Bella Bella

Bella Bella

Manhattan Theatre Club

NY City Center Stage I

November 30, 2019

Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Club

Harvey Fierstein is magnificent in Bella Bella.  He portrays Bella Abzug with heart, guts, and verve.  She was a powerhouse, and Mr. Fierstein has written a striking tribute to her life’s work.  Directed by Kimberly Senior, the Manhattan Theatre Club production is sharp and bold. 

It is 2:00 AM.  Bella Abzug (played by Harvey Fierstein) is waiting for the results of the 1976 NY Senate election.  She has escaped from her friends and supporters into the bathroom of her hotel room to catch her breath.  She reminisces about her early years as a lawyer and when she ran and won her seat in the House of Representatives.  She passionately speaks about the “boys club” and the need for a shift in the power structure to include women in government.  She has confidence in her ability to win her bid as the first female Senator from the State of New York, until she remembers a comment she made in a recent interview.  She realizes the 1% she is waiting for to swing the vote in her favor will not be coming.  

Harvey Fiersteing as Bella Abzug
Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theate Club

Harvey Fierstein represents Bella Abzug’s strong, committed voice with honor and respect.  It is interesting to see how much has changed since 1976 in the political landscape and power structure of our country, and how much still needs to be to accomplish.  This piece gives the audience a chance to look back, laugh, and shift perspectives on the present day political challenges. 

Bella Bella is a heart-felt and timely tribute, expertly written and performed.  The Manhattan Theatre Club production closes on December 1.  Hopefully it will be produced again in the near future. 

Domenick Danza

Torch Song

Torch Song

Second Stage Theater

The Helen Hayes Theater

October 27, 2018

Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theater

I saw Torch Song Trilogy at what is now The Helen Hayes Theater thirty-five years ago.  I did not see Harvey Fierstein in the role of Arnold, but it was a memorable experience just the same.  What stands out for me watching the Second Stage Theater production of Torch Song, presently in previews on Broadway in the very same theater, is the writing.  Harvey Fierstein’s dialogue is astounding.  The way he unravels the action to reveal the depth of his characters is skillful and inspiring.  They state their hopes and dreams from the top of the show, then face their truths, fears, and obstacles to not only achieve them, but to accept them in the unexpected form in which they arrive.  Director Moises Kaufman has made the revisit of this phenomenal play a profound journey of hope, love, and self-respect.  

Michael Urie as Arnold
Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theater

The play begins backstage in 1972 as Arnold (played by Michael Urie) is getting ready for a performance.  He is a drag queen.  He shares his secret wish, then he meets Ed (played by Ward Horton), the International Stud of his dreams.  Over the next ten years we see Arnold’s rough and rocky journey of making his dreams a reality.  Ed struggles with his sexuality and decides to marry Laurel (played by Roxanna Hope Radja).  Arnold’s young boyfriend Alan (played by Michael Hsu Rosen) is killed in a gay bashing incident outside their apartment.  Arnold faces his greatest emotional challenge when he confronts his mother (played by Mercedes Ruehl) and tells her he is adopting a gay teenager named David (played by Jack DiFalco).

Ward Horton, Jack DiFalco, Michael Urie, & Mercedes Ruehl
Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theater

Michael Urie’s Arnold is full of guts and heart.  It is a truly phenomenal performance.  His character grows over the duration of the play, yet he never loses his sense of humor.  This is Arnold’s core, how he copes, survives, and thrives.  Ward Horton delivers a fallible, flawed, and extremely likeable Ed, who never stops yearning for more, even at the expense of others who care deeply for him.  He and Mr. Urie are remarkable together.  Their relationship is full of fire and sincere understanding.

Mercedes Ruehl is sold and stoic as Mrs. Beckoff, Arnold’s mother.  The love she feels for her son is matched only by her inability to see past what she cannot relate to or accept.  The confrontation scenes between Ms. Ruehl and Mr. Urie are brutal, overflowing with honesty, and driven by the mutual need for acceptance and self-respect.

Roxanna Hope Radja, Ward Horton, Michael Urie,
& Michael Hsu Rosen
Photo courtesy of Second Stage theater

Jack DiFalco delivers hope as David, the soon to be adopted gay son of Arnold.  His optimism  and humor are infectious and drive each of his scenes.  Michael Hsu Rosen and Roxanna Hope Radja create genuine moments as Alan and Laurel during the “Fugue in a Nursery” scene before the intermission.  Their presence is strongly carried forward into the final act whenever they are referred to, even though they do not appear. 

This is a remarkable cast, brilliantly directed in a timeless piece of theatre.  Go see the Second Stage Production Torch Song at The Helen Hayes Theater for a good laugh… and a great cry. 

Domenick Danza