Death of a Salesman - Hartford Stage

The Hartford Stage production of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman is the reason you go to live theater.  The Pulitzer Prize winning play is exceptionally powerful and emotionally devastating.  The cast, led by Peter Jacobson as Willy Loman, is superb.  Director Melia Bensussen stages the production with heartbreak and sadness.  She brings a skillful spiritedness to the scenes focusing on the intimate, sobering family dynamics.  Ms. Bensussen also effectively expands the spatial relationships within the show as the characters drift afar from the front of Scenic Designer Sara Brown’s steel skeletal set, adding a dreamlike element to the production.  This makes sense since Miller’s original title for the play was The Inside of His Head, where past memories, mix with present day illusions.  Matthew Richard’s pinpoint Lighting Design, many times bathing characters in harsh, white light, and Darron L West’s recognizable soundscape coupled with a dissonant piano backdrop, heighten the drama within the work.

Samuel H. Levine, Max Katz, and Peter Jacobson in Death of a Salesman.  Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

Death of a Salesman first appeared on Broadway over 75 years ago, but the themes that pulsate throughout the play – pursuit of the American Dream, conflicts between father and sons, denial, among others – are just as current today.

Adrianne Krstansky and Peter Jacobson in Death of a Salesman.  Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

The plot focuses on Willy Loman, a traveling salesman who has seen better days, both on the road, and with his wife and two sons.  Slipping between reality and vivid hallucinations of his past, he believes ultimate success is just around the corner, all long supported by his loyal and protective wife, Linda.  His two adult sons, mirror their father’s failures and disillusionments.  Biff, in his youth, a charismatic, high school football star, is now adrift with no direction or life goals.  Happy is a womanizer whose expectations of the real world are as unrealistic as those of his father.

Samuel H. Levine, Peter Jacobson, and Max Katz in Death of a Salesman.  Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

As the play progresses, and Willy’s delusions and volatile behavior become more prevalent, his family life and professional career crumble, resulting in a harsh and blistering denouement. 

Peter Jacobson's Willy Loman, exudes an intensity and cynicism that is heartbreaking to behold.  He satisfyingly brings the audience along in his whirlwind of competing emotions and actions.  As Linda Loman, Adriene Krstansky’s is solid as Willy’s unyielding wife.  She adeptly portrays the many sides of the character - unflinchingly supportive and protective, fierce guardian of her husband, a meek and passive observer, but, in respect to her sons, an unbridled critic.

Peter Jacobson, Adrianne Krstansky, Max Katz, and Samuel H. Levine in Death of a Salesman.  Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

Samuel H. Levine’s portrayal of Biff is an adroit display of squandered dreams and self-loathing affectations.  Max Katz finely imbues the character of Happy with the self-deluding demeanor and restlessness of his father.

The remainder of the featured cast is equally compelling in their roles.  Michael Cullen is suitably unworldly as Willy’s ghostly brother Ben.  Stephan Cefalu, Jr., morphs convincingly from a nerdy boyhood friend of Biff to a mature, self-confident family man and lawyer.  Paul Michael Valley provides fine support as Charley, Willy’s only true friend.  Nora Eschenheimer’s “Woman,” initially a flighty figure, provides a more shaded and darker brashness during the play’s penultimate moment.

Peter Jacobson in Death of a Salesman.  Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

Death of a Salesman, playing at Hartford Stage through March 29.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.

The Irish… And How They Got That Way - Music Theatre of CT

The Irish… And How They Got That Way, a musical revue that combines snippets of Irish history with an assortment of Irish-centered songs, is receiving a high-spirited production at the Music Theatre of Connecticut (MTC).  The show is performed by a multi-talented cast of five.  They play a variety of instruments – guitar, mandolin, piano, violin, and cello for songs that include 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 Alex Mongillo.

