The Night of the Iguana

 The Night of the Iguana
La Femme Theatre Productions
The Pershing Square Signature Center
December 30, 2023 

Photo courtesy of
La Femme Theatre Productions

The La Femme Theatre Productions’ presentation of Tennessee Williams’ The Night of the Iguana is riveting.  Director Emily Mann has gathered a stellar cast and masterfully guided them through Mr. Williams’ poetic writing.  The characters are viscerally portrayed, desperately in need, and grasping at whatever life-line they can find.  Set design by Beowulf Boritt and lighting design by Jeff Croiter create a sultry atmosphere for this deeply complex journey.

Reverend T. Lawrence Shannon (played by Tim Daly) is guiding a bus tour of women from a Texan Christian University through Mexico.  He takes a detour to Hotel Costa Verde, looking for his friend Fred.  Upon his arrival, Fred’s wife, Maxine (played by Daphne Rubin-Vega) informs him that Fred recently died.  Maxine immediately sees that Shannon is having a break down, something she nursed him through in the past.  He was asked to leave his position in the church after preaching an inappropriate sermon and having relations with an under-aged member of his congregation.  Shannon is repeating this pattern of behavior on his bus tour.  Judith Fellows (played by Lea DeLaria) is bringing him up on statutory rape charges after he spent the night with Charlotte Goodall (played by Carmen Berkeley), an under-aged member of the bus tour who she is chaperoning.  While trying to convince the tour patrons to stay at Hotel Costa Verde instead of the more modern downtown hotel, Hannah Jelkes (played by understudy Dee Pelletier) arrives with her grandfather, Jonathan Coffin (played by Austin Pendleton).  Shannon takes Hannah’s side and convinces Maxine to give them a room, even though they are short on funds.  As Shannon’s anxiety reaches a breaking point, Hannah is the one who leads him to redemption.  

Daphne Rubin-Vega & Tim Daly
Photo courtesy of La Femme Theatre Productions

Tim Daly portrays the flawed Reverend Shannon with grit, guts, and stubbornness.  His actions are
aggressively motivated by hurt and damage.  He is a victim of his own self-indulgence, running from the cause of his pain and allowing the symptoms to rule his behavior.  Dee Pelletier (understudy) is grounded as Hannah.  She and Mr. Daly have a truthful connection, which allows to story line to build to a stunning conclusion.  Ms. Pelletier skillfully delivers genuine moments in the final scene that allow Mr. Daly’s character to open, calm, and make a choice.           

Daphne Rubin-Vega is sensual and tempestuous as Maxine.  Her jealousy over the attention Shannon gives to Hannah is palpable.  She is a powerful adversary to Ms. Pelletier’s Hannah.  There are also strong performance by Lea DeLaria, Carmen Berkeley, and Austin Pendleton. 

The Night of the Iguana is playing at the Pershing Square Signature Center through February 25.  This Tennessee Williams classic is rarely revived, and this production is well worth seeing. 

Domenick Danza

In the Heights

In the Heights
Warner Bros. Pictures
June 25, 2021

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

In the Heights is a vibrant movie adaptation of Lin Manuel Miranda’s acclaimed Broadway musical.  It focuses on dreams.  Each character moves in direct search and achievement of the highest vision they hold for themselves.  This is what makes this phenomenal adaptation relevant and uplifting.  

The movie opens with Usnavi (played by Anthony Ramos) sitting at a small bar on the beach, telling four children the story of his bodega in Washington Heights.  The New York neighborhood comes to life as Usnavy starts his day, opens his store, and greets his friends and customers.  The action flows seamlessly from dialogue to hip hop to song, then back again to dialogue.  Scenes start with characters walking down busy city streets.  As the movement organically grows with rhythm, the street becomes alive with dance, then smoothly returns to daily activity.  This is all due to the expertise of director Jon M. Chu, book writer Quiara Alegría Hudes, and choreographer Christopher Scott.  Their eye on every minute detail is extraordinary.  You are swept into the lives and needs of every character.  Your heart opens as you feel for them and with them on every challenge they face.  It is no easy task to make a successful movie musical, and this creative team has raised the bar higher than it’s ever been before.  

Anthony Ramos as Usnavi
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The cast is superb.  Anthony Ramos is suave and magnetic as Usnavi.  Olga Merediz is endearing as Abuela.  Jimmy Smits is solid as Kevin Rosario.  Daphne Rubin-Vega is energizing in her portrayal of Daniela.  Gregory Diaz IV brings a dynamic charge to the role of Sonny.  Marc Anthony is heartbreaking in his cameo role of Sonny’s father, Gapo.  The list goes on and on of outstanding performers bringing their “A” game, giving the audience a truthful view into the struggles and desires of their characters. 

You MUST see In the Heights on the BIG screen.  If you’ve already seen it in the comfort of your own home, see it again in the theater.  Why?  Because now you can.  It is a worthy celebration, one to be shared in a communal setting.

Domenick Danza

Daphne’s Dive

Daphne’s Dive

Signature Theatre

The Pershing Square Signature Center

April 28, 2016

Photo courtesy of Signature Theatre

Daphne’s Dive is Quiara Alegria Hudes’ impactful play now running at Signature Theatre.  It is about much more than the North Philadelphia dive bar in which it takes place.  It’s about Daphne’s willingness to dive into life when all the odds are against her.  It’s about the bonding and journey of seven characters over the stretch of about eighteen years.  It is realistic, gritty, and edgy.

When the FBI raids the apartment above Daphne’s Dive, they inadvertently leave behind an eleven year old girl, Ruby (played by Samira Wiley).  She is adopted by Daphne (played by Vanessa Aspillaga) and is pretty much raised in the bar.  She is influenced by Daphne’s regulars: Pablo (played by Matt Saldivar), an artist who uses garbage and discarded items as his medium and inspiration; Rey (played by Gordon Joseph Weiss), an aging biker; Jenn (played by KK Moggie), a free-spirited, rebel with a messiah complex; Daphne’s sister, Inez (played by Daphne Rubin-Vega); and her husband Acosta (played by Carlos Gomez), a local businessman and community activist.  A heated argument occurs between Jenn and Acosta the night he is elected to Congress.  This initial crack in the foundation of the group’s connection causes more harm than anyone of them presumes.

Daphne Rubin-Vega, Vanessa Aspillaga,
& Samira Wiley in rehearsal
Photo courtesy of Signature Theatre

The script has some very powerful moments, which the cast delivers honestly.  They are a tight ensemble authentically portraying strong characters with clear, specific objectives.  Under the direction of Thomas Kail, they bring the play to an emotional climax and poignant conclusion.

“Signature Theatre exists to honor and celebrate the playwright.”  This production does just that for the unique, distinct voice of Quiara Algeria Hudes.  Daphne’s Dive runs at the Pershing Square Signature Center through June 12.

Domenick Danza