Our Town

 Our Town
Ethel Barrymore Theatre
September 28, 2024 

Photo courtesy of Our Town

Director Kenny Leon brings Thornton Wilder’s Our Town into the 21st Century.  His casting choices are purposeful and comprehensive.  His timing is compact and concise.  He trimmed down this three act classic to a one hour, forty-five-minute running time, with no intermission.  The action flows continuously, and the pace impacts the theme.  Even though a few of the quaint, defining moments are missed, Thornton Wilder’s words and philosophy ring with effortless sincerity, giving the audience timeless truths to contemplate.

Photo courtesy of Entertainment Weekly First Look

The play opens as the cast slowly assembles on stage singing a spiritual hymn that unites an extensive population.  The Stage Manager (played by Jim Parsons) silently enters.  As the cast disperses, he welcomes the audience, introduces the play, and describes the town.  He presents the characters, focusing on the Gibbs and Webb families.  Dr. Gibbs (played by Billy Eugene Jones) is returning from delivering twins on the other side of town, as Mrs. Gibb (played by Michelle Wilson) and their neighbor, Mrs. Webb (played by Katie Holmes), prepare breakfast for their families.  It is a day in the life of the residents of Grover’s Corners.  Time passes with ease and grace. 

Ephraim Sykes, Richard Thomas, & Zoey Deuth
Photo courtesy of Entertainment Weekly First Look

The action swiftly moves into the second act with the wedding of George Gibbs (played by Ephraim Sykes) and Emily Webb (played by Zoey Deutch).  The pace picks up.  The anticipation of this event is high and full of anxiety.  The Stage Manager takes us back a few years to the day that George and Emily discover that they are meant to be together for the rest of their lives.  This is a life changing moment for them.  We move forward to the nuptials, when Mrs. Soames (played by Julie Halston) proclaims that it is a beautiful wedding. 

Act III is where Thornton Wilder makes his statement about life and eternity.  It is in this act that every subtle detail from Acts I and II are profoundly seamed together.  The writing is poignant and touching.  The action is unexpected and reflective.  The journey might end here, but the experience continues to exist in perpetuity. 

Jim Parsons as the Stage Manager
Photo courtesy of Entertainment Weekly First Look

The hymn sung in the opening is “Braided Prayer” by Abraham Jam, which features prayers from Muslim, Jewish, and Christian faiths.  Anyone knowing this play is aware that this is a new addition, and a brilliant one.  The audience is immediately pulled into an experience that extends beyond the scope of any previous production.  With interracial casting and the casting of a deaf actor playing Howie Newsome (John McGinty), the diversity of Our Town now reflects who we are as a nation.  The ease in which the characters communicate in sign language and live together as a united multiracial community speaks volumes.  This story has always been universal, and now, due to Mr. Leon’s vision, is fully inclusive.

Our Town is playing at The Ether Barrymore Theatre.  It is a new interpretation of a great American classic. 

Domenick Danza

Purlie Victorious

 Purlie Victorious
 A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
The Music Box
September 23, 2023 

Photo coourtesy of Purlie Victorious

The Broadway revival of Ossie Davis’s 1961 play, Purlie Victorious, is truly joyous.  Kenny Leon directs a stellar cast, with the right touch of style, melodrama, and grit that allows Ossie Davis’s writing to ring with truth, humor, and relevance.  

Purlie Victorious Judson (played by Leslie Odom, Jr.) searched for a young girl to pretend to be his deceased cousin so he could get a five hundred dollar inheritance that is being held by Ol’ Cap’n Cotchipee (played by Jay O. Sanders).  He finds Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins (played by Kara Young) on his travels through Alabama, and brings her back to Georgia.  Missy Judson (played by Heather Alicia Simms) thinks Lutiebelle will pass as their deceased cousin, but her husband, Gitlow (played by Bille Eugene Jones), needs some convincing.  They almost pull it off until Lutiebelle signs the wrong name on the papers.  Purlie is on the run for trying to swindle Ol’ Cap’n Cotchpie, but comes back in force to preserve Lutiebelle’s reputation.

Leslie Odom, Jr., & Kara Young
Photo courtesy of Purlie Victorious

Leslie Odom, Jr. and Kara Young are great together.  Mr. Odom is full of life as Purlie.  His vitality fills the stage and energizes all the characters to take action.  Ms. Young portrays Lutiebelle as an innocent, nervous girl who transforms into a determined young woman.  She is willing to open up and take a risk, all due to Purlie’s inspiration.  These two actors have a great chemistry, and keep the audience fully engaged in the action of the story. 

