By Jack Craib, New Rep Reviewer
Is New Rep’s production of David Sedaris’ “The Santaland Diaries” a lump of coal in the otherwise overflowing seasonal bag of treacle? Those familiar with Sedaris from his sardonic NPR commentating and autobiographical bestsellers might well expect it. His real-life stint as Crumpet the Elf in Macy’s Santaland promised to provide the perfect antihero for the 21st century. Thus it was with a mixture of wicked anticipation and trepidation that this reviewer approached his first encounter with this popular one-person show. Would it be a trick or a treat? (Oops, wrong holiday).
It is with a profound sigh of relief, then, that one can report that, though the true-life tale smells less like Yuletide than formaldehyde, this is no stake of holly through the heart. Sedaris manages most often to strike a balance between the iconic and the ironic. While this is no sacred Santa story, there is an undercurrent that, beneath all the cynical trappings of the secular side of the holiday, there still exists a spirit that persists despite the profiteering onslaught of marketing and merchandising. In the course of just over an hour, the author (as originally adapted off-Broadway by Joe Mantello) navigates the often hilarious minefields that are the intense expectations of parents and urchins alike, and the back story of all the glitter. As with most comedies, the degree to which one responds with laughter will mirror her or his tolerance level for Sadaris’ unique form of humor; comedy is above all else a subjective thing.
As always, the success of a one-person play obviously depends on the performance of that sole actor. Happily, Gary Littman fits this Crumpet to a T. He has the daunting task of making the elfin character consistently and appealingly human while gradually and relentlessly revealing his darker side. Remarkably, thanks undoubtedly to the seamless direction by Christopher Webb, he succeeds beyond all reasonable expectations. Littman’s bag of theatrical tricks includes a seemingly bottomless arsenal of gestures, expressions, and movements. His performance is astonishing; even his first curtain call (which will not be revealed here) was perfectly in character.
Mention should be made of the creativity of the technical aspects as well. The huge image of Santa overseeing all the goings-on, the lighting (photos with Santa), sound effects (store announcements) and the simple but effective set all added to the merriment.
In short (and this review may seem longer than the show itself), the play will strike many as the ideal anecdotal antidote to the stressors of the season. If you’ve enjoyed Sedaris’ writings elsewhere, hitch up the family sleigh and you’ll go laughing all the way.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
"The Santaland Diaries": A Cynical Ode to Christmas
By Jana Pollack, New Rep Reviewer
David Sedaris' one-man play, “The Santaland Diaries,” conveys precisely what a Christmas play should. It makes hilarious fun of the ridiculous pressure that we put on ourselves to enjoy the "magic" of the holiday season, yet it ends with sincerity, affording a few brief moments in which that magic is truly felt.
The script, while very good, requires a talented comic to pull it off. Luckily, Gary Littman possesses just the right mixture of comic talent and regular guy-ness to make the his character believable, likable, and funny. On opening night, he seemed slightly nervous at the outset, but as he shed his street clothes for his elf costume, it was clear that he was easing into his comfort zone, and he was more and more fun to watch as the show went on.
The play follows the adventures of a man who is employed as a Christmas elf (elf name: Crumpet) in Macy's "Santaland." It is part self-deprecating humor, as he bemoans the fate of a thirty year old man who has not found a marketable skill, and part unabashed jokes at the expense of the people he meets in Santaland. The latter increases gradually as we approach Christmas day. The frenzy at Macy's - and Crumpet's actions toward the customers and his fellow Santaland employees - becomes more and more heated, culminating in a hilarious moment in which a customer tells Crumpet, "I'm gonna have you fired." With perfect timing, Crumpet shoots back, "I'm gonna have you killed."
This is just one example of many a not-completely-PC joke the play contains. At one point, when asked to tell a little boy that he will receive coal if he is not quiet in line while waiting for Santa, Crumpet takes it a few steps further, whispering menacingly to the child that Santa will sneak into his house and steal all his things if he doesn’t behave. Offered in a different style, much of the narrative could become crass and unappealing. But from the pen of Sedaris, and the mouth of Littman, it feels like an evening with a very funny friend.
The final vignette of the play starts off like the rest, as Crumpet begins describing yet another Santa he must work with who takes his job a bit too seriously. Ultimately, though, this last moment offers a contrast to the earlier parts of the evening, as this Santa provides each child with a real bit of happiness.
For me, this is the perfect Christmas blend: an admission of the craziness that surrounds the holidays (and a good many jokes at the holidays’ expense), coupled with recognition of the good feelings that this time of year can provide. Anyone who has gone Christmas shopping at any point in December will be able to relate to the cynicism expressed in “Santaland.” At the same, “The Santaland Diaries” will make you laugh, and it will also leave you with a good feeling about whatever celebrations you are taking part in this holiday season.
Monday, December 14, 2009
"Christmas Is Coming, the Goose is Getting Fat - Review by J.K. Cosmos
Won't you please put a penny in the Old Man's Hat, If you haven't got a penny, a half a penny will do. If you haven't gotta a half a penny, God Bless You!"
Review of Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" - By J.K. Cosmos
The chorus of Christmas Carols and the themed dress of the Actors began before the audience even got to their seats. Bravo! The tone is set. The historically correct costumes, and then arriving in the theater, seeing the stage so well set was the beginning of a Christmas treat!
Dicken's play is a classic and, for many, a tradition. The production of this well-loved play is a challenge; the challenge being keeping it fresh and new. Keeping it interesting! This production conveyed the plot, engaged the audience and was entertaining, to boot!
The old Dodger, yes, Scrooge, had a great presence and Paul D. Farwell, who played the lead, did so without over-shadowing the others. His rendition of Scrooge was on the money. Farwell had the modulated voice, the accent and the energy to bring the audience in; to keep us there with him through the mundane at his office and the magical with the spirits. He was fun and really gave a great performance.
Edward M. Barker, playing Bob Cratchit, also enlightened the audience. How so? Well, his presentation showed love of family, his wife and others in the community in a most endearing and sweet way. His interpretation of Cratchit was one of a man with some sense of self; his identity was less pathetic than is sometimes portrayed in films. I thought his rendition of Cratchit was very effective.
The Actors in supporting roles, belted it out. The dialogue was true to the plot, to the story-line and to the essence of what makes Dickens a master dramatist.
Kudos to the Director, Bridget Kathleen O'Leary! Her vision and tweaking of this classic made it a not to miss play for the season.
Not to miss a beat, the setting and costumes of the spirits and the magic is just phenomenal! Congrats to Peter Colao and Christine Alger; Scenic & Costume design respectively. This Team effort brings an exceptional play to the New Rep!
Bravo & A Standing 'O'.
Review of Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" - By J.K. Cosmos
The chorus of Christmas Carols and the themed dress of the Actors began before the audience even got to their seats. Bravo! The tone is set. The historically correct costumes, and then arriving in the theater, seeing the stage so well set was the beginning of a Christmas treat!
Dicken's play is a classic and, for many, a tradition. The production of this well-loved play is a challenge; the challenge being keeping it fresh and new. Keeping it interesting! This production conveyed the plot, engaged the audience and was entertaining, to boot!
The old Dodger, yes, Scrooge, had a great presence and Paul D. Farwell, who played the lead, did so without over-shadowing the others. His rendition of Scrooge was on the money. Farwell had the modulated voice, the accent and the energy to bring the audience in; to keep us there with him through the mundane at his office and the magical with the spirits. He was fun and really gave a great performance.
Edward M. Barker, playing Bob Cratchit, also enlightened the audience. How so? Well, his presentation showed love of family, his wife and others in the community in a most endearing and sweet way. His interpretation of Cratchit was one of a man with some sense of self; his identity was less pathetic than is sometimes portrayed in films. I thought his rendition of Cratchit was very effective.
The Actors in supporting roles, belted it out. The dialogue was true to the plot, to the story-line and to the essence of what makes Dickens a master dramatist.
Kudos to the Director, Bridget Kathleen O'Leary! Her vision and tweaking of this classic made it a not to miss play for the season.
Not to miss a beat, the setting and costumes of the spirits and the magic is just phenomenal! Congrats to Peter Colao and Christine Alger; Scenic & Costume design respectively. This Team effort brings an exceptional play to the New Rep!
Bravo & A Standing 'O'.
"A Christmas Carol" Provides Seasonal Cheer
By Jana Pollack, New Rep Reviewer
I have to start by admitting that, when it comes to holiday theater, I’m a bit of a scrooge myself. It’s not that I don’t get that fuzzy holiday feeling at this time of year – I can’t deny that I love the lights and the feeling of togetherness. However, I’ve never been big on Christmas plays. That being said, even I can’t deny that I did enjoy New Rep’s production of “Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.”
For those who do enjoy holiday theatre – and judging by the crowds these kinds of shows draw, that seems to be most people – this show hits the mark. It has carols, snow, good morals and plenty of cheer. It helps that New Rep has a fine cast and many adorable, talented children to tell the story.
Returning to the role of Scrooge for the fifth time, Paul D Farwell is a great deal of fun to watch. His transition from a selfish grump to a kind, giving man is believable and touching. Edward M Barker is also particularly good in the role of Cratchet - his scenes seem to sparkle, and are the most enjoyable in the production. The whole cast did an admirable job of bringing out both the morality and the humor in the tale, and there were quite a few funny moments. Although some scenes dragged (and the script could benefit from some cutting), by the final scene each emotional note had been hit with precision, achieving the intended outcome of good-hearted faith in humanity.
