Connecticut Arts Connection

TheaterReview: Billy Elliot -- The Bushnell

2013-06-19T13:48:00.001-07:00

Noah Parets (Billy) and Rich Hebert (Dad) Photo by Amy Boyle

Dreaming Big with Some Literal Leaps of Faith
By Lauren Yarger
A little boy has big dreams and takes some literal leaps of faith to achieve them in Billy Elliot, stopping on tour this week at the Bushnell in Hartford.

With music by Elton John and a book and lyrics by Lee Hall (who wrote the screenplay for the film on which this musical is based), the show won 10 Tony Awards, including best musical in 2009.

Billy (the role is shared by three actors, Drew Minard, Mitchell Tobin and 14-year-old Massachusetts native Noah Parets, whom I saw I on press night) tries to cope with his lonely existence in County Duram, England, just before the 1984 strike of the British National Union of Mineworkers. His beloved Mum (Molly Gardner), with whom he has imagined conversations, has died and his father (Rich Hebert) is distant. His elder brother, Tony (Cullen R. Titmas), is preoccupied with the union’s fight against the government and Prime Minister “Maggie” Thatcher and his senile Grandma (a funny Patti Perkins) keeps losing her pasties…

Billy and his best friend, Michael (Cameron Clifford and Jake Kitchin share the role), just don’t fit in where rough-and-tough, working-class miners expect certain behavior from men: Billy discovers a love for the ballet and Michael, who has feelings for Billy, likes to dress in girl’s clothing.

Ballet teacher Mrs, Wilkerson (Janet Dickinson) recognizes that Billy has a genuine gift and starts coaching him when he’s supposed to be taking the boxing lessons his father arranged. And where he has failed so miserably, the coach tells him “You’re a disgrace to your father.” She offers him support and tells Billy he can get in to the Royal Ballet Academy with the right audition.

When Dad finds out, he’s furious and forbids Billy from continuing with his dancing. But at the strike goes on (for almost a year), he starts to reconsider some of positions like taking work as a scab and what his wife might have wanted for Billy. As Billy imagines himself as an adult dancer (in a beautiful duet number with adult ballet dancer Maximilien A, Baud, choreographed by Peter Darling), the boy soars and his father, seeing him, decides to give his son a chance at fulfilling his dream. The mining community rallies around Billy as he goes off for his audition.

The choreography is the draw for this show. From ballet to tap, Billy and a huge ensemble of coal miners and ballet student girls dance up a storm. Most satisfying is “Angry Dance” where Billy’s frustrations are expressed. He literally hits a wall (depicted by crowd shields held by policemen battling the striking workers) and finds himself in a box. This is rock star John at his best. The rest of the score doesn’t really sound like him if you’re thinking Aida.

Directed by Stephen Daltry, Dickenson (displaying a ribald belt), Perkins (a hoot), Garner and Hebert all give strong performances. Parets dances well with steps performed with precision and technical skill if not all the heart we expect. The same could be said of the special effects: fog and fly rigging are used precisely, but they fail to make our spirits soar the way they did on the Broadway stage. It’s also hard to understand several of the kids who are trying very hard to do northern English accents. Entire lines of dialogue are lost.

Be warned: there is a lot of swearing and dialogue involving sexual terms and the theater suggests that this show might be unsuitable for children under the age of 8.

Billy Elliot plays through June 23 at the Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford. Performances: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays: 7:30 pm; Fridays and Saturdays: 8 pm; Saturdays at 2:30 pm; Sundays 1 and 6 pm Tickets $20-$95: (860) 987-5900; www.bushnell.org.

Theater Review: A Midsummer Night's Dream -- New Haven Festival of Arts & Ideas

2013-06-19T13:31:00.001-07:00

Midsummer Night's Dream. Photo: Simon Annand

This Midsummer Night’s Dream Has Some Nightmarish Elements
By Lauren Yarger
You know that dream where you find yourself naked on a stage with everyone laughing at you? It’s an unfortunate reality for Miltos Yerolemou, the actor who plays Bottom in Bristol Old Vic’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream as part of New Haven’s International Festival of Ideas.

Director Tom Morris and the Handspring Puppet Company (the creative team which brought Joey, the War Horse to life on stage) have partnered for this new interpretation of William Shakespeare’s tale of fairy magic which includes puppetry and a literal transformation of Bottom into a talking ass.

To accomplish the effect, the designers (led by Vicki Mortimer) have created a mechanical devise on which Yerolemou can lie on his stomach on an incline while propelling himself around with hand pedals. His naked bottom, up in the air, becomes the head of the donkey. He bends his knees and costuming transforms his extended ankles and feet into the creature’s eyes and ears (Katerina Hicken, design). It gives new and unpleasant meaning to this portion of dialogue, spoken by Titania (Saskia Portway), tricked by the gods into loving Bottom:

Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed,
While I thy amiable cheeks do coy,
And stick musk-roses in thy sleek smooth head,
And kiss thy fair large ears, my gentle joy.

It’s too bad, because before realizing they were going for a literal interpretation of the talking ass, I was thinking this might be a great production to which kids could be introduced to Shakespeare (and there were a lot of youngsters in attendance.) Previously, small puppets had been used to depict the love triangle between Hermia (Akiya Henry), her betrothed, Demetrius (Kyle Lima) and her true love, Lysander (Alex Felton). When Hermia’s father, Egeus (also played by Yerolemou) insists that his daughter wed a man she doesn’t love, the imagery of his pulling their strings is clear, even if the puppets themselves don’t have any.

The actors, dressed in casual attire similar to their puppets, manipulate them by hand and voice their lines, but also interact with each other. In scenes that show Morris’ directing ability, fairies flutter (some of them demonic in nature), a number of wooden planks are used to depict various settings, puppets and humans become one and Puck is created by three actors manipulating an oil can, a saw and a basket. It’s sheer magic, when we can see -- the haze effect is used to overkill and Philip Gladwell’s lighting design leaves us in the dark sometimes. The first part is quite enchanting, however, until everything “bottoms” out.

The tale, often upstaged by the craft going on, seems to go downhill after that and even the puppets aren’t used to advantage when they could be. The scene where Hermia thinks Lysander’s affections have been transferred to Helena (Naomi Cranston) because she is taller would be so much funnier if his line, “Get you gone, you dwarf,” were delivered to the diminutive puppet instead of to the actress, for example.

The pace seems to slow way down in the second act as well and the final play within the play lacks humor and purpose. The final two, very large puppets, seem awkward and unfinished. I kept wishing I could wake up from this dream which runs two hours and 45 minutes.

A highlight, however, is music by David Price. One song has accompaniment by the actors tapping on those versatile wooden planks. Just the sort of thing one might expect to hear if one stumbled upon a bunch of fairies having prankish fun on a midsummer’s night.

A Midsummer Night's Fream runs through June 23 at University Theater, 222 York St., New Haven: Performances 8pm, June 18-22; 2 pm June 33 and 23. Tickets www.artidea.org.

Augesen, Manganiello Hop Aboard Yale's Streetcar

2013-06-14T05:07:00.002-07:00

René Augesen will play Blanche DuBois and Joe Manganiello will play Stanley Kowalski in Yale Rep's first-ever production of Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer-Prize-winning A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by Mark Rucker.

The production opens Yale Rep’s 2013-14 season Sept. 20-Oct. 12 at the University Theatre, 222 York St., New Haven.

Augesen previously appeared at Yale Rep in The Beaux’ Stratagem and A Woman of No Importance. She was a core acting company member at American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco for 12 seasons. As a 2011 Ten Chimneys Foundation Lunt-Fontanne Fellow, she was recognized for her extraordinary contributions to her community and to the overall quality of the American theatre. She is a graduate of Yale School of Drama.

Manganiello plays Alcide Herveaux on HBO’s "True Blood" and will appear alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sam Worthington in David Ayer’s film "Sabotage" in January. His other film and television credits: "Magic Mike," Peter Parker’s nemesis Flash Thompson in the "Spider-Man" trilogy "How I Met Your Mother," "One Tree Hill," "Two and a Half Men," "White Collar" and "ER."

Yale Repertory Theatre offers a variety of subscription packages, starting at $30 per ticket for the general public and $10 for students: www.yalerep.org; (203) 432-1234; Box Office (1120 Chapel St.).Individual and group tickets for the entire season will go on sale on Sept. 3.

Coming Up at the Mark Twain House: Storytelling, Persian Tea

2013-06-14T04:03:00.002-07:00

Tom Lee

Tom Lee, Storyteller for Adults, Offers Five-Week Class
A Good Tale WellTold, a five-week class taught by Mark Twain House Storyteller in Residence Tom Lee begins July 2.

Classes will be held on five successive Tuesdays, July 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, from 6 to 8 pm. Participants will gain an understanding of the history of folktales from around the world and learn to tell stories in a compelling style with a unique voice.

On tap during the sessions:

considering how the structure of a story shapes its performance
Eploring improvisation in language and movement and discovering how the storyteller personally connects with the story and with listeners of all ages
Each participant will select a story to learn, develop, and perform
The final session will include a performance by participants in the museum's Lincoln Financial Auditorium for invited guests.

Lee is a professional storyteller with 20 years experience performing traditional stories, folktales and myths for adults and for children. Lee's repertoire is a rich trove of myths and stories from cultures around the world; some are centuries old, some originated thousands of years ago. He performs for adults in theaters and at festivals throughout the country. He is a frequent guest artist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he brings together his passion for research, art, story, and for connection with new audiences. In addition, he is a performing arts partner with the Yale Center for British Art.

The cost is $350 (5 weeks/10 hours total) Class size is 12. Call 860-280-3130 to register.

Book Launch/Presian Tea

The launch of "Harvest Of Gold," a new historical novel by Iranian-born novelist Tessa Afshar, will take place at The Mark Twain House and Museum on Monday, July 1, at 7 pm.

