Review of "Angry, Raucous & Shamelessly Gorgeous"

Art can be provocative.  Art can inspire.  In Pearl Cleage’s genial comedy, Angry, Raucous & Shamelessly Gorgeous, a performance art piece takes center stage as a vehicle to ruminate on the life-changing nature of the spoken word (accompanied by full nudity), relationships, and the passing of the torch from an older, more revered figure to a new generation.  The show is at Hartford Stage through February 6th.

 

The plot centers on Anna Campbell (Terry Burrell), a performer whose signature piece, Naked Wilson, was a cause celebre that forced the actress and her companion Betty (Marva Hicks) to relocate to Europe for 30 years (In the piece she recited the speeches of male characters from August Wilson plays in the buff).  Now, lured back to the states in the twilight of her career, she aims to perform the work one more time before she criss-crosses the United States with a different one-woman show.  Or she thinks.  Kate (Cynthia D. Barker), a young producer and former student of Betty’s at Spelman College, only wants to honor Anna, not have her perform at a local arts festival.  Instead, she has hired a young, ahem, actress, Precious “Pete” Watson (Shakirah Demesier) to perform Anna’s decades old work.  Sparks fly among the characters as miscommunications produce hard feelings, recriminations and, finally, a coming together for a satisfying and gratifying ending.

 

The playwright Pearl Cleage has crafted an uncomplicated, overall upbeat play that is easy to watch and digest.  The characters are fleshed out just enough to provide an ample dollop of reflections and musings in which to propel the show forward.  The main themes of female empowerment and the higher purpose of art can be somewhat loquacious but, overall, are interjected with a soft sell combativeness.  

 

The four person ensemble dutifully banters and argues about art and life.  The cast is led by Terry Burrell’s as Anna.  She can be overly effusive at times, but the actress gives a feisty and thoughtful performance.  Marva Hicks provides a composed, serene portrayal as Anna’s friend and confidante, Betty.  She is the poised Ying to Anna’s more fiery and out-spoken Yang.  As the producer Kate, Cynthia D. Barker, is believably harried as she troubleshoots on the fly, putting out one fire after another.  The standout actress in the play is Shakirah Demesier as the demonstrative and outspoken adult performer “Pete.”  Ms. Demesier is full of spunk and sass as she speaks her mind and forges her own identity.

 

Susan V. Booth’s direction is conventional and nondescripl, moving characters about the stage as they deliberate and pontificate. The spacious, finely appointed hotel suite designed by Collette Pollards is under utilized as all the action takes place in the amply sized living room positioned down stage.

 

Angry, Raucous & Shamelessly Gorgeous, an upbeat and agreeable comedy playing at Hartford Stage through February 6.

 

Review of "Fires in the Mirror"

 

Can a play that puts the spotlight on the Crown Heights riots of 1991 be relevant today?  Sadly, the answer is a disheartening yes.

 

Playwright Anna Deavere Smith interviewed over 100 people, many who were residents of the area, but also included notable commentators such as Angela Davis, the Reverend Al Sharpton and playwright Ntozake Shange, to create the one-person show, Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities.  Using 29 of her recorded transcripts, she shaped the play into a series of monologues that honestly and brutally examine the underpinnings of the riots and its aftermath.  The show is at Long Wharf Theater through February 6, 2020.

 

The explosive event involved the Jewish and African-American communities in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn.  A simmering distrust sparked by an ill-fated, deadly automobile accident and subsequent retaliation, caused days of personal injuries, considerable property damage, and a community and city questioning how to move forward.

 

The actress Cloteal L. Horne embodies each character, ranging from an anonymous Lubavitcher woman to a high school African-American teenager to New York City officials, activists and clergy.  Ms. Horne is confident and self-assured as she conveys personal stories, reflections and eye-witness accounts.  The performer assumes the various identities with a quick change of costume or by simply donning a pair of glasses, a jacket or head covering.  Assorted accents and mannerisms also help with the varied transformations.  Her overall performance is fine, but a more dynamic portrayal would have elevated the production.

