Theater Reviews by Patrick Shannon, III
Cloud 9; Annie; Metamorphoses; Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah; For
Better; and Become Unleashed
Cloud Nine, Caryl Churchill’s popular surreal comedy of sexual
confusion, cross dressing, and political racism and repression
was splendidly staged by the Tulane University Dept. of Theatre &
Dance. Directed with a clear vision and his own crafty and
credible cache of theatrical professionalism and artistic
expertise, Carl Walker once again illuminated a stage with
memorable and beautiful work. Mr. Walker not only gave us a
fresh frisky frothy farce but many moments of thoughtful beauty,
all of which he told me was the result of working with such a
talented cast of students. And I agree. Of course his talent as
a director had much to do with this successful and entertaining
event.
The play occurs in two acts, the first act in Africa 1879; the
second in London 1979. The cast was without fault and the English
accents were impeccable. The performance took place in the black
box lab theater with a minimilist regard to sets, except for a
screen of louvered shutters as a functional background across the
rear of the stage. However the lovely period costumes credited
to 23 students were excellent. David Raphel supervised the non-
intrusive but workable set and prop concept. Other tech work was
supervised by Brad Marnidi and very well conceived.
Miles Babin played both Clive and Edward, two Englishmen who are
blinded by their nationalism and whose mind set is so wrapped up
in the British flag that they also have myopic visions of ugly
realities.
Andrew Farrier did a fine job playing both Harry Bagley and
Martin and Claire Gresham was wonderful as Maud and Lin. Helen
Jaksch was outstanding as Ellen, Mrs. Saunders and Betty. Sean
Knapp was a delicate and effective delight as Betty and with a
strong switch from estrogen to testosterone, an forceful Gerry.
Zach Serota did the role of both Joshua, Cathy, and the Soldier
with high energy and a vigorous interpretation of his roles and
Jenny Smith was charming and vivid as Victoria and sufficiently
butch as Edward.
It was just another evening of very fine theater at the venerable
campus of T.U. which one has come to expect and appreciate.
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Annie
Annie this old musical by Meehan, Strouse and Charnin, is a
perfect example of how to write a Broadway show that will
probably sell tickets and go on to glory and be crowned as a
classic American Broadway Musical. Its got a gaggle of singing
little girlies who are orphans stuck in a horrible home run by a
mean old harridan of a drunk, it’s set during the depression of
the 1930s, and it has a high-hopes billionaire with a heart of
gold that manages to make the world happy again. Oh, and it also
has a dog. But no nuns. That’s been done in another show. In
spite of all the schmaltz, ultra sonic screaming of little orphan
girls, and the superficial high blood sugar sentimentality, it’s
a charmer and it works. So, let me be among the many to say
bravissima for bringing out all the best in a well done musical,
filled with out best local performers, great costumes and sets
(Gil Moralis), and very good lighting and sound. When you get a
musical genius like Jonne Dendinger aka Dr. Joanne, in the pit,
the orchestra is bound to sound like pure Broadway professionals.
And it did.
Lindsey Price did both “adorable” and exciting adult
choreography, and the sound by Kyle Herbert was as beautiful to
hear as the costumes coordinated by Judy Claverie were to see.
So, I’ve got no qualms about this excellent production, except
that I’m an not fond of the high decibel ear bursting sounds of
little girls and I eat dogs for Christmas rather than turkey and
I always found the peculiar instant like/love of Daddy Warbucks
to be a somewhat shadowy suggestion of Nabukov’s great novel
Lolita. Probably soon to be another Broadway musical.
But the major performers! Becky Allen gave a rather one note
interpretation of mean old lady Miss Hannigan. But it’s a cartoon
role and she can do anything anyway she likes. Miss Madison Kerth
as Annie has charm, stage presence galore and a fine strong
voice. Her chemistry with the inimitable and glorious in every
way performer, Christopher Bentivegna as Daddy Warbucks was
luminous, even with those dark over tones of little lovely
Lolita’s ghost hanging around sometimes. Bob Edes, Jr. was
divine in every thing he did especially Bert Healy; Heidi Jackson
as Grace Farrell was near perfect in her role; Richard Arnold
once again brought shine and polish to his scheinigans in his
role as Rooster Hannigan and Jessie Terrebonne was probably born
to play the role of Lily St. Regis so damned well.
A great cast, high production values, and a terrifically good
show. And we owe it all to that fantastic director, John
Grimsley, including all the other little people of any theatrical
venture big or small.
And I can’t wait to see a musical rumored to be in the works
suggested by Lolita set in the mountains of Austria, in a
Catamite monastery converted to a school for perfect young
ladies. I hear they plan to have three adorable large dogs, a
gaggle of nubile little nymphet students, a large lesbian house
mother who forces the little girls to make bathtub beer, several
alcoholic nuns, and a role for a character named PUNJAB (a
sociopath egomaniac). I bet it’s going to be ALMOST as good as
Annie, it if ever comes to pass.
