Thornton Wilder’s The Emporium

 Thornton Wilder’s The Emporium
Classic Stage Company
May 16, 2026 

Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

Classic Stage Company’s production of Thornton Wilder’s The Emporium is inspiring.  Kudos to playwright Kirk Lynn for uncovering this unfinished Thornton Wilder play and bringing it to fruition.  The play encompasses Mr. Wilder’s philosophical point of view.  It has the powerful images contained in The Skin or Our Teeth, and the poetic scope of Our Town.  Director Rob Melrose orchestrates the action, putting focus on the repeated motifs that culminate in a poignant message. 

John (played by Joe Tapper) wants to work at the Emporium.  It’s all he thinks about while growing up at the orphanage, and the reason why he runs away from the farm he works on after he is adopted.  It’s not until he gets to the city that he realizes how hard it is to get a job there.  He meets Laurencia (played by Cassia Thompson), who works at the Emporium.  She starts to tell John how to get a job there, but he cuts her off before she can finish.  He runs off to apply through an independent employment agency, and ends up working at Craigie’s Departmental Store.  It’s not as glamorous, but it’s steady work and offers immediate satisfaction.  Just as he is about to achieve a top-level position at Craigie’s, John realizes he longs for something more. 

Candy Buckley & Joe Tapper
Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

Joe Tapper is full of ambition and chutzpah as John.  He strives to achieve his ultimate goal and becomes smaller when he settles for less.  He and Cassia Thompson have natural chemistry.  Ms. Thompson portrays Laurencia as grounded and sure of herself.  As the action progresses, it becomes clear that the calm security she project can dissipate at any time.  When the action culminates in the final scene, these two characters are united in a full understanding of their journey, and these two actors play it beautifully.  

Candy Buckley, Partrick Kerr, Joe Tapper, Eva Kaminsky, & Mahira Kakkar
Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

Candy Buckley plays numerous characters.  She is Bernice, an employee at the Emporium.  She plays Mrs. Foster, the woman who runs the orphanage with her husband.  She plays the Farmer’s wife who adopts John.  She is the woman who runs the independent employment agency.  Her most uniquely comic role is Ermengarde, the daughter of the man who own Craigie’s Departmental Store.  Ms. Buckley creates distinct and bold characters in each of these roles.  Her energy establishes a throughline, connecting every scene and leading the audience to Mr. Wilder’s stunning conclusion.  

Eva Kaminsky, Derek Smith, Candy Buckley, & Mahria Kakkar
Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

Derek Smith also plays numerous roles, and always opposite Ms. Buckley.  They are wonderful
together.  Mr. Smith’s characters challenge John, constantly pushing him out of his comfort zone.  Their scenes build with urgency, propelling the action forward and forcing John to make decisions to face his true calling. 

There are also strong and enigmatic performances by Mahira Kakkar, Eva Kaminsky, and Patrick Kerr.  Their roles and purpose in the story are constantly shifting, until the final scene, where it all falls into place. 

Thornton Wilder’s The Emporium is playing at Classic Stage Company through June 7.  As in all Thronton Wilder’s plays, it contains a strong message of hope, which is something we all need to feel at this time.  It is certain to ring differently for each audience member.  Don’t miss it! 

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

Mies Julie

Mies Julie

Classic Stage Company

February 2, 2019

Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

Classic Stage Company is presenting an adaptation of Miss Julie as part of their production of “Two 19^th Century Strindberg Plays in Repertory.”  Mies Julie is written by Yael Farber.  This passionate adaptation takes place on Freedom Day, 2012 in a farmhouse kitchen in Eastern Cape-Karoo, South Africa.  Shariffa Ali directs this cast of four powerful actors with a visceral understanding of their needs, motivations, and desires.

