The Color Purple

The Color Purple

Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre

September 4, 2016

Photo courtesy of  The Color Purple

The Broadway revival of The Color Purple is a joyous celebration of the human spirit.  The vocal power of the magnificent cast erupts from the stage and energizes the theatre from the opening number and continues throughout the show.  Director John Doyle beautifully and seamlessly stages the action of the play on a unit set he designed himself.  The music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray evoke passion and empathy, and with book by Marsha Norman present clearly defined characters facing harsh challenges and brutal obstacles.

Cynthia Erivo is a powerhouse as Celie.  Her character grows and flourishes over the forty year duration of the story.  Heather Headley is strong and fierce as Shug Avery.  Her presence is magnetic, and her voice and characterization are authentic.  Isaiah Johnson skillfully portrays the many layers of Mister from his abusive outrage to his redeemed unselfishness.  Danielle Brooks, as Sofia, and Kyle Scatliffe, as Harpo, capture your heart and make your soul soar.  The juxtaposition of Sophie’s “hell no” approach to life and Harpo’s naïve optimism grabs your attention, makes you laugh, then delivers startling truths.  These two characters have a prominent story line that twists and turns beneath the arc of Celie’s journey.  Ms. Brooks and Mr. Scatliffe make the most out of every moment they are on stage.

Danielle Brooks & Kyle Scatliffe
Photos courtesy of The Color Purple

Heather Headley & Cynthia Erivo
Photo courtesy of The Color Purple

The balance in the sound design was off during the performance I attended.  The volume was so loud that it was difficult to understand some of the dialogue.  This is a very surprising occurrence in a Broadway production, yet it did not take away from the powerful impact of the performance.  The ending will leave you peaceful and joyous.  Go see it! 

Domenick Danza

Measure for Measure

Measure for Measure

The Drilling Company

Bryant Park Shakespeare

September 2, 2016

Photo courtesy of The Drilling Company

The summer might be coming to an end, but there is one more free Bryant Park Shakespeare performance to enjoy.  The Drilling Company’s Measure for Measure is playing Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through September 17.  Director Hamilton Clancy brings life to one of Shakepeare’s darker comedies with a remarkable cast and colorful concept.  He sets the play in present day in Viennaville, Louisiana with singing and live music that frame the action and energize the pace.

The synopsis from The Drilling Company’s program:  “Mayor “Duke” Vincentio, seeing his beloved town torn by lax oversight of the law, leaves Emergency Financial Manager Angelo in charge of righting the city.  Angelo decides to begin arresting people for petty offenses and putting them to death to show he’s serious.  Claudio is thrown into prison for getting Juliet pregnant (different Juliet from Romeo).  He asks his pal Lucio if he’ll go to the Nunnery and ask his sister Isabella to plead for mercy for him.  She does.  The righteous manager sees an opportunity to manage more than the city.  Meanwhile, Vincentio disguises himself as a Friar, visits prison, learns of Angelo’s proposition to Isabella, and plots to help her win mercy for Claudio.”

The Stage at Bryant Park
Photo courtesy of Bryant Park Shakespeare

Lukas Raphael is cunning and unscrupulous as Angelo.  Ivory Aquino captures your heart as Isabella.  Together they are beguiling and generate startling intrigue through Shakespeare’s complex scenes.  Emanuel Elpernord commands the Bryant Park stage as Duke Vincentio.  Michael William Bernstein is captivating and entertaining as Lucio.  Jarrod Bates shines in every scene, skillfully portraying six distinct characters ranging from serious to slapstick, as well as playing the trumpet and mandolin.  Rachel A. Collins, Serena E. Miller, Aly Byatt, Eric Paterniani, Kendra Lee Oberhauser, TJ Wagner, Veronica Nolte, Andrew Dahreddine, and Wesley Zurick all create colorful and genuine characters who engage in truthful relationships which conjure a realistic setting that evokes the culture of the Louisiana.

Photo courtesy of The Drilling Company

End the summer season with quality outdoor Shakespeare that The Drilling Company is famous for.  Measure for Measure plays Thursday nights at 9:00 and Friday and Saturday nights at 7:00 through September 17.  All performances are FREE at Bryant Park.

  

Domenick Danza

Austin

Austin

The Lion Theatre

Midnight Lunch Productions

August 25, 2016

Photo courtesy of Midnight Lunch Productions

Austin: A Summer Night’s Dream in Hell’s Kitchen is an intense play written by Edla Cusick presently running Off Broadway at the Lion Theatre.  Thomas G. Waites creates an optimistic and haunted character in the title role.  He is charming and energetic when he first enters, then gradually breaks your heart as he reveals his well-hidden secrets.  James McCaffrey delivers a strong performance as his brother Martin.  He is patient and stern, forgiving and hurtful.  Together their performances make this interesting, yet flawed script into a worthwhile play.

