Review of "Star of Freedom"

 

Star of Freedom, the musical receiving its world premiere at the Ivoryton Playhouse, is neither a sophisticated, nor complex living diorama of a slice of American and Irish history.  The show covers a lot of territory, from the Irish Potato Famine of the mid-1800’s through the end of the American Civil War.  This is the main problem with the production.  Librettist Lawrence Thelen tries to squeeze in so much material within a very short timeframe (the musical is less than two hours, which includes an Intermission) that scenarios and characters are presented in broad strokes, with little depth.

 

The Star of the title refers to the North Star and figures prominently throughout the show.  Two distinct stories - one of an Irish lad, Sean, who survives the Famine and immigrates to America and the other, a young female slave, Chloe, who after years of slavery becomes a free woman - eventual meld into one unified plot line.  The two, after a tentative encounter, seek to start life anew in the Western frontier.

 

The story between Chloe and Sean is interesting and full of possibilities. The show’s creative team could focus less about plantation life - the ground that’s covered is nothing new or insightful - and Sean’s life in Ireland.  This would allow time to more richly develop the two central characters, their struggles and hardships as well as their happier moments.

 

The score by Ben Hope is jaunty, hopeful and somber.  It is heavily influenced by the folk tradition and American roots music styles.  The six-person cast doubles as the on-stage band and their instrumentation - guitar, mandolin, bass, banjo and accordion - gives the production an authentic flavor.

 

The cast is led by Danny Adams as Sean and Ayla Stackhouse as Chloe.  Mr. Adams gives his portrayal a perseverance and strength that buttresses his character’s setbacks.  He radiates a continual optimism that would be more genuine if tempered with the realities he faces.  Ms. Stackhouse imbues Chloe with a hardness, yet resolve to overcome all obstacles.  The actress manages to tease out her role to something beyond its perfunctory limits.

 

The other cast members, Brian Russell, Luke Darnell, Ben Hope and Richard E. Waits are agreeable in their multiple featured parts.  Mr. Waits also brings dignity and circumspection to the role of Chole’s Uncle Lewis.

 

Director Jacqui Hubbard diligently keeps the action moving from one scene to the next.  With few props and changeless staging, she sufficiently creates the illusion of a full range of settings, which include a ship’s journey to the New World, a mountainous cabin, and plantation dwellings. Ms. Hubbard seamlessly moves the performers from their roles within the work to musicians performing the songs on stage.

 

Scenic Designer Marcus Abbott’s minimal set of slated wood platforms and boxes, along with the occasional projection, provides a multi-functional backdrop for the various scenarios of the show.

 

Star of Freedom, playing at the Ivoryton Playhouse through May 1, 2022.

Review of "Next to Normal"

 

Next to Normal, the Pulitzer Prize winning musical, is receiving a powerful and emotionally compelling production at the Westport Country Playhouse through April 24.

 

The subject matter, atypical for a musical, revolves around Diana Goodman, a woman suffering from Bi-Polar Disorder brought on by the death of her infant son years earlier.  Trying to help her cope and seek medical and therapeutic treatment is her understanding, yet somewhat aloof husband Dan. Their 16 year-old overachieving daughter, Natalie, wrestles with her own personal issues, which includes a new relationship with a stoner, yet compassionate classmate (Henry), while trying to comprehend her mother’s illness.  Shadowing the interplay between the characters is the spectral presence of the now teenage, deceased son, Gabe, only seen by Diana.  Trying to help the family is a pragmatic and direct therapist, Dr. Madden.

 

The book by Brian Yorkey doesn’t pull any punches or sugar coat the family’s tension and dysfunction.  There are no easy answers or solutions to Diana’s condition.  Progress is made and setbacks occur.  The characters are well-drawn, full of life, but constantly buffeted by the swirling chaos of their lives.  We come to care for the characters and hope they succeed in overcoming their individual struggles.

 

The mostly rock score by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt contains over 36 songs, sung forcefully and with conviction by the cast.  The numbers amplify the outward feelings of the characters as well as delve into their inner thoughts and frame of mind.

 

The cast is led by Dar.Lee.See.Ah as Diana.  She gives a gripping performance of a woman in a perpetual state of flux, trying to understand her circumstances and free herself of her pain and suffering.  Wilson Jermaine Heredia’s Dan is a mix of emotions.  The actor poignantly portrays a husband desperately trying to assert control and harmony into a disquieting household. As Natalie, Ashley LaLonde effectively balances the anger and love of a daughter torn in many directions.  The most glowing performance is by Daniel J. Maldonado as the imaginary son Gabe.  He brings an intensity and plaintiveness to the role.  He can be menacing, but also playful as he fights for his memory to stay alive. Gian Perez provides some stability to the other characters as Natalie’s boyfriend Henry.  Katie Thompson is suitably practical and exacting as Diana’s therapist.

