A Self-Effacing Pulitzer Prize Winner In Our Midst - Taylor Armerding

Taylor Armerding is a friend and a fellow alumnus of the Wheaton College (Illinois) Class of 1970.  Taylor is so humble that I had no idea that he was part of a team that had earned a Pulitzer Prize until I opened up the pages of the most recent edition of Wheaton College Alumni News.  In a section entitled, "Faith In The News," Andrew Thompson writes:

"Right before Christmas in 2002, a young boy fell into the frozen Merrimack River and drowned, along with three other boys who braved thin ice in an effort to save him. When this tragedy struck, Taylor Armerding ’70, son of Wheaton’s fifth For their rapid and thorough reporting of the incident, Armerding and the staff at the Eagle-Tribune won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news, and then passed the cash prize of $7,500 to the grieving families. 

“We felt good about the work we did, but we were humbled that the community opened up to us,” Armerding says, noting that he entered into the most intimate and painful time these families had ever experienced by drawing on lessons learned at his alma mater. “The Wheaton community is a community of amazing compassion, and I was able to reflect some of that. It’s not something that comes naturally to me.” 

Armerding, now a freelance journalist with a weekly opinion column appearing in 50 newspapers, is one of many alumni in journalism whose faith drives their work."

I encourage you to read the rest of this article in the link below.

I also encourage you to use this reminder of Mr. Armerding's act of compassion as a spring board to resolve to look for opportunities in the New Year to be a blessing when unanticipated situations confront you.


Wheaton College Alumni Magazine - "Faith In The News"

Review of "The Servant" by James C. Hunter - A Parable of Servant Leadership

"The Servant - A Simple Story About The True Essence of Leadership" has stood the test of time, and many years after its initial publication still speaks to the essence of servant leadership.  James C. Hunter creates a scenario in which a successful but angry and discontented business executive bows to pressure from home and the office to attend a monastic retreat in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.

In addition to the requisite five worship services each day and time for reading and personal reflection, each day's schedule includes two sessions led by one of the monks, Brother Simeon. This is no ordinary monk, but a retired former top executive from the business world who after the death of his wife has entered the monastery.  He brings to his teaching and facilitation the unique perspective of looking at the challenges of leadership through both a business lens and a spiritual lens.

John, the narrator, is one of six individuals who will spend the week together, learning from Simeon and from one another.  They include a Baptist preacher, a gruff and recalcitrant Army sergeant, a high school principal, and a basketball coach.  The diversity among their backgrounds and perspectives offers up rich opportunities for conflict and Socratic dialogue.  Through the formal teaching sessions and the private moments that John shares with Simeon each morning at 5:00, principles of servant leadership emerge.  One early principle emerges is the difference between management and leadership:

"Management is not something you do to other people.  You manage your inventory, your checkbook, your resources.  You can even manage yourself.  But you do not manage other human beings.  You manage things, you lead people." (Page 26)

When members of the sextet were asked to list the traits of persons who had led them with authority and influence versus those who led with power alone, these ten traits emerged:

• Honest, trustworthy
• Good role model
• Caring
• Committed
• Good listener
• Held people accountable
• Treated people with respect
• Gave people encouragement
• Positive, enthusiastic attitude
• Appreciated people

(Pages 37-38)

It turns out that these ten traits provide an excellent backbone for a working definition of a servant leader.  What follows is a back and forth discussion, prompted by the sergeant, about getting things done in the real world - accomplishing tasks.  Simeon sums up his own balanced view: "The key then to leadership is accomplishing the tasks at hand while building relationships." (page 41)

As the week progresses and the group gets to know and trust one another more deeply, the quality of the discussion also descends to deeper levels.  At this point, Simeon introduces the concept of love into the leadership equation.  He clarifies that by "love" he does not mean an emotion of affection, but a commitment to act in loving ways towards those that one is leading - even if the leader may not feel particularly loving at that moment.  It becomes clear that one important element in acting out of love is to pay attention to people and put into action the determination to treat others with respect and dignity - basically to operate by the Golden Rule.

"One of the primary works of love is paying attention to people." (Page 107)

One final statement about leadership struck me, presented as Simeon was offering parting words to his six disciples just before their week together was to end: "Leadership is not about personality, possessions, or charisma, but all about who you are as a person.  I used to believe that leadership was about style but now I know that leadership is about substance, namely character." (Page 167)

This book is a helpful reminder for seasoned leaders and an excellent primer for leaders in development.

Enjoy!

Al

Review of "MidSummer - A Play with Songs" - Apollinaire Theatre Company Launches Its New Season with a Bang and a Brogue!

Boston area theater companies have a propensity for producing Shakespeare plays and offering works based on some of the Bard's familiar pieces.  The A.R.T.'s Oberon has given us the long-running "Donkey Show," a disco extravaganza with a nod towards "A Midsummer Night's Dream."   Chelsea's trend-setting Apollinaire Theatre Company picks up on that ethos and offers David Greig and Gordon MacIntyre's madcap comedy "MidSummer" as the inaugural offering of its new season. Also using "A Midsummer Night's Dream" as a springboard, this play launches its two main characters into the deep end of a pool that contains enough turbulence and sharks to keep the audience on the edge of their seats at their cafe style tables.

Bob is a failed car salesman who has turned to petty crime to survive.  He is celebrating his 35th birthday and wondering where his life is heading.  Helen is an equally unhappy and lonely divorce attorney drowning her sorrows at a bar with an expensive bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.  She has been stood up by her married lover, and wants some company.  Seeing Bob sitting alone at the bar, she saunters over and offers to share her bottle - and by implication - her bed with this nondescript man "with no discernible distinguishing facial features."  Bob is so bland in appearance that his underworld cohorts call him "Medium Bob."

They repair to Helen's lair and together narrate a simulated sex scene that improbably involves Sesame Street's Elmo.  I was tickled!  What appeared to be only a one-night-stand that ends in hangovers all around tuns into far more.  The play is a mash-up of comedic styles and romantic comedy fodder.  Think of Shakespeare meets Eugene Ionesco with a dollop of "Once" and a dash of "Love Actually" thrown in for good measure.  The action is often interrupted by thematic songs about love (written by MacIntyre) song by Bob at the piano and/or Helen on ukulele..