Thomas G. Waites & James McCaffrey
Photo courtesy of Midnight Lunch Productions

Austin (played by Thomas G. Waites) returns from his seventh rehab looking to reconnect with his ex-wife, Petra (played by Rochelle Bostrom), and his sixteen year old daughter, Dory (played by Michaela Waites).  Little does he know that Petra is having an affair with his brother Matt (played by James McCaffrey), and Dory is out of control.  Austin is staying with Matt in his Hell’s Kitchen brownstone and planting a garden as part of his rehab therapy.  When Andy, Austin’s counselor (played by AJ Cedeno), visits to help get the garden started, Austin faces his homosexuality and takes a serious look at the scars of his upbringing.

Thomas G. Waites & AJ Cedeno
Photo courtesy of Midnight Lunch Productions

The characters of Austin and Matt are well developed and believable.  They both have shocking backstories that keep the action of the play moving forward.  Ms. Cusick’s script is, however, weighted down with exposition and inconsistencies in the characters of Dory and Andy that make the play difficult to buy into.  The set design by Tsubasa Kamel successfully transforms the very small stage of the Lion Theatre into numerous locations smoothly and realistically. 

Austin is produced by Midnight Lunch Productions and will be running at the Lion Theatre on Theatre Row through September 10.

Domenick Danza

The Layover

The Layover

Second Stage Theatre

Tony Kiser Theatre

August 21, 2016

Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theatre

The Layover is a thought provoking play presently running at Second Stage Theatre.  Director Tripp Cullman focuses the actors on creating strong, realistic relationships that ring true and evoke empathy.  Leslye Headland's script is well structured, full of unexpected turns, and driven by clear, crisp dialogue. 

Shellie (played by Annie Parisse) and Dex (played by Adam Rothenberg) meet on a flight from Chicago to New York.  When the flight is cancelled and passengers are put up in the airport Marriott, they have a one night stand before going back to their normal lives.  They are both unable to get the other one out of their thoughts.  Finally, one of them hires a private investigator to track the other one down, and finds that everything that was said was a lie.

Adam Rothenberg & Annie Parisse
Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theatre

The scenic design, by Mark Wendland, stylistically divides the expansive space of the Tony Kiser Theatre to allow concentrated focus during the more intimate scenes.  He also splits the space so that scenes in separate locations can be delivered simultaneously.  Mr. Cullman effectively stages these parallel scenes so the characters can stare at each other across time and distance.  This heightens the theme of how certain experiences stay alive in our minds for extended periods of time.  This premise is explored through the point of view of the two main characters and Shellie’s father (played by John Procaccino).  The theme is strong, relatable, and prolifically expressed.  It is further enhanced through lighting design by Japhy Weideman and video design by Jeff Sugg.

Amelia Workman, Quincy Dunn-Baker,
Arica Himmel, & John Procaccino
Photo courtesy of Second Stage Theatre

The chemistry between Annie Parisse and Adam Rothenberg is palpable and visceral.  Both actors hook you in scene one, and skillfully transition your attention as the deeper layers of their characters are revealed.  There are also strong performance from John Procaccino, Amelia Workman, Quincy Dunn-Baker, and Arica Himmel.

The Layover is running at Second Stage Theatre through September.  The ending has some mystery and provides discussion of the characters’ true motivations and sense of reality.  See it with a friend and prepare for an in depth conversation afterwards.

Domenick Danza

Paramour

The Lyric Theatre

August 19, 2016

Photo courtesy of Paramour

Paramour is everything you expect when Cirque du Soleil combines with the high tech production value the Lyric Theatre was redesigned to accommodate.  The production is slick, breathtaking, and, at times, heart stopping.  The story line is well developed, yet the aerial ballets, trapeze choreography, and trampoline acrobatics dominate the experience.  Let’s face it, that’s what you’re paying for when you buy tickets to Cirque du Soleil.

It is the golden age of Hollywood, and film director AJ Golden (played by Jeremy Kushnier) wins awards for his film Paramour.  He declares in his acceptance speech that he owes it all to his starlet, Indigo James (played by Ruby Lewis).  He tells the story of when he first heard her sing and immediately signed her and her pianist/composer Joey Green (played by Ryan Vona) to his new picture.  AJ Golden dominates her personal life with the same overbearing control he does on his move set, but the love between Indigo and Joey is stronger.

Photo courtesy of Paramour

The aerial ballet during the Cleopatra scene is breathtaking.  The two artists, Andrew and Kevin Atherton, soar above the audience and intertwine with graceful ease that is truly mesmerizing.  The love triangle between the three main characters is interpreted through choreography on the trapeze.  The three trapeze artists perform with astounding technical strength and performance skills that elicit an extreme passion and deep emotion.  The rooftop chase scene at the climax of the story is heightened with trampoline aerial tricks that make you laugh and gasp at the same time.

