Friday Fun August 25

This is from the 2016 Easter Bonnet competition for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.  This homage to a 1970s musical took top honors.  What's its name?  The cast of Hamilton will tell the tale.

Friday Fun August 19

The latest revival of Les Miserables is about to close on Broadway.  It continues to run and run and run in London's West End.  Of course, some people feel that way during the show, which does tend to run on a bit.  So, if you don't want to sit through three hours of melodrama sprawling over decades of time (and possibly still think the show is about the French Revolution), the Broadway Production has produced this under five minute version of the show.  Enjoy!

Oklahoma! - August 7

Champaign Urbana Theatre Company returned to The Historic Virginia Theatre (I think "historic" is part of the official title) for a four show run of Oklahoma!.  Oklahoma! itself is historic.  It has a reputation for being the first to truly integrate song and dance into the story.  (That's not exactly true, but close enough)  For a change, songs were not so much filler or chances for solos or written to top the charts.  Rather, characters were developed and emotions revealed in song.  And dance.  Mustn't forget "dance" as Agnes DeMille choreographed a long ballet sequence to end Act One - a very daring thing for the time.  (Okay, it's still daring, given shorter attention spans and lack of audience knowledge of dance).  But, time has passed, and the "newness" or revolutionary nature of Oklahoma! has faded.  Over the last 70 years, the modes and motifs of Oklahoma! have been copied, parodied, homaged, developed and refined.  The challenge is to make the show feel fresh and not a museum piece.

So, curious as to what CUTC had done, I made my way to the final matinee show at The Historic Virginia Theatre.

And for the most part, I think CUTC did a credible job in making this Oklahoma! feel - if not exactly fresh - certainly not stale,

Oklahoma! is an odd story show. Laurey, played by Liz Banaszak, is the owner of a farm in the Oklahoma territory.  (Well, it's not exactly clear if she owns the farm or it's owned by Aunt Eller and where are Laurey's parents anyway?).  In any event, Laurey is the apple of Curly (Jesse Trieger) the cowboy's eye.  But, neither she nor he will admit they care for each other.  Meanwhile, hired hand, Jud (Jeff Dare), has his eye on Laurey.  Just as if they were in high school, Laurey decides to go to the big Social with Jud just to spite Curly or to induce jealousy.  (Ok, the social is that night, and Laurey still doesn't have a date?  Both of these fellers are very slow to make their move).  Meanwhile, the virginal Laurey's best friend, Ado Annie (Chloe Ward), has recently discovered she has power over men and likes to have fun with them - and she is not exactly a one man woman.  Another cowboy, Will (Ray Essick), wants to marry Ado Annie.  But, Annie has recently taken up with a peddler, Ali Hakim (Craig Smith), and Annie's father (Jim Dieker) does not approve of Will.  More conflict ensues over the course of the day through the social.  Overseeing the entire show is Aunt Eller, played by Jenny Gleason.

Director Stephen Fiol has a reputation (fair or otherwise) for not having his performers move while singing - a style known as "park and bark".  But this time, the actors did move around as they sang to denote action and character.  The most static song was the title number - which with the full cast of 50 or so people left no room for anyone to move about the stage, anyway.  As a result, it lacked any big "oomph" that that number should get.  Vocally, it was fine, but it was missing that extra bit of energy to bring the roof down.    

