Hansel & Gretel

Often in both film and theater intended for children, directors lose track of this goal in the hope for a wider audience.  Such was my experience last Saturday night during the Bronx Opera’s performance of Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel.  This 19th century German light opera, was performed in English with a solid cast of singers, recounting the famed story that warns kids who are tempted by strangers and their “candied houses.”

Of particular note was Gretel played by soprano Allison Pohl, whose sparkling voice was coupled by an equally sparkling face of various emotions.  Hansel, female-casted, played by Jennifer Caruana also held her own.  Also holding it’s own was the set by Meganne George, and lighting by Joshua Rose which included flying witch silhouettes, and colorful forests.
Outstanding, as always with the Bronx Opera was the full orchestra, enthusiastically conducted by Michael Spierman.  Unfortunately, the Engelbert Humperdinck score did not enthrall me much, not being dynamic in progression nor affording much excitement for the singers, which is not the fault of any of the performers. Lastly, although the audience was full of children, I don’t think they were given instruction on proper behavior during an opera…for kids!  No cheering or applause when (spoiler alert?) Hansel and Gretel triumph over the witch in the end?!

Next time, I would recommend that the directors also direct their young unfamiliar modern audience so that they feel comfortable engaging with the show, and possibly have a Q&A with the performers afterwards.  Overall, though the singing was enjoyable, and the volume of the orchestra better than other performances in allowing us to hear the singers, I would need to add that the acting did not amuse as intended, nor was it scary when needed.  In other words, nothing was over the top nor serious enough…just ambiguous.  Thus, going for a wider audience results often, in my opinion, in missing an audience.

—————————PREVIOUSLY THIS SEASON FROM THE BRONX OPERA

Ralph Vaughn Williams’ rarely seen

The Poisoned Kiss

I wasn’t fully prepared for what I was about to see and hear, in both a good way and sometimes  not so good.  Last night I attended Ralph Vaughn Williams’ rarely seen “The Poisoned Kiss” by The Bronx Opera at the Kaye Playhouse.   I knew ahead of time that the plot of the “The Poisoned Kiss” was fairy-tale-ish, and shouldn’t be taken too seriously, which is fine.  And as I had hoped, the director and stage director, Michael and Benjamin Spierman and the cast also completely agreed…or so I thought….
“The Poisoned Kiss” is a light opera, first performed in 1936 when competition for entertainment included that mild distraction in human cultural history called the motion picture.  To give you an idea, Astaire/Rogers films were already tapping into people’s hearts.  So, it makes sense that this operetta should be airy, and fun in order to entertain the crowds.  The story includes a  prince and princess, an empress and magician and lots of magical folk; everything needed for lots of perky love stories to go awry.  So it began with a soaring overture performed by an awesome orchestra, electrically conducted by Michael Spierman.  The score was film-like, being both dynamic and multi-colored…not sounding dusty at all, in fact, quite “movie modern” for 1936.

Next came Jeremy J. Moore delighting the audience with his “stiff upper lip” British delivery of his lines, and rich voice as the Prince’s attendant.  Yes, this operetta is sung in English, and has loads of silly-on-purpose, rhyming dialogue in between songs.   Here was lots to play with, and often it was successful at making the audience laughing frequently.  I laughed sometimes unexpectedly.

It is difficult to discuss the voices in depth as acoustics were difficult.

However, piercing through the difficulty were Richard Bozic and Leslie Swanson’s emphatic performances as the magician and empress.
Hannah Rosenbaum as the princess had a sweet voice, and Kirk Dougherty was a fine prince as well. The supporting cast of hobgoblins, mediums and the rest were lively, and were successful at competing with the volume of the music, so it was refreshing to hear them when they appeared.

From all the cast members, and I guess I mean from the directors first and foremost, I wanted more fun, over-the-top performances.  Already the music was lively, and the singers were funny, but I constantly felt it was 3/4 when it should have be 4/4.  A double-take needs full fun, not a mild one…however, of unexpected shining distinction, was the maid.  Yes, the maid did it…and funny she was, the mezzo-soprano Cabiria Jacobsen.  Her comic timing, delivery, and edgy voice truly proved the antidote.

