tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4547923075815077632024-03-12T20:28:56.829-04:00Box Five: An Introvert at the TheatreErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-34565759214389646702021-04-22T18:17:00.001-04:002021-04-22T18:17:05.472-04:00Artfully staged 'pen/man/ship' raises powerful questions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6sNRMlzFGBdhwYCwlRNXKjCasq6pF4jj6OwXQQM61btRd5GgGUCLm7fEugzgig4b3SRtL1o2VYNuJIPIcQMxyFZs1tgB6L9b3xgz84KDuOtgRd6fu63AKmUSg435T8fGtMFsd6GqJSXJ/s1500/poster-MIP-penmanship+2021-square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6sNRMlzFGBdhwYCwlRNXKjCasq6pF4jj6OwXQQM61btRd5GgGUCLm7fEugzgig4b3SRtL1o2VYNuJIPIcQMxyFZs1tgB6L9b3xgz84KDuOtgRd6fu63AKmUSg435T8fGtMFsd6GqJSXJ/w640-h640/poster-MIP-penmanship+2021-square.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>So glad I got to review Moliere in the Park production <i>pen/man/ship</i>. I'm too busy/lazy to post the full review here, but you can read it at the link below:</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://stagebuddy.com/theater/theater-review/artfully-staged-penmanship-raises-powerful-questions">Artfully staged 'pen/man/ship' raises powerful questions</a><div><br /></div><div><i>Pen/man/ship</i> runs through April 24th. You can get tickets <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/moliere-in-the-park-presents-penmanship-tickets-146427242825" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Your obedient servant,</div><div><br /></div><div>EJK</div></div>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-76207463386641602662021-02-27T17:24:00.000-05:002021-02-27T17:24:06.597-05:00'Franz Kafka's Letter To My Father' is a Surreal, Nightmarish Vision<h3 style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkD9u1robpGeugVwiDFq4dq6I_14gaoEw_7NoNdguHpwm1xlfUHQRu2O7wzfts3-jNswGteJZLZh_GbnoHG5g1KrP0zcrAxpmAmeRJFXkNHK3DG2WI2TsWd7eCALv72P6Dcp3l1YeWB-K-/w360-h538/Kafka_EileenMeny-7.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="360" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michael Guagno in <i>Franz Kafka's Letter To My Father</i>. Credit: Eileen Meny Photography.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkD9u1robpGeugVwiDFq4dq6I_14gaoEw_7NoNdguHpwm1xlfUHQRu2O7wzfts3-jNswGteJZLZh_GbnoHG5g1KrP0zcrAxpmAmeRJFXkNHK3DG2WI2TsWd7eCALv72P6Dcp3l1YeWB-K-/s1600/Kafka_EileenMeny-7.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="color: black;"></span></a></div><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;">What did Erin think?</h3>In 1919, German-Bohemian writer Franz Kafka wrote a 47-page letter to his father. It was never delivered.<br /><br />Now, in 2021, James Rutherford and Michael Guagno have created a one-man cinematic show from the text of Kafka's letter. Presented by <a href="https://www.m-34.org/kafka" target="_blank">M-34</a>, <i>Franz Kafka's Letter To My Father </i>features Guagno as Kafka reading the letter aloud, surrounded by cameras and boxes. Directed by James Rutherford, it's appropriately Kafkaesque--existential, nightmarish, ambivalent, and oddly compelling.<br /><br />In an attempt to approach live theatre, Guagno has six different camera angles set up, several of which he adjusts throughout. Viewers can choose one perspective, switch it up throughout the show, or watch all six at once for a strange kaleidoscopic viewing experience. I kept them all open simultaneously (blame it on FOMO), and found it mesmerizing and intimate to see the performer from so many angles: straight on, overhead, from under the desk, from the side.<br /><br />Of course, Guagno's intense closeness--not only physical closeness to the camera, but emotional closeness to the text and to the childhood memories Kafka is reliving--helps with that intimacy. In the letter to his father, Kafka lays bare his relationships, his anxiety, his crippling need for approval and stability, and even his own physicality. Guagno translates this anxiety and dread perfectly. At times, the nightmare of his past becomes so inhibiting that he momentarily loses the power of speech. It's terrifically disturbing.<br /><br />As Kafka relates to us, his relationship with his father has not been sunshine and rainbows. In fact, despite the writer's insistence that his father is an inherently good and loving person, the character of his father emerges through the letter as demanding, hypocritical, tyrannical, and verbally abusive. Episodes from Kafka's childhood still haunt him, and thanks to the production team's eerie aesthetic, Guagno's intense emotionality, and the power of Kafka's words, they now can now haunt us as well.<br /><br />As a result of his traumatic childhood and inability to connect with his father, Kafka appears to be at an impasse. He can't seem to get married and settle down (though he views parenthood as humanity's highest possible achievement), his health is compromised (Kafka would die of tuberculosis only five years later), and all his other aspirations seem to have stagnated as well.<br /><br />The circular, inconclusive nature of the production reinforces this stagnation. Guagno sits at a desk in a dimly lit room, surrounded by boxes I can only imagine are full of other non-delivered letters, half-finished manuscripts, and documentations of incidents with his father. He starts the show in half-dress, bending over a massive pile of scattered papers, meticulously arranging them in order.<br /><br />At the end of the show, Guagno throws the 40+ pages of his letter into a box and methodically dumps the contents on the ground. Then he undresses, turns off the light, and beds down amid his chaotic, fragmentary world. There's a sense that if we just stay online long enough, the whole thing will repeat itself. And who knows how many times Kafka reread the letter, replayed the memories, second-guessed the accusations, before finally deciding that he couldn't send it after all. The letter remained undelivered, perpetually in incubation.<div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPR3SldHiBPsWPedZOU5wD7W69MH2xkQSyujaCVqvH9u400bgR25f3GHURHTlc2Md7-25f9dgwouNe1cyoP9tQajDsr9SiskE0oc39Bc6WByi-lyLIENbESogDYc2-wBlh4JpeMje0WIIC/s1600/Kafka_EileenMeny-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPR3SldHiBPsWPedZOU5wD7W69MH2xkQSyujaCVqvH9u400bgR25f3GHURHTlc2Md7-25f9dgwouNe1cyoP9tQajDsr9SiskE0oc39Bc6WByi-lyLIENbESogDYc2-wBlh4JpeMje0WIIC/w641-h429/Kafka_EileenMeny-4.jpg" width="641" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: Eileen Meny Photography.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">How can I get tickets?</h3>You can purchase tickets on M-34's website <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">here</a>.<br /><br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">How long is it?</h3>90 minutes with no intermission.<br /><br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">What else do I need to know?</h3><i>Franz Kafka's Letter To My Father</i> runs February 19 through March 28. <br /><br />It's meant to be an immersive experience, so make sure your internet connection is stable and that you won't be interrupted. You might also want to use headphones. When you purchase tickets, you'll get a link to an instructional video telling you how to use the interface, but don't let that scare you. It's really not complicated.<br /><br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Is it appropriate for all ages?</h3>Technically, yes. There's no swearing or nudity, but we're dealing with some heavy subject matter here. Plus, I just really don't think your kids will enjoy it.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Your obedient servant,<br />EJK<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-66250611336367338722020-11-19T16:05:00.002-05:002020-11-19T20:25:44.493-05:00The irrepressible Micki Grant: award-winning composer, actor, and trailblazer<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYGzIk2M0LWAUGTa8sckffxjWaqTq_709lQuIEsEefamxODF2EjZQQRKUh2r-Gs0JXdeiOF_K1w4DtfmoyR2nX9qfg6i1CawtPwAnoCp_8TxsFj9doTJoG4ldveIJ_zDB25D2oNkcLILe/s1792/Still006.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="1792" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYGzIk2M0LWAUGTa8sckffxjWaqTq_709lQuIEsEefamxODF2EjZQQRKUh2r-Gs0JXdeiOF_K1w4DtfmoyR2nX9qfg6i1CawtPwAnoCp_8TxsFj9doTJoG4ldveIJ_zDB25D2oNkcLILe/w640-h400/Still006.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richarda Abrams (l) interviews Micki Grant (r) over Zoom.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />Micki Grant is always first in line: the first Black to write commercial jingles, to have a non-silent role in a commercial, to get a contract role on daytime television. The first woman to write the lyrics, score, and libretto for a Broadway musical, and the first woman to win a Grammy Award for a Broadway score.</p><p>Maybe she gets that drive from her mother: awarded number one salesperson at her company (she was also the only Black salesperson). Maybe she inherited it from her father (a talented musician who played the piano by ear), who after years of working for other people finally opened his own barbershop.</p><p>Or maybe, that force of will that repeatedly catapults her to the front is 100% Micki Grant. </p><p>In an Oral History Project produced by Ludovica Villar-Hauser for <a href="http://theatrewomen.org/">The League of Professional Theatre Women</a>, Richarda Abrams interviewed Grant about her life, her manifold projects, and her motivation. Abrams, a Black actress, singer, playwright, and producer, has a similar life journey to Grant, making her a fitting interviewer.</p><p>Born in Chicago, Illinois, Grant knew what she wanted from an early age. Named Minnie after her grandmother, she quickly changed her name to Micki to avoid other children calling her "Minnie Mouse" and making quips about her "mini" size.</p><p>Her love for music started at a young age. After taking unsuccessful piano lessons ("I think I took about three," Micki remarked), she turned to a new instrument that suited her better. When her orchestra teacher decided they needed a double bass, Micki volunteered to learn. As she walked to and from school, a tiny 8-year-old girl carrying a huge double bass, everyone would point at her. </p><p>But the voices of the crowd never dissuaded Micki from doing anything--then or later. At 9, she started taking acting lessons from Susan Porché. Soon after, she joined a community theatre, the Center Aisle Players, that performed at the YMCA. According to Grant, the other actors didn't believe in her dream.</p><p>“For them it was a hobby," she said. "For me it was an aspiration. They used to say: somebody should talk to that girl, she’s crazy! She thinks she’s gonna be an actress!”</p><p>Meanwhile, Grant was hard at work in other pursuits as well. At 12, she published a book of poetry called <em>A String of Pearls</em>. From then on, the woman was nonstop. After studying music and drama in Illinois and Los Angeles, she wrote the jazz song "Pink Shoelaces," which climbed to #3 on the charts--though, as Abrams pointed out, it was #1 in Mexico. When the play she was in (<em>Fly Blackbird</em>) transferred to New York, Grant moved there, too. “I guess they felt sorry for me," she joked. "They gave me a part!”</p><p>While getting off the ground as an actor, Grant worked as a receptionist at a radio station. Before long, she was performing on the air in her own series <em>Readings and Writings</em>. She also performed off-Broadway in shows like <em>The Blacks</em>, <em>Brecht on Brecht</em>, and <em>The Cradle Will Rock</em>, acting alongside the likes of James Earl Jones, Jerry Orbach, and Rita Gardner.</p><p>In 1963, Grant made her Broadway debut in Langston Hughes' <em>Tambourines to Glory</em>. According to Grant, Hughes encouraged and inspired her as a young artist. </p><p>“We had a special relationship because I was a disciple of his poetry, then he became a playwright, so I sort of followed in his footsteps in a way. But that was one of the greatest things in my life: meeting Langston Hughes.” </p><p>But Grant's career wasn't limited to the stage. In 1966, she joined the cast of NBC's <em>Another World</em> and became the first Black to hold a contract role on daytime television. She played attorney Peggy Nolan on the show for seven years, until 1973. That opened the way for more TV appearances; later, she would perform on <em>Guiding Light</em>, <em>Law & Order</em>, and <em>All My Children</em>. Grant said her family and friends went crazy when they saw her name in the end credits. She repeatedly found herself in a lot of shows where she was the only Black actor, but she was proud to help pave the way for others. </p><p>Then, in 1972, Grant's musical <em>Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope</em> opened on Broadway. The musical won a Drama Desk Award, an Obie, and a Grammy, and was nominated for four Tony Awards. One of those awards, the Drama Desk, was for Grant's performance, because not only did she write the musical--becoming the first woman to write the lyrics, score, and book for a Broadway musical--she also starred in it. “I said: I’m gonna write something good and then star in it!” Grant said. <em>Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope</em> was also a first for Grant's collaborator Vinnette Carroll--the first Black woman to direct on Broadway.</p><p>Asked how she felt about the success of her work, Grant said it was deeply gratifying. “I had written those words because I wanted those words to be heard. I wanted them to be understood.”</p><p>From there, Grant's career only went up. Soon, she had two national tours running simultaneously. She collaborated again with Carroll on <em>Your Arms Too Short to Box with God </em>(which earned another Grammy nomination), <em>I'm Laughing but I Ain't Tickled</em>, and other shows. She also collaborated on the Broadway musical <em>Working</em> with Stephen Schwartz, Mary Rodgers, James Taylor, and others.</p><p>At one point, Grant had two Broadway shows running simultaneously: <em>Your Arms Too Short to Box with God </em>and<em> It’s So Nice to Be Civilized</em>. Grant said it was "an incredible moment." But more gratifying than her success or popularity was the knowledge that she had put so many Black actors to work.</p><p>In the 90s, Grant performed in a national tour of <em>Having Our Say</em> that traveled to more than 68 cities and to Johannesburg, South Africa. She received the Helen Hayes Award for her performance, and later appeared in the CBS film version of <em>Having Our Say</em>. In 1995 she turned her hand to directing. "If you want a test," she said. "That's a test."</p><p>Grant's awards include the NAACP Image, the National Black Theatre Festival's Living Legend, the Sidney Poitier Lifelong Achievement, and the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Dramatists Guild of America--among many, many others.</p><p>When asked how she maintained her high energy through all these projects, many of which happened simultaneously, Grant admitted she wasn't sure. She said the most difficult part was performing on TV and stage at the same time. But when it all comes at once, she said, you can't say you'll wait and do this next year. You have to do it all. Having people see her work and remember it fueled her to keep going.</p><p>Throughout the interview, Grant's dynamism, sense of humor, and passion were apparent. She told aspiring artists to not see their dreams simply as dreams, but as a foretelling of their life.</p><p>“If you can see it, if you can visualize it, if you can imagine it in your mind, in your thoughts, and if it’s real to you…then it’s already partly accomplished… Even those things that are standing in your way, if there’s some way you can see around them, then they can be moved. But my point is, you have to dream first, you have to have the big dream, you have to want it. Nothing just drops in our lap, we have to go for it. We have to dream it and make the dream real. I always saw myself doing what I wanted to do before I did it. So dream it first and realize it doesn’t have to remain a dream--it can be a dream come true.”</p><p>With so many credits and accomplishments to her name, is her career at an end? Perhaps not. Grant said she'd still love to write a novel, act in a big movie, and maybe even write a musical about Harriet Tubman.</p><p>At the end of the interview, alluding to Grant's honorary doctorate, Abrams said with tears in her eyes: "The irrepressible Dr. Micki Grant, I am just so happy that God has blessed us with you!”</p>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-25917753348838935132020-11-16T23:37:00.002-05:002020-11-18T13:37:01.352-05:002020 VintAge Awards honor Martha Richards: Founder and President of WomenArts<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOZggfNu92mZEVDq8oxFx-Oukqli6n7YrGUgRVhGNcOgVqgrBiociJkuzO07n9suVWKq0udja0QJeY3WHhw_dgf0-ApcCAWG4mw5ZEIcHqDOcif1UuSsBX82hC3yeyQMZTpOW67gPN3vSS/s2048/Martha+Richards.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOZggfNu92mZEVDq8oxFx-Oukqli6n7YrGUgRVhGNcOgVqgrBiociJkuzO07n9suVWKq0udja0QJeY3WHhw_dgf0-ApcCAWG4mw5ZEIcHqDOcif1UuSsBX82hC3yeyQMZTpOW67gPN3vSS/w640-h400/Martha+Richards.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martha Richards receiving the 2020 VintAge Award<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />On November 14, the <a href="http://www.womenartsmediacoalition.org/" target="_blank">Women in the Arts & Media Coalition</a> presented the 2020 VintAge Award to Martha Richards, Founder and President of <a href="https://www.womenarts.org/" target="_blank">WomenArts</a>: an organization that supports and nurtures women artists worldwide. Dame Rosemary Squire, Co-Founder of the Ambassador Theatre Group and Trafalgar Entertainment, presented the award in a Zoom ceremony that featured speeches and performances by many of the artists Richards has nurtured over her long career.</p><p>Those speaking or performing included Paul Tetreault, Alice Tuan, Rebecca Strang, Christine Young, Melinda Pfundstein, Sophie Dowllar, Mary Watkins, Deborah Magdalena, Leslie Shreve, Jennifer Hill, Lydiah Dola, and Shellen Lubin. The ceremony also included video clips highlighting Richards' accomplishments.</p>In the hour-and-a-half long program, Richards' various friends and mentees discussed their appreciation for her efforts on behalf of the arts, from saving a debt-ridden theatre to starting a fund for female artists. They also discussed her creation of the international holiday SWAN Day (Support Women Artists Now), which recognizes female artists across every discipline. <br /><br />Many participants testified to Richards' steady involvement in their lives, which went beyond just supporting them financially or giving them press. <br /><br />Deborah Magdalena, director of SWAN Day Miami and Spoken Soul Festival, said she and her friends call Richards their fairy godmother. She's helped them with every aspect of running an arts organization, from filling out a grant to dealing with bad press.<br /><br />Chinese American playwright Alice Tuan spoke of how Richards helped find a space for her work when she struggled to fit within the traditional American theatre scene. “I have benefited hugely, richly, ecstatically, from Martha Richards and her support for women artists," Tuan said.<br /><br />Mary Watkins, a composer and pianist who played a piece called "Comin' Home" in honor of Richards, said she "makes a difference in people’s lives on a grand scale and on a small scale.”<br /><br />Other performances included Lydiah Dola's song "Swan Girls," Jennifer Hill's "Women Unite, A SWAN Song," and a Zoom singalong with Shellen Lubin's "It's Changing."<br /><br />At the conclusion of the ceremony, Richards opened the award over Zoom and thanked all the speakers and attendees for their love and support. She said the idea for WomenArts started in the 80s, when she realized that all the big theatres performed plays by men while women were forced to perform in tiny auditoriums and makeshift theatres in garages. What would it mean, she wondered, if these women had the resources they need to get their plays produced? Eventually, WomenArts grew to support women artists not only in theatre, but in the visual, spoken, and musical arts as well. Its influence spread around the world, and to date has raised about $5 million for women artists.<br /><br />Finally, Richards spoke to the power of women artists to make a divided world whole. Knowing that many artists may feel overwhelmed or unequal to the task, she reminded attendants that WomenArts started at her kitchen table. “There are days when it will seem like your goals are very far away from you, but I want to encourage you all to persevere,” she said.<br /><p class="MsoNormal"></p>The 2020 VintAge Awards ceremony will soon be available to view for a small donation on <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/454792307581507763/2591775334883893513#">WomenArtsMedia.org</a>.<p></p>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-25990901039541549942020-11-14T19:06:00.000-05:002020-11-14T19:06:40.989-05:00Review: World Premiere of Québecoise play 'A Day'<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzN8dpeMqowGONw6odws0lUBjs2CyvedxGnZiNkikbZtnG9JJuaR52B_2YH5csMVnal2Rmt9-uVuaarlm2i2OKUis0pv_6saMwgYL0-RJ9iE6pQYNz0CnVrt1H2LvZ8nyRBApgoA4J4_-4/s2048/Karl+Gregory%252C+Sylvie+Yntema%252C+Erica+Steinhagen%252C+Jahmar+Ortiz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzN8dpeMqowGONw6odws0lUBjs2CyvedxGnZiNkikbZtnG9JJuaR52B_2YH5csMVnal2Rmt9-uVuaarlm2i2OKUis0pv_6saMwgYL0-RJ9iE6pQYNz0CnVrt1H2LvZ8nyRBApgoA4J4_-4/w640-h360/Karl+Gregory%252C+Sylvie+Yntema%252C+Erica+Steinhagen%252C+Jahmar+Ortiz.