The free event will feature tea and Persian treats.

"Harvest of Gold" is set in biblical times: The scribe Sarah has married Darius and at times she feels as if she has married the Persian aristocracy, too. There is another point she did not count on in her marriage -- Sarah has grown to love her husband. Sarah has wealth, property, honor, and power, but her husband's love still seems unattainable.

Although his mother was an Israelite, Darius remains skeptical that his Jewish wife is the right choice for him, particularly when she conspires with her cousin Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Ordered to assist in the effort, the couple begins a journey to the homeland of his mother's people.

Will the road filled with danger, conflict, and surprising memories, help Darius to see the hand of God at work in his life and even in his marriage? A hidden message, treachery, opposition, and a God-given success, will lead to an unlikely bounty.

Afshar was voted "New Author of the Year" by the Family Fiction sponsored Reader's Choice Awards 2011 for her novel "Pearl in the Sand." Her book "Harvest of Rubies" was nominated for the 2013 ECPA Book Award (formerly known as the Gold Medallion) in the fiction category.

She was born in Iran to a nominally Muslim family, and lived there for the first 14 years of her life. She moved to England, where she survived boarding school for girls and fell in love with Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte before moving to the United States permanently.

Afshar holds an Masters of Divinity degree from Yale University where she served as co-chair of the Evangelical Fellowship at the Divinity School. She has spent the 14 years in full-time Christian service in New England.

A book sale and signing will follow the event. In addition, the museum will display its mosque lamp, which was damaged in a fall. The event will kick off a campaign to raise funds for its repair.

Gentleman's Guide, Marie Antoinette Head CT Critics Circle Award Winners

2013-06-12T04:35:00.003-07:00

David Greenspan and Marin Ireland in Marie Antoinette. Photo © T. Charles Erickson, 2012

Winners of the 2013 CT Critics Circle Awards were presented Monday at a ceremony hosted by Long Wharf Theatre, whose associate artistic director Eric Ting acted as MC.
Broadway's Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins) sang some songs from the upcoming CT theater season accompanied by Don Pardo on piano.

All of the nominations are listed below. Winners are in red. For reviews, click on the title under 2012-2013 Reviews at right.

Outstanding Production of a Play

“Almost, Maine” TheaterWorks

”American Night” Yale Rep

“ClybournePark” Long Wharf

“Marie Antoinette” Yale Rep

“The Dining Room” Westport Country Playhouse

“Twelfth Night” Hartford Stage

Outstanding Production of a Musical

“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” Hartford Stage

“Carousel” Goodspeed

“Hairspray” Connecticut Repertory Theatre

”Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” Summer Theatre of New Canaan (STONC)

“Next to Normal” Music Theatre of Connecticut (MTC)

“The Immigrant” Seven Angels

Outstanding Director of a Play

Shana Cooper, “American Night” Yale Rep

Gordon Edelstein, “Satchmo at the Waldorf” Long Wharf

Mark Lamos, “The Dining Room” Westport Country Playhouse

Rebecca Taichman, “Marie Antoinette” Yale Rep

Jenn Thompson, “Abundance” Hartford Stage

Eric Ting, “ClybournePark” Long Wharf

Darko Tresnjak, “Twelfth Night” Hartford Stage

Outstanding Director of a Musical

Kevin Connors, “Next to Normal” MTC

Semina DeLaurentis, “The Immigrant” Seven Angels

Melody Meitrott Libonati, “Joseph . . . ” STONC

Terrence Mann, “The Pirates of Penzance” Connecticut Repertory

Rob Ruggiero, “Carousel” Goodspeed

Darko Tresnjak, “A Gentleman’s Guide…” Hartford Stage

Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play

Maureen Anderman,“The Year of Magical Thinking” Westport Country Playhouse

Mary Beth Fisher, “Dear Elizabeth” Yale Rep

Roxanna Hope, “Hedda Gabler” Hartford Stage

Marin Ireland, “Marie Antoinette” Yale Rep

Liv Rooth, “Venus in Fur” TheaterWorks

Brenda Withers, “Abundance “ Hartford Stage

Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play

Mikhail Baryshnikov, “Man in a Case” Hartford Stage

Bill Camp, “In a Year With 13 Moons” Yale Rep

Paul Giamatti, “Hamlet” Yale Rep

Edward Kassar, “Other People’s Money” Ivoryton Playhouse

Jamil A. C. Mangan, “The Mountaintop” TheaterWorks

Rene Millan, “American Night” Yale Rep

John Douglas Thompson,“Satchmo at the Waldorf” Long Wharf

Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical

Lena Mary Amato, “Hairspray” CT Rep

Corrine C. Broadbent, “Joseph” STONC

Juliet Lampert Pratt, “Next to Normal” MTC Mainstage

Teal Wicks, “Carousel” Goodspeed

Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical

Max Biantz, “The Immigrant” Seven Angels

Christopher DeRosa, “Joseph” STONC

Jefferson Mays, “A Gentleman’s Guide…” Hartford Stage

Kevin Meaney, “Hairspray” CT Rep

James Snyder, “Carousel” Goodspeed

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play

Monica Santana, “In a Year With 13 Moons” Yale Rep

Jeanine Serralles, “Tartuffe” Westport Country Playhouse

Sara Topham, “Hedda Gabler” Hartford Stage

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play

Jarlath Conroy, “Hamlet” Yale Rep

David Greenspan, “Marie Antoinette” Yale Rep

Adam Green, “Twelfth Night” Hartford Stage

Marc Kudisch, “Hamlet” Yale Rep

Jordan Lage, “Ride the Tiger” Long Wharf

Sam Redford, “Hedda Gabler” Hartford Stage

Kevin Tighe, “Curse of the Starving Class” Long Wharf

Bruce Turk, “Twelfth Night” Hartford Stage

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical

Tessa Faye, “Good News” Goodspeed

Jenn Gambatese, “Carousel” Goodspeed

Beth Glover, “Good News” Goodspeed

Lisa O’Hare, “A Gentleman’s Guide…” Hartford Stage

Hanna Kaplan, “Hairspray” CT Rep

Chilina Kennedy, “A Gentleman’s Guide…” Hartford Stage

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical

Ken Barnett, “A Gentleman’s Guide…” Hartford Stage

Alex Gibson, “Pirates of Penzance” CT Rep

Jeff Kready, “Carousel” Goodspeed

Scott Ripley, “Hairspray” CRT

Barry Shafrin, “Good News” Goodspeed

Brett Stoelker, “Next to Normal” Seven Angels

Outstanding Ensemble

Marty Bongfeldt, John Flaherty, John Little, Michael McGurk, Jo Anne Parady, “Ancestral Voices” MTC

Jimmy Davis, Daniel Jenkins, Leroy McClain, Alex Muggridge, Lucy Owen, Melle Powers, Alice Ripley, “Clybourne Park” Long Wharf

Heidi Armbruster, Chris Henry Coffey, Keira Naughton, Jake Robards, Charles Socarides, Jennifer Van Dyck, “The Dining Room” Westport Country Playhouse

Eric Bryant, Laura Esposito, Lucas Hall, Jess Watkins , “Almost, Maine” Hartford TheaterWorks

Outstanding Debut

Alexis Molnar, “Harbor” Westport Country Playhouse

Nathan J. Russo, “Oliver” Ivoryton Playhouse

Jubilant Sykes, “Breath & Imagination” Hartford Stage

Outstanding Choreography

Parker Esse, “Carousel” Goodspeed

Gerry McIntyre, “Hairspray” CT Rep

Anne-B Parson, “Man in a Case” Hartford Stage

Peggy Hickey, “A Gentleman’s Guide…” Hartford Stage

Vince Pesce, “ Good News” Goodspeed

Doug Shankman, “Joseph” STONC

Outstanding Set Design

Wilson Chin, “Tartuffe” Westport Country Playhouse; “Abundance” Hartford Stage

Alexander Dodge, “A Gentleman’s Guide…” Hartford Stage; “Twelfth Night” Hartford Stage

Riccardo Hernandez, “Marie Antoinette” Yale Rep

Posey Knight, “His Girl Friday” CT Rep

Michael Schweikardt, "Carousel" Goodspeed; "Tryst" TheaterWorks

Michael Yeargan, “The Dining Room” Westport Country Playhouse

David Zinn, “In a Year With 13 Moons” Yale Rep

Outstanding Costume Design

Gabriel Barry, “Marie Antoinette” Yale Rep

Linda Cho, “A Gentleman’s Guide...” Hartford Stage; “Twelfth Night”Hartford Stage

Olivera Gajic, “Pirates of Penzance” CT Rep

Ilona Somogyi, “Tartuffe” Westport Country Playhouse

Fabio Toblini, “Hedda Gabler” Hartford Stage

Outstanding Sound Design

Michael Attias, “In a Year With 13 Moons” Yale Rep

Tei Blow, “Man in a Case” Hartford Stage

Leah Gelpe, “January Joiner” Long Wharf

Matt Hubbs, “Marie Antoinette” Yale Rep

Keri Klick. “Hamlet” Yale Rep

Tom Killen Award

Aetna New Voices Fellowship program at Hartford Stage

Theater Review: I'm Connecticut -- Ivoryton Playhouse

2013-06-10T09:40:00.000-07:00

Jerry Adler Harris Doran. Photo: Anne Hudson

A Laugh-Out-Loud Look at Living in Connecticut

By Lauren Yarger

Bristol native son Mike Reiss, who has enjoyed success as a comedy writer for “The Simpsons” among other shows, turns his attention to the root of his humor, his home state in the riotously funny I’m Connecticut getting a slick production at Ivoryton Playhouse.

The show had its world premiere last season at UConn’s CT Repertory Theatre Company and two of the original cast members, Harris Doran and Broadway veteran Jerry Adler, reprise their roles for the Ivoryton run.

