A Man of No Importance

 A Man of No Importance
Classic Stage Company
December 17, 2022 

Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

The Classic Stage Company production of A Man of No Importance is stunning and heartwarming.  It is based on the 1994 film of the same title.  The book, by Terrance McNally, delves into the characters and weaves them into emotional connections that forever change their outlooks.  The music, by Stephen Flaherty, creates an atmosphere that draws you in.  You feel part of this close-knit community.  Lynn Ahrens lyrics propel the action forward by deepening the awareness of the character’s inner lives.  John Doyle directed and designed the production to flow seamlessly and fill the space with poetry, passion, and tenderness.

It is the 1960’s in Dublin Ireland.  Alfie Byrnes (played by Jim Parsons) is a conductor for Dublin’s public transportation system, collecting tickets and reciting poetry to his passengers.  When he is told by Father Kenny (played by Nathaniel Stampley) that his theatre production of Oscar Wilde’s Salome cannot take place in the church hall because of its immoral content, it sends him into a period of self-reflection.  He sees himself as a man of no importance.  He thinks back to the day he decided to move forward with his idea of directing Salome with his little theatre troupe.  Adele Rice (played by Shereen Ahmed) boards his bus for the first time.  She looks like an exotic princess to Alfie, so he convinces her to accept the role of Salome.  Alfie’s sister, Lily (played by Mare Winningham) is happy to hear Alfie talk about Miss Rice.  She feels this might be Alfie’s chance to find happiness, get married, and settle down.  She does not know about Alfie’s secret attraction to Robbie Fay (played by A.J. Shively), the driver on Alfie’s route, who is cast as John the Baptist in the play.  As the production of Salome comes under scrutiny, Alfie faces the truth about himself and his “love that cannot speak its name,” and finds more acceptance that he expected. 

A.J. Shively & Jim Parsons
Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

The story poetically unravels with simple honesty, which reflects the setting and time period.  The characters are all very well developed and beautifully performed.  Jim Parsons is grounded and tranquil as Alfie Byrne.  The character is committed to poetry, theatre, and the works of Oscar Wilde.  He cannot imagine why anyone would not be open and enthusiastic about experiencing and creating art.  Mr. Parsons portrays this character with genuine sincerity and conviction.  Mare Winningham is endearing as his siter Lily.  She supports her brother and pushes him to find happiness and love.  She is shocked when Alfie’s truth is revealed, yet she stands by him when he needs her most.  A.J. Shively is suave and outgoing as Robbie Fay.  He portrays the character as an average man seeking adventure in his day to day life in Dublin.  His friendship with Alfie is touching.

Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

There are equally amazing performances by Shereen Ahmed, Alma Cuervo, Kara Mikula, Da’Von T. Moody, Mary Beth Peil, Thom Sesma, Nathaniel Stampley, Jessica Tyler Wright, Joel Waggoner, and William Youmans.  A Man of No Importance extended it’s run at Classic Stage Company, yet unfortunately closes on December 18.  I hope this will not be the last we see of this show.  It is a rare gem, truly charming and uniquely moving.

Domenick Danza

Macbeth

Macbeth

Classic Stage Company

October 26, 2019

Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

The Classic Stage Company has produced a heart-racing, one hour and forty-minute rendition of Shakespeare’s Macbeth.  Director John Doyle cuts right to the insatiable lust for power that drives the play, then overshadows it with the overwhelming sense of guilt that brings the downfall of the characters.  The cast of nine seamlessly move the action forward, skillfully portraying noble loyalty, voracious cunning, and vengeful retribution. 

Macbeth (played by Corey Stoll) is sought after by the three weird sisters (played by the ensemble) to predict his rise to power.  When his wife, Lady Macbeth (played by Nadia Bowers) hears the news, she devises a plan to hasten the events.  She manipulates her husband to kill King Duncan (played by Mary Beth Peil) to gain the throne.  He does the deed as planned and finds it only one of many slaughters to come.  He hires assassins to kill his friend Banquo (played by Erik Lochtefeld) in order to secure his position as king.  When the ghost of Banquo haunts him, Macbeth is propelled to visit the three weird sisters for an answer to its meaning.  Their revelations fuel Macbeth’s thirst for power and hide the clues to his imminent downfall.