If you love Christmas and Christmas cheer, this is the play for you, and New Rep is the place to see it. As for me, I’m not a total convert, but I have to admit that Tiny Tim was pretty damn cute. Happy Holidays to all!
I have to start by admitting that, when it comes to holiday theater, I’m a bit of a scrooge myself. It’s not that I don’t get that fuzzy holiday feeling at this time of year – I can’t deny that I love the lights and the feeling of togetherness. However, I’ve never been big on Christmas plays. That being said, even I can’t deny that I did enjoy New Rep’s production of “Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.”
For those who do enjoy holiday theatre – and judging by the crowds these kinds of shows draw, that seems to be most people – this show hits the mark. It has carols, snow, good morals and plenty of cheer. It helps that New Rep has a fine cast and many adorable, talented children to tell the story.
Returning to the role of Scrooge for the fifth time, Paul D Farwell is a great deal of fun to watch. His transition from a selfish grump to a kind, giving man is believable and touching. Edward M Barker is also particularly good in the role of Cratchet - his scenes seem to sparkle, and are the most enjoyable in the production. The whole cast did an admirable job of bringing out both the morality and the humor in the tale, and there were quite a few funny moments. Although some scenes dragged (and the script could benefit from some cutting), by the final scene each emotional note had been hit with precision, achieving the intended outcome of good-hearted faith in humanity.
If you love Christmas and Christmas cheer, this is the play for you, and New Rep is the place to see it. As for me, I’m not a total convert, but I have to admit that Tiny Tim was pretty damn cute. Happy Holidays to all!
"A Christmas Carol": Bar Humbug!
By Jack Craib, New Rep Reviewer
So there’s this old miser named Scrooge, and three Christmas ghosts, who walk into a bar….oh, you’ve heard this one before. Well, if you (and the immediate world) are familiar with the story, anyone who attempts to revisit the hallowed halls of this ultimate Dickensian holiday tale had best have a novel and engaging approach to such material. In the past the parable has featured the likes of Alastair Sim (still the benchmark in this reviewer‘s experience), Jim Carrey, Albert Finney, Kelsey Grammer and Scrooge McDuck. Happily, the New Rep found just such a way to revitalize the source material.
Several years ago, former New Rep Artistic Director Rick Lombardo wrote an adaptation that managed to stay faithful to the original while discovering hidden depths of meaning and emotion. Lombardo’s successor, Kate Warner, has wisely chosen to continue this tradition and placed it in the very competent hands of director Bridget Kathleen O’Leary. O’Leary, in turn, has entrusted the title role into the capable hands of Paul D. Farwell, who is no stranger to the part, having played it at New Rep now for five seasons. He brings a great deal of much-appreciated comic elements without making Scrooge seem like a buffoon. It’s a risk, but it pays off handsomely.
The current production, evoking in numerous ways a truly Victorian Christmas, features the talents of some fine New Rep veterans as well as some extremely promising newcomers from Watertown Children‘s Theater. In the former category, Peter Edmund Haydu, Brooke Hardman and William Gardiner, all in multiple roles, are among the standouts. In the latter group, attention must be paid to the heartrending performance of Ella Miller as Tiny Tim (though the part as expanded by Lombardo skirts perilously close to overcooked melodrama more than once), and the incredibly mature stage presence of Tim Traversy as Peter Cratchit, whose confidence belies his young age. That said, the company actually works best as a company, when they become a true ensemble of actors, singers, and instrumentalists.
Yes, you read that right. Not only do these performers provide the level of acting and singing credibility one has come to expect from New Rep, but they are also extraordinarily proficient at accompanying the festivities on piano and organ (Patrick Ryan), guitar (Haydu), and over a dozen other instruments. As in the recent creations by John Doyle, in London and Broadway, of “Company” and “Sweeney Todd”, most of the principals demonstrate this impressive ability to multi-task. Add to this the versatile and imaginative set, period-perfect costumes, and original special effects, and one can easily enjoy the time spent with these very talented folks. (The sound balance needs work, though).
This current “Carol” is above all dependably family-friendly (though, as in most productions, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come may be a bit too dark for the youngest theatergoers). Nephew Fred may have gone up on a couple of lines, Martha Cratchit may have been unable to extinguish a recalcitrant candle, and Scrooge’s bed may have refused to cooperate at one spot. The scene where Scrooge’s possessions are divided up goes on much too long. By and large, however, this production works. And that’s no humbug.
So there’s this old miser named Scrooge, and three Christmas ghosts, who walk into a bar….oh, you’ve heard this one before. Well, if you (and the immediate world) are familiar with the story, anyone who attempts to revisit the hallowed halls of this ultimate Dickensian holiday tale had best have a novel and engaging approach to such material. In the past the parable has featured the likes of Alastair Sim (still the benchmark in this reviewer‘s experience), Jim Carrey, Albert Finney, Kelsey Grammer and Scrooge McDuck. Happily, the New Rep found just such a way to revitalize the source material.
Several years ago, former New Rep Artistic Director Rick Lombardo wrote an adaptation that managed to stay faithful to the original while discovering hidden depths of meaning and emotion. Lombardo’s successor, Kate Warner, has wisely chosen to continue this tradition and placed it in the very competent hands of director Bridget Kathleen O’Leary. O’Leary, in turn, has entrusted the title role into the capable hands of Paul D. Farwell, who is no stranger to the part, having played it at New Rep now for five seasons. He brings a great deal of much-appreciated comic elements without making Scrooge seem like a buffoon. It’s a risk, but it pays off handsomely.
The current production, evoking in numerous ways a truly Victorian Christmas, features the talents of some fine New Rep veterans as well as some extremely promising newcomers from Watertown Children‘s Theater. In the former category, Peter Edmund Haydu, Brooke Hardman and William Gardiner, all in multiple roles, are among the standouts. In the latter group, attention must be paid to the heartrending performance of Ella Miller as Tiny Tim (though the part as expanded by Lombardo skirts perilously close to overcooked melodrama more than once), and the incredibly mature stage presence of Tim Traversy as Peter Cratchit, whose confidence belies his young age. That said, the company actually works best as a company, when they become a true ensemble of actors, singers, and instrumentalists.
Yes, you read that right. Not only do these performers provide the level of acting and singing credibility one has come to expect from New Rep, but they are also extraordinarily proficient at accompanying the festivities on piano and organ (Patrick Ryan), guitar (Haydu), and over a dozen other instruments. As in the recent creations by John Doyle, in London and Broadway, of “Company” and “Sweeney Todd”, most of the principals demonstrate this impressive ability to multi-task. Add to this the versatile and imaginative set, period-perfect costumes, and original special effects, and one can easily enjoy the time spent with these very talented folks. (The sound balance needs work, though).
This current “Carol” is above all dependably family-friendly (though, as in most productions, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come may be a bit too dark for the youngest theatergoers). Nephew Fred may have gone up on a couple of lines, Martha Cratchit may have been unable to extinguish a recalcitrant candle, and Scrooge’s bed may have refused to cooperate at one spot. The scene where Scrooge’s possessions are divided up goes on much too long. By and large, however, this production works. And that’s no humbug.
New Rep's Take on A Christmas Carol
by Frank Furnari
New Rep Reviewer
Upon entering the Arsenal Center for the Arts, I was greeted by several cast members singing Christmas carols. After several carols, we were beckoned to join them in the theater. After the audience was settled, the cast marched into the theater, still caroling and began the show on a lovely note.
Music, mostly in the form of Christmas carols and a couple original songs, features prominently in this production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, adapted by former New Rep Artistic Director Rick Lombardo, but this is not a musical. Music appears many times within a scene, in between scenes, and as underscoring, although sometimes it was difficult to hear the actors over it. The music served more to set the tone rather than to further the story. The piece felt like several clips interspersed between narration and singing. This format did not draw me into the story and some of the elements such as the lost souls flying about and the ghost of Christmas future seemed almost ridiculous and made me want to laugh. I believe, however, that this could be an entertaining evening for families with kids.
The A-frame set served as a great backdrop with different elements coming on stage to create the various locations. Of special note is the set of Scrooge’s house where the ghost of Jacob Marley makes a grand entrance. Scrooge, played by Paul D. Farwell, has the right mix of humbug turned to joy and portrays a convincing Scrooge. He has played Scrooge at New Rep for several years and you may remember him when he appeared earlier this season in New Rep’s production of Mr. Roberts as The Captain. The entire ensemble is strong and each is a good singer, making the carols enjoyable. In the final scene when Scrooge wakes up on Christmas morning and begins spreading Christmas cheer, I found myself finally getting drawn into the story as it is hard not to at that moment to feel the holiday cheer that this story tries to convey. I only wish that the story drew me in sooner.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Bank of America Sponsors A Student Matinee
Today, Bank of America sponsored a student matinee of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Over 200 third, fourth, and fifth graders from the David A. Ellis School in Roxbury and the John F. Kennedy School in Jamaica Plain attended the performance. After the performance, the students had the opportunity to mix and mingle with the cast while making festive gingerbread treats.
