Harlem Stage Continues Its "Year of James Baldwin" with "Stranger On Earth" by Carl Hancock Rux

James Baldwin was born 90 years ago, and Harlem and the wider world have never been the same. As part of a year-long celebration of the impact of the life and writings of James Badwin, Harlem Stage commissioned Carl Hancock Rux to write a piece that would imagine a meeting between Mr. Baldwin and Dinah Washington at the legendary Lenox Lounge.

The result of Mr. Rux's creative machinations is "Stranger On Earth."  The title of the piece is drawn from a song that Dinah Washington sang as one of her signature numbers. In his introductory remarks, Mr. Rux made it clear that he was not seeking to impersonate James Baldwin, nor was Marcelle Davies-Lashley seeking to channel Dinah Washington's unique vocal style.  In each case, the poet/playwright and the singer were seeking to build a bridge to the spirits of Baldwin and Washington and to present those ghosts to the assembled crowd at the World Premiere event in the majestic Gatehouse performance space.

The setting of this mythic meeting was 1963, a year of turmoil in the history of race relations.  Mr. Rux sat at a table reading word of Mr. Baldwin, drawn primarily from letters and from "The Fire Next Time" and "Notes of a Native Son."  Interspersed among Baldwin's words and Mr. Rux's commentary, prose and poetry, Ms. Davies-Lashley offered her own interpretation of songs that Dinah Washington might have sung in that last year of her life in performing at the Lenox Lounge. She was ably supported by the combo of Ted Cruz on piano and Mimi Jones on bass.

The recurring motif of the evening was one of building bridges.  Bridge from 1963 to 2015 - Bridges from Harlem's past to its present and future - Bridges between music and literary expressions of truth. Yen Moon Directed this piece, which was enhanced by Onome Ekeh's subtle and evocative video images that were projected onto the back wall and ran continuously throughout the piece.  Stylized images of familiar Harlem scenes and sights flashed by to enhance the words and notes being projected towards the audience.

The most poignant moment of the evening came when Ms. Davies-Lashley offered Ms. Washington's mournful song, "Willow Weep," as Mr. Rux added soft commentary.  At one point, he appeared to truly be functioning as a living and breathing bridge as he blurted out "I can't breathe," as tears coursed down his cheeks.  We were being offered a bridge that linked Selma and Birmingham of 1963 with Staten Island of 2014.

Unknown to the artists performing for us at the Gatehouse, they were helping to solidify a bridge of understanding that Mr. Baldwin had built for me beginning in 1963.  Growing up in an almost entirely lily white suburb north of Boston, I knew little of racism or racial tensions.  That blindness began to change when images of Birmingham's Police Chief Bull Connor intruded onto my TV screen on the nightly news.  The next day, my friend, Bill Poole, an African-American student at my prep school, would answer my questions about his hometown of Birmingham.  Beginning with my reading of "The Fire Next Time," James Baldwin's view of the world began to expand my own understanding and sensibilities.  Subsequently, I read everything that he published as soon as the new volume was available.  I was indeed living in "Another Country."  So, in a strong sense, the evening of "Stranger On Earth" represented a coming home to Harlem for this Bostonian.

Marcelle Davies-Lashley
Carl Hancock Rux
"Stranger On Earth"
Harlem Stage

The evening was made even more special by the presence of members of Mr. Baldwin's extended family,  I shared a fascinating conversation with the widow of Mr. Baldwin's uncle.

Stylistically, I would wish for a little more structure at the beginning of this minimalist piece, but I quibble.  The piece is haunting in its evocation of ghostly voices that still have something to say to us.  It is my hope that they may have another life after this successful short run at Harlem Stage.

The celebration of Baldwin's life and work continues.  Consult the link to the Harlem Stage website below to find information on future events.

Harlem Stage Website

Enjoy!

Al

Theatre Askew Presents "Horseplay:or The Fickle Mistress, a Protean Picaresque" - Final Weekend at La Mama

Theatre Askew exists to prompt and to prod audiences into looking at issues of gender in new ways. The current production of  "Horseplay:or The Fickle Mistress, a Protean Picaresque"  by Trav S. D. does just that as it takes a phantasmagorical look at the life of legendary performer and artiste, Adah Isaacs Menken.  She often performed on horseback as Mazeppa.  She sometimes attired herself in men's clothing, took as lovers both men and women, and seemed to be always reinventing herself and the stories she told of her life.  Think of a combination of Mae West, Annie Oakley and Lady Gaga and you will begin to conjure a picture that woman that was Mazeppa.

The play is presented as a picaresque, jumping from incident to incident as Adah recounts stories to her would-be biographer Frank Queen (Chuck Montgomery) about her adventures and misadventures.

Once I accepted the genre that was being presented, I settled in and enjoyed the ride.  The acing was campy, befitting the Bohemian and outre life of Ms. Menken.  Molly Pope is terrific as the mysterious lady who called George Sand her friend, and who sent shock waves through society by marrying an Irish pugilist, portrayed seductively by Mark St. Cyr.  Joining in the fun are the other effective cast members: Tiffany Abercrombie, Tim Cusack, Jan Leslie Harding and Everett Quinton.  Elsye Singer directs the action and keeps things moving at a brisk pace.

