10. October 2010 by admin.

ROUND AND ROUND IT GOES

F. J. Hartland

Set in Vienna in 1900 La Ronde by Arthur Schnitzler examines the circles of human sexuality. 

Famous for its structure, in the first scene A has sex with B.  Next B has sex with C.  Then C has sex with D and so on…

The REP at the Pittsburgh Playhouse gives the play a very stylish and beautiful production under the direction of Robin Walsh.

The production begins with a lively dance (choreographed by David Vinski) that fills the playing area (and also clues the audience in to the upcoming circular events of the play).

The cast is quite strong—with the possible exception of weak link Christopher Spare as the Count.  Stand-outs include Richard Keitel as the Husband, Mallory Campbell as the delightful Sweet Young Thing and a very funny Robyne Parrish going over-the-top as the flamboyant Actress.

Director Walsh could tighten up some of the slower scenes (like the last one), but overall she has done a fine job making this classic palatable for modern-day audiences.

The visual aspects of La Ronde are glorious. 

Stephanie Mayer-Staley’s set makes the most of the small Studio Theatre space.  Doors are hidden in the walls, the center section rotates and various chandeliers are lowered to indicate a change of space.  Golden gilded mirrors fill the walls of the space.  More gilding decorates the ceiling.

The stage crew moves quickly to change props and re-arrange furniture; Walsh has also choreographed cast members to appear making other wise tedious set changes entertaining.

Scott Weston’s lighting properly sets the mood and also contains some revolving effects in the style of old-fashioned lights.

The turn-of-the-century costumes by Michael Montgomery are detailed and stunning.  Done in beiges and light pastels, both the men and women are dressed to perfection—including undergarments—which we see a great deal of in La Ronde.

Overall, it is a beautiful production…if only it moved along at a slightly quicker pace.

Seating in the Studio Theatre is limited, so reservations are an excellent idea.

La Ronde continues through October 24.

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8. October 2010 by admin.

ALL HAIL THE ROYAL FAMILY

F. J. Hartland

The Public Theatre takes audiences through a fun-filled frolic through the 1920’s with its latest production of The Royal Family by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber.

And it’s a rollickingly good time!

The family in question is the Cavendish clan, a family of actors loosely based on the Barrymore dynasty (yes, the same one Drew is from).

Kaufman is still renowned today for his gift to make audiences laugh.  When teamed with Ferber, the characters always have more depth and richness; the plots more serious moments.  It’s the best of both worlds.

Jenny Sterlin plays Fanny Cavendish, the matriarch of the group, always poised to go on the road to perform.  Sterlin delivers each one of Fanny’s zingers right on target, but she also plays the moments of drama with flair.

Helena Ruoti fairs far better in this vehicle than she did in The Little Foxes.  She is bright and engaging as the much put-upon (and successful) Julie.  Julie does eight shows a week while trying to keep the creditors from her door…and she’s just about has enough.  When she reaches her breaking point, it makes for high drama–and high comedy!

Scoring big laughs is Jennifer Regan as sister-in-law Kitty.  With her incessant whine and phony charm, she becomes the epitome of the relative everyone loves to hate.

Stealing the show is David Whalen as the swashbuckling Anthony Cavendish.  Whalen parodies John Barrymore perfectly, capturing both the man’s charm and his childishness.

Director Ted Pappas keeps the pace lively and brings the three-act show in at under two-and-a-half hours.  He also gets his cast to play in the acting style of the era.  It may seem old-fashioned, but it fits this script to a “T.”  Pappas has also selected just the right music for pre-show and intermissions to get you into the feel of the period.

James Noone’s set is nothing less than spectacular.  Get there early so you can spend some time taking in all the rch detail!  From its floors of wood and marble to its lavish aubergine walls to its art deco stair railing, it captures the extravagances of the 1920’s.  (And special kudos to Zeva Barzell, James Fitzgerald, Matt Lang and Charlie Wein who climb and descend that l-o-n-g staircase at lightning-fast speed!)

Equally breath-taking are Susan Tsu’s costumes, many of them lined with lush fur.  The ats, the gloves, the shoes each bring back the details of that era’s fashion.

So plan to spend some time with the Cavendishs in a bygone era.  It’s a good, old-fashioned night of fun in the theatre.

The Royal Family continues through October 31.

