Gruesome Playground Injuries

"Gruesome Playground Injuries" at Second Stage Theatre, February3, 2011

Despite some excellent make-up effects, Rajiv Joseph's two-hander about two friends who spend their lives meeting up at the emergency room with injuries ranging from nausea to sprained angles to missing teeth and eyes doesn't quite find a focus.  (I could practically hear Darren McGavin saying, "You'll shoot your eye out, kid.")  Mr. Joseph adds to the confusion by bouncing the plot in non-sequential five year increments.

Pablo Schreiber is Doug, whose injuries are always much more physically damaging than those of Kayleen, played by Jennifer Carpenter.  Both make a valiant effort to bring credibility to their roles, but the evening is undercut the painfully overlong transitions when the actors must change their costumes and sets themselves.   Ms. Carpenter is, to quote a casting director I once heard, "strong by wrong."  I'd like to see her again in a role that suits her better.  Mr. Schreiber is much stronger than his material, as well as being a good bit more physically robust than the accident-prone character he portrays.

Director Scott Ellis does well enough getting the most from his actors, but he's held them back as well, particularly with the mechanics of scene transitions.  The best feature of this play is Neil Patel's open set, which allows additional seating on what is traditionally the upstage area.  Drawers and cabinets open on each end, and acrylic compartments provide a quick wash to clean up after some of the more "gruesome" accidents.  Donald Holder's lighting maximizes the set's ingenuity.

Gruesome Playground Injuries closed February 20, 2011.

Vanities, A New Musical

"Vanities, A New Musical" at Second Stage Theatre, July 31, 2009

Sometimes, it's a great idea to turn a really good play into a musical. Think "Mame" or "My Fair Lady" for example.

Then, there's the musicalization of "Vanities" with the book by Jack Heifner, the original playwright. By adding a fourth vignette to the story, he sets the piece as a memory play. For me, this made for an awkward opening as the three women enter as adults then start changing clothes in the middle of the opening number, reverting to high school. (Spoiler alert)

From that point to the end of the third scene, Mr. Heifner stays true to the original concept. The new ending brings a contrived tidiness to wrap up the show with the three friends walking off together into the sunset (literally).

Anneliese Van Der Pol's Kathy gets stuck with the heavy lifting of telling the story, without revealing much of herself. Kathy goes from head cheerleader, to sorority leader, to mysteriously living in a "friend's" NYC penthouse with no apparent means of support. Other than seeing she can't really find a purpose in her life, Mr. Heifner never really tells us why she's lost her way. She's a strong singer who could have used better songs.

Lauren Kennedy's Mary doesn't quite hit the mark and feels miscast. Her arc from flippant to bitchy is more annoying than interesting. It's too bad she didn't take better advantage of her slightly better drawn character.

Sarah Stiles is most successful as the prim Joanne. It isn't until the third scene that she really shines. It's a big funny number and about the only one that really adds to the show.

Musically, the generic score and greeting card lyrics by David Kirshenbaum don't do what they should in a musical - either expand a moment, or further the plot.

Kudos to Anna Louizos for the elaborate sets and Joseph G. Aulisi's costumes, carrying us from 1963 to 1980 (or thereabout).

Director Judith Ivey seems to have done as much as she can to overcome the weaknesses in the cast and material, keeping things apace for the 100 minute, intermissionless production. I can't help but wonder what might have been different had this production made it to Broadway as originally intended. Second Stage has had good luck with transfers ("Little Dog Laughed" "Metapmorphoses"), but I don't think this will be another one for them.

Summer 2008 Recap

Ok, ok.

I was a little busy over the summer and only posted about myself. (Isn't a certain level of narcissism required to be an actor/blogger?)

Anyway...

It was not as if I didn't see anything. There were several, but I didn't find any to be particularly outstanding.

Marriage of Bette and Boo (Roundabout at the Laura Pels) June 14, 2008
Christopher Durang's version of Albee, but funnier. Nice turns by Julie Hagerty and Victoria Clark and Zoe Lister-Jones.

