The Unsinkable Molly Brown

Transport Group

Abrons Arts Center

February 16, 2019

Photo courtesy of The Transport Group

The Transport Group is producing a new version of The Unsinkable Molly Brown with new book and lyrics by Dick Scanlon.  It tells a more truthful version of the life of the title character, focusing on her political and philanthropic causes.  Meredith Wilson's music is beautifully adapted by Michael Rafter.  Kathleen Marshall both directs and choreographs, keeping the action moving and the stage pictures vibrant.

Margaret “call me Molly” Tobin (played by Beth Malone) is headed to her dream life in Denver, but instead winds up in Leadville, a small silver mining town in Colorado.  She befriends Julia (played by Whitney Bashor), who lost her husband to a mining accident and is expecting a baby.  Molly decides to stay in Leadville until spring and help Julia with the baby.  She is courted by J.J. Brown (played by David Aron Damane), who gives her everything she longs for: a red silk dress, cups that match the saucers, books to read, and a brass bed.  They marry and have two children.  When the United States switches to the gold standard, the silver mine becomes worthless.  Molly encourages her husband to mine for gold.  He is successful, and they build a mansion in Denver.  Molly is never fully accepted into Denver Society, so she turn her attention to helping the less fortunate.  When the miners decide to form a union, Molly fights with them against her husband, causing a rift in her marriage.  Molly flees to Europe when her marriage crumbles.  She returns upon hearing of her husband’s illness, and survives the sinking of the Titanic.

In Rehearsal: Alex Gibson, Paolo Montalban, Beth Malone,
 Omar Lopez-Cepero, & Kevin Quillon
Photo courtesy of The Transport Grouop

Beth Malone is a powerhouse as Molly Brown.  You cannot take your eyes off her.  Her energy is high, her heart is big, and her singing voice is remarkable.  David Aron Damane balances her perfectly as J.J. Brown.  He has a commanding presence, a gentle demeanor, and a rich singing voice.  Together they are magic, creating a truthful, loving relationship that carries the story forward. 

The cast and ensemble are phenomenal with strong performances from Whitney Bashan, Alex Gibson, Omar Lopez-Cepero, and Paola Montalban.  The Unsinkable Molly Brown is playing at the Abrons Arts Center on the Lower East Side through March 22.

Domenick Danza

The Perplexed

The Perplexed

Manhattan Theatre Club

New York City Center Stage I

February 15, 2019

Photo courtesy of Manhattam Theatre Club

“Two households, both alike in dignity… from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean… From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star-cross’d lovers…”  Those well-known opening lines from William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet are the premise for Richard Greenberg’s play The Perplexed.  He uses this classic conflict to unearth two families’ dark pasts on the day of their children’s wedding.  The Manhattan Theatre Club production brings together a stellar cast who deliver laughs and poignant moments.  This supposedly happy occasion starts an unraveling of secrets that quickly gets out of control.

It is the wedding day of Isabelle (played by Tess Frazer) and Caleb (played by JD Taylor).  They were best friends as toddlers, then a chance meeting on a subway platform reunited them and started their romance.  The wedding is an elaborate affair taking place at Isabelle’s grandfather’s 5^th Avenue home, which includes a golden ballroom that can host a large crowd of people neither Isabelle nor Caleb have ever met.  Isabelle’s mother, Evy (played by Margaret Colin), is not too happy about the wedding.  There is a history of bad blood between her and Caleb’s mother, Natalie (played by Ilana Levine).  The focus of the day shifts when Isabelle’s brother, Micah (played by Zane Pais), is outed as a porn star.  His father, Joseph (played by Frank Wood), is distant with his son over this issue.  When long-kept family secrets are revealed, a strong bond between father and son is created.  A chance for this couple’s happiness emerges when Caleb steps up and takes action in an unconventional manner.

Tess Frazer & JD Taylor
Photo courtesy of Manhattan Theatre Cluc

Truthful moments rise to the surface amid the sarcastic humor, roller coaster of emotions, and underlying family pressure.  Mr. Greenberg skillfully crafts these in his writing, and Director Lynne Meadow successfully focuses the audience’s attention on them.  These scenes are memorable, honest, and, at times, heartbreaking.  Frank Wood is captivating in these moments.   His portrayal of Joseph, father of the bride, is riveting.  He recounts his emotional abuse at the hand of his father, then takes a stand, something he has never been able to do before.  Margaret Colin is commanding as Evy, mother of the bride.  Her characters creates the through line of action for the play, and Ms. Colin does a masterful job of maintaining the audience’s attention and admiration.  There are also strong performances from Patrick Breen and Eric William Morris.

