Monthly Archives: July 2019
A Pas de Deux for Six
Now and Then – Pride Films & Plays
Two young gay college students meet by chance at a weekly amateur variety show. The Fabulously Fabulous Open Mic Night is hosted by an outgoing guy named Greg, who fancies himself a comedian in the style of Don Rickles. In spite of never having heard him sing or play his guitar, Greg kiddingly introduces Daniel as the worst act of the night. Dan, dressed in bluejeans, boots, a white tee shirt and cowboy hat, sings “Solitary Man,” a lovely, moving ballad that he wrote after graduating from high school. Both the handsome young man and his personal song have a positive effect on Greg, so he invites Daniel back to his dorm room. There, Dan plays Greg another of his compositions and the two end up sharing Greg’s bed for the night. The rest, as they say, is history, with the two young men forming a relationship that will last over forty years.
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A Journey Through Funk Music
You Can’t Fake the Funk – Black Ensemble Theatre
In the late 1960’s, African American musicians created a rhythmic, very danceable new form of music that combined soul, jazz, rhythm and blues. They called it Funk. One particular singer, the brilliant entertainer James Brown, is credited with writing and recording the first song of this new genre. Some argue that it was “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag;” others claim that it was his pulsating “Cold Sweat” that launched this unique musical form. It would grow beyond being simply a novelty or a trend and blossom into its own style. It makes little difference which song began the movement, Funk Music continues to hold an important place in American pop culture.
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Macabre and Mysterious
And Then There Were None – Drury Lane
Agatha Christie’s best-selling murder mystery—in fact, the greatest-selling crime novel of all time—is a thriller known almost everywhere in the world. Originally published in 1939 (under two different, less politically correct titles), the page-turner remains as popular today as it was when it was first hit the bookstore shelves. The novel, and Ms. Christie’s own stage adaptation, takes its current title from the last five words of a nursery rhyme that inspires the murders in this mystery story.
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Love, Chaos & Dinner
Teatro Zinzanni – Cambria Hotel
You arrive at the 14th floor of the Cambria Hotel to be greeted by a bevy of smiling faces, all of whom are there to happily launch your theatrical experience. If you’ve ever been on a cruise ship, you’ll understand what awaits you. At the far end of the theatre lobby there’s a huge bar, where all manner of beverages await your order, including a complimentary glass of champagne. Then, with a fanfare, the company of waitstaff announce that the 300+ seat Spiegeltent is now open and ready for your entertainment and dining pleasure. And with that, you’re off and running for three hours of nonstop munching, merriment and mayhem.
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More Than Meets the Eye
Kiss – Haven
There are so many unexpected twists and turns in this exciting drama, which is the finale to Haven’s current season. Seeing this one-act is truly an emotional experience. Chilean playwright Guillermo Calderon has written political story. At first, the play is masked as a melodrama about four friends in Damascus who are united in their addiction to watching a particular soap opera.
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Four Spirits in Search of a Story
Ghost Quartet – Black Button Eyes Productions
In the very intimate venue of Stage 773, appropriately called “The Box,” four talented actor/singer/musicians ply their craft. Individually and together they play multiple characters who spin a series of interwoven story fragments that transcending seven centuries. Weaving vocal and instrumental melodies and motifs throughout creates an atmosphere of eerie contemplation. The stories come from many sources. They’re borrowed from the Grimm Brothers’ “Snow White and Rose Red,” Edgar Allan Poe’s “Fall of the House of Usher” and the Scheherazade tale from “One Thousand and One Nights.” Then they’re given unique twists that make the stories feel original, yet slightly familiar. Somehow, an evil bear, a subway murder and the ghost of jazz pianist Thelonious Monk also figure into the four tales.
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A Beloved Children’s Book Comes to Life
Junie B. Jones, the Musical – Marriott Theatre
Oh joy! Oh rapture! The Junie B. Jones series of books, by Barbara Park, is onstage for the Summer in Lincolnshire in an absolutely bouncy, high-spirited musical adaptation. It was written for Theatreworks by Deerfield native, lyricist/book writer Marcy Heisler, and her partner, composer Zina Goldrich. This is definitely a show aimed at youngsters, based upon five of Park’s books; but adults will roar with laughter at the recognizable situations, the witty dialogue and the comical song lyrics that speak to their own experiences. Throughout the 60-minute play, Junie B. and her colorful world bursts to irrepressible life.
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Sibling Rivalry Gone Berserk
True West – Steppenwolf Theatre
The third in Sam Shepard’s Family Trilogy, along with his “Curse of the Starving Class” and “Buried Child,” this exciting, violent, darkly humorous play was a finalist for the 1983 Pulitzer Prize in Drama. Three years earlier, Shepard’s drama premiered in San Francisco, followed by its Off-Broadway opening at the Public Theater. In 1982 Steppenwolf produced their thrilling version of the play, starring Gary Sinise and John Malkovich, which helped put this Chicago-based ensemble company on the map. Shepard became instrumental in transferring Steppenwolf’s production to New York for another successful Off-Broadway run. Then the play finally made its way to Broadway in 2000, where it was produced by Circle in the Square and nominated for the Tony.
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This Production Really Shines
The Spitfire Grill – American Blues Theatre
American Blues Theater’s latest offering doesn’t just touch your heart; it enfolds your soul in warmth and caresses you with its humanity. Like the song that one character sings, this production “Shines.” It’s impossible to experience this lovely, folksy musical without shedding a tear or feeling a lump in your throat. At its core, this little musical is a celebration of the simple things in life. With music by James Valcq, lyrics by Fred Alley and a book co-adapted by both artists, from the film of the same name, this is a warm, heartfelt story of redemption and hope. It’s a show we could all use right now because it’s so positive.
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A Mobius Strip of a Story
Pomona – Steep Theatre
In the dark, dystopian world that young, British playwright Alistair McDowall creates, reality unexpectedly oozes into the science fiction thriller and then, just as suddenly leaches back out again. This surrealistic play is a kind of mobius strip of a story. The non-linear plot pops back and forth between the present and the future. It kicks all logic deep into the murky shadows that envelope Joe Schermoly’s nightmarish scenic design, and reality turns into an M.C. Escher-like staircase to nowhere.
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