The actors that Director Danielle Fauteux Jacques has chosen for this two-hander could not have been better cast.  Courtland Jones as Helen - and a few other characters - and Brooks Reeves as Bob - and a few other characters - are perfect in their execution individually and in the chemistry they convey.  Their flawless Scottish brogues speak well of this play's roots in Edinburgh, where the action is set.  These two actors have had a very good 2014.  Ms. Jones comes to this play from a very impressive role in the recent Bad Habit production of "The Real Thing," and Mr. Brooks also drew rave reviews for his role in Zeitgeist's recent production of "Bent."  The roles of Bob and Helen require a great deal of flexibility and stamina on the part of both actors.  At one point, Bob is on the run from one of his underworld bosses from whom he has purloined 15,000 Pounds Sterling.  You might call his pursuer a "rude mechanical." and the chase scene that takes Bob into the rafters and nether regions of the performance space is a highlight.  Another highlight is the forced conversation that Bob conducts with his own irate penis, urging Bob in no uncertain terms to think about growing up and settling down.  Ms. Jones is wonderful in portraying a complex mix of sultriness, longing, ennui and desperation.

The ending of the play which has Bob heading off the Belgium to fulfill his dream of performing as a busker across Europe is both enigmatic and touching.  It leaves the audience hanging and wondering what will become of this on-again off-again almost couple.
\
This production continues Apollinaire's strong track record of offering plays that make it desirable to cross the Tobin Bridge into Chelsea.  The play will run through January 11, with special holiday season performances daily through New Year's Eve.  Why not plan to spend the first part of New Year's Eve in Chelsea, then head back to Boston for the First Night activities and the midnight fireworks.  "MidSummer" offers plenty of fireworks of its own to get you in the mood.

Musical Direction - David Reiffel
Scenic Design - Nathan K. Lee
Lighting Design - Danielle Fauteux Jacques
Dialect Coach - Christopher Sherwood Davis

ApollinaireTheatre Company Website

Enjoy!

Al

Tickets
$25, $20 advance purchase, $15 students

Chelsea Theatre Works, 189 Winnisimmet St., Chelsea. 
Click for Directions or call 617-887-2336

Midsummer: Dec. 26-January 11
Fri. & Sat. at 8
Sun. at 3:00
Mon. Dec. 29, Tues. Dec. 30, Wed. Dec. 31 at 7:30

Review of "More Than This" by Patrick Ness - A Young Man's Search for Understanding and A Second Chance

I truly enjoyed reading this book - from start to finish.  Patrick Ness has written in  "More Than This" what I will call a page-turner, in the best sense of that phrase.  I could not wait to find out what would happen next to Seth, the young protagonist who finds himself in a strange world.

The book is written in a very cinematic style.  I could envision each of the episodes playing out in my mind like a film that had elements that reminded me of "Coma," "The Matrix" and "Brazil."  I will not talk much about plot for fear of spilling the beans.  The story begins with young Seth walking into the unforgiving waves of the angry ocean in the Pacific Northwest, life appearing hopeless in the wake of love gone wrong.  His drowning body is smashed against rocks, dislocating his shoulder and shattering his skull.  The dead Seth wakes up to find himself - where?  In hell?  In a dream?  In some state of altered consciousness?  He is back in what looks like the home where he grew up as a young boy in England, but the place appears to be deserted and covered in dust and weeds - in a state of advanced desuetude.  He gradually becomes aware of the presence a few other life forms.  And the plot thickens.

Using this literary device of Seth living an alternate life, the author explores themes common to young adults - loneliness, love that defies social conventions, forgiveness, identity, second chances, selflessness.  His relationships with his family and friends before his death are recounted in what appear to be dream sequences, which alternate with his real time (maybe) struggles to survive in the world where he has landed.  He meets Regine and Tomasz who become his fellow travelers on his journey of survival and discovery.  The plot is rife with cliff hangers - including one that involves an actual cliff!  Every time Seth and his cohorts find answers to their questions, more questions are raised.  Where are they, and what is the meaning of the experiences they are sharing?

While the novel is written primarily for young adult readers, it holds enough intrigue to keep even the most sophisticated literary fan engaged.

Enjoy!

Al

Best Wishes for a Blessed Christmas and Happy Hanukkah

As Christians gear up for Christmas Eve and Jewish friends finish up their celebrations of Hanukkah, I wanted to extend my best wishes for a memorable holiday season.

With all of the turmoil in the world - I do not need to remind you of the long list of those who are being naughty around the globe - this is a good time to re-focus our minds and hearts on the spirit of Christmas.  Lots of gifts will be exchanged in the next few days.  The best gifts are those of time and presence - being truly present with the family and friends we will visit visit over the holidays.

You can set the tone by talking about hopeful and uplifting things and by being mindful of small opportunities to be a blessing - a smile, lending a hand with the dishes, taking out the trash, telling stories and playing games.

Make some memories this Christmas season.

Enjoy!

Al

Review of "My Sunshine Away" by M.O. Walsh - A Satisfying Debut Novel That Examines The Nature of Memory and Forgiveness

One of my litmus tests in discerning how sophisticated a particular writer may be is to examine the degree to which the author may build complexity and ambiguity into the fabric of the characters that populated his novels.  M.O Walsh passes this test with flying colors in his debit novel, "My Sunshine Away."  The author creates a strong sense of place in setting the action in Baton Rouge - both before and after the influx of Hurricane Katrina refuges changed the face of this sleepy, steamy community seventy miles from New Orleans.

This novel is a gripping coming of age story that follows the development of the relationship between pretty Lindy Simpson and her young neighbor, who narrates this tale in the first person.  The action of the novel pivots around Lindy's rape on Piney Creek Road, and how the narrator's attempts to unravel the mystery of who committed this heinous act impact both Lindy and her love-struck neighbor.  There are colorful characters scattered across each of the pages.  The narrator's mother, absent father, two older sisters.  We are mesmerized by the scary giant who lives two doors away whose parade of foster children coming and going into his strange household throws a light of suspicion on him.  There is the lost puppy of an uncle who attempts to guide the narrator in crossing the rough waters of teenage love.  And there are the narrator's friends at school and in the neighborhood, friends both helpful and hurtful.

