Romeo & Juliet

Romeo & Juliet

Shakespeare in the Parking Lot

The Drilling Company

July 13, 2019

Photo courtesy of The Drilling Company

The Shakespeare in the Parking Lot production of Romeo & Juliet is the perfect way for The Drilling Company to celebrate twenty-five years of bringing FREE Shakespeare to the Lower East Side.  Lukas Raphael brilliantly directs a superb cast of ten, led by Anwen Darcy as Juliet and Adam Huff as Romeo.  With a running time of one hour and fifty minutes, there is no better way to spend a warm summer evening in NYC.

The play opens with the typical Shakespearian actor speaking the prologue.  He/she is briskly pushed off the stage by the cast of characters boisterously setting up the tension between the feuding families, immediately creating an atmosphere of aggression and danger.  The party scene where Romeo first lays eyes on Juliet is glorious.  The attraction between Ms. Darcy’s Juliet and Mr. Huff’s Romeo is stunningly playful.  The balcony scene which follows is charming, filled with the eager and youthful yearnings of two teens discovering their feelings.  The final scene in the crypt is emotionally effective.  Ms. Darcy and Mr. Huff deliver genuine and tender performances.

Adam Huff & Anwen Darcy
Photoc courtesy of The Drilling Company

The cast works as a close-knit ensemble, smoothly transitioning from one scene to the next.  Jack Sochet is commanding as Capulet, Juliet’s father.  Serena Ebony Miller is outstanding as Friar (Sister) Lawrence.  Alessandro Colla delivers a robust Mercutio.  Una Clancy, Samantha Sutliff, Jake Lesh, Kendra Lee Oberhauser, and John Callendo all create strong characters that vibrantly fill the outdoor space.

Artistic Director Hamilton Clancy is dedicated to making Shakespeare accessible and free to the public.  After twenty-five years of producing Shakespeare in the Parking Lot, he is a true master.  Romeo & Juliet runs Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:00 PM through July 27.  Take the F train to the Delancey Street stop and walk two blocks to the Clement Soto Velez Cultural Center parking lot on 114 Norfolk Street.  Meet a friend a enjoy a fun, free night of well-done Shakespeare. 

Domenick Danza

All’s Well That Ends Well

All’s Well That Ends Well

The Drilling Company

Shakespeare in the Parking Lot

July 15, 2017

 

Photo courtesy of Shakespeare in the Parking Lot

You must see The Drilling Company’s Shakespeare in the Parking Lot production of All’s Well That Ends Well.  Director Karla Hendrick has masterfully condensed this Shakespeare comedy down to an enthralling two hours without an intermission.  The show is clear, concise, bold, intelligent, and funny.  Ms. Hendrick’s understanding of pace and timing brought this superb cast to perform as a well-knit ensemble.  Once again, The Drilling Company Shakespeare in the Parking Lot reigns as the best outdoor Shakespeare experience in the city.

Anwen Darcy & Michael Bernstein
Photo courtesy of Shakespeare int he Parking Lot

When Helena (played by Anwen Darcy) is parted from Bertram (played by Adam Huff), she confesses to his mother, the Countess (played by Elowyn Castle) that she is in love with him.  Helena travels to France to find him.  She plans to use the herbs and remedies she inherited from her father to heal the King (played by David Sitler), and in return request he marry her to the man of her choosing.  She is successful in her plan, yet when she chooses Bertram, he is reluctant due to her lower social status.  This calls for another, more cunning plan to change his mind.

Mary Linehan & Elowyn Castle
Photo courtesy of Shakespeare in the Parking Lot

Anwen Darcy and Adam Huff are excellent as Helena and Bertram.  Their chemistry and attraction is strong.  They play the push/pull of Shakespeare’s comic love extremely well.  Mary Linehan reigns as LaVatch, servant to the Countess.  She captures your attention and flirts with your emotions.  She is equally matched by Michael Bernstein as Parolles.  His is bold and energetic.  The scenes they have together are scintillating.  Another amazing duo is Eric Paterniani and Jarrod Bates.  They play numerous roles and are always together.  Their characterizations and comic timing are impeccable.  Elaine Ivy Harris creates a strong willed Diana whose free spiritedness brings the lovers, Helena and Bertram, together in the end (Oops!  Spoiler alert… but this IS a Shakespeare comedy).

Photo courtesy of Shakespeare in the Parking Lot

All’s Well That Ends Well runs for one more weekend (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, July 20-22, at 7:00 PM) at the Clemente Cultural & Educational Center Parking Lot.  Check the website for directions (shakespeareintheparkinglot.com). The Drilling Company’s summer season also includes Henry VI Part 3 from July 27 – Aug. 12 at the Parking Lot, and Twelfth Night and The Tempest at Bryant Park.  All these shows are FREE.  Make a plan to see them all!

Domenick Danza

The Merchant of Venice – Shakespeare in the Parking Lot

The Merchant of Venice – Shakespeare in the Parking Lot

The Drilling Company

August 4, 2016

Photo courtesy of The Drilling Company

The Drilling Company’s Shakespeare in the Parking Lot production of The Merchant of Venice is vibrant and moving.  Artistic Director Hamilton Clancy and Director Ezra Barnes have assembled a brilliant cast to bring life to this poignant and meaningful Shakespeare play.  This production has the quick and tight pace that is a trademark of The Drilling Company Parking Lot experience.  Shakespeare’s words echo with significance in the open parking lot space.  The strength of this production is the humor, which does not come from joy, but from cunning, trickery, and irony.

Jane Bradley skillfully plays Portia as a strong woman who uses her wit and charm to obtain what she wants, which is to wed Bassanio (played by Adam Huff).  She then uses her intelligence to help him save his friend Antonio (played by James Davies) from the bond held by Shylock (played by Dave Marantz).  She achieves her objective on all accounts, but, along with Nerissa (played by Amanda Cate Fuller) and Jessica (played by Lauriel Friedman), gains nothing more than an understanding that their men are deeply flawed in the ability to live by their word.

Jane Bradley, Dave Marantz, & James Davie
Photo courtesy of The Drilling Company

The theme of the value of your word rings loudly in this production.  Conflicts arise when the men give their word, whether it is in matters of finance, business, or love, and are not willing or able to follow through on it.  It is the women who succeed in following through, yet their place in society does not allow them much credit.  At least their place is higher than that of Shylock, who loses everything, yet is considered saved by the social standard of the time period.

Jane Bradley delivers a powerful and charming performance as Portia.  Dave Marantz portrays Shylock as a solid business man who is broken by the loss of his daughter.  Adam Huff is bold and alluring as Bassanio.  Eric Paterniani is enchanting and commanding as Lancelot.  There are strong performances from James Davies, Amanda Cate Fuller, Aly Bryant, Michael Sazonov, Michael Vincent Carrera, Lauriel Freidman, Warren Jackson, Wayne Willinger, Israel Hillary, and Richard M. Steele.

If you have not read my post about the Shakespeare’s Globe production of The Merchant of Venice at Lincoln Center Festival, please look at my July 22 posting.  Both of these productions are amazing.  They are filled with similarities and differences that are stunning to compare.  Be sure to see this Shakespeare in the Parking Lot production.  It runs for one more weekend, July 12, 13, and 14 at 8:00 PM.  These performances are FREE.  The Parking Lot is located at 114 Norfolk Street (east side of Norfolk Street between Delancey and Rivington Streets), behind The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Educational Center.  Post your comments here and join the conversation about this powerful and relevant classic play.

Domenick Danza