Legacy Stage should be commended for taking a topic, usually sub-plotted at best, and putting it in the forefront – and playwright Allan Provost should be commended for writing it.

The Gray List deals with that dirty three letter word – age. It’s the story of John Brooks, a talented – and from what the props and wall decorations imply – celebrated screenwriter, whose dry spell is starting to look like a plot. Screenwriter Brooks’ supposition is made painfully true when his agent of many years informs him that his star is starting to fade thanks to the fact that he’s acting his age in a world where the young and “hip” rule. Brooks devises a plan to hoist these whipper-snapper-wannabes by their own petard by employing the nephew of an old friend to masquerade as a young “hip” writer, but hawking John’s screenplays all the while. Sort of like Cyrano de Bergerac finding a Christian to woo the Roxane called Hollywood.

Allan Provost’s caustic, nostalgic, and at times uproarious wit, combined with Laurie Rae Waugh’s naturalistic staging weaves a parable that was both entertaining and enlightening. Mr. Provost’s subtlety created numerous delayed-but-nonetheless-belly-laughs (“he worked with Felix what’s-his-name…” “Tony Randall!”) and Ms. Waugh’s astute use of dimensions created cool breezes on the patio and starry nights filled with sports cars in and out of driveways.

The characters created to utter these prose were indeed pros. A majority of mature characters gave the story that much more punch. Thomas J. Kane as John Brooks gave a charismatic showing as the author losing his touch and his hair; Kitty Hendrix gave a fine performance as Brook’s long suffering wife whose own problems regarding her marketability as an actress are dwarfed by her husband’s writers roadblock. She also served as a Greek chorus watching the action and letting the audience feel the tension through her eyes; Vincent Iannuzzi made the Hollywood or bust nephew both menacing and moronic – allowing us to alternate between hating him and pitying him; Alan Charney played the not-so-secretly gay agent with great subtlety allowing his feelings to come across only in a silent turn or a breath of a pause giving us classic closeted behavior – see, hear, say nothing.

But the finest of the evening was Marilyn Duryea as the faded Hollywood starlet who is just happy to be remembered. Ms. Duryea could have fallen back on stereotypical gestures and delivery but managed to bring a fresh take to this character, allowing us to see the heart of an actress of the bygone days supplying moments of genuine depth and unique thought. Mr. Provost should be commended again for giving her such lilting dialogue.

The play and the production do have flaws. The play – in formula – bears more than a passing similarity to Ira Levin’s murder play of the same era – down to the sometimes a comedy, sometimes not motif. The subject matter – ageism and homophobia – should have been hit harder in places. Maybe deeper money woes for the Brooks family, more exposition regarding the agent’s AIDS-ailing lover, or more menacing moments for Iannuzzi could have raised the stakes. The costumes and set, while serviceable, could have had more touches of the era for which the play takes place, the mood music sometimes fit and sometimes did not, scene changes were challenging logistically, AND all the characters seemed to drink too much. But these issues did not prohibit the audience from enjoying the night. That’s what runs like this are for, to hone promising works so that they might become larger productions or …

… maybe a movie?

The Gray List runs till Sunday at the American Theatre of Actors. www.legacystageensemble.org

Photos provided by A.G. Liebowitz and WrightGroupNY Communications. 

Bob Greene is a former playwright and retired history professor. He’s had works presented in New York and regionally since 1978. After a short and unhappy stint at Newsday, he is delighted to write for several online services. He and his partner of 27 years call New York home – even though they live in New Jersey. 

A current example is Legacy Stage Ensemble and its creators, Laurie Rae Waugh and Kitty Hendrix. Journeymen both, Ms. Waugh has been a member of the theatrical community for 25 years having stood on legendary stages at seminal moments in time. She stage managed the famed Broadway Cares July 4, 1987 performance benefiting STAMP OUT AIDS dedicated to Michael Bennett. Her colleague, Kitty Hendrix, has created more than 30 roles on stage, in film, and on television. She took time to raise a child and run a successful business, but all the while she was growing great art for the stage and in herself. Today, she has credits that include the stage as well as ABC and CBS. They’ve come together to create Legacy Stage Ensemble – a world-conscious company that examples socially relevant – and slightly envelope pushing issues – on stage. Opening this month is The Gray List. A play that unapologetically deals with ageism, racism, and homophobia. We’ve seen plays about homophobia but when that becomes the spice in a play about what it means to grow old in the unforgiving Hollywood, you have a powerful evening. Joining them is Jessica Jennings. Ms. Jennings carries on the family name and business started by her father, entrepreneur and founder of the American Theatre of Actors, James Jennings. A fitting parable… like father … like daughter. She is also president of the board and director of development for Ripple Effect Artist. Artistic director, Jessie Fahay, and Ms. Jennings have formed this company dedicated to creating a connected, loving, communicative, and compassionate world through staged theatre works that offer an inquiry into the human condition. REA partners with international organizations that make a difference in human rights. They are currently in pre-production for Twelfth Night.