The production at MTC has shaved about 30 minutes from a previous staging of the show I attended, which was 2 ½ hours.  The current length is perfect for this type of show.  Director Kevin O’Connor keeps the performers constantly on the move, pausing every so often for the occasional ballad – did anyone say “Danny Boy?”  He has molded an ensemble that works well together and clearly enjoys each other’s company.  O’Connor has astutely played to the actor’s strengths.  For example, Hillary Ekwall is a classical celloist, which she shows off to fine fashion.  Erin Margaret Williams grew up as a competitive Irish Step Dancer.  She adds intermittent high-stepping, crowd-pleasing flourishes to the revue.  The other cast members, who also sing and play with gusto – Zachary Anderson, Jeff Raab, and Joseph Torello – are all superb with their vitality and outward enjoyment of the material.

Jeff Raab and Erin Margaret Williams in The Irish… And How They Got That Way.  Photo by Alex Mongillo.

Some of the stories and historical facts are associated with the 1840 potato famine.  This period of shortages and deprivations are eye-opening, as well as appalling, bringing a somber tone to the production.  However, O’Connor doesn’t allow the mood inside the small performance space to become overly somber. 

Hillary Ekwall in The Irish… And How They Got That Way.  Photo by Alex Mongillo.

The pocket-size stage is another strength of the show, allowing the vibrancy, energy, and camaraderie of the actors to be in full focus of the audience.  Scenic Designer Sean Sanford has transformed the space into a highly detailed Irish pub, which contributes greatly to the ambiance of the show.  Longtime MTC Costume Designer Diane Vanderkroef has fashioned a variety of late 19^th and early 20^th century garb appropriate for the Irish at home and abroad.  Jon Damst’s Sound Design is beautifully rendered, allowing vocals to float above the musical numbers.

 

The cast of The Irish… And How They Got That Way.  Photo by Alex Mongillo.

The Irish… And How They Got That Way, playing at the Music Theatre of Connecticut in Norwalk through March 22.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.

The Mountaintop - Playhouse on Park

The Mountaintop, receiving a superb production at Playhouse on Park, is a fictional work by playwright Katori Hall that takes place on the eve of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination.  Set in Room 306 of the Lorraine Hotel, this two-person show is a captivating and affective piece of theater.

 

The production opens in a small, disheveled, ordinary looking hotel room.  King (Torrey Linder) is ruminating about the weighty undertakings he needs to address while in Memphis to support the sanitation worker’s strike.  Seeking a cup of coffee, he calls for room service and soon a young, attractive maid, Camae (Jasmine Shanise) arrives. The two quickly develop a very comfortable rapport.  The conversations between the sassy, care-free hotel worker and the revered civil rights leader range from portentous themes to more run-of-the-mill topics.  They become friendly and playful until a surprise twist adds a more otherworldly and meditative end.

Torrey Linder and Jasmine Shanise in The Mountaintop.  Photo by Meredith Longo.

Playwright Katori Hall took inspiration for the play from King’s “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech, delivered the night before his assassination.  In that address he declared, "We've got to give ourselves to this struggle until the end.”  An eerie premonition the night before his death.  Hall has crafted the show to allow the characters to discuss and debate numerous highly charged issues of the day, including race, the civil rights movement, and political turbulence.  King also confides to Camae about his misgivings, fears and even death. 

 

Hall took a lot of push back for humanizing the spiritual leader - showing “warts and all” - but the portrayal, in a fictional manner, allows for a fuller picture of King the human being. Some of the character monologues approach preachiness, but the overall impact is engrossing and powerful.

 

Torrey Linder in The Mountaintop.  Photo by Meredith Longo.

Torrey Linder is a natural to play Martin Luther King, Jr.  He has handsome features, and a booming voice finely enriches his oratorical remarks and flourishes.  However, the strength in his performance is the manner he presents the clergyman as an ordinary man who changed a nation.  The actor convincingly conveys the multiple layers to King’s persona as he struggles with the weighty issues of the day.  He is both confident in his on-going work but, at times, questioning his resolve and actions.

 

Jasmine Shanise brings spunk and a street-smart toughness to the role of Camae.  She is nobody’s fool and quickly develops a well-rounded portrayal of her character.  Her patter can occasionally be too quick, but once she settles into the role, the easy going, yet fitful rapport she has with the civil rights giant becomes more natural. She demonstrates her acting range as the frisky, soul-searching banter in the beginning of the play turns more solemn and supernatural.

