Laughs in Spanish - Hartford Stage

The latest offering at Hartford Stage, Laughs in Spanish, is an agreeable, breezy story with enough amusing plot twists to keep audiences satiated during its 90-minute, intermission-less run.  The high spirits, though, by Playwright Alexis Scheer, is primarily window-dressing for her exploration of the mother-daughter relationship and cultural ruminations.

María Victoria Martínez and Luis Vega in Laughs in Spanish.  Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

Mariana (Stephanie Machado), a young woman runs an art gallery in Miami and is readying for the Art Basel art show.  Upon arriving at work, she discovers all the paintings have been stolen.  Her intern, Carolina (María Victoria Martínez), an artist in her own right, is clueless about what could have happened.  Her boyfriend, Juan (Luis Vega), a police officer, is equally ignorant of how the perpetrators could have absconded with the artworks.  To complicate matters, Mariana’s mother Estrella (Maggie Bofill), a famous actress, has suddenly arrived in town, looking to pursue her own agenda.  Her new assistant, Jenny (Olivia Hebert), also just happens to be a college acquaintance of Mariana.  Or is it more than that?

 

Olivia Hebert and Stephanie Machado in Laughs in Spanish.  Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

The hijinks Ms. Scheer infuses into Laughs in Spanish are used to great effect as commentary on harmonizing life within two cultures and how language is varied when communicating in each world.  Marina, a latine, seeks to balance her heritage within a realm where she is not an insider.  For example, she, and other characters, to great comic effect, modulate their voice – being more Anglo - when answering the phone.  The playwright nimbly layers the aforementioned with the tenuous relationships mothers can have with their daughters.  Ms. Scheer adeptly augments the conflicts by having Marina’s mother be a hugely successful celebrity who wants nothing more than to have her child be equally well-off.  While the machinations of the play work well, there are moments that seem forced, such as the intimate exchange between Marina and Jenny.  Estrella’s monologue near the show’s conclusion comes across as overly long.

The Director Lisa Portes paces the show at a brisk tempo, only coming up short during Estrella’s performance art piece.  She succeeds in creating a troupe of actor/actresses that mesh well together.  She effectively integrates Scenic Designer Brian Sidney Bembridge’s three distinct sets into the flow of the play.

 

Maggie Bofill in Laughs in Spanish.  Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

The cast is uniformly wonderful.  Some of the characters are underwritten - Carolina (María Victoria Martínez), Juan (Luis Vega), and Jenny (Olivia Hebert) – but the performers are able to imbue their roles with enough personality to gloss over character shortcomings.  The focus is on Stephanie Machado as Mariana and Maggie Bofill as Estrella.  Each enlivens the stage individually and together, giving their roles a combination of sparkle and gravitas.

Laughs in Spanish, playing at Hartford Stage through March 30.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.

The Irish… And How They Got That Way - Playhouse on Park

The Irish… And How They Got That Way is a musical revue that combines snippets of Irish history with an assortment of Irish-centered songs performed by a multi-talented cast of six.  The music includes folksongs, ballads, comedic numbers, and tunes written by Broadway legend George M. Cohan.  Interspersed between the musical interludes are recitations, stories, facts and figures about the Irish – the good, the bad, and the ugly.  The show, written by the Pulitzer Prize winning author, Frank McCourt, delves into the bitterness, joy, anger, and sadness of the Irish experience, both at home and abroad.

 

The cast of The Irish… And How They Got That Way.  Photo by Meredith Longo.

The show, at two and one-half hours (with intermission), would have been more satisfying at a shorter length.  Sometimes the pacing by Director Danielle Paccione drags when the material focuses heavily on such sorrowful topics as with Act I’s lengthy scenes on the 1840 potato famine.  While the stories and historical facts associated with this epoch of shortages and deprivations are eye-opening, as well as appalling, they bring a too somber tone to the production.

 

The material and song selections in Act II are more lively and, as with the first segment of the show, still tinged with sentimentality, humor, and a raucous merriment.

 

The cast of The Irish… And How They Got That Way.  Photo by Meredith Longo.

The production shines when the set, designed by Omid Akbari and reminiscent of a classic Irish pub, is turned over to the three actresses – Victoria Chaieb, Elleon Dobias, and Katrien van Riel – and three actors – Joe Boover, Josh Karam, and Jack Murphy.  They all play, beautifully, a variety of musical instruments that you would find at a local Irish pub, from guitar, to piano, fiddle, recorder and a number of traditional Irish instruments.  Ms. Paccione has molded an ensemble that works well together and clearly enjoys each other’s company as they recount, play music, and even perform a jig here and there. 

 

Members of the cast of The Irish… And How They Got That Way.  Photo by Meredith Longo.

The Irish… And How They Got That Way, playing at Playhouse on Park through March 30.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.