The Gray List runs through April 28 at the American Theatre of Actorshttps://www.smarttix.com/show.aspx?showcode=GRA29

Improvisational Repertory Theatre Ensemble’s Artistic director, Nannette Deasy managed to sneak the same message into her latest improv show, The Groovy Gang Adventures. A Scooby Doo send-up that has a message about what it means to grow old today. IRTE is a cutting edge improv group now living comfortably at Gotham City Improv’s stage.

IRTE’s season continues through the summer. http://irteinfo.wix.com/irte

Last season another team of women brought Witnessed by the World to the stage. This dark piece, written by Ronnie Cohen and Jane Beale contributed another chapter in the Kennedy conspiracy. At last discussion, the play was negotiating further runs with “asks” out to A list actors for the female leading role. Another example is Suzanne Sitleman, a young filmmaker who’s first major film; Norman Normal broke all predictions and premiered at Cannes. Norman Normal was the surreal tale of what happens when you allow your day-job to take over your soul. Sort of Kafka meets Office Space.

http://www.normannormalthefilm.com/

Oral tradition has historically been the male of the tribe’s job but today we see more and more women penning what needs to be remembered. Sibyl Renae, has giving all she has to tell the story of her brother’s mental illness and how it tore apart her family in “THIS IS WHY I WHISPER,”

Timing her latest revival to come just after National Mental Illness Month, Ms. Renae’s heart wrenching drama has been performed in New York and nationally since 2010. She secured the funding to present a revival at Symphony Space’s Peter Jay Sharp theatre in June. Ms. Renae wrote this play in a wheel chair, grieving over the death of her husband due to an accident that crippled her for nearly a decade. Her stage work was birthed because of her mother’s impassioned plea to not allow her brother to be put in an institution when she passed on. Ms Renae has kept her word.

“Whisper” returns to Symphony Space, June 29. (Contact Wrightgroupny@gmail.com)

But like every cause there were those that carried the torch before the cause was a cause. Two fine examples of this are Joanne de Simone and April James – to old friends who remember the good and not-so-good old days.

April James started out as an actress. She was executive producer of Actor’s Voyage East, an off-off Broadway theater company established in the 1970s right around the corner from Ellen Stewart’s celebrated La Mama. Actor’s Voyage East obtained permission to produce the American premier of Hugh Leonard’s The Poker Session at the historical Lamb’s Club; this was a very momentous time in the theatrical community. The Lamb’s Club was in Chapter 11 and through the ticket sales of THE POKER SESSION, we were able to keep the famous actor’s club alive for a little while longer until it had to finally close its doors and reopen in a different venue.

Her most recent corporate incarnation, The Viking Theater Company, is an outgrowth of Actor’s Voyage East. In the last eight years, they’ve produced both original and classical plays and short films.  They’re very excited about our upcoming staged reading of AWAKE AND SING!  by Clifford Odets and continue to look for new and thought-provoking material to produce both for stage and screen.

 Awake and Sings is revived at the Actors Temple Theatre. (Contact Wrightgroupny@gmail.com)

 Her friend and colleague, Joanne de Simone, can sing Sinatra’s “That’s Life” and mean it. Have been in and out the industry for decades. Ms. de Simone’s theatre stories are legion. Today, she is on the upswing with recent successes on stage, Linoleum’s Hard, Earthmen, and Norma Jeanne, Enlightened, as well as Judy’s Dead (Winner, First Prize, Writer’s Digest Stage Play competition, 2010), The Suicide Angel  (in feature film pre-production with Goodale Productions) and Earthmen currently in pre-production with Genesis pictures. Her book Metro Cats is also in process of becoming an animated feature. The Blessing House, a short story, is in development for TV movie. Her short stories have seen publication in South Bay Magazine, Bright Lights Film Journal and Southampton Press, Pif Magazine, and weekly film reviews in Fire Island News.