There’s a new group of funny-folk in town: IRTE or The Improvisational Repertory Theatre Ensemble began a three-show run on March 19 at Luca Lounge on Avenue B. Their name implies what makes them special; this group of improvisers are all professional stage artists … and it shows.

HINT, their first season opener was a clever cacophony of topical humor, retro references, and  on-their-feet wit all packaged in a living board game murder mystery. The audience gets a menu of killers and weapons and gets to decide who and how. The group, consisting of Robert Baumgardner, Nannette Deasy, Alex Decaneas, Curt Dixon, Adam Leong, Donna Lobello, Jamie Maloney, Danielle Montezinos and Johnny Zito lead the audience on a merry chase through the dark mansion (and the Luca Lounge certainly looked the part) of the murder victim as wacky characters that – in some ways – look like they appeared from the newspapers or our childhood. Since it’s a majority rule, the audience is still surprised at the end.

The ensemble of on-the-spotters gave the audience more than they expected. Their extempore performance had a polish and a wit that comes from training. While it was obvious that this was improvised (if you’re quick, you can spot the half-second of thought before each line) each entertainer had that extra charisma that kept the audience interested … and laughing. Standouts were Ms. Deasy and Mr. Zito.

In a Saturday Night Live tradition, the group has a mid-show singer appear. Jessica Delfino managed to take the harshest, most serious material and make it uproarious. To laugh at a song about AIDS, rape, and racial stereotypes, takes an inspired touch and she surely had it.

IRTE’s HINT moves to the Parkside Lounge, 317 E. Houston St., for its final show, Monday, April 2 – 7:00 p.m. but they have a full season of antics that include clever send-ups of school days and sci-fi. Look them up at www.wix.com/irteinfo/irte. They’re also on the radio and YouTube.

Bob Greene is a former playwright and retired history professor. He’s had works presented in New York and regionally since 1978. Today, he writes for several online services.

Meredith’s Ring

“TheaterGoing” by Christopher Sirota

“I want more!” is all I could think of after leaving the theater that still sparkled with words from the little gem of a play called “Meredith’s Ring” last night.  I wanted to stay in that world and hear those words of youthful days gone by tap my ears like raindrops against a window pane: sometimes they pound, sometimes they sprinkle, sometimes they drip… in each case the sound seemed magically better than the “back to reality” silence after the applause ended and we shuffled out.

Meredith’s Ring is the story of a once-vibrant kid, now a middle-of-the-road guy who, with each passing bad relationship, remembers his first, greatest, and happiest romance … 26 years ago.

This play will transport you to a world you may struggle to remember, or to forget….but that effort will move you all the same, much like how I felt watching the classic coming-of-teenage film “Stand By Me”.  Only this is live theater, with fantastic actors that will make you laugh and often tug at your heart.

Andrew Rothkin wrote the words meticulously and performs them himself.  He is the rain that I speak of: the angry storm, the humorous sprinkle, and the melancholy dripping.  This past Monday night he gave a tour-de-force performance of a man sharing his angst and joy.  Effortlessly, he transitioned from his present self to past self and back again.  Amanda Szymczak plays Meredith, and without spoiling the plot, she is Andrew’s character’s counterpart.  Amanda’s performance was also dazzling and dynamic.  Her character perhaps carries the words of the play more like the wind to his rain: she gusts, she breezes, and she fills his sails at times.  The play tells the story of the importance of a ring to Andrew’s character, and the unraveling happens so naturally, you hardly notice the hour that passes.

The lighting and music accurately handled by Juni Li also seemed to be completely natural, and logical, adding to the experiences of the flash-back storytelling.   This style story telling was directed with aplomb by Jay Michaels, so much so that you would hardly say it was traditional flash-back, since the forward momentum of the play was, amazingly, never broken.   Also notable is a sexy scene that is wonderfully both sensitive and humorous.  The staging  was spartan, but effective, using few props cleverly to convey the feelings of the moment.

