Review of National Tour of "The Book of Mormon" - Bushnell Center for Performing Arts

This following is adapted from my Broadway review of the musical.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the men behind Comedy Central’s long-running animated hit, South Park, have regularly incorporated elements of musical theater into their outrageously funny creation. Along with Avenue Q veteran, Robert Lopez, the threesome have written the book, music and lyrics to the uproariously entertaining, sometimes provocative, Tony Award winning musical, The Book of Mormon.  The national tour is at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts through Sunday, March 30^th.

Anyone familiar with Parker and Stone’s work knows that some of the characters will be foul-mouthed and situations will be compromising and irreverent. The Book of Mormon delivers on all counts…and more. The production pokes fun at, gently mocks, and occasionally skewers Mormonism, but never maliciously. The premise of the musical is simple enough. Two mismatched Mormon missionaries, hoping for a plum missionary assignment are, instead, assigned to Uganda and shipped off to rescue the souls of this African nation. Mark Evans, is the handsome, squeaky clean, tightly wound idealistic member of the twosome.  Christopher John O’Neill, a dumpy, disheveled, loud mouth liar is his unlikely partner. Together they enter a world of poverty, AIDs, warlords, and indifference by the villager’s they are charged to save. Of course the harebrained solution to convince their disinterested flock to see the light is, in typical South Park fashion, off the wall and absurd, but would you expect anything different?

The book and score, which is surprisingly tuneful and inventive, veer from good-natured sweetness, as with the opening number, “Hello,” to the wildly subversive “Spooky Mormon Hell Dream” production number where Hilter; Genghis Khan; serial murderer, Jeffrey Dahmer; and O.J. defender, Johnny Cochran sing and dance. The creative triumvirate pays homage to Broadway’s past with a vulgar take-off of “Hukuna Matata” from The Lion King, “Hasa Diga Eebowai;” and an equally inappropriate send-up of the “The Small House of Uncle Thomas” from The King and I, “Joseph Smith American Moses.”

The direction is crisp and sure-footed, with a dash of zaniness.  This is a production that is constantly on the move, effortlessly shifting from one scene to the next.

The whole cast is top-notch. Besides the two leads, the musical’s male ensemble of missionaries must be acknowledged. These six actors are an integral part of the show. Led by Grey Henson as Elder McKinley, the group provides some of the most hilarious, belly-laughing moments of the musical. Their clap-on, clap-off, tap dancing extravaganza in “Turn It Off” is priceless.  Alexandra Ncube, the sole female lead, the African daughter, Nabulungi, is sweet and innocent with a strong, clear voice.  One of the ongoing gags throughout the production is the way the character of Elder Cunningham continually butchers her name.

The Book of Mormon, a must for South Park fans as well as the rest of mankind.  Playing at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts through March 30th.

Review of "Higgins in Harlem" - Playhouse on Park

There are two reasons to see the world premiere of Higgins in Harlem—Kevyn Morrow as the incorrigible, self-absorbed Henry Higgins and Janelle A. Robinson as his sassy, no-nonsense mother.  The two seasoned performers provide a healthy degree of professionalism to an uneven production. 

The show, an African-American version of Pygmalion, transports the locale to Harlem, circa 1938.  Those familiar with the source material or, more likely, the Lerner and Loewe musical of the show, My Fair Lady, will know the storyline.  Professor Henry Higgins, a linguistic specialist and teacher, scoops up a street-smart, mouthy, inerudite young woman, Eliza Doolittle (Geri-Nikole Love), and, through a bet with his colleague, Colonel Pickering (Bob Johnson), vows to transform her into a well-mannered, perfectly speaking African princess within six months.  Through fits and starts the duo succeeds, but not without pain for their subject as Eliza’s metamorphosis is simply viewed as a grand experiment.  Higgins and Pickering seem to have very little outward feelings for her and have no plans for her when their deadline arrives, leaving the now beautiful and polished young woman without a future.  She could marry Freddie Hill (Joshua Ramos), who has fallen heads-over-heels for her, strike out on her own, or even move in with her now respectable father (Jeffrey Cousar), a former street person who, through a twist of the plot, is now very well off.  As the lights dim, we are left to ponder what might happen.