Corey Stoll as Macbeth
Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

John Doyle’s choice to have the three weird sisters played by the ensemble is truly inspired.  The theater echoes with their unsettling verse and their evil is existent within every person on stage.  He ends the play with the same lines and formation as the opening, showing how this driving force of selfishness is ever present and seductive as events shift and move forward.

Corey Stoll portrays Macbeth as an honorable man, lured into making choices from which he cannot escape.  His character is changed after the murder of Duncan.  His physical and emotional transformation is clear and strong.  He spends the remainder of the play masking his emotional state as he continues to cause harm.  As he says to Lady Macbeth, “False face must hide what the false heart doth know.”  

Nadia Bowers as Lady Macbeth
Photo courtesy fo Classic Stage Company

Nadia Bowers is powerful as Lady Macbeth.  She conjures forces within herself to construct her plan and moves on it with unwavering determination.  Her mad scene is focused and unnerving.  Barzin Akhavan is strong as Macduff, and Raffi Barsoumian is passionate and innocent as Malcolm.  Mary Beth Peil is imposing as Duncan, and Erik Lochtefeld is loyal and gentle as Banquo. 

This production of Macbeth is boldly conceived and masterfully interpreted.  It is playing at Classic Stage Company through December 15.  If you are a Macbeth fan, as I am, you will truly enjoy it.

Domenick Danza

Fire and Air

Fire and Air

Classic Stage Company

February 16, 2018

Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

In Fire and Air, playwright Terrance McNally tells the passionate story of the relationship between Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev and Vaslav Nijinsky during the years of the Ballet Russes.  The Classic Stage Company production is designed and directed by John Doyle, who masterfully interprets Mr. McNally’s brilliantly crafted play about these complex and truthful characters.  The cast is strong and bold.  The story is accurately told.

Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

Sergei Diaghilev (played by Douglas Hodge) spots a young Vaslav Nijinsky (played by James Cusati-Moyer) during a performance.  Diaghilev nurtures and molds him into one of the greatest ballet dancers of the 20^th century.  Diaghilev’s passion and vision for creating a new form of Russian ballet with his company, Ballet Russes, is matched only by his obsession for his new protégé.  When the company has financial trouble, Diaghilev turns to his cousin Dmitry “Dima” Filosofov (played by John Glover) to help him with the finances.  He and Dunya, Diaghilev’s nurse since childhood (played by Marsha Mason), provide emotional support for Diaghilev when Nijinsky marries Romola de Pulszky, a dancer in the corps de ballet.  Diaghilev dismisses Nijinsky and turns his attention to Leonid Massine (played by Jay Armstrong Johnson), another young dancer in his company, yet he is never able to let go of his deep feelings of love and obsession for Nijinsky.

Douglas Hodge & James Cusati-Moyer
Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

Douglas Hodge creates a giant with his portrayal of Diaghilev.  He is exuberant, flamboyant, and larger than life.  His character’s passion for creating art thunders from deep within his soul and vibrates throughout the theater.  His deep need for love, attention, and admiration pervades his every action.  James Cusati-Moyer is mysterious and cunning as Nijinsky.  He has a commanding physicality and a fiery presence.  Together these two actors honestly portray a tumultuous relationship that is based on need and longing.  Their distance magnifies their attraction.  Their aspirations are magnetic.

Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

John Glover is glorious as Dima.  Marsha Mason is solid and grounded as Dunya.  Their portrayals of the lifelong relationships to Diaghiliev create a sense of family that frames his boldness with a sense of reality, candor, and care.  Jay Armstrong Johnson creates a naive youth in the character of Leonid Massine that is an excellent juxtaposition to Nijinsky’s understanding of the control, exploitation, and abuse that Diaghilev is capable of.