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2. October 2010 by admin.

POWERFUL PERFORMANCES IN POWERFUL PLAY

F. J. Hartland

Thelma is a widow who lives with her divorced daughter Jesse, an epileptic with a wayward son.

Jesse finishes the laundry while Thelma snacks on junk food, waiting for her weekly manicure.  All in all, it’s a typical Saturday night for these women.

Typical, that is, until Jessie announces she’s going to kill herself within the hour.‘

night, Mother, Marsha Norman’s Pulitizer Prize-winning drama, is the current offering at Off The Wall Theatre in Washington PA.And it’s terrific.The script has two amazing things going for it. 

First, the women do the most mundane chores while engaged in a life-and-death debate.  Towels are folded, the slip cover is replaced on the sofa, hot cocoa is made…all while the clock ticks away for Jessie. 

Second, the dialogue is so witty, clever and, yes—even downright, laugh-out-loud funny…something you would not expect in a play with such serious subject matter.

Director Maggie Balsley has avoided the trap of turning ‘night, Mother into a “talk-fest.”  Instead she keeps the women busy, wisely reserving stillness for the high emotional moments. Also, Balsley gets top-notch performances from her two actresses.

Virgina Wall Gruenert pulls out all the stops as Thelma, using whatever tactics necessary to keep Jesse alive.  If she doesn’t reduce you to tears before then, the last three minutes are sure to do the trick. She really displays her “acting chops” by showing an incredible range of emotions.

The usually glamorous Elena Alexandratos transforms herself (with the help of costumer Debi Meny) into the frumpy Jessie.  Paradoxically, it is planning her suicide that has given Jessie a purpose to her life.  It’s not that her life is unhappy…or happy…it’s just not.    Like Gruenert, Alexandratos displays a full range of emotions from joy to despair.

The women play off each other extremely well and have developed a true “chemistry” of a real mother/daughter relationship.  Although they are the only two characters in the play, the way they discuss others, you can actually visualize this band of dysfunctional misfits. 

Opening night the cast earned a richly-deserved standing ovation.

Paul A. Shaw’s set is beautifully detailed with a colorful afghan, knick-knacks, a working stove and refrigerator as well as running water.  It is so realistic that you will forget you are watching a play and will believe you are sitting in your grandmother’s cluttered living room.

So pick up a box of tissues on your way to Washington PA.  You’ll be glad you made the trip (and glad you bought the tissues. Trust me–you’ll need them).

‘night, Mother continues at Off The Wall through October 16.

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1. October 2010 by admin.

WEEK 4 ENDS WITH LAUGHS AT PNWF

F. J. Hartland

The 20^th Anniversary Season of the Pittsburgh New Works Festival ends with laughs.

The bill of one-acts begins with Take Two Aspirins and Call Me in the Morning by Geoffrey Craig.  It’s a one-woman show that allows Arlene Merryman to give a tour-de-force performance as Lily Montgomery, a playwright who has fallen and broken her leg.  Trapped in her New York City apartment, her cell phone is her only lifeline.  Merryman plays not only Montgomery, but all the people she encounters on the telephone: her leading actor, her ex-husband, her son, her doctor, a nurse, several client representatives, etc.The gimmick of having Merrymen play both sides of the conversations is confusing at first.  Why does she do some of the voice herself and why are others recorded?  Nonetheless, Merryman does a wonderful job portraying a myriad of personalities.  Director Allison M. Weakland (and playwright Craig) should think about editing the script.  If it were tighter, it would be even funnier.

Sandwiched in between two comedies is Fortune Teller by George J. Bryjak.  A couple seeks out a fortune teller to tell them what’s become of their soldier son.  The husband is a believer; the wife is not.

Directors Clyde Adams and Naomi Grodin keep the repetitive story moving.  The very talented actors Bill Creen and Sandy Boggs are somewhat trapped in playing the one-dimensional husband and wife.  Playwright Bryjak forces them to have the same argument over and over again.  Grodin does not resort to caricature as the fortune teller; instead, she gives a subtle and understated performance.

The funniest play of the evening (and perhaps the entire four week Festival) is Drop It by Mike Rubino.  Set in a coffee shop, Anthony Mahramus (as Kurt)  and James Michael Shoberg (as Rob)  play two loser buddies, who attempt to end Kurt’s problems in the romance department.  The two men form the perfect comedy duo.  They are both unlike in comedic style and in size, but together Mahramus and Shoberg have real chemistry and play off each other.  They “click.”  Their work—along with that of director Rob Gorman—turn Drop It into some of the biggest belly laughs of the evening!