Jesse Trieger was a very pretty Curly.  Probably too pretty, since he never looked like he got dirty a-riding on the range.  Mr. Trieger has a nice clear voice, which can be expressive.  His line readings were straightforward and adequate.  Curly really has very little growth as a character.  He is cocksure at the beginning, middle and end.  His reticence with regards to Laurey is a character flaw - which makes little sense.  So, it didn't bother me too much that Mr. Trieger's actions didn't make much sense.  Mr. Trieger's playfulness with Laurey lacked any notion of the feelings he was to have, although that is due, in large part, to the script.  That said, I want Curley to be both stand-offish and infatuated.  I got more stand-offish than infatuated.  Even Curley's "jealousy" was muted.  According to the program,  Ms. Banaszak majored in vocal performance and it shows as she sang operatically throughout.  To me, this limited her Laurey - who rarely was able to meld well in song with others.  Her voice was too unique and strong.  Yes, it's the lead female role, but harmony was lacking, to my untrained ear.  Jeff Dare looked the part of a dangerous "hired hand".  He hulked around the stage.   When Laurey explains to Aunt Eller that Jud frightens her, you believe her.  Which makes her agreement to go to the Social with him all the more inexplicable.  Mr. Dare, whom I haven't seen on stage in a while, tries to bring some humanity to Jud in Act One, but is stuck with "nuthin to do" with the character in Act Two other than to be villainous.  That said, he and Mr. Trieger did bring out more humor in "Poor Jud is Dead" than I've seen in other productions.  It's still a very sick twisted song - and bears too much resemblance to online cyberbullying today.  Ray Essick continues to improve as an actor and singer.  His Will, while not the sharpest knife in the drawer, had a quaint naivete.  His Will truly was someone who would spend the fifty dollars he needs to wed Ado Annie on presents for her and his friends and be flabbergasted that he needs to get another fifty dollars.  It's usually hard to believe the character of Will, but, this time, I believed.  Jenny Gleason made for a younger Aunt Eller than the role is usually played.  The respect she garnered from the other characters was more from force of character - and seeming wealth - than for being older and experienced.  Her Aunt Eller certainly spoke from experience, but, to me, from experience of a more recent variety, than a wizened older woman.  Ms. Gleason's Aunt Eller commanded attention - even when she wasn't firing off a pistol.  Craig Smith was Ali Hakim - the peddler of indeterminate nationality.  Smith's accent was also indeterminate and wandering.  It made me wonder more about the character's backstory and, so, for me, it distracted from the story.  His final fate, as a result, lacked the humorous impact I would have expected. Chloe Ward's Ado Annie was fine, if a bit typical.  She let the music define her character for the most part.  I also should mention that Sarah Robinson stole every moment she was on stage with a laugh that had to be heard to be believed.

Rebecca Nettl-Fiol's choreography was generally appropriate.  She did get to let go for the Act Two opener "The Farmer and the Cowman", which, for me, was the best number in the show.  She rustled her dancers into appropriate lines and areas - so that those who could dance - or at least remember the movements - were up front.  She also must have put a lot of time and effort into the Dream Ballet that closes Act One and lasts close to fifteen minutes.  The dream Curly had ballet training and it showed as he moved all around the stage capturing the audience's eyes and the various moods of the ballet.  There was no indication in the program that the dream Laurey, Lauren Deppe, has ballet training, but it appeared she must have been trained, as she exhibited excellent body control.  These two numbers shone above the rest.

The minimalist set was, well, minimal.  I'm not exactly sure why the farmhouse was open so that we just saw framing. It just didn't add to the show - and detracted a bit, because I expected something to be done with it.  The minimalist set did allow for the stage to be cleared for the bigger numbers - the ballet, "Many a New Day", "Kansas City" and "The Farmer and the Cowman."  Sad to say, the orchestra was less effective than the cast.  The brass, in particular, seemed off to me.  Rather than supplementing the vocals, the orchestra detracted.

It was nice to see a big musical in The Historic Virginia Theatre.  Things just feel "bigger" on that stage.  The auditorium rake give most people an excellent view.  (Although why The Historic Virginia thought the first two rows were "premium" is mystifying.  I can't enjoy a show from there as those seats are too close to the orchestra (so that the instruments swamp the vocals) and the stage is too high for me to enjoy a show.) There is something to be said to be amongst 400-500 people for a show.  More people can mean more audience excitement, which can be contagious.  The tradeoff is that CUTC could only do four shows at The Historic Virginia Theatre, such that they are just really getting into a groove when the run ends.

All in all, it was a good afternoon at the theatre. The over three hour running time (with the interval) didn't drag.  Even if I didn't leave on a "high" or humming the songs or contemplating what I'd seen, I felt like I was more than sufficiently entertained   Oklahoma! was good solid comfort food and that's what you need every now and then.

Friday Fun - August 12

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS has several annual fundraisers.  A major fundraiser concludes with the Easter Bonnet competition. Various shows present serious and humorous sketches, musical numbers, and dances.  Here is a recent one which needs no explanation other than an admonition to heed the lyrics!

My London Trip: Part Three - Labels

So, I didn't see this show in London.  Rather, I saw it in Oxford.  "Labels" is a one person show written and performed by Joe Sellman-Leava.  The show was an award winner at Edinburgh Fringe Festival and other festivals.  It looked interesting, so off we went.