 

The show, which at just about 2 ½ hours, is a trifle long, is divided into two Acts.  The first part of the show consists of a series of monologues that provide more of a slice of life in the Jewish and African-American community of Crown Heights. The focus is on everyday people, how they live their lives within their own neighborhoods.  These stories, along with contributions from well-known personalities, are at times protracted and circuitous.  They do, however, provide background and set-up for the more riveting Act II.

 

The second Act centers on the events leading up to the riots, the protests and turbulence itself, and its after-effects.  Characters present differing perspectives of what unfolded.  Questions of accountability and culpability pervade each character’s recollections.  The resulting stories are both powerful and compelling.  You can almost feel the rage that took place those 30 years ago. 

 

Director Nicole Brewer is at her best when focusing on Ms. Horne and the stories she brings to life.  The pacing for the play is good when the monologues are short and more personal.  The production becomes somewhat tedious during the longer, more rambling addresses, especially when Ms. Horne is required to roam around the very large set.  A more intimate presentation would have better balanced the production.  In the original staging of the show, Ms. Deavere Smith performed her work on a bare stage with minimal props.  Here, the set by Scenic Designer Diggle, engulfs the entirety of the Long Wharf space.  There is a circular platform of sand with another round section filled with dirt on top.  In the background is water and a fallen tree.  Overlooking it all is a large projection screen which provides some context to the spoken words, but is more a distraction.

 

In a better world, a production of Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities would be an historic footnote.  But with race relations around the country still at a flashpoint, the play still remains a very important and relevant reminder that dialogue, self-examination, and action is the only way we as a country can move forward together.

 

Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities, playing at Long Wharf Theater in New Haven through February 6, 2022.  Masks and proof of vaccination required.

Review of "Mrs. Doubtfire"

The new Broadway show, Mrs. Doubtfire, based on the film of the same name, is not the wholly gratifying musical Broadway desires.  The production can sparkle and provide many funny moments - most notably the energetic and highly enjoyable performance by Rob McClure in the title role. The show will be enjoyable for families with young children looking for a Broadway outing but, overall, the show is a disappointment.

 

The plot mostly follows the movie’s arc.  Daniel (Rob McClure) is an out-of-work actor who refuses to take his parenting role seriously, preferring to hang out and cavort with his three kids.  His wife, Miranda (Jenn Gambatese), finally fed up with his antics, divorces him.  In order to share custody, the courts require him to find work.  When his wife advertises for a nanny to help manage the home life, Daniel sees an opportunity to stay in touch with his children.  He disguises himself as a middle-aged Scottish nanny, aka Mrs. Doubtfire, applies and is hired. During the subterfuge, he begins to learn responsibility and life lessons that, in the end, make him a more conscientious and dutiful dad.  Daniel finds a new career, the kids are happy, his former wife has a new beau and everything is smiles and happiness.

 

The strength of the musical is Rob McLure as Daniel.  The actor has never given a bad performance in a Broadway musical.  He is a true triple threat – a hard-working actor, solid singer and a marvelous dancer. He’s just been saddled with roles in musicals that have underperformed – Chaplin, Honeymoon in Vegas, Beetlejuice.  Here, again, McClure gives it his all - clowning, tap dancing, and providing enough drive and vitality to wear out lesser mortals.

 

Unfortunately, he is let down by an unfulfilling book and a score that falls flat.  These are the two main issues I have with the show - the book by Karey Kilpatrick and John O’Farrell and the score by Wayne and Karey Kilpatrick. In their previous Broadway outing, the uproariously funny musical Something Rotten!, the libretto was clever and amusing and the score was tuneful and hilarious. While the book for Mrs. Doubtfire has flashes of comedic cheek, the songs are…underwhelming.  Based on the brother’s song writing history – for the stage and Top 40 charts – I was hoping for a more prominent score.