The very flexible and movable set pieces designed by Liz Toonkel allow the action to move from horse ring to mountains to boudoirs in a flash.  Lighting by Deborah Constantine, Costumes by Becky Hubbert, Musical Direction and Original Music by William TN Hall and Choreography by Antonio Brown help to turn the performance space at the iconic La Mama into the kind of carnival atmosphere that Mazeppa would have relished. Who was she?  Well, in her words, "I am whoever I need to be."

This fun play helps us to consider the role that women played in the early history of American popular culture.  The play runs through this weekend, so make your way to the East Village and climb aboard for a fun ride with "Horseplay."

For tickets, click below.

La Mama Website

Enjoy!

Al

Zeitgeist Stage Company Presents "The Big Meal" by Dan LeFranc - A Balanced Meal That Is Filling And Nourishing

It is clear that Dan LeFranc's play, "The Big Meal," draws heavily on Thornton Wilder's "The Long Christmas Dinner," as well as from A. R. Gurney's "The Dining Room."  Yet to this time-tested genre of "meal as metaphor for life," Mr. LeFranc adds his own special sauce.  One of the wrinkles that he adds to spice things up is that he offers the script in landscape format - eight columns across. Each actor has his or her own column of text.  It is up to the Director and the actors to orchestrate these eight strands of speech to figure out where, when and how they will step on one another's lines - as we tend to do in everyday speech.  Director David Miller conducts this octet of actors like Keith Lockhart at the Christmas Pops.  There is cacophony when the action of the play calls for it, and there are Grand Pauses and extended silences to allow the cast and the audience to catch their collective breath when the cauldron of conflict and emotions has bubbled over into poignant pathos.

The title could have any one of three meanings.  The entire play is one extended Big Meal, covering four generations of family squabbles, couplings, drunken rants, insults, politically incorrect jokes, snubs, toasts, betrayals, abandonment, forgiveness, denial, births, deaths and quotidian conversations. The Big Meal could refer metaphorically to all that we taste in the course of a lifetime.  And finally, The Big Meal could be that final repast we enjoy before the Grim Reaper comes to claim his harvest.

The actors are universally impressive in their shifting roles.  They have to work hard to keep straight who they are in any particular moment, and the audience has to work equally as hard to keep up.  But sometimes to get to the sweetest lobster meat, you have to expend a lot of energy with implements that let you crack open the shell .  And it is well worth the effort.

• Peter Brown anchors the male older generation roles with dignity, grace, an occasional twinkle in the eye, and finally the blank stare of dementia.
• Shelly Brown handles the female older roles, and gives us all something to chew on in a stunning final scene.
• Josh Clary is an ever-hovering silent Waiter, and perhaps ministering Angel of Death.
• Becca Lewis portrays multiple middle generation women with a broad range of gestures and voices.
• Becca's male counterpart is Devon Scalisi who is called upon, as are all the actors, to represent a broad range of emotions and situations.  His stage presence serves as a solidifying anchor to this production.
• Arianna Reith and Alec Shirman always represent the youngest members of the aging clan - sometimes brother and sister, sometimes cousin - but nearly always driving each other crazy. Just like in most families.
• Ashley Risteen plays the female characters in their teens and twenties. Sometimes perky, sometimes saucy, sometimes resentful or rebellious, she always brings an energy that keeps the pot boiling.
• Her male counterpart is Johnny Quinones, who is sometimes suave, sometimes corny, sometimes sullen.  His is a strong presence whenever he is on stage.

(L to R): Peter Brown, Ashley Risteen, Arianna Reith,
Johnny Quinones, Josh Clary, Alec Shiman, Becca A. Lewis,
 Devon Scalisi and Shelley Brown
in Zeitgeist Stage Company’s production of “The Big Meal.” 
(Photo by Richard Hall/Silverline Images.)

In additional to David Miler's deft direction, the Lighting Design of Michael Clark Wonson helps the audience to follow the shifting characters and generations.  Sound Design by J. Jumbelic and Costumes by Elizabeth Cole Sheehan complete the creative support team.

The first two thirds of the play contain many moments of hilarity and frenetic activity.  The eight actors play multiple parts, portraying members of the four generations that sprang from the initial awkward meeting of Sam and Nicole.  Pairs of actors portray several characters as children, young adults, parents and finally grandparents and great-grandparents.  When all actors are engaged in conversation and squabbling around the communal table (think Applebees, Olive Garden or TGI Fridays), it seems as if the scene had been written as a result of a collaboration between Chekhov and Timothy Leary.  It gets loud and crazy.

As things calm down and generation succeeds generation, there occur more poignant moments, usually triggered by death or ruptured relationships.  Finally, in a deeply moving set of scenes, Sam and Nicole are alone at the table, with him fading into senescence.  There is still a glowing ember reminiscent of that initial spark of love between them that lit up the stage at the outset.  Sam and Nicole kiss chastely as he finishes his Big Meal, and she is left alone.  The look in the eyes of Nicole (played in the scene by Shelley Brown) speaks as loudly as any of the dialogue that Mr. LeFranc has written.  It says "Where has the time gone?  How did I get here?  Is that all there is?"  It is a chilling and thrilling moment in the play that left me with tears of wonder and of empathy.  Mr. LeFranc must have snuck some wasabi into the final course. It warms and stings all at once.