The Wedding Binder - Seven Angels Theatre

 Cherie (Brenna Peerbolt) has just gotten engaged, something she has dreamed about since was a 12-year-old girl.  Planning the wedding?  A snap since, over the years, she was created the ultimate wedding binder that includes everything a bride needs.  Unfortunately, for Cherie, life’s plans don’t always go the way one has planned.

 

This is the premise for Jacques Lamarre’s cute, fun, world-premiere comedy, The Wedding Binder.  The playwright has crafted a show that leans heavily on humor, with just a smidgen of social and family commentary.

Brenna Peerbolt and Fior Rodriguez in The Wedding Binder

The overriding issue for the proposed over-the-top wedding is money or, more precisely, the lack of the precious green backs. Cherie’s best friend, Michelle (Fior Rodriguez), when not swiping left or right on Tindr, tries to inject a notion of compromise into the discussion, much to her friend’s horror.  Complicating matters are Cherie’s mean-spirited twin sister, Kitty, (Sydney Yargeau) and mettlesome mom, (Susan Haefner).   

 

What makes The Wedding Binder different and more entertaining than the matter-of-fact plotline might imply, is Lamarre’s inclusion of the spirit of the wedding binder.   The actor Billy Winter, garbed in a multi-colored, metallic sportscoat, brings forth the lifeforce and feelings of the binder.  Unseen by others, he is a pixie-like character, delivering on-going patter and bon mots as he tries to preserve Cherie’s vision and his very existence. 

Billy Winter in The Wedding Binder.

In the end, which includes a few amusing twists, everything works out for the best for all parties.

 

The Wedding Binder is well-written and comes across as a very up-to-the-moment show.  Technological references abound as do jabs at the high-priced wedding industry.  A slightly strained mother-daughter relationship affords a degree of gravitas to the production.   Director Sasha Brätt has a good feel for the characters and introduces each new manic-inducing situation with well-timed aplomb within Set Designer Emily Nichols’ serviceable apartment environment.  The pacing is brisque and he skillfully incorporates Nathan Avakian’s Lighting Design to great effect.

 

The five-person cast provides a lighthearted romp through cupid’s garden.  Brenna Peerbolt is amusing as the harried bride.  She finely toes the line between elation and doom and gloom.  Fior Rodriguez imbues Michelle with a down-to-earth practicality, which meshes smoothly with her bestie’s plight.  Sydney Yargeau, in a more one-dimensional role, nonetheless, supplies a host of well-placed zingers.  Susan Haefner, a frequent presence on Connecticut stages, adds a warmhearted dollop of common sense and motherly love.  Director Bratt allows Billy Winter to let loose as the scheming, whining, and comical wedding binder.  His performance keeps the show diverting and entertaining.

 

The Wedding Binder, playing at Seven Angels theater through April 6.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.

Native Gardens - Westport Country Playhouse

There are a lot of “isms” in Karen Zacarías’ funny and pointed play Native Gardens.  The work nimbly incorporates issues of ageism, classism, a touch of racism, environmentalism, regionalism, and sexism into the plot, which focuses on a land dispute by neighbors in an upscale section of Washington, D.C.  Doctoral candidate Tania Del Valle (Linedy Genao) and her lawyer husband Pablo Del Valle (Anthony Michael Martinez), a young couple with a baby due soon, have recently moved into a fixer-upper in the upmarket neighborhood.  Next door is longtime residents Virginia Butley (Paula Leggett Chase), a high-ranking engineer at a defense contractor and her husband Frank Butley (Adam Heller), a GSA employee and gardening enthusiast.  Their initial backyard get-together is unassuming and cordial until unchangeable events, long-held attitudes, and an incorrect property line sends the twosomes into a tizzy.  Encounters escalate, harsh words are exchanged on either side until an early blessing occurs and…brief blackout.  When the lights go up, it’s weeks later and let’s just say there is a “kumbaya” moment.  Everyone lives happily ever after.

The cast of Native Gardens.  Photo by Carol Rosegg.

With Native Gardens, Zacarías presents a simple problem that many audience members can relate to and then deftly, in a step-by-step manner, ratchets up the noise level and tension.  The play reminded me of God of Carnage.  Native Gardens is not as wildly funny as that Tony Award winning show, but the premise is similar.  The focus here is on the yards of each household.  Scenic Designer Anna Louizos has crafted an exquisitely landscaped set for the Butley’s backyard and a plot needing a lot of love for the Del Valle’s space.  For such an everyday setting, the playwright manages to layer in a great deal of contemporary issues that come across as natural and spontaneous.  My only complaint is the ending.  While comforting, coming after a huge, raucous-filled set-up, it is disappointing to have the play conclude so gingerly.

Pablo Del Valle and Linedy Genao of Native Gardens.  Photo by Carol Rosegg.