This annual event, now in its fifth year, targets students from low-to-moderate income families and allows them to experience live theater, often for the first time. Numerous studies have shown that children who are exposed to the arts tend to perform better in school and in life. Bank of America recognizes the vital role that arts and cultural organizations play in stimulating students and their communities, and is proud of its longstanding commitment to New Repertory Theatre.
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Caroling at The Mall at Chestnut Hill
This Sunday at 12:00 pm the cast of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol will be caroling at The Mall at Chestnut Hill by Guest Services on the first floor. If you are in the area please drop by and say hello!
Are you planning on attending a performance of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol? The cast will be caroling in the lobby 30 minutes before the show, so make plans to get there early!
Photo Credit: Ella Miller and Edward M. Barker in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Photo by Hannah McClure
Watertown Food Pantry
This December New Rep is teaming up with the Watertown Food Pantry! When you come to the theater this month you can bring various food items to donate to the pantry.
This holiday season the pantry is mostly in need of the following items:
- Cookies- especially Fig Newtons
- Tooth paste
- Honey
- Dry fruit
- Granola bars
Dear Scrooge,
Over the past few weeks Mr. Scrooge has received a lot of letters from kids all around town who want to win free tickets to see him in Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. Because of the great response, Mr. Scrooge had a hard time picking just one winner! So this year, for the first time in New Rep history, we have three winners - one grand prize winner ( pictures with Mr. Scrooge on stage) and two runner ups.
Thanks to everyone who joined in the fun and wrote a letter to Scrooge and congrats to our three winners. Here is the winning letter:
Stella and Ruby:
Thanks to everyone who joined in the fun and wrote a letter to Scrooge and congrats to our three winners. Here is the winning letter:
Stella and Ruby:
Friday, October 30, 2009
We want to learn more about you!
Hey everyone,
In order to keep you up to date with New Rep and better serve you we need to know more about you. Please take a few minutes to take this survey (http://tinyurl.com/ykbt9jb) and you will be entered to win two free tickets to a New Rep show. I hope you have a fantastic weekend!
New Rep
In order to keep you up to date with New Rep and better serve you we need to know more about you. Please take a few minutes to take this survey (http://tinyurl.com/ykbt9jb) and you will be entered to win two free tickets to a New Rep show. I hope you have a fantastic weekend!
New Rep
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Death, Fear & An Ethical Dilemma..Mamet! - Reviewed by J. K. Cosmos
Mad Men vibe and fast paced talk compels the audience and presents a 'Must See' production at the New Rep. With Mamet, there are expectations and they were met and then some in Watertown.
Robert Pemberton as "Bobby" with his exceptional accent not to be under-estimated when most of Hollywood only pretends to be from a particular venue. Pemberton convinces us and he readily draws us in to his point of view. Pemberton shines in this role.
The play between him and Gabriel Kuttner exceptional. Kuttner is believable as Charlie Fox and as 'everyman' who is loyal and 'true blue' to the powers that run the show and the 'friends' that tantalize and promise a leg up.
Kuttner reflects that man and humanity's attempts to move ahead at any cost in his role as Fox. He understands the game plan and reminds the audience and more crucially his pal, Bobby Gould.
To take the top off, the play has a fight scene. The sudden burst of violence and blood presents another level of Mamet at his best. Director Robert Walsh deserves kudos for the entire production. Walsh transitions the scenes and directs the actors to lead us through the phases of it all; no small feat with this play.
The pivotal conflict is dramatized effectively; both sweetly and purposefully by Aimee Doherty. Her role as Karen is the rub and she moves as an ingenue and a femme fatale. Who knew Karen (Doherty) would have this effect? Doherty plays her hand close and the audience appreciates how she develops this part.
Mamet addresses art and the concepts of being worthy, much like Oscar Wilde did in his essays on art and the value of art, artists and critics.
The Actors, the action, the play - exceptional! Speed-The-Plow
Reviewed - J.K. Cosmos - New Rep Reviewer
Robert Pemberton as "Bobby" with his exceptional accent not to be under-estimated when most of Hollywood only pretends to be from a particular venue. Pemberton convinces us and he readily draws us in to his point of view. Pemberton shines in this role.
The play between him and Gabriel Kuttner exceptional. Kuttner is believable as Charlie Fox and as 'everyman' who is loyal and 'true blue' to the powers that run the show and the 'friends' that tantalize and promise a leg up.
Kuttner reflects that man and humanity's attempts to move ahead at any cost in his role as Fox. He understands the game plan and reminds the audience and more crucially his pal, Bobby Gould.
To take the top off, the play has a fight scene. The sudden burst of violence and blood presents another level of Mamet at his best. Director Robert Walsh deserves kudos for the entire production. Walsh transitions the scenes and directs the actors to lead us through the phases of it all; no small feat with this play.
The pivotal conflict is dramatized effectively; both sweetly and purposefully by Aimee Doherty. Her role as Karen is the rub and she moves as an ingenue and a femme fatale. Who knew Karen (Doherty) would have this effect? Doherty plays her hand close and the audience appreciates how she develops this part.
Mamet addresses art and the concepts of being worthy, much like Oscar Wilde did in his essays on art and the value of art, artists and critics.
The Actors, the action, the play - exceptional! Speed-The-Plow
Reviewed - J.K. Cosmos - New Rep Reviewer
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Speed-the-Plow-Not-to-be-Missed
by Frank Furnari
David Mamet’s Speed-the-Plow opens with Charlie Fox, a film producer, presenting the plan to make this next smash prison movie with a big name celebrity to Bobby Gould, a newly promoted studio executive. The film has everything in it and it will sell, even if it’s not a great story. The dialogue here is typical Mamet-speak where sentences are rarely finished as they are interrupted by the other person, words are often repeated, and there are lots of swear words. Gabriel Kuttner as Charlie and Robert Pemberton as Bobby do this in such a natural way, as if they always speak this way and as a result get many laughs. We then meet Karen, played by the always-great Aimee Doherty, a good-looking temp that gets both men’s attention. She is pretty, seems innocent and hasn’t really figured out how things work in Hollywood. Charlie bets Bobby that she won’t sleep with him, Bobby accepts. To get Karen to come to his house, Bobby asks Karen to read a novel that he has already decided will not make a good movie - The Bridge; or, Radiation and the Half-Life of Society –she should report on it at his house that evening. She shows up, loves it, and tries to convince him to make it into a film. She reads several quotes from the book, which are some of the funniest moments of the show. Things happen that night and the next morning that determine which film will be made and who ends up on top.
This play premiered on Broadway in 1988 (Madonna played Karen!) and it feels fresh today, you can see nothing has changed in the movie industry. The play looks at the question of art vs. business – do we make the film that should be made – a good film, or do we just make the film that will make us rich? At one point when Bobby is asked, “Is it a good film?” he replies, “it’s a commodity.” In 85minutes of witty dialogue, we get a glimpse of life in the movie business played by three actors whom you really believe lived these lives.
While the production as a whole is great, Eric Levenson’s set was unimpressive. Not consisting of much more than a few chairs and a few tables, it left me wanting a little more – is this how sparse a studio executive’s office is? But then again, this is Mamet – it’s all about the words, and there are lots of them. Pay close attention, it’s worth it - you will catch most of the words in between all the laughter.
“Speed-the-Plow” Delivers
by Jana Pollack, New Rep Reviewer
“Speed-the-Plow,” David Mamet’s classic play, starts off as a picture of life in a Hollywood film studio - suits, swearing, and the allure of excessive wealth. Over its 80 minutes, this play humanizes the people who bring us blockbusters, and presents a moral dilemma about the responsibility of those who make decisions that ultimately shape our culture.
The production currently running on the mainstage at New Rep, directed by Robert Walsh, is one of the best pieces of theatre that I’ve seen in a while. Every aspect is well done. All three actors give nuanced, full performances that are as genuine as they are hilarious; the set is interesting and evocative; the pumping music adds brilliantly to the atmosphere; and the lighting is crisp and decisive. This all comes together to produce a thoroughly entertaining evening of high quality theatre.
The show is done in threes - three characters, three scenes. Bobby Gould, the newly promoted studio executive, is portrayed by Robert Pemberton, and his performance is masterful. When we meet him, he is all talk and fluffed ego. But as the play continues, Mr. Pemberton expertly strips away Bobby’s outer shell, and this process is both hilarious and touching. One of the best moments comes when Bobby shyly seduces his new secretary; he takes on the body language of a teenage boy, and his slightly flushed face gives him away completely.
Charlie Fox, the executive underling, is played by Gabriel Kuttner. Mr. Kuttner makes amazing use of his movement. Charlie appears jumpy by nature, and this seems to be a physical manifestation of his deep sense of anger at never getting his shot. This movement progresses from his first moment on stage to his last, when he finally walks steadily, having taken control and gotten what he wanted.
Finally, there is Karen, Bobby’s temporary secretary, played by Aimee Doherty. Ms. Doherty is faced with a challenge, as the character of Karen is not written as fully or given nearly as much motivation as her male counterparts. Doherty does a very credible job, moving swiftly from naive temp to passionate advocate. However, through the fault of the script, Karen’s choices remain somewhat unconvincing.
This play presents big questions in the guise of a somewhat silly scenario, a construction that gives the script tremendous versatility. This production made me laugh hard and long, and it also asked for an examination of how power is gained in human relationships, and what motivates decisions that have an impact on society. David Mamet has written a very good play, and Robert Walsh has directed an excellent production. I urge you to see “Speed the Plow.”