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karl Gregory, Sylvie Yntema, Erica Steinhagen, and Jahmar Ortiz in <em>A Day</em><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;">What did Erin think?</h3><p>Four people. One day. Countless opportunities for screwing up.</p><p>In the English-language World Premiere of <em>A Day</em>, written by Québecoise playwright Gabrielle Chapdelaine and translated by Josephine George, four seemingly unconnected individuals narrate each other's day. We watch as the four characters roll out of bed (or stay there), prep for the day, head to work, interact with coworkers, navigate relationships, and return home. One man grapples with an estranged relationship while another succumbs to an overwhelming urge to visit his childhood home. One woman's need for human appreciation drives her to desperate measures; another struggles to pierce the fog of depression and insomnia. A single day in the life contains humor, joy, embarrassment, and heartache, all bundled into one messy pile.</p><p>Presented by Cherry Artists' Collective and directed by Wendy Dann, <em>A Day</em> streams from the historic State Theatre in Ithaca, NY, blending live performance with video effects and prerecorded footage (Samuel Buggeln directs the video mise en scène). Karl Gregory, Jahmar Ortiz, Erica Steinhagen, and Sylvie Yntema star in this isolated cross-section of the human experience, a string of moments held under a poetic microscope.</p><p>An energetic cast brings a delightful script to pulsing, exuberant life. There are moments of sweet, poignant comedy, such as when one character, almost with tears in her eyes, sincerely thanks a grocery store clerk. In one priceless scene, Sylvia Yntema's character picks up a phone left by her coworker and has a hilarious, pathetic conversation over text with her coworker's friend. In another, Erica Steinhagen's character has a joyful awakening after downing hundreds of vitamins.</p><p>Corresponding moments of despair punctuate these comedies, such as when a woman explains to her once partner (played by Karl Gregory) that she only wants him to leave her voicemails from now on, so it will be like they're "writing letters" to each other. It's surprisingly easy to sympathize with these characters, especially in our current circumstances. They yearn for connection, purpose, understanding. At the bottom of it all, we sense, they just want to be loved.</p><p>Jahmar Ortiz is especially delightful to watch, perhaps because his character is the most vivacious. In the office, he announces in a loud voice that he's leaving, and when his coworker asks, "Where are you going?" He responds with a sweeping gesture, in a stately voice: "To buy cream of wheat!" At home, he fills online shopping carts with unnecessary, expensive items, then, his eyes popping with impetuous joy, decides to buy them all.</p><p>In the end, what matters more than the characters' failure to connect are their attempts to try. The play is peppered with references to classic and modern movies, ways for the characters to make sense of their lives and contextualize their struggles. But the playwright's final wish is to watch a new, as yet unmade movie, one that looks different for each of us, but one that we can, at the end of a long stretch of isolation and existential loneliness, enjoy together.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTVsAXw2E99gdTxKbsapgYh3r1YcFW9etFEgDLwa3f1mB1scvBjNlj8oZKzf9JoAKxuh1y2cShnWujfnxiuVSYGh-PhBAHm2Byv3Jl486khMXm3D8bB29DqD4ZUyxtakfHVsfLfabVBP0/s1755/Sylvie+Yntema%252C+Jahmar+Ortiz%252C+Erica+Steinhagen%252C+Karl+Gregory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="988" data-original-width="1755" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTVsAXw2E99gdTxKbsapgYh3r1YcFW9etFEgDLwa3f1mB1scvBjNlj8oZKzf9JoAKxuh1y2cShnWujfnxiuVSYGh-PhBAHm2Byv3Jl486khMXm3D8bB29DqD4ZUyxtakfHVsfLfabVBP0/w640-h360/Sylvie+Yntema%252C+Jahmar+Ortiz%252C+Erica+Steinhagen%252C+Karl+Gregory.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">How can I get tickets?</h3><div>You can purchase tickets to watch one of the live streams on <a href="https://www.thecherry.org/a-day/" target="_blank">The Cherry Artists Collective website</a>.</div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">How long is it?</h3><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The show runs for an hour and a half with no intermission.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">What else do I need to know?</h3><p style="text-align: left;"><i>A Day</i> runs for five performances from November 13 to 21.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Is it appropriate for all ages?</h3><p>There's a little swearing.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Your obedient servant,</p><p>EJK</p>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-82571106307868158682020-11-01T15:09:00.001-05:002020-11-01T15:09:26.617-05:00Review: The Pumpkin Pie Show returns with four sinister stories<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKKNRs3K6y-OFaVh-NonuxBH5xsnkW5Wpi93ZT29PX0Gy_mU-qTfnCpKHU5JRqYBoaSg2r_S6N6FNH5PnVjgeqFYmq4QHd8ScRxvIcJXCkk0SwKRAC_1Rs3Wkc_DYZPU0752bBrXfSutv/s2048/Clay+McLeod+Chapman_Credit_Antonia+Stoyanovich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Clay McLeod Chapman on a stage" border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKKNRs3K6y-OFaVh-NonuxBH5xsnkW5Wpi93ZT29PX0Gy_mU-qTfnCpKHU5JRqYBoaSg2r_S6N6FNH5PnVjgeqFYmq4QHd8ScRxvIcJXCkk0SwKRAC_1Rs3Wkc_DYZPU0752bBrXfSutv/w640-h427/Clay+McLeod+Chapman_Credit_Antonia+Stoyanovich.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clay McLeod Chapman in <em>The Pumpkin Pie Show</em>. Credit: Antonia Stoyanovich.</td></tr></tbody></table></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What did Erin think?</h3><div><br /></div>Some types of entertainment work well on Zoom; others don't. But if there's one thing that might just be better on Zoom than it is in person, it's storytelling. Gone is the stage, the distance between you and the performer, and the other audience members. It's just you (the viewer) and a single performer, their face close to the camera. It feels like you're having a private conversation. Over Zoom, storytelling becomes more immediate, more forceful, and perhaps more uncomfortable.<p></p><p>Clay McLeod Chapman’s <i>The Pumpkin Pie Show</i> capitalizes on all those benefits. Chapman has been performing the macabre storytelling show for 20 years, but 2017 was supposed to be its final year. Then, a pandemic hit, and with everyone stuck at home for Halloween, Chapman decided to resurrect The Pumpkin Pie Show. With performing partner Hanna Cheek, he created a new installment--<i>The Pumpkin Pie Show: Quarantine Tales</i>. On Halloween night, the two performed a series of four short stories via YouTube Live, hosted by Frigid New York.</p><p>In the first story, a man whose marriage is falling apart is forced to explore his irrational loathing for baby carrots. That may not sound very scary, but only because you don't know what Chapman is capable of. A writhing mass of possessed baby carrots long past their expiration date can actually be pretty disturbing. With ease and expression born of 20+ years storytelling, Chapman can make any situation funny or frightening, sometimes at the same time. It's an absurd story for an absurd time. </p><p>Hanna Cheek performed two stories about formidable women: one a circus performer with a beautiful face and razor sharp teeth; the other an angelic-looking bride who's actually a twisted murderess. The first woman tells her own story with almost tender nonchalance, calmly narrating horrifying events. She seems to enjoy telling this story, and she's decidedly unconcerned about the havoc she's wreaked on more men than she can count.</p><p>In the second story, Cheek portrays a bitter woman whose pain at her sister's betrayal (combined with a significant alcohol intake) has eliminated any filter she may have had. A drunk bridesmaid spills a disturbing secret at her sister's wedding, and as the narrative slowly unfolds, we can only imagine the reactions of the bride, groom, and guests. Riveting and unsettling, it's like watching a train wreck in slow motion.</p><p>My personal favorite story was Chapman's "Nail on the Head," about a man who finds a haunted hammer. Used as a murder weapon by its previous owner, the hammer slowly starts to take hold of its new owner, with devastating results. I always like a good ghost story around Halloween, and this one was reminiscent of several Edgar Allan Poe yarns. Chapman's performance was perfect: mixing humor, unreliability, and terror.</p><p>The mental images Chapman and Cheek seared into my mind will stick with me for a while. At the end of the day, T<i>he Pumpkin Pie Show: Quarantine Tales</i> testified to the power of good storytelling in any time, place, or format.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">What else do I need to know?</h3><p><i>The Pumpkin Pie Show: Quarantine Tales</i> was a one-time event for Halloween. But you can check out <a href="https://www.frigid.nyc/" target="_blank">Frigid New York</a> and <a href="https://claymcleodchapman.com/performances/the-pumpkin-pie-show" target="_blank">The Pumpkin Pie Show</a> websites for future events.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Your obedient servant,</p><p>EJK</p>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-58106994181486236792020-10-01T20:32:00.002-04:002020-10-01T20:32:57.187-04:00Review: In Krista Knight's CRUSH, a cockroach finds love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOtzJ9N6KdXdz-YCZYHyfBGqPjHQvo5WhQLwrfwX4QgFCum-aX5PyCdYxj8zGCbUUT7j9y5d2gonR0HSP38AudnHBMtgMMjld7y7V_0efdwOLeTHhNZeQYflkpe53yovyhVxjbAM9IOhP/s2048/1.+CRUSH+Screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOtzJ9N6KdXdz-YCZYHyfBGqPjHQvo5WhQLwrfwX4QgFCum-aX5PyCdYxj8zGCbUUT7j9y5d2gonR0HSP38AudnHBMtgMMjld7y7V_0efdwOLeTHhNZeQYflkpe53yovyhVxjbAM9IOhP/w400-h225/1.+CRUSH+Screenshot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What did Erin think?</h3><p>Like most New Yorkers, I've had my share of run-ins with cockroaches. The most unnerving being when I entered the bathroom one night to find a gigantic cockroach sitting on top of the sink faucet. I got out of there fast. In my mind, I can still see his antennae quivering.</p><p><br /></p><p>But in Krista Knight's CRUSH, a beatnik cockroach poet with a crush becomes an entertaining, empathetic tragic hero. In a series of six short videos, the roach unpacks his love for the messy, crumb-dropping human who lives in the house he infests. A film by No Puppet Co., CRUSH won the 45th Annual Samuel French Off Off Broadway Short Play Festival. But when its premiere was canceled due to COVID-19, Knight and co-creator Barry Brinegar decided to stage the show virtually using live animation, with actor Ben Beckley voicing the cockroach. The result is a strange but delightful synthesis of beat poetry, live capture animation, and special effects. And it's somehow...adorable?</p><p><br /></p><p>At first, the cockroach is thrilled that his new tenant is messy and always dropping sizeable crumbs. Soon, his delight turns to admiration, then adulation. Before long, our hero is hopelessly ensnared--chasing the love of a human who doesn't even know he exists, and who comes close to accidentally stepping on him. "Do I only want you because you scare me?" the roach wonders, shortly before he vows: "I'll make you happy."</p><p><br /></p><p>Unfortunately for our hero, most humans don't take well to roaches, especially roaches living in their home in plain sight. When our hero seizes the stage of the living room floor to perform a naked birthday dance for his crush...well let's just say things don't go as planned.</p><p><br /></p><p>Beckley's voice and intonations are perfect: balancing childlike over-eagerness with wry humor and sarcasm. The script never tries too hard to be serious, but neither is it superficial fluff. This roach is rhythmic and quick-witted, and his poetry sings in its own way. </p><p><br /></p><p>Zany and amusing, CRUSH presents an inventive, original new format for virtual theatre. Krista Knight and her team deserve praise for bringing something fresh into a venue that, these days, mostly consists of zoom readings and living room concerts. It's a fresh take on theatre in the age of COVID-19, just as it's a fresh take on first love. And even if those quivering antennae made me feel a little uneasy, I enjoyed seeing the world from a roach eye perspective, if only for a little while.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IYxiWF5kB-8VIR9AVTvrboJZ3CMI1wtHjbj4fOugOEz1L9rILG_t7cU8pt25bRiQFNHZvGYlcxI-731ZWceryQ5Zugxy0rKtzLOzlAee1fRDDWsa4Ljq5o5MSKLXtRbJjVh9Z0dhjNle/s2048/3.+CRUSH+Screenshot.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="2048" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IYxiWF5kB-8VIR9AVTvrboJZ3CMI1wtHjbj4fOugOEz1L9rILG_t7cU8pt25bRiQFNHZvGYlcxI-731ZWceryQ5Zugxy0rKtzLOzlAee1fRDDWsa4Ljq5o5MSKLXtRbJjVh9Z0dhjNle/w400-h226/3.+CRUSH+Screenshot.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;">How can I get tickets?</h3><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDlSUWWtSP4owk2sczZPX274tsLju8s5g" target="_blank">CRUSH is currently available to watch for free on YouTube.</a></p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">How long is it?</h3><p>A series of six short videos, it comes to about 20 minutes total.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">What else do I need to know?</h3><p>If you're interested, you can watch the making of video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwBAZBMY-rY&t=213s&ab_channel=KristaKnight" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Is it appropriate for all ages?</h3><p>I only counted one swear word, and there's nothing else in it that might be considered inappropriate.</p><p><br /></p><p>Your obedient servant,</p><p>EJK</p>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-65713490740173594852020-09-04T20:33:00.000-04:002020-09-04T20:33:14.353-04:00Recap of The Neo-Political Cowgirls Advocacy Night: Charlottesville lawsuit, RFK Human Rights, and the words of Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel<div class="separator"><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Screen Shot 2020-07-08 at 12.35.13 PM" src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/5e4e16_4edb62190bef4eae92476904d6f74866~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_470,h_626,al_c,q_95,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/5e4e16_4edb62190bef4eae92476904d6f74866~mv2.webp" /></p></div><p>Last night, I returned from a walk around the neighborhood to find red spray paint on the Black Lives Matter sign in my family's yard. I wasn't so much disturbed as surprised. Militant racism in our friendly little college town?</p><p>Earlier that day, I'd tuned into The Neo-Political Cowgirls Advocacy night: a series of conversations with social justice change makers. As part of the event, <a href="https://www.integrityfirstforamerica.org/">Integrity First For America</a> Executive Director Amy Spitalnick and attorney Roberta Kaplan discussed bringing a lawsuit against the Charlottesville rioters. Before, I thought the riot was just a misguided protest against the removal of a Civil War statue. But as Spitalnick and Kaplan explained, it was nothing of the kind.</p><p>The rioters, most of whom were not Charlottesville natives, planned the event for months—and planned to get violent. They discussed running into people with their cars and pretending it was self-defense. They targeted Blacks and Jews.</p><p>When Kaplan approached those injured by the rioters, their courage impressed her. She told them the process would be long and drawn out, that they wouldn't get much money from it, and that they might receive personal threats if they were involved. Nevertheless, they agreed to act as plaintiffs. Three years later, despite reluctance to comply and threats from the defendants, Kaplan is still fighting.</p><p>In her own words: “It’s still going to be a struggle, but we will take back our streets, our democracy, and our constitution, and that’s what gives me hope every morning when I wake up.”</p><p>For Amy Spitalnick, the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, this is about sending a powerful message that we will not tolerate racial violence in America. Her ancestors, she explained, didn't have this system, but we do, and we'll use it for as long as we can.</p><p>That tied into the work of Kerry Kennedy, another social justice activist, who spoke next. President of <a href="https://rfkhumanrights.org/">Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights</a>, Kennedy takes on international lawsuits she hopes will make change for a country.</p><p>Kennedy also amplifies the voices of other social change leaders: she recorded the words of several change makers and published them, and that became a series of monologues, which the Neo-Political Cowgirls performed at the end of the night. In the monologues, we heard from a mother whose daughters were kidnapped and murdered while the police refused to help, an LGBTQ student who faced bullying while the principal turned a blind eye, a woman questioning the death penalty, and finally, Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. In his words:</p><p></p><blockquote>“What I want, what I’ve hoped for all my life, is that my past should not become your children’s future.”</blockquote><p></p><p>A theatre dance company working to amplify women's voices, the <a href="https://www.npcowgirls.org/">Neo-Political Cowgirls</a>, along with their guests and partners, are working to make his hope a reality. Their Advocacy night sent a clear message about the kind of work they do and why it needs doing.</p>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-12396287467442365562020-08-15T21:41:00.000-04:002020-08-15T21:41:11.197-04:00Review: 'Andromeda’s Sisters' speaks up for the underrepresented and unappreciated<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl043W2OIkqyzhyphenhyphenp2ck9eGZ3dNKrA7t6qsGMJtxoTXNKoUqEn3Fg0locsjrKgOUatdA9BATZVKt0nJGkMJU0S7aVdsh2AK2REWPJLhUfdnzJoSRwMgC44YpRq_kEnrFzbwk3yOrqylaH5F/s2048/Mia+Funk%2527s+In+My+Dreams.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="screenshot from Mia Funk's In My Dreams" border="0" data-original-height="1127" data-original-width="2048" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl043W2OIkqyzhyphenhyphenp2ck9eGZ3dNKrA7t6qsGMJtxoTXNKoUqEn3Fg0locsjrKgOUatdA9BATZVKt0nJGkMJU0S7aVdsh2AK2REWPJLhUfdnzJoSRwMgC44YpRq_kEnrFzbwk3yOrqylaH5F/w640-h352/Mia+Funk%2527s+In+My+Dreams.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mia Funk's <i>In My Dreams</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><h3 style="text-align: left;">What did Erin think?</h3><p>Women dance like primal, animalistic spirits. A female dog reminisces about life before COVID-19. A woman mourns her lover, knowing she will not be invited to the funeral. A wife seeks pleasure elsewhere when her husband turns a cold shoulder to her. A woman accused of witchcraft in 17th century dishes on what she'd do if she really was a witch.</p><p>By turns hilarious, clever, poetic, and thought-provoking, this series of monologues and performance pieces gives a voice to the underrepresented, the unappreciated, and the oppressed. Focusing on women's experiences, <i><a href="https://www.npcowgirls.org/andromedassisters" target="_blank">Andromeda's Sisters: An Arts and Advocacy Forum</a></i> is the annual gala event of the Neo-Political Cowgirls, an organization created to amplify women's voices in theatre.</p><p>With one performance via Zoom on August 14 and another on September 3, the first part of this two-evening forum presents monologues, dance pieces, video, and poetry written by, about, and for women. Brave, bold, and empowering, it gives an intriguing glimpse into the kind of work supported and created by the Neo-Political Cowgirls.</p><p>A singular piece is Mia Funk's <i>In My Dreams</i>, a short film acted with poetic movement and diction by Funk herself. Exploring a woman's vision of the ideal romance, it incorporates black and white footage of Funk moving gracefully and slowly, along with images and superimposed narration. In gentle yet longing tones, the speaker yearns for a deep romance, not a cheap fantasy.</p><p>Another relationship-focused piece is Joy Behar's "Where Are You At?" performed with both hilarity and gravity by Catherine Curtin. 9-months pregnant, a popular actress discovers her husband has been cheating on her. She's outraged, but instead of starting a scandal that could backfire, she'll just channel the anger into her next audition. As her pregnancy continues, as she gives birth, as she cares for their newborn, her husband is repeatedly absent, leading her to ask "where are you at?" Cleverly written and shrewdly performed, this woman's attempt to reclaim her rights—or at least explain her reaction—is laugh-out-loud funny, without robbing the situation of its gravity.