In the end, much like the characters, I longed for more…in a good way.   The last two performances are March 1@6pm, and March 3@2pm

There are three levels of Broadway musical: the great ones – Porter and Gershwin, Rodgers & Hart… & Hammerstein to Sondheim, Webber and Wildhorn. There are also the well-known unknowns – forgotten pieces like Redhead, Top Banana, Little Me, Pipe Dream, etc. They are lauded for their invisibility. But there is another set of musicals, competent ones like Applause, Seesaw, 110 in the Shade, and She Loves Me, that, while still played, don’t capture a place in the big leagues. HFPPlayers, one of Staten Island’s most enduring companies, bravely grabbed one of these misunderstood gems and breathed life in to it for a well-done limited run last month.

Once Upon A Mattress, with music by Richard Rodgers’ daughter, Mary, is a clever retelling of The Princess and the Pea. This musical rendering of the famed search throughout the land for one of royal blood to marry the Prince, but yielding an unlikely candidate, bears all the earmarks of the golden age, but its dated and wordy book and maybe-too-sweet score, have kept it from being true royalty.

Director Eric Stein saw this and cleverly injected topical humor into the production. This was quite ingenious as it kept it squarely retro (much like a TV variety show sketch) but the strains of TV theme songs and pop culture music and references gave the exuberant cast fresh performance fodder and the audience new and identifiable reasons to laugh and cheer. The best examples were Tiffany Raile’s Jersey Shore lady-in-waiting at the show’s opening and a singing nightingale in the second act that turned into a riotous routine thanks to Alexandra Stein.

We meet the entire cast in a tableau surely designed to lampoon classical Shakespeare with outrageous medieval costumes and overblown accents. Each character came with his/her own brand of high energy, low humor, and clever original touches, starting with a disdainful Minstrel (Kevin Daly) and poker-faced Jester (Kristin O’Blessin), each showing contempt for the kingdom. In the Minstrel, it gave his narration needed bite and charm and in the case of the Jester, it was an inspired touch creating a jaded jester. The second act showed us that the Jester is also an expert dancer in one of the show’s high-point numbers. Following them were Christine Conway’s faux-British uproarious wicked queen in an equally uproarious Valkyrie costume;  a game show host Wizard played magnificently by Joe Conway, whose presence and vocal quality was a highpoint; a pregnant Damsel in Distress well-sung by the lovely Dayna-Marie Palma and for the knight who impregnated her, local celebrity John Stillwaggon imbued Sir Harry with Spamalot-style slapstick and a wardrobe that included Las Vegas style armor. The audience had almost as much fun watching Sir Harry as Stillwaggon did playing him. Richard Peidra charmed up his prince by adding intelligence to what we are mistakenly lead to believe is a nebbishy Dauntless and Michael Nucciarone’s Buster Keaton face and gestures made the silent King compelling and a joy to watch.

Arriving from the moat with a classic spit-take is the titular Princess for whom the Pea is destined – Princess Fred – played to the hilt by Kathryn Stein. Ms. Stein could’ve taken the easy way out and just joined the cast in its potpourri of double takes and funny noises. Instead she deftly underplayed the role, turning Fred into the straightman and an innocent wanting-to-be-liked Princess. While there was no shortage of shtick from Fred, each was delivered as if she was afraid to be funny. Ironically, this excellent character choice enhanced the humor and gave her stronger likeability. It also brought new depth to her show-stopping numbers, “Shy” and “Happily Ever After.”

Tina Kenny corralled beautiful music out of a very large cast and Tom Wortmann’s set emulated gothic styles well. The production had a choreographing team of Michael Whelan, Christina Lorenz and Kristin O’Blessin making three cheers even more appropriate in this case. Christine Conway’s costumes were simply marvelous, with equal parts story book respect and comic take-off with Prince Harry in tights and work boots; jeans peeping out of togas of the royal court; and glasses left on the ladies-in-waiting like a classic Farside cartoon. Unfortunately, the sound (by Brooklyn Association for the Performing Arts) was inconsistent and proved hindering from time to time. More careful consideration should have been taken by them to ensure accommodating HFPP’s very large theater.

By the varied ages of the cast and the liberal buffet of raffles and giveaways, HFPP is very much a fixture of its surroundings. Here, too, they could have taken the easy way out and provided a pleasant community diversion, but the production’s obviously high standards and attention to detail show us that HFPP is a cut above. That’s why HFPP takes risks with obscure works; that’s why HFPP can woo professionals to its ranks; that’s why HFPP will continue performing happily ever after into its third decade.