All in all, it was a very filling, satisfying and nourishing meal.  When you come, bring an appetite for entertainment and reflection.

The play will run at the Plaza Black Box Theater at the BCA through March 7th.


Zeitgeist Stage Website

Enjoy!

Al

Emerson Stage Presents "Mother Hicks" by Suzan Zeder - Part I of The Ware Trilogy

Typically when I see a show that is produced by a non-professional theater company and then I write about it, I write in generalities, refraining from critiquing the individual artists and creative team. For, in most cases, it would not be fair to hold them to the same standards that I apply to reviewing the myriad professional productions I witness each season.  In the case of Emerson Stage's current production of "Mother Hicks, The Ware Trilogy, Part I," I am laying aside those compunctions, for everything about this show is of professional quality.

I attended a matinee performance held primarily for the benefit of some Boston area schools.  The way in which the Emerson Stage staff and students handled creating a pleasant, fun and challenging theater experience for these young audience members was First Class. An introduction prepared the audience for the integration into the performance of Signing Artists who would do simultaneous translation into American Sign Language (ASL) for each of the actors.  There was also an explanation of the video screens that would provide visible text of the lines that the actors were speaking.  In a Talk Back session following the play, students were taught some rudiments of ASL, shown how to "clap" for someone who does not hear, and encouraged to ask questions about the creative process.  They were also challenged to respond to questions that built upon the themes of the play:

• Have you ever listened to a rumor that you later learned was not true?
• Have you ever felt that you did not fit in or belong?

The play, "Mother Hicks" is the first installment of Suzan Zeder's remarkable trilogy that is set in the Southern Illinois town of Ware - stretching from 1935 in the depth of the Great Depression through 1945 and World War II.  The action of this play centers on three key characters, all of whom are outcasts of some stripe:

• Mother Hicks (Cayla Komarow) is an outcast, living in isolation atop Dug Hill outside of town.  She  was a mid-wife and healer who is now believed to be a witch because several children under her care had died of scarlet fever.
• Tuc (Elbert Joseph) is a young deaf man who does some menial work in the General Store run by Mr. Eudy.  The well-meaning townsfolk treat him with condescension.
• Girl (Emily Elmore) had been abandoned and left in Ware by her young mother.  She lives for a while with one of the town families until she wears out her welcome by her wild, unconventional and freedom-loving ways, and then she moves in with the next family that is willing to take her in.

(Left to right)
Signing Artist Olivia Moriarty
Jonathan Acorn as Jake Hammond
Emily Elmore as Girl
Signing Artist  Emma Stephenson
Photo courtesy of Craig Bailey / Perspective Photo — at Mother Hicks.

Each of these three actors creates a believable, credible and sympathetic figure as they struggle to come to terms with their unique outcast status.  Girl and young Ricky Ricks (Joe Hornberger) would often play a game of Dare and Double Dare, urging one another to take risks.  What a wonderful metaphor for what the playwright is doing in urging audience members to take risks in opening up our eyes and broadening our horizons to accept those who are in some way different.  In the same spirit, Emerson Stage is daring us to bridge the chasm that often keeps the hearing community and the deaf community from communicating in a meaningful way with each other. 

The words that Tuc signs (spoken in interpretation by members of the cast) are always framed as poetry, The images are especially poignant and evocative.  He "talks"about having special abilities that compensate for his inability to hear and to speak.  He signs about being able to "taste the sunrise"!

(Left to right) 
Elbert Joseph as Tuc
Michael Kelly as Hosiah Ward
Simon Kiser as Wilson Walker/Ensemble
Photo courtesy of Craig Bailey / Perspective Photo — at Mother Hicks.

Other members of the excellent ensemble cast are listed below.

Director Megan Sandberg-Zakian has done a masterful job of seamlessly integrating many disparate moving parts to make this production flow smoothly.  The incorporation of the Signing Artists into the telling of this story not only makes the play more fully accessible and comprehensible to a diverse audience, it also adds a layer of artistic texture that enhances the overall aesthetic experience.  The Scenic Design of Samuel Vawter is first rate, with a rotating turntable that functions to represent Dug Hill, a cemetery and several other locations around Ware.  Costumes by Rebecca Thorogood seems to have been snatched from a steamer trunk packed in 1935, they are that authentic.Also worthy of note are the work of Lighting Designer Benjamin Rehm, Sound Design and Original Music by Nathan Leigh, Dramaturg Kaylee D'Amico and ASL Coach Michael Balint

General audiences will have opportunities to see this noteworthy production this weekend, 2pm & 7:30pm on Saturday February 28, 2pm on Sunday March 1.  

Take in this first installment of the trilogy, and then continue with Part II at Wheelock Family Theater in March and Part III at Central Square Theatre in April.  See details below.