The theatre in Oxford was a small black box.  It had the audience on three sides, but only three rows of chairs on each side.

The name of the play gives away that the theme of the show is the various "labels" which societies place upon people - rightly or wrongly.   The show is mostly about ethnic identity - a major label - but one that Mr. Sellman-Leava strives to, not necessarily overcome, but to get others to overcome. It is his story of growing up "mixed-race" in England in the 1990s and why his family name was changed to Sellman-Leava. While he was born in the UK, his father, I believe, was born in Uganda but whose family originally was from India..  His mother is a white British person. The Indian population of Uganda was forced out by Idi Amin in 1972 and Joe was born in England. Mr. Sellman-Leava mimics his father's accent, while he himself has a local British accent.

While the play was autobiographical, it seeks to make strong statements against anti-immigration rhetoric and bias. Throughout the play, Mr. Sellman-Leava would interject - and mimic - various anti-immigrant comments by politicians - British, Australian, South African and American.  In opposition to the political rhetoric is his family's story.   He places a human face on the damage anti-immigrant bias can cause.

Mr. Sellman-Leava uses a trunk throughout for props and costume to good effect.  Mr. Sellman-Leava also involves the audience in the show - asking them to read quotes or paragraphs and to interact with him.  A dramatic point comes when he has a woman in the audience read from the transcript of an online dating service chat which Mr. Sellman-Leava had.

Reactions to the show have generally been positive.  While this is Mr. Sellman-Leava's personal story - it rises above that story and asks audience members to self-examine for both the labels which have been attached to them and the labels the audience attaches to others. While, at times, the show devolves into a polemic, it never becomes a rant nor accuses its audience of overt racism.  It is a strong show and does what excellent theatre can do - gets it audience to think.

As a fringe show, the total show time was about an hour.  The hour was over too quickly.

Dreamgirls - Krannert Saturday August 6

I first saw Dreamgirls on Broadway mumbledy mumble years ago.  I don’t have the Playbill but it was not the original cast.  And it was spellbinding.  It was thrilling.  It had Broadway magic as only the then most expensive production in Broadway history could provide.  So, the show has a special place in my heart and memory.  I have played the truncated  OBC many many times, even though it is heartbreaking what they did on this recording.  I have listened to the amazing Actors Benefit Concert with Audra MacDonald, Lillias White, Heather Headley, Billy Porter and Norm Lewis uncounted times.  I and my family saw the film version the day it opened.   This is one of my favorite shows.

For those that don’t know the show or film, Dreamgirls is inspired by the story of Barry Gordy, Diana Ross and The Supremes.  A trio of young girls from Chicago – Deena, Effie and Lorrell – calling themselves the Dreamettes win a talent contest in Chicago which gives them a chance to compete at the Apollo Theatre in New York City, where they sing a song written by Effie’s brother, C.C.  We are introduced to Curtis Taylor Jr. – a car salesman with dreams of show business.  He arranges for Deena, Effie and Lorrell to become back-up singers for a James Brownish character, James “Thunder” Early.  Curtis sees African –American performers not getting their due – but is obsessed with getting African-American performers popular by “crossing over” to the “white charts”.  So, he recrafts Early into a “sweet sounding” crooner while making the Dreamettes into the Dreams.  And, from there, conflict informs the rest of the story.

Anyways, I was very very excited when it was announced that there would be a local production at Krannert.  It would be a special production in coordination with the Banks Bridgewater Lewis Fine Arts Academy and SITI Company to be directed by Latrelle Bright.  A special “preview” performance last October drew over 400 people to the Krannert Center.  But, then, worries set in.  First, it would be in the Studio Theatre at Krannert, a smaller black box, which might not be big enough for what was originally a “big” production.  Then, I would read on the internet about difficulties finding people to be cast.  So, my excitement was tempered.

But there I was Saturday night , August 6, at the Studio Theatre with one of the hottest tickets in town, as the three performance run had been sold out for some time.  The black box was in a semi-round configuration with the audience on three sides- a thrust format without an actual thrust stage.  A fake proscenium was on the fourth wall with “show light” standards harkening back to the original Broadway version’s use of moving light standards.  So far, so good.  The band started up with those awesome opening beats and notes.  And, then, the show itself started. 