Evan Meeña is a former member of EMT: Emerging Musical Theater Co.  in San Diego and writes for Liberal Librettos, a magazine exploring new views on classic musical theater.

IN THE BRONX: Lovinger Theatre @ Lehman College • Fri., May 13 & Sat., May 14 @ 7:30 p.m. Tkts: $15 – $30 (800) 838-3006 • www.BrownPaperTickets.com/EVENT/130913

IN HEMPSTEAD, LONG ISLAND: John C. Adams Playhouse @ Hofstra University • Fri., May 20 @ 8 p.m. & Sat., May 21 @ 2 p.m. Tkts: $30 • (516) 463-6644 (ask about discounts for senior citizens, students & others) to purchase tickets from Hofstra’s web site, cut and paste the URL:http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?orgid=416&schedule=list

The audience was confidently lead through the funny but darkly-twisted plot of The Bronx Opera’s presentation of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, laughing out loud frequently during what did not at all feel like a three-hour opera. Abundant action with focus and crisp characters, Nicole Lee Aiossa directed these famed characters and beloved music with aplomb. Performed in well-crafted, often witty English, the cast successfully kept the momentum going, with not a lull experienced. Vocally, the donnas filled the theater much more than their counterparts, but all cast members sang well enough to bring life to their characters. The chorus animated the stage with both voice and movement.

Jason Plourde’s twisted, scheming visage as the lecherous Giovanni was magnetic. Brace Negron’s Bolgeresque Leporello was truly hilarious. He and Plourde ping-ponged perfectly as odd master-servant companions. Colorful, both musically and theatrically, were the peasant couple played by Sara Fanucchi and Scott Lindroth.  Stand-out solo’s include Hannah Rosenbaum as Donna Elvira and Robert Hughes as Don Ottavio, although Hughes seemed a bit restrained in other scenes.

Eric Kramer meticulously batoned the orchestra through the plot, getting as excited or disturbed by each scene along with the audience – adding to the fun. Some exuberance often drowned out a cantante’s lower notes.  The finale, full of sepulchral smoke, eerie lighting and demonic dancers, was icing on this 18th century cake (still fresh, for sure!).

This opera lover is now a convert to BxO. I look forward to enjoying more from this group in future productions.

Christopher Sirota is a performer and a cinematographer as well as independent reviewer, having performed off-Broadway and regionally. Recent achievements include film sequences for Genesis Repertory.  Probably not unlike many, he fell in love with opera, years ago, thanks to Puccini’s Tosca.

Let’s here it for innovation. It’s more than a trend for classical works to be re-imagined with a modern twist. This keeps material fresh and relevant. Sometimes however, there are pieces that are meant to be savored just as they are. Mozart’s Don Giovanni is one of them. The Bronx Opera has given us a gift: a production in lavish period costumes, striking scenery, and a full orchestra and chorus. Sitting in the steeply-racked Lovinger Theater one can easily transport themselves back to the time when Wolfgang himself conducted.  It’s plot – if modernized would be too dark with too many health concerns for today’s standards – tells of a lecherous rouge and his mercenary servant and their exploit toying with the fairer sex. At the onset, we see that this amoral pair is not afraid to even kill for their pleasure. Setting in motion a hunt for these two upper class swine.

As the title character, Jason Coffey was never nefarious. He gave us the arrogant aire of the less-than-nobleman who knows his coin buys him time and pleasure. This allowed us to never hate Giovanni but watch with a bit of envy. In excellent voice, Coffey strutted and leered, swaggered and posed, and never lost our attention. A wise choice. Jack Anderson White gave us an hilarious manservant Leporello. White was smart enough to know that even servants have hierarchy and gave an educated wit to this clownish role that elevated his performance. He and Coffey were an excellent pair. White’s deep tones gave us a vocal rim-shot for many humorous lines.

The supporting cast were all well-played and sung. Rob Joubert as the Commendatore gave us a finale worth waiting for, while Elizabeth Perryman, Steven Wallace, and Catherine Meyers contributed arias of great strength and passion. Natalie Megules and Rich Bozic as a hapless peasant couple caught in the grip of the nasty noble lightened things but contributed equal command.

