when I arrived well after the half hour. Some of them were already in their “costumes” as well. This also happened at the end of the show. Most actors and singers know to at least change before greeting their audience. There should be no performers in the house after the half hour. It breaks the illusion.

Just a suggestion for next time.

Rocco L. Buonpane and his Brooklyn Association for the Performing Arts invited us to return to those thrilling days of yesteryear with an old-fashioned musical extravaganza celebrating the works of the composer who – arguably – returned musical extravaganza to Broadway … Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Like the grand musical revues of almost a century ago, we have a more-than two hour night featuring more-than three dozen singers, dancers, and musicians serenading the large audience with ditties from the composer’s popular (Phantom, Cats, Superstar, Evita, JoeATD), cult favorites (Sunset Blvd, Starlight Express, Aspects of Love) and the rare and not-always-well-received (By Jeeves, Song & Dance, Whistle Down The Wind, The Beautiful Game, Woman in White). Like the revues of the days of vaudeville, you had star-turns, great moments, and missteps.

The star-turns were definitely that. Dustin Cross (the production’s choreographer) was the finest voice on the stage. Whether it was a sharp, comedic tilted-brow number like “Let’s Have Lunch” from Sunset Blvd, full-voiced powerhouses like the title song in Starlight Express, or heart-wrenching ballads like “Close Every Door” from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Cross displayed ease on stage and vocal strength virtually unmatched. As a dancer, he displayed the same vigor; as a choreographer, he created witty moves for a large group on a small stage. Of equal footing is Buonpane himself, who – with the hand-in-pockets ease of an old thespian – captivated his crowd with showstoppers from Woman in White and Evita. Christopher Lee Short, William Doyle, Rob Bradbury, and George Tsalikis also supplied great range, humor & charisma, and a sense of power. Tsalikis – a theatre/rock crossover artist with a new CD out (see related article in OuterStage) – could have had more to do in this show, as he is a recognizable face and voice. Finally, Celine Rosenthal’s rendition of “Tell Me On Sunday” from the original version of Song & Dance was wonderfully sung, deep and emotional, and totally believable. It was a highpoint of the night. And speaking of dance and highpoints, Elizabeth Brocsious – lead dancer in most numbers – was absolutely brilliant. Her face reflected each song’s mood, her acumen as a dancer was obvious in her looks-easy-but-we-know-how-hard-it-is moves, and the joy that radiated from her was infectious.

The night was filled with memorable moments including solos by Carly Howard, Erica Vasaturo, and Nadine Djoury who stepped out of the ensemble to deliver some fine renditions of rare tunes; Jayme Stevens, whose opening piece framed by the entire chorus was delightful, Nadine Jacques especially potent as Evita in “Buenos Aires,” Dawn Barry’s unique rendition of “Memory” – playing the strength not the emotion – and Charlie Eichler hitting the high notes of Whistle Down the Wind and the closing tune of Joseph…

Missteps were few but definitely there as the inevitable couple of performers chose to spend their stage time running for the center mic, over-singing and upstaging, and pulling out shticks and tricks to prove their charm when simply singing what was given to them would have done the trick.

Down in the pit, musical director Jake Lloyd – the third partner in the triumvirate of arbiters of this production led a tight and expert orchestra (including violinist Daisuke Suzuki, whose contribution created true magic), and made dozens of singers sound like a perfect unit in ensemble pieces and each soloists sound angelic. He also wrote the unique orchestrations for this production. Rumor has it Mr. Lloyd is a composer in his own right. If his mastery with the orchestrations is any indication of his own musical prowess, then one could expect this [Jake] Lloyd to prove competition to that Lloyd [Webber].

The technical aspect of the show needed work. There was a hint of curtains and patterns on an interesting amalgam of stairs and platforms – too much. The stairs themselves were fascinating but the curtains kept obscuring singers when they were under them. The lighting was a series of cross fades and spots – too much. With a ton of people and interchanging moments, a simply wash of light would have been sufficient and saved the problem of actors stepping out of a too-small spot. The costumes were OK … then too much. Everyone was dressed in black and looked like they were attending an artistic party or gathering – pretty cool. However, there were moments when suddenly there would an isolated ensemble member with too much jewelry or a bright color or an interesting accessory that would draw the audience’s attention unfairly. One gent was heard to say “nice dress” to his escort in the audience. Considering the soloist was a man at that point proved that the attention was not correct. The mics were a big issue. Body mics were shared oddly, the volume on the three standing mics was uneven, hand-helds were there, sometimes not. Maybe – next time – just the stairs, a wash of light, the orchestra to the side, and no mics might be the way.