Themes resonate across the chapters of this novel - themes of the impact that memories of childhood still have on the adult that grew from those young seeds.  The author echoes Tolstoy's insights about good and evil in this musing by the narrator: "You would also see genuine fear in Mr. Landry's broad face.  More important, though, and what I am trying to tell you is that within this quick exchange i understood that it is within all of us men to be both menacing and cowardly.  It is in all of us to have virtue and value and yet it is also in our power to fall into irrelevant novelty, or, even worse, elicit indifference from the people we've loved."  (Page 273)

The tale comes to a very satisfying ending when it becomes clear why the narrator has chosen to put his thoughts and memories on paper  and to whom he is addressing these musings.  Along the way, he treats the reader to a very engaging reflection on the nature of forgiveness and rebuilding lives touched by tragedy.

This debut novel bodes well for a future full of more tales from the fertile imagination and mind of Mr. Walsh.

Enjoy!

Al

"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night" - Broadway and Off-Broadway Shows of Note

This is not a review, but rather an audience alert to make you aware of several Broadway and Off-Broadway shows for which I feel a particular personal connection.

• I was recently able to snag a Rush ticket to see "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night" at the Barrymore Theatre.  Wow!  This show is almost guaranteed to garner 8-10 Tony nominations. Alec Sharp, the young actor who plays the protagonist, may go in short span of one year from graduating from Julliard to winning a Best Actor Tony nomination. The set design is brilliant, and helps the audience learn to see the world through the eyes of an autistic teenager who is trying to solve the mysterious killing of his neighbor's dog.  It is a deeply moving and thought-provoking bit of theater.
• My beloved "Pippin" will be closing on January 4.  If you have not yet seen it, tickets are available for the final performances.  After that date, the national tour will be another way to see the show.
• Pippin Tour Dates and Cities
• "Side Show" will also be closing on January 4, and should be a destination if you plan to see a show in the next few weeks.
• White Rhino Report.Review of Side Show
• Off-Broadway, I recommend "Horse Girls"
• White Rhino Report Review of Horse Girls
• Here are some things coming up early in 2015 to keep your eyes open for:
• Coming to Broadway, "Fish In The Dark" by Larry David.  One of the cast members is my friend, Jonny Orsini, who is always worth watching.  Previews begin at the Cort Theatre on Feb. 2 and official opening will be March 2.
• "Nevermore" tells the story of the life and death of Edgar Allan Poe.  It will open Off-Broadway at The New World Stages with previews beginning on January 4 and an official opening on January 25.  The cast includes my friend, Stephen Cerf, as a Swing.
• Another friend, Tony Award-winning Producer, Andy Sandberg, has co-authored a new play which he will direct Off-Broadway.  "Application Pending" will begin previews at the Westside Theatre Downstairs on 26 January 2015, before an official opening on 10 February, and will continue its limited engagement through to 19 April 2015.The new comedy about "the hilariously cutthroat world of kindergarten admissions at New York private schools" will star YouTube Sensation Christina Bianco, who will play rookie admissions officer Christine Evans (as well as forty other roles).
• "Finding Neverland" will make its transition from the A.R.T. in Cambridge to Broadway in the spring, in time to be eligible for Tony nominations.
• Also transitioning from the A.R.T. will be the amazing "The Heart of Robin Hood" that will open at the Marriott Marquis Theater.  Broadway previews begin March 10.
• White Rhino Report Review of The Heart of Robin Hood

So, if you are going to be in NYC in the next few months, you have lots of good choices for theater events.  Keep your eyes open.  You may just spot a rare White Rhino!

Enjoy!

Al

Mini-Review of "The Painted Veil" by Somerset Maugham

I ordered this volume primarily because I was eager to read "The Razor's Edge."  Once I finished reading that novel, I was so taken by Somerset Maugham's literary style that I kept reading.  I have reviewed separately the other novels in this compendium.  In this review I will concentrate on "The Painted Veil."

I found "The Painted Veil" to be among the most tender of Maugham's novels.  His style tends to be quite cynical - often poking fun at the antics and the mores of the aristocracy, the literati, the world of actors, etc.  In this novel he certainly does that as he follows British diplomats to Hong Kong and beyond in Asia.  But in this work there is a fascinating relationship between Kitty and Walter  Kitty is the daughter of a family of some means, but she has failed to attract the right husband.  In desperation she marries Walter, a microbiologist with a verse terse and taciturn personality.  She follows him to his post in Hong Kong, where she has an affair with the second in command to the Governor of the colony, Charlie Townsend.  Walter learns of her infidelity, and repercussions of stunning proportion ensue.  Walter and Kitty go off to fight a cholera epidemic in the hinterlands, and both of their worlds change forever based on what they encounter in rural China.

The novel is a complex exploration of infidelity, reprisal, grudges, forgiveness, and the process of rebuilding from tragedy.  It is rich in its portrayal of conflicted characters, and was a very satisfying book to read.

Enjoy!

Al

Review of : "Decoding The IT Value Problem" by Gregory J. Fell - A MUST READ for Anyone In The C-Suite Making Strategic Decisions About IT Assets

Decoding the IT Value Problem: An Executive Guide for Achieving Optimal ROI on Critical IT Investments by Gregory J. Fell

If I could give this book 10 stars, I would do so. It is a MUST READ for anyone who occupies a C-Suite position in a company that must invest in IT infrastructure. It is no surprise to me that Greg Fell would pen such a lucid, comprehensive, readable and practicable book. I know him as a Renaissance Man who is erudite, whose knowledge spans a wide spectrum, and whose technical expertise is deep. He tells great stories and uses apt and colorful analogies. All of these traits are on display in this book. All of this makes this volume one of the best business books I have read in a long while.

Speaking from his position of having served as a CIO in several large enterprise companies, Mr. Fell is addressing other office holders in the C-Suite: CEO, CFO, COO, CMO, et al.  He explains in very clear business terms how to optimize Return On Investment (ROI) for IT assets that are needed to enable companies to implement their broad strategies for success.