 

The supporting cast is admirable, led by Jenn Gambatese and the ever reliable Brad Oscar, who portrays Daniel’s brother Frank.  Gambatese is not given a lot to do, but provides a good counter weight to the shenanigans of Rob McClure.  Oscar who, incidentally, made such a hysterical splash as Nostradamus in Something Rotten!, once, again, provides a needed spark when needed.  J. Harrison Ghee, as Andre Mayem, the life partner of Frank, also deserves mention.  Both he and Brad Oscar make a winning pair.

 

Veteran director Jerry Zaks keeps the action fluid and fast-paced.  There’s enough schtick and over-the-top busyness to try to make up for the shortcomings of the book.  Zaks gives his star plenty of room to operate, making his performance a crowd-pleasing favorite.

 

Choreographer Lorin Latarro’s dance routines consistently make sure the musical hums along, sometimes at a frenzied tempo.

 

Special mention goes to Catherine Zuber (Costume Design) and Tommy Kurzman (Makeup and Prosthetics Design) for the Mrs. Doubtfire disguise, which allows for lightning quick costume changes.

 

Mrs. Doubtfire, a charming new Broadway musical that doesn’t quite reach its potential.

 

Review of "Company"

What better way to celebrate the life and work of Stephen Sondheim than a unrivaled production of his1970 hit Company.  The musical, which opened earlier this month, is a gender bender interpretation.  Male roles are played by women and vice versa.  The show was first staged in London a few years ago and was set to open on Broadway in March 2020 before Broadway shut down.  

 

My only quibble with Company is the role of Bobbie, played by the multi-talented Katrina Lenk. She was sensational in the drama Indecent and superb in The Band’s Visit, winning the Tony Award for Best Actress in a musical.  However, in Company, while front and center throughout the show, her performance takes a backseat to the outstanding featured performers.  Ms. Lenk is the thread that links the scenes, but she comes across more as a passive, curious observer.

 

The show opens as Bobbie, still unattached, is “celebrating” her 35th birthday.  Her married friends - no single persons are in sight - are throwing a surprise party for her.  That event is the springboard for a series of non-linear storylines involving Bobbie that chronicles the ups and downs of married life, dating, and divorce.

 

The music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim is one of his finest.  He received the first of his six Tony Awards for Best score with the show.  They are delivered with confidence and aplomb by the first-rate cast.  Every song is a memorable gem.  They include such classics as the title number, "The Little Things You Do Together," "You Could Drive a Person Crazy, " "Another Hundred People," and "The Ladies Who Lunch."  

 

George Furth’s book, with its uncompromising lens on the institution of marriage and relationships, was fresh and bold in 1970.  Over 50 years later, it still feels contemporary.  Furth’s work can be meditative, poignant and very funny.  The musical’s structure of unconnected vignettes gives the show an episodic quality that takes a few scenes to get accustomed to.

 

The top-notch actors and actresses are led by Katrina Lenk who, despite my misgivings with her portrayal, does bring an appropriately jaded, questioning outlook that stands in contrast to the sunny and sometimes somber disposition of her married friends.  Every one of the featured players deliver a highly accomplished performance.  Three of them are notable standouts - Jennifer Simard is hysterical as the seemingly health-conscious Sarah.  Matt Doyle is uproarious as Jamie, the overly anxious and jittery husband-to-be, who gets to sing the demanding tongue twister of a song “Getting Married Today.”  Patti Lupone is outstanding as Joanne, Bobbie’s boozy friend who oozes sarcasm and enmity.  Her rendition of “The Ladies Who Lunch” rivals that of the original Joanne, Elaine Stritch.

 

Director Marianne Elliott and set designer Bunny Christie utilize sliding sets and doors that open up to materializing rooms to give the production an Alice in Wonderland feel, both suggestively and literally.  It lends the show a surreal-like quality that helps interweave the storyline together.  Elliott, who’s guidance of such dramas as War Horse and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, were inventive and lively, self-assuredly shapes each scene to be engaging and dynamic. 