There was indeed one negative to speak of – the lack of plot. As mentioned, a thread-bare plot would be employed for shows like this back in the day. A silly “hey, let’s do a show” or declamatory “and our next number…” motif… anything. Even doing the shows in sections might have helped. Going from song to song might not be a problem if this was Cole Porter, where every song was its own entity or Rodgers & Hammerstein, in which 90% of their material is well-known (OK, maybe not Pipe Dream, State Fair, or Me & Juliet) but when you have a composer with productions that did not run long, ran only in England, or were rewritten by the time it arrived on our shores, you run the risk of confusing your crowd. Again, The audience seemed to forgive the lack of story and settled in for a pleasing concert.

The world is starting to see the light – through the grit – but still seeing it. In fits and starts as well as planned change we are now looking to heel our bodies.

Bodies, here, can be euphemistic many times over.

We have polluted the main body – the earth; we have polluted our government with a war and crippling inflation; we have polluted out minds with Internet imagery; and there is no doubt we have polluted our own bodies. Whether it is through the inertia of slothful inactivity or ingesting harmful chemicals or tortured animals (I’ll have my antibiotic-filled hamburgers super-sized, please), we are hurting ourselves and want to stop.

Enter The Magic Apothecary. Creating a line of hand made products that – through herbal properties and aromatherapy – will help you heel.

Heel can be euphemistic many times over.

The Magic Apothecary is a line of soaps, bath products, oils, incense, candles, and meditations designed to empower you to better living. Named after ancient deities long associated with various strengths and powers, these simple handcrafted items, mixed with your own desire for better health and happiness, assist in your body’s natural desires for everything from courage to calm.

Each bar of soap, each candle, each bag of incense is handmade with real ingredients. Real herbs from bay leaves to chickweed and genuine essential oils including the likes of Rose of Damascus (a rare and expensive item in and of itself) are found in each. Each shower or bath opens your senses to the properties in these herbs; each mediation over a candle or incense fills your soul with the temperament of that particular god or goddess.

Make no mistake, The Apothecary’s weight-loss soap bar or her scented love candle will not magically make you thin and popular; the money soap and High-John the Conqueror candle will not get you the job at HBO, but the herbs in them will help strengthen your natural resolve to pull the god or goddess out of you. Sometimes all we need is that special aroma or texture to make us say, “I deserve it.”

Skeptics abound, even within the very community that supports such ideologies, so I asked a few of her clients (without telling them why). I got these comments:
Bob of Brooklyn said he’d been alone for far-too long. He bought a love kit and now he and his girlfriend are very happy (she just met mother); Mitch from The Bronx remarked on how he was living from paycheck to paycheck. He showered with the money soap until he could see the penny in the center of the bar. A loan came through enabling him to move to a better apartment; and even deeper, is Pat from PA – recently diagnosed with cancer and undergoing chemotherapy – was allergic to most lotions and perfumes, so the burn of her treatment seemed unstoppable. She was able to sooth her chemo-seared skin with The Magic Apothecary’s Moon bar … safely, naturally.

The Magic Apothecary does not have a product that washes away skepticism but at costs below similar chemically made, factory-produced, store-bought items… what’s the harm? And she even supplies certificates of authenticity with her merchandise.

Reprinted by permission of site and author. Originally published July, 2008,

Bronx NY – The Bronx Opera begins looking to a half century as the borough’s only opera/musical theatre company with its 41st season. The year and the season start with Bedrich Smetana’s mischievous and melodious game of love, Two Widows. This romantic comedy tells of how Karolina – through flirtation and trickery – finds a mate for her widowed (and reluctant) cousin, Anezka. Michael Spierman & Elizabeth Scott conduct a production directed by Royston Coppenger. This is a rare opportunity to see an obscure piece of great musical art performed in English.