Another Broadway journeyman is Mary Elizabeth MiCari. Ms. MiCari is a veteran designer and staff member of more than a half dozen Broadway shows and innumerable off- and off-off Broadway productions. She founded her first theatre company at age 19 (the None of the Above theatre) and is co-founder and current artistic director of Genesis Repertory, a classical stage and film company. Recently she returned to her first love, singing. She is in the process of recording her first album due out in June. Ms. MiCari – like Ms. De Simone has worked all facets for many years. A celebrated actress and director are two other medals she has pinned to her resume. A student of her, Erica Vasaturo, is the lead singer and the driving force of the Mick Wately Band, whose first album and concert tour are on the schedule for the summer.

www.maryemicari.com/

Finally, no list would be complete with Glory Kadigan. The founder of the prolific Glory’s List, networking thread that services the entertainment industry, Ms. Kadigan has served as the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity’s producing artistic director for four seasons. Prior to founding Planet Connections, she worked as the artistic director of various other theater festivals.

She is a freelance stage director and an alum of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab, La Mama Directors Symposium and of The Labyrinth Theater Company’s Master Class. Ms. Kadigan is an associate member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers and has been the recipient of the Meritorious Achievement Award in Direction from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. www.glorykadigan.com/

This list is but a small sample of what’s out there. Imagine how vast the constellation of females artists really is. How can we find them?

Let’s check Glory’s List.

Hi-Jinks??? Who uses such a word in the 21^st century? They sure do. This series of long-form fun is brought to you by their childhood.

The Groovy Gang Adventures is a very thinly veiled tribute to Scooby Doo and the mystery solving teens of the 70s and early 80s, complete with the stock guest characters: the talking animal (in this case a gator); the old millionaire, the eerie mystic who everyone thinks will be the villain in the end, but is actually a red herring; the actual villain; and so many others in this retro repertory.

The agile ensemble of Robert Baumgardner, Nannette Deasy, Alex Decaneas, Curt Dixon, Jamie Maloney, Danielle Montezinos, Jeff O’Leary, and Isabelle Owens set the stage brilliantly with mood music (if you can call the Archies mood), and homage to the famed Scooby Doo chase montage, the “mysterious” locale they blunder into, and the famed vaudeville style double takes all on Gotham City Improv’s really lovely stage. They deftly add a lot of topical humor (Curt Dixon’s hysterical character, Talcum, was a consistent laugh inducer), mondo-sexual innuendo (morphing into downright pornographic from time to time ) and – undoubtedly thanks to their own stage training – excellent comic timing. The humor, no matter how silly and seemingly childish, possessed a wit and private-joke delivery. The best example is a thread that starts innocently discussing how a gator ages and turns into a social commentary on the youth culture and how the previous generation feels the need to takes steps back in order to belong – at least that’s how it seemed. Robert Baumgardner should get special mention for his spot-on bayou style accent and the group’s founder, Nannette Deasy, possess a laudable amount of stage presence and the delicacy needed to not be  a scene stealer. One doesn’t realize how funny her walk and talk really is until she drops it to say good night to the audience.

In the middle of all the improv, another retro trick was employed – the musical guest. The clever and sardonic, Jessica Delfino arrives to strum out songs with some truly envelope-pushing topics – like a folk song about suicide. It would be easy for some to miss the mark and insult the crowd but Delfino’s manipulation of the topic plus a Bob Newhart wit (a more modern comparison wouldn’t work with all the retro going on) made each number more hilarious than the next.

IRTE is still innocent however, as you can see the microscopic reactions they all made when a joke fell flat or got an abundant laugh when not expected – but this only made the intelligent crowd more apt to be on their side.

The razor sharp IRTE is humor for the thinking man – and woman. Come for the laughs – there’s a test on it afterward.

Their season goes through the summer with a veritable Night Gallery of sketches (a more modern comparison wouldn’t work with all the retro going on). Check then out at http://irteinfo.wix.com/irte.

Amy M. Frateo is an actress and blogger. She usually writes on cabaret and jazz and blues groups. Her theater reviewing began in the old TheatreWeek and continue in online pubs like Drama-Queens.

The gals in questions are Vicki – a tough chic from the right side of the tracks who derails herself with pills and promiscuity, while her best friend, Emily, drowns her sorrows in Hershey bars and care giving. We spend an hour watching them spend 30 years finding new ways and old games to stop their lives. De Simone puts a game of 500 Rummy in the middle of everything as a brilliant plot device that serves as the passage of time, a rooting-to-the-old-neighborhood feel, and a sure way for the girls to hold on to each other and their fears. The dialogue is like a salad of piercing quips and secret thoughts – really engrossing.