The scenic design by Santo Loquasto stunningly depicts the extravagant library of a wealthy 5^th Avenue residence with secret nooks for eavesdropping, which are used to advance the intrigue.  The Perplexed is playing at New York City Center Stage I through March 29.

Domenick Danza

Anatomy of a Suicide

Anatomy of a Suicide

Atlantic Theater Company

Linda Gross Theater

February 1, 2019

Photo courtesy of Atlantic Theater Company

Alice Birch’s Anatomy of a Suicide is an intense masterwork.  It examines the traumatic effects associated with the suicide of a loved one.  It is a compelling work that requires detailed timing and hyper awareness from every cast member.  There are three story lines taking place simultaneously.  Director Lileana Blain-Cruz guides the focus of the audience, maintaining a clear through line of action in this complex structure.  The Atlantic Theater Company intently brings all the elements together in this mesmerizing production.

The Full Company of "Anatomy of a Suicide"
Photo courtesy of Atlantic Theater Company

First, we meet Carol (played by Carla Gugino) who is being picked up at a hospital by her husband, John (played by Richard Topol).  We find out that Carol unsuccessfully attempted suicide.  While this scene is taking place, we meet Anna (played by Celeste Arias), who is trying to scam drugs from a friend who works in a hospital.  In the next set of overlapping scenes we meet Bonnie (played by Gabby Beans).  She is an emergency room nurse with a strong ability to disengage emotionally.  As we follow the stories of these three women, we gradually understand their relationship.  What unravels is an intimate comprehension of the trauma passed down through generations by a mother’s suicide.

Playwright Alice Birch
Photo courtesy of Alice Birch

Playwright Alice Birch creates curiosity in the beginning of the play by building a sense of mystery and suspense.  The timing of the revelation of facts to piece the story together is perfect.  Just as a question forms in your head, the answer unfolds, as well as a new question and the desire to know more.  This is how she pulls you into the brutally emotional reality of the characters.  With three story lines playing concurrently, you need to step back in order to focus and follow.  This creates an emotional distance.  It is through this distance that we are able to safely engage in the gravity of the events without being overwhelming by their intensity.  This is where director Lileana Blaine-Cruz’s skillful ability to keep the audience’s attention focused is most vital.  There are a number of dark moments, yet the sense of hope is always present in at least one element or character in each scene.

The cast of ten is truly phenomenal.  They dive deep into the souls of their characters, riding the rhythm of Ms. Birch’s dialogue and delivering one truthful moment after another.  Anatomy of a Suicide is playing at Atlantic Theater Company’s Linda Gross Theater through March 15.  It is brilliantly written, expertly directed, and skillfully performed.

Domenick Danza

Timon of Athens

Timon of Athens

Theatre for a New Audience

Polonsky Shakespeare Center

January 25, 2019

Photo courtesy of Theatre for a New Audience

The Theatre for a New Audience production of Timon of Athens leaves you with a lot to think about.  This lesser known William Shakespeare / Thomas Middleton play has been edited by Emily Burns and Simon Godwin.  It places a clear focus on the value of selflessness and generosity, and makes a strong statement about mankind’s inability to honor and respect it.  Simon Godwin originally directed this production for the Royal Shakespeare Company in December, 2018.  Kathryn Hunter is brilliantly cast as Timon.  A number of actors play numerous roles, creating distinctive characters and building a strong through line of action. 

It is “sometime in the future” in Athens.  Timon (played by Kathryn Hunter) is entertaining a group of friends in her sumptuous home.  She showers them with gifts.  They adore and praise her.  She supports anyone in need and offers opportunity when citizens are down on their luck.  Her generosity is limitless.  When her creditors come to her demanding their due, she finds herself unable to pay.  She turns to her closest friends, who she supported, for assistance.  They refuse her.  As she faces bankruptcy, she invites them to her home for one final banquet.  She serves her guests bowls of blood.  She then sets her home on fire and removes herself from society.  She lives as a hermit, forgotten, resentful, and self-sufficient.  While digging for food, she unearths a chest of gold.  As word spreads of her newfound fortune, her former followers seek her out to renew their companionship. 

Arnie Burton & Kathryn Hunter
Photo courtesy of Theatre for a New Audience

Kathryn Hunter fills the stage as Timon, mesmerizing the audience and taking them along on her transformative journey.  The opulence, bounty, and light-hearted humor in the beginning of the play crumbles as the truth of Timon’s finances is revealed.  The atmosphere turns threatening and camaraderie dissolves.  It is a stunning portrayal of the unraveling of a society that places its primary value on monetary gain.  The second half of the production shifts as Timon becomes filled with resentment.  Ms. Hunter gallantly portrays this transformation with dexterity.  The sacrifices she makes of her newfound fortune shows that her heart is still intact, even though she has lost her faith in her fellow man. 