 

Director/Choreographer Marcos Santana adeptly starts the show off tentatively, slowly while skillfully building the family strain and adversity to a heightened level.  He teases out the struggles experienced by each character at a satisfying pace.  This is especially true with the character of Gabe, as he adroitly manages to instill a degree of danger and pathos into the role.

 

The first level of Scenic Designer Adam Koch’s multi-level set encompasses the heart of the Goodman living area, with the upper level somewhat obscured in its configuration.  Cory Pattak’s lighting design, at its best, mimics the feelings of each character. 

 

Music Director Emily Croome leads a spirited band that is almost constantly playing through the rock infused score, which also includes a handful of heartrending ballads.  Sometimes Domonic Sack’s sound design overwhelms the performers, but for most of the show the balance is first-rate.

 

Next to Normal, a thoughtful and captivating musical, playing at the Westport Country Playhouse through April 24.

Review of "Jesus Christ Superstar"

The musical Jesus Christ Superstar always seems ripe for a reconceptualization by directors who want to move it out of its biblical setting.  The current production at A Contemporary Theatre of CT (ACT) is no exception.  In his program note, Director Daniel C. Levine talks of his obsession with Margaret Atwood’s book, The Handmaiden’s Tale, and its subsequent HBO series.  There are parallels between the novel’s dystopian and totalitarian society and the Roman occupation of Jerusalem.  However, Atwood’s work is not finely ingrained in popular culture.  References to the book, primarily in the differently colored outfits worn by some ensemble members, and the symbolism they denote, can be confusing to audience members unfamiliar with the novel.

 

Still, even with this hurdle, the ACT staging of Jesus Christ Superstar is mostly an enjoyable and entertaining production.

 

The book by Tim Rice focuses on the last days of Jesus.  The story explores the personal relationships and struggles between Jesus, Judas, Mary Magdalene, his disciples, his followers and the Roman Empire.  As with most Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice collaborations, there is no dialog.  The songs move the show forward, delineate characters and provide the backdrop for some of the highly charged stagings of the musical.

 

The score by the duo was their first for the Broadway stage (the pre-Broadway concept album was the top selling album of 1971, more popular than Carole King’s Tapestry).  It is my personal favorite from all the musicals composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber.  The cast members deliver each of the celebrated songs, which include “Heaven on Their Minds,” “What’s the Buzz,” “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” and “Superstar” with power and brilliance, Sometimes, during the performance, I just closed my eyes and let the songs and the music from the dynamic pit band just wash over me.

 

Brett Stoelker, as Jesus, comes across as rather tame, with little affect for someone who is supposed to be a charismatic leader.  Likewise, Caitlin Kinnunen’s Mary is almost invisible outside her musical solos.  Avionce Hoyles gives a complex and angst ridden performance as Judas.  The real treat are the scenes with the triumvirate of Ben Cherington, as The Priest; Katie LaMark, as Annas; and Isaac Ryckeghem, as Caiaphas.  They skulk around the stage as one, ready to unleash their diabolically calculating plans on Jesus and his followers. Their voices blend and complement each other beautifully.

 

Director Daniel C. Levine keeps the show lively and engrossing.  The musical is at its strongest when he focuses on the central thrust of the story.  In addition to positioning the show as a parallel to The Handmaiden’s Tale, some of his other choices are, well, a bit strange.  In “King Herod's Song,” Herod is portrayed as a Las Vegas lounge singer with four sidekicks all dressed in head to toe leather body suits.  In “Superstar,” Judas comes out dressed as a hipster lounge crooner.

 

Sara Brians provides timely, though limited, choreography that strengthens the production with urgency and spirited movement.

 

Scenic Designer Jack Mehler has created a bleak landscape of despair that is augmented by Lighting Designer Penny Jacobus, Costume Designer Claudia Stefany faithfully recreates Handmaiden garb to go along with an assortment of other interesting and provocative designs. 

Sound Designer Nathan Rubio blends music and voice together that is thrilling to listen to.  Only occasionally does the band overwhelm the performers.