Doran is Marc, a geeky native of Connecticut where he grew up one of the few Jews in Simsbury, where his teacher called upon him every year to share the Hanukah story during the Christmas celebrations….. Now a transplant in Manhattan, he works in brain research at Middlesex Hospital with pal Kyle (a funny Gino Costabile), motivated by a desire to help his Grandpa (Adler) who is suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Marc is insecure about a lot of things, especially girls. This, Kyle assures, him, is because he comes from boring Connecticut, home of steady habits and towns that have names that sound like stodgy English butlers.. Nutmeg-ers aren’t as brash as New Yorkers like the manager (Bill Mootos) of a speed-dating service Marc tries or as interesting as Massachusetts natives like Kyle, who call their milkshakes “frappes.”

“It’s like crap with a ‘fa’,” Kyle quips.

We don’t even grow nutmeg here in the Nutmeg state, or grapes, like you might think given the leaves on our state seal, so what chance does Marc really have?

The girls he meets at the dating service (Dené Hill, Elizabeth Talbot and others) aren’t good matches, but the receptionist, Diane (Gwen Hollander), a beauty from Georgia, attracts his attention. He invites her back to the apartment he shares with his grandfather (designed by Daniel Nischan). When Marc believes that telling some lies will improve his chances at winning Diane’s heart, he begins to spin a web of deception that soon ensnares him in a hilarious, sticky mess that threatens their relationship (and uproariously ends with a Broadway production number….).

Meanwhile, Grandpa and Diane’s visiting mom, Polly (Rebecca Hoodwin), hit it off making the situation even more tenuous. Marc seeks advice from Kyle, but he’s not much help. He’s a master of deception himself, telling coworkers it is his birthday any time he has a craving for cake. He also points out Marc’s shortcomings in a guffaw-inducing scene where various states in the union show off their manly sizes and shapes to prove that a state that claims the boring distinction of being “The Insurance Capital of the World” definitely is lacking….

Director Jacqueline Hubbard ably helms the talented ensemble cast, enhancing the set design with projections designed by Allison McGrath and Greg Purnell and solidifying the relationship between Marc and the audience by bringing Doran out into the house to offer fruit cake, of all things.

Doran once again achieves a balance between sarcasm and naiveté to create a totally likable character who has many audience members thinking, “I’m Marc” just as much as he thinks, “I’m Connecticut.” Costabile is a perfect foil for Doran and Adler and Hoodwin have terrific onstage chemistry that translates into an immediate natural camaraderie for Grandpa and Polly and Grandpa and his late wife Judith, also portrayed by Hoodwin.

Ivoryton doesn’t escape Reiss’ barbs at a state that is somewhat lacking, either. “Where’s all the ivory?” the audience is asked. Reis himself was on hand for talkbacks with the audience after recent performances. A producer and writer with “The Simpsons” from its beginning, he received a Peabody Award in 2006 and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Animation Writers Caucus. He also co-wrote “The Simpsons Movie,” “The Lorax,” “Horton Hears A Who!” and “Ice Age, Dawn of the Dinosaurs.”

His recent films include “In Her Shoes.” “Prime,” “Find Me Guilty” and the soon-to-be-released “Last Angry Man in Brooklyn” with Robin Williams. On TV, he was the Fire Chief on “Rescue Me” with Denis Leary and is presently Howard Lyman on “The Good Wife.”

The native son has made us proud!

I'm Connecticut runs through June 23 at Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main St., Ivoryton. Performances are Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2 pm. Evening performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30, Friday and Saturday at 8. Tickets: $40 for adults, $35 for seniors, $20 for students and $15 for children. (860) 767-7318; www.ivorytonplayhouse.org.

Theater Review: Becoming Dr. Ruth -- TheaterWorks

2013-06-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

Debra Jo Rupp. Photo:Lanny Nagler

Dr. Ruth: Getting to Know the Woman Behind the Microphone
By Lauren Yarger
Everyone knows Ruth Westheimer, the short, German-accented pioneering sex therapist who took America’s radio waves and TV by storm in the 1980s. Her tragic personal story and how she went about Becoming Dr. Ruth are less known, however, until now with this one-woman show starring Debra Jo Rupp (That 70ʼs Show) at TheaterWorks in Hartford.

Playwright Mark St. Germain (Freud’s Last Session) sets the story in Ruth’s New York apartment as she prepares to move following the death of her husband, Fred. She packs up her belongings – and memories – as she chats with the audience. Brian Prather designs the set, along with projections that help the audience see the photos she gazes at before packing them away.

There are photos of her parents, from whom the young Karola Ruth Siegel was separated during the rise of Hitler in Germany. When her father is taken to a work camp shortly after Kristallnacht, 10-year-old Karola’s mother and grandmother secure her a seat on the Kindertransport to get her out of Germany. In Switzerland, she is forced to work long days in domestic service under the supervision of a harsh matron at an orphanage where her only hope comes from Shirley Temple movies and occasional letters from her parents -- until they stop coming.

After the war (her parents apparently were murdered in the camps), Karola travels to Palestine where she becomes a scout and sniper with the Haganah, a precursor to the Israeli Defense Forces. Her feet are severely injured in an explosion during the war for Israel’s independence and she struggles to learn to walk again. She also fears no one will ever want to marry her.

She does marry. Three times, actually. The first two marriages end in divorce. Her two children (with whom she chats on the phone while packing up the Washington Heights apartment) think she might be rushing to make this this move so soon after Fred’s death.

She continues sharing her memories – she eventually had settled in New York where she taught herself English by reading True Confessions magazine and earned degrees in sociology and education.

In the 1960s, while she is working for Planned Parenthood, Ruth is asked to speak to a group of New York broadcasters about the need for sex education. One station offers her the opportunity to do a 15-minute broadcast each week called “Sexually Speaking” and suddenly the 50+ woman is a sensation. Speaking plainly about sex and answering questions from callers, “Dr. Ruth” becomes a celebrity and one of America’s foremost authorities on sexual behavior.

Rupp is a delight as the dynamic Ruth, whose effervescent love for life never is eclipsed by her harsh circumstances. Director Julianne Boyd, artistic director at Barrington Stage where the play received its world premiere as Dr. Ruth All the Way, uses some effective pauses to bring home the impact of Hitler’s rise to power and of Fred’s death. The triumph of Ruth’s spirit is visual.

Rupp’s power-house performance captures Ruth so effectively and in such detail, that we’re convinced the much shorter, German accented woman must really be on stage. (On opening night reality suspended the illusion, however, when at the curtain call, Rupp introduced the real Dr. Ruth who was seated in the audience.)

Rupp’s performance also is aided by having an interesting script to interpret. St. Germain keeps his monologue from becoming just a long history lesson by having Ruth speak directly with the audience and by interjecting some conversations between the sex therapist and her callers (sound design by Jessica Paz) toward the end of the play which runs about 90 minutes without intermission.

Becoming Dr. Ruth has been extended through July 14 at TheaterWorks, 233 Pear lSt., Hartford. Performances are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays: 7:30 pm; Fridays and Saturdays: 8 pm; Weekend Matinees at 2:30 pm. Tickets $17-$63: (860) 527-7838; www.theaterworkshartford.org.

Theater Review: The Drowsy Chaperone -- CT Repertory

2013-06-07T07:20:00.002-07:00

Pat Sajak and Courtney Romano. Photo: Kim Bova.

Pat Sajak Spins a Tale of A Musical Lover’s Musical About a Musical Lover and the Musical He Loves
By Lauren Yarger
Pat Sajak puts his spinning talents to work here in Connecticut this month, but this time turning records instead of a “Wheel of Fortune” as he takes on the role of Man in Chair for CT Repertory’s Nutmeg Summer Series production of The Drowsy Chaperone.

Seated in a comfortable chair next to a phonograph, Man in Chair shares his love for old-fashioned musicals and shares his favorite, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” with the audience. It’s a tale full of mixups, mayhem and romance with a well-worn plot and two dimensional characters, he tells us, but he begs us to indulge him and visualize as he puts the needle to the 33 rpm vinyl and is transported from his boring life into the glamor of a Broadway musical.

Suddenly, the 1928 musical comes to life in the man’s living room, thanks to the versatile set designed by Michael Anania. Taking center stage, much to the delight of her biggest fan, is the era’s most famous Broadway actress, Beatrice Stockwell, playing the Drowsy Chaperone (Liz Larsen). She is tasked, Man in Chair tells us, with making sure a bride and groom don’t see each other on their wedding day (and that’s pretty much the entire plot….). They are Janet Van De Graaff (Courtney Romano), star of Feldzieg’s Follies, giving up fame to settle down with dashing Robert Martin (Kevin Jones).

Attending the wedding are society matron Mrs. Tottendale (Jan Neuberger) and her servant Underling (Jay Rogers), Janet’s Producer, Feldzieg (Adam Heller) and his girlfriend, Kitty (Gianna Yanelli), who dreams of taking Janet’s place as star of the show. Also on hand are ladies’ man Aldolpho (Scott Ripley) and best man George (Devin Johnson).

A “B Plot” involves two gangsters (Alex Gibson and Ian Saunders) masquerading as pastry chefs who are in cahoots with Feldzieg to stop the wedding because their mob boss has invested in the follies, which will flop without Janet. Their corny jokes and zany costumes (designed by Lisa Loen) bring many laughs.

The chaperone doesn’t do her job very well, thanks to being drunk and drowsy most of the time. When Robert and Janet meet up while Robert is roller skating blindfolded (don’t ask, just enjoy), he mistakes her for a French girl named Mimi and mayhem ensues, accompanied by tap-dancing, flapper-esque choreography by Cassie Abate (who co-directs with Vincent J. Cardinal) and commentary from Main in Chair as he stops and pauses the recording to enlighten us along the way about his favorite moments, flaws in the lyrics and some trivia about the performers.