The talent of the piece is four young women: As Emily we meet her as a cherubic 10-year-old played with oh-so-much innocence by Gaby Mook. All smiles in her rosy cheeks, she makes it that much more painful when she grows into Sara Minisquero, whose knack for pathos and brilliance at age progression makes this character the anchor for which the piece relies. If she is the anchor then Laura Aristovulos is the sail and the mighty wind. Flitting in and out of each scene, she hands in a performance that is powerful yet fragile. The younger version of herself – as portrayed by Abigail Formas – is a perfect replica, sharp tongued and ready to fight if only to hide the tears. All four women give trained, engrossing performances.

For those who know the works of director Jay Michaels (a main stay in the New York theater scene for decades), his hand was thickly seen with rapid-fire timing, overlapping dialogue (timed to let only the important words flow), and the homage to Playhouse 90 style set and lighting.

A strong message delivered by competent artists. All in all, a very pleasing evening.

Bob Greene is a former playwright and retired history professor. He’s had works presented in New York and regionally since 1978. After a short and unhappy stint at Newsday, he is delighted to write for several online services.

This opera was first performed in 1817 in Milan, but the overture has strangely modern overtones, so nothing antiquated here.  The always rock-solid and dependable Bronx Opera orchestra delivered beautiful support to the singers, and the balance was spot on.  In fact, the warmth of the human voice from both the strong chorus and the soloists were always clearly heard sans microphones, which is a rare experience for our digitally drowned ears: no mp3 bit rate quality problems to worry about audiophiles.   This, among many other benefits, is the not-so-secret pleasure of regional, intimate opera performances like this one.

The chorus was particularly strong, but retained a unified softness much like the softness of the earthy colors chosen by the set designer Jim Howard, and the costume designers Joan Greenhut and Maureen Klein.  The blending of the color and sound tones nicely recreated the rural village atmosphere for me.

Overall I enjoyed the songs which a have a familiar sound, but none stood out particularly during the telling of the story of a falsely accused servant.  Of the singers, I enjoyed the fullness of Eric McKeever’s voice, which nicely conveyed desperateness as Fernando Villabella, father of the accused Ninetta.  Also mentionable was Darcy Dunn playing the quirky servant Pippo.  But, for me the stand-out caricature performance came from Daniel Klein as the Mayor, who was as fun to watch as to hear…and I must say the audience agreed with me without a doubt.

I would urge you to treat your ears to The Bronx Opera when it rolls into your neighborhood. provided your neighborhood is The Bronx – or Hempstead, Long Island, this Spring with La Boheme!

Come for the overture…and stay for the opera!

Christopher Sirota is a reviewer for OuterStage, Drama-Queens, and other online publications. He is also an actor and filmmaker. 

There is no risk to presenting a known musical comedy in a local theater situation. You know the crowd will love it, identify with it, and bring friends. It takes a daring group to secure a period piece about self-hatred, assimilation, and internal segregation.

How’s that for an opening line?

The Ridge Repertory Company of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, accepted just such a challenge with a really fine production of Alfred Uhry’s dark comedy, The Last Night of Ballyhoo. This witty dram-edy concerns a Jewish family in Atlanta on the eve of the opening of Gone with the Wind and the Second World War. It relates the pain and irony of assimilation and the fragility of our own realities. Basically Tennessee Williams meets Neil Simon.

The Levys and the Freitags are an extended family of brother Adolph (Steve Aronson) last surviving member of a group of male siblings and siblings-in-law of the family run business; his sister Beulah – or Boo, as she is called – (Marlene Ash) a troubled soul wanting her own piece of the pie – or at least something – anything – for her daughter; their sister-in-law Reba (Suellen Rubin) whose Gracie Allen venire hides a great understanding; Boo’s daughter Lala (Alyson Calder), trapped in the paranoia that her mother and the Jewish aristocracy have built for her; and Reba’s daughter Sunny (Catherine Mancuso), who escaped to school only to learn cruel lessons when she returns home for the holidays. This group wants nothing more than to be part of the Jewish upper-class of Atlanta. Ironically, the Jewish upper-class was formed due to the actual upper-class wanting nothing to do with the Jews of Atlanta. It is this dichotomy that molds our merry band of Jewish Georgians and creates the inner turmoil they all face – in their own ways. Some cases it’s by ignoring their heritage, other cases by molding it to their surrounding, and still others in creating an internal anti-Semitism. Boo’s declaration that Joe is  “kike” (done perfectly by Ms. Ash) jarred the entire audience.