I love the fact that he sets his argument in a historical context from the American Revolution. He recounts the story of Henry Knox, the virtual CIO of the fledgling Continental Army, convincing the CEO, General George Washington, that it was technically feasible to move cannon from their position at Fort Ticonderoga over the Green Mountains in Vermont to Boston. This CIO made such a convincing argument as to the technical feasibility and strategic implications of such a move that General Washington incorporated the cannon into his strategic plan for defeating the British and driving them out of Boston. Much to the shock and chagrin of the British, the cannon appeared one morning on Dorchester Heights with its commanding view of Boston Harbor. The British quickly comprehended that they had been outmaneuvered, pulled up anchor and sailed away, handing Washington a virtually bloodless victory. I read this passage as I made my commute on Boston's T - The Red Line - as it passes in front of Dorchester Heights, which is now crowned by a brick high school building and a tall white church spire. There were no cannon in sight nor British ships in the harbor!

Mr. Fell's approach in organizing this book is to make CEOs and other C-Suite executives aware of how they can best partner with the CIO in making IT decisions that are business-based rather than viewed in a more limited sense as a technical project. He populates the book with fascinating stories from his own experience and the experiences of those whom he respects giving examples of CIO-CEO relationships that have worked well and others that have been less than ideal. He offers his insights and principles in a number of crucial areas, including:

• The 80/20 Law of IT spending
• Why IT projects fail
• The importance of IT governance
• Why software programming is not the same as manufacturing
• Managing IT security risks
• The pros and cons of outsourcing IT functions
• Why CIOs are wired differently than other C-suite denizens

He has wisely reached out to two experts to give the perspective of a CFO on how best to create a productive relationship between CIO and CFO, He does the same thing in a guest-written chapter which speaks to the relationships between the CEO and CIO.

As I reached the end of this book, I felt as if I had just graduated from CIO boot camp. I learned more in these pages than I usually learn in four or five typical "business books." I am already considering to whom I will give copies of this book among my clients and friends whom I know will benefit from its insights.

If you are someone who interacts at a strategic level with IT assets and investments - or if you know of such a person and care about their success - buy a copy of this book, read it, apply its wisdom - and live long and prosper!

Enjoy

Al

Review of "The Godspell Experience" by Carol de Giere - A Deep Look At Joy and Community As Foundation Stones for The Godspell Phenomenon

Carol de Giere has done it again with "The Godspell Experience - Inside A Transformative Musical." Much as she did with her earlier Stephen Schwartz book, "Defying Gravity," she has managed in this new work to offer a comprehensive and detailed view of the creation of "Godspell" while at the same time clearly conveying the magic of the Godspell phenomenon.

She organizes the material in a way that allows the readers to feel that we are being shown sonograms of a fetus in development through all three trimesters of gestation. She begins the chronicle of "Godspell" in 1971, with the show's roots at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where John-Michael Tebelak pulled together fellow students to put on four performances of a proto-version of the musical. Much to his surprise, he was invited to bring the show to Cafe La MaMa in Greenwich Villlage. Some Off-Broadway producers were in the audience one evening, and decided to back the show for a run at the Cherry Lane Theatre, with the stipulation that a young composer by the name of Stephen Schwartz be engaged to write new music that would make the show more commercially viable. It did not hurt that Schwartz and Tebelak had been students together at CMU.

I was fascinated to learn the genesis of Mr. Tebelak's idea for writing a show about the teachings of Jesus based on material from the Gospels. In an interview for Dramatics Magazine in 1975, he recounts for interviewer Thomas A. Barker an experience he had one Easter that changed his life - and altered the course of musical theater history:

"I decided to attend Easter sunrise service to experience, again, the story that I had gotten from the Gospel. As I went, it began to snow, which is rather strange for Easter. When I went into the cathedral, everyone there was sitting, grumbling about the snow and the fact that they had already changed their tires. They weren't going to be able to take pictures that afternoon. Snow was upsetting their plans. As the service began, I thought it might be a little different. Instead, an old priest came out and mumbled into a microphone, and people mumbled things back, and then everyone got up and left. Instead of 'healing' the burden, or resurrecting the Christ, it seems those people had pushed Him back into the tomb. They had refused to let Him come out that day. As I was leaving the church, a policeman who had been sitting two pews in front of me during the service, stopped me and wanted to know if he could search me. Apparently he thought I was ducking into the church to escape the snowstorm. At that moment - I think because of the absurd situation - it angered me so much that I went home and realized what I wanted to do with the Gospels: I wanted to make it the simple, joyful message that I felt the first time I read them and recreate the sense of community, which I did not share when I went to that service." 

It makes perfect sense then that joy and community are two values that ooze from every pore of this musical. The author offers the fruits of her extensive and scrupulous research into the creative processes that took place in bringing the show to maturity and then expanding into a global phenomenon. There are detailed descriptions of the characters and the actors who created them. Each song is carefully analyzed as to its origins and how it fits into the arc of the show. Yet despite the granular detail that this book provides, it never loses the spirit of the show and of those who created it. I found myself singing the familiar songs as I read about them. I found myself smiling and laughing and weeping as I do each time I see a well-wrought production of the play. This book is not only a valuable description of the process of creating a work as impactful as "Godspell," it is also a celebration of the lives of those who brought this work into being using the skeleton of Scripture verses and the words of some traditional Episcopal hymns.

Ms. de Giere has assiduously provided detailed notes and bibliographical references for serious students who wish to delve more deeply into any aspect of the history of this show.This book is a MUST READ for anyone who loves musical theater, for anyone who celebrates the mystery of the creative process, and for anyone who has ever been touched by participating in "Godspell" on stage or as a member of the audience.  It would make a great holiday gift for a family member or friend who loves theater!

Enjoy!

Al

Neil McGarry of Bay Colony Shakespeare Company Presents Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" - A Remarkable Achievement

Neil McGarry
Charles Dickens'
"A Christmas Carol"
Bay Colony Shakespeare Company

I am a sucker for everything Dickens - as long as it is done well.  I believe that I have read several times over everything that Dickens wrote in his lifetime, and many volumes that have been written about his life and career.  So, I was intrigued when I learned that Neil  McGarry of Bay Colony Shakespeare Company would be performing Dickens' iconic "A Christmas Carol" as a one man show.  I was not sure what to expect.  What I had not anticipated was being deeply moved by one of the most artistic, creative and energetic performances of the 2014 Boston theater season.