The show, with a book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar, is clever and a hoot for anyone who loves musical theater (I am Man in Chair, as some friends I have forced to listen to recordings will tell you). A line about stupid people making their living in TV is particularly funny when delivered by Sajak who is in his 30th season as one of TV’s most popular game show hosts.

Some performances stand out: Yanelli as the ditsy blonde showgirl, and Ripley as the self-confident, falsely accented Latin lover. Johnson is engaging as the best man who realizes he has forgotten to hire a minister for the wedding and Amani Dorn as Trix the Aviatrix, who flies in just in time to save the day (yes, look for the airplane in Man in Chair’s living room), lends a solid singing voice that carries the closing number.

Music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison are just the right combination of show tune, ballad and corny – exactly what we people in chairs love about old-fashioned musicals. “Bride’s Lament” with dancing monkeys is one of my favorites.

Some complaints: Sajak doesn’t really exude passionate obsession about the musical and it isn’t immediately clear that the action of the show is being controlled by his starting and stopping of the recording (this does sync later, however). Casting emphasis seems to have been on dancing ability, and while the choreography (especially the tap dancing) is executed well, vocals are weaker and there are some painful notes.

The pace is a bit drowsy at times, but overall the show is entertaining at about an hour and 45 minutes with no intermission.

The Drowsy Chaperone runs through June 15: Weeknight evening performances start at 7:30; Weekend evening performances start at 8; Matinee performances start at 2 pm. Tickets $10-$45 (860) 486-2113; www.crt.uconn.edu.

Grafton, Hoffman, Turow Will Be in Conversation with Baldacci for Mark Twain House

2013-06-07T06:44:00.000-07:00

John Groo for The Mark Twain House & Museum

The Mark Twain House & Museum's Annual 'Mark My Words' event -- three wildly popular authors interviewed by a celebrity host -- will feature Sue Grafton, Alice Hoffman and Scott Turow 8 pm Wednesday, Oct. 9 at the Shubert Theater in New Haven.

Grafton's Kinsey Milhone alphabet mysteries (A is for Alibi was just the start); Hoffman's acclaimed novels, and her unexpected new guide to living; and Turow's tales of power and the legal life are so beloved and popular that these authors have a total of nearly 150 million books in print. All have produced numerous New York Times bestselling titles.

The on-stage conversation will be moderated by David Baldacc. Baldacci is a devotee of Mark Twain's work - and a member of The Mark Twain House & Museum's Board of Trustees.

To make this benefit event as affordable as possible, the museum is offering an array of ticket price options: Orchestra & Box Seats, $68.00; Mezzanine, $48.00; and Balcony, $28.00. Tickets can be purchased online at www.twainmarkmywords.com; by phone at 888-736-2663 (toll free) or 203-562-5666; or in person at the Shubert Theater Box Office, 247 College St., New Haven, Monday through Friday, 9:30 am to 5:30 pm and Saturdays 10 am to 2 pm.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Sue Grafton is published in 29 countries and 27 languages. Books in her Kinsey Milhone alphabet series which debuted in 1982 with "A is for Alibi," are international bestsellers with readership in the millions. Among Grafton's many honors and awards are induction into the American Academy of Achievement, a Lifetime Achievement Award from Private Eye Writers of America and the Ross Macdonald Literary Award . Learn more at http://suegrafton.com/.

Alice Hoffman has published 21novels, three books of short fiction, and eight books for children and young adults. Her books - which include "Practical Magic," "Aquamarine" and "The River King," have been published in more than 20 translations and more than 100 foreign editions. Her novels have received mention as notable books of the year by the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, the Los Angeles Times, Library Journal, and People. Fifteen years ago, she was diagnosed with breast cancer - which changed everything about the life she'd been living - but she found no guidebook on how to deal with this change. Her new book, "Survival Lessons," coming out in October, is the book that she needed to read. "In many ways I wrote this book to remind myself of the beauty of life, something that's all too easy to overlook during the crisis of illness or loss," she says. Learn more at http://alicehoffman.com .

Scott Turow is a writer and attorney. He is the author of nine best-selling works of fiction, starting with "Presumed Innocent" (1987). His works of non-fiction include "One L" (1977) about his experience as a law student, and "Ultimate Punishment" (2003), a reflection on the death penalty. He frequently contributes essays and op-ed pieces to publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, Playboy and The Atlantic. His books have won a number of literary awards, including the Heartland Prize, the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award, and Time magazine's Best Work of Fiction. His books have been translated into more than 25 languages, sold more than 30 million copies world-wide and have been adapted into a full length film and two television miniseries. He continues to work as an attorney, and has been active in a number of charitable causes including organizations that promote literacy, education and legal rights. Additionally, he has performed with the Rock Bottom Remainders, a musical group of bestselling authors raising funds for various literacy charities. Learn more at http://scottturow.com/.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

David Baldacci made a big splash on the literary scene with the publication of his first novel, "Absolute Power," in 1996. A major motion picture adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, he has published 25 novels, all of which have been national and international bestsellers. His novels have been translated into more than 45 languages and sold in more than 80 countries; over 110 million copies are in print worldwide. He has also published two children's books. He has received numerous accolades for his writing; most recently, he was inducted into the 2011 International Crime Writing Hall of Fame and received the 2012 Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award. His greatest efforts are dedicated to the Wish You Well Foundation®, established by David and his wife, Michelle, which supports family and adult literacy. http://davidbaldacci.com/.

Quick Hit Theater Review: Dream Girls -- The Palace

2013-06-01T05:43:00.000-07:00

The cast. Photo: Levi Walker

Dream Girls
Music by Henry Krieger
Book and Lyrics by Tom Eyen
Directed and Choreographed by Robert Longbottom (original direction and choreography by Michael Bennett)
Co-Choreographer Shane Sparks
The Palace Theater, Waterbury
Note: (I saw understudies perform for the roles of Jimmy Thunder Early and Curtis Taylor, Jr. Early is regularly portrayed by Michael Jahlil. Understudy is JoNathan Michael. Aubrey Poo is the regular for Curtis. Two understudies are listed in the program: Dave Heard and Deonte Warren. Normally I wouldn't review a show where two of the main characters aren't played by the regulars, but the run ends today, so there won't be time to reschedule..... -- Lauren Yarger

What's it all about?
Deena Jones (Jasmin Richardson), Lorrell Robinson (Tonyia Myrie Rue) and Effie Whote (Charity Dawson) dream of getting a recording contract and making it to the top of the R&B charts. Effie's brother CCTerrance Johnson) writes a song for them to sing in a competition at the Apollo Theater in New York, where they are invited to sing backup for rising star Jimmy "Thunder" Early.

Lead singer Effie tells Early's manager, Marty (Koby Kindle) that she doesn't sing backup -- until she succumbs to the charms of Curtis Taylor, Jr., an ambitious and unscrupulous man who sees his chance to turn the "Dreamettes" into the chart-topping sensation "Dream Girls."

Effie falls hard for Curtis and Jimmy makes his moves on Lorrell, but relationships and friendships are strained when Curtis decides Deena should sing lead to give the group a new look and sound. Dawson gives a goose-bump raising rendition of the show's most famous number, "I'm Not Going" that makes this production worth watching all by itself. Effie becomes volatile and harder to work with in her depression and as Curtis turns his affections to Deena. Finally, Curtis hires Michelle Morris (Kimberly Michelle Thomas) to replace Effie in the group.

What are the highlights?
This show, which first hit the Broadway stage in 1981, holds up tremendously well over the years. It shows no signs of being dates, since it is set in the '60s and '70s anyway and the story still is touching with a lot of heart (Robin Wagner designs the minimal sets). An abundances of amazing quick-change costumes (designed by William Ivey Long) and excellent lighting design by Ken Billington are enhanced by media design by Lightswitch - Howard Werner that at one point projects a Busby Berkely-type effect for the choreography.

Dawson and Richardson blend voices for a terrific rendition of "Listen." All of the vocals are strong -- important for a show that's mostly sung.

What are the Lowlights?
The drums! Musical Supervisor Cherie Rosen needs to muffle them, especially on "I'm Not Going," where they seem to be competing with Effie as much as she competes with Deena.
The pace is somewhat slow and not as sharp as it could be during conrontation scenes. The run time is two hours and 45 minutes.

More information:
A short run at the Palace, 100 East Main St., Waterbury, there are performances this afternoon and evening. Tickets are $69, $59, and $49: 203-346-2000; www.palacetheaterct.org.

Theater Review: Catch Me if You Can -- The Bushnell

2013-05-29T05:45:00.001-07:00

The Catch Me if You Can Tour Company, Photo By Carol Rosegg

Larger-Than-Life Story Gets Over-the-Top Treatment
By Lauren Yarger
The true story of a teenager who plays a game of Catch Me if You Can with the FBI is already larger than life, but this musical, making a tour stop at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford, takes it way over the top by adding full-scale musical numbers, kick-line choreography and glitzy costumes.

Maybe the show's creative team sensed something nipping at its own heels: the need to be even more sensational than the popular autobiography by Frank Abagnale, Jr. and the film based on it starring Leonardo Di Caprio as the young white-collar criminal who eluded the FBI for years back in the 1960s while he forged checks and documents in the course of impersonating an airline pilot, a doctor and a lawyer.

The stage adaptation (with a book by Terrence McNally) is told as though it were a TV special complete with a band on stage (Music Direction by Matthew Smedal), video projections (designed by Bob Bonniol) and some spectacular lighting effects designed by Kenneth Posner. David Rockwell designs the set.