 

Company is not a musical with big production numbers.  Nevertheless, Choreographer Liam Steel makes judicious use of dance to augment and enhance scenes, providing a creative use of movement in the show.

 

Company, providing audiences a chance to revel in a Stephen Sondheim classic, performed by a superlative cast.

Review of "Six"

 

Six is a triumph.  Simple as that.  This musical of female empowerment, in the guise of a concert by the six wives of Henry VIII, is raucous, witty, funny and extravagantly creative.  The show reminds me a lot of the original production of Dreamgirls, another musical of a women’s singing group coming together.  Both of these shows perfectly meld together lighting, sound, choreography, costumes, and sets into one incomparable whole.

 

The musical is structured as an 80-minute pop concert - think Ariana Grande or Spice Girls - where a sing-off is being held between the women to decide who will be lead singer of the group.  To determine the role, each of the wives sings about how they suffered the most at the hands of Henry VIII.  

 

The score by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss - delivered by a tightly knit, rollicking female band under the musical direction of Julie Schade - is tuneful, playful, and full of vim and vigor. The individual performances along with the group numbers are powerfully delivered in highly stylized movements. [Note:  Songs from the musical can be played on the nightly 8-10PM EST all-request program of SoundsofBroadway.com, the 24/7 online Broadway radio station.]

 

Each of the six actresses in the show the night I attended - Adrianna Hicks, Andrea Macassaet, Mallory Maedke, Brittney Mack, Courntey Mack and Anna Uzele - brought an intensity and enthusiasm to their roles that was exceedingly entertaining and energized the audience.  

 

Directors Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage, along with choreographer Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, bring a vitality, toughness, and overall pizazz to the production.  The performers are almost constantly in motion, moving about in a strikingly synchronized fashion.

 

The lighting design by Tim Deiling, sound design by Paul Gatehouse, and set design by Emma Bailey are integral to the success of Six.  Special mention goes to costume designer Gabriella Slade for her outrageous, yet notably effective melding of pop star glamor with period influences.  

 

Six, the best new musical to hit the Broadway stage this season.

Review of "Falsettoland"

The Music Theatre of Connecticut (MTC) has been uncannily prescient with their superb production of the William Finn/James Lapine musical Falsettoland.  It was rather eerie sitting in the audience, wearing a mask, watching a musical that takes place at the dawn of the AIDS crisis as the current COVID pandemic rages on.

 

The show is the third in the “Marvin” trilogy by composer Finn and librettist Lapine, coming after In Trousers and March of the Falsettos.  The focus is on Marvin, who has left his wife, Trina, for his gay lover, Whizzer.  Trina has, in turn, married her former psychiatrist, Mendel.  Both live with Marvin and Trina’s son, Jason, who is preparing for his Bar Mitzvah.  Rounding out the eclectic group are the lesbian couple – one a doctor, the other a would-be caterer – that live next door to Marvin.  Even with all the nuttiness and suffering, everyone has remained on friendly terms and are important in each other’s lives.

 

There is a lot of Jewish angst surrounding the assorted relationships and the on and off again Bar Mitzvah.  Complicating the whole megillah is the mysterious illness Whizzer is suffering from (interestingly, AIDS is never mentioned) that forms the climatic ending of the show.

 

The characters in the James Lapine and William Finn book are neurotic, apprehensive, and full of anxiety that could only be generated by living in New York City.  The roles are well-drawn and complex, but the plot itself feels less full, more a series of intermingling vignettes.  This becomes especially pronounced when compared to Falsettos, the later, more developed, wholly satisfying combination of March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland.

 

William Finn’s songs are spirited, at times nutty, and wonderfully capture the consternation, pangs of guilty, agitation, and poignancy within each character.