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Metamorphoses
The University of New Orleans recently staged a memorable
theatrical even of a translation written by Mary Zimmerman of
some of the ancient Roman myths which she collected from the
great Roman poet Ovid’s original long poem by the same name. The
lovely chosen pieces were presented as theatrical vignettes
performed in the Robert E. Nims Thrust Theater.
Although the language was somewhat stilted and academic in tone
and style, two of my associates who saw the production in New
York City told me this production was better. Why? “Because,:
they said, “The student actors projected a strong humanity. The
were less stilted and they created warmer and deeper characters
with which they and our audience could identify.” They said both
the large working swimming pool stage center was beautifully done
and easy to accept as a symbol and a reality of the womb of all
life. So, what can I add to these two critics comments, and from
Manhattan Yet? Well, I can say they know what they are talking
about so I wanted to share this with all of you.
And I agree about the warmth and sensitivity of the actors, all
of whom gave moving performances.
Blake Balu, one of our most amazing local actors, once again did
his role very well as King Midas with a certain dignity and
sensitivity. Derrick Deal played Poseidon and others with a
magnificent stage presence and a strong sense of purpose. He is
gifted with a stunning physique, tall, golden skin, every muscle
defined, and a beautiful voice, assets many actors would wish to
have. Mr. Deal is a gifted young man indeed. Joyce Deal played
Alcyone and others a quiet intensity and James Yeargain played
Orpheus and others with delicate and yet incisive understanding.
Mr. Yeargain also did a walk on part as Eros in the nude wearing
only a pair of wings on his back. He has a handsome body and his
simple on stage presence was done with grace and dignity. There
was a large cast in this splendid show, too numerous to name,
however bear in mind all of you that according to certain Yankee
experts you were all excellent and worked as a true ensemble.
That fantastic set, swimming pool and all was created by Kevin
Griffith. Emotionally effective lighting by Lyn F. Caliva, with
colorful costumes by Tony French, best of all, “better than New
York City” direction by our own UNO Professor, the talented Mr.
David W. Hoover. Our town’s Metamorphoses was lovely, moving,
dignified and engrossing. What more could a patron ask for?
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Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh, The Allan Sherman Musical
The good news is that Minacapelli’s Dinner Playhouse in Slidell,
LA is NOT MOVING! Call up Ricky Luke and Chef Ginger for details
(1.985.781.6565).
Currently running is a mishugahna musical by that old Jewish
comedian who put together a revue of songs with very clever
lyrics that captures the spirit of the American Jewish mind-set
and humor. Not that you have to be Jewish to understand all the
jokes, but it would help. All in all this show is as lively,
spicy, tasty and delicious as the all you can eat buffet cooked
up by Award Winning Chef, Ginger Luke. It may not be all Kosher
but it sure is good and festive.
Like the show itself the characters are 6 lively actors who seem
to know the Jewish shtick well, although the men don’t quite get
that wonderful Brooklyn, New York, Barbara Streisand (Ya, know
what I mean. Oy vey, so vat’s fah dinna ta nite? The ladies do
it well. It’s all in the rhythm of the accent. “Hey, have I got a
gurl fa you, young mensch. “Oy vey, if ya Faddah could heah ya
now?” Anyway the show is a collection of scenes from American
Jewish life where the cost of everything is usually a necessary
mention. “And huh weddin ring, my deah! Ya shouddah seen it. 25
thousand and I don’t mean retail.”
The stars of this mish mash of hilarity offers a glimpse into the
very funny elements of both the life of a Jew in our great
country as well a few glimpses into the sadder aspects, all in
song and dance both of which are witty and bouncy as a night at
your grandsons bar mitzvah. Jews, Italians, Irish, and African
Americans are not so different in their humanity but can be very
different in their humorous reactions to any and all of
everyone’s life experiences. Bottom line: we all laugh, we all
cry, we are all born, we all die. But it’s our unique humor
relative to our cultural background that keeps us trying to do
our best. This show is a delightful, hilarious, heartwarming
expose of human nature via clever witty lyrics and song and dance
whether one goes to Temple, Cathedral, or Mosque, or a Buddhists
alter at home. Highly recommended if you need to smile, laugh and
fill your belly with fine good.