</p><p>In "Goody Garlick," written by Lucy Boyle and performed by Tony Award-winner Blythe Danner, a woman accused of witchcraft in 1658 chats with her neighbor about why the accusation outrages her. It's not so much the assumption that she's a witch as it is the idea that she'd waste such incredible, soul-destroying powers on getting back at her neighbors. Danner embodies this clever, passionate woman with sensitivity and range, brilliantly poised as she delivers a rant about everything from close-minded villagers to the endless drudgery of housework and the perils of childbearing.</p><p>The final performance, a reading of June Jordan's "Poem About My Rights" by Portia, embodies a common theme tying all these works together. The speaker does not consent to othering, to oppression, to rape, whether it's sexual, personal, or political. "I am not wrong," she declares. "Wrong is not my name. My name is my own."</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrBY7p_1xbCG1fQ1iyihlsV98BvvpQ2kCn_fzLC2Lnk1sDhXKPoLm1R2Qrv0cPzO_gmuzRiVu8MzJWRV_-dZDVM7JL0JDVRCNahVN7Kq7FH81L4LaBmEBiUWS1reg3tey87YpHIl0sPMc/s1800/Andromeda%2527s+Sisters+Poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrBY7p_1xbCG1fQ1iyihlsV98BvvpQ2kCn_fzLC2Lnk1sDhXKPoLm1R2Qrv0cPzO_gmuzRiVu8MzJWRV_-dZDVM7JL0JDVRCNahVN7Kq7FH81L4LaBmEBiUWS1reg3tey87YpHIl0sPMc/s640/Andromeda%2527s+Sisters+Poster.JPG" /></a></div><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What else do I need to know?</h3><p>You can catch part two of the forum on September 3rd at 5 pm EST. Buy tickets <a href="https://www.npcowgirls.org/andromedassisters" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>And while you're at it, <a href="https://www.npcowgirls.org/" target="_blank">learn more about the Neo-Political Cowgirls</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>Your obedient servant,</p><p>EJK</p>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-72271913653798919552020-08-07T14:02:00.001-04:002020-08-07T14:02:29.171-04:00Review: The Bathroom Plays show the many sides of quarantine loneliness<div style="text-align: center;">"Loneliness...is that a sin? It feels like one."</div><div style="text-align: center;">- <i>PIDGEONs</i>, <i>The Bathroom Plays</i></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZkLuxL04Vl32JJlZMaDQiesv0Eyga5MU7e1XpRWnEVfV5y10qwo1gKHEIvdB6Af-J022lvMiuyOf38aV82LFMSc8nFFqb1P0qGB0BKdjt5nVnppl3k6ep6Dw1oHDsdF0LV2uYswdiRUT/s1784/Mary+with+Amberlin+McCormick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1784" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZkLuxL04Vl32JJlZMaDQiesv0Eyga5MU7e1XpRWnEVfV5y10qwo1gKHEIvdB6Af-J022lvMiuyOf38aV82LFMSc8nFFqb1P0qGB0BKdjt5nVnppl3k6ep6Dw1oHDsdF0LV2uYswdiRUT/s640/Mary+with+Amberlin+McCormick.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amberlin McCormick in <em>Mary</em>, part of <em>The Bathroom Plays</em><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><h3 style="text-align: left;">What did Erin think?</h3><p><a href="https://www.edentheater.org/" target="_blank">Eden Theater Company's</a> third and final installment of <em>The Room Plays</em>, titled <em>The Bathroom Plays</em>, takes a penetrating look at the seclusion and loss inherent in quarantine. With clever scripts and honest acting that hits home, these three one-acts somehow manage to be both fun and tragic, playful and serious.</p><p>Nearly six months into this pandemic, most of us can probably relate to what the characters in these pieces experience: needing to get away from partners or family members, losing and grieving in a topsy-turvy world, and questioning reality in an effort to find meaning.</p><p>Can external events destroy relationships? Or does constant togetherness simply reveal the problems that were there all along? In <em>Monogamous Animals</em>, written by Brennan Vickery and directed by Alex Pepperman, two friends, video chatting from their bathrooms, find themselves in a paradoxical dilemma. Being trapped at home with their significant others has somehow made them lonelier than ever. Superb acting from Cassandra Paras and Niccolo Walsh make this honest conversation between two friends engaging and emotionally accessible.</p><p>Amy Berryman's <em>PIDGEONs</em>, directed by Amber Calderon, also hones in on the breakdown of a relationship. A woman who's recently lost her husband to coronavirus confesses her sins over zoom, but when she starts talking about conspiracy theories (the virus isn't real, and neither are birds), things take a drastic turn. LeeAnn Hutchison performs with a sensitivity that mines the full depths of Berryman's script, switching from humor to horror in a seamless second. It's funny until it's not. Eventually it becomes clear that this woman's deranged thoughts and actions are simply her response to a loss she can't conceive of, which begs the questions: what does grieving look like in quarantine? and what happens when we refuse to let go?</p><p>Perhaps that's a question only a ghost can answer. In <em>Mary</em>, written by E. E. Adams and directed by Jordan Gemaehlich, a young Black woman, quarantined in her apartment, tries to befriend the ghost in her bathroom. But she's haunted in more ways than one, as her one-sided conversation soon shows. (Amberlin McCormick's mesmerizing interpretation may even haunt the viewer.) Though initially disturbed by the apparition in her mirror, she comes to realize that ghosts aren't all that scary. What's scary is becoming the thing to be scared of, to look in the mirror and be afraid of what you see. Finally, in what feels like a nod to BLM, she tells the phantom, "Some people will see a ghost before they will ever see me."</p><p>With a perfect balance of light and dark, some beautiful writing, and a sensitive, authentic cast, <em>The Bathroom Plays</em> are perhaps the most penetrating pandemic-focused art piece yet (at least that I've seen). The questions they ask are subtle but profound, perhaps unanswerable, but necessary if we want to retain our humanity in the weeks and months ahead.</p><p>Is loneliness a sin?</p><p>If it is, we're all due for confession.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;">What else do I need to know?</h3><div><br /></div><div><i>The Bathroom Plays</i> were a one-time, site-specific (via zoom) performance. But keep an eye on <a href="https://www.edentheater.org/" target="_blank">Eden Theater Company</a>--they've got lots more planned and they're worth watching.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Your obedient servant,</div><div><br /></div><div>EJK</div>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-23175641271308592372020-08-03T17:44:00.002-04:002020-08-03T17:44:39.319-04:00Review: Source Material's 'In These Uncertain Times' finds the beauty in quarantine<h3 style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtrU6FbVdt3miCHHbnNr3X8OK0m3kAraHBfgUkGqDxzCmhhnU73jj28F39C61Z2aOmKo1OM2qbqLWND0W8D5BAnXdVvh_0hl4ZreoCdy2SNdR0QeJHMct1wIsbjOj27HMuVDzaQ9wQ_rgP/s1310/In+These+Uncertain+Times+-+Grace+Tiso+%2526+Chekhov.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Screenshot from In These Uncertain Times" border="0" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="1310" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtrU6FbVdt3miCHHbnNr3X8OK0m3kAraHBfgUkGqDxzCmhhnU73jj28F39C61Z2aOmKo1OM2qbqLWND0W8D5BAnXdVvh_0hl4ZreoCdy2SNdR0QeJHMct1wIsbjOj27HMuVDzaQ9wQ_rgP/w640-h359/In+These+Uncertain+Times+-+Grace+Tiso+%2526+Chekhov.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grace Tiso and Chekhov in <i>In These Uncertain Times</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">What did Erin think?</span></h3><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A digital collage of social posts, monologues, and Zoom conversations, <i>In These Uncertain Times</i>, devised by <a href="https://www.sourcematerialcollective.com/" target="_blank">Source Material</a> and directed by Samantha Shay, takes a tragicomic look at being an actor amid the COVID-19 pandemic. </span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Equal parts absurd and serious, jarring and lyrical, it tries to walk a fine line between quarantine style humor (off-the-wall, on the edge of insanity) and profound explorations of a changing world. If it doesn't always succeed in staying perfectly poised, its value shines through in poignant moments like when a group of friends tell each other corny jokes over Zoom or an actor walks the beach speaking a monologue from </span><i style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Three Sisters</i><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The "setting" is a group of actors navigating a dystopian world where theatre has all but ceased to exist. Via Zoom, they discuss their emotions, expectations, fears, and hopes for the future. Some express their feelings eloquently, others fall completely apart. (Annelise Lawson's hysterical breakdown is so amusing only because it hits so close to home.) Meanwhile, one actor is hacking up a lung, and when asked if he's OK, he responds simply, "no."</span></p><p>Another scene touches on the seclusion of quarantine and how desperately those who are isolated crave any kind of social interaction at all: </p><p>"One time I held my breath and stood 5 feet 11 inches away from you in line at the store, but you didn’t notice."</p><p>Later, two friends chat about what love will be like in the post-quarantine world. Cast members say the standard "curtain speech" or talk about auditions, their words falling purposefully flat in a setting with no physical stage or in-person performances. </p><p>In between these episodic scenes, someone scrolls through Instagram, showing us humorous memes and videos about the dilemma of being an actor in quarantine. <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p>One of the most resonant parts of the piece is a profound monologue on love and grief accompanied by a black screen. Grief and love are twins, we're told, not adversaries. Grief is a way of loving, and love is a recognition of temporariness. In loving—not just people, but places, things, or times in your life—you recognize that everything is temporary. Paradoxically, there's something comforting in that.</p><p>Likewise, the final scene, a video of sunlight on the beach accompanied by Olga's final monologue from Chekhov's <i>The Three Sisters</i>, is a lovely moment, reminding us that we too will one day be gone, and our suffering will turn into joy for future generations. </p>"And the music is so beautiful, so brave, it almost seems like any minute we’ll know why we live, and why we suffer."<p><i>In These Uncertain Times</i> seems to end on a note of hope: we may not know why difficult things have to happen and we may not know how to deal with them (meditate? drink? fall apart?), but at the end of the day, like everything else in life, these uncertain times won't last forever. And there's still beauty and joy to be found amid the chaos.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">How can I get tickets?</h3><div>The run is over, but hints of a possible extension have been dropped. <a href="https://www.sourcematerialcollective.com/" target="_blank">Check Source Material's website for more details.</a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">How long is it?</h3><div>Slightly less than an hour, with no intermission.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What else do I need to know?</h3><div><i>In These Uncertain Times</i> was digitally devised by Source Material, an adventurous, ever-evolving group of artists, specifically for Zoom amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The cast includes James Cowan, Miles Hartfelder, Annelise Lawson, Stephanie Regina, Raven Scott, Victoria Sendra, and Grace Tiso.</div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;">Is it appropriate for all ages?</h3><p>There's a bit of swearing, but other than that it's fine.</p><p><br /></p><p>Your obedient servant,</p><p>EJK</p>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-52182622896503152102020-07-06T15:37:00.000-04:002020-07-06T16:28:26.651-04:00Interview: Actor Tim Palmer talks 'The Listening Room,' his Shakespearean dream role, and moving from a small English town to NYC<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQiyXEDao8bhdYGAt5Gw5FmsW9zlDMGvdri3s2Be80J0idthni7sMhEKAJqHOgCkFYnXDc1d8rn55lTqzFNTgw9Enr1B7fD-kcnvNAhYVjpHORnwEhWWQpTaUsIj11aHt21oUTYDx4SGwz/s1280/thumbnail_TP-137.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQiyXEDao8bhdYGAt5Gw5FmsW9zlDMGvdri3s2Be80J0idthni7sMhEKAJqHOgCkFYnXDc1d8rn55lTqzFNTgw9Enr1B7fD-kcnvNAhYVjpHORnwEhWWQpTaUsIj11aHt21oUTYDx4SGwz/w333-h500/thumbnail_TP-137.jpg" width="333" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim Palmer<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>For actor Tim Palmer, born and raised in the English countryside, moving to NYC to pursue theatre was a bit of a culture shock. But if his recent explosive performance in Nylon Fusion's <i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">The Listening Room</a> </i>is any indication, he's adjusting fine. <br /><br />Recently, I got to ask Palmer a few questions about being a Brit in NYC, acting in <i>The Listening Room</i>, his Shakespearean dream role, and more. <br /><br /><b>Coming from a tiny English village to New York City, what’s been the biggest culture shock for you?</b> <br /><br />There were many things such as the subways, streets filled with so many people and the tall buildings! But for me, the biggest cultural shock has to be the food--not that I hate American food, I love it, but it’s the little things I notice that are different from home. The chocolate is slightly sweeter over here, meals are that lot larger and everything is served on bigger plates. But I love it! <br /><br /><b>What’s been the hardest part of breaking into the New York acting scene? </b><br /><br />For me it has to be the sheer number of actors in NYC and the competition. I think in any major city that has a big theatre, film/TV scene there’s going to be a lot of competition for the roles. <br /><br />Not that that’s a bad thing because it keeps me on my toes, always looking for ways to improve my ability and to stand out above the rest. But acting, like many industries, is hard and competitive when you begin. It’s all about pushing forward regardless, despite all the rejection and the worst odds. <br /><b><br />In <i>The Listening Room</i>, you played Marcus: a radical revolutionary who’s a little unstable. How did you get in character for that role? </b><br /><br />There are many ways I find to get in character, whether it's re-reading the script over and over or finding how this character walks and talks, how they maneuver through this world. <br /><br />But what I find most helpful with all characters I play, is to find their main goal and objective. What does this person want for themselves? For the world? How do they go about achieving this goal? <br /><br />Marcus was loud, violent and aggressive, but he needed to be like that to survive the harsh world of the play. He wouldn’t have gotten anywhere by being passive and silent, he would’ve been silenced and forgotten. He needed to be loud to be heard. He needed to be violent and aggressive to push his views, to change the world for the better. <br /><br /><b>What parts of Marcus’ character are most like and most unlike your own?</b><br /><br />I think me and Marcus are very different, but we also share some similarities. For example, I’m not violent in any way. I try to avoid fighting if at all possible, whereas Marcus would in many cases initiate violence and conflict. I would go as far to say that he enjoys it. I think I’m also a lot more reserved and quiet compared to Marcus, who any chance he gets he wants to speak above everyone else. <br /><br />However I do think we’re similar in that we’re both loyal to our friends and loved ones and would do anything to make sure they don’t reach harm's way. Marcus is also incredibly passionate about many things, including politics and speaking up against the injustice he sees in the world which I feel I do too. Now more so than ever, with current events. <br /><br /><b>What was your favorite thing about <i>The Listening Room</i>? </b><br /><br />There are so many things I loved about this production; not just from the writing and direction (which I think were incredible and both the directors and writer worked together to bring the world alive) but also the cast I worked with, who I drew a great deal of inspiration from. <br /><br />But also the set itself: the production spent days trying to make it look authentic and realistic. I personally think they did a phenomenal job and made it easier for me to lose myself within the world of the play. Costumes, lighting and sound also I believe deserve the highest praise for their dedication and commitment to the process of the play. <br /><br />The play itself was written beautifully, Michaela Jeffery does an astonishing job not only with world building but with the characters, all bringing their own unique ideas and experiences into the play. The political tones also mirror closely that of our current political climate. The plays challenges the audience, telling them that things can only be achieved through action and determination. By pushing and fighting for the things you want and believe need to be changed. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXN3Fo126AdS2N4J-BewJ1GlW8ncMcChcfdPG29Qb2SDC8kBQnD5b2J7l10vnaFf3G_7W3AfgClouyYcWllWnt3PHegLhG6qI68mtIwLCMIzvzBQAHu_QGV8aNSXbPcAIMIQxE_vGcAu3/s590/thelisteningroom-8a_orig.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXN3Fo126AdS2N4J-BewJ1GlW8ncMcChcfdPG29Qb2SDC8kBQnD5b2J7l10vnaFf3G_7W3AfgClouyYcWllWnt3PHegLhG6qI68mtIwLCMIzvzBQAHu_QGV8aNSXbPcAIMIQxE_vGcAu3/w569-h625/thelisteningroom-8a_orig.jpg" /></a><br />Tim Palmer in <i>The Listening Room</i>. Credit: All Foote III Photography.<br /><br /><b>What’s one piece of theatre that’s had a big impact on you as an actor?</b><br /><br />There are too many plays and performances both I’ve been in or watched that have had a profound effect on me and the way I see the world. But there is one that stands out the most to me. It was a production of <i>Trouble In Mind</i> by Alice Childress performed at my acting school, The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. The play is about black actors in a theatre company in the US in the early 1950s. It brought to light many prejudices and discriminations that African American actors experienced in the theatre, as well as in American society. <br /><br />The performances from all the cast members were phenomenal, I was instantly captivated from the start of the play to the end. It was funny, heartbreaking, informative, extremely moving and taught me a lot of things about the struggles of black people, not only in society but in the theatre and artistic world. <br /><br />Many of the performances even moved me to tears (something that’s rare for me, to cry while watching the theatre). The direction, the performances, the writing all captivated me and I came away with a completely different point of view. It made me think about the subject matter for days, even weeks afterwards, something I think that good theatre does. <br /><br /><b>Who’s an actor you look up to? </b><br /><br />There are so many actors and actresses that I look up to and admire within the industry. Marlon Brando and Meryl Streep are probably the two I admire the most, but also the likes of Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Denzel Washington, Cate Blanchett. For me there are so many actors that I love to watch, to single out one actor would be impossible. <br /><br /><b>What’s your dream role? </b><br /><br />Ooo there’s so many to choose from. I’d love to go into film and TV because I believe there are many amazing performance opportunities and great roles. But theatre will always have a special place in my heart. The dream role I would one day love to play, is Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Not only because it’s one of my favorite plays and characters, but it also contains some of the best (in my opinion) Shakespearean monologues that he ever wrote.<br /><br /><b>What advice do you have for aspiring actors? </b><br /><br />Take any job you can, no matter what, even if you think the role is below you. You don’t know who is working on that production and where they could go, or who might watch it. I know many actors who have taken jobs in small theatres, even though they thought they could do better, but ended up booking an agent because of that project. So my advice would be to audition for everything, and take every job that gets offered to you in the beginning. Who knows who may be sitting in the audience.<br /><br /><b>Any advice specifically for British actors working in New York? <br /></b><br />I think most roles you go in for are going to be for an American, or have an American accent. So work on your American accent! But there are also many jobs in the city that want Brits, or people with foreign accents, so it can go both ways. Never give up your identity or nationality to try and fit in, because that could be the very thing that gets you cast in a production.