The “last night” in questions is a Jews-only cotillion called Ballyhoo and how it has become the place to be for young Hebrew hopefuls. It is this detail that draws in Peachy Weill (Greg Mueller) – a pampered well-to-do Jew – and Joe Farkas (Eric Charles), a salesman in The Freitag family business who discovers he’s from the wrong side of the tracks even in his own backyard.

As the family patriarch, Steve Aronson was superb. Strong presence, metered delivery, and exceptional character quirks made him a solid anchor for the people and plot twists around him; Marlene Ash took a few pages to get cooking as the hostess of the house (the Bally-boosta if you get the Yiddish-infused pun) but then gave us a grand performance filled with desperation, longing, love and loss; Suellen Rubin’s wry delivery and lyrical tone somehow put a rainbow on this cloudy house. The second act allowed her tiny asides about her daughter to bring tears to her and our eyes; Alyson Calder as the needy Lala managed to keep her over-the-top character totally real and accessible. One might find her simply funny until the confrontation with her cousin at the end of the first act when a bravura scene captures the audience; Catherine Mancuso as her cousin Sunny expertly played the one that tries to escape. She contributes beautifully executed moments where we see that her attempt at finding herself makes her find her religion instead.

Lala’s suitor, Peachy, and Sonny’s suitor, Joe, were the perfect ying and yang. Greg Mueller’s hulking frame glided like a ballet dancer across the stage as a pompous brat happy in his exclusionist ways (commanding us to smile), while Eric Charles’ clumsy good hearted Joe falls in love, exudes genuine joy and respect, let’s the costume wear him, and thanks God for it all. His genuine, open-heartedness on that stage made us root for him from the bringing.

The direction by James Martinelli was spot-on – clever and realistic staging, authentic accent and deliveries from his actors, and a depth that comes from a trained eye. One might argue that his pacing could have been a hair faster but when you are dealing with such intricate material, to ere on the side of savoring is really the best decision. The set by Georgie Hall and the lighting by Evan Roby in such an intimate oddly shaped space was nothing short of remarkable and Mikel Frank’s excellent hair and make-up put us squarely in the time before the war to end all wars.

Ridge Rep’s production is truly one of the most professional projects the neighborhood has to offer and should not be missed. One more weekend gives you December 1 and 2 to see this really compelling work… and then it’s gone with the wind.

Jay Michaels is a professional writer and public relations executive for WrightGroupNY Communications, The Bronx Opera, Genesis Repertory, and an international philanthropy. 

New York is filled with theater festivals. Every room that can hold some lights and a dozen folding chairs has festivals. Themed, audience-votes, etc… You have your perennials like The Fringe and The Midtown International, but there are some dedicated small festivals worth taking another look at as well. One is Manhattan Repertory right off of Times Square. Here you get short plays (all under 30 minutes) on topical topics and ideas deserving of elaboration. Among the Amuse-bouches of Manhattan Rep’s Summer Fest was Joanne de Simone’s Earthmen. This truly stirring, truly important play deserves much more than its 15 minutes (literally).

The play tells of a chance meeting between a runaway slave (Phillip Paschal) and an enigmatic Native American (Mohammed Saad Ali) during the last days of slavery in America. In a matter of a quarter hour, these two men – each wounded by the prevailing society of the time – shares their views on religion, politics, life and love, and retribution. We are treated to a treatise of what America was and why it is what it is now. It’s surprise ending only made the entire experience that much more enjoyable.

As a playwright, Joanne de Simone should be lauded. The crisp dialogue never got preachy thanks to quick quibs and clever segues; the action flowed well (thanks to director Jay Michaels excellent sense of pacing) to make the play an experience to be savored; and the rich characterizations made we – the audience – wanting more. This quick moment of great depth served to leave you wanting more of Joanne de Simone’s canon of works as well.