Nicole Lee Aiossa directed a classic production, cleverly winking at other classic style in the meanwhile. The appearance of the deceased Commendatore reminisced many a classic horror film, while the omnipresence of three eerie damsels  (Emily Edwards, Robin Higginbotham, and Caitlin Trainor) permitted the audience hypothesis of everything from Greek tragedy to Macbethian witches. Both inspired touches.

Ben Spierman’s translation was to-the-point and kept the action digestible, Arthur Oliver’s striking period-style costumes were simply excellent; Meganne George’s stone pillars became houses and graves effortlessly, and Tyler Learned lighting accented the whole thing in period ambiance.

Bob Greene is a former playwright and retired history professor. He’s had works presented in New York and regionally since 1978. Today, he writes for several online services.

Andrew Liebowitz is the staff photographer for WrightGroupNY

HFPP XX Three Cheers on One Score!!

Once Upon A Mattress

Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14 @ 8:00 pm; matinee on Sunday, May 15 @ 3:00 pm

Friday, May 20, 2011 @ 8:00 pm and Saturday, May 21 @ 3:00pm & 8:00 pm

HFPP @ Msgr. Glynn Theater

366 Watchogue Road, Staten Island, NY 10314 (corner of Watchogue Road and Woolley Avenue)

Tickets $15 – Reserved Seating

(718) 761-6663

tickets.hfpp@gmail.com

hfpp.webs.com

Across the Verrazano Bridge, nestled in a cozy community center resides the HFPPlayers who – for 20 years – have brought quality entertainment to Staten Island. They begin their 20th season with a revival of Mary Rodgers, Marshall Barer, and Jay Thompson’s uproarious musical comedy, Once Upon a Mattress.

Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Princess and the Pea, the search for a true princess of royal blood takes many wild turns in this production directed by Eric Stein with musical direction by Christina Kenny and choreography by Michael Whelan, Kristin O’Blessin, and Christina Lorenz. The award-winning company will also present a series of radio play adaptations, a holiday production in December, and has already begun collaborations with companies off-Broadway.

“For a generation, we’ve been proud to enrich our borough with the lively arts” says co-founder and managing producer, Kathryn Whelan Stein, “we are very excited about this season, we are setting the bar higher, taking more risks, presenting a more diverse program, and even have plans to take productions on tour,” she continued. “It’s about sharing our love and respect for the arts with our neighbors” says Michael Whelan, co-founder, (here pictured in the company’s acclaimed production of The Music Man and with John Stillwaggon in last season’s The Odd Couple) “… and bringing professional work right here to Staten Island,” concluded Eric Stein. The Whelan (and Stein) families has been at the forefront of this performing arts center since its inception and continue to be a major force to this day.

John Stillwaggon, who created the role of Dick in the off-Broadway musical, The Deciders, and professional dancer, Kristin O’Blessin appear in this production. Ms. Stein appears in the role of Winnefred the Woebegone.

Once Upon A Mattress features a whole company of talented artists from across the borough – and the country. The cast includes Kevin Daly, Richard Piedra, Christine Conway, Dayna-Marie Palma, Michael Nucciarone, Joseph Conway, Christina Lorenz, Alexandra Marrano, Sabrina Bogen, Lisa Fiore, Tiffany Raile, Alexandra Stein, Nancy Bates, Kristin Kaelber, Charlie Laquidara, Joseph Motola, Denise Sosa, Sabrina Bogen, Francesca Compagno, Christina Helgesen, Jared Holness, John Mancuso, Josephine Mauro, Marissa Mauro, Angela Nouvertne, Julia Nouvertne, Jack Obichinetz, Melissa Stuck, and Marylou Veasey.

HFPP's The Music Man

Oscar & Felix, respectively. HFPP's The Odd Couple.

Beneath the Rock
1:00 p.m.,
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Quad Cinema
34 West 13th Street
New York City

The film trailer: http://vimeo.com/20888752

Excerpts from the promotional information on “Beneath The Rock”

Eliana Ujueta was raised in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn and attended High School in Fort Greene. She became a police officer in the east village and retired right before 9-11.