<br /><br /><b>Your resume lists celebrity impressions as one of your skills. What’s your most spot-on impression?</b><br /><br />Aha, I do a few. I would say my best would be Ian McKellen and Michael Caine!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-48247379556431213372020-06-10T19:04:00.003-04:002020-06-10T19:27:32.036-04:00Review: 'The Room Plays'--Eden Theater's new Zoom shorts--start on the right foot<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrMNj8wQufbXqHyFMaWjvAm7TxiSCepDYysxmJMJ6HIXzZX8HGLd82MWlhsfZxUEe9hHVZsfGtYfmiOz2_N9QYz7Qvmjb1j6mKAYRmjp1zA9DJRntkO3chiHBUIsoODsQ2ACCb-FmXW-Q/s1704/In+A+Bubble%252C+With+You+featuring+Simone+Grossman+and+Robert+Gemaehlich.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Simone Grossman and Robert Gemaehlich" border="0" data-original-height="1704" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrMNj8wQufbXqHyFMaWjvAm7TxiSCepDYysxmJMJ6HIXzZX8HGLd82MWlhsfZxUEe9hHVZsfGtYfmiOz2_N9QYz7Qvmjb1j6mKAYRmjp1zA9DJRntkO3chiHBUIsoODsQ2ACCb-FmXW-Q/w602-h640/In+A+Bubble%252C+With+You+featuring+Simone+Grossman+and+Robert+Gemaehlich.png" width="602" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>In a Bubble, With Only You </i>features<i> </i>Simone Grossman and Robert Gemaehlich</td></tr></tbody></table><h2 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">What did Erin think?</h3><div>A cynical loner meets her match. A young couple discovers a dangerous artifact. An eccentric bride tries to pick up the pieces of her life. </div><div><br /></div><div>And it's all on Zoom.</div><div><br /></div><div>Eden Theater Company's new series <i>The Room Plays </i>presents original, 10-minute pieces written during and about self-isolation, live-streamed from the theater company's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/edentheater/?ref=page_internal" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>. Three different installments will be performed on June 9, July 9, and August 6. And this first installment, <i>The Bedroom Plays</i>, is certainly promising. </div><div><br /></div><div>With all the Zoom theatre going on right now (FOMO, anyone?), it's difficult for one independent theater company to stand out. But luckily, this company has assembled a great cast and an intriguing line-up of stories that make <i>The Bedroom Plays</i> enjoyable and even thought-provoking.</div><div><br /></div><div>In Jake Brasch's <i>The Man in the Fuchsia Mask </i>(directed by Jordan Gemaehlich), an embittered New Yorker (Audrey Rapoport) shouts at people through her bedroom window, complains about potato chips that taste like feet, and guzzles alcohol in an attempt to beat isolation-induced depression. And she wonders: when you're a cynical loner in a world suddenly forced into self-isolation, how do you stand out? A stranger in a fuchsia face mask may have the answer...or he may not.</div><div><br /></div><div>While Audrey Rapoport's sour expression and biting critiques won a few laughs from me (especially during the potato chip scene), the writing and presentation jarred me a bit. Nevertheless, the character-writing was strong, and the short did have its moments.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>By contrast, I found Cassandra Paras' <i>Daeva </i>(directed by Byron Anthony), riveting and fun. What starts as a normal video chat between a husband (Matt Pilcie) and his expecting wife (Cassandra Paras) quickly turns sinister when she reveals a mysterious sealed box she found in the closet. Good presentation and a twist ending made for a delightfully chilling performance.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, Tracy Carns' <i>In a Bubble, With Only You</i> (directed by Diane Davis) is an intriguing story about a pair of newly weds who separate after an incendiary wedding night. (The bride sets fire to their bed.) On the morning after, the groom (Robbie Gemaehlich) is understandably bitter and the bride (Simone Grossman) isn't sure what she wants. As a literati, I enjoyed the classic lit undertones (<i>Moby Dick</i>, <i>Jane Eyre</i> and/or <i>Great Expectations</i>?). Add honest, compelling acting and spot-on direction to an already intriguing premise, and it's hard to go wrong.</div><div><br /></div><div>With the next installment of <i>The Room Plays</i> coming July 9, it will be fun to watch this project evolve as Eden Theater Company discovers what works and doesn't work in a Zoom performance. Building on an already solid foundation, they're sure to do great things.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchWr-0zfS2QFqDp49RTzeeGSsoxM8hjZZZRtrvp2Q0fojknjBxGqfmA1Wa5nu9OSkJczNzzfj_3GkzyRZJiSvWCYNkOSm71jceJ0J-tW4XISn3SoHmqZjKkYhEO4zxD-PkZbaKurivbdB/s1920/The+Bedroom+Plays.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchWr-0zfS2QFqDp49RTzeeGSsoxM8hjZZZRtrvp2Q0fojknjBxGqfmA1Wa5nu9OSkJczNzzfj_3GkzyRZJiSvWCYNkOSm71jceJ0J-tW4XISn3SoHmqZjKkYhEO4zxD-PkZbaKurivbdB/w640-h360/The+Bedroom+Plays.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">How can I get tickets?</h3><div>The first performance is over, but if you want to watch the next one on July 9, you can find details on Eden Theater's <a href="https://www.edentheater.org/productions-bedroom" target="_blank">website</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/edentheater/?ref=page_internal" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>. Tickets are free, but donations to the <a href="https://support.eji.org/give/153413/#!/donation/checkout" target="_blank">Equal Justice Initiative</a> are encouraged. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">How long is it?</h3><div>Each play is about 10 to 15 minutes long, so altogether the performance runs 30 to 45 minutes.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What else do I need to know?</h3><div>Support small theater and social justice. What else do you need to know?</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Is it appropriate for all ages?</h3><div>There was some profanity in the first piece, but the other two were pretty clean. Of course, I'm guessing the plays on July 9 will be completely different, so who can say? </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Your obedient servant,</div><div><br /></div><div>EJK</div>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-31905926657256134042020-02-10T13:59:00.000-05:002020-02-10T13:59:12.906-05:00Review: APAC's 'Jump' asks the hard questions<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEion2sR88BTWP-E73V-EiPvXB48O3ZXLBvgmuhU46qOj8owQVgf5__fAKXS26qV9azSaJEnAgLbFeMwSNurxlMCW_hwxPYjLNkzZ9bSBc-JbTPGRwOFqI_KPxAptD1kM0pmBzZrjWienHaf/s1600/L-R.+Kelechi+Ezie+and+Alex+J.+Gould.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEion2sR88BTWP-E73V-EiPvXB48O3ZXLBvgmuhU46qOj8owQVgf5__fAKXS26qV9azSaJEnAgLbFeMwSNurxlMCW_hwxPYjLNkzZ9bSBc-JbTPGRwOFqI_KPxAptD1kM0pmBzZrjWienHaf/s640/L-R.+Kelechi+Ezie+and+Alex+J.+Gould.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelechi Ezie and Alex J. Gould in <i>Jump</i>. Credit: Michael R. Dekker.</td></tr>
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<h3>
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What did Erin think?</h3>
Are there warning signs? Does it take a certain strength to go through with it (or not go through with it)? Afterward, how do those left behind cope with what has happened?<br />
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These are just a few of the questions Charly Evon Simpson poses in her play <i>Jump</i>, which receives its New York premiere in a thought-provoking performance by Astoria Performing Arts Center. At a pop-up location at 28-21 Steinway, Astoria, Arpita Mukherjee directs a four-person cast in a story of family, trauma, and unexpected friendship.</div>
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Kelechi Ezie is Fay, a young adult who's recently lost her mother to cancer and is slowly losing her father to alcohol. When her father (played by Dathan B. Williams) summons Fay and her older sister Judy (Natasha Hakata) to the now vacant family home in order to go through their things before he sells the house, painful memories return and old tensions rise anew. Troubled by these and the vague feeling that she may be losing her mind, Fay seeks solace on the bridge her mother used to bring her to as a child. There she meets a young grad student named Hopkins (Alex J. Gould) and an unlikely friendship blossoms. </div>
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But both her family members and her new friend are battling their own demons, and Fay's vague worries about whether or not she's going crazy are soon swept beneath the current of weightier events. </div>
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<i>Jump</i> takes a thorough, contemplative look at the act of suicide and the many questions surrounding it. The material is heavy, but strange to say, it's not a complete downer. Such is the strength of Simpson's script, which varies light and dark moments, laughter and tears and even an impromptu dance party performed by two strangers to Queen on a bridge, that a balanced picture emerges of human life in all its joy, heartache, surprise, and shock.</div>
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Alex J. Gould gives perhaps the most nuanced performance as a man contemplating suicide but held back for some reason he can't articulate. His delivery is natural but loaded, a ready-to-burst-at-any-moment cloud hanging just over his head.</div>
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But the other cast members also give perceptive performances. When Kelechi Ezie's Fay gives full vent to her emotions, the effect is devastating. And there's something just a little off about Natasha Hakata's Judy, who manifests her despair in barley noticeable moments between conversations. </div>
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With thoughtful pacing and some (intentional) confusion, time becomes a tricky thing. We're not always sure which scenes follow each other chronologically, if what we're seeing has already happened, has yet to happen, or is actually happening at all. It's perhaps the play's most striking theme, hinting at the way traumatic events play with our minds and memories.</div>
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<h3>
How can I get tickets?</h3>
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$20-$25 tickets are available on <a href="http://www.apacny.org/shows-events/current-season-2019-2020/jump/" target="_blank">APAC's website</a>.</div>
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How long is it?</h3>
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About 65 minutes with no intermission.</div>
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What else do I need to know?</h3>
<div>
<i>Jump</i> runs February 7 - 23. The pop-up theatre is located at 28–21 Steinway St, Astoria. It's in the Kaufman Arts District, not far from the Museum of the Moving Image (which is a great thing to check out if you're in the area).</div>
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Is it appropriate for all ages?</h3>
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The play deals with heavy themes like suicide and alcoholism, and there is some swearing. I'd leave the kids at home.</div>
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Your obedient servant,</div>
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EJK</div>
Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0Astoria, Queens, NY, USA40.7643574 -73.923461940.7162539 -74.0041429 40.812460900000005 -73.842780900000008tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-21068033053825620642020-02-08T17:41:00.000-05:002020-02-08T17:41:03.612-05:00Review: Bill Bowers takes a journey of pure joy in 'The Traveler'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6D6P4jWgRHPqKmNxJUhvpCO6R5LRgTEpmwXX-Fx-JQrUMkmsDSWARoUTBMshQ_sMa2QaK0g2owCuqy18aT3FrDy0W87b7jIY-dGOrTU-ykxXAts4FFZiG0MuLg3rlqoEGv-aDHhyVrs-/s1600/TheTraveler-Title-1200x628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6D6P4jWgRHPqKmNxJUhvpCO6R5LRgTEpmwXX-Fx-JQrUMkmsDSWARoUTBMshQ_sMa2QaK0g2owCuqy18aT3FrDy0W87b7jIY-dGOrTU-ykxXAts4FFZiG0MuLg3rlqoEGv-aDHhyVrs-/s640/TheTraveler-Title-1200x628.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<h3>
What did Erin think?</h3>
"I'm going to a mime performance. I have no idea what to expect."<br />
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Such were my parting words to my roommate as I left my apartment and traveled downtown to Theatre Row.<br />
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"Should be interesting," she'd replied, admitting that she'd never seen a mime perform either.<br />
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Turns out, while it was indeed "interesting," it was also immensely joyous, wonderfully heartwarming, and humorous in the most beautiful way.<br />
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The mime is Bill Bowers. The show is <i><a href="https://nycchildrenstheater.org/shows-and-programs/the-traveler/" target="_blank">The Traveler</a></i>. Co-created by Bowers and New York City Children's Theater Executive Director Andrew Frank, the show finds an apt home at Theatre Row's Studio Theatre--a sort of makeshift space where both children and adults crowd into movable chairs for a delightful journey full of exuberant surprises.<br />
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Bowers, an internationally renowned mime and award-winning actor, takes us on a wild ride when his house is upended by a janitor and flooded via a large bucket of water (it's difficult to explain but trust me, it makes perfect sense on stage and is hilarious into the bargain). Carried downriver and deposited he knows not where, the traveler must find his way home again armed with only a map, a suitcase, and quite a few bananas.<br />
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It's not going to be a smooth ride. Along the way, he must contend with nothing less than bees, cow pies, wolves, traffic, border walls, and perhaps worst of all, public transportation.<br />
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But our traveler is a tenacious, optimistic individual, and while his clothes may be waterlogged and his pants torn, nothing can dampen his spirits for long.<br />
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Silently and, for the majority of the show at least, without props, Bowers creates from thin air a rich, colorful world alive with sights, sounds, and even smells. Wide-eyed, open-hearted, and adaptable, he seems the embodiment of childhood itself. And watching him is a pure delight.<br />
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While the show is still developing and, depending on your powers of perception, you may miss certain nuances (I only say this because apparently I missed one), everyone seemed to agree in the brief talk-back afterward that it's not hard at all to follow what's going on. Nor is it boring. Far from it--I, for one, didn't want the journey to end.<br />
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The shape of the story is so well-crafted that, just at the moment when a certain long-running joke might begin to grow tedious, the journey shifts to a new phase. Each new trope is a surprise, as if we've been invited to open a series of presents stacked inside each other, each more wonderful than the last. Our traveler is endlessly amusing as he navigates wildlife, imbibes different cultures, entertains fellow travelers, and encounters unexpected roadblocks.<br />
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But the best surprise is saved for last, and apparently it's effect is so powerful that (at least in my performance and the one before it) children from the audience come instinctively to the traveler's aid. As a long-time theatre-goer familiar with the art of making something look spontaneous when it's not, I assumed this was a plant. I was wrong. There was simply something so moving in Bowers' performance that a young child felt drawn to actively participate in his story. If that's not the only thing better than a standing ovation, I don't know what is.<br />
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<h3>
How can I get tickets?</h3>
$22.25 tickets are available on <a href="https://nycchildrenstheater.org/shows-and-programs/the-traveler/" target="_blank">New York City Children's Theater's website</a>.<br />
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How long is it?</h3>
It runs about 45 minutes with no intermission.<br />
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What else do I need to know?</h3>
<i>The Traveler</i> runs at 11 am and 2 pm on Feb 8th and 9th, and at 2 pm and 7 pm on April 7th.<br />
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Is it appropriate for all ages?</h3>
It's produced by New York City Children's Theater, so yes. The suggested age is 3 and up. I would recommend it for ages 3 to 103.<br />
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Your obedient servant,<br />
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EJKErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0Manhattan, New York, NY, USA40.7830603 -73.97124880000001240.590684800000005 -74.293972300000007 40.9754358 -73.648525300000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-81855339844665437042019-12-03T19:13:00.000-05:002019-12-03T19:15:55.985-05:00Nylon Fusion's 'The Listening Room' is a thrilling dystopian drama<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15c_xwFhUb1KbPiR7ne5FQ5e4_WiWpUOjwb7Gaml9cJ8LzRcBcUhxSwXzmcwsKNACgf9YjxYcQly3I6adxGdIjs3BkiswK4sjuq_sN1kbxNsknbNnvStPA_BtkfGbKNhiKd-mauH_5dwN/s1600/Sara+Rahman.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15c_xwFhUb1KbPiR7ne5FQ5e4_WiWpUOjwb7Gaml9cJ8LzRcBcUhxSwXzmcwsKNACgf9YjxYcQly3I6adxGdIjs3BkiswK4sjuq_sN1kbxNsknbNnvStPA_BtkfGbKNhiKd-mauH_5dwN/s640/Sara+Rahman.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sara Rahman in <i>The Listening Room</i>. Photo by All Foote III Photography.</td></tr>
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<h3>
What did Erin think?</h3>
Full transparency: I wasn't sure what to expect from <i>The Listening Room </i>at the New Ohio Theatre. But here's what I got: a high stakes, edge-of-my-seat, thrilling yet somehow poetic dystopian drama.<br />
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Inhabiting a space somewhere between <i>The Giver </i>and the works of Samuel Beckett, <i>The Listening Room</i> takes us to a post-apocalyptic future in which a small group of people listen to and record transmissions from a prior world now lost forever. Known as the Listeners, they exist in subjugation and opposition to the government: feared by those in power, yet serving an important--and toll-taking--role.<br />
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As one of the Listeners prepares to face disciplinary action for "treason," a blind girl named Isobel walks seven miles through desert plains to reach the Listening Room. Convinced she's equal to the task, she wants to become a Listener. She may end up getting more than she bargained for.<br />
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Directed by Ivette Dumeng and Lori Kee, Michaela Jeffery's script is cleverly staged by Nylon Fusion Theatre Company. One isolated, bunker-like room contains the whole of the action, chillingly suggesting the futility and claustrophobia the Listeners face in a society that's both trapped and alienated them.<br />
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Inhabiting that room is a cast of five distinct characters who seem to come fresh off the pages of a masterfully written YA dystopian novel, played by a phenomenal troupe of young actors.<br />
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First to appear is the tenacious yet naive Isobel (played beautifully by Sara Rahman), a girl who's tired of being treated like a problem and won't take no for an answer. Then there's Fayette (Matthew Carrasco), the ostensible leader and peacekeeper of the group, tenderhearted enough--or perhaps strong enough--to weep over a dead mouse. Lanolin (Alex Chernin), Rouke (Taylor Petracek), and Marcus (Tim Palmer) form a tense love triangle, while Marcus' subversive antics threaten to destroy more than just relationships.<br />
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Carrasco, Chernin, and Petracek give intriguing performances as they convey the depth and complexity of their characters: stubborn and fearless, yet also incredibly sensitive. Less subtle but every bit as powerful is Palmer's performance as the explosive, rebellious Marcus, whose very presence is like a lit fuse on a stick of dynamite.<br />
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This is the part of the review where I note the play's timeliness, bring up current issues like fake news and impeachment, and maybe drop a few names, all with a not-so-subtle wink at my readers. But that feels rather cliche. There's no doubt <i>The Listening Room</i> is timely. Rather than project my own meaning onto a work that deserves to be taken at face-value first, I'll let you unravel the specifics yourself.<br />
