The Stage is the Place

Second or Third Impressions? Mark Blankenship

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 04:49:00 +0000

So, I met Mark Blankenship again at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center after a long period of us not running into each other during shows. If I remember correctly, Mark and I met twice before, with the first time burned into my brain. I was very new to reviewing and sitting by myself at a show, when a bold, young chap came sauntering over to me to inquire about who I was and who I wrote for. He gave me his business card, but alas, I could not return the favor. I remember thinking to myself that Mark was confident and in complete possession of himself, whatever that really means. Then I ran into him at a second show where he said my guffawing kept him more enthralled then the production did.

Yeah, right.

Actually, he did say that he remembered my laughter, but you can nix the part about him being enthralled. He wasn't.

I was happy to see Mark at the O'Neill because he had a fresh perspective on the industry as it stands. Plus, he does quite well for himself.

I never had a chance to officially hang out with Mark before, but the weekend that he was at the O'Neill turned out to be pretty fun. First, he gave me some pretty good compliments about an article that I wrote about an unnamed Pulitzer-Prize winner. He led the seminar on interviewing techniques with my piece. I was beaming. Why? Well, if you've been reading my memoirs on the O'Neill bootcamp, you already know that I wasn't coasting through the courses. I was struggling big time. So, to get some kudos from Mark was pretty cool.

Later, we shared some fun times when he played a party game with us that consisted of him telling everyone what the number one song hit was the year of their birth. I don't remember what mine was, but he was amazing. Full of pop trivia and full of knowledge about where theater criticism was headed. And you know, he sat on a Critics vs. Producers panel, and held his own against some of the more seasoned, mature critics and gossip columnists.

So, it's pretty safe to say that I think Mark is a cool guy, and not the square that I originally thought he was when I first met him.

Ulp! Did I just write that? Delete! Delete!

P.S. Mark, please don't unfriend me on Facebook. :)

Rock or Hard Place Progress....

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 04:40:00 +0000

This just in, folks! Now that I'm done with seeing 5% of the Fringe shows-yes, ten-I can now start focusing on writing Rock or Hard Place. I have completed all of my interviews except for one-Captain Grant-but I got enough info from my fantastic interview with Captain Brown, so I think it's more than enough to get me going. I will be transcribing this weekend. Well, I'll try, and I won't actually be transcribing. What I'll be doing is just jotting down a bunch of notes from all of my interviews so that I can form a cohesive story, lol. It was interesting to find out that I won't be able to tell my story in the way that I had originally envisioned because Captain Brown debunked my idea with cold, hard facts, lol! Ah well. It was definitely compelling as a short, but that's what happens when you expand a narrative. You take time to speak to people and find out that your original concept has some holes in it. All part of the creative process, folks. Stay tuned for more details!

Project in the Works: Rock or Hard Place to be expanded!

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 02:21:00 +0000

Last year, I wrote a 20-minute short entitled "Rock or Hard Place" about two, very green U.S. Coast Guardsmen and their encounter with a young Haitian girl and her grandmother trying to smuggle into the United States by boat. The play received a reading last October in the lower east side, but I have yet to find a new venue for it. Well, about a month ago, I decided that I was going to expand that short into a full-length play and turn "Rock or Hard Place" into the first of a trilogy of plays about Haiti.

Many of you don't know this, but I was born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti until I was nine. I've been away from my native country for a long time, but recently, I've been feeling my Haitian blood coursing through my veins stronger than it ever has before. I think I have a calling to try to change the way Haiti is portrayed by the media in America.

You see, I remember Haiti with fondness. A great, big ole' helping of it. When I was in Haiti, it was the happiest that I've ever been in my whole life. The country was, and still is, rich with many different cultures that I learned a lot from. And because I was exposed to many different nations who accepted me as I accepted them, it allowed me to be dropped into any type of situation with all races and classes with relative ease in my adult life. I remember a household where there was plenty of food to eat and abundant crops on our property. I remember giant plantains and banana trees that looked like they were uprooted from the original Garden of Eden. A place where everyone was kind. A place where the education was far more advanced at Quisqueya Christian School than some of the schools that I attended when I moved to America. A place where friendships remained tight and only dissolved with too much distance instead of fickleness.

I remember a lot of wonderful things, things that have been blotted out by incessant reporting in the news about how poor it is, and how it's filled with ungodly spirits (voodoo). Last year and this year, there have been more talk about the rapes, kidnappings and continuous people smuggling in the news. Yes, there is that dark side. But there is also the light.

I have been doing quite a bit of research for my play. I have been speaking with people who were recently in Haiti, lawyers who handle immigration, and people who feel as strongly as I do about changing the face of Haiti. I am extremely excited, as this project is coming from the heart. I hope to have Rock or Hard Place completed by mid-September.

It's an ambitious deadline, but I'm up for the task.

First Impressions: Michael Feingold

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 02:12:00 +0000

There was a collective hush in the cafeteria at The Eugene O'Neill when Michael Feingold walked in. Everyone stared in his direction, even those that didn't know what he looked like. Because if you only looked for a moment, you would catch on. Dunno if we were silent because we were in awe of his theater prowess or whether we were amazed that there were so many young actors milling about him (sorry, Michael, I guess what happened at the O'Neill didn't stay at the O'Neill), or both. But I soon learned firsthand that he deserved every bit of attention that he commanded.

Michael Feingold is smart. No, scratch that. He's not just smart. He's super-brainy in the way that aspiring theater critics want to be or think they are. Except, his knowledge surpasses theater. There was food knowledge and multiple languages flowing out of his mouth so casually that I don't think he was even aware that he was dropping science on us. Well, no. He was definitely aware. But that's only because he's not only knowledgeable but confident. And the confident naturally attract an audience without even trying.

I would have loved a one-on-one with Feingold, but unfortunately, there was no time. At any rate, I wanted to make sure that I put something in front of him that was at least half-way polished.

The day he critiqued our reviews was a nerve-racking day for me, but I made sure I sat as close to him as I possibly could. We were seated in the library, where Feingold sat at the head of the table with his back facing a large window. I remember looking through the window at the small, green hill below it, and thinking to myself: "self, if he doesn't like it, you can always plunge through the window and roll down into the bushes. It won't kill you, but it will make a statement." All joking aside, Feingold's opinion did mean a lot, and I was happy to get a favorable one.

As I read my review of the revival of a well-known musical (unlike some of the other mentors, Feingold preferred that we read our own instead of another critic fellow reading for us), his eyes lingered over the words, reflecting over them thoughtfully.

There was a pregnant pause.

Finally, he said, and I'll never forget it, "this summary....is...very good." Score! Even if the next words out of his mouth were going to tear the rest of the review down (they weren't), I was content, no thrilled, with the first ones. It truly was a triumphant moment for me.

Feingold doesn't realize it, but we were friends on Facebook well before bootcamp. Hopefully after this post, I won't find myself de-friended. :)

First Impressions: Andy Propst

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 14:35:00 +0000

Andy Propst had the wrong impression of me from the very beginning. Why? Because my fellow critic fellows filled him with tall tales about a budding romance between myself and another playwright that was there.

There was no romance, only a fauxmance.

We met in the cafeteria (I miss you terribly, crispy bacon) during lunchtime at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center.

Wait, back up.

Andy was later kind enough to remind me that we had actually seen each other before in New York. We were both there to review a marginally entertaining but wholly misguided play. I wish I remembered which one it was. All I remember is skits, ice skating, and vaudeville.

Later, Andy sat in on my humbling session with Mark Charney, but didn't lead it. He had plenty of opportunity later though to lead three sessions about blogging.

Andy was funny as heck, although some of the jokes that he told were at my love life's expense. He made sure that he ran with the fauxmance story. But I had to laugh. Of all the mentors that were there, he was the most relaxed and really knew how to have fun.