Some Americans Abroad (Second Stage Theatre) July 5, 2008
American academia can act stereotypically British - who knew?

Damn Yankees (Encores!) July 13, 2008
I love me some Cheyenne Jackson. I really need to get back and see Xanadu with him in the cast. Sean Hayes can play the piano, too!

[title of show] (Lyceum Theatre) July 19, 2008
The little show that could - now has! The set looked a bit too "set-like," but otherwise they've stayed true to their vision.

Impressing the Czar - Royal Ballet of Flanders (Rose Theatre - Lincoln Center Festival) July 19, 2008
I've never been a big fan of contemporary ballet, and this piece did tend to drag after the first act, but it's a splendid production and marvelously visual. Go Jessica Teague!

South Pacific (Lincoln Center Theater at the Vivian Beaumont) August 2, 2008
I stood in line for cancellations and boy, was it worth it!! Kelli O'Hara continues to refine and shade her performance. Matthew Morrison was in excellent voice and Paulo Szot is still as hot as ever!

Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy (Broadway Theatre) August 5, 2008
Definitely geared for an audience of children, it's homogenized Cirque for pre-teen and tweens.

Spring Awakening (Eugene O'Neill Theatre) August 8, 2008
My fourth time seeing the show. Several understudies performing, but the piece is holding up very nicely.

The Lisbon Traviata (The Center) August 11, 2008
Gay comedy turns into operatic tragedy in the last scene, though the tone is more Lucia than Violetta.

A Tale of Two Cities (Al Hirschfeld Theatre) August 25, 2008
Where to start on this train wreck? I could borrow from Mr. Alessandrini "I know I've seen this show before." Or, "At the end of the play you're another year older." The show is 20 years in the making which might date its inspiration (not to mention writing and musical styling) to another little piece based on a large 19th Century novel which features a French revolution.

The Tempest (Classic Stage Company) September 4, 2008
Prospero as Shylock via Mandy Patinkin (when he wasn't repeating pages of dialog after being distracted by cell phones). Stark Sands adds beefcake to his talent as a lovely Ferdinand. Elizabeth Waterston, willowy and equally lovely as Miranda. Costumes were only flattering on the pretty people. Production was otherwise kinda flat.

Not a stellar summer, but heaven knows it could have been worse!

Catholic High School Boys in Trouble

"Good Boys and True" at Second Stage Theatre, April 27, 2008

High school senior Brandon (Brian J. Smith) seems to have it all: looks, brains, athletic prowess, attends the prep school in town, and rich parents. And, he's just been accepted to Dartmouth. He's tall, handsome, captain of the football team and on varsity basketball too.

Wonder what he's up to? (spoiler alert)

You guessed it. This "best little boy in the world" has a bit of a dark side. Turns out he's got a one-way "arrangement" with best-buddy Justin (Christopher Abbott) including plans to room together at Dartmouth. Meanwhile, Coach Shea (Lee Tergesen) has come across a sex tape showing a young man debauching a young woman. It's difficult to tell who the boy is, but the girl is clearly visible. Shea calls Brandon's mother Elizabeth (J. Smith-Cameron) in an attempt to handle the matter discreetly, hoping to rule out Brandon as the perpetrator. Mom can't really tell, and Brandon insists it's not him when confronted (Dad's permanently offstage as a "doctors without borders" type). Mom talks to her sister Maddy (Kellie Overby) about it. Eventually, the girl is found, Cheryl (Betty Gilpin) and she identifies Brandon. Mom talks to Cheryl too. Brandon has also insisted to Justin that it wasn't him. Toss in a bit of back story about the politics of getting football captain involving Coach Shea and Brandon's dad and a somewhat similar event that Elizabeth knew about. Eventually you learn that Justin and Brandon have raised suspicion about their relationship. Brandon finally confesses to Mom, but fails to explain that he taped the event to make the rest of the team thinks he's not gay. The tape was planted in the locker of the guy who stumbled on Justin and Brandon in flagrante.

