The Gardens of Anuncia

 The Gardens of Anuncia
Lincoln Center Theatre
at the Mitzi E. Newhouse
October 28, 2023 

Photo courtesy of Lincoln Center Theatre

The Gardens of Anuncia, a new musical by Michael John LaChiusa, tells  the story of the early years in the life of Broadway Director/Choreographer Graciela Daniele.  Directed and co-choreographed by Ms. Daniele, the Lincoln Center Theatre production is tender, sensitive, beautifully staged, and skillfully performed.

Anuncia (played by Priscilla Lopez) is working in her garden, trying to decide the best place to bury the ashes of her Tia.  Her mind is flooded with memories of her younger years in Argentina.  Her father left at an early age, and her Mami (played by Eden Espinosa) brought them to live with Granmama (played by Mary Testa) and Tia (played by Andréa Burns).  These three women raise Anuncia with firm hands, strong wills, and open hearts.  When Younger Anuncia (played by Kalyn West) experiences pain in her feet, Mami enrolls her in ballet class to strengthen her arches.  A whole new world opens for Anuncia.  Tia teaches her to listen to the music and see the stories.  Granmama keeps her grounded, yet responds to life with a high level of dramatics.  When Anuncia gets a job dancing in Europe, Mami is happy she will escape the violence caused by the end of the Peron regime.  Anuncia does not want to leave her home.  She still holds the hurt of her father’s abandonment.  It is Tia who convinces her to go.  Now that Tia is gone, Anuncia is the last of the strong women in her family.  She realizes how much these three women will always be with her.

Eden Espinosa, Kalyn West, Mary Testa, & Andréa Burns
Photo courtesy of Lincoln Center Theatre

Andréa Burns, Mary Testa, and Eden Espinosa are a powerful trio as Tia, Granmama, and Mami.  Their energies balance beautifully.  Their distinctive characters build as their backstories are revealed and the world of Anuncia’s upbringing becomes clear.  Priscilla Lopez and Kalyn West have a genuine bond as Older and Younger Anuncia.  Their movements often mirror one another.  They are physically and emotionally in sync throughout the story, giving us a visceral understanding of how the past is always present. 

There are also strong performances by Enrique Acevedo and Tally Sessions, who play all the male roles in the story.  Their Moustache Brothers are bold and funny.  Mr. Acevedo’s Granpapa is rough and heartwarming.  Mr. Sessions’ interpretation of The Deer is magical and humorous.  

Photo courtesy of Lincoln Center Theatre

As Anuncia relives and changes her memories, she comes to a surprising conclusion of what she takes with her and what she has to leave behind.  It is an ending that leaves the audience feeling peaceful and comforted.  

The Gardens of Anuncia is playing at Lincoln Center Theatre’s Mitzi E. Newhouse through December 31. 

Domenick Danza

Oslo

Oslo

The Vivian Beaumont Theatre

April 8, 2017

Photo courtesy of Lincoln Center Theatre

Oslo is the untold story of the painstaking journey toward the 1993 Middle East peace agreement.  The play masterfully reveals the process by which representatives from Israel and the PLO  were able to see past their differences in order to stay in the present and change the future.  Playwright J.T. Rogers states in the program notes that “Oslo is the story of a hidden history that lies behind a public history.  But to be clear, it is my version of this story.  The events in the play all happened, but locations have been condensed and the chronology of events has been compressed… Though every character in this play is named for a real person, the words they say are mine.” 

Photo courtesy of Lincoln Center Theatre

As the United States led peace conferences between the PLO and Israel moved along unsuccessfully, Norwegian sociologist Terje Rod-Larsen (played by Jefferson May) holds a strong belief that if his negotiation strategies could be applied, they would succeed.  He works closely with his wife, Mona Juul (played by Jennifer Ehle) to arrange an “unofficial” meeting between representatives from the rival entities in their home city of Oslo, Norway.  When the men come together, they admit that they have never spoken to their enemy face to face.  The initial meeting is highly successful, and leads to a second and third.  Through Terje Rod-Larsen’s negotiation strategies, they build trust.  As the stakes get higher, their trust is tested, yet their mutual and desperate desire for peace keeps them dedicated to moving forward. 

Photo courtesy of Lincoln Center Theatre

Even though the ending of the play is historic fact, J.T. Rogers script keeps you riveted as to how the characters are going to achieve their goal.  His scenes are full of heated debate driven by deep-seated emotion.  His characters are a blend of truth and stereotype, full of charm, determination, and passion.  Director Bartlett Sher molds this masterwork by building tension and suspense, then turning it into playful banter that explodes into serious discourse and eventual agreement.

Photo courtesy of Lincoln Center Theatre

The tight collaboration between playwright and director allows the multitude of detail in this complex historic struggle to unfold clearly and concisely.  The true genius of the piece is how the dramatic thread pulling the action together and moving it forward are the characters of Terje Rod-Larsen and his wife, Mona Juul.  While all the characters are unified in their striving for a peace and a future for their families, the determination of these two characters goes unaddressed.  Their belief in the power of negotiation process and how it must be unobstructed by favoritism and special interest is verified by the outcome.  The ending of the play offers hope for those who choose to see it, believe in it, and utilize it.

Seeing Oslo is a MUST!  It is playing at the Vivien Beaumont Theatre in Lincoln Center.  The cast is superb.  The production is stupendous. 

Domenick Danza