Week 4 of the Pittsburgh New Works Festival continues through October 3.

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25. September 2010 by admin.

WEEK 3 of PNWF: INTERESTING MIX

F. J. Hartland

The Pittsburgh New Works Festival offers up an eclectic mix for the third week of its 20th Season.

There’s a family drama/comedy, a short farce and a serious exploration of race relations.

The bill of one acts opens with Salty, Sour, Bitter, Sweet by local playwright Paula Martinac.  Set in an upscale restaurant, the play focuses on a situation with which many families must face: the deterioration of a parent.  Dad Harry’s (Don Anderson) mind is failing; Mimi’s (Rachel Dillinger) siblings have decided that she should be the one to take him in.  After all, they have spouses and children;  Mimi “only” has a partner and a dog (and a one-level condo).

Anderson does a wonderful job depicting the befuddlement of Alzheimer’s disease.  Dillinger does a fine job capturing both the love and frustration faced by many caregivers.  Michael S. Krcil plays the put-upon server Patrick.  Martinac has done a outstanding job depicting the family’s predicament—all while find the moments of humor.  The script could easily be expanded into a much longer play.

Next up is Fine by Butch Maxwell and directed by John Lane. 

It’s a brief piece (and I don’t want to give away the essence of the piece), but Harry J. Roth and Erica Hughes (and director Lane), do a fine (pun intended) job of making the most of the humor in the script.  Despite the strong performances, Fine is really more of a skit than a fully realized play.

The events surrounding a lynching from the 1930’s comes back to haunt four young women in the 1950’s in Rhythm of Revenge by Kathleen Conner Combass.  It is the largest cast on stage during this season of PNWF (eight), and director Dek Ingraham does a skillful job bringing this powerful drama to realization.  Some of the performances are dynamic; unfortunately, some are not.  Sadly, it keeps the play from reaching its full strength.  Combass’s script serves as a painful reminder of the ugliness of hatred and prejudice.  It brings this bill of one-acts to a close that leaves you thinking long after the curtain has fallen.

The variety of plays in Week 3 shows just one of the strengths of the Pittsburgh New Works Festival.  You can catch a wide range of genres all in one sitting!

Week 3 continues through Sept. 26.

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20. September 2010 by admin.

I’ll Take Tea, Thanks

F. J. Hartland

I don’t drink coffee.  I don’t like the taste…don’t even like the aroma.

Just seeing the title of the newest CLO Cabaret offering Triple Expresso should have told me everything I needed to know.

Set in 2002, Triple Expresso takes place in a coffeehouse where Hugh Butternut (played by Dane Stauffer) is celebrating his 25^th anniversary at the piano.  He is joined by his former show business partners Bobby Bean (played at the performance I saw by Brian Kelly) and Buzz Maxwell (played at the performance I saw by Christopher Hart).  The three re-count the disasters of their lackluster entertainment career.

Written by Bill Arnold, Michael Pearce Donley and Bob Stromberg, the style of Triple Expresso is reminiscent of Forever Plaid.  There’s lots of schtick and shlock.  The difference is Forever Plaid gives you classics songs in addition to the slapstick.

Oh, there’s a vaudevillian quality to Triple Expresso with singing and magic tricks and shadow puppets and lots (and lots) of bad jokes.  And the cast is working hard, very hard…almost too hard to get this cornball material across.  At times, it’s almost embarrassing.

Don’t get me wrong.  There are funny moments (the shadow puppet play is one), but the thing that kept me entertained through most of the two-hour show was trying to answer the question, “How has this dreck run for 14 years?”

I still don’t have an answer.

The set by Nayna Ramey is bright and colorful, and Michael Klaers’ lighting is effective.

I never thought I’d say this, but Triple Expresso made me miss S’Wonderful.

Triple Expresso continues through January 9 at the CLO Cabaret.

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18. September 2010 by admin.

LOOK!  IN THE SKY!  IT’S A MOVIE!  IT’S A PLAY!