The story of Diaghiliev, Nijinsky, and the Ballet Russes has been written about and told numerous times and in various media.  Terrance McNally’s rendition of the story is clear, concise, and emotionally driven.  It gives us pause to reconsider the value of art in our society.  John Doyle’s vision for the play is beautifully executed.  The cast is truly amazing.  Fire and Air is running at Classic Stage Company through March 2.  Check it out! 

Domenick Danza

The Color Purple

The Color Purple

Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre

September 4, 2016

Photo courtesy of  The Color Purple

The Broadway revival of The Color Purple is a joyous celebration of the human spirit.  The vocal power of the magnificent cast erupts from the stage and energizes the theatre from the opening number and continues throughout the show.  Director John Doyle beautifully and seamlessly stages the action of the play on a unit set he designed himself.  The music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray evoke passion and empathy, and with book by Marsha Norman present clearly defined characters facing harsh challenges and brutal obstacles.

Cynthia Erivo is a powerhouse as Celie.  Her character grows and flourishes over the forty year duration of the story.  Heather Headley is strong and fierce as Shug Avery.  Her presence is magnetic, and her voice and characterization are authentic.  Isaiah Johnson skillfully portrays the many layers of Mister from his abusive outrage to his redeemed unselfishness.  Danielle Brooks, as Sofia, and Kyle Scatliffe, as Harpo, capture your heart and make your soul soar.  The juxtaposition of Sophie’s “hell no” approach to life and Harpo’s naïve optimism grabs your attention, makes you laugh, then delivers startling truths.  These two characters have a prominent story line that twists and turns beneath the arc of Celie’s journey.  Ms. Brooks and Mr. Scatliffe make the most out of every moment they are on stage.

Danielle Brooks & Kyle Scatliffe
Photos courtesy of The Color Purple

Heather Headley & Cynthia Erivo
Photo courtesy of The Color Purple

The balance in the sound design was off during the performance I attended.  The volume was so loud that it was difficult to understand some of the dialogue.  This is a very surprising occurrence in a Broadway production, yet it did not take away from the powerful impact of the performance.  The ending will leave you peaceful and joyous.  Go see it! 

Domenick Danza

Peer Gynt

Peer Gynt

Classic Stage Company

May 22, 2016

Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

Peer Gynt, Henrik Ibsen’s five act play written in verse and loosely based on a Norwegian fairy tale, is presently in production at Classic Stage Company.  Ibsen’s script is said to “blend poetry with social satire and realistic scenes with surreal ones.”  This holds true in this production, especially the social commentary, which rings relevant to our present day political dilemma.  Directed and adapted by John Doyle, these moments are strongly focused, yet he has omitted the depth and expanse of the main character’s experiences on his journey by diminished the show to a mere one hour and fifty minutes without an intermission. 

Peer Gynt (played by Gabriel Ebert) longs for greatness.  To be specific, he yearns to be emperor.  He rides a wild stag and steals the virginity of the bride of a fellow townsperson.  He gains wealth and dubs himself a prophet.  He is told he has become an emperor, but only of himself.  This achievement is not enough for him.  In the final moments he realizes he has not been true to himself, and is therefore not able to receive the rewards he desires.

Gabriel Ebert as Peer Gynt
Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

The actors (Gabriel Ebert, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Becky Ann Baker, Adam Heller, Jane Pfitsch, Dylan Baker, and George Abud) all do an amazing job creating true characters whose objectives are clearly and realistically motivated.  The final section of the play (Act 5 from Ibsen’s script) is powerful and provocative, yet outweighs the surface skimming of the previous sections.  The most memorable scene is when Peer Gynt peels an onion trying to find the center.  He compares each of the layers to an experience he had on his journey.  When he realizes there is no center to the onion, only continual layers, he feels a sense of despair.  His response offers an understanding that he was searching for something deeper all along.  The production, however, lacks the heightened sense of adventure and visceral connection needed to make that moment, and others like it, compelling and meaningful.

Peer Gynt runs at ClassicStage Company thought June 16.