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For what it's worth, I found myself too invested in the drama as it unfolded to think about real-world implications at the time. After the drama's shattering conclusion--once the tension settled and I returned to the present day--only then did I find myself listening to the voices that emerged from the silence of my own thoughts.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBM6-rqbHrCb2EYSUm-9gTlu3shTfr8DQgSpzJtsYEFrU6R-_j72xf3XOBT005Uq6yxHilWuiL3h2xt1YmD3u58G90wLWreJ25RBicoT-tzYSjs1tTrGktEdRaNOAha07p2BtxueClPHbX/s1600/Alex+Chemin%252C+Taylor+Petracek%252C+Tim+Palmer%252C+Matthew+Carrasco+and+Sara+Rahman.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBM6-rqbHrCb2EYSUm-9gTlu3shTfr8DQgSpzJtsYEFrU6R-_j72xf3XOBT005Uq6yxHilWuiL3h2xt1YmD3u58G90wLWreJ25RBicoT-tzYSjs1tTrGktEdRaNOAha07p2BtxueClPHbX/s640/Alex+Chemin%252C+Taylor+Petracek%252C+Tim+Palmer%252C+Matthew+Carrasco+and+Sara+Rahman.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alex Chernin, Taylor Petracek, Tim Palmer, Matthew Carrasco and Sara Rahman. Photo by All Foote III Photography.</td></tr>
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<h3>
How can I get tickets?</h3>
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$29 tickets are available <a href="https://www.nylonfusion.org/" target="_blank">on Nylon Fusion's website</a>.</div>
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<h3>
How long is it?</h3>
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80 minutes with no intermission.</div>
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<h3>
What else do I need to know?</h3>
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The New Ohio Theatre is located at 154 Christopher Street, #1E (in the basement of the building). <i>The Listening Room</i> runs November 30 through December 21.</div>
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<h3>
Is it appropriate for all ages?</h3>
<div>
There's a lot of swearing, so I wouldn't bring the kids. Plus it gets pretty intense.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO34UnJR2jyV2_FL8-xg96ufpdpQl3tvHSw_L7-iGLn2J4J0C4gLJ77IhdVIe_QE4Ki1pIQWavl3TfeLulgJTuRYxOny5k03-rP2TOs-D_HfoW0RvXx1vvYftZHZcfWSlGd3lS7SUlz4d2/s1600/FINAL+LISTENING+POSTER_edited.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO34UnJR2jyV2_FL8-xg96ufpdpQl3tvHSw_L7-iGLn2J4J0C4gLJ77IhdVIe_QE4Ki1pIQWavl3TfeLulgJTuRYxOny5k03-rP2TOs-D_HfoW0RvXx1vvYftZHZcfWSlGd3lS7SUlz4d2/s1600/FINAL+LISTENING+POSTER_edited.webp" /></a></div>
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Your obedient servant,</div>
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<br /></div>
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EJK</div>
Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0New York, NY, USA40.7127753 -74.005972840.327540299999995 -74.6514198 41.0980103 -73.360525799999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-77129282898799570682019-11-29T00:00:00.000-05:002019-12-03T12:45:09.466-05:00Why I love The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical<div style="text-align: center;">
"Bring on the monsters."</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
- <i>The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical</i></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9tcxx1_sMoQPQQ_thgGvvpNN2XAwKPjcP5BqV5XuwmTPSH3aGmll2erDGyi7oPCjKsHH5iVoJaY06xUZOdoD0ZRmkLGQQwL0LLLaOxbH48j01ix2mXx0VupGlmk9gWjoM802D8dfh_Z0/s1600/Kristin-Stokes%252C-Chris-McCarrell%252C-Jorrel-Javier.-Photo-by-Jeremy-Daniel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9tcxx1_sMoQPQQ_thgGvvpNN2XAwKPjcP5BqV5XuwmTPSH3aGmll2erDGyi7oPCjKsHH5iVoJaY06xUZOdoD0ZRmkLGQQwL0LLLaOxbH48j01ix2mXx0VupGlmk9gWjoM802D8dfh_Z0/s640/Kristin-Stokes%252C-Chris-McCarrell%252C-Jorrel-Javier.-Photo-by-Jeremy-Daniel.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Pictured (left to right): Kristin Stokes, Chris McCarrell, and Jorrel Javier. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Photo by Jeremy Daniel.</td></tr>
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<h3>
<br />What did Erin think?</h3>
Scene: The orchestra of the Longacre Theatre. In front of me is a mother with two grade school-aged children. On my left is a woman in her 60s or 70s. Behind me is a group of young adults. What brought us all together?<br />
<br />
<b><i>The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical</i>.</b><br />
<br />
Directed by Stephen Brackett, with music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki and a book by Joe Tracz, this show is pure euphoria. It impressed the kids, made the elderly woman laugh, and made me, a youngish adult, grin from ear to ear. It's delightful. It's inspiring. It's endlessly fun. It's <i><a href="https://lightningthiefmusical.com/" target="_blank">The Lightning Thief</a></i>.<br />
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Let's talk about the elephant in the room. This show got slammed hard by critics. Maybe that's because "Critics" (with a capital C), aren't the target audience. Isn't it about time we mounted a Broadway show for kids?<br />
<br />
And if kids are the target audience, <i>The Lightning Thief</i> succeeds completely. Kids laugh at the jokes, respond to the characters, and crowd the stage door exclaiming to everyone in a proud voice that they've read all the books. What could be better?<br />
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Of course, that doesn't mean grown-ups won't enjoy <i>The Lightning Thief</i>. Or maybe it does. Maybe Grown-Ups (capital G, capital U) won't enjoy it, but grown-up people who are still kids at heart certainly will.<br />
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Based on the first <i>Percy Jackson</i> book by Rick Riordan, <i>The Lightning Thief </i>brings Greek mythology to modern times, introducing a place called Camp Half-Blood where demigods--children of one mortal parent and one godly parent--can stay safe from monsters and train for battle.<br />
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When he's accused of stealing Zeus's lightning bolt, Percy, son of the sea god Poseidon, goes on a quest to find the missing bolt and return it to Olympus to clear his name. Aided by Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, and Grover Underwood, a satyr, he journeys to the Underworld, which oddly enough is located in present day L.A.<br />
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The cast of seven (most play multiple roles) show off their versatility and high energy, pulling one theatrical magic trick after the other, all while singing powerfully enough to bring down the rafters.<br />
<br />
Kristin Stokes' ringing vocals alone could probably achieve that feat. And not only does she sing like no other, she crafts a compelling character while doing it--playing up Annabeth's tough side and need to prove herself without sacrificing the wise girl's warmth and goodness.<br />
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Meanwhile, in case you asked for the perfect stage incarnation of Percy Jackson, you have it in Chris McCarrell: hyperactive, bungling, and impertinent. He's the definition of Persassy.<br />
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In fact, the casting of this show is another act of theatrical magic--as if the casting director somehow plucked Rick Riordan's characters right off the page and set them on a Broadway stage.<br />
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But enough said about the cast. The music of <i>The Lightning Thief</i> is also a thing of beauty--endlessly clever lyrics set to a pop/rock score. Composed and written by Rob Rokicki, <a href="https://boxfivetheatrereviews.blogspot.com/2019/10/cast-album-review-lightning-thief-musical.html" target="_blank">the score features some of the most singable, high-energy original songs to hit Broadway in at least a decade</a>. Punctuated by stage effects like bright lights, confetti, and toilet paper rolls, plus Patrick McCollum's high-energy choreography, every number is a theatrical firework.<br />
<br />
Then there's the stagecraft. From the towering, mummified Oracle of Delphi to the fearsome Minotaur and the exploding toilet bowl--each effect is ingeniously staged as a sort of DIY project on steroids (in the best sense). In a venue that tends to feature traditional if impressive sets, props, and costumes, the innovative, playful stagecraft of <i>The Lightning Thief</i> is delightfully refreshing.<br />
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Everyone's entitled to their opinion. At the end of the day, <i>The Lightning Thief</i> may fail to impress the big-wig critics. It may not take home any Tonys (though I'll be rooting hard for it come Tony season). But I, for one, love it with all my heart.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZy_aEZNr-2NTgvHgp7Q9gODbnDXidcZ8kODA5RSx-9VVOsroCwv-7Iq_yo4FgyhDMSeozI5DJH_p3soV2NLzI0VBmjEvov8lUOHng36OJmAdFbLtuB2Rx1vCQ6TTqJuU7OSKujpgw8sz/s1600/The-Lightning-Thief-BW-Chris-McCarrell-Photo-by-Jeremy-Daniel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZy_aEZNr-2NTgvHgp7Q9gODbnDXidcZ8kODA5RSx-9VVOsroCwv-7Iq_yo4FgyhDMSeozI5DJH_p3soV2NLzI0VBmjEvov8lUOHng36OJmAdFbLtuB2Rx1vCQ6TTqJuU7OSKujpgw8sz/s640/The-Lightning-Thief-BW-Chris-McCarrell-Photo-by-Jeremy-Daniel.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pictured: Chris McCarrell. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.</td></tr>
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<h3>
<br />How can I get cheap tickets?</h3>
$42 rush tickets are available at the box office. There's also a <a href="http://www.lightningthiefmusical.com/lottery/" target="_blank">digital lottery</a> for $42 tickets. If you're willing to spend a little more for great seats, there are always discounted tickets available at the TKTS booths, usually ranging from $58 to $82. Whatever you do, step on it. <i>The Lightning Thief </i>ends January 5th, so you're running out of time.<br />
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<h3>
Where should I sit?</h3>
<div>
For the absolute best possible experience you'll be remembering fondly for years to come, I suggest the orchestra. You'll get blasted with confetti and you may even be lucky enough to have toilet paper rolled out over your head. But if you need a seat that's a little more economical, the balcony is supposedly a great place to watch from. Plus it's where Rob Rokicki sits. Do you need a better reason?</div>
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<h3>
How long is it?</h3>
<div>
Two hours and five minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.</div>
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<h3>
What else do I need to know?</h3>
<div>
You don't necessarily need to have read the book to enjoy the show. About five minutes before the start of the performance I attended, the woman sitting next to me literally asked, "So do we know what this is about?" She then proceeded to laugh and whisper comments like, "he's good" throughout the whole show. So I'd say she enjoyed it.</div>
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<br /></div>
<h3>
Is it appropriate for all ages?</h3>
<div>
Yes. The age recommendation is 8+. There are two or three mild swear words but your kids probably won't even catch them. Other than that, it's completely clean.</div>
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<br /></div>
<h3>
Where's the stagedoor and who comes out?</h3>
<div>
I know for a fact that everyone comes out for at least some performances. I went to a matinee the day before Thanksgiving, and everyone except Chris McCarrell came out, signed, took photographs, and chatted. This is the chillest cast I've ever stage-doored for, and the sweetest. As a bonus, Rob Rokicki himself came out and asked humbly if anyone wanted him to sign their playbills. That's when I died.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVGHElyxgjaXoEyAz_u2Z-hXrINA7PAlXfLJuHqbBDQapVLpsSOUrDOyu0rj-FLy5eGW_CMgn3TPLaPbnZ7b-jtn46uc4OdfRIZjtcCM56yiVqWbqFLx-4ZjnpLIk7YaGiFx52lbRt6nos/s1600/img_3563.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVGHElyxgjaXoEyAz_u2Z-hXrINA7PAlXfLJuHqbBDQapVLpsSOUrDOyu0rj-FLy5eGW_CMgn3TPLaPbnZ7b-jtn46uc4OdfRIZjtcCM56yiVqWbqFLx-4ZjnpLIk7YaGiFx52lbRt6nos/s640/img_3563.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Your obedient servant,</div>
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<br /></div>
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EJK</div>
Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0New York, NY, USA40.7127753 -74.005972840.327540299999995 -74.6514198 41.0980103 -73.360525799999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-63196796504854461422019-11-12T16:31:00.000-05:002019-11-12T16:31:10.672-05:00Review: Cady Huffman soars as Marguerite Bourgeoys, Canada's first female saint<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFW8aRMtwIHX5550McYaYzkqLy8x0RKMv4oNuixlKf9DNhI2vWafbqZ0Zn_aEey5VbZBgXUX86XOy7ChDGpJpQvrrtFiT2ogEHs0zUBol61yL72zl-RfhD8KCaqsLcOJN4nPpAcvpdNeG5/s1600/MRD_3192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFW8aRMtwIHX5550McYaYzkqLy8x0RKMv4oNuixlKf9DNhI2vWafbqZ0Zn_aEey5VbZBgXUX86XOy7ChDGpJpQvrrtFiT2ogEHs0zUBol61yL72zl-RfhD8KCaqsLcOJN4nPpAcvpdNeG5/s640/MRD_3192.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cady Huffman in <i>Marguerite</i></td></tr>
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<h3>
<br />
What did Erin think?</h3>
A new musical by Anton Dudley and Michael Cooper, <i><a href="http://www.apacny.org/marguerite/" target="_blank">Marguerite</a></i> tells the inspiring true story of Marguerite Bourgeoys, Canada’s first female saint. On a mission to “uncloister” women in the Catholic Church, Marguerite helps found an open religious community in newly settled Montreal.<br />
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Working hand in hand with the city’s governor, Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve, she battles the harsh realities of life on the Canadian frontier: mosquitoes, Indians, lusty soldiers, high child mortality rates, and prejudice against her foundling community (largely engendered by the cutthroat governor of nearby Quebec). Amid every tragedy, Marguerite retains her fearless optimism—never cowed as she shelters those in her care and seeks to build a church in Montreal.<br />
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Directed by Dev Bondarin, APAC’s production marks not only <i>Marguerite</i>’s New York premiere, but the first full production of a new musical by Astoria Performing Arts Center. Fittingly staged in Astoria’s Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, it's a smooth, delightful journey narrated by the saint herself, as performed by a luminous Cady Huffman.<br />
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Her bold voice ringing from the (historic) rafters, Huffman conveys Marguerite’s warmth, idealism, and daring: painting in bright, soaring strokes a portrait of the saint’s undaunted heroism in the face of every imaginable obstacle. A glittering, velvet score melds with the jewel-like surroundings of the church for an overall effect that becomes a graceful expression of one pioneering woman’s faith and devotion.<br />
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Yet for all that, I found myself wishing for more. More complexity, perhaps. Or maybe just more about Marguerite herself. Much of the story revolves around Maisonneuve, an important presence in Marguerite’s life and an intriguing historical character who at times steals the spotlight from her. It's almost as if this show about a female pioneer who empowered women is more concerned with the struggles of a man, albeit a heroic and tragic one.<br />
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As she narrates the events of her life, Marguerite immerses us in her world—complete with Indian ambushes, sweltering summers when women (shockingly) wear their skirts mid-thigh, fur fairs that become occasions for courting, a small community’s judgmental attitude toward a recluse. The world she presents is vivid and engaging.<br />
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But what fails to emerge from all this is a complete, rounded picture of the narrator herself. She’s a faithful nun, a brave pioneer. But the picture we get isn’t perhaps as compelling as it could be. We hear about the trials she faces but we rarely see her struggle. I’d like a stronger sense of her personality—of her craggy, unflinching soul as depicted in the striking portrait that features in one scene.<br />
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Then again, there’s something to be said for the richness of Marguerite’s world and the value of the things she accomplished. If she’s swallowed up in her surroundings, in the community she helped to build and came to love, maybe that’s only fitting. And that, in a one woman show, supporting characters steal into the spotlight is perhaps as good a testament as any to the power of Cady Huffman’s lovely performance.</div>
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<h3>
How can I get tickets?</h3>
<div>
You can buy tickets <a href="https://apacny.secure.force.com/ticket/#details_a0S1R000009sHoXUAU" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
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<h3>
How long is it?</h3>
<div>
80 minutes with no intermission.</div>
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<h3>
What else do I need to know?</h3>
<div>
<i>Marguerite</i> runs November 8 to 23 at The Church of the Redeemer (30-14 Crescent Street), Astoria.</div>
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<h3>
Is it appropriate for all ages?</h3>
<div>
Pretty much. There's one scene where Marguerite, being the BA nun she is, grabs an Indian's "manhood" but as you can imagine in a solo show where everything's simply narrated, it's 100% not graphic.</div>
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Your obedient servant,</div>
<div>
EJK</div>
Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0Astoria, Queens, NY, USA40.7643574 -73.923461940.7162539 -74.0041429 40.812460900000005 -73.842780900000008tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-19706040458336047672019-10-28T15:19:00.000-04:002019-10-28T15:22:20.694-04:00Review: Corey Stoll is an intriguing tyrant in CSC's Macbeth<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;">"Fair is foul, and foul is fair."<br />
- The Three Witches, <i>Macbeth</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUUrBt7a_2Irr6O02ZZWpigOFyblOouDS1YDLWChH0udP1q0sdz5PIeVsG2-w9tUeYMhDaGaiE3Q9YyKd-vGuYm3Q0SeGfUCMutYI1lW40_R8ISLuw5SO37TWp_pZK9UC1fjlU9HjAbOrx/s1600/MacbethCSC0859r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUUrBt7a_2Irr6O02ZZWpigOFyblOouDS1YDLWChH0udP1q0sdz5PIeVsG2-w9tUeYMhDaGaiE3Q9YyKd-vGuYm3Q0SeGfUCMutYI1lW40_R8ISLuw5SO37TWp_pZK9UC1fjlU9HjAbOrx/s640/MacbethCSC0859r.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corey Stoll in <i>Macbeth</i>. Photo: Joan Marcus.</td></tr>
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<br />
<h3>
What did Erin think?</h3>
<i>Macbeth</i> is a play that can easily get out of hand. Witches, murders, and a semi-psychotic title character can quickly devolve into a blood bath starring a raging tyrant, with a side show of Satanic rituals.<br />
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But that's not the approach John Doyle takes in directing Classic Stage Company's <i>Macbeth</i>. Starring Corey Stoll and Nadia Bowers, the production remains grounded and thoughtful even in its most dramatic moments. Subtly powerful, it's a play about the duality of human nature and the fragility of virtue, emphasizing the uncanny within rather than the supernatural without.<br />
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Rather than a raging tyrant, or perhaps in spite of being a raging tyrant, Corey Stoll's Macbeth somehow preserves a shred of humanity and civility right up to the end. From his dilemma over killing Duncan to his realization of his coming defeat at the hands of Macduff, each step in his descent toward ruin occurs so naturally that we might miss it if we're not paying attention.<br />
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Yet the difference between his character at the beginning and at the end is staggering. After his brutal string of murders--Malcolm, Banquo, Macduff's wife and children--Macbeth has very nearly lost his humanity entirely. And yet, there's still something deeply intriguing and even likable about him. At the height of his corruption, he sits on the floor and quietly speaks the famous "tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow," in tones that suggest immense suffering and pathos.<br />
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Nadia Bowers' Lady Macbeth is the perfect counterpoint to her husband: ambitious at whatever cost, but clear-headed enough to play the game with more subtlety--and to know when to stop. Her lines are sharpened to a razor point (and often cut her husband), but always delivered with such presence of mind that it's clear this woman knows exactly what she's doing. Of course, this sharpness and presence of mind make her mad scene all the more striking.<br />