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Speed the Plow -- fantastic
I have no idea why this play is called Speed-the-Plow, but I guess that’s kind of irrelevant. What is relevant is that this play is fantastic – the best New Rep has produced this year. Mamet is a great playwright and the dialogue is fast-paced, profanity-laced and, at times, almost too quick to follow.
The actors were excellent. The best was Robert Pemberton as Bobby Gould, the just-promoted movie producer who has to decide whether he wants to produce a crowd-pleasing “movie” or a “film” with a moral and ethical message. This dilemma is presented to him on the one side by his long-term friend and associate Charlie Fox (very well played by Gabriel Kutner), who brings him a sure-fire script for a prison movie, complete with a popular actor. The argument for art and morality is presented by Bobby’s temporary secretary, Karen (beautifully played by Aimee Doherty). Karen urges Bobby to forego the materialistic prison movie and to make a film from a “courtesy read” book that he asked her to review (with the ultimate hope of bedding her). The three characters regularly read from the book, which is about radiation and the end of the world, to underscore the points they are making. But regardless of whether it is Karen reading with awe and passion, or Charlie reading the book with derision, one thing is clear: the book is puerile and would make a terrible, terrible movie.
The writing is taut and fast paced and the actors do it justice. Although Kutner (Charlie) was a bit hesitant in the first few scenes, he caught his stride by the middle of the play and finished it with a dynamic and memorable performance. Doherty (Karen) was perfect for the role of a seemingly naïve young woman, who is ultimately as shallow and ambition-driven as everyone else. The most performance was Pemberton’s. He fully inhabited the role of Bobby, a man who was alternately motivated by power and lust. He gave a nuanced performance allowing the character to be forceful, funny or passionate, as the scene demanded. Pemberton was on stage for the entire performance and despite the strength of the other actors, it was hard to take your eyes off him.
“Speed-the-Plow” is playing at New Rep through November 7th. It would be a mistake to miss this one.
K.Poverman, New Rep reviewer
The actors were excellent. The best was Robert Pemberton as Bobby Gould, the just-promoted movie producer who has to decide whether he wants to produce a crowd-pleasing “movie” or a “film” with a moral and ethical message. This dilemma is presented to him on the one side by his long-term friend and associate Charlie Fox (very well played by Gabriel Kutner), who brings him a sure-fire script for a prison movie, complete with a popular actor. The argument for art and morality is presented by Bobby’s temporary secretary, Karen (beautifully played by Aimee Doherty). Karen urges Bobby to forego the materialistic prison movie and to make a film from a “courtesy read” book that he asked her to review (with the ultimate hope of bedding her). The three characters regularly read from the book, which is about radiation and the end of the world, to underscore the points they are making. But regardless of whether it is Karen reading with awe and passion, or Charlie reading the book with derision, one thing is clear: the book is puerile and would make a terrible, terrible movie.
The writing is taut and fast paced and the actors do it justice. Although Kutner (Charlie) was a bit hesitant in the first few scenes, he caught his stride by the middle of the play and finished it with a dynamic and memorable performance. Doherty (Karen) was perfect for the role of a seemingly naïve young woman, who is ultimately as shallow and ambition-driven as everyone else. The most performance was Pemberton’s. He fully inhabited the role of Bobby, a man who was alternately motivated by power and lust. He gave a nuanced performance allowing the character to be forceful, funny or passionate, as the scene demanded. Pemberton was on stage for the entire performance and despite the strength of the other actors, it was hard to take your eyes off him.
“Speed-the-Plow” is playing at New Rep through November 7th. It would be a mistake to miss this one.
K.Poverman, New Rep reviewer
Spare the Rod and Spoil the Pitch
by Jack Craib, New Rep Reviewer
Mamet. Hollywood. Power. Ruthlessness. Moral decay. Male bonding. Serial Swearing. Staccato dialogue. Got it.
New Rep’s current offering of David Mamet’s “Speed-the-Plow” comes with some interesting Broadway baggage. Both the original 1988 production and the recent 2008 version are famous, or infamous, for their casting choices, Madonna in the former (almost universally panned) and Jeremy Piven in the latter (supposedly done in by some suspect sushi). The star of most Mamet works, however, is Mamet, with his idiosyncratic rhythm of speech. This time around, with some three dozen screenplays to his credit, he has the street cred to write about turf he knows all too well. His title comes from an old saying that work produces wealth, therefore may God speed the proverbial plow for a swift and profitable harvest. How his characters plan to cultivate proposed movie projects is the crux of the play.
This short work features three characters in three scenes. Bobby Gould (Robert Pemberton), head of production at a film studio, and Charlie Fox (Gabriel Kuttner), a producer, have been friends since their days in the mail room. Charlie, a self-described whore, in the best-written and most complex role (Ron Silver won a Tony in the original and Raul Esparza was nominated in the revival), views movies as a business and believes in success at all costs. It is his pitch for a screenplay he temporarily represents that initiates conflict, and he repeatedly notes that he could easily have “crossed the street” (that is, pitched to another studio) with his project. Bobby, also a self-described whore, states that money isn’t everything; he wants to make a difference in the world. Karen (Aimee Doherty) is the literal whore willing to do whatever it takes to be a player, in the least interesting role. This is nothing new for Mamet, whose focus in previous works such as “American Buffalo“ and the Pulitzer-winning “Glengarry Glen Ross” is clearly the issue of male friendships and bromance; his female characters are often marginalized or objectified.
This cast nails the pace and the cynicism neatly. Kuttner gets the lion’s share of the best lines and makes the most of them, while Pemberton’s reactions are priceless. The problem is the character of Karen, and, while Doherty does about as well as one could with the role, it’s as shallow as the character she plays. Her biggest scene lacks the pacing of the rest of the work and spends way too much time getting to a point that is telegraphed much earlier; it’s almost as though it’s from another play. It’s not the fault of the actors, but of Mamet, who doesn’t acknowledge that a woman might be the verbal equal of the men. This may have been credible in 1988, but in today’s Hollywood, with several female studio heads, it’s a bit dated. Nonetheless, Director Robert Walsh does a splendid job of verbal choreography. On the technical side, the set works very well and the costumes are spot on (Bobby rumpled, Charlie buttoned-down, Karen chameleon-like), but the lighting too often puts the actors literally in the dark.
Art and idealism may not triumph over commerce, but the process provides a great deal of hysterically funny writing. Mamet surely doesn’t spare the rod in portraying the movie culture. As Charlie puts it, “They’re only words unless they’re true”.
Mamet. Hollywood. Power. Ruthlessness. Moral decay. Male bonding. Serial Swearing. Staccato dialogue. Got it.
New Rep’s current offering of David Mamet’s “Speed-the-Plow” comes with some interesting Broadway baggage. Both the original 1988 production and the recent 2008 version are famous, or infamous, for their casting choices, Madonna in the former (almost universally panned) and Jeremy Piven in the latter (supposedly done in by some suspect sushi). The star of most Mamet works, however, is Mamet, with his idiosyncratic rhythm of speech. This time around, with some three dozen screenplays to his credit, he has the street cred to write about turf he knows all too well. His title comes from an old saying that work produces wealth, therefore may God speed the proverbial plow for a swift and profitable harvest. How his characters plan to cultivate proposed movie projects is the crux of the play.
This short work features three characters in three scenes. Bobby Gould (Robert Pemberton), head of production at a film studio, and Charlie Fox (Gabriel Kuttner), a producer, have been friends since their days in the mail room. Charlie, a self-described whore, in the best-written and most complex role (Ron Silver won a Tony in the original and Raul Esparza was nominated in the revival), views movies as a business and believes in success at all costs. It is his pitch for a screenplay he temporarily represents that initiates conflict, and he repeatedly notes that he could easily have “crossed the street” (that is, pitched to another studio) with his project. Bobby, also a self-described whore, states that money isn’t everything; he wants to make a difference in the world. Karen (Aimee Doherty) is the literal whore willing to do whatever it takes to be a player, in the least interesting role. This is nothing new for Mamet, whose focus in previous works such as “American Buffalo“ and the Pulitzer-winning “Glengarry Glen Ross” is clearly the issue of male friendships and bromance; his female characters are often marginalized or objectified.
This cast nails the pace and the cynicism neatly. Kuttner gets the lion’s share of the best lines and makes the most of them, while Pemberton’s reactions are priceless. The problem is the character of Karen, and, while Doherty does about as well as one could with the role, it’s as shallow as the character she plays. Her biggest scene lacks the pacing of the rest of the work and spends way too much time getting to a point that is telegraphed much earlier; it’s almost as though it’s from another play. It’s not the fault of the actors, but of Mamet, who doesn’t acknowledge that a woman might be the verbal equal of the men. This may have been credible in 1988, but in today’s Hollywood, with several female studio heads, it’s a bit dated. Nonetheless, Director Robert Walsh does a splendid job of verbal choreography. On the technical side, the set works very well and the costumes are spot on (Bobby rumpled, Charlie buttoned-down, Karen chameleon-like), but the lighting too often puts the actors literally in the dark.