F. J. Hartland

When his son is killed in an accident, a distraught man fills the void in his life by obsessing over the JFK assassination—specifically, a man seen holding an umbrella on November 22, 1963.

This is the basis for The Umbrella Man, the current offering from The Rep.

Written by Edward J. Delaney and based on his screenplay, The Umbrella Man is billed as “a staged screenplay.”

My question is…why stage a screenplay?  Why not make a movie?  Isn’t that what screenplays are for?

And like most films, one can predict the ending after the first few minutes.

Directed by Robert A. Miller, The Umbrella Man looks very much like a film.  In fact, the major element of Stephanie Mayer Staley’s set (other than packing boxes and black chairs) is a huge movie screen.

The scenes are short and episodic.  Many of the large cast (13 in all) have a scene or two and never appear again.  The talents of such engaging Pittsburgh actors as Jarrod DiGiorgi, Michael Fuller, Erika Cuenca, John Shepard, Ted Brunetti, Sr. and Gregory Johnstone are pretty much wasted in “cameo” roles.

David Cabot does do a noteworthy job playing the sorrow and confusion of the devastated father.

Robert Haley gives the identical performance he gave in earlier productions, such as That Championship Season and 36 Views.

Lloyd Sobel’s lighting has a film noir quality; Steve Shapiro’s sound is overpowering at times and actually hurt my ears.

Obviously, I am the minority opinion as the Friday night audience gave the show a standing ovation.

I guess I’m old-fashioned.  If I want to see a movie, I’ll go to Loew’s Cinema.

The Umbrella Man continues through September 26. 

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17. September 2010 by admin.

LET’S EAT!

F. J. Hartland

Week Two of the Pittsburgh New Works Festival is bound to make you hungry.

It’s all about food!

There’s a play about two bread bakers sandwiched in (pun intended) between two plays set in restaurants.

The evening kicks off with Fetish by Joseph Talarico and presented by The Red Masquers.  A British couple meet for a blind date.  They’re complete opposites—but they do have one thing in common.  A shared sexual fetish.  The handsome Justin Mohr gives a moving performance—especially when he confesses the shame he feels about his fetish, and the delightful Allison Fatla scores big laughs with her inappropriate table manners and talk.  Playwright Talarico has written a most unfortunate “time passes” pause into the script.  Not only does the break hurt the rhythm of the piece, it also makes it two VERY different plays that never truly reconcile; the script never really leads to a “pay off.”

Produced by McKeesport Little Theatre Bread by Randy Gross tells the story of two bakers—one American, one Iranian—who communicate via text messages. Their lives are different, yet eerily the same.  Director Chuck Penick has gotten charming performances from Robert O’Toole (as Ike, the American) and Bruce E. Travers (as Ali, the Iranian).  Both men are widowers; each has a child.  While the play has great promise, playwright Gross has resorted to a “dues ex machine” conclusion that seems a little too “pat.”  Also, Ryan Baker and Emily Cordes are forced to act characters that are written in a flat, single dimension.

Directed by lance-eric skapura and produced by Thoreau, NM—a Production Company, the bill of one-acts concludes with Pete Barry’s Sex with a Mathematician.  Again, two mismatched souls meet on a blind date in a restaurant.  Both possess great minds.  Sara Fisher plays “Sara,” a sexy and edgy mathematician while Andy Coleman portrays “Nikolai,” a conservative actuary.  Barry’s word play is witty and clever, and Fisher and Coleman prove they are up to the challenge. Kudos to director skapura, who has made the potentially static situation of two people sitting and talking in a restaurant visually interesting.  The two main actors (as well as Chelsea Forbes, who plays the server) keep the play light and frothy and fun!  The script could be tightened though by cutting about five minutes, but otherwise is fresh and laugh-out-loud funny.

Week Two of the Pittsburgh New Works Festival continues through Sunday, September 19.  See pittsburghnewworks.org for information.

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10. September 2010 by admin.

This week, local novelist and playwright Paula Martinac takes over the duties of OUT theatre reviewer. 

The Joy of One-Acts

By Paula Martinac

Pittsburgh New Works Festival (PNWF) opened its 20th mainstage season on September 9 at the Father Ryan Arts Center in McKees Rocks with three one-act plays tackling big ideas and big emotions.