Heather Alicia Simms & Billy Eugene Jones
Photo courtesy of Purlie Victorious

Heather Alicia Simms and Billy Eugene Jones are a strong pair as Missy and Gitlow Judson.  Their relationship is full of fire, and their timing is fast and sharp.  Jay O. Sanders creates a wicked villain in the character of Ol’ Cap’n Cotchipee.  This role is played with a precise balance of humor and malice to keep it from being too dark.  There are also strong performances by Vanessa Bell Calloway as Idella Landy and Noah Robbins as Charlie Cotchipee.

This cast delivers a completely enjoyable experience of a gem of a play.  Purlie Victorious is playing at The Music Box.  Don’t miss it. 

  

Domenick Danza

Ohio State Murders

 Ohio State Murders
James Earle Jones Theatre
December 26, 2022 

Photo courtesy of Ohio State Murders

Audra McDonald transforms herself into the role of Suzanne Alexander in Adrienne Kennedy’s Ohio State Murders.  She shares the stage with four skilled actors, yet the piece plays like a one-character show.  The other characters enhance the action and keep it centered in the present, while Ms. McDonald’s character narrates the full story, weaving through time with an emotionally impactful outcome.  Director Kenny Leon carefully finds the moments for Ms. McDonald to explore rich subtext that draws the audience in and fully connects them to the main character’s journey.

Suzanne Alexander (played by Audra McDonald) is asked where the violent images in her work come from.  This questions takes her back to the years she spent at Ohio State University.  As a young Black woman, she faces the limitations place on her and dives into her literature studies.  She is enamored by her professor, Robert Hampshire (played by understudy Christian Pedersen).  He recognizes the brilliance in her papers and assignments.  She is asked to leave the dormitory when she finds out she is pregnant.  Shunned by her parents, she goes to live in New York City with her Aunt Louise (played by Lizan Mitchell).  She gives birth to twin girls, and, supported by her aunt, returns to Ohio State to continue her studies.  Everything is progressing well, until the abduction and murder of one of her twin baby girls.  She stays at Ohio State, hoping to find out who committed this horrendous crime.  It is not until two years later, when her second daughter is murdered, that she finds out.  All is kept private, until she is asked about the violent images in her work.  She then speaks freely. 

Photo courtesy of Ohio State Murders

Adrienne Kennedy’s writing is compelling.  It has a natural flow that keeps the audience hanging on for the next sentence.  The piece is relatively chronological, yet has subtle loops in time that reveal details that deepen the action and propels it forward.  These are powerful moments that make the audience listen more intently and think more acutely.  

Audra McDonald encompasses every nuance in Ms. Kennedy’s writing.  She personalizes the character’s experience at Ohio State in the 1950’s so you can feel the atmosphere and identify with her challenges.  Ms. McDonald finds the richness beneath the written words, creating a character with genuine depth.  She is eager, vulnerable, and tenacious.  You can see the weight of character’s life experiences in Ms. McDonald’s eyes in the opening scene.  By the end of the story, you fully comprehend what she carries. 

Ohio State Murders is playing at the James Earl Jones Theatre through February 12.  The renovation of the theatre is remarkable.  This play is the perfect way to celebrate the new space.  Don’t miss it! 

Domenick Danza

Topdog/Underdog

 Topdog/Underdog
Golden Theatre
November 10, 2022 

Photo courtesy of Topdog/Underdog

The 20^th anniversary Broadway revival of Suzan-Lori Park’s Topdog/Underdog is magnificent.  It is an engaging and powerful piece of theatre.  This 2002 Pulitzer Prize winning play still packs a potent punch.  Kenny Leon has masterfully directed this piece with two strong, captivating actors.  Corey Hawkins and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II are brilliant together.  The competition between their two characters is constantly present.  It continually builds with a visceral tension until it explodes in an unexpected climax.

Corey Hawkins & Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Photo courtesy of Topdog/Underdog

Lincoln (played by Corey Hawkins) is staying with his brother, Booth (played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II).  Booth is practicing dealing Three Card Monte to hustle on the street.  He wants to change his name to Three Card.  Lincoln has given up the cards and has a “real job.”  He is portraying Abraham Lincoln in an arcade, where people pay to assassinate him.  The brothers were abandoned by their parents when they were teenagers.  Each was given a five hundred dollar “inheritance” before their parents walked out on them.  Lincoln spent his, while Booth saved it, untouched.  When Lincoln loses his job, he reverts back to hustling cards.  Booth forces him to share his secrets on dealing.  While doing so, Lincoln wins his brother’s inheritance money.  This pushes Booth farther over the edge than either of them anticipated.