And it ends.

Right there.

It's not really a new premise (foibles and damaging choices of schoolboys), but Mr. Aguirre-Sacasa has planted some seeds for some really interesting things here. The back story of Brandon's dad and Coach Shea and how the school has turned a blind eye to boys being boys over the years is one. Resolving Brandon's situation is another. It's a frustrating act of shortchange.

As Brandon, Mr. Smith retains the football-hero, boy-next-door appeal he demonstrated last in Manhattan Theatre Club's "Come Back, Little Sheba." Truly tender and callow like most high school senior boys (I was one), he knows everything, and as such, everything will work out all right.

Mr. Abbott's Justin played his outcast role about halfway. He's got the outcast part down pat - aware that he's never going to be "one of the guys." He comes close to being in love with Brandon, but I didn't quite get the heartbreak I had expected when Brandon finally confessed about the tape.

As Elizabeth, Ms. Smith-Cameron gives her best as a mother who realizes her surgical career has indeed kept her from raising the son she thought Brandon was. It was rather a nice moment as she realized that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it, remembering the incident with her classmate and classmates of her husband.

Mr. Tergesen's Coach is a bit of an apology of a role. It would have been nice to see him given more to work with.

Director Scott Ellis has done fairly well with a strong cast and a not-so-strong script. Coming in under 90 minutes with no intermission, I'd love to see a re-work that streamlines a bit of what has been presented and really provides some resolution in something like, maybe, a second act?

Derek McLane continues his good work with a set filled with trophy cases, nicely enhanced by Kenneth Posner's lighting. Tom Broecker's costumes are serviceable, if unremarkable.

Remembering Loss

"Next to Normal" at Second Stage Theatre, January 20, 2008

"Next to Normal" is at first a tale of typical family dysfunction in the new millennium. Among the innocently named Goodmans, Gabe (Aaron Tveit) comes in very late to find his mother Diana (Alice Ripley) waiting up for him. Hearing his father Dan (Brian d'Arcy James) stirring, she quickly sends Gabe off to bed before his father enters the room. Gabe says, "Why does he hate me?" Gabe's sister Natalie (Jennifer Damiano) is on the straightest and narrowest path she can find to get out of high school and her parents' house and into Yale on a music scholarship. Her classmate Henry (Adam Chanler-Berat) has a crush and finally strikes up a conversation which leads to a relationship. Meanwhile, Diana has a melt-down at Costco and we learn she's been on medication for depression, et. al., for the last 16 years.

(Spoiler Alert)

With a generic rock score by Tom Kitt, (who is better partnered this go-round than his last effort High Fidelity) and book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, "Next to Normal" takes us into the dark world of a family who can't escape the loss of their first child. It takes a while to reveal this, and even longer to learn how he died, but the effort is a worthy one. The songs do what songs are supposed to do for the most part, expand on character and/or further the plot. The result is reminiscent of William Finn's "Falsettos" with its heavily integrated score, but here there are no tunes to hum along as you leave the theatre, other than the music box tune "I Dreamed a Dance with You" (that starts off sounding remarkably like "Real Live Girl" from Little Me).

Mr. Tveit's Gabe (ostensibly, an angel) would be around 18 years old, though he comes off a bit less mature, probably resulting from the fact that he's primarily a deluded projection of his mother's mind. He gives a strong performance with a powerful voice, although his "I'm Alive" song drags out about 64 bars too long (not necessarily the actor's fault there).

As Diana, Ms. Ripley capably demonstrates the struggles of a woman swallowed by her own grief, but also seems to struggle a bit vocally with the musical style of some of her songs. She gets a few good lines here and there. In her first session with a new psychologist As she regains her memory following the electric shock therapy, it's very moving to see her experience the grief of losing her son all over again late in Act II.