Enjoy!

Al

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *  *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

PART ONE OF THE WARE TRILOGY

By Suzan Zeder

Directed by Megan Sandberg-Zakian

February 26-March 1, 2015

Paramount Main Stage

Mother Hicks is a witch, people say.

In the small town of Ware, a foundling child known only as Girl looks to Dug Hill, curious about the witch rumored to live at the top. On her search for answers, she learns about the taste of sunrise; makes friends with a boy eloquent in the language of silence; and discovers that sometimes, family is something that's made, not given.

Set in the Great Depression and filled with live music and lyrical poetry, Mother Hicks is a family-friendly tale which will delight, educate, and inspire theater-lovers of all ages. 

This show is the first part of The Ware Trilogy, a three-play cycle about the community of Ware, IL, which is produced in association with Wheelock Family Theatre and Central Square Theater. All pieces of the Trilogy are performed simultaneously in American Sign Language and English.

Performances

February 26 - March 1, 2015

Student matinees (grades 3-12): 10am on February 26 & 27. Contact us to learn more about student matinees.

Regular performances: 2pm & 7:30pm on Saturday February 28, 2pm on Sunday March 1

Tickets

Tickets are available at any Emerson College box office , by calling (617) 824-8000 or visiting our online ticketing site.

$20 General Audience
$15 Students & Seniors
$10 Emerson Community & Children (under 16)

Ticket bundles: Get the best value by purchasing a ticket bundle—four tickets for just $30!

Group rates are also available. Please contact us to learn more about bringing a group.

Trilogy Tix

Mother Hicks is the first show of The Ware Trilogy -- a series of three plays that follow a young Deaf man named Tuc as he searches for community, understanding, and a place to call home. Inspired by oral traditions gathered by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), Tuc’s journey is set in the context of the Great Depression and WWII.

The second part of the trilogy, The Taste of Sunrise, will be performed at Wheelock Family Theatre March 13-22, 2015

The third part of the trilogy, The Edge of Peace, will be performed at Central Square Theater April 3-12, 2015

A multi-play pass for all three productions is now on sale. Select your trilogy multi-play package »

The Cast

Mother Hicks	Cayla Komarow
Tuc	Elbert Joseph
Girl	Emily Elmore
Ricky	Joe Hornberger
Jake Hammon	Jonathan Acorn
Izzy Sue Ricks	Sarah Franco
Clovis P. Eudy	Joshua Telepman
Wilson Walker	Simon Kiser
Hosiah Ward	Michael Kelly
Alma Ward	Tonasia Jones
Signing Artist / Sign Captain	Olivia Moriarty
Signing Artist	Chelsea Glasner
Signing Artist	Emma Stephenson

The Creative Team

Director	Megan Sandberg-Zakian
Scenic Designer	Samuel Vawter
Costume Designer	Becky Thorogood
Lighting Designer	Ben Rehm
Assistant Director	Tania Sung
Scenic Artist	Samantha Penninipede
Associate Lighting Designer	Taylor Ness
Master Electricians	Cameron Moustoufi & Colin Landeck
Assistant Master Electrician	Jeremy Stein
Production Supervisor	Cate Agis
Assistant Production Supervisor	Taylor Starr
Second ASM	Jessica Kemp
First ASM	Charlotte Morrill
Stage Manager	Sean Swords

Fiddlehead Theatre Presents "The Wiz" At Upham Corner's Historic Strand Theatre

((Left to right) Damien Norfleet as “Lion,”
Quiana Holmes as “Dorothy”,
Carl-Michael Ogle as “Scarecrow”
and Justin Raymond Reeves as “Tin Man”
Courtesy of Fiddlehead Theatre Company/©mattmckeephoto.com

This past weekend, Fiddlehead Theatre wrapped up a successful run of "The Wiz."  I was able to catch the final performance after returning from my winter exile in London and NYC.  The Sunday audience loved what the Fiddlehead cast and creative team offered up on the stage of the historic Strand Theatre.

"The Wiz" came to life in the 1970's, adding an urban edginess to the classic tale of Dorothy in Oz.  In my estimation, the show has not aged gracefully, especially in comparison to the more sophisticated Oz spin-off of "Wicked."  But, in the words of one of the songs from "The Wiz" that opens Act II,  I do not want to be conveying "No Bad News"!  For there is plenty of good news to report.  Director Stacey Stephens, Music Director Balint Varga and Choreographer Wendy Hall set up the large cast for success, for the singing and dancing, especially in the ensemble numbers, were impressive.

Standing out among the cast members were the quartet pictured in the picture above.

• Berklee student, Quiana Holmes, brought an innocence and exuberance to the character of Dorothy that was infectious.  Her voice soared, especially in the 11 o'clock number "Home."
• As the Scarecrow, Carl-Michael Ogle was wonderfully rubbery as his character struggled to get his legs under him after being released from his perch on the fence post.  His make-up and facial expressions were spot on, conveying just the right amount of oblivion mixed with hope and optimism.  His voice blended well with the rest of his traveling companions.
• Justin Raymond Reeves proved to be a stalwart and intrepid Tinman.  His rendition of "To Be Able To Feel" was, well, heart-felt!
• The Lion is not an easy role to play, given the iconic performance by Bert Lahr in the original film.  But Damian Norfleet was up to the task, delighting audience members with his roars and preening.  His "Mean Ole Lion," was a highlight.