Writer/Director Lawrence Thelen presents an interesting twist on George Bernard Shaw’s classic tale, but there are problems.  There is no chemistry between the two protagonists which, in the least, should have some spark.  A few scenes, more to the quality of the acting, seem overlong.  I would have also like to have seen more scenes that delved into the mechanics of teaching Eliza.  There is one unsatisfying pantomime and a variation of “The Rain in Spain” being substituted for “Take the A Train.” The show takes place in Harlem, but except for some name dropping and the type of taped music played between scene changes you would never know.   It would seem if the play is being promoted as being in a certain time period and location you would stress this fact.  As written it seems too much like just an African-American version of Pygmalion.  Even though Thelen has extensive directing experience it might have been better to have a different set of eyes and ears helming the production.

Kevyn Morrow is headstrong and slightly more off-putting then necessary as the language expert.  But he is focused and a dynamic personality when on stage.  Janelle A. Robinson is the other bright spot in the play, giving a straightforward, classy performance as Higgins’ mother.  Geri-Nikole Love, as Eliza, undergoes a convincing transformation from the periphery of society to its very heights.  She is beautiful, poised and, by the end of the show, strong-willed, yet melancholy.  Bob Johnson is rather one-dimensional as Higgins’ ally Colonel Pickering.  Jeffrey Cousar is a whirling dervish of energy during his few appearances as Eliza’s father, Alfred Doolittle.  A bit more restraint could have been in order.  Xenia Gray is quietly strong as the reliable maid, Mrs. Pearce.

Higgins in Harlem, at Playhouse on Park through March 23^rd.

Review of "4000 Miles" - Long Wharf Theatre

 

In Amy Herzog’s play, 4000 Miles, playing at New Haven’s Long Wharf Theatre through March 16^th, a grandmother and her early 20’s year old grandson, suddenly thrown together, slowly forge a symbiotic and trusting relationship that leads to mutual understanding and growth for the impetuous young man.  

The play begins as Leo (Micah Stock) surprises his grandmother (Zoaunne Leroy) when he arrives at her Greenwich Village apartment in the middle of the night, having just concluded a cross-country trek on his bicycle.   The youth, a free spirit and a bundle of self-importance, asks for temporary shelter while deciding his next step in life.   The brief stay soon stretches out for three weeks as the two become closer and more dependent on each other.    Along the way Leo must deal with death, relationships, and family matters.

During the almost two hour, intermissionless show Herzog gradually builds a story that seems longer then the aforementioned time frame, but fulfilling in the end.  Her characters are full of personality and complexities as they struggle with each other’s temperament and individuality.  The playwright also manages to weave in the pain of aging and the desolation of loneliness.

Micah Stock is impressive as the irresponsible and immature grandson.  He is irritating and self-absorbed, yet also vulnerable as he comes to grip with his personal demons and uncertainties.  Zoaunne Leroy is wonderful as the octogenarian grandmother, Vera Joseph.  She is mercurial and sassy, but pained as she confronts her own frailties while trying to develop some type of rapport with her daughter’s son.  Leah Karpel as Leo’s girlfriend, Bec, is fine but not given enough emphasis to make her role as well-rounded as the two central performers.  The same goes for Teresa Avia Lim as Leo’s one night stand, Amanda.

Director Eric Ting doesn’t hurry the material, allowing the actors to sink into their roles and let them slowly evolve.  His pacing of the production is key.  Some audience members may find the play’s tempo somewhat sluggish or lethargic, but those that stay attuned to the show’s rhythms will be rewarded with a rich and satisfying, yet melancholy ending.

4000 Miles, at New Haven’s Long Wharf Theatre through March 16^th.

Review "The Open House" - Off-Broadway

The description for the Off-Broadway play, The Open House, by Will Eno, states:  “Playwrights have been trying to write Family Plays for a long time…They try to answer the question, ‘Can things really change?’ People have been trying nobly for years and years to have plays solve in two hours what hasn't been solved in many lifetimes. This has to stop.”  Unfortunately, Mr. Eno has taken this observation to heart as his new work, while haltingly funny at first, leaves the audience wanting more of a resolution by the end of the 80 minute show.