The show is impeccably directed by JoAnn M. Hunter.  She judiciously utilizes the 90-minute time frame to create two convincing households that are trying to delicately persuade the other of their misguided position.  Like a closely fought fencing match, Ms. Hunter has the terrific ensemble cast consistently lunge and parry, attack and feint.  The Director has added small touches to bring out the realism in the production such as a functioning watering hose and hanging bug zapper.

As stated, the performers are marvelous, each providing their own obsession and idiosyncrasy to forge a dynamic whole.  Adam Heller (Frank Butley), a long-time New York and Connecticut performer, oozes anxiety and a passive/aggressive forcefulness.  Paula Leggert Chase (Virginia Butley) exudes a confidence and vulnerability as a woman protecting her turf, but also scarred by years of proving herself in a hostile working environment.  Anthony Michael Martinez (Pablo Del Valle) effectively imbues his character with bravado tinged with fretfulness as he works to be a success at work and home.  Linedy Genao’s role of Tania Del Valle is the calm amidst the storm.  The actress superbly portrays a very pregnant woman who is, mostly, level-headed, at times mediator and antagonist.  Her practicality and inner fortitude play well as she jousts or cajoles the other characters.

The cast of Native Gardens.  Photo by Carol Rosegg.

Native Gardens, playing at the Westport Country Playhouse through March 8.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.

Fiddler on the Roof - A.C.T. (A Contemporary Theatre) of Connecticut

The musical Fiddler on the Roof is receiving an enthralling production at Ridgefield’s A.C.T. (A Contemporary Theatre) of Connecticut.  Director Daniel C. Levine has taken a staple of the musical theater canon for over 60 years and reconceptualized its core while, at the same time, infusing it with a stirring vibrancy.

 

Members of the cast of Fiddler on the Roof at  A.C.T. (A Contemporary Theatre) of Connecticut.

The libretto by Joseph Stein is based on the short story, "Tevye the Dairyman," by Sholem Aleichem.  The book writer brings out the joy, humor, and tears in the author’s work.  His emphasis on such universal themes as family, community, and persecution are relevant for all audiences.

 

The story centers on Tevye, a humble milkman in the meager village of Anatevka, and his family, which includes his wife Golde, and five daughters.  Times are changing in late 18^th century Russia.  New cultural and religious attitudes are overtaking the country.  These outlooks resonate deeply with Teyve as he and his wife struggle to accept their three older daughters’ break with tradition.  Change also comes from the governing authority of the Russian Constable, which brings continued heartache and eventual upheaval.

 

Members of the cast of Fiddler on the Roof at  A.C.T. (A Contemporary Theatre) of Connecticut.

Musical Director Bryan Perri flawlessly leads the superb pit band through the iconic score.  The songs, with music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, are timeless, sung by a large cast with glorious voices.  Every musical number is a gem, from the spirited "Tradition" and "If I Were a Rich Man,” to the joyous declaration of  "Miracle of Miracles," to the tender moments of "Sabbath Prayer, “Sunrise, Sunset,” “Do You Love Me?," and “Anatevka.”

Lori Ada Jaroslow (center) and the cast from Fiddler on the Roof at A.C.T. (A Contemporary Theatre) of Connecticut.

Director Levine states in the program notes that his staging of Fiddler “reflect[s] the communal struggles and triumphs of Anatevka” and that by “keeping the cast visible, we emphasize that each individual’s story is part of the larger narrative.”  He succeeds by having performers rarely leave the stage.  They sit atop Scenic Designer David Goldstein’s austere, tiered wooden benches that face either side of the performance space.  There, the cast intently gazes upon the action in silent reflection. The Director incorporates Projection Designer Camilla Tassi’s beautifully rendered, ever-changing backdrops.  Josh Assor contributes rousing choreographic flourishes in addition to restaging dance numbers originated by the legendary Jerome Robbins in such numbers as “To Life” and “The Wedding Dance.” 

The magical dream sequence from Fiddler on the Roof at A.C.T. (A Contemporary Theatre) of Connecticut.

There are so many marvelous performances in the talented cast.  A few of the more noteworthy include Danny Rothman as Teyve.  Often, the role of family patriarch has been played as a larger-than-life character (Zero Mostel, Harvey Fierstein, Topol), but Rothman’s portrayal is more a man-of-the-people, which is exactly what is needed for this production.  Rothman deftly brings a host of emotions to his performance – anger, fear, sadness, joy, love, contentment – to create a character that solidly anchors the production.

 

Jennifer Babiak, who played Golde in the acclaimed Off-Broadway production of Fiddler in Yiddish, gives the wife and mother a muted forcefulness and inner strength.  Both Ruthy Froch (Hodel) and Skye Gillespie (Chava) are terrific as the two eldest daughters taking charge of their lives.  Lori Ada Jaroslow provides steady comic relief as Golde the Matchmaker.