“As an officer in the east village, I saw how the officers were dispersed within the parameters of the precinct. Most officers were assigned to the west side of the command vs. the east side. As a light skinned Latina I instantly thought this was some sort of internal institutional discrimination. When the east village was mostly Hispanic populated, I realized that the lack of police presence was mostly due to the communities’ lack of involvement.  The police department acts on complaints. So if no one expresses a complaint to the police precinct they in turn will not act.I used a real incident from when I was a police officer at the 9th Precinct as the foundation of “Beneath the Rock.” A man named Santiago controlled drug sales from where he lived on E7th Street between Avenue B and C. Most of the people that lived on the block either worked for him or were silenced by him. In “Beneath the Rock,” I substituted drugs for gambling. Also, in my movie I used a myth circulated on my block in Bushwick about a girl named Cherry who died in the police alley/lot. Now I believe it was started by parents on the block to prevent us from playing in that police area.”

Review by Bob Greene

GUYS & DOLLS

Music & lyrics by Frank Loesser

Book by Jo Swerling & Abe Burrows

Presented by Brooklyn Association for the Performing Arts
and Genesis Repertory

Frank Loesser’s delightful evening of musical entertainment, Guys & Dolls, like any fine vintage, stands the test of time as long as it remains pure. Brooklyn Association of the Performing Arts and Genesis Repertory have joined forces to give us just that; a production respectful to its authors and era.

The plot by now is commonplace. Wheeler-dealer Nathan Detroit needs a place for his floating crap game, he succeeds in conning the unconable Sky Masterson into escorting mission doll Sarah Brown to Cuba while Nathan eludes the law and Miss Adelaide, his fiancée for 14 years. This production opened with a clever film sequence setting the tone for the night (timed perfectly to the overture by Christopher Sirota). We are then lead on a two-hour excursion in seedy nightclubs, Times Square, the Save-A-Soul Mission and the sewers of New York circa 1950.

Director Jay Michaels gives us a brisk, funny, charming production without any of the gimmicks the show has picked up along the way. Michaels’ staging is honest and clever and goes hand-in-hand with the delightful ode-to-vaudeville choreography by Dustin Cross and excellent musical direction by Eric K. Johnston of both singers and band (Jason Colby, Adam Weingarten, and the truly talented Rachel Kaufman).  Adding to this is a lighting plot by Romo Hallahan that woos us into the good old days and spot-on period costumes by Mary Elizabeth MiCari. When the sepia hits her perfect pallet of suits and dresses, you truly forget what year it actually is. The intimate theatre sports an extended black-box style stage allowing the actors to come from all sides and even dance within inches from the audience.

The uniqueness of the production is the well-thought performances. As the romantic leads, John Stillwaggon and Carolyn Dellinger, each take a new turn. Dellinger, forgoing the usual naivety that is the default Sarah character, instead creates a sadder but wiser woman hiding her world-weariness behind innocence. Stillwaggon, does the reverse, he provides us with a boyish Sky having too much fun to grow up. He covers this man-child with a bravura that is just fake enough to add a great deal of humor to this role. In their love scenes late in the first act they are superb together. Kelly Petlin and Michael Whelan seemed effortless in their portrayals of the play’s comic romance, Adelaide and Nathan.  Petlin, possessing excellent comic timing and a powerful voice, masters one of musical theater’s best characters, while Whelan personifies the era and the element grandly as a borscht-belt Nathan complete with old-fashioned shtick and veiled Yiddish. What’s really amazing is how well they both played “married” for more than a decade.

Another enjoyable couple were Benny Southstreet and Nicely Johnson. TJ D’Angelo as Nathan’s liaison was a symphony of double takes and sight gags while his partner, Jay Paranada, gave Nicely a Bugs Bunny sense of humor right down to manipulated vocal reactions and carrots – yes, carrots. Together they capture your hearts in song and Nicely deftly stops the show with the famed Sit Down You’re Rockin the Boat.

It’s rare to see a group of supporting characters as strong as this group: Romo Hallahan compelling as Harry the Horse, a comedic Timothy Ng as a dancing Angie the Ox, Robert Liebowitz the perfect straight man as Lt. Brannigan, Daniel Rostas turning Brandy Bottle Bates into a droll critic, a powerful Dominic Kidwell lending life to Joey Biltmore (a clever twist personifying what is normally a plot-furthering voiceover), Jeff Van Damme as a serious Society Max and a naïve Calvin in the mission, Robert Aloi, uproarious as the thuggish Big Jule and extra kudos to Shaun S. Orbin turning Liver Lips Louie into a young Bill Erwin.