He was also the mentor that taught us the most about the future. He taught us about blogging, and where that was headed. Coincidentally, those sessions are probably what lit a fire under my tush to start blogging again, so I thank him for that.

Apart from Dominic Papatola, he was also the mentor that I stretched the limit with...in a good way. The review that I turned into him was probably the snarkiest, but at least it was clever. I shall always remember "I'da left by now if I was sitting by the exit."

Sometimes, I just can't resist!

And a musical said "Ha!"

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 04:45:00 +0000

Tonight, I was pleasantly surprised. No, scratch that. I was absolutely ecstatic when I decided to follow through on my plan for the day instead of bailing out of it.

I woke up dead tired this morning. Not a little tired, which I'm accustomed to (this is the nature of night owls whose brains won't shut off), but -I could have slept through next week- tired. I was going through the day, keeping myself constantly busy as a way to stave off narcolepsy, and started to wonder whether I could make it through the night. Boy, am I glad that I stuck it out.

I met my fabulous friend Rachel down at the Public Theater for Dougal Irvine's Departure Lounge, a new musical playing there as part of the Summer Play Festival. I've said this before, but I'll say it again. For the record:

I am usually not a fan of musicals.

In fact, once upon a time, I would do anything that I could to avoid them. However, after delighting in, cackling loudly at, and wondering if I could take a look at the book and lyrics-

PLEASE NOTE: I HAVE NEVER, EVER WONDERED ABOUT A MUSICAL'S LYRICS, AND I'M A WRITER!

-I realized that I was caught up in the rapture that is Departure Lounge.

Now, I won't go into any detail about what I thought of the production because none of the Summer Play Festival shows are open for review, but I have to say that I went crazy over it.

My friend and I had a good ole' rocking time.

I will also say that I was tickled raw about seeing Nick Blaemire in action. Returning to the festival from playing Chris in Joe Iconis' The Black Suits last year, Blaemire went from assuming a character with a family struggling to make something of himself to a character without a family struggling to realize that he already became something. His character Pete in Departure Lounge is not a complete break from his SPF predecessor, but Blaemire is making some good moves. I'm keeping my eye on this one.

So, a musical said "Ha!" to me tonight. "Ha!", as in, you really can enjoy me if you allow yourself. It's not that this is the first musical that I've ever been entertained by. There have been others, particularly in the not so distant past. But I wasn't expecting to find this kind of gem tonight. Especially since I almost skipped it.

I may not have gotten some early shut-eye, but definitely no remorse and no regrets.

Passion where you least expect it

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 02:51:00 +0000

This afternoon, I arrived at the 3pm showing of Tender (Summer Play Festival) with only a few minutes to spare. There were seats spread out sporadically in the theater, but I saw a few empty ones near an elderly couple in the front row that I couldn't resist.

I wasn't prepared for the experience that I was about to have.

I was about to see passion in two distinct, but beautiful forms.

As the 75-minute drama by Nicki Bloom progressed, the elderly man was alternating between whispering choice lines from the dialogue to his wife (she was hard of hearing) and paraphrasing what the characters were saying to one another.

At least, he thought he was whispering.

His words were audible enough to the point where I almost got annoyed, but then I realized something else was happening besides the disturbance of my focus on the piece. I was watching tenderness at work in the audience along with tenderness on stage.

This man was taking the time to be the ears for his wife. He wasn't able to feed her all of the information (I'm quite certain that a few people behind us might have hoisted him out of there if he tried), but he gave her enough to get the gist of what was going on. He never got impatient even when his wife wanted more than his hushed tone would allow. He simply restated what was said, cradling her head with his hands and speaking into her ear with a gentleness that it seemed many years between them must have forged. It was understated, but to me, that was passion for her.

The other passion was the one they both seemed to have for theater. Why else would they come when the wife would have trouble understanding what was going on, and the husband, our charming interpreter, would fall asleep from time to time? It made me smile.

At the end of the show, the husband stood up to help his wife to her feet, and stumbled on the steps instead. It was a harrowing few seconds when I was afraid that he might go down, but there she was, catching his fall like he had caught her enjoyment of the play. Her words of concern spoke passion for him.

Here I thought I was just going to be enjoying an afternoon in theater. Instead, I got a lesson in love and a reminder about the importance of creating and producing drama. Isn't it grand when you get more than you anticipated?

Sue Jean Kim has a stalker!

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 03:43:00 +0000

And that stalker is me. I admit it.

But she won't get any threats of violence or creepiness from me. Just hurrays!

A couple of weeks ago, I watched as Sue Jean Kim played an unassuming but astute, shy but passionate, long-suffering character named Emma in Julia Cho's latest, The Language Archive (Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's Playwright's Conference). There were parts of this piece that stirred something awake deep within me, and moved me to tears. Kelly Hires and I sat next to each other, both shedding water, but pretending not to. We were tough critics, after all!

As I pondered what this special something was, I realized that all of it was wrapped up in Sue Jean Kim's performance. I was impressed by this young lady, and wanted to see more of her work.

I didn't have to wait long.

Upon returning to New York, I quickly embedded myself in theater, theater, and nothing but theater news to find out what was happening and what I missed while I was tucked away in Connecticut. That's when I came across the 6th annual Summer Play Festival Lineup at the Public Theater. I don't know if I was attracted by all the talk about love or what, but the blurb for Ken Urban's The Happy Sad grabbed me immediately. It was hook, line and sinker soon afterwards when I noticed that Sue Jean Kim was in the cast.

After watching The Happy Sad, I can honestly say that I have now seen two very different sides to Kim. Whereas Emma was content with flying under the radar, her current character Alice, a brazen lesbian with a good heart, is smack in the middle of the radar's sights. It was fascinating to see Kim go from lovelorn to kiddie porn within a matter of weeks.

I say hurray for her spicy turn! I think I'll be keeping a watchful eye on this one. In a raging sea of New York actors, she's hanging ten with the tide.

Okay, again, metaphors that I absolutely know nothing about. Where do I come up with them??

First Impressions: Mark Charney

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 05:15:00 +0000

Alright, I have to dedicate a post to the Charn. The Charn deserves a novel for all that I'd like to say about him, but I'll only give him a few paragraphs here.

Mark Charney was our administrator at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. He collected our assignments every morning at 8:15am, and lambasted us gently (if such a thing could be done gently) when we submitted them a minute or so after the deadline. He was in charge of getting copies made of our odious, I mean outstanding, reviews.

One day when I was at my personal worst, he served as one of our mentors. Our homework was to use five adjectives in our whole review. Not only did I exceed the number by four or so, but I also managed to be a bit incoherent. Mark did have one nice thing to say. He said, and I concur, that I had done some pretty good critical analysis of the play that we had all seen the night before. It's too bad that the organization of my thoughts was lacking. I have trouble focusing, you see.

I'm working on it.

A few of us had known Mark before, and therefore, had many good-time stories to share about him. He was definitely a lot of fun, and we got more entertainment out of him that I thought we would get from any other member of the faculty. I will always remember the night where a few of us dined together at the Radisson.

I'm still waiting for the ghost story that he promised to tell us when we were all gathered together outside of class. It was too long to tell at the "non-fire" and it was too long to tell at the barbeque, but I'm still waiting.

Perhaps he'll publish it one day. Now that I think of it, his avoidance may have been to save for profit what he could have given us for free.

Mark, you sneaky devil!

The 2009 nominees for the NYIT Awards are in...

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 01:40:00 +0000

The drinks were flowing and there was plenty of good cheer and support to spread around at the 2009 New York Innovative Theatre Awards Nomination Party last night. Held at Demo Hall at 25 Carmine Street, the 5th anniversary of the NYIT Awards was celebrated with sangria, cool raffle prizes, and miniature pastries if you were lucky enough to nab one.

There were theater critics, artists, enthusiasts, publicists, and supporters milling about as the hall filled quickly. Friends reunited with friends, colleagues toasted to one other, and everyone noshed on candy, crudite, cheese and crackers and cake.