• Shuga Henry played the dual roles of Auntie Em and Evilene with gusto, filling the theater with her powerful voice
• Likewise, Terrel Foster-James showed off his impressive pipes as Uncle Henry and The Wiz.
• Shana Dirik injected humor as the ditsy Addaperle, struggling to remember her magic spells.

The Fiddlehead season continues in the spring with a production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" at the Strand, where they continue as the resident theatre company.

The line-up for the 2015-2016 was announced, including "Westside Story," "The Little Mermaid," "Rent" and "Showboat."

The Fiddlehead Theatre Company production of “The Wiz.” 

Book by William F. Brown, Music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls. 

From the story “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum. 

Director and Costume Designer:  Stacey Stephens. 

Music Director:  Balint Varga. Choreographer:  Wendy Hall.

Production Manager:  Kate Ferdinandi. Technical Director: David Foley. 

Scenic Designer: Mac Young. Lighting Designer:  Michael Clark-Wonson. 

Sound Designer: Mark DeLuzio. Hair and Makeup Design: Maya Landi 

At the Strand Theatre, 543 Columbia Road, Dorchester,

http://www.fiddleheadtheatre.com

The Nora Theatre Company Presents "Grounded" by George Brant - Celeste Oliva Earns Her Wings As A Solo Pilot

Celeste Oliva as The Pilot
"Grounded" by George Brant
Central Square Theatre
Through March 22

When the 2015 theater season for the Boston and Cambridge area draws to a close, people will still be buzzing about the current production of "Grounded" at the Central Square Theater.  This play, written by George Brant and produced by The Nora Theatre Company, is a vehicle for actress Celeste Oliva to take audience members on a flight of fancy and a deep dive into consideration of several timely issues.  The drama tackles issues of privacy in a world where the "eye in the sky" is ubiquitous and examines the future of warfare and its costs in human lives on the battlefield and beyond.

Here is your pre-flight briefing and description of this play:

"A hot-shot fighter pilot’s career in the skies, 'alone in the blue,' is ended by an unexpected pregnancy. Reassigned to a windowless trailer in the desert outside Las Vegas, by day, she hunts down terrorists, her face lit by the dull grey glow of a drone’s monitor. At night, she returns to her domestic life with husband and daughter. As she tracks a high-profile target half a world away, the pressure mounts. 

Named a Top 10 Play of 2013 by The Guardian, London Evening Standard, 'Grounded' was nominated for the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award."

Under the careful direction of Lee Mikeska Gardner, Celeste Oliva commands a small circumscribed stage - a pool of light not much bigger than the cockpit of the fighter jet her character, The Pilot, once flew into The Blue.  Once she has been grounded by her pregnancy, she eventually returns to work, but finds herself relegated to the "Chair Force," spending twelve hour shifts monitoring and controlling the movements of a drone hovering over a desert 8,000 miles away from her trailer in the Nevada desert.  She has traded in the thrill of G-force exhilaration for the boredom of staring at pixels of varying shades of gray - in bondage to the screen and the chair and the relentless monotony.  She misses the swagger that comes with being a fighter pilot, and feels the loss of the camaraderie of hanging with "the boys" in a bar after a successful mission.

Playwright George Brant does a stellar job in weaving into the narrative the themes of loss of privacy, and the downward spiral - death spin - that The Pilot undergoes as she settles into her life of boredom interspersed with moments of adrenaline rush as she pilots her distant UAV to attack High Value Targets.  She is amazed when she finds that, despite being in no physical danger herself, she still experiences the sweaty palms and white knuckles she knew when she was gripping the controls of her fighter jet.

With no buffer between her 12 hours "at war" and her quotidian time at home with her husband and daughter, she begins to blur the two worlds.  The pink of her daughter's My Little Pony and the Gray of the pixels on her screen at work sometimes swap places. The issue of privacy - or lack thereof - is driven home with the introduction of her husband's job as a dealer in a casino, always being watched by the internal "eye in the sky."  As a subtle and poignant touch, as the play ends, The Pilot addresses the audience and warns that we are all being watched.  At that moment, the screens in the halo display above the stage suddenly broadcast candid pictures of audience members.  We are indeed being watched!

And this is a play that must be watched.  Attention must be paid!  Ms. Oliva's performance alone is enough to warrant filing a flight plan for Central Square.   She is supported by the creative team of Steven Royal for Scenic Design, Wen-Ling Liao for Lighting Design, Dewey C. Dellay for Sound Design, and Kathryn Lieber for Production Design.  I must note that the Sound Design is subtle and effective - the quiet drone of the UAV hovering over the desert, the murmur of a fetal heart beat when The Pilot learns that she is pregnant, the whisper of desert breezes.

The play will run in Central Square through March 22.