The dolls deserve equal praise. Cynthia Granville, gender bending, as Sarah’s maiden aunt as opposed to a kindly grandfather. Her acerbic wit and lilting voice added a new dimension to the character and a deeper understanding of the plot. She leads a mission usually no more than background but in this case a play unto themselves with a pious Denise Sosa, mousey Lee Saulter and Audrey Mae deRocker absolutely charming as a near-sighted novitiate. Bringing up the rear is Sherry Giedd eliciting belly laughs as a saucy missionary general.

The Hot Box Dancers (Erin Johnson, Nora Moutrane, Amanda Szymczak, Sarah Winchester) gave us a little MGM, a little vaudeville, and a whole lot of fun from their two specialty numbers. Kudos again to the costume design for taking a unique and inspired path with these characters. Equally fun was the over-the-top Havana dancer (Kristin O’Blessin) in the evening’s only real shtick number.

Genesis Repertory has become famous for finding the essence of a play by moving it to a new location or production scheme – not unlike Nathan’s crap game. Here they managed to return to us the essence of one of musical theater’s best works simply by putting it back where it belongs.

Photo by James Oligney

Bob Greene is a former playwright and retired history professor. Today, he writes for several online services.

TWELVE ANGRY MEN
Adapted by Sherman Sergel. Based on the Emmy award-winning television movie by Reginald Rose. Produced by special arrangement with The Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Ill. 
An ACT-OUT Master Class

Review by Bob Greene

The golden age of television brought us classic dramas from anthology programs like Playhouse 90 and Studio One. The latter featured works by teleplay writer Reginald Rose. While he was somewhat prolific in this time period, today he is known almost solely for one great work: Twelve Angry Men. The jury room drama that appeared on television, film, and stage. The most recent live outing came thanks to John Stillwaggon’s Act-Out acting program. Prof. Stillwaggon used this ensemble drama as sort of a final exam for his class of adult artists, some continuing their theatrical education, other embarking on one. It was impressive to not be able to – at a glance – see who were the veteran performers and who were the novices.

The play’s plot is simple. A young man of some ethnic persuasion (most productions keep this fact ambiguous, not here as this production was modernized, the ethnicity was topical as well) is on trial for the murder of his father. While we are handed facts that are meant to lead us – and the jury – to believe that this boy is guilty beyond a doubt, one lone juror, wants to re-examine the facts. What results is an hour of taught, engrossing drama that shows none of its 57 years of age.

Twelve Angry Men worked well for Stillwaggon’s class as it is meant to be a group of a dozen strangers, so a class of varied types fit right in: Raja RG was solid as the foreman and held the narrative well in a no-nonsense manner, while Joyce Adams provided levity by being consistently confused. Ms. Adams light interpretation made her truly likable. William Doyle was excellent as the famed belligerent juror with an ax to grind. Here we found a totally fleshed out character straight down to his spot-on costume choice. We believed his ardor came from ignorance so we never truly hate him. Olga Privman gave us a professional woman character that was most refreshing. It put the play squarely in the present and her powerful presence moved the action well. The same can be said for Andy Guzman’s ethnic juror who will not forget where he came from. Guzman and fellow juror Andrew Marcillo contributed a genuine toughness that could easily have been lost among some of the more outspoken characters but both men delivered strong sensitive portrayals that enhanced the action. Robert Aloi and Mohammad Saad were true standouts as the blow hard, ignorant juror and the new American, proud to be as such. Aloi’s clumsy swagger and over-the-top delivery was the stuff of great drama and when it was combined with Saad’s focused piercing delivery, peppered with an accent that made lines about being American that much more poignant, the play was at its peak. Kristen O’Blessin handed us a smarmy advertising middle exec, whose journey from the “obvious” to the real was both humorous and touching. Robert Saunders and John Harrison played two ends of the same coin – one, a sad man hoping to make a difference and the other, a sad man too blind to see the detriment he was making. Saunders’ slow gait and warm voice made us care, while Harrison’s monologue in the latter half of the play about “those people” brought gasps from the audience. The choice to show us who was on trial by mentioning the unmentionable event of 2001 could have destroyed the play but in the hands of Mr. Harrison, it was a wake-up call.