Raffle prizes such as tickets for Fuerzabruta, MOMA and L'Oreal products were at hand, but sadly, I didn't have any cash to throw my hat in the ring. ATM machine, anyone?

We were all waiting with baited breath to hear and see via slides who had made the finals......

And then, the wait was over. After all the productions I saw between last year's Awards show and this year's announcement, I was very surprised that I had only seen three of the nominees: The Judgment of Paris, Ragtime and Beowulf-A Thousand Years of Baggage. This extremely low percentage clearly suggests to me that I need to see more shows.

Yeah, no it doesn't.

If the number of shows that I see were measured the way frequent flyer miles are, I would have racked up enough to take several trips around the world by now. Believe it!

What it does suggest is that more off-off Broadway productions need to register for the Awards. Now, get cracking, independent artists!

2009 Nominees

Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role

William Apps IV
Amerissiah
The Amoralists Theatre Company

Nicoye Banks
The High Priestess of Dark Alley
Billie Holiday Theatre

Roy Clary
McReele
Conflict of Interest Theater Company

Clint Morris
Like You Like It
The Gallery Players

Jeffrey Plunkett
All the Rage
Manhattan Theatre Source / Dark Brew Productions

Chris Thorn
Most Damaging Wound
The Production Company

Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role

Ivanna Cullinan
The Granduncle Quadrilogy: Tales from the Land of Ice
Piper McKenzie

Brynn Curry
Like You Like It
The Gallery Players

Phyllis Johnson
Blue Before Morning
terraNOVA Collective

Maura McNamara
The Real Thing
T. Schreiber Studio

Constance Parng
Lee/gendary
HERE Arts Center

Aura Vence
The High Priestess of Dark Alley
Billie Holiday Theatre

Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role

Julian Elfer
Twelfth Night, or What You Will
T. Schreiber Studio

Jaron Farnham
Still the River Runs
Zootopia Theatre Company

Steve French
Still the River Runs,
Zootopia Theatre Company

Jason Howard
Universal Robots
Manhattan Theatre Source/Dark Brew Productions

David Ian Lee
The Reckoning of Kit & Little Boots
The Gallery Players in association with Engine37

August Schulenburg
8 Little Antichrists
Flux Theatre Ensemble

Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role

Katrina Foy
Stomp and Shout (an' Work it All Out)
Babel Theatre Project

Soomi Kim
Lee/gendary
HERE Arts Center

Jan Maxwell
Scenes from an Execution
Potomac Theatre Project

Nedra McClyde
Miss Evers' Boys
Red Fern Theatre Company

Kate Middleton
Avow
The Cardinal Group

Elyse Mirto
Any Day Now
Writer's Forum at Manhattan Theatre Source

Outstanding Ensemble

Christopher Borg, Jeffrey Cranor, Kevin R. Free & Eevin Hartsough
(Not) Just A Day Like Any Other
New York Neo-Futurists

Kether Donohue, Phyllis Johnson, Jenny Maguire, Chris McKinney, Flaco Navaja & Jennifer Dorr White
Blue Before Morning
terraNOVA Collective

Bard Goodrich, Ken Matthews, Megan McQuillan, Michael Solomon, Michael Szeles & Chris Thorn
Most Damaging Wound
The Production Company

Laura Butler, Drae Campbell, Dawn Eshelman, Connie Hall, Ikuko Ikari, Hana Kalinski, Eunjee Lee, Mark Lindberg, Alanna Medlock, Jy Murphy, Jorge Alberto Rubio, Maureen Sebastian & Magin Shantz
Oph3lia
HERE Arts Center

Geraldine Bartlett, Brian D. Coats, Katrina Foy, William Jackson Harper, Khris Lewin, Carolyn McCandlish, Joe Mullen, Frank Rodriguez, Christopher Rubin, Jeremy Schwartz, Joe Sullivan & Andrew Zimmerman
Stomp and Shout (an' Work it All Out)
Babel Theatre Project

Joe Basile, Jill Beckman, Christopher Borg, Jeffrey Cranor, Cara Francis, Kevin R. Free, Ryan Good, Alicia Harding, Eevin Hartsough, Sarah Levy, Erica Livingston, Jacquelyn Landgraf, Rob Neill, Lauren Parish, Joey Rizzolo & Justin Tolley
Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind
New York Neo-Futurists

Esther Barlow, Jennifer Gordon Thomas, Jason Howard, David Lamberton, David Ian Lee, Michelle O'Connor, Ridley Parson, Nancy Sirianni, Tarantino Smith & Ben Sulzbach
Universal Robots
Manhattan Theatre Source/Dark Brew Productions

Outstanding Solo Performance

Martin Dockery
The Surprise
soloNOVA Arts Festival

Leigh Evans
Traces
soloNOVA Arts Festival

Jeff Grow
Creating Illusion
soloNOVA Arts Festival

Abena Koomson
Cozi Sa Wala: Magic Words
soloNOVA Arts Festival

Micia Mosely
Where My Girls At?
Nursha in association with soloNOVA Arts Festival

Una Aya Osato
Recess
FRIGID Festival

Outstanding Choreography/Movement

Keith Andrews
Like You Like It
The Gallery Players

Edward Elefterion
Shadow of Himself
Rabbit Hole Ensemble

Leigh Evans
Traces
soloNOVA Arts Festival

Soomi Kim & Airon Armstrong
Lee/gendary
HERE Arts Center

Austin McCormick
The Judgment of Paris
Company XIV

Stefanie Smith
The Selfish Giant
Literally Alive Children's Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design

Michelle Beshaw
The Very Sad Story of Ethel & Julius, Lovers and Spyes and about Their Untymelie End while Sitting in a Small Room at the Correctional Facility in Ossining, N.Y.
GOH Productions

Emily Morgan DeAngelis
Angel Eaters
Flux Theatre Ensemble

Olivera Gajic
The Judgment of Paris
Company XIV

Hunter Kaczorowski
Like You Like It
The Gallery Players

Becky Lasky
Stomp and Shout (an' Work it All Out)
Babel Theatre Project

Karen Ann Ledger
Twelfth Night, or What You Will
T. Schreiber Studio

Outstanding Lighting Design

Lucrecia Briceno
Lee/gendary
HERE Arts Center

Ian W. Hill
The Granduncle Quadrilogy: Tales from the Land of Ice
Piper McKenzie

Andrew Lu
Still the River Runs
Zootopia Theatre Company

Jennifer Rathbone
Angel Eaters
Flux Theatre Ensemble

Federico Restrepo
The Very Sad Story of Ethel & Julius, Lovers and Spyes and about Their Untymelie End while Sitting in a Small Room at the Correctional Facility in Ossining, N.Y.
GOH Productions

Bruce Steinberg
Blue Before Morning
terraNOVA Collective

Outstanding Sound Design

Dan Bianchi
Dracula
Radiotheatre

Katie Down
Blue Before Morning
terraNOVA Collective

Austin McCormick
The Judgment of Paris
Company XIV

Nick Moore
23 Knives
Resonance Ensemble

Chris Rummel
Twelfth Night, or What You Will,
T. Schreiber Studio

Asa Wember
Angel Eaters
Flux Theatre Ensemble

Outstanding Set Design

George Allison
Twelfth Night, or What You Will,
T. Schreiber Studio

Jim Boutin
Coming, Aphrodite!
LaMaMa ETC in association with Watson Arts

Tristan Jeffers
Stomp and Shout (an' Work it All Out)
Babel Theatre Project

Michael P. Kramer
Ragtime
Astoria Performing Arts Center

Caleb Levengood
Angel Eaters
Flux Theatre Ensemble

Blair Mielnik
To Barcelona!
Ignited States Production Company

Outstanding Director

Geordie Broadwater
Stomp and Shout (an' Work it All Out)
Babel Theatre Project

Nat Cassidy
Any Day Now
Writer's Forum at Manhattan Theatre Source

Gia Forakis
Blue Before Morning
terraNOVA Collective

Vit Horejs
The Very Sad Story of Ethel & Julius, Lovers and Spyes and about Their Untymelie End while Sitting in a Small Room at the Correctional Facility in Ossining, N.Y.
GOH Productions