Bedrich Smetana’s TWO WIDOWS
Performances are at two venues: IN THE BRONX: Saturday, January 10, 2009 @ 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, January 11, 2009 @ 2:00 p.m. at The Lovinger Theatre @ Lehman College, 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Call for tickets: 1.718.960.8833. IN MANHATTAN: Saturday, January 17, 2009 @ 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, January 18, 2009 @ 2:00 p.m. at The Kaye Playhouse @ Hunter College, 68th Street near Lexington Avenue. Call for tickets: 1.212.772.4448. Production performed in English.

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Season 41 continues with Mozart’s ultimate flight of fantasy, The Magic Flute performed in English. The opera, conducted by Mozart himself at its premiere over 200 years ago, tells of Sarastro, the wise priest of Isis and Osiris, who has taken Pamina to the temple for the purpose of releasing her from the influence of her mother, the Queen of the Night. The queen induces the young Prince Tamino to go in search of her daughter and free her from the power of Sarastro. The rest is a fantastic rollercoaster ride reaching a High F6! A glimpse of what this might have looked like at its premiere is seen in the Academy Award winning film, Amadeus.

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THE BRONX OPERA
What began with a performance of Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte on the stage of Vladeck Hall in the Amalgamated Housing Cooperative in the northeast Bronx has grown into an acclaimed and respected opera and musical theater company – the only one of its kind in the Bronx – presenting operatic works sung in English. Under the direction of Michael Spierman as artistic director, The Bronx Opera has brought art and culture to a myriad of audiences in the Bronx and the tri-state area. While always having a series of performances in its home base of the Bronx, The Bronx Opera presents works as close as Manhattan and Long Island, and as far off as upstate New York. Educating the next generation has always been in the forefront of each season. The Bronx Opera’s in-depth public school program brings students to the opera and brings opera to the students with a series of school visits and special performances.

THE DECIDERS
The New York International Fringe Festival – FringeNYC
A production of The Present Company
August 8 – 24
Tickets: $15. For tickets visit www.FringeNYC.org

Within Reach Entertainment, Ltd. is proud to present The Deciders as part of the 12th annual New York International Fringe Festival – FringeNYC. “I hear the voices, and I read the front page, and I know the speculation, but I’m the decider, and I decide what is best.” When President George W. Bush uttered this phrase on April 18, 2006, it was a cringe felt round the world, finally forcing more Americans to take a good hard look at Bush’s words and actions. New York City musician and playwright, Mitch Kess looked at these words and actions and created some of his own: the rock musical, The Deciders, joining this year’s Fringe Festival after a triumphant staging earlier in the year. The production will have a limited run at the Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts at Pace University.

Mixing reality with satire, The Deciders weaves the paranoid parable of Dubya, Dick, and Condi – architects of the Iraq War, their “real” reasons for it, and those who have to live with the consequences. Along the way, we discover a Saddam double had been running Iraq. Concerned with plummeting approval for the war and his future legacy, Bush offers to save the imprisoned Saddam’s life if he will help to restore order in Iraq. Saddam agrees, but only if his musical is given a Broadway run. Turning surreal into real this plotline isn’t far from the truth. In a February of 2004 article entitled “What Went Wrong,” Newsweek reported that the Iraqi National Theater was turning Saddam Hussein’s first novel, “Zabibah and the King,” into a musical … at the time of the U.S. led invasion. The Deciders’ driving rock score also features “A Nation Rocked to Sleep.” Kess’ music brings to life the raw emotions expressed in the poem written by Carly Sheehan. It was this poem that pulled her mother, Cindy Sheehan, from depression to dedicating her life to waking up a nation after the death of her son in Iraq. The character of “Cindy Sheehan” sings the piece in the production.

On the eve of a landmark election, The Deciders’ liberal mix of The Producers with Cradle Will Rock, plus a touch of Little Shop of Horrors and a healthy dose of “ripped from the headlines” reality could very well be the tonic this nation needs.

The energetic ensemble features Erik Hogan as the devout Dubya; John Stillwaggon as the dark “Dick;” Carla Euphrates Kelly as Condi; Paul Sadlik as Saddam; Dana Iannuzzi as Riverbend, an Iraqi blogger; and Amber Carson as Cindy. Rounding the ensemble are Dustin Cross, Michael Ruocco, and Rashad Webb; with Apphia Campbell, Momo Kajiwara, Maggie Glassman, and Susannah McLeod as a bevy of singing Fox News reporters called “The Foxes.” J. Michaels directs with David Fletcher as music director.

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