Mr. d'Arcy James' Dan Goodman is just that, a good man. He only wants what is best for his wife and family and does everything he knows how to provide a stable and happy life for them. Credit to Mr. Yorkey for the really interesting twist at the end when Dan recognizes Gabe's presence and we learn he's starting his own counseling to deal with his own grief. It's particularly interesting because it's not clear whether Dan's step in that direction will be a healing one or not. Like Ms. Ripley, he had occasions vocal struggles here as well, perhaps the result of vocal arranger AnnMarie Milazzo's efforts. His plea to Diana to undergo the shock therapy "Light in the Dark" is touchingly effective.

Ms. Damiano had a more difficult time as the straight and narrow surviving child Natalie who takes a particularly late and sudden turn to pilfering her mother's drugs to insulate herself from the dysfunction around her. She's on the verge of graduating high school with good chances of a college scholarship to take her away. I just didn't understand why she would make such a choice with her goal so near, despite a bad showing at her piano recital because her mother didn't attend. Mr. Chanler-Berat's Henry, Natalie's boyfriend, sweet and tender, awkward and loving, wants to help but really can't grasp all that she's dealing with. It's too bad there wasn't more chemistry between them, despite his efforts.

Mr. Yorkey's book is basically solid, but the music box plot contrivance didn't work for me in the contemporary setting of the play. Musical sounds for infants at what would have been the time of Gabe's birth were more often built into toys and crib mobiles rather than an old-style music box.

Michael Greif has done pretty well with this new material though some of his supporting creative team hasn't made it so easy. Kevin Adams' lighting overpowers on occasion, masking Sergio Trujillo's musical staging (which hints at pole dancing from time to time). It's not a happy musical, but the catharsis is satisfying overall.

Mark Wendland's three-level black and white stage pulls from current Broadway shows, with industrial flavor from Klara Zieglerova (Jersey Boys, The Farnsworth Invention) as well as bone-like references of construction from Todd Rosenthal (August: Osage County) and James Noone (Come Back, Little Sheba). Jeff Mahshie's costumes use color effectively to tie both characters and mood together.

Animal Tendencies

"Edward Albee's Peter and Jerry" at Second Stage Theatre, October 21, 2007

Expanding on his 1958 success "The Zoo Story," Mr. Albee has written something of a prequel to provide a full view of Peter from the earlier play. "Homelife" according to Mr. Albee, "...will flesh Peter fully and make the subsequent balance better."

I think he is quite successful in this. Peter (Bill Pullman) and his wife Ann, (Johanna Day) struggle through a compelling, if oddly dysfunctional act revealing things about their marriage that it seems neither really wanted to ever say. At the end of the act, Peter announces he is going to the park to read, setting up the the odd and disconcerting (to say the least) encounter with Jerry.

As Peter, Mr. Pullman maintains a palpable detachment and personal discomfort that made me wonder if he and his wife had ever talked about anything beyond superficial things like the weather or how dull the textbook is that is being published by his firm.

Ms. Day's Ann attempts to struggle the role of a housewife in some sense of timelessness. In 1958, a full-time home-maker was the standard in the American nuclear family. Fifty years later, such a profile is much less common, requiring a bit more of a stretch in imagination by the audience than might be credible. Yet, she is not willing to go so far as we see in Lifetime movies, thank goodness. But her desire for a sense of passion and fire in their relationship is extinguished when Peter shares a disturbing tale from a fraternity incident and an unnamed co-ed.

Peter's recovery from his revelation seems a bit expedient by the time he leaves for the park. When Jerry (Dallas Roberts) happens along, it's apparent that things are about to get uncomfortable.

Mr. Roberts' Jerry, manic and quirky, never quites breathes the real danger that lurks within. When the violence does occur, it feels more an accident rather than the manipulation of a sociopath. His rambling stories did lose a bit of steam and edge in the (almost endless) tale of his landlady's dog.

Mr. Albee explores the nature of duality on several levels in these two related one-acts: husband/wife, parents/children, people/pets, cats/birds, love/lust, sane/crazy, indoor/outdoor, and ultimately, life/death. Neil Patel echoes this duality in his two-window interior and two-bench exterior sets, all gently surrounded by a curved grass-green scrim.