Jasmine Shanise in The Mountaintop.  Photo by Meredith Longo.

Working within the premise of playwright Katori Hall’s fictional scenario, Director Jamil A.C. Mangan deftly creates an interaction between the two protagonists that is believable and organic.  He effectively incorporates enough busyness and creative machinations to keep the momentum of the two-person show flowing without going stale.  He skillfully directs a seamless transition between the two segments of the show, beautifully and artfully sequencing to the transcendental conclusion.

 

Patti Panyakaew’s set design has a claustrophobic and disheveled authenticity.  Matthew Weisgable’s lighting and Carter Mangan Jr.’s sound design, especially with the lightning and thunderstorm raging outside the hotel room - almost Biblical in its rage - is extremely effective.   Christian Killada’s projection array at the show’s conclusion is compelling and haunting.

 

The Mountaintop, playing at Playhouse on Park through March 22.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.

The One Good Thing or "Are Ya Patrick Swayze? - Seven Angels Theatre

The two-person play, The One Good Thing or "Are Ya Patrick Swayze?", receiving its New England premiere at Seven Angels Theatre in Waterbury, is a melancholy and whimsical journey touching on family, grief, and the afterlife.  The action takes place at a small cottage high above the Irish Sea.  There, two brothers reflect on their lives, past, present, and future.  There is angst, joy, and unforeseen revelations to their debates and introspections.  A twist to the story is that the older brother, Jamie (Nick Roesler) is a ghost, a fact his younger sibling Tommy (John R. Howley) is slow to accept.  With this premise, the stage is set for the duo’s sometimes humorous, often impassioned, and always devotional reflections.

Playwright Joseph Bravaco delves into the playfulness and intensity of brotherly love and disagreements.  The issue with The One Good Thing or "Are Ya Patrick Swayze?", is its lack of real drama and tension.  There are moments that engage, but they are few and far between.  While introducing a spiritual component to the play ratchets up the interest, the intrigue it entails slowly wanes.

Nick Roesler and John R. Howley in The One Good Thing or "Are Ya Patrick Swayze?" Photo by Constantine Pappas.

Director Sasha Brätt attempts to vary the action and interactions within the drama, but is limited by the back-and-forth banter of the script, and Charles O’Connor’s minimalist set – a quaint, compact kitchen connected to a spare yard, a weathered wooden bench serving as its focal point.

The two actors are very good.  Their rapport comes across as natural, both in the love and pain they show each other.   Nick Roesler’s Jamie jousts, prods, and dotes like a caring, concerned older brother.  John R. Howley is terrific as Tommy.  He reveals a range of emotions leading up to a heartrending conclusion.

The One Good Thing or "Are Ya Patrick Swayze?", playing at Seven Angels Theatre in Waterbury.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.

The Counter - Theaterworks Hartford

The short (75 minutes) one-act, The Counter, provides a slice-of-life at a smalltown diner.  The show, playing at Theaterworks Hartford through March 22, is is an intimate story between two individuals (with a brief appearance by a third person) looking to cope with their simple lives, engage, and build trust with each other. 

 

Katie (Justis Bolding) helms the front of the eatery where Paul (Tim DeKay), a retired firefighter, is always her first customer.  Simple premise.  However, one morning, Paul proposes a rather odd, atypical request of the proprietress.  This sets into motion a reckoning by both characters, each with their respective pasts and possible futures.  

Justis Bolding and Tim DeKay in The Counter.  Photo by Curtis Brown.

 

Through a number of scenes, showing the passage of time, playwright Meghan Kennedy slowly explores the evolving relationship between the two protagonists.  This is not a love story, but of a tentative friendship where heart-to-heart tête-à-têtes reveal deeper truths.  There is easy-going ruminating, humorous leavened with pathos, in the dialogue that could be overheard at any local diner.  At certain points, especially towards the end, the plot can seem contrived, with a somewhat hurried ending.  The inclusion of the town doctor, Peg (Erika Rolfsrud), provides a short, but important element to the play. 