It’s easier to pick on things that you don’t like about a production, because, for whatever biological or psychological reasons, those things stick with you.  (E.G. overall, most people  tend to remember more traumatic events of your childhood than the happy moments).  So, I’m going to start out with the positives.

Director Latrelle Bright made this show move.  Faced with limitations of the Studio Theatre and a score that is written with almost no breaks, this production never faltered or hesitated.  It kept moving.  She was able to use the space she was given effectively.  The actors seemed placed so that everyone got a good view of the action.  Davion Williams was excellent as C.C. White.  His voice was emotional and true.  He started out as “young” as his character and grew as that character grew.  Nathon Jones gave life to an  older “Marty” – Early’s original agent – conveying his exasperation at how Curtis Taylor moves and maneuvers.  Tafadzwa Diener (whom I had in my production of For Colored Girls) was Effie and Ms. Diener continues to demonstrate a stage presence and demeanor beyond her 19 years of age.  Her Act Two number “I Am Changing” was delivered with such understanding and emotion that it stopped the show.  In limited stage time, Prince Robertson as Wayne, one of Curtis’ “henchmen” excelled.  Indeed, I think he was given extra lines in songs from other characters. The 13 piece band produced great sound for the singers. 

Middle ground.  Kvn Tajzea made for a slightly villainous Curtis Taylor, Jr.  But, for me, he didn’t mix in the drive and, yes, humanity of the character.  Curtis is a charismatic figure and he needs to draw in the audience as much as he seduces the cast of characters.  Mr. Tajzea had the arrogance – but not the heart  He also didn’t seem to make a connection with either of the two women his character is to be in love with  - Effie and Deena.  Now, there was some significant age difference between Mr. Tajzea and the actors portraying Effie and Deena which may have led him to hold back.  But, as a result, his performance lessened the central emotional conflict of the show.  J’Lyn Hope was fine as Lorell Robinson, although her “Ain’t No Party” could have used more emotion.  She did not seem to have the love for Early that should be driving the wildness of that number. 

And the not so good.  Jasmine Dandridge made a game effort at Deena, but her age simply didn’t allow her to connect with the character.  And she made what to me were some wrong choices.  Deena is a difficult character, because she is not to be as good a singer as Effie – even if the actor is as good or better a singer than the actor playing Effie.  Deena is promoted to lead of the Dreams because she is “pretty” and because she sounds more “white.”  Dandridge wore glasses throughout the show – which detracted from the “beauty” she was supposed to be.   I wonder if there could have been some way for her to perform without those glasses.  Yes, people can be pretty while wearing glasses – but in the 60s and 70s, the “beautiful Ms. Jones” would not have worn glasses, and certainly not the ones which Ms. Dandridge was wearing.  She (or in concert with vocal director Justin Brauer) made wrong choices when Deena first sings lead – she is not singing “white” or “smooth”.  Rather, she riffed and engaged in some vocal gymnastics that are the exact opposite of the way Deena Jones is supposed to be singing.  She sounds similar to how Ms. Diener’s Effie had been singing.  Ms. Dandridge also showed little of the initial hesitation and nervousness that Deena is to have when she is promoted and first begins to sing and she lacked the emotional heft in the final number of the show, which she seemed to rush.  Again, I think her age and life experience limited her performance.  Age also detracted from Cedric Jones’ as James Thunder Early.  He looked too young for the part.  His clothes didn’t fit.  He played Early as a fool in the early scenes, even though Early is not a fool.  Early is a top performer when the show starts – and he got there by talent and personality – not by being a fool.  Mr. Jones was not able to convey any of Early’s character arc – the rising frustration of a man with “soul”.   To me, Mr. Jones did not show his interest and love for Lorrell, other than in cursory fashion.  The words were there – but not the emotion.  And, like I have seen in other performances, Mr. Jones has a very limited singing range, which was not expansive enough for this score.  While Samantha Jones has nice credits as costume designer, I can only speculate that budgetary issues restricted what she could do.  The Dreams’ gowns were not eye-catching, neither in their first number nor for their Vegas debut.  The Vegas costumes for Act Two were not garish Vegas costumes.  They looked like a mixture of pieces off the shelf, instead of the glamour that the Dreams were to exude.    And the bane of community theatre reared its head at this performance – sound issues were plentiful.  Microphones were not turned on – or were not turned off.  Sound  went in and out.  Actors could be heard and then not heard – even in the small space – in the same sentence.  At one point, an offstage singer was dominating over the Dreams.  I heard the voice and was looking at the Dreams, trying to figure out which one was making the sounds, but none were singing.