Art and idealism may not triumph over commerce, but the process provides a great deal of hysterically funny writing. Mamet surely doesn’t spare the rod in portraying the movie culture. As Charlie puts it, “They’re only words unless they’re true”.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
2.5 Minute Ride...Whoosh! And What A Ride It Was! by JK Cosmos, New Rep Reviewer
Lisa Kron has a hit featuring Adrianne Krstansky. Kron keeps the pace and engages the audience without any dead space. The initial scene may have been perplexing, as Lisa, played by Krstansky, takes us on the journey and the ride, uses a pointer on a blank screen. The sound of the clicking slides, the red dot on a blank screen, all very effective. It gave the audience pause and allowed them to fill in the blank space, the white space, to create the scene based on the language of the production, not the visuals. It reminded me of art appreciation classes as an undergrad and the use of the white space, rather than color on the screen lead to images and use of my imagination. Nicely done.
Krstansky gave an energetic and well-paced performance with humor and some ironic twists. She evoked emotion and illicited a recognition in us and an empathy that crosses ethnic lines. The traditions and cultural descriptions in the dialogue transcend the Jewish experience, as many peoples identify with much of the play.
The acting was up close and personal; there is no other way to say it. The outlook despite tragedies in life, remains optimistic and positive. Who knew? I didn't expect the joi de vivre that came across despite some horrific recollections in the piece.
One short story of a German boy, who chose not to join the war and not to join the Nazi Party and his courage to be his own person resonated for me and was one of the thesis components of the play. Lisa's father feeling lucky to be Jewish, so as not to have to make a decision to choose a Nazi uniform or to decline; very poignant.
Krstansky stayed in character and moved us through the events of her life; of Lisa's life. It was fabulous!
Krstansky gave an energetic and well-paced performance with humor and some ironic twists. She evoked emotion and illicited a recognition in us and an empathy that crosses ethnic lines. The traditions and cultural descriptions in the dialogue transcend the Jewish experience, as many peoples identify with much of the play.
The acting was up close and personal; there is no other way to say it. The outlook despite tragedies in life, remains optimistic and positive. Who knew? I didn't expect the joi de vivre that came across despite some horrific recollections in the piece.
One short story of a German boy, who chose not to join the war and not to join the Nazi Party and his courage to be his own person resonated for me and was one of the thesis components of the play. Lisa's father feeling lucky to be Jewish, so as not to have to make a decision to choose a Nazi uniform or to decline; very poignant.
Krstansky stayed in character and moved us through the events of her life; of Lisa's life. It was fabulous!
2.5 Minute Ride (Well, really, 70 Minute Ride)
by Frank Furnari, New Rep Reviewer
Downstage @ New Rep begins its season with the roller coaster that is Lisa Kron’s 2.5 Minute Ride. Some may remember Lisa Kron from her 2007 Boston appearance starring in her other major autobiographical play, Well. 2.5 Minute Ride opens with a slide show about Lisa's family, but from the beginning, we know something isn’t quite right, we don't actually see images on the slides, only colors. Something is a little off - as Lisa says, “My family is all either dead or crippled.”
Lisa takes us on a whirlwind journey - abruptly changing time, place, and topic. We jump from family vacations where the “cripples” go on roller coaster rides, to visiting Auschwitz with her father, to a family wedding – just be sure you hold on as the quick transitions can be jarring. The piece alternates from funny moments discussing Peg’s (Lisa’s partner) reaction to Lisa’s family and analysis of the situation through her ‘therapist mind’ to the realities of horrors of Auschwitz. The jumps are occasionally confusing, but it makes you feel as if you're hearing an unscripted talk rather than a play.
Adrianne Krastansky masterfully performs the character of Lisa – one feels that she is channeling Lisa Kron. Occasionally, Adrianne falters when portraying some of the other characters - sometimes one isn’t sure who is supposed to be speaking, but when she is Lisa, she is spot on and a remarkable sight! One of the best moments of the piece is also its darkest - while visiting Auschwitz, Adrianne gets the audience to feel the dread, the sorrow, and her reluctance to even attempt to explain the experience. This play isn’t going to offer you new insight or break new ground, but it is interesting, touching, funny, and only 70 minutes long – hard to pass up, especially when you get to see such a talented actress giving a great performance.
"2.5 Minute Ride" is a Powerful Trip
By Jana Pollack, New Rep Reviewer
“2.5 minute ride,” the one woman show currently playing in the black box theatre at New Rep, begins with a family slide show, presented by a daughter. She points out the people in the photographs with a laser pointer, often finishing her descriptions with “but of course, you can see that.”
The catch, though, is that we can’t. The audience sees just empty slide after empty slide, blurry around the edges. As the piece moves forward, this becomes a metaphor for the blurred vision of the woman’s father, who has lost all sight except for a sliver of peripheral view. When he looks at his daughter, he tells her that this loss of vision has actually given him a more accurate perception of the world: “and when I look at where your head is,” he says, “all I see is flowers.”
Adrianne Krstansky, the actress, who embodies the writer of the piece, carries the show with passion. The playwright, Lisa Kron, has written a piece that jumps from the midwest to Eastern Europe, from the old world to the world of twenty-four hour stores that carry everything from Wonder Bread to guns. The action moves from an American amusement park to the streets of Poland and into the depths of Auschwitz. What makes this journey work is Krstansky’s complete embodiment of Lisa, and her acceptance of Lisa’s world; her relationships with the people she is describing are clear and fully realized, which brings them to life.
What works best are the hardest parts. Lisa speaks honestly about her expectations for her trip to Auschwitz - her biggest fear upon going, she says, is that she will feel nothing at all. But when she arrives, her telling of the tale is truly horrifying, and all the more so as she admits that she cannot possibly do it justice, and hardly even wants to try. A powerful moment comes when Lisa embodies her father, and describes his insistence that he was lucky to be born a Jew, so that he did not have to face the choice of whether to join the Nazi party.
What is less successful are the stories of the every day. The script works admirably to provide comic relief, but the attempt to mix comedy with tragedy feels somewhat staged, and the transitions aren’t smooth enough to allow for time to adjust.
But Krstansky is not afraid to look her audience in the eye, and that is what makes the experience of this play so effective. She paints clear pictures of the people in her life, so that despite the empty slides, we can see them. The not seeing - the fact that there are no pictures of these people, and we must rely on Lisa’s perceptions - ultimately gives us a better view.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
E-Ticket to Ride?
by Jack Craib New Rep Reviewer
Approaching a one-person show is a bit like a first encounter with an unfamiliar rollercoaster; will the ride seem to be over in 2.5 seconds like a flash or will it seem more like two and a half hours of an endurance contest? The perceived length depends greatly on the depth of the performance given by the soloist and to what degree insightful direction overcomes the obstacles inherent in this limited (yet often freeing) form. It also depends, of course, on the work's content and how its author provides sufficient variety, mystery and tension. This is a tall order given the typical limitations of a performance piece. Without the benefit of supporting players to provide conflict, most often without set designs that enhance context, and fundamentally without the traditional arc of a more structured drama, there has to be a lot of naked courage on display.
Fortunately for New Rep theatergoers, the current production of author Lisa Kron's autobiographical "2.5 Minute Ride" succeeds in delivering the goods. As with all such solo acting efforts, what transpires is less a play in the strict sense and more of a series of vignettes, less like a novel and more like an interrelated grouping of short stories. And what a solo performance this is. Local actress Adrianne Krstansky, with very few exceptions that will undoubtedly be overcome when she has had time to grow into the part even more, conveys the humor and the pathos of a woman whose family has had more than its share of both good times and sorrow. Under New Rep alumna M. Bevan O'Gara's direction, both subtle and searing, the title's allusion to a brief ride on a rollercoaster is certainly apt.
The first thing one notices upon entering the intimate Black Box Theater is the calliope music, preparing the audience for what is to come. As the first scene opens, theatergoers find themselves at a slide lecture in which no images appear on the screen but are described in detail by the sole character, a perfect illustration of the true essence of acting, namely seeing through the eyes of the performer. Whether it's her family's dysfunctional visits to a Michigan amusement park, her visit with her father to the concentration camp where her father's parents died, or her totally unexpected reaction to a family wedding as half of a gay couple of bridesmaids, this device works brilliantly. The scenes at Auschwitz are particularly gripping in a very surprising way when the simple act of misplacing something leads to terror.
It's not "Belle of Amherst", "Mark Twain Tonight" or "I Am My Own Wife", but this is one memorable ride. If this were another amusement park, Disneyland in the old days, this would surely be an E-ticket.
Approaching a one-person show is a bit like a first encounter with an unfamiliar rollercoaster; will the ride seem to be over in 2.5 seconds like a flash or will it seem more like two and a half hours of an endurance contest? The perceived length depends greatly on the depth of the performance given by the soloist and to what degree insightful direction overcomes the obstacles inherent in this limited (yet often freeing) form. It also depends, of course, on the work's content and how its author provides sufficient variety, mystery and tension. This is a tall order given the typical limitations of a performance piece. Without the benefit of supporting players to provide conflict, most often without set designs that enhance context, and fundamentally without the traditional arc of a more structured drama, there has to be a lot of naked courage on display.