Ruthy Froch and Skye Gillespie (center) and members of the cast of Fiddler on the Roof at A.C.T. (A Contemporary Theatre) of Connecticut.

Fiddler on the Roof, a show not to be missed, playing at A.C.T. (A Contemporary Theatre) of Connecticut through March 9.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.

Moon Over Buffalo - Music Theater of Connecticut

Moon Over Buffalo, the Ken Ludwig comedy, is receiving a crackling production at the Music Theatre of Connecticut (MTC).  The madcap show will keep you chuckling and smiling throughout.  The play is more of an old-school farce, relying on physical comedy, improbable situations, broadly stylized antics and, of course, a lot of slamming doors.

Rod Brogran and Anna Holbrook in Moon Over Buffalo.

The action takes place backstage at a rundown theater in Buffalo, New York.  Past-their-prime actors George Hay (Rod Brogran) and his wife Charlotte (Anna Holbrook) are mustering the energy to put up two shows but, while attempting to do so, must contend a with bevy of distractions.  They include their harried stage manager Paul (Matt Mancuso); Charlotte’s wise-cracking, hard-of-hearing mother Ethel (Jo Anne Parady); and Eileen (Olivia Fenton), a pregnant cast member.  Add to the mix the sudden appearance of the Hay’s daughter Rosalind (Allie Seibold).  She was once a member of the acting troupe and romantically involved with Paul, but is now engaged to Howard (Ted Gibson), a fresh-faced, weatherman.  Rounding out the mix is Richard (Jim Schilling), the family lawyer, who pines for Charlotte.

 

The silliness and zany antics between the characters comes to a head when members of the cast learn that famed movie director Frank Capra is coming to town to see George as a possible replacement for Ronald Coleman in a new Hollywood blockbuster.

Matt Mancuso and Rod Brogran in Moon Over Buffalo.

Ludwig’s slightly off-center love letter to the theater is stylishly staged at a frenetic pace by Director Clint Hromsco.  A lot of the entertainment value is from the performers’ exaggerated gestures and reactions to the ridiculous situations happening one after the other.  Hromsco skillfully choreographs the shenanigans with well-timed entrances and exits, including those slamming doors.  Working with the tried-and-true MTC creative staff of April M. Bartlett (Sets), RJ Romeo (Lighting), Holly Rybnick (Sound), and Diane Vanderkroef (Costumes), the director has all the ingredients necessary for a cheeky time at the theater.

 

The acting corps dives into the tomfoolery of the show with a dedicated passion.  Rod Brogran leads the charge as the narcissistic, semi-talented George Hay.  He delightfully over-acts, including a heaping dose of physical comedy.  Anna Holbrook imbues Charlotte with a suitable haughtiness as she spars with her on-stage husband.  Allie Seibold (Rosalind) delivers a perfectly calculated straightforward performance and Matt Mancuso shines with a robust, manic portrayal of Paul.  The remaining cast members - Jo Anne Parady, Ted Gibson, Olivia Fenton, and Jim Schilling – provide marvelous support and a few keen comedic moments.

 

Moon Over Buffalo, playing at the Music Theatre of Connecticut through February 23.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.

Citizen James, or the Young Man Without a Country - HartBeat Ensemble

The one-man play, Citizen James, or the Young Man Without a Country, chronicles the writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin’s views on art, relationships, sexuality, his upbringing and, primarily, his life as a Black man in post-war America.  Playwright Kyle Bass introduces us to a young, 24-year-old Baldwin, awaiting a flight to Paris, France in 1948 with only $40 in his pocket.  He is leaving the country due to the ongoing, pernicious racism suffusing American society.  The key word for the 50-minute production is rage as the character lashes out at the affronts he experiences and witnesses.

The actor James Alton ably embodies multiple characters in addition to the that of James Baldwin.  Under the straightforward, unhurried direction of Joann Yarrow, Alton brings forth a jumble of emotions and moods to the stage.  He handily paints a picture of Baldwin, his humor, scorn, and dignity amidst Dean Lyon’s serviceable Projection Design.

Bass’ writing can be blunt, infused with outrage and contempt.  His words force audiences to confront the injustices that permeate our society today.  The subtext – is our world so different from the time of James Baldwin?  Near the conclusion of the show, the playwright employs repetition to fortify the contemptible state-of-affairs facing Baldwin and the country.  James Alton, pacing on Kate Laissle’s minimalist Set Design, slowly, but forcefully, recites names of Black men killed for the meaningless of reasons.  Asking the audience to repeat after him, the actor runs through the long list, searing the offenses into our psyche.

 Citizen James, or the Young Man Without a Country, playing at Hartford’s HartBeat Ensemble through February 16.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.