Under the direction of Ross MacDonald and using only minimal props - a steamer trunk, a scarf, a hat - McGarry transmogrifies into all of the characters we have come to know so well.  I felt transported to a progression of worlds that the actor created with his voice, movement and connection with the audience members.  I could almost hear Marley's chains being dragged across the floor of Scrooge's bed chamber.  I could smell the negus at Fezziwig's Christmas party.  I could feel and weep at Tiny Tim's frailty as he uttered the classic line: "God bless us - everyone!"  Even though I knew the outcome, I was hoping against hope that he would live to see another Christmas and not die and "decrease the surplus population."  My heart ached for the young Ebenezer sitting abandoned at his school desk, waiting to be recalled home by his flint-hearted father.  And my heart leaped with Scrooge as he flung open the window to discover that it was Christmas morning and it was not too late to celebrate with his newly transformed heart.

All this and more was created magically by the passion and artistry of Mr. McGarry.  It was an early Christmas gift that I will long remember.

There are a few more opportunities for you to experience that same magic.  Give yourself and some special people in your life a treat and make your way to Plymouth, Cape Cod or Quincy to see "A Christmas Carol," which plays through the 23rd.  Details below.

The Bay Colony Shakespeare Company for the second year, are touring once again their highly praised, IRNE award nominated one man performance of 'A Christmas Carol'. 
http://www.baycolonyshakespeare.org/

December 18th-December 21st:
The Plymouth Center for The Arts. Thur, Fri, Sat - 8pm
Sun - 5pm

December 22nd:
Cape Cod Media Center, 5pm

December 23rd:
First Presbyterian Church, Quincy 8pm

Neil McGarry deftly and brilliantly performs all of the characters in this Victorian masterpiece. 

Bay Colony Shakespeare Website

Enjoy!

Al

What Did The White Rhino Think of "Horse Girls" at The Cell in NYC? - Unbridled Enthusiasm

I went to see the new Off-Broadway hit, "Horse Girls" last week at The Cell on W. 23rd St. in Chelsea not quite knowing what to expect.  This clever and hilarious black comedy reached out and lassoed both my heart and my sense of humor.  I laughed throughout this clever send-up of the over-the-top equestrian culture of entitled pubescent middle school girls.  The creative bridle trail that led to this current production began as a Fordham/Primary Stages MFA Project, and was then entered in the Ars Nova ANT Fest in 2013.

Playwright Jenny Rachel Weiner and Director Sarah Krohn have rounded up an amazing creative team and troupe of actors, corralling them in the intimate space of The Cell in a set by Daniel Geggett that immerses both cast and audience in a very realistic recreation of the bedroom of a rich 12-year-old girl who is obsessed with everything to do with horses.  Sound Design by Ben Truppin-Brown, Lighting by Alex deNevers, Costumes by Siena Zoe Allen and Special Effects by Amanda Perry work together to create an ecosystem with a high degree of verisimilitude.

Here is the set-up for the action of the play as described in the play's website:

"Twelve-year-old Ashleigh rules the Lady Jean Ladies, South Florida’s most exclusive horse club. Rumors that her family’s stables are being sold and their horses killed for meat throws the Ladies into crisis in this dark comedy of middle school deception and lies."

The actors playing the members of the Lady Jane Ladies Equestrian Club are:

• Kaley Ronayne - Margaret
• Maddie Sykes - Robin
• Angeliea Stark as Tiffny
• Olivia Macklin - Ashleigh
• Anna Baryshnikov - Camille
• Eleonore Condo - Trish
• Katie Lawson - Brandi

They are a true ensemble, each actor playing a role somewhat subservient to Ashleigh (Olivia Macklin), who not only hosts the meetings of the Lady Jane Ladies in her lavishly appointed bedroom, but also cracks the whip to keep in line the other members whom she has clearly "broken to the bit" and can control with only a withering glare or a whine.  Each actor is completely believable as a pre-teen girl, with appropriate vocal inflections, awkward gestures and age-appropriate insecurities, histrionics and obsessions.  Their pledge to Ann Romney while gazing adoringly at a picture of the Would-Be-First Lady is a hoot and a highlight of the play.

Anna Baryshnikov (Camille), Kaley Ronayne (Margaret), Maddie Sykes (Robin), Eleonore Condo (Trish),
Angeliea Stark (Tiffany), Katie Lawson (Brandi),
Olivia Macklin (Ashleigh)

Ashleigh is clearly the ruling filly in this herd.  Her sense of entitlement is often highlighted when she gets on the intercom and barks orders at her Latina maid, who is never seen on stage. Ms. Macklin is masterful in portraying thinly veiled adolescent insecurity just barely hiding under a horse blanket of sang froid and hauteur.  The rest of the ensemble are equally impressive, each with their moment to shine in response to Ashleigh's pronouncements and fiats.  Things get interesting when a few of the fillies start to buck against Ashleigh's harsh hegemony.  The best way to think about this comedy with a few horsey bites is as a mash-up of "National Velvet" and "Carrie."

On the evening that I attended, the audience was wildly enthusiastic, so it is no surprise that the run of the show has now been extended to January 23.  Tickets are limited, so I encourage you to go on-line now, pony up the $20, and canter on down to Chelsea to see this thoroughly entertaining new play put on by a cast of thoroughbreds..

The Cell Theatre Website

Enjoy!

Al

SpeakEasy Stage Company Presents "Necessary Monsters" by John Kuntz - A Remarkable New Play In Its World Premiere

What is "Necessary Monsters"?  Well, it is a book, a play, a children's TV show, a film noir - and at the end of the day it is a reflection.  And I mean "reflection" in two senses of the word: a mirroring that shows us ourselves, as well as a time of musing and considering - of reflecting on - the meaning of what we are seeing in that mirror.

John Kuntz has crafted a fascinating and thought-provoking play that is far from linear, and has been described by the Playwright and Director, David R. Gammons, as containing several layers of reality inside of one another - like Russian nesting dolls - "матрешки".