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The costumes (plain black clothing and gray tartans) and set (a simple wooden stage with a huge throne) suggest a timeless setting and a story that could happen in any period of the earth's history. Like Stoll's sensitive portrayal of Macbeth, the simplicity of the set and costumes eliminates any distractions, pointing us again and again to what's actually happening before our eyes: a shattering of the fragile divide between sanity and madness, virtue and depravity, ambition and perversion.<br />
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Even the three weird sisters melt into the crowd, with the role played by the entire company (minus Macbeth) speaking in unison. Perhaps their semi-absence suggests that we don't need occult powers to spur us on in committing atrocities--we're perfectly capable of spurring on ourselves.<br />
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Meanwhile, that Macbeth is an almost likable tyrant forces us to question what we think we know of good and evil, who we are prepared to offer our sympathy to, and what hidden demons lurk inside our own selves: simply waiting for the right opportunity to make an appearance.<br />
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<h3>
How can I get tickets?</h3>
<div>
You can buy tickets <a href="http://www.classicstage.org/shows/2019/10/macbethcsc/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<div>
Subject to availability, CSC also offers $30 rush tickets one hour before the performance (and $20 student rush tickets with an ID), in person at the box office. Limit is one ticket per person.</div>
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<h3>
How long is it?</h3>
<div>
1 hour and 40 minutes without an intermission.<br />
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<h3>
What else do I need to know?</h3>
<div>
<i style="font-family: Arimo;">Macbeth</i><span style="font-family: "arimo";"> runs from October 10 to December 15.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arimo";"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arimo";">Is it appropriate for all ages?</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arimo";">It's <i>Macbeth</i>. That being said, while it is violent, there's very little blood, and no sex or nudity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arimo";"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb7cod6wzYk7x-MMaxvcMFDinSKy056Q09nZ6L8763CDMBgOVvy4nAjj5dWfLL2Hi5i_GB-oMDo0-VGHL-rREcA7kMpyPUSLtHioOFKDmJg5TePN0U8k8PvIJi-NIOx575eky4qXLU64Ei/s1600/MacbethCSC0167r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb7cod6wzYk7x-MMaxvcMFDinSKy056Q09nZ6L8763CDMBgOVvy4nAjj5dWfLL2Hi5i_GB-oMDo0-VGHL-rREcA7kMpyPUSLtHioOFKDmJg5TePN0U8k8PvIJi-NIOx575eky4qXLU64Ei/s640/MacbethCSC0167r.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nadia Bowers in <i>Macbeth</i>. Photo: Joan Marcus.</td></tr>
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Your obedient servant,<br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
EJK</div>
Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0New York, NY, USA40.7127753 -74.005972840.327540299999995 -74.6514198 41.0980103 -73.360525799999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-21749375308609527652019-10-18T13:45:00.001-04:002019-10-28T15:20:56.517-04:00Cast Album Review: The Lightning Thief MusicalHello demigods! To celebrate <i>The Lightning Thief Musical</i>'s Broadway opening, I'm going to attempt to post something <i>Lightning Thief</i>-related every other Friday for the remainder of its Broadway run. Some of it will be old content, some new.<br />
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To start us off, here's an album review I wrote of <i>The Lightning Thief Musical</i>'s Off-Broadway Cast Album for StageBuddy.com, back in 2017:<br />
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<a href="https://stagebuddy.com/music/records/album-review-top-5-lightning-thief-songs" target="_blank">Link to original article</a> (also included below)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA0yuxxUclEKgK4QRn2SiHB3XsGINtRFOfflyqSYEEIlHTbQ3QbLYHRQIvDbjvrZCjgsnTAVRCCg8KKC9IRFJtxYej00OcCuqvdgz-LT3nIeDigGlgvG1chKDkcTv0p7v_xH_Jhrg0zRaR/s1600/LightningThief_3162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Production still from The Lightning Thief Off-Broadway" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA0yuxxUclEKgK4QRn2SiHB3XsGINtRFOfflyqSYEEIlHTbQ3QbLYHRQIvDbjvrZCjgsnTAVRCCg8KKC9IRFJtxYej00OcCuqvdgz-LT3nIeDigGlgvG1chKDkcTv0p7v_xH_Jhrg0zRaR/s640/LightningThief_3162.jpg" title="Lightning Thief trio" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once upon a time, there was a book that everybody loved. A short time later, this book got turned into a movie which everybody hated. Finally, the book got turned into an Off-Broadway musical which everybody loved, and everyone lived happily ever after (except that no one could ever quite forget that terrible movie).<br />
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The book is <i>The Lightning Thief</i>: Book 1 in the <i>Percy Jackson and the Olympians</i> series by Rick Riordan. The Musical is <i>The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical</i>. The movie is best left unidentified.<br />
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Percy Jackson fans can rest assured that <i>The Lightning Thief</i> is the Percy Jackson adaptation they've been looking for. With a plot that follows closely the original story-line, all the sass and humor from Riordan's book, and a score that's electrifying (pun intended), <i>The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical</i> delivers. And if you didn't get the chance to see it Off-Broadway before it closed, now you can experience the show through the newly released soundtrack, which captures all the humor, heart, and havoc of the play.<br />
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If you're looking for a quick listen-through or trying to decide whether or not to buy it (the answer is yes), here's StageBuddy's pick of the Top 5 songs from <i>The Lightning Thief</i> Original Cast Recording:<br />
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<h3>
1. My Grand Plan</h3>
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Also known as the song when Annabeth Chase (a.k.a. Kristen Stokes) totally steals the show, this song is so catchy you may just find yourself singing it in your sleep. But you'll never sing it as well as Kristen Stokes. Her voice oscillates from soaring pop vocals to beautifully tender notes that perfectly express her character's depth. A daughter of Athena, Annabeth "has always been a smart girl" but times are tough for demigods (offspring of a god and a human), and the poor girl always seems to slip under the radar (it doesn't help that her mom gave her a hat that makes you invisible). Despite that, Annabeth just knows that someday, she's going to make herself noticed. You may find yourself thinking of Idina Menzel when her voice gets up into that high register. But I think this song holds its own and then some in a stand-off with "Defying Gravity."<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="642" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WzAGAUCCE04" width="855"></iframe>
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<h3>
2. Good Kid</h3>
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"Good Kid" is Percy's theme song. He'd like to be a good kid, and gods does he try, but for some reason, things never seem to work out the way he intends. Strangely enough, his "angsty" song is one of the most fun in the show, with a great electric guitar part and strong percussion. (You might find yourself singing this one in your sleep, too.) It's also a great song because it perfectly describes through music Percy's inner conflict and climactic turning point: all he needs "is one last chance to prove I'm good enough for someone." Oh yeah, and Chris McCarrell rocks this song.<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="642" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hV1lpw8cUsg" width="855"></iframe>
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<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
3. Drive</h3>
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This song is just so fun, it's impossible to leave off our list. To their own surprise more than anyone else's, our trio of heroes (Percy, Annabeth, and Grover - the latter performed wonderfully by George Salazar) "keep surviving every creepy, crazy thing" as they travel towards Los Angeles in search of the Underworld. The lyrics are hilariously clever, and the chorus is insanely catchy. ("Driiiive, just dri-i-ive....")<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="642" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2AlxiP8m9y0" width="855"></iframe>
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<h3>
4. Put You in Your Place</h3>
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Clarisse's song (daughter of Ares, god of war), "Put You in Your Place" highlights Sarah Beth Pfeifer's incredible sass -- "Your goose is cooked, I'm here to cook it" being just one of the lines she delivers to a popping melodic score. Kristen Stokes also features with some pretty crazy vocals, so what's not to love? We've got two awesome heroines (/singers) battling each other musically. And, not to be overlooked, the orchestra is also pretty great in this song.<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="642" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4ilieDh2R_A" width="855"></iframe>
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<h3>
5. Bring on the Monsters</h3>
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The show's finale song raises the electricity in the room by about ten notches. Featuring the whole <i>Lightning Thief</i> Company (Carrie Compere has a brief but awesome solo), and a reprise of just about every song in the show thus far (see how many you can count), this song is all but impossible to stop listening to. The harmonies are on point. It's also a great self-motivator ("bring on the monsters, bring on the real world"). And let's hope that when Chris McCarrell sings, "I'll be back next summer," he means more than just Percy's return to Camp Half-Blood the following year. (<i>Sea of Monsters </i>Musical, anyone???)<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u0hf1kZrFPQ" width="560"></iframe>
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Your obedient servant,<br />
<br />
EJKErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-61068659139356229942019-09-25T16:46:00.000-04:002019-10-17T15:57:24.395-04:00How to: your complete guide to scoring Broadway rush tickets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNtTSJCsnSd8HfYj6M_5GaF4ZiH_IMBKpj6aqbspd-Qpc4qRzgzc4jUrwN40LEawGF8pIsvz9p91UEPYR8hGci5_GLjlTCyuZkJwxUJxNmIHT9TcRl46ALsbi-c1gGIjWItU4FyK23tO3j/s1600/IMG_20170614_172427848_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="photo of Great Comet Broadway 2017" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNtTSJCsnSd8HfYj6M_5GaF4ZiH_IMBKpj6aqbspd-Qpc4qRzgzc4jUrwN40LEawGF8pIsvz9p91UEPYR8hGci5_GLjlTCyuZkJwxUJxNmIHT9TcRl46ALsbi-c1gGIjWItU4FyK23tO3j/s640/IMG_20170614_172427848_HDR.jpg" title="The Great Comet Broadway Theeatre" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holds record for show Erin has rushed the most times</td></tr>
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Broadway rush tickets are quite possibly the best thing to ever happen to poor, starving students and artists trying to live their dreams in New York City.<br />
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Most Broadway shows offer discounted tickets to people who show up at the box office early on the day of the performance. These tickets generally range from $29 to $49 in price, though there are always outliers. (<i>Dear Evan Hansen</i> is $69).<br />
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That may still seem pricey, but for a Broadway ticket, it's dang good. Especially since these are often prime seats that simply haven't sold yet.<br />
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So what's the catch?<br />
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There is one, and it's this: you have to wake up early.<br />
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Most starving artists are probably not fans of waking up early. I'm not. But Broadway is worth it.<br />
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<h3>
How early do you have to wake up? </h3>
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It depends.<br />
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If you can, it's best to go in the middle of the week, especially on days when there's a double performance (thereby doubling your chances of obtaining rush tickets). It's worth checking out the show's calendar on their site to see which days have both matinee and evening performances. Usually, it's Wednesday.<br />
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This is where students, freelancers, and part-timers have an advantage: you can go on a weekday morning when most people are at work. If you go on a Saturday or Sunday, you can still get tickets, but you'll want to plan on getting there even earlier than you would on a weekday.<br />
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On weekdays, most Broadway box offices open at 10 AM. If you want to be safe, I'd suggest arriving before 6 AM. I've done that before and been fifth in line or less. The people who end up being first usually get there around 4:30 AM. Yikes.<br />
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After 7 or 8 AM, the lines start getting pretty long.<br />
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<h3>
But the thing about Broadway rush lines is, they vary</h3>
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A really popular show like <i>Hadestown</i> or <i>Dear Evan Hansen</i> might be all but impossible to get rush tickets for unless you camp out the night before, while a show that's under the radar, or has been running for forever, might be easy to get rush tickets to even if you show up at 8 AM.<br />
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(I once walked up to the box office for <i>Miss Saigon</i> a few hours before the performance and bought a $49 rush ticket in the center orchestra.)<br />
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This is why I swear by the <a href="https://www.broadwayworld.com/board/" target="_blank">BroadwayWorld.com message boards</a> when it comes to formulating your rush ticket battle strategy. Usually I just google what I'm looking for, like "Dear Evan Hansen rush tickets" for example, and click on the result that comes from the BroadwayWorld.com Message Board. But you could also search within the message boards themselves.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2GyI19E-2Jl-uqy8dQE_4DHBgCPVLsUAkPNJxHYZjv6XQdjW6NsNT82SLCYIOku1a60dGPRE50WKnCU72c1_wGjxhDw_uEZFxa8a3dGN_5Q0ywKLrqGYhDJPNHczztRjwS-PWBnJgct7S/s1600/Capture+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="screenshot of To Kill A Mockingbird Rush message board " border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="860" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2GyI19E-2Jl-uqy8dQE_4DHBgCPVLsUAkPNJxHYZjv6XQdjW6NsNT82SLCYIOku1a60dGPRE50WKnCU72c1_wGjxhDw_uEZFxa8a3dGN_5Q0ywKLrqGYhDJPNHczztRjwS-PWBnJgct7S/s640/Capture+3.png" title="BroadwayWorld message board" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BroadwayWorld message boards are where it's at</td></tr>
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These message boards are where good, angelic souls tell exactly what day and time they got in line and whether or not they got a rush ticket. Make sure you find the most recent messages, because rush lines can fluctuate over time.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Dear Evan Hansen</i> started out as a show you could get rush tickets for pretty reasonably, then it became something you had to camp out for, and I'm guessing now that the show has been running for a while and Ben Platt has left, the lines have died down--at least somewhat.<br />
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That's another thing to consider: if there's a big name actor or actress in a show, it's probably going to be harder to get rush tickets (meaning, you'll have to wake up earlier). I shudder to think what the rush line is like for <i>Betrayal</i> starring Tom Hiddleston.<br />
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<h3>
You get 2 tickets per person (usually)</h3>
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99% of shows will let you get 2 rush tickets per person. (<i>Hadestown</i> is the exception.) This means you can endear yourself forever to your friend by waking up at 4 AM and getting them a rush ticket.<br />
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Or you can really impress someone. Like if someone got up at 4 AM to get me rush tickets to <i>Hamilton</i>, I'd know they loved me.<br />
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Incidentally, you'd probably have to get up at 1 AM the day before to score <i>Hamilton</i> rush tickets, but the point is irrelevant because there are no <i>Hamilton</i> rush tickets. And that brings up another point.<br />
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<h3>
Not every show offers rush tickets, but some offer other options</h3>
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<br /></div>
You can usually find out on a show's website whether they give out rush tickets or not, and you can also find out where the box office is located (usually it's inside the theatre where the show is playing).<br />
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You can also check out the second most invaluable webpage ever created: <a href="http://www.playbill.com/article/broadway-rush-lottery-and-standing-room-only-policies-com-116003" target="_blank">this Playbill page that lists all the latest rush policies for every single Broadway show</a>.<br />
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You'll notice that a lot of shows offer other ticket options as well as/instead of rush tickets.<br />
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Many shows offer standing room only (SRO) tickets. If a show is sold out and has no more seats to sell, they'll sell standing these tickets, and yes, if you buy them, you'll be standing the whole time. But if you're a short person like me, this is actually about the best thing that could happen to you. I've done two SRO shows, and for the first time in my life, I could see over everyone's heads!<br />
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Then again, there are certain shows like <i>Phantom of the Opera</i> where you don't want to do standing room because you won't be able to see the whole stage from where you're standing. Again, refer to the BroadwayWorld message boards for this information.<br />
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A lot of shows also do digital lotteries, but that's a topic for another post. In a nutshell, you enter online ahead of time and then find out the day of if you've won cheap tickets or not.<br />
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While we're on the subject of cheap tickets, the first most invaluable webpage ever created is <a href="http://www.broadwayforbrokepeople.com/" target="_blank">Broadway for Broke People</a>, which lists every Broadway show and its cheap ticket options.<br />
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One more thing.<br />
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<h3>
Here's how to survive the rush line</h3>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Once you get past the hurdles of waking up early, navigating the subway system while half your brain is still asleep, and recovering from the shock you feel at seeing an empty Times Square (pro-tourist tip: no one visits Times Square between 4 and 5 AM), you've still got to wait for about 4 to 5 hours for that box office to open. So come prepared.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Bring something to sit on. </b>A chair is ideal, but if you don't have that, bring a blanket, a towel, a yoga mat, anything. Otherwise you'll spend hours suffering leg and back cramps while you resist the urge to sit down on the dirty New York sidewalk.</div>
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<b>Bring snacks and drinks. </b>You're going to get thirsty. And hungry.</div>
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<b>Bring something to do. </b>Because you'll be sitting there for a looooong time.</div>
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<b>Bring a phone charger if you have one. </b>My battery tends to die after several hours.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Bring a sweater. </b>You may not know this, but it's cold at 5 AM.</div>