Enjoy

Al


Central Square Theater Website

Mini-Review of "Bonita Avenue" by Peter Buwalda - Family Dysfunction That Would Make Dostoevsky Smile!

This book, "Bonita Avenue," is a brilliantly and artistically written account of a spectacularly dysfunctional family, in the style of the Karamazov family.  Sigerius is the patriarch, a brilliant mathematician and college President whose personal and family life is an equation he never quite manages to solve.  At one level the story is a picaresque series of adventures and mishaps.  At another level it is an examination of how family members can miss meeting one another's needs and how the tangled threads of familial relationships can strangle as they unravel.  It is ultimately a tragedy, in large part because the reader has come to care about these quirky members of Sigerius' extended clan.

An explosion at a fireworks factory in the college town where Sigerius presides over an institution to which he hopes to bring acclaim and distinction is depicted on the cover of the book.  That explosion changes the landscape - topographically and psychically, and stands as an emblem of the string of explosions that occur within - and between - the book's characters.  Along the way, the author explores the power of sex to energize and to destroy.

Mr. Buwalda writes with style and with bravado, never blinking as he recounts both the actions and motivations of Sigerius, his wives, his children and those close to them.  The book is a tome, but one that carries weight of meaning as well as of mass.

Enjoy!

Al

Lyric Stage Company of Boston Presents "Intimate Apparel" by Lynn Nottage - Not A Stitch Out of Place!

It is not often that I perceive a play as near perfect, but that was my experience as I sat mesmerized by the current Lyric Stage Company of Boston  production of "Intimate Apparel" that has been stitched together by the gifted Director, Summer Williams and a cast of six actors of consummate professionalism. Playwright Lynn Nottage won the Pulitzer Prize for her play, "Ruined,"  She remains at the top of her game with "Intimate Apparel," a story of the American Dream unraveling for six well-conceived characters.

The action centers on Esther (Lindsey McWhorter), an illiterate daughter of a former slave who has learned to fashion exquisitely beautiful intimate apparel that is much desired both by the fashionable Ladies of the Town as well as the Ladies of the Night!  Fearing she may remain a spinster, she is surprised to receive a pen pal letter from Panama.  A laborer from Barbados has been given her name by someone from his church, and they begin a correspondence that leads to a long distance proposal of marriage. George (Brandon G. Green) arrives to marry Esther, but their dreams of a future together are not comprised of a matching set of patterns.  They clash.  Esther had been warned by her busybody widowed landlady, Mrs. Dickson (Cheryl D. Singleton), not to put too much faith in marrying a man she hardly knew, but Esther saw this as her last chance at love and a home of her own - a way out of the boarding house where she seemed destined to become a permanent fixture, like a stick of furniture.

The plot thickens as Esther develops feelings for Mr. Marks (Nael Nacer), the Jewish seller of fine fabrics who is her supplier for the raw material for her intimate apparel.  One of her best customers is Mayme (Kris Sidberry), a brassy hooker who adds her own thread of complication to the crazy quilt of the plot.  The final member of the irregular sextet is Mrs.Van Buren (Amanda Ruggier), a rich client of Esther's who is caught in a loveless marriage.

Each actor deserves special mention.

• Ms. McWhorter's portrayal of Esther is a revelation.  At times, her physical carriage and facial expressions reminded me of the self-effacing Miss Celie in "The Color Purple" as she meets Sug Avery for the first time.  Like Celie, Esther grows in her self-awareness, self-confidence and boldness as the action of the play develops.  Ms. McWhorter conveys these subtle changes magnificently.
• Ms. Singleton is a wonderful counterpoint to Ms. McWhorter's Esther, sweeping confidently into the room with her dress and hair arranged just so, steering the action of everyone in her path.  It is a strong performance.
• Nael Nacer as Mr. Marks is full of wonderful contradictions.  He is warm while holding himself at a distance from Esther - physically and emotionally.  He is betrothed in an arranged marriage to a distant fiancee in Romania, but is clearly lonely.  He is bursting at the seams to express something for Esther, but religion and social convention forbid him from expressing his feelings except through gifts of fabric - for an ominous smoking jacket and later for Esther's wedding gown..The overall impression I had of Mr. Marks was of a less frenetic version of Motel the Tailor from "Fiddler on the Roof."
• Ms. Sidberry plays Mayme with a wonderful combination of sauciness, neediness and tenderness.  Her playing of ragtime piano adds a wonderful layer of texture to the telling of this story.
• Ms. Ruggiero's portrayal of the Mrs. Van Buren character is a study in contradictions.  On the surface she is elegant and in command, yet beneath she silky exterior she is emotionally threadbare, living in a marriage to a man who is absent.  Esther, her social inferior, is her only friend and confidante.  When she tries to expresses her love for Esther, things unravel even further, throwing Esther into confusion and leading to mutual rejection.
• Mr. Green portrays George initially as a simple and physically imposing laborer reaching out to Esther for some respite from his hard work in the steamy jungles of Panama.  He evolves into a scheming manipulator, eventually coercing Esther into giving him the money she has been saving to open a beauty salon where women of color can be treated with dignity.