Matthew J. Nichols
Still the River Runs
Zootopia Theatre Company

Suzi Takahashi
Lee/gendary
HERE Arts Center

Outstanding Original Music

Drew Cutler
Still the River Runs
Zootopia Theatre Company

Mark Ettinger & Paul Foglino
Coming, Aphrodite!
LaMaMa ETC in association with Watson Arts

Kimmy Gatewood, Andy Hertz, Rebekka Johnson, Sarah Lowe & Jeff Solomon
The Apple Sisters
The Apple Sisters

Gerard Keenan
Angel Eaters
Flux Theatre Ensemble

Dave Malloy
Beowulf - A Thousand Years Of Baggage
Banana Bag & Bodice

Nick Moore
23 Knives
Resonance Ensemble

Outstanding Full-Length Script

Johnna Adams
Angel Eaters
Flux Theatre Ensemble

Derek Ahonen
Amerissiah
The Amoralists Theatre Company

James Carmichael
Stomp and Shout (an' Work it All Out)
Babel Theatre Project

Nat Cassidy
The Reckoning of Kit & Little Boots
The Gallery Players in association with Engine37

Kate McGovern
Blue Before Morning
terraNOVA Collective

Mac Rogers
Universal Robots
Manhattan Theatre Source/Dark Brew Productions

Outstanding Original Short Script

Martin Dockery
The Surprise
soloNOVA Arts Festival

Ira Gamerman
Dated: A Cautionary Tale for Facebook UsersElephants on Parade 2009,
EBE Ensemble

Jeff Grow
Creating Illusion
soloNOVA Arts Festival

Kristen Kosmas
The Scandal!
The Management

Kitt Lavoie
[Pwnd]Perceptions, An Evening of One Acts
The Rising Sun Performance Company

Nico Vreeland
The Interview, Elephants on Parade 2009
EBE Ensemble

Outstanding Performance Art Production

Cirque du Quoi?!?
Human Flight Productions, Inc. & Gramily Entertainment

Creating Illusion
soloNOVA Arts Festival

Miss America
LaMaMa ETC in association with Split Britches

Dracula
Radiotheatre

Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind
New York Neo-Futurists

Traces
soloNOVA Arts Festival

Outstanding Production of a Musical

Coming, Aphrodite!
LaMaMa ETC in association with Watson Arts

Like You Like It
The Gallery Players

Ragtime
Astoria Performing Arts Center

The 103rd Annual Performance of Ruddigore, or The Witch's Curse, Presented by Murgatroyd's Hospital for Mental Rehabilitation,Ruddy Gore Maine
Theater 1010

The Apple Sisters
The Apple Sisters

The Who's Tommy
The Gallery Players

Outstanding Production of a Play

Blue Before Morning
terraNOVA Collective

Lee/gendary
HERE Arts Center

Still the River Runs
Zootopia Theatre Company

Stomp and Shout (an' Work it All Out)
Babel Theatre Project

Suspicious Package: an interactive noir
The Fifth Wall

The Reckoning of Kit & Little Boots
The Gallery Players in association with Engine37

Universal Robots
Manhattan Theatre Source/Dark Brew Productions

The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation is celebrating its Fifth Anniversary as a not-for-profit organization, which recognizes the great work of New York's Off-Off-Broadway—honoring its artistic heritage and providing an alliance for this extensive and richly varied community. As advocates for Off-Off-Broadway, they recognize its unique and essential role contributing to global culture. Each season, The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation publicly recognizes excellence in Off-Off-Broadway, with a high-profile awards ceremony. The New York Innovative Theatre Awards celebrate the community and honor some of the previous year’s greatest achievements. The IT Awards heighten audience awareness and foster greater appreciation of the New York theatre experience.

First Impressions: Linda Winer

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 01:25:00 +0000

Linda Winer is a tour-de-force.

The second time I met her, she was already waiting at the picnic table in The Sunken Garden, where the critic seminars are typically held. I was very excited to get acquainted with Linda as she is one of the very few and gainfully employed female critics in New York. I have to give her the respect that she deserves for accomplishing such a feat in an industry that's pretty hard to get into and stay into.

She did not disappoint.

Here was this vivacious, whip-smart lady with a warm disposition and smile. She talked to us about how she started in journalism and the roads that opened up after that. There was plenty of soaking up happening, as she was pretty frank about her philosophies and why she had them. And after a 40-year career and counting, she came equipped with battle scars and juicy stories. Let's not forget the juicy stories.

But in this case, what went on at the O'Neill will stay at the O'Neill.

The production that we had to review for her was not an easy one. On top of desperately needing editing at the time that I saw it, it was one that did not meet my taste requirements. I was anxious to put good copy in front of her because I cared about what she thought of me. Sometimes, you only get one shot, and I wanted my shot to be nothing but net if I was going to present myself as a future colleague of hers.

Well, it wasn't exactly a swish, but I did manage to impress her with some well-turned phrases like "fresh off the ideals boat" that she thought were very quotable. But the best part of all was when, unprovoked except by my raw (literally) talent, Linda declared that I had a "strong voice."

That was a proud moment for me.

Those words may not get a rise out of you, but for me, along with many fellow writers, it's all about having a strong voice. So if a writer that you admire and respect gives you those kinds of kudos, then it's just as good as any three-pointer. If I had a victory dance, I would have done it.

By the way, I don't know how these basketball references got in here because I don't watch basketball. But that's my metaphor and I'm sticking to it.

I wish she could have stayed longer. As I recall, she was only there for a weekend, but I hope to run into her again.

Linda would not have recalled, but I met her briefly during a taping of Theater Talk's Critics' Cavalcade episode last year. I didn't see any of the Broadway shows in 2008 to have had any kind of input, so I scampered out quickly. But I knew a lot more this year. Perhaps the third time I run into her, I'll be completely knowledgeable. I like that I can associate a learning curve with my Linda run-ins. She's definitely the kind of trailblazer that inspires me to do what I must do to set my own path on fire.

The nominations for the New York Innovative Theatre Awards are a'coming!!

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:08:00 +0000

It's the eve of the nomination party for the NYIT awards, and I'm getting pretty excited. You never really know who and what is going to wind up on the ballot. And since I saw my fair share of theater last year, some of my faves are bound to make the cut. I hope.

Of course, I have no reason to doubt it. My induction into the festivities last year left me pretty overjoyed. Plays such as (or actors featured in them) Fight Girl Battle World (Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company), No End of Blame (Potomac Theatre Project), and Elizabeth Rex (Nicu's Spoon) all took home awards, and I was pretty stoked considering that I liked and/or reviewed all of them favorably. The Accidental Patriot: The Lamentable Tragedy of the Pirate Desmond Connelly, Irish by Birth, English by Blood, and American by Inclination (Stolen Chair Theatre Company) also received accolades, and that was nice to see because Dunmore Bad and Good, a play written by yours truly, was produced during its downtime.

Therefore, I'm thinking that this year won't disappoint me either.

I'm expecting bigger things this time, particularly since this is NYIT's 5th year anniversary. Can't wait to see what they roll out tomorrow night to commemorate this landmark event! And as always, off-off Broadway deserves its time in the sun. These artists work hard to crank out theater, and the ones that produce quality work deserve to be recognized. When I look back, there were quite a few things that I hope make the finals. Of course, I don't really know if those shows were registered or even eligible, so I'm going to keep mum about my picks for now. Stay tuned for my thoughts on the ones that make the grade!