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All this may sound like a lot of trouble, pain, and agony, but when you're sitting in your $30 or so orchestra seat, watching the curtain rise and the lights come on as the music starts up--you'll be glad you took the trouble.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEELynhn4Cao0e5DiAaZANn9mVscFp9nEe4jf4KzxnFosZ7X4XraI3DnBTNzudxbp13nDNH1JV2Sx6IWeHJG0MoL9iPYt-KY4AMXq91brm_hpgZFBCncwdDuidW3FbSa_AERyiu1J7t_3H/s1600/IMG_20171020_192201485.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of rush ticket for Miss Saigon" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEELynhn4Cao0e5DiAaZANn9mVscFp9nEe4jf4KzxnFosZ7X4XraI3DnBTNzudxbp13nDNH1JV2Sx6IWeHJG0MoL9iPYt-KY4AMXq91brm_hpgZFBCncwdDuidW3FbSa_AERyiu1J7t_3H/s640/IMG_20171020_192201485.jpg" title="Miss Saigon Rush Ticket" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proof that I rushed <i>Miss Saigon</i> (and it was glorious)</td></tr>
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<h3>
That's about it. Now go to bed right now so you can arise and seize those rush tickets!</h3>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Your obedient servant,</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
EJK</div>
Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0New York, NY, USA40.7127753 -74.005972840.327540299999995 -74.6514198 41.0980103 -73.360525799999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-88413342737479137662019-09-15T16:50:00.000-04:002019-10-28T15:19:26.044-04:00Review: 'Theodore in the Valley' takes a delightful look at the early life of Teddy Roosevelt<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsjjX8w4uQz_tQU28dqdTycBzhhT4rZc3T99ZqTnA-qSE3UuB_7cZS3d3wFlGtx74Mu2kUt80r-vANtKSR1WQTyzy2TLbIf3Y-agp2JOzKwDenKKPAXMl5m8mac9zR-MxpQ3e9Dhd25B4/s1600/70501578_10158731995709692_738149662359289856_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsjjX8w4uQz_tQU28dqdTycBzhhT4rZc3T99ZqTnA-qSE3UuB_7cZS3d3wFlGtx74Mu2kUt80r-vANtKSR1WQTyzy2TLbIf3Y-agp2JOzKwDenKKPAXMl5m8mac9zR-MxpQ3e9Dhd25B4/s640/70501578_10158731995709692_738149662359289856_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ted Bushman and Leslie Hobson in <i>Theodore in the Valley</i></td></tr>
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<h3>
What did Erin think?</h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">"In wildness is the preservation of the world" (Henry David Thoreau).</span><br />
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That's something I had cause to remember after watching Ted Bushman's delightful new folk musical <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/theodoreinthevalleymusical/" target="_blank">Theodore in the Valley</a></i>, directed by Taylor Hatch. Performed outdoors at Fort Tryon Park, and featuring a small acoustic ensemble (guitars, violin, trumpet, and cello), the show chronicles the early life of Theodore Roosevelt, 26th U.S. President and founder of America's National Parks.<br />
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Theodore, or "Teddy," begins life as a sickly, asthmatic boy who nevertheless loves the outdoors and collects plants and animals for his "museum." At his father's encouragement, Teddy is determined to overcome his physical shortcomings through strenuous exercise, working so hard his doctor fears it will kill him. But Teddy persists, and eventually overcomes all odds to become the fearless, energetic man most of us today associate with Teddy Roosevelt. Of course, that's not the whole story: along the way there's love, heartbreak, and plenty of wildness.<br />
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From hunting buffalo in the Badlands, to exploring the Western frontier, to camping in Yosemite with John Muir (who narrates the musical), Teddy turns to nature throughout his life--at first, seeking adventure and self-discovery; later, when the storms of life have buffeted him, in search of emotional healing.<br />
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But it's not simply nature--it's the wild--great open spaces and rugged, empty land in which Teddy says he feels a sort of loneliness. If he does, it's a loneliness he seems to seek again and again. Finally, as President of the U.S., Teddy creates the National Park system to preserve these wild spaces for future generations.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwix11Yq1ru1SWAi2u9hCpQselSGHlDlgpS7pMH968dGsKF1nezm_hhtxGI2QlzU5PVaeZ5LpACGxIZnpFITeoj72ltFWexIWxguWOGd2vBQA3Au_n_JdZ0EZX_Km0p6K69mApSiwA7bN/s1600/70123179_10158739313509692_8329421486645313536_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwix11Yq1ru1SWAi2u9hCpQselSGHlDlgpS7pMH968dGsKF1nezm_hhtxGI2QlzU5PVaeZ5LpACGxIZnpFITeoj72ltFWexIWxguWOGd2vBQA3Au_n_JdZ0EZX_Km0p6K69mApSiwA7bN/s640/70123179_10158739313509692_8329421486645313536_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cast and musicians of <i>Theodore in the Valley</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The ensemble cast performs with exuberance and grace, most playing multiple roles but delineating each character so clearly that no distracting costume changes are needed. Leslie Hobson gives an especially beautiful performance as the three main women in Teddy's life: his mother, first wife Alice Lee, and second wife Edith Carow. Despite playing all three women (and in one song, alternating between two), Hobson endues each with a distinct personality and charm.<br />
<br />
In the title role, Ted Bushman brings Theodore Roosevelt to life: balancing the man's hyperactivity and pensiveness, showing the force of his determination and the paralysis of his despair. In fact, Roosevelt emerges as somewhat larger than life. His spirit seems stronger, his love of life greater than that of the average man. He breaks his arm while horseback riding, then, with his arm in a sling, goes to a dance with his future wife.<br />
<br />
But even as the larger than life hero of American conservationism, Roosevelt remains deeply human, and his struggles past weakness, disappointment, and heartache strike a powerful chord.<br />
<br />
Powerful chords are also struck in the score: at times joyous, haunting, lyrical, and stirring. The music, like the rest of the show, is gentle, eloquent, yet forceful. All in all, <i>Theodore in the Valley</i> exudes a folksy, earthy quality that finds its natural home in, well, nature. As Teddy discovers time and again when he seeks healing in the great outdoors, communion with nature yields a fruitful harvest--much like this exuberant, charming musical.<br />
<br />
<h3>
How can I get tickets?</h3>
<div>
Check out <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theodoreinthevalleymusical/" target="_blank"><i>Theodore in the Valley</i>'s Instagram page</a> for updates. The show just concluded its run in Fort Tryon Park, but hopefully there's more to come.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
How long is it?</h3>
<div>
About one hour, fifteen minutes.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
What else do I need to know?</h3>
<div>
You can find more details (and hear some music) on <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theodoreinthevalley/theodore-in-the-valley-a-new-musical?ref=project_link" target="_blank">the show's Kickstarter page</a>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3>
Is it appropriate for all ages?</h3>
<div>
Definitely.</div>
</div>
<div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHKtUt5c_NbWiZX0B9pFPmxUTvXyzCvI-8LkzH4lkiKEoj3RdL4h1jt6vqxPrmvYL7J3bxexNA9G4VlJIBu2_wyxFp0Wke8FW0jxObJp0-CE2Vg_sqL84WyLTse16qUmD8jMJMn_bdQ1C/s1600/68721657_10158674558074692_3934722000605413376_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHKtUt5c_NbWiZX0B9pFPmxUTvXyzCvI-8LkzH4lkiKEoj3RdL4h1jt6vqxPrmvYL7J3bxexNA9G4VlJIBu2_wyxFp0Wke8FW0jxObJp0-CE2Vg_sqL84WyLTse16qUmD8jMJMn_bdQ1C/s640/68721657_10158674558074692_3934722000605413376_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Your obedient servant,</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
EJK</div>
Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0New York, NY, USA40.7127753 -74.005972840.327540299999995 -74.6514198 41.0980103 -73.360525799999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-9210855843969266612019-09-06T18:03:00.000-04:002019-09-06T18:09:33.661-04:00Know before you go: The Metropolitan Opera for first-timers<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0OXkmkwZIFSCwptzQlD5Wfex7kx7D5M2aiLsrfAu6U412HtUSzy3PYFmCE_IaG-06EPCkYAFuEXRmviIDabtDuU_6vRQLEcT47oRn7KUVcZuVWdDUKBAJLzmHdTVB7tF3Dn6m7RKGXPL/s1600/IMG_2452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1600" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0OXkmkwZIFSCwptzQlD5Wfex7kx7D5M2aiLsrfAu6U412HtUSzy3PYFmCE_IaG-06EPCkYAFuEXRmviIDabtDuU_6vRQLEcT47oRn7KUVcZuVWdDUKBAJLzmHdTVB7tF3Dn6m7RKGXPL/s640/IMG_2452.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The opera, the opera! (Grace McLean voice)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
There are few places on earth I love more than the Metropolitan Opera.<br />
<br />
It's those huge glass windows, catching the lights of the city like an artistic reflection of reality. It's the grand staircase, covered in red velvet. It's that breathtaking chandelier, spilling refracted starlight on the opera-goers as they mingle and murmur, waiting for the doors to open. It's the majestic sweep of the curtain as it rises, revealing that historic stage decadently outfitted with a jaw-dropping set.<br />
<br />
But most of all, it's the music: the violins, the flutes, the drums, the voices. Puccini, Verdi, Wagner, Glass--whatever your style, there's something here for you.<br />
<br />
Oh, wait, you've never been to the opera?<br />
<br />
OK let's start over.<br />
<br />
At the intersection of Columbus and 63rd Street in mid-town Manhattan is this place called Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. It's a plaza on which stand several performance spaces that play host to groups like The New York Philharmonic, The American Ballet Academy, and The Metropolitan Opera (the Met for short). There's also a Broadway theatre and the Julliard School.<br />
<br />
But it's the Opera House that commands the space, and you may recognize it--along with the fountain out front--from any of a number of iconic films set in New York City.<br />
<br />
If you have seen those movies, you might think of the Metropolitan Opera as a place for the rich and famous.<br />
<br />
Well that's bull-crap: <b>the opera is for everyone</b>.<br />
<br />
If you've never been to the opera, you should go. Not just for the world-class musicianship or the jaw-dropping sets--<i>attending the Metropolitan Opera is an experience</i>.<br />
<br />
But it can be a little intimidating. Tickets can be pricey, and there are so many seats to choose from. Then there's the question of what to wear, which operas to attend, etc.<br />
<br />
So if you're a first time opera-goer, or a potential first-time opera-goer, here are answers to some questions you might have about attending the Metropolitan Opera.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVq8oB9a-EetiX7Jmkp5kra4EYOpDz76kdeOaVmeAZJ73xeUk_cUakOR1tljewCyuS74iZlBIGUqDqO3qrS9aFCLKlVCcsLaKC3V3ubPyG-Iqp-IJbkof3QrhL6sUW-L9qDUaaSA2eQS9D/s1600/IMG_0716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVq8oB9a-EetiX7Jmkp5kra4EYOpDz76kdeOaVmeAZJ73xeUk_cUakOR1tljewCyuS74iZlBIGUqDqO3qrS9aFCLKlVCcsLaKC3V3ubPyG-Iqp-IJbkof3QrhL6sUW-L9qDUaaSA2eQS9D/s640/IMG_0716.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my 5 million photos of the iconic Met chandelier</td></tr>
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<h3>
<br />How much are tickets?</h3>
<div>
You're probably thinking, "Opera tickets? Yeah, like I can afford those." But unless you're completely destitute, you probably can.<br />
<br />
Of course, if you're rolling in dough, you can buy prime seats for about $450. But if you're like the rest of us, you can get a ticket for $30, $80, $100, and so on. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you're under 40, you can and should take advantage of the Met's <a href="https://www.metopera.org/season/tickets/fridays-under-40/" target="_blank">Fridays Under 40</a> program. All Friday performances offer discounted tickets to those aged 40 and under. That means you could be paying $80 for a $400 seat. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Certain performances, like galas or opening nights, will have more expensive seats available. So if you're struggling to find those $30 seats, try a different performance night.<br />
<br /></div>
<h3>
Speaking of seats, where should I sit?</h3>
<div>
Let's say you have unlimited funds. Where should you sit for the optimal Met experience? </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To answer this question, we need to explore the overly complicated beast that is the Met seating situation.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1DNLmLi00xWW-wO29GE8tZ5j7GU1NRn69BDAHVOjZaI7HHQFbvYhyay2Qp0CwOUxUoLregjmovzZbtyynvfH9TpzXQ4i5MVWJKATtbVLZW_hxdsoa_FQb3nM0-UcbvbHy_f7bjydazhxQ/s1600/670x343_met_titles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="343" data-original-width="670" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1DNLmLi00xWW-wO29GE8tZ5j7GU1NRn69BDAHVOjZaI7HHQFbvYhyay2Qp0CwOUxUoLregjmovzZbtyynvfH9TpzXQ4i5MVWJKATtbVLZW_hxdsoa_FQb3nM0-UcbvbHy_f7bjydazhxQ/s640/670x343_met_titles.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As you can probably guess, I did not take this picture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
There are six sections in which you can sit, starting with the Orchestra on the ground floor. This is a good place to sit if you want to be close to the action, especially if you can finagle a seat in the front and center. But that will cost you. A lot.<br />
<br />
If you sit more in the back and toward the side, you can find some pretty decent seats at affordable prices. I sat here for the entire<i> Ring Cycle </i>and had a great view.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKzbiXaLAekupFWWN9OTbTDWuJq0UMAkKzX9fh0P9mFk5HrqPI6Ce-H-YmUFJ3joAVJZEra2NDfxqQDsl67men3mcvTuEMM5IlT1Ln-d6FUeowa6PTLeMR4yrFTZShKjfFrvpXhK5rI5Gc/s1600/IMG_0486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKzbiXaLAekupFWWN9OTbTDWuJq0UMAkKzX9fh0P9mFk5HrqPI6Ce-H-YmUFJ3joAVJZEra2NDfxqQDsl67men3mcvTuEMM5IlT1Ln-d6FUeowa6PTLeMR4yrFTZShKjfFrvpXhK5rI5Gc/s640/IMG_0486.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My view for the <i>Ring Cycle</i>, from the side Orchestra</td></tr>
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</div>
<div>
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<div>
Above the Orchestra are the Parterre Boxes. This is where the privileged people sit so they don't have to mingle with the peasants. Personally, I don't think these seats offer views much better than the Orchestra (below) or the Grand Tier (above) but they do have coat service.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Above the Parterre is the Grand Tier. This is my seating section of choice, if you can afford it. The prices are nothing to scoff at, but they're about what you'd pay for a really good Broadway ticket to a show that's not crazily expensive. To date, I've sat in this section once: to see <i>Tosca </i>starring Anna Netrebko. It<i> </i>was an almost sacred experience.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKeWf9MJT-4uc2eyvaJ-hLeuL5HBSBissz_Lizp7eyCFAR6wnKNXPHL6s6sAv3AdnMw-tYwL_31qGpqUYkg69_U55NXg45ClK1I0v-A7yJPI5eFmLXakFDdPzry2a8rz7aim6S5zykFMj/s1600/IMG_20180421_195334888.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKeWf9MJT-4uc2eyvaJ-hLeuL5HBSBissz_Lizp7eyCFAR6wnKNXPHL6s6sAv3AdnMw-tYwL_31qGpqUYkg69_U55NXg45ClK1I0v-A7yJPI5eFmLXakFDdPzry2a8rz7aim6S5zykFMj/s640/IMG_20180421_195334888.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My view for <i>Tosca</i>, from the Parterre</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
Next is the Dress Circle. You can sit in the front row here and not do too bad either, for a little less than you'd pay in the Grand Tier. And if you sit further back, you'll pay less still. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But the economical people will sit in the Balcony or the Family Circle. As long as you don't get a partial view seat (and the Met's website will tell you which ones are partial view), you can still see the whole stage and all of the action. You'll be far away, but the acoustics are still great and you'll hear the music fine. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Balcony has $85 to $100 seats, and the Family Circle is where you'll find the $30 seats.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Don't buy the partial view seats. Yes, they're cheaper, but it's not worth it. The opera sets are amazing, and you'll want to see the whole thing.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNE5EdQ7lZ8XA_lcGYraWXpZNwhEww21cbq__bwmuUtudIu_3f87fEAFe9mj4T6idTDbTDDUFi6le6VcBDpHTno_XM7Ki53qQ5EGrgbZhdnh-cfyS2lDw2eULVvb42u26j67Pei51DoGL0/s1600/IMG_20170513_222308910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNE5EdQ7lZ8XA_lcGYraWXpZNwhEww21cbq__bwmuUtudIu_3f87fEAFe9mj4T6idTDbTDDUFi6le6VcBDpHTno_XM7Ki53qQ5EGrgbZhdnh-cfyS2lDw2eULVvb42u26j67Pei51DoGL0/s640/IMG_20170513_222308910.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the cheap seats (Family Circle)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<h3>
What should I wear?</h3>
<div>
In the old days (by which I mean the 19th century), you'd brush off your opera gown, pull on your elbow-high gloves, and step up into your carriage to attend the dazzling spectacle of the opera, along with everyone who was anyone in society.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
These days, you can pretty much wear whatever. I'd advise against jeans and a t-shirt, but no one's going to kick you out if you're wearing that. You'll see opera-goers dressed in everything from evening gowns to casual skirts, slacks, and leggings, so as long as you're just a little dressy, you'll be fine.<br />
<br />
You can even check out <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lastnightatthemet/" target="_blank">this Instagram page</a> to see what the cool kids are wearing to the Met.</div>
<br />
<h3>
Matinee or evening show?</h3>
<div>
I've gone to matinees before and they're fine, but it's not the same experience as when you go at night and the chandeliers are all lit up. So if it's your first time going to the opera, I'd strongly recommend going in the evening.<br />
<br /></div>
<h3>
Is there an intermission?</h3>
<div>
Usually, there are several. And they are looooooong. This means you have more than enough time to use the bathroom, visit the powder room (IDK, is that a thing?), browse the exorbitantly over-priced Met Shop, and even purchase food and drink should you so desire. But if you're like me, you'll probably spend most of intermission wandering around the lobby in a dazed state, taking 5 million photos of the chandelier.<br />
<br /></div>
<h3>
Which opera should I see?</h3>
<div>
Now we're talking! The 2019/2020 Met Opera season has something to offer everyone, from the casual music-lover to the seasoned opera-goer. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>For everyone</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you don't know much about opera, you can't go wrong with <i><a href="https://www.metopera.org/season/2019-20-season/la-boheme/" target="_blank">La Boheme</a></i>. I will probably plug <i>La Boheme</i> about 50 more times before this post is through, but the truth is, there's a reason the Met has been doing it every single season for the past 40 years. It's the world's favorite opera. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Not only does it feature some of the most famous arias ever written, it takes place on Franco Zeffirelli's breathtaking set which is about as classic Met as you can get. The characters are fun and easy to relate to, and the production is charming. Plus, it's not one of those operas where you'll have time to get bored, because it's not that long and it moves pretty quickly. If 19th century Bohemian Paris is your thing, you will love <i>La Boheme</i>. If it's not, you'll probably love it anyway. And yes, you will cry, but it will be a good cry.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbSVDOXAgJq9g4vofw4KbrzOVJ6a-bCel8vspXdoZPW012Tkq52Xc5mjIL_AK1cXQXyf1ulgzPjes5tifhBwvLA6VtysXtIpD1rlqIRwWC1_h4TjxIKS1_gDRCZydDsZB97d9sdCfuhkm/s1600/1600x685_boheme4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="1600" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbSVDOXAgJq9g4vofw4KbrzOVJ6a-bCel8vspXdoZPW012Tkq52Xc5mjIL_AK1cXQXyf1ulgzPjes5tifhBwvLA6VtysXtIpD1rlqIRwWC1_h4TjxIKS1_gDRCZydDsZB97d9sdCfuhkm/s640/1600x685_boheme4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>La Boheme</i> at the Metropolitan Opera</td></tr>
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<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you want an opera that's a bit more of a thrill-ride, you can't go wrong with <i><a href="https://www.metopera.org/season/2019-20-season/tosca/" target="_blank">Tosca</a></i>. Also by Puccini, the composer of <i>La Boheme</i>, it's a roller coaster of an opera that begins with an escaped political prisoner seeking asylum in a church and ends with a firing squad on a rooftop. The main players are a rebellious artist, a beautiful singer, and a corrupt, lustful policeman. There's also murder. Basically, it's the best. Plus, Anna Netrebko stars in this season's production and she is worth seeing.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Another great opera for first-timers is <i><a href="https://www.metopera.org/season/2019-20-season/la-traviata/" target="_blank">La Traviata</a></i>. You might recognize the famous drinking song in the first act, and you'll probably end up shipping the young dreamer Alfredo and the beautiful courtesan Violetta pretty hard. Too bad fate keeps pulling them apart and Violetta is dying of consumption. Sound familiar? Yeah, it's basically <i><a href="https://boxfivetheatrereviews.blogspot.com/2019/08/review-moulin-rouge-broadway.html" target="_blank">Moulin Rouge</a></i>. If you can swing going to one of the performances when Vittorio Grigolo stars, do it. </div>