Ultimately, I found the new first act more compelling, but struggled with the stilted language in Peter and Ann's conversation. Director Pam McKinnon has pulled solid performances from Mr. Pullman and Ms. Day, but hasn't managed to get much edge or sense of menace out of Mr. Roberts for Jerry. It is early in previews, however. With a few more performances, all should find the appropriate levels for a strong production.

Eurydice's Lament

"eurydice" at 2econd Stage Theatre, June 3, 2007

(Photo by Joan Marcus)

Sarah Ruhl follows her last play "Clean House" at Lincoln Center Theatre with this retelling of the Orpheus myth at 2econd Stage Theatre. (Spoiler alert - if there can be one about a Greek Myth).

With an eye for significant theatricality, but lacking a bit of the polish she achieved at Lincoln Center, the published premise is that this version will tell the tale from Eurydice's perspective. What we get is not quite as clear, with much of the perspective delivered from her father, who has been waiting for his daughter to join him in the underworld.

Director Les Waters, who has directed this play in other productions at Yale Repertory and Berkeley Repertory Theatres has retained many in the cast from both the Yale and Berkeley productions. The result is a mix of skills.

This Eurydice arrives in the Underworld as a traveler with suitcase in hand and umbrella opened, shielding her from the water of the river which washes away one's memory of life before (shown as a shower of water pouring over her as she exits an elevator). Greeted by three stones, Big Stone (Ramiz Monsef), Little Stone (Carla Harting) and Loud Stone (Gian-Murray Gianino), this truly Greek Chorus establishes that the language of the dead is silent and that all who enter the Underworld forget their lives above existing in peace and quiet for eternity. (Some folks need an extra dip, on occasion.)

She quickly starts to forget anyway, and is met by her father (Charles Shaw Robinson) whom she doesn't recognize. (Apparently he didn't get much of a dip in the river either.) He has continually written letters to her, but not being able to send them, he pastes them on the tiled walls creating a mosaic of sorts. Only one had gotten through. It was that letter, delivered by The Nasty and Interesting Man (Mark Zeisler) that lead to Eurydice's death as he lured her away from her wedding to give her the letter. The death sequence was a bit inelegant.

In the Underworld, she soon recognizes her father and longs for Orpheus to come find her and take her home. In an interesting bit of business, she asks where her "room" is and he creates one outlined in string using hooks in the floor and a hanging framework.

As Eurydice, Maria Dizzia seems limited by a role missing significant depth in the writing. This tone-deaf, rythm-less Eurydice wants to be more interesting than she is - reading books because they are "interesting" yet not really understanding Orpheus' (Joseph Parks) devotion to his music when she asks him repeatedly, "What are you thinking about?" to which he repeatedly responds, "Music." How does a musician as intense as Orpheus fall in love with someone who has no clue what motivates him?

As Orpheus, Joseph Parks has some wonderful moments, but they are few and far between. His heartbreak at losing Eurydice on their wedding day only grows as he manages to send her letters in the underworld. Once he finds his way down and convinces the Lord of the Underworld (Mark Zeisler) to let her return to him, he obediently takes up his task. I felt a little short-changed when Eurydice calls his name before they finish their journey, sabotaging her own return. That moment should have been one for him to indicate his grief at losing her for a second time. It also strikes a bitter chord when Orpheus dies in the end, hoping to join Eurydice but is dipped in the river (presumable Styx, though unnamed) and loses all memory from life.

Charles Shaw Robinson as the Father gives an uneven performance, coming across weak and unsure in his first scenes, but finding his footing once the relationship with Eurydice is reestablished. He has a touching moment as he says good-bye to her, sending her to follow Orpheus back to her life above. In his grief, he dips himself back in the river and loses his memory of her.

