16. November 2009 by admin.

THE REAL WORLD OF REAL ESTATE

F. J. Hartland

David Mamet dissects ambition, greed and real estate in his drama Glengarry Glen Ross, the current offering from barebones productions.

Act One is set in a Chinese restaurant where we meet all the main players—four real estate agents, the office manager and a client.  In the four brief vignettes, we see lying, cheating and all sorts of trickery and deception.

Bingo O’Malley shines as Shelley “The Machine” Levene, a real estate agent whose best days are behind him—think a modern day Willy Loman.

Patrick Jordan plays Richard Roma, the kind of slimy, fast-talking salesman that nightmares are made of, to perfection…right down to his moustache.

In fact the entire cast is outstanding—not a weak link in the ensemble.  They deliver Mamet’s rapid-fire dialogue with a staccato perfection.  And director Melissa Martin does what she can with these static short scenes where people do nothing but talk…and talk…and talk.  And in the Mamet fashion, they talk so much, they even talk over each other.  Act One clocks in at a brief thirty minutes.

Act Two takes us to the real estate office—where a break-in has occurred.  There’s still a great deal of chat—but now there’s action and movement—and no choppy short scenes.  Act Two is longer than Act One—but feels much shorter.

(As a side note, Glengarry Glen Ross also contains another Mamet trademark—a plethora of four-letter words.  They don’t bother me…but if offensive language upsets you, this is NOT the show for you!)

The two sets by Douglas McDermott are as different as night-and-day.  Both are stunning—in different ways.  And kudos to the stage crew who make the major transformation between the two locales in very little time.

As with all barebones production, artistic director Patrick Jordan assembles a team of amazingly talented artists.  I just wish I liked the script better. 

Glengarry Glen Ross continues through November 29 at the New Hazlett Theatre

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7. November 2009 by admin.

QUANTUM’S CANDIDE: BEST OF ALL POSSIBLE WORLDS?

F. J. Hartland

Some major talent created a musical version of Voltaire’s classic Candide: Leonard Bernstein, Hugh Wheeler, Stephen Sondheim and John Latouche.

In short, that’s a lot of genius.And because we’re dealing with such a magnitude of genius, this musical is not an easy one to produce.  In fact I haven’t seen a production of Candide in 25 years.  (And for those of you trying to guess my age, I will say I was a mere child at the time…right.)

Four young people (Candide, Cunegonde, Paquette and Maximilian) are the students of Dr. Pangloss, who teaches them that because we live in the only world that exists, it is, therefore, the best of all possible worlds.  It soon because apparent (through all the maladies that befall them) that it is also the worst of all possible worlds.

Director Karla Boos and Quantum Theatre tackle this masterpiece in—of all places—the garage of the former Don Allen Auto City.  This leads to using a variety of automobile-related set and prop pieces.  Some of these uses are brilliant, some not-so and after more than two hours, it becomes tedious.

When Cunegonde sings “Glitter and Be Gay,” it is disconcerting to see her placing lug nuts (instead of diamonds and pearls) around her neck

Also, a cavernous garage is not always the most appropriate venue to watch a play.  It’s drafty, the acoustics aren’t the best, and creature comforts are at a minimum.

Boos keeps the pace rapid-fire and she has assembled a cast of powerful voices and strong performers, full of energy—particularly John Wescavage as Candide, Nicole Kaplan as Cunegonde and Jeffrey P. Howell in a variety of roles (most notably Dr. Pangloss).  Lisa Ann Goldsmith and Jeffrey Gross are stand-outs in the ensemble

But no matter how powerful the singers, there are problems.  The size of the garage coupled with the arena setting often makes it hard to hear the lyrics.  The vocalists also compete with seven musicians.

The small (but outstanding) pit orchestra is in the center of the oval race-track set and in constant view of the audience.  Unfortunately, many of the musicisnas look bored throughout the performance.  Not so with conductor Andres Cladera, who is a delight to watch.  Whether he is conducting—or participating in the action of the show—he adds energy and spark!