Unbelievably, two decades have passed since Donna Rae founded the festival as a venue for new, unproduced short plays. Since then, PNWF has achieved a national reputation - this year, playwrights from Alabama to New York City (and a couple of Yinzers, too) are in the lineup.

Week 1 in the four-week schedule kicked off with James McKelly’s “The Joy of Theft,” produced by Heritage Players and directed by Carol Schafer. James Justus (John E. Reilly), who pens an ethics column for a newspaper in a Southern city, confronts an ethical dilemma of his own: what advice to give to an elderly woman who thrives on shoplifting.

McKelly’s dialogue is intelligent and literary, and leaves the audience with much to ponder about “the epic chess match we’re having with the Grim Reaper.” But aside from the aging thief, Emily (Cathy Gialloreto), the characters are sketchy; six are just too many for a short play. And if you forget to read your program in advance, you’ll probably be confused about who Emily’s confidante is; although aided by the director’s blocking, the element doesn’t work. This is McKelly’s first play, and with revision, could be a strong reflection on the helplessness of aging.

Next up was the dark comedy “Call Back,” by Jim Hinkley, produced by The Theatre Factory and directed by Nate Newell. Alan Montrose (J. Alex Noble) is a middle-aged actor up for the part of a much younger man in a play by Jennie B. Allen (Pam Farneth). The two engage in personal and professional banter about Alan’s ability to lie to a woman, which the part calls for. Jennie is at first a voice of authority in the darkened house, but the dynamic shifts when she arrives onstage.

Noble is first-rate as Alan, oozing smarmy charm. But the repartee goes on a bit too long compared to the denouement, which is quick, not all that original and a shade sexist.

Local playwright F.J. Hartland is back for a record 10th year with PNWF, with “Shaving Lessons and Half-Windsor Knots.” Produced by CCAC and directed by PNWF veteran Lora Oxenreiter, the play is a series of tender reminiscences over time by a son (Jim Scriven) about his father (Dan Krack) as the young man shaves and gets dressed one morning. And that’s about all I can say on plot without giving too much away.

The sweet, nostalgic tone of the play is aptly set at the opening with a music video of Paul McCartney’s “Put It There.” Krack gives a moving portrayal of the ideal parent who always has your back; the actor himself was teary-eyed at curtain call.

PNWF’s Week 1 continues through Sunday. For tickets and the complete schedule: http://www.pittsburghnewworks.org.

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28. August 2010 by admin.

WHO WAS THAT MASKED MAN?

F. J. Hartland

In what is billed as the “final tour,” Andrew Lloyd Weber’s The Phantom of the Opera makes a stop here in Pittsburgh.

Set in the Paris Opera House, the tale tells the story of a love triangle between the beautiful Christine, her suitor Raoul and the masked (and disfigured) Phantom.

D.C. Anderson and Michael McCoy make a very funny pair as the Opera House’s new owners, adding much comic relief to the love story.

Nancy Hess cuts a stark and powerful figure as Madame Giry, the ballet taskmaster who seems to have inside information about the Phantom. In ever scene she appears, it is difficult to keep one’s eyes off her.

As Christine Trista Molodovan is a stunningly beautiful Christine.  Paired with the handsome Sean MacLaughlin as Raoul, they make a picture-perfect couple.  Their scene on the rooftop of the theatre is particularly moving.

And as The Phantom Tim Martin Gleason wowed the audience—not only with his powerful voice—but also with his physical stamina required to play this challenging role.  He was rewarded with a most deserved standing ovation.

The production is visually stunning. 

The massive set is gorgeous, and the many scene changes were executed almost flawlessly.  Likewise, the costumes are colorful and eye-catching.

Pacing is perfect and the shows clocks in a two-and-a-half hours.

In addition Phantom is filled with all sorts of shocks and special effects that will cause you to jump out of your seat at least once!

My only concern about The Phantom of the Opera was the sound.  It was difficult to understand what is being sung in many of the larger scenes (such as the ones in the managers’ office and in the “Masquerade” number).  Also, at times some of the vocals had a “tinny” or unnatural sound.  This was due either 1) to the inadequacies of the sound system or that 2) some of the vocals were recorded and not sung live.  I truly hope it is the former and not the latter.

All that aside, I enjoyed the show.  It was my first time to see The Phantom of the Opera, and I’m glad I did not let it slip away with “The Music of the Night.”

The Phantom of the Opera runs through September 19.

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