First Impressions: J. Wynn Rousuck

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 23:53:00 +0000

I was looking forward to soaking up every drop of wisdom that Judy Rousuck had to offer. Why? Because she was a long-time (23 years, wow!) critic for the Baltimore Sun, and I wanted to know how she had weathered the dips and lifts of the journalism world. Unfortunately, a one-on-one opportunity with her never presented itself, but I was able to learn a thing or ten during class. One of those things involved a tip on longevity: sometimes, you have to learn new ways to exercise your craft.

Judy taught us the ways of radio reviewing.

I don't listen to the radio.

I had never actually considered radio reviewing before, yet I still thought it would be easy to conquer. Given my gregarious disposition and bold personality, I never had a doubt that all of that would translate well over the air waves. I was a Howard Stern fan (back when he was free) after all, and I knew what was music to my ears. Too bad I didn't factor the lack of sleep from the night before, or the fact that said lack of zzzzs would rob me of the time I needed to sound engaging, but not overbearing. Theatrical, but not hammy.

My performance, caught on Lindsay Christians' impressive mp3 recorder, was as Cindy-less as it could be, capturing none of my fabulous flavor. The whole "the way you write should be the way you sound" was not happening at all. By the time I was through, I didn't mention when the show opened, its Broadway history (it was a revival of a popular musical), or how long the running time was. Ah, well. Judy was kind at least. She didn't say much about my work (thank you, feelings-sparer), but I learned a lot about a new medium that she was well-versed in. I might actually end my post-Howard boycott of the radio after all.

First Impressions: Dominic Papatola

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:52:00 +0000

Welcome to my first installment of First Impressions: a brief look at not only what the mentors at the O'Neill thought of me, but also what I thought of them. The first critic that I met there was Dominic Papatola.

"I can see that you're the troublemaker."

It didn't take long for Dominic, a fun character with wicked smarts, to brand me the jokester of the group, although I still can't figure out what I did to earn that title. There were others there that I thought beat me by a mile, but I wasn't going to let him down. I think that I subconsciously went about at least proving him half-right. I mean, what else would make me, in a review of a show that I saw there, make the connection between gin (that was really Jack Daniels, I later found out) and Eli Whitney, the cotton gin inventor?

Yeah, I knew that I was stretching it as far as Mr. Fantastic with that one, but I couldn't help myself. The play was one of those abstract, what the heezie, what Dominic likes to call "sea monsters" that was challenging to decipher. Sometimes I like to make sense of things no matter how crazy my ideas are. No one can say that I'm not gutsy, though. After all, I might have been at least in the ballpark. Who knew what that playwright was thinking? If anything, it did make for some interesting conversation the next morning, and many professional productions can't even achieve that.

The best part of all? I made Dominic Papatola smile. He said "clever, but don't ever, ever, ever do that again!" Well, in the grand scheme of things, crazy but clever is not a bad compliment.

Back on the scene again!

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:12:00 +0000

It's been almost a year, but I'm back! Tons of things have happened, some did not, but it will take a while for me to unpack everything for you. Bear with me! Today is my first day back in NY. I have to say that I could have done without the infestation of.... Oh, right, those are people. Sometimes I just can't tell.

I was at the Eugene O'Neill Critics Institute for two weeks, where I sat down with a bunch of hot shots, both mentors and peers, in the journalism world. For those of you who don't know, I don't have a background in journalism, so I learned a lot from folks who did it and are doing it the right way. My background is in dramatic writing. Dramatic writing is, in my situation, playwriting in NYU speak. While I'm churning out plays that will one day make me the most feared and loved dramatist with a keyboard, I also like to talk about it. Why? Because I'm passionate about what's going on in theater! If I can have a hand in improving a show, I'll gladly take it.

How much do I love theater, you ask? Let's put it this way. I believe that Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie's song "We are the World" could easily apply to critics. Say, if I were to customize some of the lyrics to fit our purpose, they would go something like this:

We are the world, we are the critics
We are the ones who'll guide you to a play
With analytics
Theres a choice we're making
So pay us a good wage
Its true we're fighting for the stage
Just you and me

I think this song could use some updating. Too bad the gloved one can't do it. Sorrrry, Michael.

Big up to Michael Feingold, Judy Rousuck, Mark Blankenship, Leonard Jacobs, Julius Novick, Dominic Papatola, Andy Propst, J. Ranelli and Linda Winer for the writing tips and guidance that will hopefully turn myself and the seven other critic fellows that were there into fantastic writers. Boy, do I have a lot to say about everyone who was there! Stay tuned for the details...

Elizabeth Rex

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 02:02:00 +0000

Queen Elizabeth I and Ned Lowenscroft, an actor famous for playing female parts, learn how to occupy each other's roles on the eve of Lord Robert Devereaux's death. Although the pacing is sometimes slow and there are some superfluous characters, the show has a good premise and the verbal sparring between the two leads is intense and electrifying.

Nicu's Spoon kicks off its Fall 2008 season of "Women & Gender" with Timothy Findley's Elizabeth Rex, a look at Queen Elizabeth I (Joan Allen look-a-like Stephanie Barton-Farcas)'s desire to switch roles with Ned Lowenscroft (the gaunt Michael DiGioia), a pox-riddled actor acclaimed for being the best at playing female roles. Mourning the loss of his lover, a Captain in the Queen's army, Lowenscroft is a likely teacher for expressing emotions since he demonstrates softness onstage and off. On the eve of the execution for treason of Robert Devereux, Second Earl of Essex and beloved of Queen Elizabeth, she, attended by Lady Mary Stanley (a graceful Melanie Horton) and Lady Anne, Countess of Henslowe (Ruth Kulerman), decides to slum it by paying William Shakespeare (Scott Nogi) and his cast a visit.

Shakespeare frames the plot of the play, coming out in the beginning to introduce the unraveling events that-fictitiously-coincided with his penning of Antony and Cleopatra, but he has very little importance in the show. The performance crawls by until Lowenscroft, the star of his troupe, enters the stage. DiGioia instantly sets himself apart from the others, his every moment, every facial expression, a dramatic and poignant gesture. However, he meets his match upon Barton-Farcas' arrival. She is every bit the surly, haughty, and hard-faced queen required to embody the character. Everything, from the regal costumes by Rien Schlecht to her white-powdered, stony visage and strikingly-bald head (from smallpox) enables Barton-Farcas to be credible and powerful as the ruler. The sharp and witty exchanges between them are enhanced by the tight-fisted direction of Joanne Zipay and Molly Goforth, the dialect coach responsible for the rise and ebb of Barton-Farcas' voice and the emotion in DiGioia's. Yet, despite the wonderful verbal sparring, the physical sparring doesn't fare as well. The "slap choreography" between them by Scott David Nogi, although amusing, falls short of looking genuine.

Although there are too many unnecessary characters taking up space and only there for the practical reason of displaying a full troupe, Elizabeth Rex is still a well-written piece about the short-tempered and sometimes indecisive monarch. The fictional work is a great what-if about what the Queen may have thought of her manliness and how she could have set about to rectify her image. It is also a timeless play that speaks into the perception of gender roles today, particularly in our current presidential election. Smart and entertaining for the most part, Elizabeth Rex is a crowning achievement in Nicu's Spoon's 2008 season.

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“Elizabeth Rex” runs through Sept. 6 at Center Stage, 48 West 21st Street, Chelsea; (866) 811-4111, theatermania.com

Talk-Back with cast of "The Third Step" with guest moderator Cindy Pierre

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 03:43:00 +0000

A.M.L. Entertainment is proud to present a post-show Talk-Back with special guest moderator Cindy Pierre. Cindy Pierre is a reviewer for Theater Talk's New Theater Corps, Talkin' Broadway, and her recently launched blog, The Stage is the Place ( Http://thestageistheplace.blogspot.com). The Talk-Back will immediately follow the July 25th, 8:00 pm performance of Anthony Michael Laura's "The Third Step" at The American Theatre of Actors. Playwright and director Anthony Michael Laura and the cast will join Cindy Pierre on stage for a discussion, followed by a Q&A with the audience.