At the onset we are introduced to quite the dysfunctional family gathered in the living room for what is suppose to be a wedding anniversary celebration.  The father (Michael Countryman), confined to a wheelchair after a stroke (maybe a series of strokes), is contentedly reading the newspaper and simultaneously ignoring his young adult son (Danny McCarthy) and daughter (Hannah Bos), just in for the occasion, his brother-in-law (Peter Friedman), and wife (Carolyn McCormick) and delivering one mean-spirited bon mots after another at his family members.  His bullying, mockery, and sarcasm are alternatingly funny and very disturbing.  The children’s uncle (possibly someone with post-traumatic stress disorder), mostly silent and invisible in the background, is the target for most of the taunts.  The wife, serene, cheerful, with a dash of passive-aggressiveness, is somewhat oblivious to her husband’s offensive shenanigans.  Slowly, events and actions begin to change the dynamics of the group as cast members leave the stage, one by one, only to return in the guise of different characters.  It is the latter part of the play, connected, yet disconnected to the first segment, which gives The Open House, overall, an incomplete feel.

Playwright Will Eno provides sharply defined characters that provoke and entertain.  He intriguingly sets the stage for what could have been a very interesting production if he kept with his initial group of performers and developed a more user-friendly, traditionally structured play.

The cast is uniformily fine with Michael Countryman giving the most complete and distinctive performance as the thoroughly unlikeable head of the household.  Danny McCarthy and Hannah Bos, as the berated and constantly criticized children, are rather one-dimensional, but achieve much fuller portrayals with their second line characters.  Peter Friedman stands out in his role as the listless, mostly undemonstrative brother-in-law, convincingly conveying a sense of aimlessness.  Carolyn McCormick gives an understated performance as the slightly confused, yet sometimes lucid mother.

Director Oliver Butler, while centering attention on the father figure, organizes a tableaux of nuanced performances that, in totality, paints a distressing picture of one family’s life.  He skillfully orchestrates the departure of one set of characters and the introduction of the next in a seamless manner.

The Open House, now through March 30^th at the Pershing Square Signature Center on Theatre Row.

Review of "Opportunity Makes the Thief" - Off-Broadway

The little OPERA theatre of ny lives up to its name with their delightful production of Opportunity Makes the Thief.  The show, taking place at one of the shoebox-sized theatres at the 59E59 complex, is a one act comedic romp of happenstance, mistaken identity, and discovery.  Written by Gioachino Rossini, the opera is sung in English, with a translation by Mark Herman and Ronnie Apter, which an opera neophyte like myself thoroughly appreciated.

The seven person chamber ensemble, under the sure-handed guidance of James Bagwell (who also demonstrates a deft comic touch with the players), provides a rich and precise sound.

The group of rotating actors present for the performance I attended possessed rich, full-throated voices that beautifully resonated within the small performing space.  They were all very polished, delivering accomplished performances.  Baritone Adelmo Guidarelli stood out with the showcase role of Martino, the bumbling, amusing man-servant.  Sometimes the lyrics were hard to understand, as the enunciation wasn’t as smooth as a strictly Broadway musical, but with the simple plot outlined in the program the action was not difficult to follow.

Director Phillip Shneidman, working within a cramped space and what could basically be described as an up and down ramp surrounding the musicians, deserves kudos for just keeping the actors from running into each other.

Opportunity Makes the Thief, validating the old adage of good things come in small packages.

Review of "Philosophy for Gangsters" -- Off-Broadway

-->

Do you know those “Saturday Night Live” sketches that are funny and clever within their few minute time span, but then because they are funny and clever the concept is stretched into a full-length movie?  The results are usually a disaster—“MacGruber,” “It’s Pat,” and “A Night at the Roxbury” are just a few of the disappointing examples.  I bring this up because the new Off-Broadway show, Philosophy for Gangsters, a comedy with very few laughs, has the same mistaken premise—take an idea, which would be funny and clever for a 5-10 minute skit and misguidedly expand it to a 2 ¼ hour play.