This play began life as a work that Mr. Kuntz wrote for his acting students at Boston Conservatory. His initial thinking about the subject matter was inspired by a quotation from Jorge Luis Borges' work, "The Book of Imaginary Beings":

"We do not know what the dragon means, just as we do not know the meaning of the universe, but there is something in the image of the dragon that is congenial to man's imagination, and thus the dragon arises in many latitudes and ages.  It is, one might say, a necessary monster, not some ephemeral and casual creature like the chimera or the catoblepas."

A remarkable ensemble of gifted actors put flesh onto the skeleton of ideas that the playwright has conceived.  They are helped enormously by the visionary direction of Mr. Gammons, who envisioned, along with Scenic Designer Cristina Todesco, the entire production happening inside of a large cage (think of a Mixed Martial Arts combat enclosure).  Audience members are seated in two sections on opposite sides of the long axis of the cage - each half of the audience creating a mirror image of the other! The myth of Narcissus and Echo is very much in play here.  The production is tremendously enhanced by the brilliant Sound and Video Design of Adam Stone, Lighting by Jeff Adelberg and Costumes by Elisabetta Polito.

Evelyn Howe as Midge/Fay
John Kuntz as Stephen/Theo
"Necessary Monsters"
Craig Bailey/Perspective Photo

It just occurred to me as I was "reflecting" on the photo above, that the Lighting Designer and Director have blocked these two actors in such a way that it creates a chiaroscuro effect - light and darkness juxtaposed to one another, which is one of the themes of this play!  Astounding!

Let's talk about the vibrant and versatile ensemble cast.  Before the play formally begins, several of the actors are miming repetitive gestures, such as a flight attendant's routine at the front of a plane before takeoff.  The roles are physically and emotionally demanding, with several actors portraying multiple roles.  For example, Greg Maraio plays Victor and Clint, which makes him both a monster and a victim.  It is an effective way to reinforce Tolstoy's insight that "the line between good and evil runs through the center of each human being's heart."  Standing out among this troupe is the performance of veteran actor Thomas Derrah in drag as Greer.  The role of Greer is a prolonged rant that occurs in the middle of the play and embodies many of the memories and nightmares we harbor in our imaginations of a monstrously over-controlling parent.  Mr. Derrah's performance is nothing less than a tour de force in high dudgeon.

Thomas Derrah as Greer
"Necessary Monsters"
Craig Bailey/Perspective Photo

The full cast consists of:

• Thomas Derrah as Greer
• McCaela Donovan as Cissa/Gillian
• Stacy Fischer as Flora
• Evelyn Howe as Midge/Faye
• John Kuntz as Stephen/Theo
• Georgia Lyman as Abigail/Mia
• Greg Maraio as Victor/Clint
• Michael Underhill as Drake

Michael Underhill as Drake
"Necessary Monsters"
Craig Bailey/Perspective Photo

I will not say much about the plot - for two reasons.  First, that this is not really a plot-driven drama, but an experience of full immersion into asynchronous actions that fold onto one another like living mobius strips.  Second, I do not want to spoil any surprises, for there are twists and turns that are best appreciated of they are unanticipated.

This is a play that for the audience member requires some heavy lifting if it is to be understood and appreciated.  It is not for the faint of heart or for the casual theater goer who wants only to be lightly entertained.

This SpeakEasy Stage Company production will run through January 3, 2015 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts.  It would be monstrous of you to miss this show - and unnecessary!  Book your tickets now.

SpeakEasy Stage Website

Enjoy!

Al 

Go See "Distant Neighbors" by Fresh Ink Theatre - It Is Out of This World!

If your plans for this weekend are not yet solidified, make your way to Boston Playwrights' Theatre on Commonwealth Avenue for the Fresh Ink Theatre production of "Distant Neighbors."  The play, written by Patrick Gabridge and Directed by Liz Fenstermaker is brilliantly conceived and beautifully executed.  The play is a "space-age love story about loneliness and longing."  It is about breaking down the barriers that keep us isolated from one another.  Mr. Gabridge has taken a very Chekhovian theme of individuals missing connections with one another and layered onto it a Robert Frost sensibility that there is something out there in the cosmos that "does not love a wall."

The scene is the back yard of a neighborhood in which the back doors of four households abut one another in a quadrangle, so the four yards connect.  The neighbors live no more than 20 feet from one another.  And yet they are virtual strangers - distant neighbors, if you will.  Carefully constructed fencing keeps them in isolation from one another - until . . . .  There is a blackout and the sound of.what may be a plane crashing.  The lights come up to show that an objective - presumably from outer space, has landed in the common back yard and has destroyed the fence that keeps the individuals separate from each other.  We will soon learn that it is not just a physical barrier that has been breached, but a metaphorical and relational one, as well.  Has the object truly come from outer space, and if so, which "distant neighbors" may have sent it?

Adams (Sheldon Brown) and Talia (Louise Hamill) leave their homes to investigate, and are joined by a third neighbor, Griffin (Daniel Boudreau) .  After arguing about how to handle this mysterious event and talismanic object,  Talia contacts NASA and a field investigator arrives in the person of Melanie (Gillian Mackay-Smith).  The plot is cleverly developed and I hesitate to say much more for fear of spoiling some nice surprises and plot twists. The object proves too tempting to be left alone.  The four individuals each discover that the mysterious monolith, when touched, has the power to allow each person who touches it to see and understand one another in ways that are mystical, ineffable and deeply moving.  Each of the four is forever changed internally, and altered in terms of their relationship with each other and those beyond the tight circle of four. There are two other players in this drama who play significant roles.  There is Blake (Michael Knowlton), Talia's estranged husband who shows up to complicate her life.  And there is Griffin's wife, whom we never see, but who is clearly alienated from Blake and from the world.

Sheldon Brown (Adams) & Louise Hamill (Talia)
"Distant Neighbors" by Patrick Gabridge
Fresh Ink Theatre
Through December 13.
Photo by E. Milanovich Photography

There is fine acting on display throughout this production.  The chemistry between Mr. Brown's Adams and Ms. Hamill's Talia is sizzling.  The finesse with which they each portray the arc of their character and of their relationship is a highlight of this play.  Ms. Mackay-Smith is stellar as the NASA geek who is lonely and repressed.  I recently saw this actor in a very different role in "The Real Thing," and she is so versatile that it took me until Act II to realize that this was the same actor portraying a very different kind of troubled woman.  In a limited part, Mr. Knowlton firmly and effectively establishes the character of Blake, who is the "odd man out" in every sense of that phrase.  Mr. Boudreau has a very touching moment near the end of the play in which he reluctantly accepts a selfless gift from Adams and Talia that may help bring healing to his marriage.

