Long Lost

Long Lost

Manhattan Theatre Club

New York City Center Stage I

May 25, 2019

Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

Long Lost, Donald Margulies’ new play at Manhattan Theatre Club, tells a compelling story of the complex relationship between two brothers.  Director Daniel Sullivan finds the rhythm that connects the characters, allowing the deep-rooted conflicts and dark secrets that both unite and divide them to be revealed.  All the characters face their innermost fears, no matter how hard they work to side-step them.

Lee Tergesen & Kelly Aucoin
Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

David (played by Kelly Aucoin) is not at all happy when his brother, Billy (played by Lee Tergesen), drops in for a surprise holiday visit.  In an effort to keep him from staying with his family, David tells Billy his marriage is “going through a rough patch.”  To manipulate his brother, which is Billy’s greatest talent, he tells David he is dying of cancer.  David’s wife Molly (played by Annie Parisse) is uncomfortable with Billy staying with them, so places a limit on the length of his stay.  Their son Jeremy (played by Alex Wolff), who is home from school for Christmas break, does not know what to make of his “black sheep uncle.”  When Billy stirs up old, unresolved feelings and reveals a few skeletons hidden deep within the family closet, they are all forced to face truths they can no longer avoid.

Lee Tergesen & Alex Wolff
Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

Kelly Aucoin and Lee Tergesen have a great chemistry and create a truthful brother relationship.  Their family history is evident in the subtext that drives their interactions.  The tension created between Annie Parisse and Lee Tergesen is palpable.  They skillfully sustain it, control it, and build it until the point of no return.  Alex Wolff portrays Jeremy’s growth from secluded innocence to having to face harsh realities.  His transformation is realistic and gradual.

Playwright Donald Margulies does not hold back in showing the hard-edged realities of the effects of manipulation and lies in the family dynamic.  Long Lost is playing at the New York City Center Stage I through June 30.

Domenick Danza

St. Joan

St. Joan

Manhattan Theatre Club

Samuel J. Friedman Theatre

April 21, 2018

Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

Condola Rashad is starring in George Bernard Shaw’s St. Joan at Manhattan Theatre Club.  Ms. Rashad lights up the stage and reveals the vulnerable levels of this iconic character.  Her scenes passionately inspire others to take action and are then followed by truthful moments of emotional depth.  Scenic design by Scott Pask minimally creates a gothic atmosphere that effectively depicts 15^th century England and France.  Director Daniel Sullivan finds the rhythmic humor in Shaw’s writing and allows it to surface when it is most needed and appreciated.

Adam Chandler-Berat & Condola Rashad
Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

The year is 1429 and France has been at war with England for 90 years.  The Dauphin (played by Adam Chandler-Berat) has not been able to be crowned King of France due to the surrender and slaughter of French troops by England’s army.  A peasant girl, Joan (played by Condola Rashad), presents herself to the Dauphin as the messenger of God with the power and the ability to take back the French territory.  Joan wins over the Dauphin, the Archbishop (played by John Glover), and Dunois (played by Daniel Sunjata), who assists her in attacking the English army.  They are victorious and the Dauphin is subsequently crowned King Charles VII.  England captures Joan as she tries to win back Paris.  The Church finds her guilty of heresy.  Almost five hundred years later, she is canonized a saint by the same Church that burned her as a heretic.

Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

There are strong performances by John Glover, Adam Chandler-Berat, Daniel Sunjata, and a full cast of commanding Broadway actors.  The scenes between the royal courts of England, France, and the Church are full of conflict as they debate Joan’s voices, actions, and victories.  They need to categorize her as a traitor, soldier, witch, or heretic in order to justify her capture and execution.  These scenes clearly define the risk involved in her taking action and propel the plot forward by revealing the political dangers, yet through them I found myself waiting for Condola Rashad’s next entrance.  Naturally, the actor cast in the role of Joan needs to carry the show, and Ms. Rashad is truly captivating.  She delivers a majestic and powerful performance.  

Condola Rashad as St. Joan
Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

The final scene of George Bernard Shaw’s play takes place twenty-five years after Joan’s death when she is acquitted of her conviction of heresy in a posthumous retrial.  In this scene the characters who either followed or doubted Joan comment on the effect her presence had on their lives.  This is Mr. Shaw’s finest scene of the play.  It offers a chance for the audience to reflect on the historic and religious accounts in his writing.  Because of this scene the audience leaves with a more personal and impactful understanding of the significant facts and spiritual beliefs.

St. Joan is playing at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre through June 10.  Condola Rashad’s performance is not to be missed.

Domenick Danza

John Lithgow: Stories By Heart

John Lithgow: Stories By Heart

Roundabout Theatre Company

American Airlines Theatre

December 23, 2017

Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Company

Why do we love to listen to and tell stories?  This is the questions John Lithgow asks during the opening section of his one man show presented by Roundabout Theatre Company.  In John Lithgow: Stories By Heart the well-known actor and storyteller reveals all the sides of his personality we have come to admire over the years.  He is warm, funny, tender, boisterous, genuine, and daring.

Mr. Lithgow shares with his audience the story of his father, an exuberant man, full of life.  His father produced and directed all of Shakespeare’s plays in the course of his career.  He founded Great Lakes Theater in Cleveland, OH.  Mr. Lithgow and his three siblings had a rough childhood, changing school often, yet it was full or stories, joy, and enthusiasm.  He shares two stories his father told during their childhood.  They are not age-appropriate bedtime stories, but when acted out with imagination and characterization, they become stunningly memorable.  The Haircut by Ring Lardner takes up most of the first act, and Uncle Fred Flits By by P.G. Wodehouse is performed during the second.  The poignant part of the performance is when Mr. Lithgow returns the recitation of the stories to his aging father during a period of poor health.

Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Company

John Lithgow’s skills are masterful.  His vocal and physical characterizations are distinct and change instantaneously.  His heart fills the American Airlines Theatre and touches everyone in it.  The show, directed by Daniel Sullivan, is simple and touching.  John Lithgow: Stories By Heart is playing through March 24.  It is a unique and personal experience.      

Domenick Danza