Fortunately for New Rep theatergoers, the current production of author Lisa Kron's autobiographical "2.5 Minute Ride" succeeds in delivering the goods. As with all such solo acting efforts, what transpires is less a play in the strict sense and more of a series of vignettes, less like a novel and more like an interrelated grouping of short stories. And what a solo performance this is. Local actress Adrianne Krstansky, with very few exceptions that will undoubtedly be overcome when she has had time to grow into the part even more, conveys the humor and the pathos of a woman whose family has had more than its share of both good times and sorrow. Under New Rep alumna M. Bevan O'Gara's direction, both subtle and searing, the title's allusion to a brief ride on a rollercoaster is certainly apt.
The first thing one notices upon entering the intimate Black Box Theater is the calliope music, preparing the audience for what is to come. As the first scene opens, theatergoers find themselves at a slide lecture in which no images appear on the screen but are described in detail by the sole character, a perfect illustration of the true essence of acting, namely seeing through the eyes of the performer. Whether it's her family's dysfunctional visits to a Michigan amusement park, her visit with her father to the concentration camp where her father's parents died, or her totally unexpected reaction to a family wedding as half of a gay couple of bridesmaids, this device works brilliantly. The scenes at Auschwitz are particularly gripping in a very surprising way when the simple act of misplacing something leads to terror.
It's not "Belle of Amherst", "Mark Twain Tonight" or "I Am My Own Wife", but this is one memorable ride. If this were another amusement park, Disneyland in the old days, this would surely be an E-ticket.
2.5 Minute Ride -- Whew!
Lisa Kron’s “2.5 Minute Ride was a very intense experience. This one-woman autobiographical show (featuring a wonderful Adrianne Krstansky as Lisa) is a study in how one woman comes to terms with her heritage, and her efforts to make sense of this heritage in the context of her Midwestern upbringing and her family’s experiences.
The play’s conceit involves Lisa’s project to capture her father’s life and history in a video. Her father was a Holocaust survivor whose parents were killed at Auschwitz. Coming to the United States at 15, he eventually moved to the Midwest and raised his family in Lansing, Michigan. The play begins with Lisa discussing her family’s quirks and giving a mock travelogue of pictures taken on a trip to Auschwitz with her father. The stories about her family and her relationship with her partner are humorous and sometimes hilarious. Her stories about the trip to Auschwitz are heartbreaking. The two story lines – the humor and the heartbreak – are told alternately, and Lisa slips from humor to heartbreak without notice. Krstansky played the scenes – especially the Auschwitz scenes –so beautifully, so well, and so intensely, that they were almost too much to take. I found myself wanting some scenes to end; not because they were bad, but because they were so painful to experience, even second-hand.
By re-living her grandparents’ experiences in the trip to Auschwitz, and by seeing how her father processes this experience, Lisa comes to more fully understand the role of her Jewish heritage in her life. This processing culminates in her discussions of her brother’s wedding to an Orthodox Jew. It was a decision her family could not understand and initially mocked, but the wedding turned out to be a surprising and healing event.
This is an excellent play. Just be ready to be taken on quite an emotional rollercoaster.
The play’s conceit involves Lisa’s project to capture her father’s life and history in a video. Her father was a Holocaust survivor whose parents were killed at Auschwitz. Coming to the United States at 15, he eventually moved to the Midwest and raised his family in Lansing, Michigan. The play begins with Lisa discussing her family’s quirks and giving a mock travelogue of pictures taken on a trip to Auschwitz with her father. The stories about her family and her relationship with her partner are humorous and sometimes hilarious. Her stories about the trip to Auschwitz are heartbreaking. The two story lines – the humor and the heartbreak – are told alternately, and Lisa slips from humor to heartbreak without notice. Krstansky played the scenes – especially the Auschwitz scenes –so beautifully, so well, and so intensely, that they were almost too much to take. I found myself wanting some scenes to end; not because they were bad, but because they were so painful to experience, even second-hand.
By re-living her grandparents’ experiences in the trip to Auschwitz, and by seeing how her father processes this experience, Lisa comes to more fully understand the role of her Jewish heritage in her life. This processing culminates in her discussions of her brother’s wedding to an Orthodox Jew. It was a decision her family could not understand and initially mocked, but the wedding turned out to be a surprising and healing event.
This is an excellent play. Just be ready to be taken on quite an emotional rollercoaster.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
"Mr. Roberts" Dated & About Times Gone By...
My expectations were not high for this WW II production, until noticing the actors in the play; actors who would surely carry the day and move the production forward with energy & verve.
The play did not energize. The 'set up' was too long and dragged. The play was so dated, which can be a strength for creative piece. For this one, it was simplistic and simple-minded, much like the plot. The plot didn't move along nor did it engage the audience. There was no character development. Giving the benefit of the doubt, I still cannot recommend this one, unable to find a redeeming quality.
The setting did reflect the place. However, the actors footsteps echoed and was so loud drowning out dialogue.
Owen Doyle is one of the actors I had hoped would pull this one up & succeed. Owen is a gifted performer and his work in Lapin Agile at the New Rep was extraordinary. Similar kudos to Ross MacDonald, a most phenomenal performance in Exits & Entrances & together with Curt Klump, excellent work in The Lieutenenat of Insishmore.
The lead for Mr. Roberts, Thomas Piper, has solid credentials. This reviewer has not seen him prior to this role. I look forward to seeing the cast in other local performances. Unfortunately, they were unable to pull this one off successfully.
Respectfully submitted,
J.K. Cosmos
New Rep/Theater Reviewer
The play did not energize. The 'set up' was too long and dragged. The play was so dated, which can be a strength for creative piece. For this one, it was simplistic and simple-minded, much like the plot. The plot didn't move along nor did it engage the audience. There was no character development. Giving the benefit of the doubt, I still cannot recommend this one, unable to find a redeeming quality.
The setting did reflect the place. However, the actors footsteps echoed and was so loud drowning out dialogue.
Owen Doyle is one of the actors I had hoped would pull this one up & succeed. Owen is a gifted performer and his work in Lapin Agile at the New Rep was extraordinary. Similar kudos to Ross MacDonald, a most phenomenal performance in Exits & Entrances & together with Curt Klump, excellent work in The Lieutenenat of Insishmore.
The lead for Mr. Roberts, Thomas Piper, has solid credentials. This reviewer has not seen him prior to this role. I look forward to seeing the cast in other local performances. Unfortunately, they were unable to pull this one off successfully.
Respectfully submitted,
J.K. Cosmos
New Rep/Theater Reviewer
Mr. Roberts
I had always wanted to see the 1948 classic movie “Mr. Roberts” having heard for years how funny it was. I never did see it, but I did catch New Rep’s production of the play on Monday. And it was . . . pretty good. Not great, but pretty good. I realized after the fact that I had expected “Mr. Roberts” to be like that old TV show “McHale’s Navy,” which I thought was a laugh riot when I was ten. Since I am no longer ten, it’s probably good that the only real similarity between the two is that they both take place on a ship.
Despite my McHale’s Navy expectations, “Mr. Roberts” was not pure, light hearted comedy, although there were many amusing moments. The basic plot is this: Roberts is an officer on a cargo ship in the Pacific during the spring of 1945. He has a wonderful relationship with the crew, who adore him because he protects them against the ship captain’s capriciousness. However, he is miserable because he feels like he is not contributing to the war effort. (He is so unhappy about this that he finds it difficult to celebrate when he learns that the Allies have won the war in Europe.) Roberts sends weekly transfer requests to the ship’s captain, which are always denied without reason or justification.
I had some difficulty fully enjoying the play because while there are universal aspects to it -- themes of loyalty, friendship, honor and sacrifice – the play itself seemed very much a product of 1940s. Scenes in which lecherous sailors leer at nurses through binoculars and attack them while on shore leave may have been hilarious in 1948, but in this post-Tailhook world, there was nothing amusing about them.
As for the acting, it was quite good overall. The actors playing the crew members were basically playing caricatures of sailors, so it was difficult to really assess their talent. The actors who were most genuine were the ship’s doctor and the captain. With both of them, you forgot they were playing parts. The actor playing Mr. Roberts rose to this level in the scenes where he confronted the captain. In other scenes he was likeable, but he needed come across as charismatic to explain the crew’s devotion to him.
Despite its faults, seeing the play was a pleasant way to spend an evening out. Even though it was more than two hours long, the pacing was good and the play did not drag. I wouldn’t necessarily tell people to rush to and see it, but it is still worth seeing.
Kpoverman, New Rep Reviewer
Despite my McHale’s Navy expectations, “Mr. Roberts” was not pure, light hearted comedy, although there were many amusing moments. The basic plot is this: Roberts is an officer on a cargo ship in the Pacific during the spring of 1945. He has a wonderful relationship with the crew, who adore him because he protects them against the ship captain’s capriciousness. However, he is miserable because he feels like he is not contributing to the war effort. (He is so unhappy about this that he finds it difficult to celebrate when he learns that the Allies have won the war in Europe.) Roberts sends weekly transfer requests to the ship’s captain, which are always denied without reason or justification.
I had some difficulty fully enjoying the play because while there are universal aspects to it -- themes of loyalty, friendship, honor and sacrifice – the play itself seemed very much a product of 1940s. Scenes in which lecherous sailors leer at nurses through binoculars and attack them while on shore leave may have been hilarious in 1948, but in this post-Tailhook world, there was nothing amusing about them.