Tony Ferrari’s set is simple—but allows the action to move quickly from scene to scene.  Allan Hahn’s bright white lighting gives the show a harsh, flat look, full of shadows.  I’m not sure how appropriate that was for all the scenes.

Richard Parsakian’s costumes begin white…then slowly make the transition to a rainbow of sparkles and color.  Befitting the location of the show, the orchestra (and some of the ensemble) wears grey mechanic’s coveralls.

This production of Candide isn’t the best of all possible productions—but it certainly isn’t the worst either.  It falls somewhere in between.

Candide continues through November 22. Call ProArts for tickets.

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31. October 2009 by admin.

BRICOLAGE SCORES WITH NEIGHBORHOOD 3

F. J. Hartland

Pampered suburban teens become addicted to a video game and soon the line between reality and the game is erased.  What is real?  What is the game?  Who knows?

This is the premise behind Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom by Jennifer Haley presented by the Bricolage Production Company.Neighborhood 3 creates the ultimate kind of fear…something horrifying in what is supposed to be a safe, quiet environment.  Most chilling is the fact that the monsters here look just like us.  Maybe we are the monsters.

Best of all, you do not need to be a “gaming” expert to understand it—and I’m proof of that!

Directed by Matt M. Morrow, Neighborhood 3 has to be one of the finest productions in Pittsburgh this year.  The pacing is swift and deliberate.

He is aided by a brilliant cast consisting of Jacqui Farkas (who plays all the daughters in this suburban enclave), Bjorn Ahlstedt (who plays all the sons), Tony Bingham (as all the fathers), and Tami Dixon (all the mothers). 

Not only does this amazingly talented ensemble has the task of playing a variety of characters, they also must delineate between when the character is really the character and when the character is an “avatar” (the matching character in the game),

While each new character has a different costume, these changes are minimal; it is up to each actor to use vocal and physical alterations to achieve the effect.  And these four performers meet the demands handily.

Ahlstedt and Farkas capture the naiveté of some the teen-agers and the belligerence of others.  Dixon and Bingham paints parents who are confused, angry, frustrated and sometimes compassionate.

Haley has also peppered her script with a great deal of humor.  Both Dixon and Bingham score big laughs when playing uptight parents.

There is a fifth character who is heard but never seen.  Randy Kovitz provides the voice of the “Walkthrough”—the disembodied narrator who walks the players of Neighborhood 3 through the game.

The set by Stephanie Mayer-Staley is a textbook example of what a set should do.  Not only does it create the feel of a suburban cul-de-sac with its cookie-cutter houses, but this set also manages to capture the essence of the video game.  We see the parallel worlds, the wormholes, the mirror images.  Its stark palate also makes a powerful statement about the world of Neighborhood 3.

Lighting by Niki Ellis is effective, but I did notice some dark spots during early scenes which left actors faces difficult to see.

And let’s not forget the new seating at Bricolage—which is much more comfortable and can accommodate the widest of behinds (i.e. mine!)

With superb direction, powerful performances and a stunning set, you do not want miss to Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom!

Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom runs through November 28.  Learn more at wwwwebbricolage.org.

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25. October 2009 by admin.

CITY TACKLES CLASSIC

By F. J. Hartland

     There used to be an old radio show called The Shadow.  (I am far too young to remember this.  Someone older—and wiser—must have told me about it.  Was it Ted Hoover?)  Anyway, at the beginning of The Shadow, the announcer would ask the question…”What evil lurks in the hearts of men?”

     In his novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson ponders the same question….long before the invention of radio.  Goodly physician Dr. Henry Jekyll concocts a potion that releases his dark underside—the evil Mr. Hyde.  Of course, he can’t keep this split-personality act for long; especially when Mr. Hyde begins to wreck horror all over London.