Scott Bradley's set is an interesting blue-green tiled creation, with no flat or plumb levels or angles and just enough water not to make the audience feel they should have worn swim fins. Russell Champa's lighting is a key to the successful theatricality in this production and serves well through most of the show. Meg Neville's costumes are an odd mix, from Dickensian England for the Stones' attire, to a blue and pink wedding dress for Eurydice. (I'm still trying to figure out what her goal was for Eurydice's pink suit worn during her time in the Underworld since it seemed to make no connection to any other character or style of dress.)

Director Les Waters has been involved with this play, now in its third production. I can't help but wonder if he's too close to see where shortfalls remain in the play and cast.

The production is an interesting work, but felt a bit like a workshop of a play that still needs some attention. The Orpheus tale should be heart-wrenching, but here we only get that Eurydice was confused about what she wanted, and only a little sad at the result. As she returns to the Underworld, she writes a letter to Orpheus that oddly reminded me of Eve's song "What Makes Me Love Him" from The Apple Tree, sweet but not tragic. Mary Zimmerman's "Metamorphoses" from 2002 at Circle in the Square presented the Orpheus myth in her evening with much more interest and emotion.

Star-watch: Deborah Rush (Sara Blank: "Strangers With Candy") and Michael Emerson (Ben Linus - head bad guy of "the others") in the house.

"We Owe Barbra Streisand So Much"

"Some Men" at the Second Stage, March 4, 2007

Terrance McNally's newest play about gay men and where their lives lead them has premiered at the Second Stage Theatre Company.

A series of vignettes and scenes relating to nine men attending the wedding of two of their friends covers a veritable history of gay men from the 1920s to the present. Like his "Love, Valour, Compassion" Mr. McNally has compiled a cross-section of gay characters, from military man to married man to circuit boy to aging queen to gay activist to early drag queen and beyond. He shows all this, not so much to either justify or sabotage the concept of same sex marriage. I think he does a clever job without taking one side or the other.

The cast is solid, with each actor finding at least one moment to shine. Frederick Weller as Paul, attending the funeral of his fellow soldier and lover who was killed in Iraq makes a painfully constricted confession to the dead man's father, also military. Don Amendolia as Aaron, gets one of the funnier opening lines, "When did I become the oldest everywhere I go?" He also gives a funny turn in the internet chat sequence as "Buffed in Chelsea."

Bernie is the married man into whose life we see the most. To him, Kevin AuCoin brings a fresh vulnerability to every scene, from his first encounter with a hustler, to meeting Carl (Romain Fruge) who would become his life partner, to the argument he has with his gay son Perry (Jesse Hooker) who has hired a surrogate mother to bear a child for him and his lover Marcus (Michael McElroy).

As the Stonewall Riots rage outside, David Greenspan appears in a quiet gay bar as Roxie. Roxie isn't quite the typical drag queen, and is abused a bit by the clientele and bartender since cross-dressing was one thing that drew the police to raid gay bars at the time. Judy is a topic of
discussion in this scene - one of the patrons observes that Judy should have done the film version of "Gypsy" (a casting choice I've always thought would have been unbeatable). He wins his place in the bar with the statement, "When I look in the mirror, I see an ugly woman, but a fabulous drag queen. We owe Barbra Streisand so much!" End the scene, he sings a very tender "Over the Rainbow" as both tribute and confession.

Michael McElroy travels back in time to Harlem in the 20's as Angel Eyes, the emcee. He shares his story of the men who have loved and treated him well, nicely capturing the style and flair of the period. Pedro Pascal gets the "hottie" roles with turns as Bernie's hustler and internet RandyHunk. Randy Redd rounds out the cast, providing piano accompaniment and other supporting roles.

DirectorTrip Cullman moves the scenes along well and allows just enough time to ponder moments before moving on. Mark Wendland's set is particularly flexible with excellent lighting by Kevin Adams.

I'm glad to see Mr. McNally back with a solid theatre work. I thought his book for "Chita Rivera: A Dancer's Life" was a bit thin and glossy. Even less impressive was the scenario he created for the NYC Gay Men's Chorus a couple of years ago.