Finally, Christopher Sirota’s performance as the famed “Juror #8,” the lone juror with the almost impossible task of swaying his colleagues, was inspired. Playing him as a meek unimportant, unnoticed little man was very clever. Never loosing this quality, we truly saw – not only his battle with his fellow sequestered colleagues – but the inner battle with himself to stand up for what’s right. Sirota walked the fine line between performability and reality by giving us great command of the stage in a subtle portrayal. Thinking of this piece by today’s standards, he struck a strong chord for the “everyman” everywhere.

Giving his students a bigger obstacle, Stillwaggon staged the piece in the round. He is to be commended for offering his students a bevy of challenges not normally found in an acting program. One might say he is a juror #8 by having abundant faith in his students.

While it must be said that there were lost moments due to volume or diction, sight line issues with the in-the-round setting juxtaposed with audience placement, and questions regarding choice of costume and color, the overall product was a great night in the theater.

One might also ask: did his get 12 students and then pick the play or was he lucky enough to get 12 students for the play?

Act-Out should be praised for providing such a service in a neighborhood setting and Genesis Repertory should receive its own praise for sponsoring such an event.

Bob Greene is a former playwright and retired history professor. Today, he writes for several online services.

BRIDGEBOY
Through March 6

www.theactivetheater.com

Review by Robert Liebowitz

Solid cast–for the most part, a refreshing yes. Stage-worthy play–again, for the most part, yes, provided by a playwright of strong talent. Technical design and execution–not the best, but capable, practical, and well suited for the production at hand. Dramaturg–errr, who? Dramaturg. Hmmmm…what’s that? Well, a general description would be a person skilled in knowing what will and what will not work on stage.The lack of Dramaturgy makes this play well-meaning but mixed.

“The play is the thing, etc…”, and here this tenet of the theater applies. Mr. Keuter has many profound, insightful things he wishes to say, and he knows basically how he wants to say it. The problem is that, at last count, there were three plays performing within one, and one suspects a fourth play broke out after the lights went black and the audience was filing out of the theater. There was simply too many competing, distracting ideas constantly butting into each other, which prevented the play from being a solitary, singular vision of work.

Fortunately for the playwright, the play he set out to write–some silly, inane contrivance concerning two very silly and unlikable 20-somethings–passed and faded from view after about 20 minutes. Thankfully, Mr. Keuter had much more up his sleeve.

The play takes place in some seedy bar near a bridge–(Red Hook, Brooklyn, perhaps? An obvious choice, something the directors left purposely vague, for reasons known only to them). Within minutes we are presented with what appears to be The Cliched Parade of Idiots–Drunk Bartender, Convict Brother, Convict Brother’s left-behind wife, The Girl Left Behind, and The Love Story, with The Gym Rat and The BagLady Greek Chorus thrown into the mix. Yet the play never delved into this tired territory, or into that place called I’ve Seen This Play Before. Well done.

Suddenly and without warning, the children thankfully went to ‘theater sleepland’, and the adults took over. Their stories–filled with harbored passions, monstrous jealousies, cowardice, and of course one Big Lie after another–was compelling listening and viewing throughout the 1 hour 40 minute running time. Marinated over this were wonderful insights into the human condition, with much to laugh at and some to ponder. All of it in natural, everyday conversational tones, with that heightened theatrical reality. A tip of the hat to you, Mr. Keuter.

The cast lived up to their end of the bargain, led by the superb Catherine Curtin as the wistful barfly Candy, and her comrade-in-arm Mary Jo Mecca as the long suffering neglected Lynn. The men were generally as strong, led by James Judy as the loutish but broken hearted and love sick Sal.

To The Active Theater–you have the writing, the acting, the technical…next time, though, one play, one story, told through the eyes of one director. These simple precepts, these basic blocks of theater building, would’ve easily have made ‘Bridgeboy’ a memorable production instead of a capable competent one.