Representing her works were a misleading bunch – listed as making debuts of some kind with this production, the three actors on the stage each bore the power and delivery of professionals having spent much time gracing the boards. As Achak, the Native-American, Mohammed Saad Ali’s powerful voice and perfectly timed delivery gave us a sense of majesty that this character must have to make the matter convincing. Ali’s clever turn of phrase and Beckett-like pausing had us hanging on each word. Phillip Paschal’s gargantuan presence and booming voice – both as an actor and singer in brief moments – was the perfect foil to the slight, metered Ali. Paschal gave us a lion-hearted man with a soul firmly placed in God’s bosom. It is his delivery of the twist at the end that sent chills through the crowd in this intimate setting. The third voice was literally that, gospel singer Debra Williams was as near perfection as one can find as – what appears to be – the story-teller. The tale came out of her eyes and her voice so as to seem like a religious parable with an existentially happy ending. The simple look of the play (functioning campfire by Andrew Liebowitz and clever traces of history in the costumes by Christine Conway) served as the background of a fine painting.

Manhattan Rep should be commended for picking this pearl of a piece. They were not alone. It turns out this play will be lensed as an independent film later this season. Like the play’s uplifting but realistic ending, it seems that good works can succeed in the end.

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

Joanne De Simone’s new play is an engrossing journey into key relationships that helped mold Norma Jeane into Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn’s absentee father, Bobby and Jack Kennedy and Paula Strasberg are among the most compelling conversations the audience is privy to. We meet Marilyn shortly after she has died and famed actress Eleonra Duse, played by Gloria Jung, is her guide into the next phase of existence.

As Norma Jeane/Marilyn, Holly Elizabeth O’Brien excels at showing us the young, soft side of Norma Jeane. At times we get hints of the woman who was manipulative, smart, driven and not just a victim. Bob Cencioni is heartbreaking as the father who never knew his daughter but gives her hope for a new beginning in the afterlife. In a nuanced performance by Andrew Rothkin as Jack Kennedy, we get the pragmatic, and at times, callous man who may truly care for Marilyn but would never risk his political career by having her as his wife. This is a refreshing change from the image of Kennedy as a prince of Camelot in American politics. In a fearless and lively performance as Bobby Kennedy, Michael Curcio appears as a child who taunts and torments Norma Jeane with the truth about her relationship with his older brother Jack. Paula Strasberg is the lone woman who shows up to confront Marilyn and Martha Ghio is mesmerizing. We get insight into one of the many people who profited from keeping Marilyn in the spotlight at all costs. Paula also presents us with a tormented woman who is a victim of circumstance doing
what she has to in order to survive. Joe Conway appears as Tyrone Power not as the Hollywood idol, but as the closeted man frustrated by the studio system that destroyed both him and Marilyn Monroe. Joe DiMaggio was perhaps the one man who truly did love Marilyn and Danny McDermott’s portrayal of Jumpin’ Joe is charming and adds a sweetness that seemed to so often be missing from Marilyn’s life.

Ms de Simone body of work is vast and diverse, with a book about Cats in New York currently on the shelves, this play, one about Judi Garland, and one about a runaway slave (the later opening at Manhattan Rep in September), and several feature films in the works. Seems to me that one day a play might be written about her.

How many times have we all walked out of a movie or play and asked “what do you think will happen to…[whomever the lead, villain, or put-upon character happens to be].”

Jane Beale and Ronnie Cohen have answered that question for us in CORRECTION. They also gave us a unique character that is the lead, villain, and put-upon character all in one and then gives us her future.

The play opens with one of the actors breaking the fourth wall to – in essence – apologize for budgetary and script issues. While this seemed an odd choice, minutes later the play begins and we enter into sequences of how we stereotypically expect the filthy rich to behave. We meet Dr. Darling and event planner Rothschild in an over-the-top exchange about just how much a wedding can cost when cost is no object. One can then assume the narrator’s humility was brought about as she expected to be speaking to like-moneyed souls.

Prior to the culmination of the first half of the play, the turning point occurs: Thanks to a newspaper “correction,” we learn that Dr. Darling is not. She has lied about her fame, your money, and even her schooling; thus loosing the husband part of that extravagant wedding, her far-too-busy-being-rich-to-care-about-their-kids clients, and finally her freedom. The second half of the play describes how this scandal-maker rises from the pit of fraud that she dug for herself.