Elise Kibler & James Udom
Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

While Julie (played by Elise Kibler) dances with the workers of her father’s farm, Christine (played by Patrice Johnson Chevannes) scrubs the floors and cooks a concoction that will do away with the unborn pups of Julie’s pedigree hound.  Julie’s engagement has been broken off and her future and safety are in questions.  She seduces Christine’s son, John (played by James Udom).  He confesses his love for her, but knows his place as a hired hand.  Julie convinces John to leave with her, but he will not leave his mother behind.  Christine is haunted by spirits of her ancestors who were buried on the property before the land was confiscated by Julie’s father and the farmhouse was built.  They hold her to the place.  As the power shifts, a rash decision is made in the heat of an emotional moment.

James Udom & Elise Kibler
Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

The chemistry between Elise Kibler and James Udom is palpable.  This is vital to the storyline, and these two actors deliver genuine moments of lustful, heated opposition.  The clashes between them are truthful and grounded in deep emotion.  Both of their characters are deeply conflicted.  They are driven by strong desire that propels them forward, yet hindered by need and fear that roots them in place. 

Patrice Johnson Chevannes & James Udom
Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

Patrice Johnson Chevannes delivers a potent portrayal of Christine.  This character is the reminder to both Julie and John of where their loyalties must lie.  Just as John is about to leave with Julie, one look from Christine reminds him of his obligations and place in society.  Ms. Chevannes has the presence to pull this off with strong and subtle authenticity.

This production boils over with the vitality and desire of Strindberg’s classic play.  The impact of this adaptation is in its seventy-five minute running time.  Mies Julie is playing at Classic Stage Company in rep with a new version of The Dance of Death through March 10.

Domenick Danza

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui

Classic Stage Company

November 17, 2018

Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

This is an ideal time for a revisit of Bertolt Brecht’s The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, and the Classic Stage Company production hits every mark in this political parable.  The Brecht style and utilization of theatre as a vehicle for strong social commentary is heightened in this production by actors changing hats to portray numerous roles and side glances to the audience to acknowledge their presence.  Under the direction of John Doyle this amazing cast finds the poetic timing of Brecht’s writing to incite humor, identification, and outrage.  

Bertolt Brecht wrote The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui after escaping Germany in 1933.  The play parallels Hitler’s rise to power with that of Brooklyn-born Chicago gangster, Arturo Ui (played by Raul Esparza).  He offers protection to the grocery industry by inciting fear in an unknown enemy.  He them proves the presence of this fictional enemy by having his goons burn down a warehouse.  This action is a reference to the burning down of the Reichstag in 1933, which brought Hitler and the Nazi Party to a powerful public position.  Arturo Ui trains himself to have the public persona he knows he needs to gain power with the working class.  Once this is achieved, he is able to rise to greater self-serving heights.

Raul Esparza as Arturo Ui
Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

Raul Esparza displays an amazing range of skill in his portrayal of Arturo Ui.  His character yearns for power and transforms to achieve it.  His vocal characterization goes from nasal and comic to bold and powerful.  His physicalization changes from timid and flippant to magnetic and controlling.  He embodies the power as it shapes his identity.  He takes ownership it, and fully believes it is part of him.  His performance is riveting and inspiring.  You cannot take your eyes off him.  

From the Classic Stage Company electronic program notes: “The play is a parable in which Brecht demonstrates, through satire and high drama, how mundane irrationality can lead to an inhumane and barbaric government."  This is a powerful message for our time, and the cast works as a tight ensemble to deliver it with full impact.  Each actor (George Abud, Eddie Cooper, Elizabeth A. Davis, Christopher Gurr, Omoze Idehenre, Mahira Kakkar, and Thom Sesma) creates distinctive characters that are genuinely layered in truthful detail. 

Raul Esparza & Eddie Copper
Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

The purpose of a parable is to simplify a complex situation and offer perspective for deeper and clearer understanding.  The Classic Stage Company production of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui does that to perfection.  Don’t miss this timely production.  It is running through December 22.

