The Heart of Rock and Roll

 The Heart of Rock and Roll
James Earl Jones Theatre
May 9, 2024 

Photo courtesy of The Heart of Rock and Roll

The Heart of Rock and Roll is an original stage musical inspired by the songs of Huey Lewis and the News.  It is the most fun night on Broadway this season.  It will take you back to a simpler time, the 1980s.  Director Gordon Greenberg delivers a tight, fast moving production.  The cast is excellent.  The choreography, by Lorin Latarro, is high energy and perfect for the time period.

Bobby Stivic (played by Corey Cott) is the lead singer for a rock band.  That’s what he does on the weekends.  His day job is in a carboard factory.  In an attempt to get promoted to an executive sales position, he makes a deal with a local store that loses the company a large sum of money.  When his boss, Chuck Stone (played by John Dossett), finds out, he fires him on the spot.  Bobby comes up with a plan to get back in the good graces of the company, and recruits his friend and HR Director, Roz (played by Tamika Lawrence) to help him.  He plans on pitching a deal to Otto Fjord (played by Orville Mendoza), a Swedish furniture designer opening a chain of stores in the US.  Bobby convinces Chuck Stone’s daughter, Cassandrea (played by McKenzie Kurtz), to  help him land the deal.  They are successful.  Bobby gets the executive sales position, which has the perk of working side by side with Cassandra.  When Bobby’s band gets a national tour and recording contract, he is torn.  To make things more complicated, Cassandra is being pursued by her old college boyfriend, Tucker (played by Billy Harrigan Tighe).  These two people, who spent most of their lives pleasing others, now have to make a decision for what is best for them. 

Corey Cott & McKenzie Kurtz
Photo courtesy of The Heart of Rock and Roll

Corey Cott and McKenzie Kurtz have amazing chemistry.  Their solos in both Act II are heartfelt and vocally powerful.  There are also strong performances by John Dossett, Josh Breckenridge, F. Michael Haynie, Zoe Jensen, Tamika Lawernce, Raymond J. Lee, John-Michae Lyles, Orville Mendoza, and Billy Harrigan Tighe.

Photo courtesy of The Heart of Rock and Roll

The creative team has done a brilliant job of keeping the style and humor consistent throughout the show.  If you want to laugh, hear Huey Lewis tunes, and be transported back to the 80s (for two and a half hours) go see this show.  

The Heart of Rock and Roll is playing at the James Earl Jones Theatre.  Don’t miss it! 

Domenick Danza

Here There Are Blueberries

 Here There Are Blueberries
Tectonic Theater Project
New York Theatre Workshop
May 4, 2024 

Photo courtesy of Tectonic Theater Project
& New York Theatre Workshop

“Who are we in the story?” is the question the audience is asked at the end of Here There Are Blueberries.  Conceived and directed by Moisés Kaufman, this Tectonic Theater Project production, presented in collaboration with New York Theatre Workshop, is a visceral experience with a timely message.  The piece chronicles the discovery, examination, and research of a collection of photos taken at Auschwitz.  The stories that are revealed from this historical artifact change the way we view the participants in the horrific events of World War II.  

Rebecca Erbelding, a curator at the Holocaust Memorial Museum (played by Elizabeth Stahlmann), receives a call from Peter Wirths (played by Grant James Varjas).  He claims he has an album of photographs that he believes were taken inside Auschwitz.  He asks if the museum would like to see them.  There is much doubt as to whether the photos were actually taken in the camp, since the Nazis destroyed all evidence of the atrocities.  When the album is received, Rebecca shares it with her colleagues.  They are amazed at what they see.  There are no photos of the prisoner, but numerous photos of officers and administrators inside the Auschwitz camp and surrounding areas.  The photos record their daily activities and leisurely pursuits.  The high ranking officers are easily identified.  The timeline of events and identities of the lesser known individuals take longer to piece together.  Once they do, they draw vital and shocking conclusions about the participants in the horrific events. 

Elizabeth Stahlmann as Rebecca Erbelding
Photo courtesy of Tectonic Theater Project
& New York Theatre Workship

Dialogue scenes are crafted from interviews, testimonies, and historic documents.  These are all
masterfully scripted by Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich.  The cast works as a tight ensemble, playing numerous roles, including museum investigators, Holocaust survivors, present day family members of Nazi party members, and known Nazi officials.  There are outstanding performances by Scott Barrow, Nemuna Ceesay, Kathleen Chalfant, Jonathan Raviv, Erika Rose, Elizabeth Stahlmann, Charlie Thurston, and Grant James Varjas. 

Elizabeth Stahlmann & Kathleen Chalfant
Photo courtesy of Tectonic Theater Project
& New York Theatre Workshop

The process of investigating this photographic evidence is illuminated by the projection design of David Bengali.  These projections include reproductions of the artifacts from the authenticated photo album.  They are compiled in a way that highlight specific details in the images that lead researchers to ask more questions and dig deeper.  This design element illustrates the thought process of these experts, as they uncover facts and draw conclusions.

The power of this piece is multi-layered.  It tells how historians continually uncover truth that furthers our understanding of historic events.  It also makes us aware that valuable evidence that can give powerful insight into the past can be found anywhere and at any time.  Most importantly, in this time of turbulent unrest, hate, and fear, it informs us that horrific events are not initiated by monsters, but acted upon by humans who willfully participate due to their need to belong, and have an ability to block out the hurt and harm they see.  This piece urges us to be vehemently aware of who we are in the story. 

Here There are Blueberries is playing at New York Theatre Workshop through June 16.  Go see it, and find out the meaning of title. 

Domenick Danza