 

The seasoned seven-person ensemble is enthusiastic and energetic.  Each of the performers are perfectly cast in their roles and, literally, bound into the audience.  The magnificent seven are Dan Sklar as the self-centered Marvin, Corrine Broadbent as the long-suffering Trina, Jeff Gurner as the even-tempered Mendel, Max Meyers as the free-loving Whizzer, Jessie Janet Richards as the level-headed Dr. Charlotte, Elissa DeMaria as the hopeless chef Cordelia, and Ari Sklar as Jason, the seemingly only sane one in the group.

 

Director Kevin Connors has created a tight knit cadre of actors and actresses that work as a well-oiled machine, each part supporting the other.  There is a good amount of schtick and slight, but vigorous choreography.  Connors has done away with sets, which allows the audience to focus on the performers on the small MTC stage.  He incorporates a lone hospital bed which as the show progresses, becomes the focal point of the action.

 

This glorious production of Falsettoland is outstanding and not to be missed.  MTC also deserves praise for making the bold decision to present a sizeable cast in a musical not often seen in the state.  Many Connecticut theaters have played it safe during the past few months, with small, intimate productions.  Give the Music Theatre of Connecticut credit for this robust offering. 

 

Falsettoland, playing at MTC through November 21.

 

Review of "Doubt"

The matter of sexual abuse in the Church is a volatile and hot-button issue.  However, as demonstrated in John Patrick Shanley’s Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning drama, Doubt, the explosive circumstances surrounding this serious subject is not always clear cut.

 

In Doubt, we are presented with a simple, yet complicated question – Who do you believe?  Is it Father Flynn, the charismatic priest of St. Nicholas parish or the rigid, upright St. Nicholas Church School principal Sister Aloysius?

 

The plot is straightforward – Sister Aloysius (Betsy Aidem) has strong suspicions of Father Flynn’s (Eric Bryant) inappropriate behavior towards a student.  She confides in the pupil’s teacher, Sister James (Kerstin Anderson), asking her to report any dubious conduct.  The principal also calls in the student’s mother (Sharina Martin), seeking whatever possible incriminating information she can provide.  In the end, a confrontation between the two protagonists provides closure…to a degree.

 

Shanley has skillfully crafted a drama that starts off slow and deliberate as characters are introduced and subtleties grow into outright accusations.  Hard fast evidence is in short supply.  Feelings and undocumented judgements are substituted for facts.  This is a cat and mouse game that produces constantly shifting allegiances leaving audience members persistently in doubt about guilt and innocence.  Injecting race into the scenario adds a layer of complication that only heightens the stakes at hand.

 

The uniformly fine cast is led by Betsy Aidem as the highly judgmental, take-no-prisoners Sister Aloysius.  The actress comes across as someone not to be taken lightly or to cross.  Yet, she lets seep into her portrayal a level of uncertainty that puts her actions and motivations up for question too.  Eric Bryant, is playful and gregarious as the fresh-faced priest, Father Flynn.  However, he also shows glimpses of anger and a possible dark side to his character.

 

The two other performers in the show are critical to the production’s dramatic tension.  Kerstin Anderson’s Sister James is well-meaning, naïve, an innocent vessel, and unwitting pawn in the struggle for the soul of St. Nicholas’ parish.  As she is swayed back and forth in her allegiance, she becomes the moral compass of the play.

 

Sharina Martin, the mother of the pupil in question, deftly portrays a parent in crisis.  She is a jumble of mixed emotions and attitudes - conciliatory, protective, and combative. 

 

Director David Kennedy helms this taut, 75-minute production with an experienced hand.  He allows the action to unfold at a measured pace, meticulously building up to the clash of wills and righteousness.  He has utilized Charlie Corcoran’s minimal set design – a desk and chair – which constantly shifts around the almost barren stage, as a way to compel the audience to see this unfolding drama at various angles.

 

Doubt, a thought-provoking production, playing at the Westport Country Playhouse through November 21.