Kris Sidberry as Mayme
Lindsey McWhorter as Esther
"Intimate Apparel"
by
Lynn Nottage
Lyric Stage Company
of
Boston
Through march 14

The moment when Esther rps open the seams of her glorious crazy quilt to unearth the treasure she has scrimped to save is emblematic of the lives of many of the characters:coming unstitched and having the stuffing torn out.


The writing is both plain and poetic, rife with deep observations about the human condition.  The fabric of each of the characters' lives is beginning to come apart at the seams in some way, with several permutations of unrequited and forbidden love thrown in to add to the sense of drama and danger. The playwright and the director have conspired cleverly together to add nuanced touches that highlight this motif of things unraveling.  George's shirt has a rip in it; Mr. Marks is missing a button from his vest.

The work of the six actors is strongly supported by the creative team.  The Set Design by Anne Sherer is gorgeous an makes full use of the space at the Lyric.  Amanda Mujica's Costumes are sumptuous and help to create and to enhance the characters they clothe.  Lighting by Chris Hudacs and Sound by Kelsey Jarboe complete the very effective mise-en-scene.

Lynn Nottage was inspired to write this play after seeing a photograph of her great-grandmother that she had found in her grandmother's house.  That moment is re-created poignantly with projections of two photos - an anonymous Negro couple circa 1905 and an anonymous Negro seamstress, also circa 1905.  You would be hard pressed to find a play this season - in Boston or New York - that brings into focus more perfectly the human condition and the precarious nature of the American Dream than this production of "Intimate Apparel."

I encourage you to click below to order your tickets.  Do not delay.  A stitch in time saves nine!

Through March 14 only.

Lyric Stage Website


Enjoy!

Al

Dinner Lab Comes To Boston - Greater Boston Area Foodies Can Help To Discover The Next Great Chef

Chef Mario Rodriquez
Served up Malay Cuisine
for the first
Boston Dinner Lab Meal

Great news for Boston area foodies.  There is a new resource for finding edgy and unique cuisine in this city.  Dinner Lab has come to town.  Based in New Orleans, the Dinner Lab phenomenon will be in 50 U.S. cities by the end of 2015.  The concept is fascinating, as described below:

"Dinner Lab is a social dining experiment that unites undiscovered chefs with adventurous diners who are looking for something different from the conventional restaurant experience. Our events bring together a group of interesting strangers around a common table to share cuisine crafted by up-and-coming chefs from all over the country.

We don't dictate what our chefs cook, but instead give them a platform to tell a story through their menus — recipes that speak to their background or heritage, ingredients they are passionate about, or completely new dishes they've been experimenting with on days away from the restaurant. Our platform flips the traditional "dinner out" on its head by putting chefs at the center stage and giving our diners a voice in the process. Each time you attend an event, your feedback and suggestions are shared with the chef so that he or she can iterate and improve on their menu concept. With your input, aspiring chefs are given the tools they need to effectively prototype new dishes and tweak recipes to help them create the next great restaurant concept."

Dinner Lab is a membership-based dining experience.  The dates, featured chef and menu for the next meal are announced about a month in advance, but the location remains a mystery until 24 hours before the event.  In the case of Dinner Lab's first Boston meal, we were informed that Chef Mario Rodriguez would be serving a meal of Malay-inspired cuisine that he was first exposed to when he worked at Fatty Crab in Manhattan.  We learned by e-mail on Friday that the meal would be served at the Chevalier Center in Medford Square.

Chef Rodriquez chose the following menu:

• Green Mango & Lychee Salad with friend peanuts and cilantro crema
• Red Chili Mussels with Chinese sausage, green onion and roti
• Tamarind Fish Stew with Cod Dumplings, Rice Noodles, pawn paste
• Goat Rendang Clay Pot with popped rice, pickled pineapple
• Coconut Panna Cotta with rice cak, ginger granita and cashew crumble

The courses were served with paired wine and beer offerings.

In the interest of full disclosure, although I love to eat, I do not consider myself a sophisticated foodie.  But I brought with me as a guest a friend who has a very sophisticated palate, and we were surrounded at our table by other guests who seem to live for finding the next best chef and restaurant. The instant feedback I heard from those surrounding me, and confirmed by my own simple palate and taste buds, was that Chef Mario had delivered a memorable meal.  I particularly enjoyed the Mango Salad, the Cod Dumplings and the Goat Rendang, but everything that was served offered a subtle symphony of flavors and textures.

Dinner Lab's next Boston offering will take place on March 20 and 21 with a meal served by Chef Geoff Lukas with a theme of "From Sea and Sand - Cuisine of the Arabian Peninsula."

To check out more details of Dinner Lab and to sign up for the next meal, see the link below.  Boston is only the latest city to offer this unique experience.  If you live in a major metropolitan area, chances are that Dinner Lab is already available to you, or will be soon.

Bon appetit!