The actors are helped enormously by the creative team.  Mr. Gabridge writes very lively and believable dialogue.  The Set and Props by Marc Ewart are outstanding, as is the Lighting Design of Christopher Bocchiaro, Sound Design of Lindsey Anderson and Costumes by Bridgette Hayes. 

This production is nearly flawless.  I do have two minor quibbles that I will point out in the interest of balance.  There is a scene in which the broken fence must be repaired.  The actors mime the rebuilding of the fence by pounding with a hammer, but using no nails, and then measuring lengths of wood that have already been cut.  The action is not believable and is an unnecessary distraction  to an otherwise thoroughly captivating play. My other bit of constructive criticism relates to Mr. Boudreau and his physical presence.  He has a limited physical vocabulary and reverts to one of three body and hand positions to attempt to portray a wide range of emotions.  He often leans forward with his hands splayed at his side with palms facing outward, in an almost beseeching posture.  He would do well to ask for some coaching along these lines, for there is clear talent there that needs a bit of polishing.

These minor quibbles aside, this is a very successful and satisfying play, and a great evening of theater.  This is the final weekend for this production, so I strongly urge you to see this captivating play.  The folks at Fresh Ink Theatre are reaching out to you and asking: "Won't you be my neighbor?"

Fresh Ink Theatre Website

Enjoy!

Al

"O.P.C." at the A.R.T. - Is It A-OK?- A New Play by Eve Ensler

Playwright Eve Ensler is probably best known for her acclaimed "The Vagina Monologues."   Her career has focused on shining a light on issues of disenfranchisement, marginalization and fighting injustice and inequality.  This latest play, "O.P.C." tackles a host of current political and ecological issues, in the guise of the story of a family suffering from a serious generation gap.

O.P.C. stands for "Obsessive Political Correctness."  If I had to give a very terse assessment of this play, I would simply say that in an ironic way, it suffers from its own case of Obsessive Political Correctness.  In the course of telling the story of Freegan Romi and her family, Ms. Ensler tackles consumerism, excessive waste, treatment of mental health issues, the pursuit of political power at all costs, and the vacuousness of TV interviewers like Oprah and Barbara Walters.  It feels like a stew with too many ingredients that do not pair well with each other.  The issues are presented in ways that feel polemical, pedantic and forced, as if we are listening to characters declaim set speeches rather than truly interacting with one another as fully formed human beings.

This play and its current production is ambitious, and works at levels beyond the dramatic.  The sets and costumes were all constructed from recycled or re-purposed materials, and are spectacularly effective.  Kudos to Director Pesha Rudnik, Scenic Designer Brett Banakis and Costume Designer E. Sosa for their creativity, ingenuity and commitment to express the ethos underlying this play.  In keeping with the commitment to limit waste, the A.R.T. has chosen not to print traditional programs, but encourages audience members to access an on-line version of the program.

Peter Porte as Damien
Kate Mulligan as Smith
Michael T. Weiss as Bruce
Nicole Lowrance as Kansas
Olivia Thirlby as Romi
Set by Brett Banakis
"O.P. C." at the A.R.T.
Through January 4, 2015

In a nutshell, here is the story arc.  Romi (Olivia Thirlby), named for Rome where she was conceived, has turned her back on a life of privilege to live as a Freegan, squatting in an abandoned building, dumpster diving for food and fashioning clothing out of abandoned materials, including fruit skins.  Her mother (Kate Mulligan) is running for the U.S. Senate and is embarrassed by her daughter's alternative lifestyle.  Romi's sister, Kansas (Nicole Lowrance) - also named for the place where the seed was planted in fertile soil - is a clone of the mother, mouthing vapid neo-liberal aphorisms.  She joins her mother in trying to rein in Romi's eccentricities, and in a very funny monologue, bemoans her fate and her name.  Bruce (Michael T. Weiss) is husband to Smith and father to Romi and Kansas.  He tries to mediate between his wife and Romi, but in a rather ineffectual and jejune manner.  Spurred on by her boyfriend, Damien (Peter Porte) and by her mother, Romi manages to launch a new line of clothing made from fruit skins, and makes a fortune, which she disavows out of principle.  She goes through a binge and purge cycle of buying, including a $4,000 pair of Prada boots, and then ends up hospitalized for treatment of her O.P.C.  Mother and daughter finally have a real conversation - about sex - and mother wins her coveted Senate seat, proclaiming that she now feels like a White Male!

The plot is convoluted and not always coherent, and the characters are written in a way that I was not moved to care about the fate of any of them.  A closing speech calling people to action on behalf of the planet felt more like a lame political rally than it did the denouement of a well crafted drama.

The spirit behind this play is laudable; the execution is lamentable.  In the final analysis, the whole feels less than the sum of its parts.

Creative team

By	Eve Ensler
Directed by	Pesha Rudnik
Scenic Design	Brett J. Banakis
Costume Design	ESosa
Lighting Design	Bradley King
Sound Design	Jane Shaw
Projection Design	Shawn Sagady
Movement	Jill Johnson
Casting	Stephen Kopel, C.S.A.
Production Stage Manager	Taylor Adamik

Cast

Mrs. M and others	Nancy Linehan Charles
Kansas	Nicole Lowrance
Sister Ro and others	Liz Mikel
Smith	Kate Mulligan
Damien	Peter Porte
Prakash and others	Babak Tafti
Romi	Olivia Thirlby
Bruce	Michael T. Weiss

At the American Repertory Theater through January 4!

In conjunction with the run of this play, the A.R.T. is hosting several free events that delve more deeply into issues of consumerism and eliminating waste.  Log onto the link below to see details.

American Repertory Theater O.P.C. Page

"The Musical of Musicals - The Musical!" - Taking a Second Look (It Gets Even Better!)