<div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/afhAqMeeQJk/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/afhAqMeeQJk?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<div>
<b>For princess and fairytale lovers</b></div>
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<div>
Another fun opera this season is <i><a href="https://www.metopera.org/season/2019-20-season/la-cenerentola/" target="_blank">La Cenerentola</a></i>. It's Cinderella, so you should be able to follow the story pretty easily. And it (probably) won't make you cry.</div>
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<div>
<b>For </b><i><b>Pirates of the Caribbean </b></i><b>fans</b></div>
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If you're a fan of ghostly pirate ships (who isn't?), you might like <i><a href="https://www.metopera.org/season/2019-20-season/der-fliegende-hollander/" target="_blank">Der Fliegende Hollander</a> </i>(German for <i>The Flying Dutchman</i>). It's Wagner, which isn't everyone's thing, but it's got some epic, ocean-inspired music and it's about ghost pirates, so what's not to love?</div>
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<b>For Shakespeare nerds</b></div>
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Shakespeare fan? Good news! The Met is doing <i><a href="https://www.metopera.org/season/2019-20-season/macbeth/" target="_blank">Macbeth</a></i> this year, and it stars the aforementioned Anna Netrebko. Again, I'm telling you: she is a force of nature, so if you have the opportunity to see her live, you should take advantage.</div>
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<b>For Japanese aficionados and/or fans of <i>Miss Saigon</i></b></div>
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If you're into the Japan vibe, <i><a href="https://www.metopera.org/season/2019-20-season/madama-butterfly/" target="_blank">Madama Butterfly</a></i> is another opera that features gorgeous, wildly famous arias and a sob-worthy love story. A simple yet poignant opera about a young geisha who falls head over heels for an American naval officer, it's also the inspiration for <i>Miss Saigon</i>.</div>
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<b>For Mozart enthusiasts</b></div>
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<i><a href="https://www.metopera.org/season/2019-20-season/le-nozze-di-figaro/" target="_blank">Le Nozze di Figaro</a> </i>(<i>The Marriage of Figaro</i>)<i> </i>is super famous and has this really fantastic aria that you'll probably recognize:</div>
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It's a fun, classic opera that you'll love more if you already know and love Mozart, but even if you don't, it's a good one. And you won't leave the opera house in tears.</div>
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<b>For kids (or kids at heart)</b></div>
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Then, there's <i><a href="https://www.metopera.org/season/2019-20-season/the-magic-flute/" target="_blank">The Magic Flute</a></i>. Every year around Christmas time, the Met stages a two-hour, English language version of Mozart's <i>The Magic Flute</i> that families are welcome to attend. The production features giant puppets and colorful costumes, and is definitely a fun one to go to if you want to dip your toes into opera without diving in headfirst. It's also great for fairytale lovers.<br />
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But wait... the other operas aren't in English? How will I know what they're saying???</h3>
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Never fear, my friend: there are subtitles. And reading subtitles while watching an opera isn't as hard as it sounds, mainly because a lot of operas repeat the same line over and over again. </div>
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But if you prefer your theatre in English, you might want to try <i><a href="https://www.metopera.org/season/2019-20-season/porgy-and-bess/" target="_blank">Porgy and Bess</a></i>, which features soulful music by the Gershwins. This is where I admit that I know practically nothing about <i>Porgy and Bess</i>, but I do know that it has that song "Summertime," which is a serious jam:</div>
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OK, I think I'm ready for the opera.</h3>
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Heck yeah, you are. </div>
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So grab your opera glasses (JK, does anyone actually have those?) and get yourself down to Lincoln Center. </div>
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Be sure to let me know if you love the Metropolitan Opera as much as I do.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4Cs4D3r2W_9gOzGyteMcZQHrgaFLnbBlvrW_fUzGoOxXZgOj6E8zLH9gZx3FzbFUYlyf5P-8gMOFAUlKBCp1GoaMQI8lHlr8wS3sqUoN89mi0dVCZVt_qBMLR8Gh6w5_X983Ga0Vaw3R/s1600/IMG_E0885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="653" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4Cs4D3r2W_9gOzGyteMcZQHrgaFLnbBlvrW_fUzGoOxXZgOj6E8zLH9gZx3FzbFUYlyf5P-8gMOFAUlKBCp1GoaMQI8lHlr8wS3sqUoN89mi0dVCZVt_qBMLR8Gh6w5_X983Ga0Vaw3R/s640/IMG_E0885.JPG" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What can I say? I love the <i>Ring Cycle</i>.</td></tr>
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<h3>
Wait, one more question because I'm a huge fangirl/boy/person: is there a stage door?</h3>
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Oh yes, my friend, there is, and it's one of the Met's best kept secrets. It's way more chill than Broadway stage doors, and there's not even a barricade, so you can get right up close and personal with the performers (but please be polite). </div>
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You might be best off just asking an usher to direct you to the stage door, because finding it can be a little tricky. Go out into the lobby and down the escalator by the Met Shop, then go through two sets of white double doors and turn left. It's in a parking lot, and you should see a small sign telling you that this is in fact the Metropolitan Opera stage door. There will probably be a small crowd. Bring a pen.</div>
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After I saw <i>Gotterdammerung</i>--the final opera in Wagner's four-part, epicly epic <i>Ring Cycle</i>--I went to the stage door and got my playbill signed by several cast members, talked to the conductor, and took a picture with Brunhilde. Dreams do come true.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0o1zQT_XH0XRWxKzbQEl89FQdBX855SIWIng1pgwQYAAOofK1WXyvzTxiK76voyarTwzqr78ojkA0UIGYMsMbo0eXjtyTQaQRDGqDyMKDi-LlbcR719m53EmFZTpQMxh5-AVwIc7j0t9/s1600/IMG_E0866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1450" data-original-width="1600" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0o1zQT_XH0XRWxKzbQEl89FQdBX855SIWIng1pgwQYAAOofK1WXyvzTxiK76voyarTwzqr78ojkA0UIGYMsMbo0eXjtyTQaQRDGqDyMKDi-LlbcR719m53EmFZTpQMxh5-AVwIc7j0t9/s400/IMG_E0866.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Christine Goerke, who sang Brunhilde in the Met's 2019 <i>Ring Cycle</i></td></tr>
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Your obedient servant,</div>
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EJK</div>
Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0New York, NY, USA40.7127753 -74.005972840.327540299999995 -74.6514198 41.0980103 -73.360525799999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-70270744714513173022019-08-13T20:59:00.001-04:002019-10-28T15:19:42.945-04:00Because you can can can: Review and theatre-going tips for Moulin Rouge!<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return."</blockquote>
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- Christian, <i>Moulin Rouge</i></div>
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<h3>
What did Erin think?</h3>
I might get some flack for this, but I'm not a huge fan of <i>Moulin Rouge</i> the movie. There are things I admire about it, and in general I like Baz Luhrmann and his film style, but for some reason the movie just failed to win me over.<br />
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So why did I buy a ticket for the new musical? (It certainly wasn't easy and it certainly wasn't cheap.)<br />
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Two words: Aaron Tveit.<br />
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Happily, where the movie failed to impress, the musical bowled me over.<br />
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For one thing, this cast is dynamite. As Christian, Aaron Tveit's acting is flawless--from the moment he lifts his arms to start the opening number, to his final bow at the end. He and Karen Olivo (Satine) are a stage couple for the ages, and both can sing absolutely anything. Of course, Danny Burstein, as Harold Zidler, always commands any stage he appears on, and the rest of the ensemble are likewise wonderful.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karen Olivo and Aaron Tveit</td></tr>
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For another thing, the stagecraft of this musical, directed by Alex Timbers, is pure magic. Everything--set changes, costumes, choreography (by the ingenious Sonya Tayeh), lighting, and orchestrations are all perfectly attuned to create the most jaw-dropping spectacle possible. The show's aesthetic blends turn-of-the-century can-can dresses with a Met Gala vibe--and the only place that could actually work is at the Moulin Rouge.<br />
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For example, Satine makes her first appearance on that famous glittering swing, as Nicole Kidman does in the movie. But watching this on a screen is one thing; watching Karen Olivo descend from the ceiling and break into song while perched on a diamond-studded swing in mid-air is quite another.<br />
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Many of the movie's fanciful scenes seem meant for the stage, such as the love songs sequence (Aaron Tveit hanging off the Eiffel Tower with an umbrella a la <i>Singing in the Rain</i> was never something I knew I needed). Another kicker is the absinthe scene: awash with glowing green accents and dramatic lighting.<br />
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It's a show full of glamorous, sparkling fireworks (metaphorical and literal)--all calculated to dazzle. I didn't cry over the tragic love story; I cried during the opening number because it was so splendid.<br />
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<i>Moulin Rouge</i> has been adapted and updated for the stage, incorporating new pop songs and an altered script (the book is by John Logan), though the main characters and core of the story are still the same. In my opinion, these changes improve the story: making for more complex and compelling characters, smoother scenes, and greater emotional appeal.<br />
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I'm a little fatigued with the current movie-to-stage trend dominating Broadway, but <i>Moulin Rouge</i> is the exception: a movie that practically begs to be made into a stage musical and that succeeds much more completely on stage than it did on screen. If at this late hour you can score a ticket to what may be the hottest show currently on Broadway, get yourself down to the <a href="https://moulinrougemusical.com/" target="_blank">Moulin Rouge</a> ASAP. I don't think you'll regret it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look. At. This. Set.</td></tr>
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<h3>
How can I get cheap tickets?</h3>
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Um... pray? Seriously, tickets are notoriously pricey. If you've got money, it's probably worth it. If you don't, there is a <a href="https://www.luckyseat.com/shows/moulinrouge-newyork" target="_blank">lottery</a>. I haven't heard anything about a rush policy.</div>
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<h3>
Where should I sit?</h3>
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So I sat in the "cheap" seats (and by cheap I mean they'd be expensive seats for most other shows), and had a fine view. There are cabaret seats down by the stage but I can't even imagine how much those cost. I'd say you're probably fine anywhere that's not a partial view seat. You're going to want to see the whole stage.</div>
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How long is it?</h3>
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Two hours and 35 minutes with one intermission.</div>
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What else do I need to know?</h3>
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If you've never seen the movie, you may not know that this is the ultimate jukebox musical. The score is adapted from pre-existing pop songs, with a catalog that includes Elton John and Katy Perry. If you think that sounds lame, you're in the same boat that I was before I watched Aaron Tveit and Karen Olivo blow the top off just about every song that's ever been sung.</div>
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<h3>
Is is appropriate for all ages?</h3>
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It's actually surprisingly tame, especially compared to the movie. There's no nudity and very little swearing. Then again, the whole premise is that Satine is a courtesan who's engaged by a wealthy duke but is at the same time having an illicit affair with the impoverished artist Christian, so your kids might have questions. Also, there's absinthe. I'd say it's PG-13.</div>
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<h3>
Where's the stagedoor and who comes out?</h3>
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The stagedoor is to the right of the entrance, by the big iron gate. There will be a crowd there so you shouldn't have trouble finding it. I went to a matinee performance and only two actors came out afterward. One was the girl that played Nini and the other was an ensemble member. They were both very nice.</div>
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Your obedient servant,</div>
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EJK</div>
Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com0New York, NY, USA40.7127753 -74.005972840.327540299999995 -74.6514198 41.0980103 -73.360525799999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-454792307581507763.post-64222847321461165402019-07-12T22:56:00.000-04:002019-10-28T15:19:57.028-04:00Hudson Warehouse's The Man in the Iron Mask<div style="text-align: center;">
"Mine is a rebel sword when I am required to do ill."</div>
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- D'Artagnan, <i>The Man in the Iron Mask</i></div>
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<h3>
What did Erin think?</h3>
One of my favorite movies is <i>The Man in the Iron Mask </i>(1998, starring Leonard DiCaprio). Really, it has everything a good story needs: larger than life characters, a thrilling plot full of intrigue and adventure, enduring romance and bromance, and so many sword fights.<br />
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One of my favorite books is <i>The Three Musketeers</i>, and like a good fan, I've read all the <i>D'Artagnan Romances</i>. When I read the last book in the series--which is <i>The Man in the Iron Mask</i>--I was surprised at how drastically different it is from the movie I knew and loved. (In brief, no happy ending.)<br />
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So it was with great interest, hope, and a bit of trepidation that I went to see <a href="http://www.hudsonwarehouse.org/index.html" target="_blank">Hudson Warehouse</a>'s new adaptation of <i>The Man in the Iron Mask</i>. How would they adapt it? Would they simply throw Dumas' novel to the wind, much like the movie did? Or would they be stubbornly faithful to a story that ends in a very unsatisfying way?<br />
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I needn't have feared: playwright Susane Lee clearly knows what she's doing.<br />
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Directed by Nicholas Martin-Smith, this production stays true to the spirit of Dumas' story and pays homage to many of its most memorable moments while giving us the happy ending we crave. Would Dumas approve? I don't know: but in this post-modern age, does anyone really care?<br />
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An excellent cast makes a good adaptation great. This one hinges on Daniel Yaiullo: playing both King Louis XIV and (spoiler) his brother Philippe. It's a double role to test any actor--balancing the selfish, narcissistic King Louis and the humble, golden-hearted Philippe--and Yaiullo nails it.<br />
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The famous four musketeers are, in a word, perfect. Conor Hamill is a swashbuckling D'Artagnan and Joseph Hamel an endearing Athos, while Nicholas Martin-Smith and David Palmer Brown seem to have been born to play Aramis and Porthos, respectively. Elle Rigg plays Louisa de la Valliere as a once-innocent country girl who knows she's being bad but likes it, and Matthew Palumbo is heartbreaking as Raoul, Athos' ill-fated son.<br />
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This story may end quite differently from the original novel, but with just the right blend of witty banter, swordplay, and intrigue, and with such devotion to Dumas' famous characters, the play almost feels like it was written by Dumas himself.<br />
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This world premiere of <i>The</i> <i>Man in the Iron Mask </i>marks the climax of what Hudson Warehouse began in 2017 with <i>The Three Musketeers </i>(also adapted by Susane Lee). 2018 saw <i>The Three Musketeers: Twenty Years Later</i>, and this summer sees the final installment of Lee's <i>D'Artagnan Romances</i> trilogy. I find myself wishing I'd seen the last two, which simply weren't on my radar, and wondering if Hudson Warehouse could be persuaded to run all three productions in repertory.<br />
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If not, we'll apparently get <i>The Count of Monte Cristo</i> next summer, and that's enough cause for celebration.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
How can I get tickets?</h3>
You don't need them! This production is free, but you may want to show up 15 to 30 minutes early to get a good seat. Afterward, they'll pass around a collection bucket, so bring some cash--this cast deserves it!<br />
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<h3>
How long is it?</h3>
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90 minutes with no intermission.</div>
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What else do I need to know?</h3>
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<i>The Man in the Iron Mask </i>runs July 4 through July 28, Thursday through Sunday evenings at 6:30. Performances take place on the North Patio of The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Riverside Park at West 89th St and Riverside Dr.</div>
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Hudson Warehouse's <a href="http://www.hudsonwarehouse.org/summer.html" target="_blank">summer season</a> also includes <i>The Merry Wives of Windsor</i> in August.</div>
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Is it appropriate for all ages?</h3>
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Yeah. I mean there's talk of people cheating on other people, but surprisingly, it all stays pretty PG. People die, of course, but there's no blood shown.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SzF98snuc8XeghhES5cbwGKz0YRLpl-eeWorMsRdwheUA31g1x2qDV013Pii6MesxNAitoeNyOfpqivFZ8QqQ-eGfWsmEtghuQyOn6pLu7de3BWRit0dWacQ2VgWD61lt9Is-GMcECe5/s1600/D-0PnjxXoAAyaql.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Man in the Iron Mask production still" border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SzF98snuc8XeghhES5cbwGKz0YRLpl-eeWorMsRdwheUA31g1x2qDV013Pii6MesxNAitoeNyOfpqivFZ8QqQ-eGfWsmEtghuQyOn6pLu7de3BWRit0dWacQ2VgWD61lt9Is-GMcECe5/s640/D-0PnjxXoAAyaql.jpg" title="Hudson Warehouse The Man in the Iron Mask" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poor Raoul. It ain't gonna happen, son.</td></tr>
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Your obedient servant,</div>
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EJK</div>
Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15369709366934870315noreply@blogger.com1New York, NY, USA40.7127753 -74.005972840.327540299999995 -74.6514198 41.0980103 -73.360525799999991