Frank (Stephen Anthony) looks up to his father, Frank Abagnale, Sr. (Dominic Fortuna), a successful New Rochelle businessman who used his charms to win the affections, among many suitors, of his beautiful war bride, Paula (Caitlin Maloney). When his father’s charms start to fade and he is under investigation by the IRS, Paula seeks comfort elsewhere and teenager Frank leaves to make his fortune in New York City and to do what he can to get his father back on his feet and reunited with his mother.

He quickly discovers a talent for fraud and starts writing doctored checks. He perfects the art along with document forgery and starts cashing checks under different names (a chorus line of girls dressed as a Swiss army knife, a bottle of ink and a container of glue are deemed necessary to help tell this part of the story by Director Jack O’Brien and Choreographer Jerry Mitchell).

His scheme attracts the attention of the FBI, especially Agent Carl Hanratty (Merritt David Janes), who figures out Frank’s pattern and starts to close in. Frank throws him off the trail by assuming the identity of a Pan Am pilot. Not only does he manage to get a lot of stewardesses (costumer William Ivey Long dresses them in revealing, very short uniforms while Frank sports a glittering version of a pilot’s jacket), but he also flies free. He hops a plane to visit his father, who has been reduced to hanging out in bars since his wife has taken up with his best friend, but he refuses help from his son.

As the game of “Catch Me if You Can” intensifies, Frank changes identities and becomes an emergency room doctor (complete with a chorus line of miniskirt-clad nurses) where he meets the girl of his dreams: Brenda Strong (Aubrey Mae Davis), a young nurse who also ran away from her past. Frank convinces her to return to New Orleans and reconcile with her parents (D. Scott Withers and Amy Burgmaier). Frank wants a life with Brenda, so he declares that he also is a lawyer and accepts Strong’s invitation to join the family firm.

His engagement announcement gives Carl the clue he needs to pick up the trail of the young con artist with whom he has developed a relationship through the years, particularly through phone calls at Christmas when the two lonely men touch base. Without giving too much away (and you probably have seen the movie any way….) the real Frank Abagnale, Jr. today is one of the FBI’s leading authorities on secure documents, fraud and embezzlement.

This show is a musical that should be a play. The story is interesting enough on its own to carry a production. If we really need music, Marc Shaiman’s score, mostly forgettable, large production numbers, fits McNally’s book, but the concept is all wrong. There’s an ensemble of more than 30 people up there to tell what really is the story of two men. Hanratty’s part gets lost in the hoopla and so does the developing relationship between him and Frank, who suddenly starts to see the honest government agent as a better person to worship than his con artist father. At two hours and 45 minutes the show could easily stand some trimming.

In this tour, the vocals are adequate, with stand-out Anthony lending the strong tenor and stage presence needed to pull off his lead role with style (until Matt Lenz, who recreated O’Brien’s original direction, has him sobbing quite excessively in one scene and gives new comic meaning to the lyrics “Stop your sobbing kid before I shoot. Your nose is running on my only suit.”

Mitchell’s original choreography, added to and recreated here by Nick Kenkel, is in need of some serious rehearsal, too. The ensemble isn’t together on execution or in syncing their moves.

Catch it while you can, through June 2 at The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford. Performances: Wednesday through Thursday at 7:30 pm; Friday at 8 pm; Saturday at 2 and 8 pm; Sunday at 1 and 6 pm. Tickets $20-$65: (860) 987-5900; www.bushnell.org.

Connecticut Critics Circle Announces Nominations for 2013 Theater Awards

2013-05-27T11:39:00.000-07:00

Nominations have been announced for the best of Connecticut's 2013-2014 season by the Connecticut Critics Circle.

Awards will be be presented at the annual gathering of the state's theater community, this year on Monday, June 10 at Long Wharf Theatre, 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven, beginning with a reception at 6:30. Awards and entertainment follow at 7:30.

The event is free and open to the public, but an RSVP is required to steve.scarpa@longwharf.org. This is the annual event "where theater folks from across Connecticut can annually all gather to schmooze and celebrate their work." Don't miss it!

The nominees are:

Outstanding Production of a Play

“Almost, Maine” TheaterWorks

”American Night” Yale Rep

“Clybourne Park” Long Wharf

“Marie Antoinette” Yale Rep

“The Dining Room” Westport Country Playhouse

“Twelfth Night” Hartford Stage

Outstanding Production of a Musical

“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” Hartford Stage

“Carousel” Goodspeed

“Hairspray” Connecticut Repertory Theatre

”Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” Summer Theatre of New Canaan (STONC)

“Next to Normal” Music Theatre of Connecticut (MTC)

“The Immigrant” Seven Angels

Outstanding Director of a Play

Shana Cooper, “American Night” Yale Rep

Gordon Edelstein, “Satchmo at the Waldorf” Long Wharf

Mark Lamos, “The Dining Room” Westport Country Playhouse

Rebecca Taichman, “Marie Antoinette” Yale Rep

Jenn Thompson, “Abundance” Hartford Stage

Eric Ting, “Clybourne Park” Long Wharf

Darko Tresnjak, “Twelfth Night” Hartford Stage

Outstanding Director of a Musical

Kevin Connors, “Next to Normal” MTC

Semina DeLaurentis, “The Immigrant” Seven Angels

Melody Meitrott Libonati, “Joseph . . . ” STONC

Terrence Mann, “The Pirates of Penzance” Connecticut Repertory

Rob Ruggiero, “Carousel” Goodspeed

Darko Tresnjak, “A Gentleman’s Guide…” Hartford Stage

Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play

Maureen Anderman, “The Year of Magical Thinking” Westport Country Playhouse

Mary Beth Fisher, “Dear Elizabeth” Yale Rep

Roxanna Hope, “Hedda Gabler” Hartford Stage

Marin Ireland, “Marie Antoinette” Yale Rep

Liv Rooth, “Venus in Fur” TheaterWorks

Brenda Withers, “Abundance “ Hartford Stage

Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play

Mikhail Baryshnikov, “Man in a Case” Hartford Stage

Bill Camp, “In a Year With 13 Moons” Yale Rep

Paul Giamatti, “Hamlet” Yale Rep

Edward Kassar, “Other People’s Money” Ivoryton Playhouse

Jamil A. C. Mangan, “The Mountaintop” TheaterWorks

Rene Millan, “American Night” Yale Rep

John Douglas Thompson, “Satchmo at the Waldorf” Long Wharf

Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical

Lena Mary Amato, “Hairspray” CT Rep

Corrine C. Broadbent, “Joseph” STONC

Juliet Lampert Pratt, “Next to Normal” MTC Mainstage

Teal Wicks, “Carousel” Goodspeed

Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical

Max Biantz, “The Immigrant” Seven Angels

Christopher DeRosa, “Joseph” STONC

Jefferson Mays, “A Gentleman’s Guide…” Hartford Stage

Kevin Meaney, “Hairspray” CT Rep

James Snyder, “Carousel” Goodspeed

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play

Monica Santana, “In a Year With 13 Moons” Yale Rep

Jeanine Serralles, “Tartuffe” Westport Country Playhouse

Sara Topham, “Hedda Gabler” Hartford Stage

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play

Jarlath Conroy, “Hamlet” Yale Rep

David Greenspan, “Marie Antoinette” Yale Rep

Adam Green, “Twelfth Night” Hartford Stage

Marc Kudisch, “Hamlet” Yale Rep

Jordan Lage, “Ride the Tiger” Long Wharf

Sam Redford, “Hedda Gabler” Hartford Stage

Kevin Tighe, “Curse of the Starving Class” Long Wharf

Bruce Turk, “Twelfth Night” Hartford Stage

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical

Tessa Faye, “Good News” Goodspeed

Jenn Gambatese, “Carousel” Goodspeed

Beth Glover, “Good News” Goodspeed

Lisa O’Hare, “A Gentleman’s Guide…” Hartford Stage

Hanna Kaplan, “Hairspray” CT Rep

Chilina Kennedy, “A Gentleman’s Guide…” Hartford Stage

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical

Ken Barnett, “A Gentleman’s Guide…” Hartford Stage

Alex Gibson, “Pirates of Penzance” CT Rep

Jeff Kready, “Carousel” Goodspeed

Scott Ripley, “Hairspray” CRT

Barry Shafrin, “Good News” Goodspeed

Brett Stoelker, “Next to Normal” Seven Angels

Outstanding Ensemble

Marty Bongfeldt, John Flaherty, John Little, Michael McGurk, Jo Anne Parady, “Ancestral Voices” MTC

Jimmy Davis, Daniel Jenkins, Leroy McClain, Alex Muggridge, Lucy Owen, Melle Powers, Alice Ripley, “Clybourne Park” Long Wharf

Heidi Armbruster, Chris Henry Coffey, Keira Naughton, Jake Robards, Charles Socarides, Jennifer Van Dyck, “The Dining Room” Westport Country Playhouse

Eric Bryant, Laura Esposito, Lucas Hall, Jess Watkins , “Almost, Maine” Hartford TheaterWorks

Outstanding Debut

Alexis Molnar, “Harbor” Westport Country Playhouse

Nathan J. Russo, “Oliver” Ivoryton Playhouse

Jubilant Sykes, “Breath & Imagination” Hartford Stage

Outstanding Choreography

Parker Esse, “Carousel” Goodspeed

Gerry McIntyre, “Hairspray” CT Rep

Anne-B Parson, “Man in a Case” Hartford Stage

Peggy Hickey, “A Gentleman’s Guide…” Hartford Stage

Vince Pesce, “ Good News” Goodspeed

Doug Shankman, “Joseph” STONC

Outstanding Set Design

Wilson Chin,

“Tartuffe” Westport Country Playhouse
“Abundance” Hartford Stage

Alexander Dodge,

“A Gentleman’s Guide…” Hartford Stage

“Twelfth Night” Hartford Stage

Riccardo Hernandez, “Marie Antoinette” Yale Rep
Posey Knight, “His Girl Friday” CT Rep
Michael Schweikardt,