The Third Step: Performances begin July 24, 2008 at 8:00 pm at The Sargeant Theater at the American Theater of Actors. The American Theater of Actors is located at 314 West 54th Street in NYC. Tickets are $18.00. Reservations can be made by calling 516-983-2791. Tickets online at: www.myspace.com/thethirdstepplay

The Third Step is a story of family, hope, and coming to terms with life. The drama is set around a young girl who awaits the results of a grave disease and is being driven crazy by her overtly controlling mother Wendy. As her father tries to hold the house together, Wendy invites the entire Wilson family home to cheer Natalie up. As themes of jealousy, family values, and infidelity are explored, they find the only solace they have is each other. The Third Step takes us on a humorous and poignant journey with a family that we can only be glad isn't our own.

Anthony Laura, playwright and director, has written, produced and directed several short and feature films that have been featured in the New York Independent Film and Video Festival. His film credits include E-mail My Heart, Choice or Consequence, and Schitzo, starring Marcienne Dwyer. Along with his film credits, he has recently written, produced and directed The Confession which premiered in January at American Theater of Actors with a successful run.

A.M.L. Entertainment: We at A.M.L. Entertainment produce quality theater and film for the community by working with talented actors and industry professionals. Our goal is to put forth the best productions possible. In addition, we are proud to maintain a friendly relationship with our audiences and industry. In the end, our company feels, it is all about the audience feeling as is they are part of the production.

THEATER TALK on the RAPTURE and

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Sat, 10 May 2008 19:37:00 +0000

Armor of Wills

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Fri, 09 May 2008 03:23:00 +0000

A man zips in and out of the past, present, fantasy and reality while trying to keep his "maker" from snuffing out his life. This 70-minute show is sometimes clever and never boring, but it gets diminished by cartoonish characters. Still, borrowing from the movie 12 Monkeys and the poem Dante's Inferno makes for a good laugh, and of the cast of six, Harrison Williams distinguishes himself as the one to watch. ................................................................................

Kalib's mother Norma, grossly overplayed with the appearance of an Edna Marie "E" Mode-type caricature (from The Incredibles) by Jennifer Harder, is quite perturbed. She can't seem to get her weak and whiny son Kalib (Brian Morgan) out of his fiance Beth's clutches in Randy Anderson's Armor of Wills. Beth's not as easy to get rid of as his father Doc, the monkey-bone circus owner that she fled from and lied about his existence to her son. Yes, monkey-bone circus; a direct reference to the 1995 time-traveling and reality-bending film 12 Monkeys. But Beth is not the only person that Norma has to worry about. Her son has gone overly-dramatic and crazy.

When Kalib busts through the door, claiming to be running from his Maker, a being that's not quite God but has God-like qualities, try as he may, Morgan can't convey a real sense of urgency. Sure, he pants and limps around, holding his stabbed leg, but the mild red stain that's supposed to emulate blood from a femoral artery wound doesn't even come close. It doesn't help that Norma tries to apply a tourniquet to the dry stain. From there, Kalib goes into the story about how and why he must keep running to stay alive.

Armor of Wills is a jumble of various symbols, characters, and concepts from literature and pop culture. From the Dante's retreat bar that begins Kalib's journey to the characters that resemble comic-book villains, there's never a dull moment in the show, and there are even some clever ones. However, the clever parts of the show are superseded by the overacting and underacting. As Beth, Kristi Funk is the straight, neutral character, and in turn, makes very little impact. As Doc, Harrison Williams is the exact opposite. Although his antics and mannerisms are slightly overcooked, he is engaging, fun, and completely committed to delivering a zany performance.

The fluid scene changes are remarkable, and reflect the collaborative spirit of the cast. Anderson's concepts of the interchanging of time frames and settings are sound and provide an exciting frame for the play. Patricia Ju's sound design, with the exception of a false-sounding heart monitor, is the pulse of this play. Coupled with lighting design by Justin Sturges that seems to take on a life of its own, they are integral to making the wacky plot make sense.

Armor of Wills may be ridiculous in some points and convoluted in the rest, but it's still imaginative with a throwback to popular or formerly popular symbols. The Horse Trade Theater Group and the Beggars Group, known to produce provocative theater, keep in line with their mission with this show. Anderson's purgatory is full of adventure and fantasy, and provokes a subconscious consideration of free will, life and death. Armor of Wills may not be a heavy philosophical, religious, or even theatrical piece, but it doesn't need to be. Sometimes, light, quick and dirty is enough.

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Through May 17th. Tickets: $18. http://www.smarttix.com/. Under St. Marks, 94 St. Mark's Place, New York, NY 10003

A Year in the Life of Twenty-five Strangers Living in a City by the Lake

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Thu, 08 May 2008 02:36:00 +0000

The lives of 25 strangers intersect in 12 vignettes that correspond with the months of the year. Spread across 75 minutes, this production moves quickly with fluid set changes and nimble direction. However, the material and execution of the scenes are hit or miss, lacking consistency in entertainment value.

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Matthew Fotis' A Year in the Life of Twenty-five Strangers Living in a City by the Lake is a walk through of different emotions, situations, relationships, and problems that are strung together by the months of the year and Brian (Adam Ferguson), a repeating, gay waiter character. The show is presented by Ten Grand Productions, the resident theater company at the Algonquin Theater. The modest space at the Algonquin can barely house the 23-member cast, but director Shaun Colledge does a good job of maneuvering the actors on and off the stage.

They start off cleverly and festively with January, a skit about conceiving a baby that takes place right after a New Year's Eve Party. From henceforward, Fotis picks out the most remarkable event of each month, i.e. Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, April Fool's Day, etc, and turns them into plays that are roughly five minutes. Yes, the number 12 is promoted, from the 12-month format to the 12 geometric, four-sided shapes that comprise the background. Gimmicky, yes, creative, yes, but always entertaining and successful, no.

Part of the problem lies in the fact that some of the scenes are incomplete. Wrapping up a story with a beginning, middle and end in 5 minutes or so is hard work, and to his credit, Fotis takes a strong stab at it. Plus, he's dealing with micro plays within a larger play and trying to correlate them all. His intentions are admirable, but they sometimes fall short. For instance, February's V-Day pity party, in which two friends dine at a restaurant is a slice of woe is me life, but doesn't go anywhere by the time it ends. Statements like "at least you're not dead" by Theresa (Sabrina Gibbar) to her excessively loud (even for the character), crass and surprisingly single friend Evelyn (Stephanie Bush) may be discomforting food for thought, but the story doesn't end, not like January's story that gets a reprise and conclusion in December. March's St. Patrick's Day celebration and suicide attempt, all between gulps of PBR beer, seems like a throwaway within the dynamic. Although there is some good sibling banter between brothers considering going to a funeral (Eric Orive and Dan Faraguna) in April, the skit never quite lifts off of the ground. Though September's ex-girlfriend reunion does have the most heightened drama, it fails the most at not being complete and believable.

However, Fotis' knack for capturing a brief moment or conflict in time does shine in some of the scenes. In spite of May's Mother's Day fiasco not having a credible ending and posing a question about logic (there are some background couples in some of the far too many restaurant scenes, but not in others), it is a fine and funny exhibit of mother-child quarrels. And though the right atmosphere isn't created for July's doctor's office, two people do find some common, likable ground. June's Paris trip in which a couple (David Stadler and Michele Rafic) tries to rekindle their romance is the best example of what the press materials calls "chilling accuracy" in both acting and writing.

One particular scene that stands out, and not for good reasons, is November, a monologue about...well, it got me. George (Matthew Murumba) stands around and kicks back a few brewskies, talking about this and that but nothing in particular. He has a point of reference on stage that he keeps addressing, but doesn't validate. The props (chairs and tables) are set up in a peculiar configuration with chairs on top of tables on top of other tables with no justification. These reasons and the fact that Murumba is the sole African-American presence in the production are what sets apart this scene from the rest.