 

Bolding and DeKay, under the uncluttered, straightforward direction of Rob Ruggiero, each give a naturalistic performance.   The actress provides a dash of spunk, independence, and a charm befitting a smalltown diner.  Tim DeKay, who is fast becoming a favorite at Theaterworks Hartford, could be an amalgamation of the denizens of the TV sitcom Cheers.  Sometimes gruff, self-deprecating, and willing to talk your ears off, the actor effectively presents a multi-layered character looking for direction and tethered to hope.  Erika Rolfsrud delivers a well-honed, no-nonsense, yet vulnerable, performance in a role that provides an integral piece of Paul’s backstory.

Justis Bolding and Tim DeKay in The Counter.  Photo by Curtis Brown.

 

The interior of Set Designer Tijana Bjelajac’s diner is detailed and authentic looking.  Matthew Richards’ lighting design adds a touch or realism as the sun sets and rises each day over the venerable establishment.

 

The Counter, playing at Theaterworks Hartford through March 22.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.

Frozen - A Contemporary Theatre of CT

The musical Frozen is a tough show to stage.  There is less Disney magic or spectacle than their musicals like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, or Mary Poppins.  The focus, instead, is on the two central characters, Anna and Elsa, princesses of the kingdom of Arendelle.  Without two dynamic performers, Frozen will not work.  Fortunately, the production at A.C.T. of Connecticut (ACT) features a pair of enchanting, vibrant actresses – Leigh Ellen Jones (Anna) and Kyrie Courter (Elsa) - that keep Frozen an entertaining and an enchanting piece of theater, primarily, for younger audiences.

 

The book by Jennifer Lee is tight and fluid.  There are some noticeable changes from the animated film, making the show more manageable to stage, but which will not greatly upset fans of the movie.  For example, the trolls are now the “hidden people” and there is no Marshmallow, the giant snow monster.

 

The plot centers on the Anna and Elsa, from the time they are young girls through the moment Elsa is crowned Queen.  Her magical powers, where she can summon cold, snow, and ice, inadvertently overwhelms the kingdom, forcing her to flee to the mountains.  Anna, looking to save her sister, is joined by an ice merchant, Hans; his reindeer, Sven; and an adorable snowman, Olaf.  Together they seek to rescue Elsa, reverse the eternal winter that has descended upon Arendelle, and save the kingdom from doom.

 

The songs by the husband-and-wife team of Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez contain a host of catchy tunes and are well sung, as performers nicely tease out the comedic numbers (“Love Is an Open Door" and “What Do You Know About Love”) and the more lighthearted and dramatic moments ("Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and “For the First Time in Forever”).  Kyrie Courter’s rendition of the earworm classic, “Let It Go,” is powerfully delivered and generates theatrical pizazz with the incorporation of Scenic Designer Matthew Imhoff’s emerging ice palace.

 

Leigh Ellen Jones and Kyrie Courter Ms. Jones are winningly cast as the two female leads.   Both actresses bring a strong-willed, independent streak to their performances.  As Anna, Ms. Jones also imbues her character with a comedic wit and fortitude she carries throughout the show.  Ms. Courter, more guarded with her portrayal of Elsa, nonetheless, conveys an underlying strength that fuels her character’s yearnings.  Frankie Lou Lauderdale, as young Anna, and Ellie Lila, as the young Elsa, are impressive as they capably command the stage at the start of the show.  Brody Redman is effective in his role as the seemingly altruistic suitor Hans.  While the actor Jalon Matthews aptly conveys befuddlement in the role of Kristoff, the chemistry between him and Leigh Ellen Jones is missing.  Katelyn Lauria is requisitely nutty as the snowman Olaf but, curiously, is more in the background during the length of the show.  The same could be said of Niko Charney as the lumbering reindeer Sven, garbed in a very large costume designed by Travis M. Grant.