 

Jesus Christ Superstar, a production, with all its imperfections, is still worth catching, playing at ACT through April 17.

Review of "The Buddy Holly Story"

 

There are two reasons to see The Buddy Holly Story, playing until April 10, at the Music Theatre of CT in Norwalk.  First, is the dynamic performance of the actor/musician Spiff Wiegand in the lead role of Buddy Holly.  Wiegand is a bundle of kinetic energy as he plunges into one Holly classic after another.  Second, is the over two dozen songs, delivered with drive and vitality, mostly from the Buddy Holly catalog.

 

The overall production, however, is hurt by Alan Janes’ pedantic book that provides no real dramatic arc as it skims through Holly’s early years until his untimely death. Most of the featured characters are loosely drawn with little shading.  They just aren’t that interesting.

 

Whenever a scene becomes bogged down with light-hearted banter or corny sentimentality, the band – Buddy Holly and the Crickets – surges into such classics as “That’ll Be The Day,” “Maybe Baby,” “It’s So Easy To Fall In Love,” and “Peggy Sue Got Married.”

 

Kevin Connors uses all his directorial wiles as he attempts to propel the show forward outside the musical selections.  There are occasional glimmers of note but, for the most part, the audience only becomes animated once the trio of musicians makes harmonious magic.

Review of "Dishwasher Dreams"

 

Dishwasher Dreams, the one-man show by Southeast Asian comedian/actor Alaudin Ullah, is a poignant and appealing presentation about the immigrant experience.  The often amusing production is like an HBO or Netflix comedy special, but instead of short, humorous one-liners or monologues strung together for 90 minutes, Dishwasher Dreams is a more cohesive piece.  At its core, the play is about family and personal identity.

 

Alaudin’s narration begins as he is about to have his big break in Hollywood, but quickly pivots to the story of his father’s arrival to America in the late 1940’s as a Bengali Muslim.  He chronicles the trials and tribulations of his father who worked, primarily, as a restaurant dishwasher to support himself and, later, his family.   The stories focus on the hardships of surviving in his adopted homeland, a return trip to Bangladesh to find a bride, and even his friendship with fellow worker Sid, who would later be better known as the actor Sidney Poitier.

 

The actor shifts gears, again, to talk about his life.  He grew up in the rough and tumble section of New York City’s Spanish Harlem, where he embraced American culture. The reminiscences of his beloved New York Yankees and their star player Reggie Jackson and his antics with his Bangladeshi cousin are funny and touching. 

 

The comedian eventually takes the career path of standup comic, after viewing George Carlin in one of his first HBO comedy specials.  The road is rocky, but he eventually succeeds in his chosen profession, coming full circle as he fulfills his American dream and, in extension, those of his father.

 

As a playwright, Alaudin has crafted a well-structured theatrical experience with very humorous personal reflections and stories.  There are some lulls and the set-ups and deliveries do not always provide the desired results.  However, there is enough entertaining material to elevate the show beyond a standard comedy showcase.

 

As a performer, Alaudin is not the most polished of actors which, in this setting, does not deter from the enjoyment of the show.  He has an everyman appearance and delivery that is endearing and authentic.  With many years spent honing his skills on the comedy club circuit, Alaudin is poised, confident and engaging.

 

Musician Avirodh Sharma, sitting silently in the back corner of the stage, plays a continuous, rhythmic beat on the traditional tabla (a bongo-like instrument), that underscores the show’s lineage.  His masterful artistry enhances the production without overpowering the spoken word.

 

The problem with directing a one-person show is how to keep the audience engrossed with the performance on stage.  While Chay Yew keeps the production fluid, there is a lot of movement by the actor.  He is continually positioned around the slightly raised stage, dotting in and out of Lighting Designer Anshuman Bhatia’s lit squares. Throw in the occasional monologue atop a wooden chair and the overall effect diminishes what should be a hearty audience connection.

 

The bare-bones Scenic Design by Yu Shibagaki, primarily the wall of bamboo behind the raised, wood slatted stage, is a simple reminder of Alaudin’s Southeast Asian heritage. 

 

Dishwasher Dreams, playing at Hartford Stage through March 20. 2022.  Click here for more information and tickets.

 

Review of "The Mountaintop"

 

The Mountaintop is a fictional rendering 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 hotel room.  King (Chaz Rose) is ruminating about the weighty undertakings he needs to address while in Memphis to support the sanitation workers strike.  Seeking a cup of coffee, he calls for room service and soon a young, attractive maid, Camae (Shavonna Banks) 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.