A Year in the Life...is a predominantly smart look at Chicago life, but the weaving of the stories is not as tight as it can be. This New York premiere has heart, but some of the scenes need work. Imports can be a great thing, particularly when a good piece of theater meets the thriving NY theater industry. However, it's no Pizzeria Unos yet. Some fine tuning here and there, and it can rival the popularity of the deep dish. Yes, I know, theater isn't food, but that's the whole point. Theater should be at least as satisfying, if not more. We've got a sampling here, but not a whole meal.

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Through May 18th. Tickets: $15. http://www.smarttix.com/ or 212-868-4444. Algonquin Theater, 123 East 24th street, New York, NY.

Dunmore closes....

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Thu, 08 May 2008 02:34:00 +0000

Canara Price, Cheryl Davis and Weez Tomlinson in "Dunmore Bad and Good"

Tonight, Dunmore Bad and Good closed. We have sustained quite a few setbacks, including losing our director the last week before the opening and losing Zach, our sound and lighting guy, for the final performance. We were down to the wire for sound and lights when Cheryl came through in the clutch: her friend Nicole agreed to help us out. We were able to get into the booth 15 minutes before the doors opened. Thank God Nicole learns fast. She was able to pull off most of the cues, with the exception of the last sound one, but it was the one at curtain that didn't take away from the show. Thank God for small miracles. All in all, it was a very trying experience, but a learning one. Let God reign.

The Importance of Being Earnest

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Sat, 03 May 2008 05:11:00 +0000

The Pearl Theatre Company concludes its 24th season of producing classical material with Oscar Wilde's comedy of manners. As usual with the Pearl, it is a sound production, with great acting, costumes and set. I've seen the last four productions from this season, and I am happy to report that this success is a trend; the Pearl Theatre Company never ceases to delight and entertain. They do comedy exceptionally well, and take Wilde's text to new heights.
Rachel Botchan and Bradford Cover

ALL PHOTOS BY GREGORY COSTANZO

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What's in a name? Some people believe that your name determines your path to success or failure, a jumping off point to your respect or your ridicule. Oscar Wilde believed it too. Or at least, he knew that people put enough faith in the idea to exploit and make fun of it. The Importance of Being Earnest chronicles the story of two best friends, adult orphan John Worthing (a sadly predictable Bradford Cover) and Algernon Moncrieff (Sean McNall), who, at one time or another, both use the name "Ernest" to impress their romantic interests. But, neither of them fully understand the ramifications of taking on this pseudonym in the beginning; they each soon learn the importance of being and remaining "Ernest."

Sean McNall and Ali Ahn

The Pearl Theatre Company is quite adept at delighting the senses. TIOBE opens with a delectable visual spread to sample, from the lush costumes (made possible, in part, through the contributions of Barbara J. Hill and Darlene & Brian Heidtke) by Devon Painter to the beautiful set by Harry Feiner that evokes paradise; illustrations of peacocks against a forest backdrop are part of Moncrieff's flat in London. McNall is a brilliant Algernon, astute, wily, calculating, and a strong presence onstage. He discusses "bunburying" with Worthing, a term that he uses fondly to describe his way of appearing to be responsible in the midst of avoiding responsibility. Little does "Algie" know that, despite Worthing's righteous indignation, he too is a bunburyist. Worthing is Jack at home in the country with his ward, 18-year old heiress Cecily (Ali Ahn), but assumes the name Ernest in London; each name is packaged with a different personality. As Cecily, Ali Ahn is a breath of fresh air with a melodious voice and a youthful exuberance. Not content with his own brand of bunburying, Algie decides to cash in on his friend's by claiming the name Ernest as well to woo Cecily. But all good bunburying must come to an end, and it isn't long before the "Ernest" cover is blown to the sky.

Ali Ahn and Rachel Botchan

The Importance of Being Earnest, performed in three acts here instead of four, is Wilde's way of making fun of the Victorian era. Its main source of humor is characters inventing identities to escape social obligation. The Pearl Theatre Company handles the humor with panache; their version of this social class satire is non-stop entertainment, and a fine display of acting prowess.
In addition to the impressive leads, the production also boasts a memorable supporting cast that includes chameleon Joanne Camp as Cecily's governess, Miss Prism, Dominic Cuskern as Lane and Merriman, Algernon and Jack's butlers, respectively, Carol Schultz as Gwendolen's mother, Lady Bracknell, and TJ Edwards as Miss Prism's love interest, Reverend Canon Chasuble. Under J.R. Sullivan's direction, they are able to showcase Wilde's wit and flair for fancy wordplay. Wilde was possessed with a confidence in his abilities, and this company carries itself with that same assurance. Like all of his comedies, The Importance of Being Earnest deals with double lives, a subject that Wilde knew all too well as a married man carrying on homosexual affairs. But Earnest is different in that it was the first one with a devil may care attitude. Wilde reveled in the sheer fun of having secrets, and the Pearl actors do as well. The cast's ability to have fun and look like they're having fun is what makes this production so scintillating. Prepare to be dazzled.

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Through June 8th. Tickets: $25-50. 212-598-9802. The Pearl Theatre Company, 80 St. Mark's Place at 1st Avenue, East Village, www.pearltheatre.org.

Cherry Docs

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Sat, 03 May 2008 05:10:00 +0000

A Jewish lawyer makes a Skinhead on trial for murder determine his own defense in the David Gow scripted and directed Cherry Docs. Theatre of the Expendable, whose mission is to encourage a reconsideration of preconceived notions and beliefs about the "undesirables" of society, packs a mean punch in the New York premiere of this racial piece. But it's the pure and unadulterated performance of the actors that make this show a killer. Despite monologues that are occasionally tedious and a tiresome two-person scene to monologue and back format, the raw and explosive emotions are a thing to experience...and remember. (L to R) Maximilian Osinski and Mark Zeisler

ALL PHOTOS BY CALEB LEVENGOOD

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Kike, Easy-Bake Nigger, Hymie, 10% off, Bar Code, Christ-Killer, Clip-tip. They read ugly, don't they? Those are but a few racial slurs against Jewish people, with some of them dating all the way back to World War II. Racial prejudice in general has been around a long time, and in this day and age, not slowing down in momentum. It's easy to hate the prejudiced, the discriminators, the haters, but what if we tried to understand them? What if we took a cold, hard look at what set the hatred in motion? David Gow does just that with Cherry Docs, a provocative play that challenges the beliefs of both the oppressed and the oppressors. But like any belief that's been ingrained and nurtured with ignorance, misconceptions, fear and pain, they're hard to suppress. They need to be processed before they can be expunged.

Maximilian Osinski

When Mike (Maximilian Osinski), a Neo-Nazi Skinhead that wears cherry-colored Doc Martens, accidentally kills a South-Asian man (whom he refers to as a "Paki") during a violent encounter, he can't get a defense lawyer to take his case. No one will touch this racially-motivated case with a ten-foot pole. Except for Danny (Mark Zeisler), a court appointed liberal Jewish lawyer that naturally, is his most hated opponent. Cherry Docs begins with monologues from each character to introduce them, and from henceforward, continues in an alternating pattern between monologues and 2-person scenes. It is a practical device, but one that grows tiresome and predictable. Through these monologues, we learn about their positions on ethnically-integrated societies, immigration, and employment laws. And the variance in their opinions makes a working relationship tempestuous. Despite the revulsion that they each feel towards each other, they each understand the need to work together. For Mike, it's desperation and the confidence that Danny will represent him to the best of his ability because of his liberal views. For Danny, it's the case's career-making potential, even in the face of ridicule from his peers and his own aversion towards Skinheads. And for both, there are other, more important reasons that they may not embrace in the beginning, but will come to accept at the end of the court trial and their own personal trials.