As for the acting, it was quite good overall. The actors playing the crew members were basically playing caricatures of sailors, so it was difficult to really assess their talent. The actors who were most genuine were the ship’s doctor and the captain. With both of them, you forgot they were playing parts. The actor playing Mr. Roberts rose to this level in the scenes where he confronted the captain. In other scenes he was likeable, but he needed come across as charismatic to explain the crew’s devotion to him.
Despite its faults, seeing the play was a pleasant way to spend an evening out. Even though it was more than two hours long, the pacing was good and the play did not drag. I wouldn’t necessarily tell people to rush to and see it, but it is still worth seeing.
Kpoverman, New Rep Reviewer
Strong Performances Anchor “Mister Roberts”
by Jana Pollack, New Rep Reviewer
Like so much of the artistic work that arose from World War II, "Mister Roberts" is painted in broad strokes. A product of its time, this play, set on a cargo ship in the Pacific near the end of the war, presents little complexity, but is marked by the clear sense of duty that characterized the time of its conception. As New Repertory Theatre's season opener, this production is well-directed and full of strong performances.
Much of the strength of this production comes from the ensemble, and it's clear that director Kate Warner understood this important element and focused on fostering it. That work pays off, and the guys aboard "the old bucket," as the ship is often referred to, have genuine relationships that are fun to watch. Across the board, "Mister Roberts" is well acted. The most memorable performance comes from the scene-stealing Jonathan Popp as Ensign Pulver, who anchors his work so that it lands solidly throughout the piece. Often, he seems to surprise even himself when he begins to talk, and the moments of these boyish revelations are some of the production's most enjoyable. Mr. Popp is in good company, as well; Thomas Piper as Mister Roberts brings an elegance to his leading role, and Owen Doyle, as Doc, consistently delivers comedic lines with perfect timing.
The problems in this production lie almost entirely in the script. Unfortunately, though the actors do their best with the material provided them, none of the characters is fully drawn, making much of the play feel like a missed opportunity. The hero of "Mister Roberts" is a man whose only flaw is that he wants to help people too much. The captain is a villain when the play begins, and he remains so; the crew members are good boys throughout. In essence, the play is written in black and white. So, while the work that goes into this piece is very fine, the lack of depth in the script means that it fails to deliver a lasting message.
Patrick Lynch's set displays three levels of "the old bucket," and it is very effective in creating clear territories. The presence of the captain's lair, located in the upper right corner, is always felt, but the crew members relax when they are on the lower deck, farthest from him. The structure itself presents a noise problem, however - the metal plates on its steps and floors make quite a racket when stepped on, and the actors sometimes have to fight to make their lines heard over an exiting or entering cast member.
"Mister Roberts" is an entertaining evening of theatre, and Warner has carefully crafted a piece that is easy to enjoy. This is not groundbreaking theatre - performed today, this play is not a groundbreaking play - but it is very good. The quality of the production overcomes the flaws of the text, and although it won't leave you deeply inspired, it will certainly satisfy.
Like so much of the artistic work that arose from World War II, "Mister Roberts" is painted in broad strokes. A product of its time, this play, set on a cargo ship in the Pacific near the end of the war, presents little complexity, but is marked by the clear sense of duty that characterized the time of its conception. As New Repertory Theatre's season opener, this production is well-directed and full of strong performances.
Much of the strength of this production comes from the ensemble, and it's clear that director Kate Warner understood this important element and focused on fostering it. That work pays off, and the guys aboard "the old bucket," as the ship is often referred to, have genuine relationships that are fun to watch. Across the board, "Mister Roberts" is well acted. The most memorable performance comes from the scene-stealing Jonathan Popp as Ensign Pulver, who anchors his work so that it lands solidly throughout the piece. Often, he seems to surprise even himself when he begins to talk, and the moments of these boyish revelations are some of the production's most enjoyable. Mr. Popp is in good company, as well; Thomas Piper as Mister Roberts brings an elegance to his leading role, and Owen Doyle, as Doc, consistently delivers comedic lines with perfect timing.
The problems in this production lie almost entirely in the script. Unfortunately, though the actors do their best with the material provided them, none of the characters is fully drawn, making much of the play feel like a missed opportunity. The hero of "Mister Roberts" is a man whose only flaw is that he wants to help people too much. The captain is a villain when the play begins, and he remains so; the crew members are good boys throughout. In essence, the play is written in black and white. So, while the work that goes into this piece is very fine, the lack of depth in the script means that it fails to deliver a lasting message.
Patrick Lynch's set displays three levels of "the old bucket," and it is very effective in creating clear territories. The presence of the captain's lair, located in the upper right corner, is always felt, but the crew members relax when they are on the lower deck, farthest from him. The structure itself presents a noise problem, however - the metal plates on its steps and floors make quite a racket when stepped on, and the actors sometimes have to fight to make their lines heard over an exiting or entering cast member.
"Mister Roberts" is an entertaining evening of theatre, and Warner has carefully crafted a piece that is easy to enjoy. This is not groundbreaking theatre - performed today, this play is not a groundbreaking play - but it is very good. The quality of the production overcomes the flaws of the text, and although it won't leave you deeply inspired, it will certainly satisfy.
Rock The Boat
by New Rep Reviewer Frank
Kate Warner opens her first season at New Rep with the classic play Mister Roberts. Being of a younger generation, I had not heard of the play nor the movie until New Rep announced this production. The play takes place on a Navy supply vessel and shows a perspective of war that does not always come to mind – the behind the scenes work of bringing supplies, the boredom, the tension. The ship is filled with a crew of good-looking men in uniform (occasionally shirtless) and one good-looking woman who show that war is more than just front-line combat, and, while the piece was written in the 1940s, it still resonates today. The play centers on Mister Roberts, a Lieutenant in the Navy who longs for the day he gets to see combat and really contribute in the war. We see his many attempts, with the help of his crew, to obtain a transfer from the ship’s captain as well as the complex relationships between the crewmembers. The play itself isn’t perfect and could end just fine without the last five minutes of the show, but is an interesting and sometimes funny portrayal.
The entire cast is strong, but especially strong are Thomas Piper as Mister Roberts and Paul D. Farwell as the captain – you can feel the tension in the room between the two of them. Patrick Lynch’s multi-level set, while simple, does a great job at evoking the ship – the only thing missing is having the set gently rock back and forth – something I’m sure the audience is grateful that it is missing. Molly Trainer’s attention to the crew’s costumes is amazing – you see all the sweat and the stains of a hard day’s work in the sun. Kudos should also go out David Wilson for his sound design incorporating many subtle background elements that really adds to the mood of the production. If you enjoy men in uniform, palm trees, Johnnie Walker Red Label, goats, soapsuds, and lots of alcohol – or if you’re curious as to what all these have to do with a Navy supply ship – check out Mister Roberts, a solid beginning to Kate Warner’s career with New Rep!
Is Tropical Still Topical?
by Jack Craib, New Rep Reviewer
Inaugurating the current New Rep season with "Mr. Roberts", last seen on Broadway six decades ago, was a gutsy move. Not only is wartime nostalgia a rare commodity these days, but most folks are no doubt familiar with the film version that boasted more stars than the average general. The team of Fonda, Cagney and Lemmon (and William Powell too) is a memory hard to erase. It is a testimony to the shrewdness of this production's casting that audience members can manage to do so and appreciate the spot-on performance level this cast maintains.
The play itself, surprisingly after such a long hiatus, manages to remain relevant because it doesn't only deal with a navy cargo ship in the steamy South Pacific. Despite its specific period look and sound (sailors with such unsalty language?), it tackles much broader and grander issues. While it may be difficult for some today to empathize with the title character's lament that the war is "dying before he can get to it", there is no such problem with identifying with his compassion for his men and the realization that it is boredom that threatens to destroy their morale.
After a somewhat slow start due to a healthy dose of exposition that will later prove just how tightly written the play is, that concept moves front and center in the person of the officer ironically in charge of morale (and laundry), the morally ambiguous Ensign Pulver. As do the other men on board, he clearly worships the water their Executive Officer, Mr. Roberts, walks on. It is his validation Pulver seeks but doesn't find, at least initially; Mr. Roberts even bluntly states that he'll respect his morale officer if and when a threatened prank on the ship's megalomaniacal captain is actually carried off and when he has the guts to knock on the captain's door and admit to it. It is to the credit of the playwrights (Thomas Heggen, from his novel, and Joshua Logan) that the work's most memorable and heartfelt moment (the ultimate disposition of a botanical "malignant growth") is the bittersweet climax that amazingly unites humor and pathos, and resonates with an undeniable relevance.
As noted, the cast is pitch perfect, above and below deck. Thomas Piper exudes powerful strength and profound tenderness as the heroic Mr. Roberts, and Jonathan Popp provides an egaging Pulver who comes into his own in the second act as his character blossoms. As the Queeg-like Captain from Boston, Paul D. Farwell is the ideal foil for Mr. Roberts' foiled ideals, and Owen Doyle as Doc is his expressive anchor. All of the cast seem just right, including Ed Hoopman as Dolan, whose dashed hopes prove to be pivotal.