 

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.

 

Chaz Rose is a natural to play Martin Luther King, Jr.  His booming voice finely enriches his oratorical remarks and flourishes, but 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.

 

Shavonna Banks 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. The actress demonstrates her acting range as the frisky, soul-searching banter in the beginning of the play turns more solemn and supernatural.

 

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

 

Lindsay Fuori’s set design has a claustrophobic and disheveled authenticity.  RJ Romeo’s lighting and sound design, especially with the lightning and thunderstorm raging outside the hotel room - almost Biblical in its rage - is extremely effective.   His projection array at the show’s conclusion is compelling and haunting.

 

The Mountaintop, playing at the Music Theatre of Connecticut through February 20, 2022.  Information and tickets are at https://www.musictheatreofct.com/the-mountaintop

 

Review of "Five Guys Named Moe"

It may be cold and snowy outside, but inside Playhouse on Park, their production of Five Guys Named Moe is hot, hot, hot.  The jukebox musical, a celebration of the swing jazz artist Louis Jordan, is splashy, high-spirited and full of rollicking tunes.

 

The premise of the show is simple.  Nomax, a young man in his 20’s, arrives home drunk, having spent the evening with his now ex-girlfriend.  Bemoaning his circumstances while lazing in front of his old-fashioned radio, he is suddenly surrounded by the Five Guys who have magically appeared through the broadcasting device.  Through non-stop songs and energetic dance numbers the men teach Nomax life lessons about love, loss, and reconciliation.

 

The songs of Five Guys Named Moe are from the hits of songwriter and swing jazz artist Louis Jordan.  The multi-talented composer and performer was one of the most successful African-American artists in the 1930’s through 1950’s.  He has been cited as an early influencer of rock ‘n roll and, according to a biography, “was a leading practitioner, innovator and popularizer of jump blues, a swinging, up-tempo, dance-oriented hybrid of jazz, blues and boogie-woogie.”  Many of the over two dozen songs are exuberant, snappy and infectious.  Other compositions are bluesy and reflective.  Jordan was known for call back numbers and a few are included in the production.  Warning - get ready to stand and boogie in this show.

The cast from Five Guys Named Moe - photo by Meredith Longo

 

The five very talented performers who make up the strikingly entertaining Moe ensemble are a highly syncopated group, with dazzling harmonies and dynamic jumping jive.  The interplay between the men is playful, brotherly, and full of jubilation.  Individually, each actor commands the spotlight with sassy singing chops, smooth moves, and a dash of humor that keeps the musical percolating at a feverish pitch.  The group consists of Arnold Harper II (Eat Moe), Jacquez Linder-Long (Four Eyed Moe), Darren Lorenzo (Big Moe), Devin Price (Little Moe), and Josh Walker (No Moe).  Marcus Canada (Nomax) winningly plays the foil to his new friends.  He is unsure, sometimes combative, and a bit awkward as he attempts to keep up with the frenetic pace of the Moes.

 

Director/choreographer Brittney Griffin delivers a show with verve and intoxicating energy.  Her choreography is highly inventive, full of vitality and athleticism.   She has the performers constantly in motion, utilizing every inch of the small Playhouse stage.  Ms. Griffin does a skillful job moderating the production between high octane scenes, more circumspect and sentimental numbers, and audience call-back chants.  There is also plenty of humor injected into the show.

The cast from Five Guys Named Moe - photo by Meredith Longo

 

The six-piece band, led by Musical Director Dexter Pettaway, Sr., is a tight knit assemblage of musicians that can keep the beat at a sizzling pace or mellow the groove for the more melancholy numbers.

 

The whimsical set, by Scenic Designer James Rotondo III, resembles an oversized 1930’s radio, and is positioned at the back of the stage.  The band is housed behind its see through, curtained facade.  Lighting Designer Marcella Barbeau embellishes the production with well-timed mood lighting.  Occasionally, the sound mix was off, leaving it hard to hear some of the performers clearly.  I’m sure, now that Sound Designer Ethan Gueldenzopf has had the occasion to hear the show in front of a raucous and enthusiastic crowd, as opposed to an empty rehearsal hall, the necessary adjustments will be made. The costumes by Vilinda McGregor, while basic men’s wear in Act I, shimmered during the Act II nightclub scene.

 

Five Guys Named Moe, boisterous, lively jukebox musical, playing at Playhouse onPark in West Hartford through February 27, 2022.