     City Theatre brings a new version of this classic.  Written by Jeffrey Hatcher and directed by Tracy Brigden, this new Jekyll and Hyde features a ponderous first act.  Things do pick up in Act Two—but by then it’s a little late.Much of the story is told in narrative with the actors addressing the audience through letters, diaries, and newspaper accounts.  Sometimes they are accompanied by a “dumb show” where we see—but do not hear—the tale.  These are certainly the most effective.  After all, we’d rather see something than just be told about it. Also, there are numerous set changes.  While the crew moves quickly, it breaks the show up into too many tiny pieces.

      The actual scenes in Jekyll and Hyde are not helped by Brigden’s static direction.  Her stage pictures consist of actors in a row, talking.  It is not until Act Two when she begins to apply diagonals in her blocking, and it is a welcomed change.

      The cast of the show does an admirable job.  David Whalen is the only actor who plays just one role—Dr. Henry Hyde.  The rest of the cast—Melinda Helfrich, Dan Krell, Kelly Boulware, Martin Giles and Sheila McKenna play a variety of roles.  With the exception of Helfrich, they also all take turns playing Hyde (but the job primarily goes to Boulware—who creates a menacing villain).  Having so many Hydes is an interesting concept; at times, a confusing one.  Additionally, the whole cast is not equally sharp in drawing the distinct characters.

     The physical look of the show is wildly reminiscent of the original production of the musical Sweeney Todd (another bit of history that I might have learned from Mr. Hoover).  Tony Ferrari has the duty of designing a set that requires numerous locations, and he does have some interesting tricks in his bad.  (For example a variety of unusual lights are lowered from the fly space to establish Dr. Jekyll’s laboratory).  Much of the set is rarely used (like the stunning spiral staircase on stage left)—and that’s a shame.  Christian DeAngelis’ lighting design incorporates long shadows, giving the production a film noir look.  Costumes by Susan Tsu look Victorian enough—but could use more color (especially the for the men), and some don’t fit correctly.  (Could someone please hem the pants Sheila McKenna wears when she plays Jekyll’s butler Poole?)

     I am usually a big fan of playwright Jeffrey Hatcher’s work.  But this (like Ella currently running at the Public) is certainly not his finest moment.  At least in Ella he is covering new ground.

    Jekyll and Hyde continues through November 8.  For information, visit www.citytheatrecompany.org.

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11. October 2009 by admin.

AGNES OF GOD—WORTH THE TRIP!

Once again, Off The Wall Theatre in Washington PA creates a performance that is worth the trip from Pittsburgh!

This time it’s John Pielmeier’s drama AGNES OF GOD.

A dead baby has been found in the wastebasket of young, pious Sister Agnes (Erica Cuenca).  A court appointed psychiatrist Dr. Martha Livingston (Virginia Wall Gruenert) has been assigned to judge her competency.  As the doctor tries to uncover what really happened during the night in question, she encounters a brick wall in the form of the Mother Superior (Ingrid Sonnichsen).

The beauty of AGNES OF GOD is that—not only does it offer three strong roles for women—it raises all sorts of questions about religion, faith and  psychiatry without ever taking sides.  And in the end, it is up to the audience to ponder the answers.  Like Doubt, another play about religion and faith, Agnes of God will keep you thinking (and talking) about the play long after the curtain has rung down.

Sonnichsen gives a delightful performance.  Her Mother Superior is feisty and tough-as-nails, but also has compassion and a sense of humor.

As Dr. Livingston, Gruenert, too, has a strong edge—yet shows her soft side when she deals with Sister Agnes.  There’s an old saying about “scratch a cynic and find a romantic,” and Gruenert manages to embody that old adage to perfection.

At the center of this play is, of course, Sister Agnes.  Cuenca gives a remarkable performance.  It is a complex role, and this young actress manages to find all the layers.  One never knows if she is an innocent child, a mad woman who hears voices and has visions, a murderer or a saint.  Cuenca embodies all of it—and gets the chance to display a beautiful singing voice as well!

Director Maggie Balsley has kept the pace of the play moving swiftly—eliminating the intermission and no blackouts for set changes.  It pays off as we are rewarded with a powerful ninety minutes of drama and three star-turn performances.