Photo courtesy of Paramour

Paramour is settling in for a long run at the Lyric Theatre on 42^nd St.  If you’ve seen a Cirque du Soleil performance before, you will not be disappointed.  If you have not, here’s your chance.

Domenick Danza

The Effect

The Effect

Barrow Street Theatre

August 11, 2016

Photo courtesy of The Effect

The Effect is a skillfully written play presently running Off-Broadway at Barrow Street Theatre.  Lucy Prebble’s script is masterfully structured with stunning dialogue that transports you into the world of the play and inner life of the characters.  David Cromer’s direction is succinct and bold.  He clearly set up an environment of trust where the actors are able to delve and create truthful relationships and realistic moments that engage and enthrall the audience.  The cast is superb and each delivers honest performances that trigger emotional response and spark intellectual discussion.

Kati Brazda & Steve Key
Photo courtesy of The Effect

Connie (played by Anne Bates) meets Tristan (played by Colin Bates) when they volunteer for an anti-depressant drug trial.  They are monitored and observed by Dr. Lorna James (played by Kati Brazda), who, we later find, suffers from bouts of depression.  As the days pass and the drugs begin to take effect, Connie and Tristan become attracted to one another.  We also find out that Dr. Lorna James, during a relatively trying time in her life, had a brief affair with her supervisor, Dr. Toby Sealey (played by Steve Key).  As the emotional roller coaster ride reaches its peak for these four characters, a few questions arise:  Which emotions are real?  Which emotions are drug induced?  Which emotions need to be controlled by medication?

Photo courtesy of The Effect

Set design, by Marsha Ginsberg, is slick and functional.  The walls quickly roll away to reveal new locations while, at the same time, eliciting a clinical setting.  The wall on house right is painted with a forest mural that fills the area with a calm and serene, yet haunting and mysterious ambiance.  Lighting designer Tyler Micoleau brilliantly creates shadows and isolates shapes that create moments of intrigue and heightened intensity.

The Effect is an intellectually stimulating and emotionally riveting play, produced with care and expertise.  Be sure to see it!  It is raw and real, thought provoking and passionate. 

Domenick Danza

The Merchant of Venice – Shakespeare in the Parking Lot

The Merchant of Venice – Shakespeare in the Parking Lot

The Drilling Company

August 4, 2016

Photo courtesy of The Drilling Company

The Drilling Company’s Shakespeare in the Parking Lot production of The Merchant of Venice is vibrant and moving.  Artistic Director Hamilton Clancy and Director Ezra Barnes have assembled a brilliant cast to bring life to this poignant and meaningful Shakespeare play.  This production has the quick and tight pace that is a trademark of The Drilling Company Parking Lot experience.  Shakespeare’s words echo with significance in the open parking lot space.  The strength of this production is the humor, which does not come from joy, but from cunning, trickery, and irony.

Jane Bradley skillfully plays Portia as a strong woman who uses her wit and charm to obtain what she wants, which is to wed Bassanio (played by Adam Huff).  She then uses her intelligence to help him save his friend Antonio (played by James Davies) from the bond held by Shylock (played by Dave Marantz).  She achieves her objective on all accounts, but, along with Nerissa (played by Amanda Cate Fuller) and Jessica (played by Lauriel Friedman), gains nothing more than an understanding that their men are deeply flawed in the ability to live by their word.

Jane Bradley, Dave Marantz, & James Davie
Photo courtesy of The Drilling Company

The theme of the value of your word rings loudly in this production.  Conflicts arise when the men give their word, whether it is in matters of finance, business, or love, and are not willing or able to follow through on it.  It is the women who succeed in following through, yet their place in society does not allow them much credit.  At least their place is higher than that of Shylock, who loses everything, yet is considered saved by the social standard of the time period.

Jane Bradley delivers a powerful and charming performance as Portia.  Dave Marantz portrays Shylock as a solid business man who is broken by the loss of his daughter.  Adam Huff is bold and alluring as Bassanio.  Eric Paterniani is enchanting and commanding as Lancelot.  There are strong performances from James Davies, Amanda Cate Fuller, Aly Bryant, Michael Sazonov, Michael Vincent Carrera, Lauriel Freidman, Warren Jackson, Wayne Willinger, Israel Hillary, and Richard M. Steele.

If you have not read my post about the Shakespeare’s Globe production of The Merchant of Venice at Lincoln Center Festival, please look at my July 22 posting.  Both of these productions are amazing.  They are filled with similarities and differences that are stunning to compare.  Be sure to see this Shakespeare in the Parking Lot production.  It runs for one more weekend, July 12, 13, and 14 at 8:00 PM.  These performances are FREE.  The Parking Lot is located at 114 Norfolk Street (east side of Norfolk Street between Delancey and Rivington Streets), behind The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Educational Center.  Post your comments here and join the conversation about this powerful and relevant classic play.

Domenick Danza