Corey Hawkins & Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Photo courtesy of Topdog/Underdog

The play’s effectiveness relies on the relationship of the two brothers.  They count on each other, yet are constantly trying to top one another.  One of the brothers explains that their father gave them their names (Lincoln and Booth) as a joke.  Their rivalry and bond were engrained in them from birth.  Corey Hawkins and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II find the rhythm to impressively create this dichotomy.  They are competitive allies, supporting each another one minutes, then seamlessly transitioning into high stakes opposition.  Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Adbul-Mateen are genuinely connected throughout the story.  Their moments of triumph and defeat are clear and critical to the momentum of the action. Their physical portrayals are distinctive, creating strong antagonism and making them equally enthralling.  

Topdog/Underdog is Suzan-Loir Parks at her best.  Director Kenny Leon connects every seed Ms. Parks plant throughout the action, delivering this piece to a stunning and shocking conclusion.  Don’t miss this production.  It is playing at the Golden Theatre.  

Domenick Danza

A Soldier’s Play

A Soldier’s Play

Roundabout Theatre Company

American Airlines Theatre

December 30, 2019

Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Company

Charles Fuller’s 1982 Pulitzer Prize winning A Soldier’s Play is having a glorious and well-deserved revival by Roundabout Theatre Company.  Kenny Leon directs a stellar cast, creating a strong ensemble who keeps the action moving at a searing pace.  The production is exceptionally conceived.  Set design by Derek McLane establishes the tone and tension of the location and keeps the scenes flowing smoothly.

The year is 1944 in Fort Neal, Louisiana, a segregated U.S. army base.  When Sergeant Vernon C. Waters (played by David Alan Grier) is murdered, the men in his unit believe it was committed by the local KKK.  The army sends Captain Richard Davenport (played by Blair Underwood) to investigate, and assign it low priority.  Captain Charles Taylor (played by Jerry O’Connell) tries to tell Captain Davenport that the locals will not respect a black man questioning them, especially if he is an officer.  Both men want to uncover the truth, but they have different ways of going about it.  As the investigation uncovers facts about the expectations and pressure Sergeant Waters place on the men in his unit, Captain Davenport has to face a brutal and unexpected reality.

Blair Underwood & Kenny Leon in rehearsal
Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Company

David Alan Grier is strong and determined as Sergeant Waters.  The flaws in his character are magnified by Mr. Grier’s stunning portrayal, giving clear insight into the playwright’s powerful message.  Blair Underwood and Jerry O’Connell clash heads with force and conviction, fueling the action and driving the plot forward.  There are equally strong performances by McKinley Belcher III, Rob Demery, Jared Grimes, Billy Eugene Jones, Nate Mann, and J. Alphonse Nicholson. 

The Ful Cast of A Soldier's Play
Photo courtesy of Roundabout Theatre Company

Charles Fuller’s play is a brilliant telling of the search for truth no matter the outcome.  His characters are richly layered.  As they reveal their strengths and weaknesses, the plot builds to unexpected places.  His suspension of time keeps the action focused on the discovery of evidence and the piecing together of information.  It is an emotional journey driven by pride, honor, and injustice.

A Soldier’s Play is running at the American Airlines Theatre through March 1.  It is a riveting production.  You need to see it.  It will blow you away!

Domenick Danza

The Underlying Chris

The Underlying Chris

Second Stage Theater

Tony Kiser Theater

November 10, 2019

Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theater

Will Eno’s The Underlying Chris is a touching and provocative exploration about the continuity of life.  The Second Stage Theater production is beautifully directed by Kenny Leon.  Scenic design by Arnulfo Maldonado keeps the action flowing smoothly, connecting scenes that often span a number of years.  The cast changes roles from scene to scene, creating memorable and truthful moments that heighten your interest and propel the action forward.

It starts with a birth.  Chris is laying in his bassinette, while his mother is on the phone making an appointment with the pediatrician.  She is concerned because Chris seemed to have sustained a slight injury while playing with a large stuffed toy.  In the next scene Chris is a young boy, telling his nanny about his swimming lessons and aspirations to learn to dive.  He still feels the twinge in his back from his earlier injury.  The scene that follows finds Chris, a teenage girl, in a hospital being examined by a doctor after a diving accident.  We follow Chris as he/she grows to an adult, then a senior citizen.  In each scene the character is played by a different actor of a different gender and/or race.  Chris’ story continues to build, giving each audience member a specific opportunity to relate and identify.  This life story seems to encompass all of us.

The Full Cast of The Underlying Chris
Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theater

Will Eno sets up the structure and device of this journey right away.  Once you buy into it, the connecting messages ring with clarity and truth.  His writing, which seems simple at first, dives deep to the heart of a larger thematic message.  The dialogue is skillfully crafted and his subtle through line is prolifically structured.  The cast does a phenomenal job engaging the audience in this exploration.

The Underlying Chris is playing at the Tony Kiser Theater through December 15.  You’ve got to see it!