Paul A. Shaw’s set is beautiful and manages to make the tiny stage at Off The Wall look much, much bigger than it truly is.  With its beautiful hard wood floor to the rough hewn beams framing the stucco walls, is magnificently detailed and—best of all— assists in the flow of the performance.  Lighting by Brant Garda has a warm, candle-lit glow and (like the play itself) gives us a world of light and shadow.

The only disappointment in the evening was the poor attendance. 

Off The Wall has established a strong track record of strong professional productions with powerful performances.  AGNES OF GOD is no exception.  Their beautiful and intimate theatre space deserves to be filled. The productions there rival anything at any other professional theatre in Pittsburgh.

So take a drive to Washington, enjoy the beautiful fall foliage as well as a spectacular show.  You’ll be glad you did.

See AGNES OF GOD.

AGNES OF GOD runs through October 17.  Call PROArts for tickets

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9. October 2009 by admin.

ELLA—GREAT MUSIC, SO-SO THEATRE

F. J. Hartland

Currently, there’s a powerhouse appearing at the Pittsburgh Public Theatre.  The name of this human dynamo is Tina Fabrique, and her electric performance as singing legend Ella Fitzgerald blows the roof off the O’Reilly Theatre.

Backed by four extraordinary musicians (George Caldwell, Ron Haynes, Rodney Harper and Clifton Kellem), Fabrique mesmerizes audiences with 23 standards, ranging from Cole Porter to Irving Berlin to Hoagy Carmichael to the Gershwins.The music is the part of ELLA worth seeing.

As a revue, it is wonderful.  But with its contrived plot and insipid dialogue, it’s not theatre.

Shame on Jeffrey Hatcher for writing such a bad book.  He is one of my favorite playwrights, but this was a real disappointment.  All the plot is squeezed into Act One, and Act Two is like seeing a revue.  Fabrique does her best with the material—but with a performance like hers, she deserves much, much better.

While the musicians are great…actors they are not.  Although Haynes does do an exception impersonation of Louis Armstrong.  Harold Dixon plays Ella’s one-dimensional cardboard manager Harold Dixon.

Michael Schweikardt’s set is simple and yet breathtakingly beautiful.  From the curved archway to the circular arrangements of platforms, the set lends a real grace and beauty to the show.  Schweikardt gets a great deal of help making that magic from lighting designer John Lasiter.  Together, they have created a stunning world for ELLA to happen.

So my advice would be to skip the weak story and focus to this amazing group of musicians!

But see it for Fabrique.  Whether she is singing “Night and Day,” “The Nearness of You” or “That Old Black Magic,” she is nothing less than spectacular.  The Thursday night crowd agreed, giving her a well-deserved standing ovation.

I’m sure there will be one every night…

ELLA continues through November 1.  For tickets, call 412-316-1600

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20. September 2009 by admin.

DOROTHY IN ODD

F. J. Hartland 

           There is probably no more beloved film than The Wizard of Oz.  In fact, this year is the seventieth anniversary of the movie’s release.  Due to that fact, scores of stage productions of the musical are popping up all over.

            Of all of those productions, I am certain there will be quite none like the current offering from Rage of the Stage Players.

            Rage of the Stage applies its trademark edginess to the classic.  Now Dorothy is no sweet Kansas farm girl—she’s “Dottie,” manic depressive shoplifter committed to an asylum by her Auntie Em.  The Scarecrow is a strung out heroin addict; the Tinman is a pierced and angry man with a mohawk; and the Cowardly Lion is a sex pervert with a flatulence problem.  And Toto is dead before the shows begins—killed by a hit-and-run driver.

            Unfortunately, the script by James Michael Shoberg (who also directs) is uneven.  At moments the parallels he draws to The Wizard of Oz border on brilliant; others fall sadly flat. 

           And these characters are so slimey that when “Dottie” says good-bye to them, it’s not poignant—it’s a relief.  And I felt the need to go home and shower. 