Over all, I felt this production was lacking in the electricity and excitement that I expect Dreamgirls to deliver.  It was a game effort – but one that was undercut, I believe, by the difficulties the show had in generating a cast. 

One last note:  the audience was probably 85% Caucasian.  It looked like a stereotypical Krannert audience.  If the goal of this production was to expand the audience, it did not happen on Saturday night.  Still, by presenting a show with a predominantly African-American cast, Dreamgirls did expand opportunities.  And given the sold-out run  of the show, this should encourage Krannert and other producing entities, to present plays and musicals which explore the African-American experience.  

My London Trip - Part Two - Romeo and Juliet

After The Threepenny Opera, I made my way back to the West End to the Garrick Theatre where Kenneth Branagh's theatre company was performing Romeo and Juliet.  I had stopped there earlier and learned that they were filming that evening in preparation for a live stream of the next day's performance.  The Box Office was very candid and helpful and so I took a seat in the Dress Circle rather than the Stalls.  For those keeping score, I paid 35 pounds for my seat.  I was offered the limited view seat in the stalls for the same price.

Kenneth Branagh is considered one of the finer Shakespearean actors and directors of today.  He started this theatre company to perform Shakespeare and other "classics".  Several of the shows have been filmed and broadcast or streamed to movie theatres.

Upon arriving, I had a second surprise. Romeo was to have been played by Richard Madden, who stars on Game of Thrones.  But, he was out due to some injury.  The young ladies sitting behind me were quite disappointed!  And verbally so! So, I had the understudy Tom Hansen on for Romeo.  Mr. Hansen normally plays Paris, and someone else had to step up into that role! I was very curious as to Mr. Madden's injury and whether the next day's performance would not be streamed.  It turns out that Madden injured his ankle.  He was able to do the live stream - but that was, I believe, the last time.  He has since withdrawn from the production.  Oddly, Mr. Hansen was subsequently injured and two performances were cancelled!  Message boards wondered why Kenneth Branagh himself didn't step into the role. 

A confession.  Until this performance, I had never seen a full length performance of Romeo and Juliet. Sure, I was familiar with the story and some of the speeches, but I had never even read the whole play! 

In any event, this production was jointly directed by Mr. Branagh and Rob Ashford who is known more for his choreography.  The play is set in 1960s Italy.  Everyone is costumed in black and white.  (Apparently, the live stream was in black and white).  It looks and feels like a 1960s Italian movie.  The actors even swear and rant in Italian.  For me, this was a play of two halves.  The First Act was Acts One through Three of the play.  The Second Act was the final two acts of the play.  

The First Act was invigorating.  Filled with humor and strong characterizations.  Lilly James - of Downtown Abbey - was Juliet.  She was joyous, no more so than in the beginning of the balcony scene where she has a bottle or wine or champagne and is dizzy with love and alcohol.  Mr. Hansen made for a handsome Romeo and seemed to have some good chemistry with Ms. James' Juliet - so I don't feel like I missed anything by not seeing Mr. Madden.  (Side note: Mr. Madden and Ms. James were the leads in Disney's recent live version of Cinderella, which was....directed by Kenneth Branagh.  

The most interesting choice - and one that paid off handsomely - was to have Derek Jacobi in the role of Mercutio.  So, instead of Mercutio being one of Romeo's friends, Mercutio is the older uncle who provides advice based on his years.  While he sometimes came across as more of a Polonius (from Hamlet, for those who don't know), his style and panache worked, including his brash decision to duel Tybalt, a man 50 years his junior!

But, Act Two was dreary and maudlin.  It almost seemed like the actors themselves lost interest in the story.  And apparently Shakespeare also lost interest.  Because, it is one speech after another. Lots of "telling" to the audience.  There is very little interaction between the characters.  I guess the ending of the play was sort of tragic, but it didn't have any emotional heft for me.  

So, I would say Four Stars (out of five) for Act One.  One star (out of five) for Act Two.

If you didn't catch this in the theatres in July, it will be shown in movie theatres again according to the Kenneth Branagh company website.  As yet, there are no listings for an encore showing in Champaign-Urbana.