Al

Dinner Lab Website

The American Repertory Theater Presents "Father Comes Home From The Wars (Parts 1,2 & 3)" by Suzan-Lori Parks

Benton Greene as Hero
"Father Comes Home From The  Wars (Parts 1,2 & 3)"
by Suzan-Lori Parks
at the A.R.T. through March 1st

The American Repertory Theater is currently presenting the most recent work by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks.  "Father Comes Home From The Wars (Pars 1,2,& 3)" was first staged last fall in New York City by The Public Theater, which serves as Co-Producer for this production in Cambridge.

Here is a description of the project as offered in the A.R.T. website:

"Set during the Civil War, this explosively powerful new drama by Pulitzer Prize-winner Suzan-Lori Parks follows a slave, Hero, from West Texas to the Confederate battlefield. Inspired in part by the stories and scope of Greek tragedy, this trilogy examines the mess of war and the cost of freedom. This play is a co-production with The Public Theater and is presented as part of The National Civil War Project.."

This trilogy is the first installment of an anticipated nine-part cycle of plays, reminiscent of August Wilson's acclaimed cycle of Decade Plays depicting the African-American experience in Pittsburgh during each decade of the 20th Century.  In this initial offering, Part 1 takes place on a plantation in Texas in the spring of 1862.  Part 2 is set in a wilderness encampment in the South as Union and Confederate soldiers converge on this location.  Part 3 is set back in Texas in 1863.

This play is infused with direct and indirect allusions to Homer's "Odyssey."  Hero sets forth to join his slave master in fighting for the Confederacy, with a promise of freedom as his reward for this faithful service and hazardous duty.  While he is gone, his common-law wife, Penny, entertains a suitor by the name of Homer. After a serious of struggles - some physical and some metaphysical - Hero returns, having re-named himself Ulysses - after U.S. Grant and after the Greek hero.

Ms. Parks has also written songs and thematic music that comments upon the action, underscores some of the scenes and provides a bridge to each of the three parts of the trilogy.  The songs are wonderfully arranged, played and sung by Steven Bargonetti, who also serves as Music Director for the show.  In many ways, these songs that the playwright has written to supplement the dramatic action on the stage are the most satisfying part of the play, especially as performed by Mr. Bargonetti with his virtuoso playing of the guitar and banjo and his earthy voice.

Ms. Parks has broad ambitions for the sweep of this play, exploring issues of freedom and the costs attached thereto, the ravages of war, the meaning of loyalty and love.  As I watched the play unfold, I found that I was more enagaged with these issues in the abstract than I was as they were embodied by the characters in the play.  There is a group of "Less Than Desirable Slaves" in Part 1 that serve as a Greek Chorus, commenting on the action among Hero, Penny and Homer.  In Part 3, some of these same actors portray Runaway Slaves, also functioning as a Greek Chorus commenting upon the triangular relationship that has developed among Ulysses, Penny and Homer.

The Cast
 "Father Comes Home From The  Wars (Parts 1,2 & 3)"
by Suzan-Lori Parks
at the A.R.T. through March 1st

The playwright has made a very interesting choice in Part 3, having Hero's faithful dog, Odyssey, return ahead of the master to tell Penny and Homer and the Runaway Slaves about the death of The Colonel, their slave master, and the immanent return of Hero/Ulysses.  The device of the talking dog did not work for me, adding an element of absurdity that detracted from the seriousness of the subject matter.  Ms. Parks also chose to place elements of anachronism into the action of the play, with a slave wearing a fanny pack, and the Oldest Old Man wearing Crocs on his feet. Modern day speech patterns added to the deliberate attempt to blur time lines - "True dat!" and "Snap" come to mind as examples.  I would surmise that the playwright and the Director, Jo Bonney, are trying to send a message that dynamics of human nature that were true in the days of the poet Homer in Greece and in the days of the Civil War in Texas are just as real in the days of Eric Garner in Staten Island.  I found these anachronistic elements to be distracting.

Th audience this afternoon seemed to enjoy the performances, and the New York Times raved about this play, so clearly there is great merit in the message that Ms. Parks is sending through this complex piece of theater.

The play will run at the Loeb Drama Center at the A.R.T. through March 1st.

Creative team

By	Suzan-Lori Parks
Director	Jo Bonney
Scenic Designer	Neil Patel
Costume Designer	ESosa
Lighting Designer	Lap Chi Chu
Sound Designer/Music Supervisor	Dan Moses Schreier
Music Director	Steven Bargonetti
Songs and Additional Music by	Suzan-Lori Parks
Hair, Wig, and Makeup Designers	J. Jared Janas & Rob Greene
Fight Director	Thomas Schall
Casting	Jordan Thaler, Heidi Griffiths
Production Stage Manager	Evangeline Rose Whitlock

Cast

Smith	Michael Crane
Hero/Ulysses	Benton Greene
Leader/Runaway	Charlie Hudson, III
Penny	Jenny Jules
Homer	Sekou Laidlow
Colonel	Ken Marks
Fourth/Odyssey Dog (Jan. 23 - Feb. 5)	Jacob Ming-Trent
Fourth/Odyssey Dog (Feb. 6 - Mar. 1)	Patrena Murray
Third/Runaway	Tonye Patano
Second/Runaway	Julian Rozzell, Jr.
Oldest Old Man	Harold Surratt