           Don’t expect a heart-warming there’s-no-place-like-home ending.  Instead, the play ends on a somewhat ambiguous note.

            With its plethora of scenes, there are long blackouts for the very simple set changes. This brings any momentum the production builds to dissipate.

             There are some interesting performances.  Carrie L. Shoberg brings much needed laughs as the ditzy therapist.  Chucky Hendershot gives a very physical performance as “Skarekrow,” seemingly walking on legs made of rubber.  Lindsay Nagel gives a (dare I say it?) high energy performance as a mental patient given too much electroshock therapy.

            The costumes are amazing, much to the credit of both Shobergs and Brittany Spinelli.

            The production is brief (compared to other Rage of the Stage productions); unfortunately, the opening night curtain did not go up until after 8:15pm.  Volume was also a problem during the early scenes.

            I really enjoyed the Rage of the Stage treatment given to Alice in Wonderland several months ago;  I don’t think Dorothy in Oz lives up to that. 

           But if you want to see a classic in a whole new light, Dorothy in Oz fulfills the bill.

            Dorothy in Oz continues at the former Open Sage space in the Strip District through September 26.  For reservations, call 412-851-0922.

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14. September 2009 by admin.

MID-LIFE CRISIS x 5: THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON

F. J. Hartland      

      A mid-life crisis is an ugly thing.  I know.  I’ve been there.  That awful period of life when you realize you haven’t become the person you dreamed you’d be back when you were still a teen-ager.

            The mid-life crisis hits particularly hard in Jason Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON.  A small-town basketball team won the state championship twenty years ago.  Now they gather at the home of their coach on the anniversary of what was probably the high point of all their lives…all except a mysterious player named Martin who has never attended any of the reunions.  But I don’t want to spoil the secret for any of you… 

                       The REP at the Pittsburgh Playhouse has assembled a stellar ensemble cast to play out this drama of broken dreams under the director of Ronald Allan-Lindbloom, Artistic Director.

                        Being a reunion, secrets are revealed, uneasy alliances are made and tensions soar.

                       Phil Winters plays the putz of a mayor who is up for reelection against a charismatic candidate.  He’s also married to the girl from high school voted Most-Likely-To-Conceive.  David Cabot plays the campaign manager, who is really a junior high school principal longing for glory of his own.  Daryll Heysham is the lusty rich businessman who is viewed as an open checkbook by everyone he knows.  Jarod DiGiorgi plays a hopeless alcoholic.  Rounding out the cast is Robert Haley as their Coach, who never stops spouting platitudes about hard work and success.

            Together these five men form a powerful cast who work together like a well-oiled machine.  The camaraderie (and the hatred lurking below the surface) is played brilliantly.

            While the entire cast is strong, it is the silent DiGiorgi who makes the strongest impression.  He observes the action through an alcoholic gaze.  When he does speak, he delivers his lines with a razor sharp edge that never fail to amuse the audience.

            Allan-Lindbloom keeps the pace of the three-act moving quickly.  Occasionally, however, there would be an awkward stage picture or two.  But even with two intermissions, THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON clocks in a little under two hours.

            The set by Michael Thomas Essad is spectacular.  No detail has been over-looked in filling the cavernous living room of the Coach’s house.  Even the details on the porch (which can only be seen through a window) are stunning.  Lloyd Sobel’s lighting is dark and shadowy—all in keeping with the leit motifs of the play.

            Written in the early 1970’s, THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON is peppered with all sorts of macho posturing, lock room banter and terms that are FAR from politically correct.  In fact, the prejudice runs very deep in these characters, so plan to grit your teeth now-and-then.

            The musical interludes between the scenes are perfect for the time period—but often seem too loud.

            While the whining of the characters does get repetitious at times, this cast is well-worth seeing!

            THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON continues through September 20 at the Pittsburgh Playhouse.

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13. September 2009 by admin.