“Carousel” Goodspeed

“Tryst” TheaterWorks

Michael Yeargan, “The Dining Room” Westport Country Playhouse

David Zinn, “In a Year With 13 Moons” Yale Rep

Outstanding Costume Design

Gabriel Barry, “Marie Antoinette” Yale Rep

Linda Cho,

“A Gentleman’s Guide...” Hartford Stage

“Twelfth Night” Hartford Stage

Olivera Gajic, “Pirates of Penzance” CT Rep

Ilona Somogyi, “Tartuffe” Westport Country Playhouse
Fabio Toblini, “Hedda Gabler” Hartford Stage

Outstanding Lighting Design

Christopher Akerlind, “Marie Antionette”                Yale Rep

Mary Jo Dondlinger, “Almost, Maine”                     TheaterWorks

John Lasiter, “ Carousel”                                           Goodspeed

Matthew Richards, “Tartuffe”                                   Westport Country Playhouse

Philip Rosenberg
                           “The Year of Magical Thinking”    Westport Country Playhouse
                           "A Gentleman’s Guide…”               Hartford Stage

Jennifer Tipton   “Man in a Case”                               Hartford Stage

Jennifer Tipton and Yi Zhao, “In a Year With 13 Moons”           Yale Rep

Outstanding Sound Design

Michael Attias, “In a Year With 13 Moons” Yale Rep

Tei Blow, “Man in a Case” Hartford Stage

Leah Gelpe, “January Joiner” Long Wharf

Matt Hubbs, “Marie Antoinette” Yale Rep

Keri Klick. “Hamlet” Yale Rep

Theater Review: Twelfth Night -- Hartford Stage

2013-05-27T06:28:00.001-07:00

The cast. Photo: T. Charles Erickson

The Staging is So Delicious, It’s the Food of Love

“If music be the food of love, play on,
Give me excess of it; that surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die.”

By Lauren Yarger
Hartford Stage’s presentation of Twelfth Night, directed by Darko Tresnjak, is so sumptuous, so pleasing to look at and so cleverly staged that it’s possible our appetite for any other setting for William Shakespeare’s classic might be slaked.

Before we even begin the tale of Viola (Kate MacCluggage who starred in Hartford Stage’s Bell Book and Candle), shipwrecked and believing that her twin brother, Sebastian (Joe Paulik) has been lost at sea when she assumes the role of Cesario, a male servant to Duke Orsino (Lea Coco), we’re mesmerized by the setting of Illyria: a circular, green foliage-covered, English hedge maze, bordered by shrubs and a colorful backdrop designed by Alexander Dodge.

Viola emerges water-soaked from the depths of the hedge. Orsino, languishing in his bath tub, rises up out of the center of the maze, as does a wooden globe. Both double later respectively as a putting green and a prison. The object of Orsino’s affection, Olivia (Stacey Yen), and her ladies in waiting (Hartt students Celina Lopez, Katherine Schenker and Arielle Solomon who probably most appreciate the quote “O, had I but followed the arts…”) gracefully leap over wooden bridges linking the tops of the rings of the maze while Malvolio (Bruce Turk), walks below in the trenches offering up a hand to help his mistress.

The ensemble is attired in costumes that evoke a 1920s theme while also giving a sense of the flowing gowns and formal attire from the Elizabethan period when the play first would have been performed. Equally at home here are sword fighters Cesario and Sir Andrew Aguecheek (an amusing Andrew Green), the fool, Jeste (Che Avende, who performs some of non-era specific original music composed by Sound Designers David Budries and Nathan A. Roberts), sporting a Harlequin clown outfit with black and white diamonds and red accent and Olivia in her flowing flapper-esque gown. Costumer Designer Linda Cho marks her 40th collaboration with Tresnjak on this production. Craig Handel choreographs the fight.

To borrow from the play’s most famous quote, Tresnjak’s greatness (he was artistic director of the Old Globe Shakespeare Festival in San Diego before taking the helm at Hartford Stage) is thrust upon the ensemble resulting in some standout performances for minor characters in addition to the featured turns by Green and Turk (who, as one of the most brooding Malvolios ever, does a really memorable bit trying to force a smile): Miles Spencer-Davis as drunken Sir Toby Belch; Jennifer Reagan as Olivia’s plotting maid, Maria; and another Hartt student, Josh Boscarino, as Valentine and a priest. Loved the conspirators hiding down in the hedge with heads (and drink glasses) popping in and out as Malvolio walks into their trap.

While the staging is great, this version lacks some chemistry between the players, however. We’re not convinced about Viola’s love for Orsino (or his growing, unnerving attraction to Cesario, the page he believes to be a man), the underlying sparks between Maria and Toby or that Olivia is excited to find herself married to Sebastian rather than Cesario.

Mistaken identity, plots for revenge and love combine for a romantic comedy that is music to look at, though. Let it play on and on. Well, until June 16 at least. That will be the last day you can catch Twelfth Night at Hartford Stage, 50 Church St., Hartford. Performances: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 7:30 pm; Friday and Saturday at 8 pm; Matinees Sunday and select Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2 pm. Tickets $26.50-$93.50 with discounts for groups and students (show recommended for 12 and up). (860) 527-5151; www.hartfordstage.org.

Here's a fun time lapse video showing the construction of the fabulous set for Twelfth Night:

Theater Review: A Couple of Blaguards -- Long Wharf

2013-05-27T06:16:00.000-07:00

Howard Platt amd Jarlath Conroy. Photo courtesy of Long Wharf.

A Bit of Blarney Seasons This Savory Irish Stew
By Lauren Yarger
Two brothers reminisce about growing up as A Couple of Blaguards in Limerick, Ireland in a mix of humor and moving vignettes written by real-life siblings Frank McCourt (“Angela’s Ashes”) and Malachy McCourt (“A Monk Swimming”).

Bringing the brothers to life at Long Wharf Theatre are Howard Platt (who also directs) as Malachy and Jarlath Conroy as Frank. The two share memories, burst into song and evoke laughter as they recreate moments from their shared childhood.

The cast of characters include their rather scary grandmother, a fire-and-brimstone-preaching priest, an intimidating insurance collector and others, created by the quick donning of a shawl, a collar or a cap. Their story moves from Ireland to their experiences as immigrants in America for the second act (a 90-minute, no-intermission format probably would serve better than the two hours broken by intermission).

McCourt thickens his stew with some moving, sadder memories that bring out the flavor: there is a poignant retelling, for example, of the death of their brother and of how Frank and Malachy “play” having a wake for him. The pathos and comments on trivial everyday matters combine to take us on a pleasant stroll down an emerald-colored memory lane.

The show predates either of the McCourt brothers’ most famous works, “Angela’s Ashes” and “A Monk Swimming.” The brothers first performed it in the 1970s for family and friends.

“Malachy stood behind the bar and told his customers stories. I stood before the blackboard and told my students stories. At holiday gatherings we told our families stories. They said, ‘Why not get together, cobble these stories into a script and tell the world,’” Frank said.

A Couple of Blaguards runs through June 2 at Long Wharf theatre, Stage II, 222 Sargent Drive, new Haven. Performances: Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 pm; Thursday and Saturday at 8 pm; Wednesday and Sunday at 2 pm. Tickets $40 (203)-787-4282; www.longwharf.org.

Directors Set for O'Neill's Playwrights Conference

2013-05-24T15:45:00.000-07:00

Wendy C. Goldberg, Artistic Director of the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Playwrights Conference, announced today directors of the eight projects selected for development at the 2013 Conference.

The directors are Kent Thompson, Artistic Director of the Denver Center Theater Company; the Goodman Theatre's Playwright in Residence Seth Bockley; Associate Artistic Director of Seattle Repertory Theatre Braden Abraham; Giovanna Sardelli; Geordie Broadwater; Director of New Play Development at Playwrights Horizons Adam Greenfield; Michael Rau; and Goldberg.

Goldberg remarked, "It's wonderful to welcome back some National Playwrights Conference alums as well as a number of new directors to our summer. It's exciting to have the next generation of new play directors with us to help shape and tell these timely new stories."

The Solid Sand Below
by Martín Zimmerman
Directed by Kent Thompson
Performances: July 3 at 8:15pm; July 4 at 8:15pm

Samsara
by Lauren Yee
Directed by Seth Bockley
Performances: July 5 at 7:15pm; July 6 at 8:15pm

A Great Wilderness
by Samuel D. Hunter
Directed by Braden Abraham
Performances: July 10 at 8:15pm; July 11 at 8:15pm

Little Children Dream of God
by Jeff Augustin
Directed by Giovanna Sardelli
Performances: July 12 at 7:15pm; July 13 at 8:15pm

The Oregon Trail
by Bekkah Brunstetter
Directed by Geordie Broadwater
Performances: July 17 at 8:15pm; July 18 at 8:15pm

All the Roads Home
by Jen Silverman
Directed by Adam Greenfield
Performances: July 19 at 7:15pm; July 20 at 3:15pm

Evanston: A Rare Comedy
by Michael Yates Crowley
Directed by Michael Rau
Performances: July 24 at 8:15pm; July 25 at 8:15pm

Lost Lake
by David Auburn
Directed by Wendy C. Goldberg
Performances: July 26 at 7:15pm; July 27 at 8:15pm

Schedules are subject to change. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, June 5. Please call the O’Neill Box Office at (860) 443-1238 or visit www.theoneill.org for times, prices and reservations.

HSO Wraps Up Season with Rites of Spring

2013-05-24T15:43:00.001-07:00

Carolyn Kuan conducts the HSO.

Led by HSO music director Carolyn Kuan, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra will close the 2012-2013 Season performing Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring 100 years after its explosively controversial premiere at Unexpected Sounds on Thursday, May 30 – Sunday, June 2, 2013 at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts.