 

Robert W. Schneider, utilizing Scenic Designer Matthew Imhoff’s simple, interchangeable sets and Jack Mehler’s dramatic Lighting Design, keeps the pacing quick and action constantly in motion.  A number of his decisions inject humor into the production, such as having members of the cast clothed in towels during the song “Hygge.”   Schneider also skillfully manipulates the cast to become interchangeable parts of the show’s set at the climatic finale.  His one misstep is having the cast continuously enter and exit the stage into the audience.  Individuals seated in the back of the theater have a panoramic view of the arrivals and departures.  Those of us that were seated in the front rows, could not see what was happening. 

 

Caitlin Belcik’s choreographer ranges from elegant ballroom dances to inspired, goofy one-steps.  As with the undertaking of her director colleague, her compositions are key in moving the action forward.

 

Frozen, placing at ACT through March 15.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.

 

Gutenberg! The Musical - Playhouse on Park

Gutenberg! The Musical is a silly show with a silly premise - the life of Johannes Gutenberg, the creator of the printing press.  Who says you can’t write a musical on any topic?  While the idea and execution supplies smile-inducing entertainment, the show does begin to run out of steam by its conclusion.  However, what makes Gutenberg! a diverting and amusing show is the comic, full-throttled performances of its two leads – Jeremiah Michael Ginn (Bud Davenport) and John Wascavage (Doug Simon) – and the inspired direction of Sasha Brätt.  The chemistry and energy of the two actors and their no-holds-barred scenery crunching provide a constant supply of tittering.  Brätt manages to generate enough schtick and nuttiness to deliver a show that generates chuckles more than outright laughter.

Jeremiah Michael Ginn and John Wascavage in Gutenberg! The Musical.  Photo by Meredith Longo.

The musical, which debuted Off-Broadway in 2006, tells the story of Bud Davenport and Doug Simon, two nursing home employees who decide one day to pen a Broadway musical.  They sink their life savings into writing and producing a one-shot production, minimally staged and with few props, to impress a big-time producer.  They come up with the idea of the life of Johannes Gutenberg, the creator of the printing press.  When they conduct research - via Google - they discover scant information about the German inventor, which allows them to create a piece of historical fiction - emphasis on the fiction.

 

Jeremiah Michael Ginn and John Wascavage in Gutenberg! The Musical.  Photo by Meredith Longo.

 

The plot follows Gutenberg as he transforms his wine press to the haloed printing press.  Complications, of course, ensue.  Added to the mix are assorted townsfolk; Helvetica, the women who loves him; and, to add a dash of menace and intrigue, a Mad Monk.  Ginn and Davenport portray all the varied roles as they don yellow visored baseball caps, with a character’s name emblazoned on front.  The gimmick works as Director Brätt weaves in quick changes and even a chorus line of hats during one number.  In between scenes, the characters of Bud and Doug provide commentary on the show, reveal secrets of stagecraft, and disclose aspects of their personal lives. 

Jeremiah Michael Ginn in Gutenberg! The Musical.  Photo by Meredith Longo.

Scott Brown and Anthony King, who collaborated on the book, music, and lyrics bring a jocular wit and kookiness to the story.  Their score, which includes such ditties as "I Can't Read," "Biscuits," "Stop The Press," and "Monk With Me" works well within the confines of the musical itself, but you won’t be humming any of the tunes as you leave the Playhouse on Park theater.

 

Jeremiah Michael Ginn and John Wascavage are inspired schlemiels.  Their tomfoolery and antics constantly light up the stage.  The two actors are clearly enjoying themselves and play wonderfully off the audience’s reactions.  What impressed me most about their performances was how diligently they were working to make the show succeed.

John Wascavage and Jeremiah Michael Ginn in Gutenberg! The Musical.  Photo by Meredith Longo.
 

Director Brätt, working within the bare-bone set designed by Arthur Wilson and the bold lighting design by Kyle Stamm, inserts enough gags and silliness to keep the production humming smoothly.  Even with the constant barrage of shenanigans, there is a purposeful manner to the musical, which keeps it from spiraling out of control.

 

Musical Director Miles Messier, who doubles as an uninterested foil, adds a professional glint to the show.

 

Gutenberg! The Musical, a beguiling and mirthful diversion, playing at Playhouse on Park through February 8.  Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.