Photo courtesy of Theatre for a New Audience

Praises to Theatre for a New Audience for mounting this production.  Simon Godwin has masterfully brought this Shakespeare/Middleton work to a new, relevant light.  The cast is magnificent.  Timon of Athens runs downtown Brooklyn at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center through February 9.

Domenick Danza

Medea

Medea

Brooklyn Academy of Music

Harvey Theater

January 18, 2019

Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Acadmey of Music

Medea, written and directed by Simon Stone, is a chilling retelling of the Euripides tragedy.  It is produced by BAM, Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, and David Lan, and playing at the Harvey Theater.  The cast, lead by Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale, is brilliant.  The action is magnified by camera work and large projections.  Mr. Stone chooses to tell the most dramatic parts of the story through narrative.  The psychic distance in the narrative combined with the close-up camera work create stunning effects and intense emotional engagement.  

Bobby Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Simon Stone, & Dylan Baker
Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Academy of Music

Anna (played by Rose Byrne) is released from a short stay at a mental facility.  Her husband, Lucas (played by Bobby Cannavale), is there to pick her up, along with their two sons (played by Gabriel Amoroso and Emeka Guindo).  The boys are happy to see their mother.  It is clear that Lucas and Anna are separated and that Lucas is seeing someone else, but the details are purposefully avoided.  Anna manipulates Lucas into spending the night with her and the boys.  She later reveals the reason for her hospital stay.  She started poisoning Lucas when she found out about his affair with Clara (played by Madeline Weinstein).  She acts as if his on-going relationship with Clara is not an issue, until Lucas tells her that Clara is pregnant.  When Lucas is relocated with his job and decides to take the boys with him, Anna crosses deeper into the darkness of her illness.

Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale are powerful together.  They are strongly connected and enact a web of manipulation, guilt, compassion, and denial that push Anna to the point of no return.  Ms. Byrne calmly plays Anna as a woman on the edge.  She is in total control and  portrays Anna’s break from reality with complete conviction.  You feel for her, until her actions take an extreme turn.  Mr. Cannavale portrays levels of loyalty, devotion, and indecision in the character of Lucas.  His performance is truthful and genuine.  He character is unaware of how he enables Anna in her plan. 

Medea is playing downtown Brooklyn at BAM Harvey Theater through February 23.  It is a haunting and unique retelling of the Medea story.  Don’t miss it!

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

Grand Horizons

Grand Horizons

Second Stage Theater

The Helen Hayes Theater

December 29, 2019

Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theater

In Grand Horizons playwright Bess Wohl examines the need to be seen and acknowledged amid a “typical” family dynamic.  As the family matriarch expresses her feelings and voices her need, each family member ends up demanding all the attention.  The all-star cast delivers fine performances, illustrating the need for openness and honesty in family relationships.  Ms. Wohl’s characters are well crafted and fully developed.  Her plot packs a few fun surprises. 

The Cast of Grand Horizons
Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theater

Nancy (played by Jane Alexander) and Bill (played by James Cromwell) silently prepare dinner.  They sit down, take a few bites, then Nancy calmly announces she wants a divorce.  Bill consents.  In the next scene we meet their sons, Ben (played by Ben McKenzie) and Brian (played by Michael Urie).  Brian is high strung and finds it hard to believe that after fifty years together his parents are not happily committed to the marriage.  Both sons feel they carry the weight of the responsibility for their aging parents.  Ben researched and put the money up for his parents to move into Grand Horizons, their retirement community.  Ben’s wife, Jess (played by Ashley Park), is eight months pregnant and utilizing her professional skills as a therapist to keep everyone calm and on track.  They are all trying to get their parents to move passed this dilemma.  Bill packs a van with his belongings and everyone seems to be going their separate ways, until Bill drives the van though the wall and into the kitchen.  Everyone is forced to face some unhappy truths.

Playwright Bess Wohl
Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theater

Jane Alexander and James Cromwell fill their silent moments with rich subtext.  Their physicality speaks volumes, creating full characters with years of history between them.  Michael Urie is energetic and delivers the laughs, keeping the pace moving.  Ashley Park and Ben McKenzie have a great chemistry as expectant parents.  Each cast member gets a chance to shine as their character reveals a secret that unearths their long-denied need.  There are two sharp cameos by Priscilla Lopez and Maulik Pancholy. 

The Second Stage Theater production of Grand Horizons is playing at The Helen Hayes Theater through March 1.

Domenick Danza