I have already written a rather thorough review of the Moonbox Productions offering of "The Musical of Musical - The Musical!" currently playing at the Plaza Theatre at the Boston Center for the Arts.  If you have not yet read that iece, click below:

Original White Rhino Report Review

But I had to return to see the show again.  There were three primary reasons for returning for a second helping:

1. I loved the show and felt as if once was not enough.  I can always be tempted to indulge in a second slice of sweet potato pie!
2. When I attended the show last weekend, Katie Clark had to mime her singing parts, her voice having gone AWOL for a few days.  I wanted to hear her sing.
3. I knew I had missed a good many of the clever puns and allusions to familiar Broadway shows, songs and specific lyrics.

So I betook myself to the South End one more time, and had a ball!  I can say that hearing Katie sing and enjoying her send-up of Patti Lupone added a new spice to the already delicious dish that the cast members have been serving up to the audience in each performance.

I did indeed pick up on a few more clever puns and allusions.  I don't want to offer too many spoilers, but listen for the line: "What's the use of wanderin'?"!  And also, "Warily we roll along."!  Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera!

So get to the Boston Center for the Arts - more than once.  Get there before December 20, for by then, all the corn will have been picked and popped and this run of the show will be "Done"!

Enjoy! (more than once!)

Al

Mini-Review of "Cakes and Ale" by Somerset Maugham - Lampooning Writers and the British Aristocracy

As I continue to wend my way through the novels of Somerset Maugham, I find this particular story, "Cakes and Ale," to be one of my favorites.  It is a delicious send-up of many aspects of British society, revolving around the lives of writers both great and small.  Although Maugham was assiduous in claiming hat no particular author was inferred in the portrait of Edward Driffield, it has long been supposed that there is a good deal of Thomas Hardy infused into this colorful character.

There are the usual Maugham touches in this story that I have come to expect and enjoy - the randy female who is unable to remain faithful to her husband, women described as having black eyes, and a heaping dose of sardonic humor at the expense of the English aristocracy.  One of my favorite sections of this novel is Maugham's aside in which the narrator opines that the freedom to write should be carefully regulated.  Only certain social classes should be allowed to write in a particular genre, with poetry reserved for those with titles. It is a brilliant conceit in which the author manages to kill two birds with one stone - lampooning both the nobility and the world of letters.

If this story were to be made into a film today, I could see a delectable role for Dame Maggie Smith as Mrs.Barton Trafford, patroness of the arts and of writers.

I find Maugham's distinctive style so engaging that I keep coming back for more.  "The Painted Veil" awaits.

Enjoy!

Al

A Very Thoughtful Response to The Eric Garner Grand Jury Decision - Written by Bruce Kasanoff

Bill Bramhall, “Justice System and Eric Garner”

New York Daily News - 12/4/2014

I have not written about the issues in Ferguson, MO because it is hard for me to know the truth from 1,000 miles away.  The issues in the Eric Garner case, on the other hand, seem more clear cut - more "Black and White," if you will.  I experienced abuse at the hands of the police when I was a college student, and I was enraged.  That rage built based on my personal experience of being harassed on a handful of occasions for being in the wrong Chicago neighborhood at the wrong time.  I can only imagine the depth of rage that builds in someone who has been harassed his or her whole life for being the wrong color.   When I read the paragraphs below, taken from Business Insider.com, my blood ran cold, and I thought, "Why do we tolerate such behavior in our country?"

"The FBI reports that in 2011, cops in America killed 404 suspects in acts of "justifiable homicide." Astonishingly, though, as FiveThirtyEight reports, this number likely doesn't include every civilian fatality that year since it relies on voluntary reporting and doesn't include police homicides that aren't justifiable. 

Still, 404 is a large number. By comparison, just six people were killed by police in Australia over the same period. Police in England and Wales killed only two people, and German police killed six.

AP/Charlie RiedelGun control groups see the issue as an arms race between law enforcement and civilians.

Last year, police in England did not record a single shooting fatality, with officers across the country only firing weapons on three occasions.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/why-do-us-police-kill-so-many-people-2014-8#ixzz3Kx61E49U

What is the answer?  The article cited below that I just read expresses in a balanced way a thoughtful response to what is happening in our nation in reaction to the Ferguson fiasco and to the recent Grand Jury decision in the death of Eric Garner.  Bruce Kasanoff seems to be on the right track when he suggests that accountability would be a good place to start.  Mr. Kasanoff has just posted a very thoughtful response to the Eric Garner Grand Jury findings on Staten Island.  See the link at the end to read the article in its original version on LinkedIn.

The Real Issue Behind Eric Garner Protests

by Bruce Kasanoff

Posted to LinkedIn 12/4/2014

Dec 4 2014

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If you think that the protests in New York are just about race and police behavior, you are wrong. They are about the lack of accountability, and this problem stretches into many corners of our business and personal lives.

Last night, I sat 40 miles outside of New York City and watched on TV (and Twitter) as protestors shut down one of the busiest roads in Manhattan, the West Side Highway. They were reacting to the news that a grand jury decided not to indict a police officer for the choking death of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man.

At the time of his death, Mr. Garner was allegedly selling loose cigarettes. When a man is killed for selling cigarettes, there has to be accountability.

I have been thinking about accountability for the past month, ever since a friend of mine mentioned that the leader of the non-profit where he works asked him to offer suggestions for improving the organization. After some thought, my friend came to the conclusion that no one was accountable for anything.

The non-profit has certain rules regarding employee performance. For example, you are supposed to file weekly reports about your activities and accomplishments. No one does, and nothing happens.

The organization has performance targets. The organization misses its targets, and nothing happens. There are no consequences.

When accountability disappears, chaos ensues.

People feel - correctly - as though doing the right thing no longer makes a difference. Why make the extra effort to do good when the people who perform badly get treated just the same as you?

People feel - correctly - as though their rights and dignity and personal safety can be violated, and no one cares.

Accountability is not a process that takes so long that you have to measure any progress in years.

Accountability is what happens when there is a direct and timely correlation between an action and the appropriate consequences.

Whether you care most about your family, social justice, equal rights, your career, or the future of human civilization, one thing should be clear: when accountability disappears, so does the promise of a bright future.

Bruce Kasanoff is a ghostwriter for entrepreneurs. Learn more at Kasanoff.com. He is the author of How to Self-Promote without Being a Jerk.

Linkedin.com Article by Mr. Kassanoff