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For Better
Once again I was amazed and totally delighted at the high quality
and posh production values of Souther Rep’s presentation of Eric
Cobel’s fine play For Better. Cobel’s fertile imagination
caught the influence of high tech “stuff” in our times and turned
the concept into a highly amusing, charming and well written
comedy. And I think this might be the first drama that shows how
foolish, yet necessary, but overdone and used as a “look at me
I’m so important” I have a blue light glowing on my ear and I’m
always connected to someone somewhere, etc. statement of self
worth and worthless ego. It’s as if no one ever has a moment of
silence and must always be tuned in and turned on to prove their
own worth and show off some much needed self confidence. How sad.
Yet, Eric Coble has woven this nonsense into a humorous and
charming evening of excellent theater.
David Raphel’s set was exquisite in its seeming simplicity.
Stark but with what looked like the diagram for the inside of a
computer and/or the telephone company wired network looming from
the shadows upstage. Marty Sachs lighting was lovely; Elizabeth
Parent is still a master of beautiful costume design, and Michael
Singleton did effective and difficulty sound design with elan.
Gary Rucker’s direction was sublime.
The actors were quite simply terrific and as professional as
anything from NYC. George Sanchez as Wally Baedeker an older dad
not quite up to understanding all this technology was as good as
it gets. Ashley Ricord was a vibrant charmer as his daughter
with every part of her body timed to go on and off per her cell
phone settings, computer settings, etc., all the while just
looking for Mr. Right. Aimee Hayes was just so good I wanted to
run on stage and give her a long warm hug as she played Francine
Dexter, wife of handsome highly talented Leon Contravesprie who
did Michael Dexter. Sean Patterson, who is always right on
whatever he’s on, I mean as a fine actor, was right on again
playing the smaller role of Stuart Tramontane, and Veronica
Russell stole every moment on stage, up high in her little loft
space stage left, as the hippie-like worldly Lizzie Monohan.
The plot obviously involved the concerned family of a daughter
who had met Mr. Right in a coffee shop three or so weeks ago and
had since been on cell phone, PC, and god knows what other
electronic connection she would use (e-mails) to be in contact
with him. They only met once and they are planning to marry. The
family is horrified and think she’s doing it out of desperation.
A series of e mail mishaps, mixed and open line connections,
accidental unwanted conference calls, and other electronically
confused situations that could only happy in these times
establishes the plays dramatic conflicts and in the final
resolution a marriage trans world via cell phone ensues as all
ends happily thanks to cyber space. It’s a very clever concept
and probably people will marry by email, cell phone and e printer
very soon. After all legal contracts are already acceptable via
fax machines.
The show was very chic, witty, perfectly performed and had the
clean expensive look of a costly high quality production.
Another winner by our town’s Southern Rep. Theater’s constant
successes!.
In this venue, which allowed for a pure, clear, directorial
vision of guest Director Gary Rucker, we saw just how
professional Mr. Rucker can be and is, when working with others
of an equally high caliber of talent.
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Become Unleashed
Xavier University Music Department recently presented its Opera
Workshop 2008 and as the program was named, those students really
did BECOME UNLEASHED.
Under the guidance and tutorial talents of Dr. Valerie Ann Jones
Francis, Artistic Musical Director and world famous Pianist, Dr.
Wilfred Delphin, with our own famous Ms. Lula Elzy as
Choreographer, we heard some vocal talents we never imagined were
in the training program at this great university in our town.
Passion, power, purity, and pain were notes in the program and
how well chosen they were to describe the splendid selection of
arias, duets, quartets, sextets, and all the various operatic
vocal devices created by such composers as Rossini, Mozart,
Gilbert & Sullivan, Rogers & Hammerstein, Scott Joplin, Menotti
and Gershwin. What a splendid and varied selection.
There were 25 vocalists in this program so I can’t list them all
but some of my favorites were Fredrick Hudnall, Jr. and Kimberly
Henry singing Mozart’s La ci darem, and Joel Barkers singing
Mozart’s Voi che sapete. Most of the cast joining Enisha
Santacruze as Treemonisha and Kirsten Charbonnet as Lucy in
Joplin’s opera Tremonisha. and Brittney Atkinson as Fiordigligi,
Neila Rene Bond as Dorabella, Dedrian Hogan as Guglielmo, Jermon
Wilson as Ferrando, Kimberly Henry as Despina and Ashton Green as
Don Alfonso singing with joy and gusto, Mozart’s difficult Alla
bella Despinetta.. Have any of YOU ever tried to sing a sextet
by Mozart? Wow, what a joy to hear. All of these singers were
excellent. I was especially excited to hear the powerful tones
and vocalizing of young Mezzo Soprano Danielle Edinburg Wilson.
You have great potential. Please continue your studies. I hope
to hear you at the Met in NYC one day.
Thanks one and all for a great evening of wonderful young voices
and I think I even heard one of two of the next Leontine Price
voices among them, but you all know I can’t tell. All of you
were amazing and my two companions, Mr. & Mrs. Reginald and Lois
Denny agree.
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