Scandal and controversy surrounded the short-lived premiere production of the Rite of Spring. The story, set in ancient Russia, involves the sacrifice of a young girl who dances herself to death to ensure the return of spring. At its premiere in Paris on May 29, 1913, Stravinsky's extraordinary, complex, and strikingly modern music combined with Vaslav Nijinsky's unorthodox choreography, with toes turned in instead of out and arms and heads oddly bent, caused the audience to erupt in fury. Shouts, catcalls, whistles, even fisticuffs grew so menacing that often the orchestra could not be heard. The producer flashed the house lights on and off in a vain attempt to restore order; Nijinsky, when he was not on stage, pounded wildly on the scenery with his fists to keep the dancers together. No one could deny, however, the ferocious, overwhelming power of the music, and audiences could not help but be swept away by its awesome and wonderful maelstrom of exquisitely executed sound.

The HSO will honor this groundbreaking premiere 100 years later with four full performances of Rite of Spring, featuring more than 100 musicians onstage and a soloist from The Hartt School dancing the female sacrifice. As with the premiere in 1913, the first half of the program will feature excerpts from a traditional ballet, Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake¸ and will include performances by dancers from The Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts.

The performances will open with Huang Ruo’s Concerto for Sheng, a Chinese mouth organ, as performed by international Sheng virtuoso Wu Wei. This concerto, as Rite of Spring did 100 years ago, highlights the unusual and unexpected sounds an orchestra can generate, and features unusual instruments- including conch shells!

The sets and costumes from the original production were designed and created by the mystical painter and professional ethnographer Nikolai Roerich. Three of the original costumes and a sketch by Roerich will be on display at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford starting from May 29-June 23. Patrons who visit the museum from May 29-June 2 may present their admission receipt in person at HSO Ticket Services on May 29- 31 or at The Bushnell Box Office from May 29-June 2 to receive $5 off an adult ticket (does not apply to previously purchased tickets). Additionally, HSO audiences will be able to present their Rite of Spring performance ticket stub at the Wadsworth Atheneum from May 31-June 23 to receive $5 off museum admission. For more information about the Wadsworth Atheneum, please visit www.thewadsworth.org.

Sheng soloist Wu Wei, born 1970 in China, is a Distinguished Professor of the Shanghai Music Conservatory. In addition to many prestigious national and international competitions for traditional Chinese music, he won the “Musica Vitale Competition Germany” in 1996 and 2002, and the “Global Root” German world music prize in 2004. In 2011, he won the Herald Angels Award by Edinburgh International Festival. He has appeared as a soloist with many leading orchestras and ensembles, including the Berliner Philharmonic Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra under Gustavo Dudamel, Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, and Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, amongst many others.

Calendar Listing:
HSO MASTERWORKS SERIES:
UNEXPECTED SOUNDS: Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring
Featuring Carolyn Kuan, conductor; Wu Wei, sheng; Dancers from the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts and The Hartt School Dance Division
Thursday, May 30, 2013 │ 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 31, 2013 │ 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 1, 2013 │ 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 2, 2013 │ 3:00 p.m.
Belding Theater │ The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Program: Igor Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring); Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Selections from Swan Lake; Huang Ruo: “The Color Yellow” Concerto for Sheng and Chamber Orchestra
Ticket Information: Tickets to this concert range in price from $35.50-$70.50. Student tickets are $10. On Saturday, June 1, $25 tickets are available for patrons age 40 and under. To purchase tickets or for more information, please contact HSO ticket services at (860) 244-2999 or visit www.hartfordsymphony.org.

Wizards, Vikings, Dragons, Superheroes Take Over Long Wharf This Summer

2013-05-24T15:33:00.003-07:00

Long Wharf Theatre’s education department, now celebrating its 30th year, is offering classes for students ages 7 to 13 with inventive classes, using pop culture to interest children in all aspects of performance. They also give students another option aside from traditional summer camp for enrichment and a good time.

For more information about Long Wharf Theatre’s education programs, visit www.longwharf.org. To sign up for a class, contact Tina Johnson at 203-772-8262 or via e-mail at tina.johnson@longwharf.org.

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

HOGWARTS AFTER HARRY
July 8-12
9 am to 3pm
Ages 8-13
COST: $350
Students will be sorted into houses, learn to cast spells and make potions, meet some magical creatures, and even play a few games of Quidditch! All participants will tie-dye their own t-shirt to show house pride and make their own wand. Parents may come to an “Open House” on the final day to catch a glimpse into this magical world.

Pre and post class care is available for an additional $25 per week. Early drop off starting at 8:30 with late pick up until 5 pm.

VIKING TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
July 15-19
9 am to 3 pm
Ages 8-13
COST: $350
Join us for the adventure of a lifetime: learning to be a Viking and training your very own dragon. Through a series of adventures and quests, each student will find their own dragon egg, which they must care for and train. Parents are invited to the last class for a sharing of epic proportions.

Pre and post class care is available for an additional $25 per week. Early drop off starting at 8:30 with late pick up until 5 pm.

AVENGERS TO THE RESCUE II
July 22-26
9 am to noon
Ages 7-10
COST: $195
Back by popular demand! Create your own superhero and form a team of Avengers with your classmates. Participants will create characters, go through superhero training, and work as a team to achieve their ultimate goal: to save the world! A final celebration will conclude this adventure: please make sure you stop by to congratulate your hero on a job well done.

FOLKTALES
July 29-Aug. 2
9 am to noon
Ages 10-13
COST: $195
Explore folktales and creation myths from around the world. Participants will create puppets, masks, and classroom totem pole. The class will culminate in a final performance for parents.

Shubert Theatre Calendar Listings

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New Haven’s Memorial Day Concert
Sunday, May 26
5 pm

Orchestra New England performs in the City of New Haven 's annual "Memorial Day Concert" at the Shubert Theater - a FREE community event.Tickets are free and be can picked up at the Shubert Box Office the day of the concert (limit 4 per person).

WEST SIDE STORY
May 31–June 2, 2013
Friday 8 pm
Saturday 2 and 8 pm
Sunday 1 and 6:30 pm

LOCATION: Shubert Theater and Box Office, 247 College Street , New Haven CT; 800-228-6622; shubert.com.

What's Coming Up at the Mark Twain House?

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The Mark Twain House -- The Clemens family on the porch, 1885. Credit: The Mark Twain House & Museum

Wednesday, June 5
A freed slave returns to Virginia at the onset of the Civil War to spy on the Confederates in The Secrets of Mary Bowser, and the author of this combination of historical fact and ingenious speculation. Lois Leveen, will be on hand at a special 7 pm (note different time) edition of the Nook Farm Book Talks to tell all about it. The event is free, but registration is encouraged at info@StoweCenter.org or 860-522-9258, Ext. 317.

Saturday, June 8
Annual family-friendly Tom Sawyer Day -- this time with a medieval twist as "Tom Sawyer Day in King Arthur's Court." 10 am to 4 pm. The free event will include crafts and fun activities, magic with Joe Barney, a bouncy castle, medieval wildlife courtesy of the Connecticut Children's Museum, and even more magic with Daniel Greenwolf. Music will include troubadors such as Amy Gallatin and Stillwaters, The Donna Martin Duo, and the Horizon Blue Quartet. Discount tours of the Mark Twain House will be available at $10 for adults and seniors and $5 for children. And to top off the feudal splendor, Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher themselves will be visiting, courtesy of time travel, all the way from Hannibal, Missouri. Magical History Tour, as free buses transport visitors to another big celebration that day -- the Juneteenth Family Day at the Wadsworth Atheneum, run by the Amistad Center for Art and Culture. And our neighbor, the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, celebrates Stowe's 202nd birthday with horse-drawn carriage rides, Abraham Lincoln, Henry Ward Beecher and Harriet herself.

Sunday, June 9
Freelancer and wordsmith Theresa Sullivan Barger will lead a Sunday Afternoon Writers' Workshop at The Mark Twain House & Museum on "The Freelancer's Life." The session, part of the museum's Writing at the Mark Twain House program, will run from 1 to 4 pm. Tuition is $40; call 860-280-3130 to register. The session is limited to 18. so early registration is encouraged. Workshops are open to all level of experience.

Wednesday, June 12
A fresh look at the way Twain is remembered through his homes as scholar Hilary Iris Lowe speaks on "Mark Twain's Homes & Literary Tourism." Lowe is the author of the book of the same name, which untangles the complicated ways that Samuel L. Clemens's homes, now mainly museums, have come to tell the stories that they do. Her lecture is part of the museum's series "The Trouble Begins at 5:30," which is free and preceded by a wine-and-hors d'oeuvres reception at 5 pm. A booksigning will follow the event.

The house and museum at 351 Farmington Ave. are open Monday through Saturday, 9:30 am to 5:30 pm and Sunday, noonto 5:30 pm. For more information, call 860-247-0998 or visit www.marktwainhouse.org.

Quick Hit Theater Review: Next to Normal -- Seven Angels

2013-05-18T12:37:00.003-07:00

Semina De Laurentis and Victor Hernndez. Photo: Paul Roth

Next to Normal
Music by Tom Kitt
Book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey
Music Director Zachary Ryan
Directed and Choreographed by Janine Molinari; Assistant Director: John T. Lynes; Costumes by Three-J's Stitching
Seven Angels Theatre

What's It All About?
Just a typical American family. Mom Diana (Seven Angels' Atristic Director Semina De Laurentis) makes lunch sandwiches for her loving husband, Dan (Victor Hernandez) and daughter, Natalie (Mandy Thompson) while gazing adoringly at her son, Gabe (Brett Stoelker), but from the first twisted chord of Tom Kitt's music, it's clear that not everything is normal in this suburban home. Diana, in fact, suffers from bipolar disorder, and when she stops taking her meds, her behavior affects everyone around her.