(L to R) Maximilian Osinski and Mark Zeisler

Because Mike doesn't want to be tried as a Skinhead (he wants to spare his brothers the association and the embarrassment), Danny has to work another angle. He can't possibly conceive of a logical argument against this crime, given his integrity and his own sensitivities, so he forces Mike to come up with it instead. Through deliberations dragged through turmoil and distress, the audience is able to see exactly what Danny and Mike are made of: they are two sides of the same, volcanic coin. And Osinski and Zeisler are both terrific at excavating their characters' fears. Osinski's layer of hubris over his childish core is wonderful. He is versatile and able to distribute feelings of pity, horror and antipathy to the audience like a marksman. Zeisler's discomfort with his client is like a puncture in our own subconscious, prompting us to dredge up our own founded and unfounded prejudices. He is a commanding presence onstage, even when Gow's often descriptive and lively words meander.

Maximilian Osinski

Cherry Docs benefits greatly from Gow's robust direction. Under his hand, the actors are able to display a range of emotions that pull the audience into the drama. The direction is stylish and, coupled with the lighting design by Ryan Metzler, gives the play a very film noirish feel. Incidentally, the play was turned into Steel Toes, the 2006 film starring David Strathairn. Apart from a prop malfunction where a chair falls apart prematurely, all of the action is solid and strong. The scenic design, although stark and plain the way a cell should be, does not look wholly uncomfortable. It's hard to imagine that Mike is in an isolated cell block. But these are minor issues that don't take away from the show's power. Cherry Docs is a meeting of narrow minds that broaden from the encounter. It is as much an anthropological piece as it is a theatrical one, a sociological study as much as a dramatic one. And in spite of all of the ugliness on display, hope succeeds in parting the vile waves. It is the instrument of change that these characters need, and the motivation to re-evaluate our own thinking. The greatest achievement in theater is to leave the audience with something to think about. On that end, Cherry Docs is more than triumphant.

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Through May 18th. Tickets: $11. 212-352-3101. Workshop Theater, 312 West 36th Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10018

DUNMORE MAKES ITS DEBUT!!!!

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Thu, 01 May 2008 04:54:00 +0000

Me, Cheryl Davis, Canara Price, and Weez Tomlinson

Tonight was the first of two performances of "Dunmore Bad and Good." Things went pretty well, considering the multitude of obstacles that we've had since the production process started. Three and a half hours before the first performance, we had a wardrobe malfunction that luckily, was ironed out just in the nick of time. We were sandwiched between a piece about Icarus and Persephone and a piece about Sophocles. I was really impressed by the Sophocles piece. My co-worker Zach did an awesome job on the sound and lighting, particularly since he had never used that kind of board before and he had to operate the equipment with a flashlight during the show. Way to go, Zach! Weez' cousin took pics of all of the productions that night, and I hope to post a mini-slide show of Dunmore soon....We miss you Lanie, and hope that you are able to see the fruits of your labor at the second showing. Stay tuned for more....

Caucasian Chalk Circle

martinshalo@gmail.com (Cindy Pierre) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 04:22:00 +0000

Hipgnosis Theatre Company's production of Brecht's The Caucasian Chalk Circle is a "bare-bones" effort, using very few props and much imagination to tell this complex and comprehensive tale. Long running time and structural problems aside, the production succeeds for the most part with strong direction and good acting.

ALL PHOTOS BY JOHN CASTRO

Photo M (L-R): Rachel Tiemann (Grusha), Matthew Kinney (Shauva) and Ayanna Siverls (Natella)
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Parables are often regarded as moral or religious lessons in a nutshell, teachings on life that are summarized in concise stories and usually confined to one religious or philosophical tradition. Always overachieving and ambitious, Bertolt Brecht's version of a parable in The Caucasian Chalk Circle spans an entire play and borrows from four texts to tell his story: the Bible, Buddhism, Islam, and most importantly, Li Xingdao's 14th century play, Hui Lan Ji. Hipgnosis Theatre Company stretches this epic theatre drama to its anti-realist limits, bringing clarity to the "play within a play" device. But even with all of the cast's hard work and efforts, it's the strong technical direction by Sarah Ford and the choreography by Kimberly Braton that keep everyone focused, actors and audience members alike.

Ford and Braton's influences are felt as soon as the play opens. The actors scatter onstage, wearing appropriately drab beige and white costumes by Krista Thomas-Scott, but come together with calculated moves and purpose to propel the story forward. Demetrios Bonaros' introductory song note as the Singer Arkadi, both startling and commanding in one breath, familiarizes us with the "frame" of the play. It is soon after World War II, when the Nazis have retreated from Russia, and have left a village abandoned. In a communist move, the villagers get together to decide who should have the land. Everyone, including the previous landowners, agree that it should go to the people who have the wisest and most productive use for it. Once ownership is decided, the owners put together a story to illustrate and celebrate the agreement. Arkadi tells the story of two mothers battling over a royal baby.

Michael, the child in question, is represented by an ornate cloth that is folded and carried in such a way that implies his infancy. The cast is ever careful to transfer the "baby" from actor to actor, and this is but one of the many wonderful ways in which they conceive of props, persons and things that are not physically present. The child is the son of Governor Georgi Abashvili and his wife Natella (an impressive Ayanna Siverls), a haughty and greedy woman. The Fat Prince (John Castro) organizes a coup and overthrows the government. After Georgi is beheaded and the city of Nukha is set on fire, Natella inadvertently leaves her son behind as her servants rush her to safety. Her servant Grusha (Rachel Tiemann) saves Michael from certain doom and flees into the mountains with him. A series of mishaps and adventures ensue including run-ins with soldiers, a love interest, attempts at finding Michael a new home, a false marriage, sickness, and finally, the chalk circle to prove her maternity.

Photo L (L-R): Pharah Jean-Philippe (The Elder Lady) and Elizabeth Mirarchi (The Younger Lady)

Spread over two acts and 2.5 hours, The Caucasian Chalk Circle runs very long for its subject matter, but the cast does its best to make sure that it remains engaging and doesn't drag. Unfortunately, sometimes their concern for the audience's enjoyment gets too personal. During the intermission, the cast interacts with the audience and breaks down the barrier between performers and patrons. Although a friendly gesture and an interpretation of Hipgnosis' desire to share their experience with the audience, this throws a wrench in their professionalism. Also, there were a few symptoms of the lack of preparation. The performance that I attended was late by half an hour, and during intermission, there were noticeable discussions between the cast and crew about lighting design. The audience shouldn't have to see the making of the product during the performance of the product.

Luckily, the performances don't follow suit. Although there are no weak links, several actors deserve special mention for their contributions. Tiemann is a fierce and compelling mother figure, doing justice and more to the judgment of Solomon (1 Kings 3:16-28) parable from the Bible. Grusha's love interest, Simon Chachava, is played with verve and charm by Douglas Scott Streater. Richard Ugino's Corporal is as bombastic and entertaining as they come, working the audience and tickling his own castmate's funny bones. And finally, John Kevin Jones plays Azdak, the hero to Grusha's heroine that is the driving force behind Act Two. Although Act Two as Brecht has written it is mostly discordant from the premise established in Act One, Jones is not only a master of mischief, but instrumental in forging ties between the beginning and the end.

Photo N (L-R): Matthew Kinney (Shauva)

This revival of The Caucasian Chalk Circle may not be glamorous, but it's full of passion and energy. The absence of elaborate props and costumes works for this production because it enables the audience to focus on the performance, thereby putting increased pressure on the cast and directors to be effective. Fortunately, they don't succumb to the demands. They rise to the occasion and make Brecht's play accessible, light-hearted, and fun. For a theatre company whose mission is to emphasize the fellowship between actor and audience, that combination is a great thing indeed.

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Through May 11th. Tickets: $19. Ticket Information: Telecharge: 1-800-432-7250 or 212-239-6200, http://www.telecharge.com/. Theatres at 45 Bleecker Street45 Bleecker St.New York, NY 10012