While the play could use some editing to sharpen the focus, Jane Beale and Ronnie Cohen has written a clever character study of one woman’s hubris. It’s refreshing on many levels that this villain is a woman. While some might find it objectionable, one has to admit that it reflects on feminine success in business that they now can become such a dubiously-moraled character. Elizabeth Belonzi carries the phony Dr. Darling through a wide range of emotions, holding our interest and giving us the wide-eyed realizations that such a journey demands; William McAndrews playing Sheldon, her wealthy husband – wealthy – complete with expert delivery on lines depicting his disgust at her obvious middle-class demeanor. Rebecca Smith gives Bunny, Sheldon’s friend and confidante, enough earthiness to create chemistry between the characters; while Jasmine Webb was stunning, natural and strong as Dr. Darling’s friend after the fall. Rivka Borek supplied us with some early get-comfortable laughs as the event planner who plans to spend a lot of money. While Lauren Brickman was very funny and quite commanding as the narrator, the play did not truly need one and at times her appearance seemed out of place. it also weakened her characters’ grand entrance later in the play. Narrators only work as outside characters when even the ending is a flashback.

Renee Rodriquez managed to keep the action moving at a brisk pace but would have faired better with less furniture and properties. Many short scenes created scene changes that slowed the action. Also, while her staging gave us some strong imagery, the configuration of the theater made intimate moments hard to view at times. Maybe less setting and more toward the back wall placement could have solved that.

The authors – one can see – follow in Moliere’s footsteps in lampooning the privileged in front of the privileged. CORRECTION – with some literary tweaking – stands to make a strong impact on the new plays arena.

Bob Greene is a former playwright and retired history professor. He’s had works presented in New York and regionally since 1978. After a short and unhappy stint at Newsday, he is delighted to write for several online services.

No other play in history has been as discussed and dissected as Hamlet. No other play is so easily recognized – and quoted – as Hamlet as well. So, using Hamlet as his weapon of choice against the puppy mill that is Hollywood was a prudent choice of playwright Andrew Rothkin, who hands his thespians and their watchers a clever comedy/drama weaving classical themes into modern mores… with engrossing results.

The plot is simple: a good actor is angry that a bad actor is on Broadway (only because he knew who to screw) but here’s the twist – he plans on doing something about it. We are then taken on a journey showing us that we can all be Hamlet … if we’re not careful.

Eric Percival (who – in hindsight, strolled in with the audience, nice touch) plays Robert. A poor soul who is so tied to his mother that, when his first real relationship dissolves in a harsh and painful manner, he is all but unhinged. Hey… isn’t that just like Hamlet, Gertrude, and Ophelia? Robert decides to attend a production of Hamlet featuring a terrible movie star (played with no small level of rock-star charm by Ben Baur) and change the play in order to prove his point about the duplicity of the world. Hmmmm, you mean like a play within a play where in to catch the conscience … you get it? He is both aided and hindered by a horny Claudius (John Sarno giving us some excellent mugging and tom-foolery without ever loosing the classical actor demeanor), a pompous brown-nosing Polonius (J. Dolan Byrnes providing powerful stage presence and Noël Coward wit), a manipulated Ophelia, (Alexandra Cohen Spiegler, slightly over the top but enjoyable just the same), a street-wise Laertes (David C. Neal giving us his best under-five-on-the-Sopranos humor) a chicken Horatio (convincingly played by Adam Shiri),  and a bevy of guards of all shapes and sexual preferences (Cameron Moir as a musical comedy queen and a brilliant Andrew Lemonier as a stoner). There is even a laborer (an excellent Flannery Spring-Robinson) who provides middle-class commentary – like one might expect from the laborer – or gravedigger – in Hamlet.  Amada Anderson as a crazed fan was very funny but could have been used better in this “chorus” type of role.

Percival’s protagonist was truly well-played, handing us a man in great pain over a life not lived. He found a way of making us laugh amid his great tragedy and turned in some excellent delivery as Hamlet, the Dane, himself. Kelly Zekas was equal parts commanding and uproarious in her honest deadpan delivery as a stage manager who can sooth the savage beast; and Randi Sobol gave us a fine performance interpolating the queen with a woman who truly felt for the melancholy out-of-work-actor.

Special note to costume designer Cat Fisher, who, while the crappiness of her costumes is a running joke, created some excellent items and far more lavish than one grows to expect from a festival setting. Joan Kane directed this commedia with skill, moving the pace and people with great ease. She could have used more of the source material in her staging but it certainly didn’t hurt the piece; it would have only made classical theater geeks (yes, like this reviewer) happier.

Bob Greene is a former playwright and retired history professor. He’s had works presented in New York and regionally since 1978. After a short and unhappy stint at Newsday, he is delighted to write for several online services.