Dan tries to keep things together and pretends everything will be normal. Natalie feels neglected and loses herself in her studies, new boyfriend, Henry (Johnny Newcomb), and drugs while Gabe encourages his mother to stay off her meds. When the drugs don't seem to work, the doctor (Daniel C. Levine) suggests an even harsher treatment: shock therapy.

What are the Highlights?
Kitt's score and Brian Yorgey's book and lyrics combine for one of the deepest and moving shows to hit a Broadway stage. It's not the typical subject matter for a musical (the theater suggests that it is appropriate for children 16 and up), but you should take advantage of an opportunity to see this excellent rock musical, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. That sandwich-making scene in the opening act is terrific as directed by Janine Molinari with De Laurentis skillfully portraying the frenzied breakdown as Diana tries to cope. Later she also belts out a lovely version of "I Miss the Mountains." Hernandez conveys love and confusion (especially in singing the song "He's Not Here.") Thompson lends a full range of vocal ability and Stoelker is spot-on (could have sworn I was watching original Broadway cast member Aaron Tveit) as the boy who pulls his mother deeper into the darkness. He nails "I'm Alive."

Two elderly women bopping to the beat of the exit music.

What are the Lowlights?
Sound (Matthew Martin, design). Voices don't blend well, there is popping in the speakers and everyone is shouting. The tempo is off at times. Lighting (Matt Guminski, design) is too dim. Yes, we get that the lighting reflects Diana's moods, but sometimes she's feeling a little too dark for us to see what's going on in the two levels of the house (Erik D. Diaz, scenic design). Because the house is built out of frames on such a small stage, it looks as though Natalie and Henry are practicing music on top of the roof instead of in a studio.

More information:
Next to Normal runs through June 9 at Seven Angels Theatre, 1 Plank Road, Waterbury. Tickets: http://sevenangelstheatre.org/.

Special events:
Sweet Maria’s Night, May 31
Fascia’s Chocolate Night, June 1
Wine & Martini Night, June 7
Sundaes on Sunday June 9

There will be a talk back session Sunday, June 9 after the performance with a panel facilitated by the Wellmore Group. The discussions will include a Q&A session about mental health and its impact on people and families, and about the mental health issues portrayed in the show.

(No performances Memorial Weekend, May 23-27)

Theater Review: Clybourne Park -- Long Wharf

2013-05-18T11:26:00.001-07:00

Daniel Jenkins, Alice Ripley, Melle Powers, Alex Moggridge, LeRoy McClain, Jimmy Davis and Lucy Owen. Photo: T. Charles Erickson

Racism Takes Up Residence in Clybourne Park, both Past and Present

By Lauren Yarger

Have you heard the one about a little white man thrown in a jail cell with a big black guy? If not, you can catch this, and a few other offensive jokes over at Long Wharf Theatre, where they pepper the dialogue in Bruce Norris’ Clybourne Park, the Pulitzer-Prize winning play that explores themes of racism, gentrification and the way Americans relate to each other.

Norris borrows a character from Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun to link stories set in a house in the Clybourne Park section of North Chicago through the decades. In 1959, Russ and Bev (Daniel Jenkins and Tony Award winner Alice Ripley) have sold their home (beautifully designed with bungalow wood trim and detail by Frank Alberino) and are packing for the move. Well, Russ isn’t really doing any of the packing. He’s been sitting around in a funk while Bev supervises her housekeeper, Francine (Melle Powers), who does the work.

Their pastor, tipped off by Bev’s concern about her husband stops by, but Russ isn’t willing to listen to his preaching. He’s still bitter about the death of his son, who committed suicide after his experiences in the Korean War.

The discussion really gets ugly when Hansberry’s character Karl Linder (Alex Moggridge) and his wife, Betsy (Lucy Owen) show up to say the neighborhood association has countered the offer Russ and Bev accepted on their home because the buyers are “colored” (they are, in fact, the Younger family from A Raisin in the Sun).

He tries to elicit the support of Francine and her husband, Albert (Leroy McClain) in making a case that black families really don’t want to live in Clybourne Park. Tempers flare and some unpleasant truths are exposed about the era’s collective prejudice with regards to race, vets returning from war and physical handicaps (Betsy is deaf and references are made to a mentally challenged individual who bags groceries at the local market).

Fast forward to 2009. The home, now a shell of its former self, covered in graffiti, is destined for demolition by the white couple, Lindsey and Steve (Owen and Moggridge) who have just bought it. They arrive with their attorney, Kathy (Ripley) to meet about a petition they have received by neighbors concerned about the height of the proposed new home (and in reality, about the gentrification of the now black neighborhood as whites seek affordable property within commuting distance to the city).

Lena (Powers), the great niece of the home’s first black owner, and her husband, Kevin (McClain) show up with their attorney, Tom (Davis) to try to protect the integrity of the neighborhood, where Kathy also has roots, it turns out.

Once again, an attempt to discuss issues in a civilized fashion is thwarted by underlying prejudice (this is where those ugly jokes get told) and before it’s all over, blacks, whites, women, gays and just about everyone else can consider themselves offended by this group which tries to be oh, so politically correct and polite. In the midst of the confusion, a construction worker (Jenkins) discovers a footlocker linking present with past and proving that while some things have changed in this nation with regards to prejudice, we still have a long way to go.

Clybourne Park won last year’s Tony Award for Best Play as well as the 2011 Pulitzer and Olivier. Despite the accolades, this play can tend toward boring at times, even though it is well written and witty and runs only two hours (it doesn’t seem as sharp as other Pulitzer winners to me, but I’ve never won one, so who am I to judge?) Directed by Eric Ting, there also is something missing in the dynamic between characters, though the dual roles are well done by all of the players. (Ripley, usually a dynamo on stage, seems stilted here to me.) The characters say their lines, but there is no energy fueling the electric nature, or undercurrent of what they are saying.

The conversation will continue off stage, however. Long Wharf Theatre and the New Haven Free Public Library have announced “Stage. Page. Engage,” a series of community conversations taking place in May about the complex issues of race and real estate in the city of New Haven.

Local historians Colin Caplan, Tom Ficklin, and Clifton Graves will discuss the evolution of the particular city neighborhood where the conversation is being held. In addition to the local historians, people from each neighborhood are encouraged to attend and offer their own personal perspectives on the place where they live. Ting will introduce each neighborhood exploration with a scene from Long Wharf Theatre’s production of Clybourne Park, presented by local actors.

All talks are free and open to the public:

Saturday, May 18, 1 pm at the Stetson Library, 200 Dixwell Ave. 203-946-8119, with Ficklin and Graves.
Monday, May 20, 6 pm at the Mitchell Library, 37 Harrison St., 203-946-8117, with Ficklin and Caplan.
Tuesday, May 28, 6 pm at the Wilson Library, 303 Washington Ave., 203-946-2228, with Caplan.
Saturday, June, 1 p.m. at the Fair Haven Library, 182 Grand Ave., 203-946-8115, with Ficklin and Caplan.

Clybourne Park runs through June 2 on the Mainstage at Long wharf Theatre, 222 Sargent Drive,
New Haven. Tickets are $40-$70: 203-787-4282: www.longwharf.org. See a video trailer for the show here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0kH26YKcTo.

Theater Review: The Dining Room -- Westport

2013-05-14T12:23:00.002-07:00

Jennifer VanDyck and Jake Robards. Photo: Carol Rosegg

The Dining Room
By A.R. Gurney
Directed by Mark Lamos
Westport Country Playhouse

What's It All About?
A poignant and funny look at generations of folks whose lives made stops or overlapped in an opulent dining room. The actors (a fine ensemble of Heidi Armbruster, Chris Henry Coffey, Jake Robards, Charles Socarides and Jennifer Van Dyck) play various owners and servants in the home over the years, often portraying the same characters at different ages (including juveniles). It's a look back at different times and a sobering realization that some things don't change.

What are the highlights?
Director Mark Lamos coaxes compelling performances from the ensemble and maintains a brisk pace which keeps the quiet piece (less laugh-out-loud than some of Gurney's other works) from inducing yawns (which this play can trigger i the wrong hands).

Scenic Director Michael Yeargan paints everything in a blue gray color -- the walls, furniture, floors and all -- in a stroke of genius that allows the lives of the room' inhabitants to be the real color the house offers.

What are the Lowlights?
A tad confusing from time to time to figure out who's who and what year we're in, but not enough to throw us off for long.

More information:
This is the season opener (the 83rd) for Westport Country Playhouse. An extra performance has been added on Sunday, May 19, at 3 pm Performances are Tuesday at 8 pm, Wednesday at 2 and 8 pm, Thursday and Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 3 and 8 pm and Sunday at 3. Ticket prices start at $30: (203) 227-4177,1-888-927-7529, Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport, www.westportplayhouse.org.

Mandy Patinkin to Appear at Long Wharf

2013-05-14T10:34:00.004-07:00

A special ONE NIGHT ONLY engagement
Friday, June 7
8:00 p.m. performance
Tickets: $125
(includes complimentary pre-show cocktail)

LONG WHARF THEATRE
BOX OFFICE: 203-787-4282 | WWW.LONGWHARF.ORG

Harriet Beecher Stowe Center Offers Salon Program on Mental Health

2013-05-14T10:27:00.002-07:00

Salons at Stowe Mental Health:
Stigmas, Stereotypes & Solutions

May 16 5-7 p.m.
Harriet Beecher Stowe Center

How prevalent is mental illness in our community?
Is mental health treatment accessible to all?
How can we support individuals and families struggling with mental health issues?

Join the discussion with
Harold I. Schwartz, M.D.,
Hartford Hospital Institute of Living and
Sara Frankel, J.D.
National Alliance on Mental Illness Connecticut.

Click here for more information

RSVP or 860-522-9258, ext. 317.

77 Forest St., Hartford, CT 06105

HarrietBeecherStowe.org

860-522-9258

Arts Week

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