Domenick Danza

American Son

American Son

Booth Theatre

December 8, 2018

Photo courtesy of American Son

In his play, American Son, playwright Christopher Demos-Brown brings emotional depth and a broader perspective to the harsh realities of our present day social struggle and racial divide.  Director Kenny Leon builds the dramatic tension while the main characters revisit the misunderstandings and betrayals in their marriage during a highly vulnerable event.  The distance between this newly separated husband and wife starts with the difference in their race and upbringing, then shift to their egos, deep rooted fears, and unfulfilled expectations.  Kerry Washington and Steven Pasquale are both riveting, delivering truthful performances grounded in a genuine sense of connection.   

Kerry Washington, Steven Pasquale, & Jeremy Jordan
Photo courtesy of American Son

It is 4:00 AM in a police station in Miami, Florida.  Kendra (played by Kerry Washington) is waiting, impatient, and emotionally drained.  Officer Paul Larkin (played by Jeremy Jordan) enters and informs her that he has no news on the whereabouts of her son Jamal, but can verify that his car was in a reported incident.  Protocol demands that she wait for the arrival of Lieutenant Stokes (played by Eugene Lee) for further information.  When Kendra’s husband, Scott (played by Steven Pasquale) shows up, Officer Larkin mistakes him for Lieutenant Stokes and proceeds to fill him in on the case.  Scott’s bureaucratic handling of the situation sends Kendra further into hysterics and generates arguments about their failed marriage and the raising of their son.  When Scott’s brother texts him a link to a video of a local police shooting, they become seriously concerned about Jamal’s well-being.

Kerry Washington & Steven Pasquale
Photo courtesy of American Son

Kerry Washington delivers a monologue in the first half of the show that exposes the deeply rooted fear her character has been unable to get her arms around since the birth of her son.  This is a powerful and truthful moment, and Ms. Washington delivers it with genuine passion.  Steven Pasquale’s response to this monologue succinctly illustrates the distance between the two characters.  It is not until there is evidence that their son could be in serious danger that his character rises to the realities of the situation and exposes his vulnerability.  The richness in Mr. Pasquale’s performance is found in the juxtaposition of his reserve and unanticipated emotional outburst.  These two actors vividly portray the unknown elements that exist between two people in a long term relationship, as well as the bond that unites them forever.   

Eugene Lee’s Lieutenant Stokes takes immediate control upon his arrival and brings a perspective to the situation that expands and deepens the truth and thematic strength of the play.  This is where playwright Christopher Demos-Brown transports the emotionally driven story into broader complexity, challenging your sense of right and wrong and presenting themes that strike the heart of every audience member.

American Son is a well written, well directed, and timely piece of theatre.  The performances are very worth seeing.  The ending is impactful and unexpected.  It is running at the Booth Theatre through January 27.  

Domenick Danza

Children of a Lesser God

Children of a Lesser God

Studio 54

March 24, 2018

Photo courtesy of Children of a Lesser God

The Broadway revival of Children of a Lesser God is vibrant and powerful.  A diverse cast of skilled actors bring Mark Medoff’s 1980 Tony Award winning play into the present with clarity and relevance.  Scenic design by Derek McLane and lighting design by Mike Baldassari are slick, clean, and unified.  Director Kenny Leon builds the conflict to a high point of revelation that will shift your point of view and open your awareness.  

Joshua Jackson & Lauren Ridloff
Photo courtesy of Children of a Lesser God

Speech Therapist James Leeds (played by Joshua Jackson) has great success teaching deaf and hard of hearing students to speak.  He is assigned a new student, Sarah Norman (played by Lauren Ridloff).  He is challenged by her certainty that communicating through sign language is sufficient.  His attempts to find an entry point around her resolve and stubbornness cause him to fall in love.  The challenge in their relationship increases after they are married.  Her close friends in the deaf community feel Sarah has turned her back on them, and the hearing world is unable to communicate with her unless her husband is translating.  The closer they get, the more out of reach they feel from one another.  How can they unite when there are elements in their worlds they cannot share and will never fully understand?

Photo courtesy of Children of a Lesser God

Lauren Ridloff and Joshua Jackson are drawn to one another as Sarah and James.  They ignite the conflict at the start of this well written play and keep the action aflame through the full two acts.  John McGinty is riveting as Orin Dennis, another of James’ students and close friend to Sarah.  His character is passionate about the rights of the individuals in the deaf community.  The chemistry between him and Ms. Ridloff is palpable.  Treshelle Edmond is fresh and vivacious as the naive Lydia, a hearing impaired student who has a crush on her teacher, James.  Her energetic spirit fills the stage every time she enters.

Children of a Lesser God addresses the differences that separate us.  The play definitively expresses that no one has the right to change or mold another individual to reflect their own image.  This is a strong and pertinent theme for audiences to experience at this time, and this production beautifully illustrates it.  Children of a Lesser God is playing at Studio 54 through September 9. 

Domenick Danza