Domenick Danza

Summer & Smoke

Summer & Smoke

Transport Group

Classic Stage Company

May 5, 2018

Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

The Transport Group’s production of Summer & Smoke at Classic Stage Company is truly exquisite.  Director Jack Cummings III uncovers the nuances in every moment of Tennessee Williams’ writing.  With a practically bare stage the audience becomes enveloped by the poeticism in the words, the layers of the relationships, and the depth of the yearning.  Every minor character and occurrence is integral to the atmosphere that ignites the journey of the two main characters.  The timing and pace is sheer perfection.

Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

Alma (played by Marin Ireland) has been in love with her neighbor John (played by Nathan Darrow) since childhood.  When he returns from medical school, she plays hard to get as John flirts for her affection.  Alma suffers from panic spells caused by family pressure and the expectation to be a proper Southern “lady” and a dutiful minister’s daughter.  John perceives this as rejection and begins keeping company with Rosa Gonzales (played by Ellen Hurst).  His drinking and gambling brings him on a quick downward spiral.  The tables turn when Alma offers herself to John after a tragic family event, but it is too late for Alma to find her happiness.

Nathan Darrow & Marin Ireland
Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

This play depends on the chemistry between Alma and John, and Marin Ireland and Nathan Darrow set the stage on fire.  Their attraction is palpable from the first moment of the play.  The sparks fly in a continual push/pull between them that starts off playfully, then becomes heartfelt and troubled. Ms. Ireland fully embodies the character of Alma Winemiller, proving that she is by far Tennessee Williams' most beguiling, bewitching, and brazen of characters.  Mr. Darrow takes the character of John Buchanan through a transformation during the latter portion of the play that is tangible and truthful.

Set design by Dane Laffrey includes an opaque ceiling that filters the light and allows it to wash the space with the warmth of a Southern summer evening.  Lighting Designer R. Lee Kennedy uses this to the fullest, creating moods that enhance the emotional impact of each scene.

Summer & Smoke has been extended through May 25.  If you are a Tennessee Williams fan you MUST see this production.  If you are not too familiar with his works, this production is definitely one to lose yourself in.  Either way, get your ticket today!

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

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

Oresteia

Oresteia

Classic Stage Company

Greek Festival

August 23, 2015

Photo courtesy of Classic Stage Company

ClassicStage Company is presenting their Greek Festival from August 10 through September 27.  The advertisement for Oresteia caught my attention, so I grabbed a ticket on TDF.  It is produced in association with Ashes Company, and conceived and directed by Jonathan Vandenberg.  This powerful and mesmerizing piece is presented with very little dialogue.  Mr. Vandenberg relies on impressive visual images, authentic sound, and concise movement to take his audience on a journey through the cycle of vengeance, greed, and passion all the way to healing. 

Photo courtesy of Ashes Company

Oresteia is Aeschylus’ tragic Greek trilogy that tells the story of the end of the curse on the House of Atreus.  The ensemble is amazingly gifted and intensely focused for this ninety minute interpretation.  Every gesture expresses intent and is delivered with clarity and significance.  The longing for retribution is passed from one character to the next through the passing of the knife and the spilling of blood.  The sound design, by Alexandria Bottiglieri, draws you into the intensity of each event, but it is the sound of each moment that rivets you to the action – the character’s breath, the dragging of costumes across the floor, the rustling of chains, the pouring of water.  This is what captivates your senses and draws you into the importance of each moment.  When Orestes cannot return the knife to the circle from whence it was first retrieved by Agamemnon, it is clear that the cycle of pain and suffering has ended.

Photo courtesy of Ashes Company

In the Classic Stage Company newsletter, director Jonathan Vandenberg addresses the question of catharsis.  What did it mean for an Ancient Greek audience?  Is it possible today?  By leading the audience through this stark and gritty retelling, he brings us to a visceral understanding of the pain of yearning for vengeance and forgiveness.  It is a phenomenal, and yes, cathartic encounter.

The consistency of quality in the work of Classic Stage Company is relevant in this original interpretation of Oresteia.  Be sure to take in a performance of the Greek Festival at Classic Stage Company, as well as look for upcoming work by Ashes Company.

Domenick Danza