Domenick Danza

The Visit

The Visit

Lyceum Theatre

April 4, 2015

Photo courtesy of The Visit

I am stunned by the power of The Visit.  It is a truly remarkable production, starring the legendary Chita Rivera in a performance that should not be missed.  The show is grim and sad and breathtaking.  It is a journey through the wounds of love, fuelled by vengeance and a yearning for reunification.

When the richest woman in the world, Claire Zachanassian, played by Chita Rivera, returns to her down trodden hometown, everyone looks to her as a savior, a beacon, and more importantly, a possible patron.  What she is looking for is to reunite with her first love, Anton Schell, masterfully played by Roger Rees.  The truth of how the town ostracized her family and forced her into exile is acknowledged when Claire reveals the true purpose of her visit.  The proposition she offers forces everyone in the town to question their humanity.  Strangely enough, the decision is a no-brainer for most of them, making you question your own compassion as you put yourself in their shoes.

Chita Rivera and Roger Rees both deliver riveting performances.  The whole cast is amazing.  They are a tightly woven ensemble strongly directed by John Doyle.  John Kander’s score cannot be compared to any of his other work.  His music creates a mood that envelopes you.  His rhythms and tempos lure you in to a unique setting with mesmerizing characters.  Fred Ebb’s lyrics tell a story that is clear and heart wrenching, driven by vengeance and passion.

Chita Rivera, Tom Nelis, Chris Newcomer, and Matthew Demming
Photo courtesy of The Visit

The entire production is coherently designed.  It envelops your emotions and enthralls your imagination.  The set, designed by Scott Pask, is vast and mysterious.  The yellow shoes worn by Claire’s entourage, along with the other symbols of prosperity and wealth, are garish and striking against the dark and gloomy backdrop created by Mr. Pask.  The lighting, by Japhy Weideman, creates intimate spaces for realistic moments in the extensive setting. 

The ghosts of the younger Claire and Anton are ever present throughout the play.  In the opening scene they gesture and move with efficiency and desire that carries the signature of choreographer Graciela Daniele.  All the characters in the show display her precise and distinct influence.  There is a duet between Claire and her younger self that is beautifully choreographed.  It is danced by Chita Rivera and Michelle Veintimilla with a truthful depth of emotion that propels the journey of the story forward with lucidity and fervor. 

Chita Rivera and Michele Veintimilla
Photo courtesy of The Visit

Originally produced by the Goodman Theatre in 2001, the remounting of this Kander and Ebb gem is remarkable.  In the final scene Chita Rivera and Roger Rees transport a grim and desperate story driven by decades of betrayal and revenge into an incomparable love story smoldering with youthful passion.  The Visit is the highlight of the season!

Before the show started, the man sitting to my left informed me that the show was based on a 1956 play written by Swiss dramatist Friedrich Durrenmatt.  It was originally written in German and titled “Der Besuch der alten Dame“.  It was produced on Broadway in 1958 starring Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, in English of course.  In 1964, it was made into a film with Ingrid Bergman and Anthony Quinn.  He proceeded to tell me the story of the play, which he knew intimately because he taught it numerous times – an intellectual out to impress me, or whoever was lucky enough to sit to his right.  I thought, “Spoiler alert!” and tried to politely tune him out.  I am pleased to say that even a spoiler couldn’t spoil this show.  I was drawn in and willingly went on the deep, dark journey.  (I am willing to admit that I was impressed by the gentleman to my left and had felt relatively uniformed.  Naturally, I proceeded to do my research when I got home.  Not all his facts were accurate.  The above information is what I discovered.  Who’s the intellectual now?)*

By the way, I bought the refrigerator magnet… and was considering the key chain.  Yes, the show was that good!

Domenick Danza

*Additional interested tidbits:  The original 2001 Goodman production was a vehicle for Angela Lansbury.  She pulled out of the production due to her husband’s illness, who later passed away.  Chita Rivera signed on, and played opposite John McMartin.  The production was directed by Frank Gelati and choreographed by Ann Reinking.  It opened on October 1, 2001.  Due to the September 11 attacks, the show did not move to Broadway.