STRONG CAST SHINES IN CRIME

F. J. Hartland 

           Reducing a long Russian novel down to size is no easy task…especially when that novel is Fyodor Dostoevsky’s masterpiece Crime and Punishment.

            But with an adaptation by Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus, brisk direction by Matthew Gray, and three powerful performers, Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre has done just that.

            At the center of the novel is a crime (the gruesome ax murder of two elderly sisters).  The punishment comes when the murderer must confess to find atonement.

              Three actors (Joel Ripka, Larry John Myers and Susan Goodwillie) have the challenge of portraying the variety of characters in Crime and Punishment. 

           Myers is cool and eloquent as the intellectual police detective Porfiry.  Porify is trying to solve the case, but never resorts to any kind of brutality to get a confession.  Instead, he takes a psychological approach.  Myers lends a polite and quiet quality to the role.  He also excels later playing a boisterous drunk.

            Goodwillie portrays all the female characters, but primarily Sonia, the religious young woman forced into prostitution to pay her father’s debts.  She, too, brings a real strength to the role.  Also, Goodwillie does an excellent job delineating her other roles—such as the murder victim and Raskolnikov’s mother.

            As Raskolnikov, the poor student, Joel Ripka gives a dynamic performance that should be recognized when the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette chooses its performer-of-the-year.  Ripka goes through a broad range of emotions.  Sometimes he is the docile student, sometimes the mad philosopher, sometimes despondent denizen of the lower depths.  It is an electric performance, and Ripka radiates!

            The set by Gianna Downs is stark and simple—capturing the poverty of the characters, but also the bleakness of their existence.  Jim French’s lighting adds to the gloominess of Dostoevsky’s novel—and also does a great job defining scene changes.

            Crime and Punishment explores many themes and contains numerous images.  There are philosophical discussions of religion, society, right-and-wrong, psychology.  Director Matthew Gray keeps the action moving despite these cerebral questions.  And it amazing that such a long novel can be presented on stage in under ninety minutes.  Kudos to Pittsburgh and Irish Classical Theatre.

            If you’re looking for a light and frothy evening of entertainment, skip Crime and Punishment.

            But if you want to see a powerful production with outstanding performances, then don’t miss it!

            Crime and Punishment continues through October 3.

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17. August 2009 by admin.

HELL HATH NO FURY: CUP-A-JO’s MEDEA

F. J. Hartland 

           Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.  English playwright William Congreve gets credit for the quote, but Greek playwright Euripides captured the idea in his tragedy Medea.

            Now Cup-A-Jo Productions brings the classic to life in the Studio Theatre at Pitt.

            Medea, wife and mother of two, finds herself abandoned when her husband Jason leaves her for a princess.  But Medea devises the ultimate plan of revenge.

            While this is classical drama, don’t let that fact keep you away.  This translation and interpretation are very clear and easy to follow.

            While the production is low-budget, director Everett Lowe has spared no expense in getting top-quality performances from his cast.  Medea is also peppered with music and dance which add to the theatricality.

            Joanna Lowe has a powerful presence in the title role.  She captures the strength and the anger of a wife jilted by her husband.  Sometimes I wish we saw more of her softer side—the qualities that made Jason fall in love with her.  Lowe is matched step-for-step by Jody O’Donnell as Jason.  The scenes between the two of them are highlights of the production and bring the show to a fever pitch. 

           The talented Diana Ifft is cast as the Nurse.  It would be great to see her have more stage time.  Ditto for Vince Ventura in the dual role of Tutor/Messenger.

            Gordon Palagi is also double-cast as Creon and Aegeus.  Unfortunately, there is not enough distinction (other than a costume change) between the characters. 

           The set by Everett Lowe and Adrienne Fischer is simple—but contains some surprises.  Lighting by Lori Howsare is effective.  Leah Clocko’s costumes introduce bursts of color into the show beautifully.

            Medea is performed without an intermission.  With a running time of 110 minutes, it is too long a stretch for me to go without—well, a stretch.

              Medea continues through August 23.

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