Callie Rizzoli is the college-educated daughter of a Mafia family.  After her parents and brothers are gunned down during a police raid, she and some of the boys, ruminate about their demise deciding to blame it on determinism, that which guides our destiny and choices.  So, naturally, who do they hold responsible for this philosophical notion—a Professor of Philosophy, Wilfred May, from the local university.  They kidnap him and look to execute him as a representative of philosophy instructors everywhere as well as because of his personal beliefs.  But before they carry out their plans, the gangsters come up with the idea of forcing the faculty member to draft a philosophical manifesto that both rebukes determinism and provides the theoretical underpinnings for their life of crime.  The professor becomes an unwitting and, at first, unwilling pawn in their warped machinations and from there the plot spirals into tediousness and banality.

Courtney Romano as the slick talking Callie Rizzoli gives a good impression of Marisa Tomei from “My Cousin Vinny;” Tom White as the Philosophy Professor Wilfred May is bland and unsympathetic; and Bruno Iannone as The Don does a not-so-great imitation from any “Godfather” movie.  The rest of the cast is just as two-dimensional with little nuance and distinction. 

The script by Liz and Barry Peak rambles on for far too long.  This could have easily been a shorter production.  The script is somewhat convoluted that, by the end, leaves you scratching your head as to the thrust of the production.  Serving as both playwrights and directors was a disservice to them and the show.  As directors they could have asked for more judicious editing as well as a storyline with better structure.  The flow also continuously stalls from the blackouts between scenes as the action continually switches back and forth from the two side-by-side sets.

The only bright spot of the show are the video vignettes of news reports and man-in-the-street interviews that are intermittently projected above the stage.  They are humorous, creative, and well-produced.

Philosophy for Gangsters, playing through March 1^st at the Beckett Theatre Off-Broadway.

Review of "Outside Mullingar" - Broadway

A rather unconventional courtship is taking place at the Samuel J. Friedman theatre where John Patrick Shanley’s quirky, romantic comedy, Outside Mullingar, is now playing.

Debra Messing is Rosemary Muldoon, a no-nonsense woman of the land who, now that her father has just passed away, must run the family farm on her own.  Brian O’Byrne is Anthony Reilly, a melancholy loner who operates a farm adjacent to Rosemary’s spread in the Irish countryside.  The two, nearing 40 years of age, have known each other since they were little tykes.  While acquaintances, their relationship has never progressed beyond a standoffish association, much to the chagrin of Rosemary.  Their connection is thrown into flux after her father’s funeral when she and Anthony, along with her mother and his father, gather in the Reilly kitchen to reminisce, bicker, and open old wounds.  A minor land feud and talk of disinheritance then sets the plot into motion, which after the death of the aged parents, propels the show’s romance forward.

Shanley, who won the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for Doubt as well as an Academy Award for the screenplay of Moonstruck, has written a somewhat screwball comedy, idiosyncratic in nature that slowly builds to its satisfying conclusion.  His two central characters—Rosemary and Anthony—are richly layered with enough foibles and eccentricities to populate all the towns folk in their quaint village.

Debra Messing’s is highly satisfying in her return to the stage.  She is decidedly unglamorous in her portrayal of Rosemary as the actress plays against type from her two most well-known roles, in the television shows, Will and Grace and Smash.  She is candid, outspoken, and straight-shooting, yet there is also a degree of vulnerability and sadness to her character.

Brian O’Byrne is marvelous as the brooding, disheartened Anthony.   He is defensive and low-key, but underneath yearning to assert his manhood and place in society.  You feel for him, a bundle of nervous uneasiness seeking his last chance at happiness.

Peter Maloney as the elder Reilly and Dearhbla Molloy as the patriarch, Aoife Muldoon, are masterful during their time on stage, whether delivering comic zingers or emotional lamentations.  Their performances form the perfect ying to their younger counterpart’s yang.

Director Doug Hughes allows the action to unfold slowly and deliberately, never pushing too hard for a quick resolution.  He gives the actors enough room to develop their character’s quirks and insecurities in an honest, matter-of-fact fashion. 

Outside Mullingar, a perfect valentine to share with that special someone, now through March 16^th.