Technically, the production is virtually flawless. The sound, lighting and costumes (right down to the realistic sweat stains) are all shipshape, and the set design is ingenious in its versatility. ("Virtually flawless", because the set is easily the noisiest in memory, which enhances authenticity if not audibility). The ship is a bit less populated than on its first sailing in 1948 (fewer sailors, one fewer palm tree), but its impact survives. If this first offering is any indication of the directing abilities of new Artistic Director Kate Warner (and there are quite a few nice touches without being overdone), New Rep audiences have a good deal of great theater to look forward to. And that's without even considering the masterfully underplayed palm-chewing goat.
Inaugurating the current New Rep season with "Mr. Roberts", last seen on Broadway six decades ago, was a gutsy move. Not only is wartime nostalgia a rare commodity these days, but most folks are no doubt familiar with the film version that boasted more stars than the average general. The team of Fonda, Cagney and Lemmon (and William Powell too) is a memory hard to erase. It is a testimony to the shrewdness of this production's casting that audience members can manage to do so and appreciate the spot-on performance level this cast maintains.
The play itself, surprisingly after such a long hiatus, manages to remain relevant because it doesn't only deal with a navy cargo ship in the steamy South Pacific. Despite its specific period look and sound (sailors with such unsalty language?), it tackles much broader and grander issues. While it may be difficult for some today to empathize with the title character's lament that the war is "dying before he can get to it", there is no such problem with identifying with his compassion for his men and the realization that it is boredom that threatens to destroy their morale.
After a somewhat slow start due to a healthy dose of exposition that will later prove just how tightly written the play is, that concept moves front and center in the person of the officer ironically in charge of morale (and laundry), the morally ambiguous Ensign Pulver. As do the other men on board, he clearly worships the water their Executive Officer, Mr. Roberts, walks on. It is his validation Pulver seeks but doesn't find, at least initially; Mr. Roberts even bluntly states that he'll respect his morale officer if and when a threatened prank on the ship's megalomaniacal captain is actually carried off and when he has the guts to knock on the captain's door and admit to it. It is to the credit of the playwrights (Thomas Heggen, from his novel, and Joshua Logan) that the work's most memorable and heartfelt moment (the ultimate disposition of a botanical "malignant growth") is the bittersweet climax that amazingly unites humor and pathos, and resonates with an undeniable relevance.
As noted, the cast is pitch perfect, above and below deck. Thomas Piper exudes powerful strength and profound tenderness as the heroic Mr. Roberts, and Jonathan Popp provides an egaging Pulver who comes into his own in the second act as his character blossoms. As the Queeg-like Captain from Boston, Paul D. Farwell is the ideal foil for Mr. Roberts' foiled ideals, and Owen Doyle as Doc is his expressive anchor. All of the cast seem just right, including Ed Hoopman as Dolan, whose dashed hopes prove to be pivotal.
Technically, the production is virtually flawless. The sound, lighting and costumes (right down to the realistic sweat stains) are all shipshape, and the set design is ingenious in its versatility. ("Virtually flawless", because the set is easily the noisiest in memory, which enhances authenticity if not audibility). The ship is a bit less populated than on its first sailing in 1948 (fewer sailors, one fewer palm tree), but its impact survives. If this first offering is any indication of the directing abilities of new Artistic Director Kate Warner (and there are quite a few nice touches without being overdone), New Rep audiences have a good deal of great theater to look forward to. And that's without even considering the masterfully underplayed palm-chewing goat.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
One Man's World War II Journal
As we gear up for the opening of Mister Roberts (Monday, September 14th!) we will be sharing "One Man's World War II Journal" by Thomas J. Fahey. The next part of the story will be posted on Friday and the final segment on the opening night of Mister Roberts! Feel free to leave us a comment and we hope to see you during the run of Mister Roberts!
One Man’s World War II Journal
By Thomas J. Fahey
Our graduation ceremony at Milton High School in June, 1943 was held up for two hours, as about 50 of the grads were getting their draft board physicals in Boston.
Two days later, they were in the service. At the induction center, three of the men were recruited into the Navy and were sent to Harvard for the V-12 program. Not a bad deal. They wound up as officers on destroyers and later would come back to Harvard to graduate. But some of the graduates didn’t come back; two of them were guys from our gang.
I would be turning 18 in October, so I had time to choose a service branch. I had a job for the summer at the Cunningham Park Pool in Milton as a lifeguard, while also teaching senior and junior lifesaving courses.
Our family had more Navy than anything else; my father and three of his brothers were chiefs in the Navy in World War I and my uncle was a master sergeant in the Marines. Three of them were lifers.
I wanted to be a flyer in the Navy Air Corps; the recruiting station was at 150 Causeway St. in Boston, next to the Boston Garden, and in I went. I was worried about some of the bad marks I had in high school, but I figured they’d give me a test. The ensign said to come back with a
transcript of my marks.
The next day I brought that in and he was very unimpressed. He said they must have pushed me out the door of Milton High. He told me I should go to the Army Air Corps recruiting station at 33 Kilby St. in Boston; they would taker anybody.
The recruiting sergeant there said to take a seat and when about 10 guys showed up, he would give a test. After we turned in the tests, the sergeant went into a back room to score them. A few minutes later, he came out and said everyone had passed; I think he dumped them into a waste basket.
We had our physicals and were sworn in a few days later. After turning 18 in October, I got word to report to Fort Devens in Ayer on Dec. 13, 1943. It was cold, about zero when we arrived. We were there about six days, getting shots, uniforms, and watching Mickey Mouse films.
A troop train came in and took us on a 5-day train ride to Miami Beach with XYZ priority; that meant whatever track we were on, we had the lowest priority. No wonder it took five days. As we got off the train, hundreds of guys were getting on, yelling “You’ll be sorry.” They were being sent to the infantry, as all the tech schools were filled up.
We lived in the Betsy Ross Hotel on South Beach and went to training at the local golf courses, which were turned into training centers. The same thing was done in Atlantic City, and Biloxi, Miss. The flight was half from Fort Devens, and half from Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
The first three days were precarious as the Civil War nearly erupted again. A quarry worker from Quincy saved the day when he picked up the biggest Rebel with one hand; that ended the war.
The cafeteria was turned into a clinic. We all lined up for shots, hundreds of soldiers. After getting our shots, we soldiers walked out into the parking lot three abreast, Ollie Johnson on one side and me on the other, and in the middle was Walter O’Connell of North Reading, about 6-5.
He would let out a piercing scream and faint, falling backwards. Ollie and I would catch him before he hit the ground.
About 50 soldiers in the long lines were fainting dead away; ambulances started arriving to tend to the faint of heart.
The flight sergeant, a New Yorker, came running down the street, screaming "You guys from Boston are going to get me court-martialed yet."
We went on night and day maneuvers up by Opa Laoka. The sergeant sent us out on patrol on all dirt roads at 11 at night, Naturally, we got lost, but somehow we found a roadhouse out in the boondocks, in an area that was all jungle at the time.
We were in the back yard when a bartender came out with the trash. He asked all four of us if we wanted a cold beer.
It was very hot and muggy, so we downed a few beers and finally found the sergeant. The first thing he said was “I smell beer. Where did you guys from Boston find a barroom in the middle of the jungle?”
The road house was in -- believe it or not -- Robert Ripley. It was completely covered with bottle caps on the walls and ceiling.
We enjoyed a swim every day after training as the ocean was across the street. We had many days of tests called the "stay nines"; they determined whether you would be a pilot, navigator or bombardier cadet. If you didn’t score high enough on those, there were tech schools -- engineer, radio or armorer gunner.
The interviewer told me the cadet groups were full but some guys with exceptional scores would be sent to college until there were openings. The tech schools were full up and not available. He thought we would be sent to aerial gunnery school, which is what happened, We were put on a troop train to Kingman, Ariz.
It was a very slow and beautiful trip -- the cars were troop sleepers, very comfortable. The trip took eight days. We stopped in Houston, Texas at 8 a.m. Some cars were detached as the guys were going to gunnery school in Laredo, Texas. We were supposed to be in Houston for six hours.
The sergeant said that under no circumstances were we to leave the train. When he was out of sight, the windows went up and about 600 guys were loose. It took about two weeks to round them up. I’ve never seen as many beautiful women as there were in Houston. All I remember is getting rousted out of a barroom about midnight.
One Man’s World War II Journal
By Thomas J. Fahey
Our graduation ceremony at Milton High School in June, 1943 was held up for two hours, as about 50 of the grads were getting their draft board physicals in Boston.Two days later, they were in the service. At the induction center, three of the men were recruited into the Navy and were sent to Harvard for the V-12 program. Not a bad deal. They wound up as officers on destroyers and later would come back to Harvard to graduate. But some of the graduates didn’t come back; two of them were guys from our gang.
I would be turning 18 in October, so I had time to choose a service branch. I had a job for the summer at the Cunningham Park Pool in Milton as a lifeguard, while also teaching senior and junior lifesaving courses.
Our family had more Navy than anything else; my father and three of his brothers were chiefs in the Navy in World War I and my uncle was a master sergeant in the Marines. Three of them were lifers.
I wanted to be a flyer in the Navy Air Corps; the recruiting station was at 150 Causeway St. in Boston, next to the Boston Garden, and in I went. I was worried about some of the bad marks I had in high school, but I figured they’d give me a test. The ensign said to come back with a
transcript of my marks.
The next day I brought that in and he was very unimpressed. He said they must have pushed me out the door of Milton High. He told me I should go to the Army Air Corps recruiting station at 33 Kilby St. in Boston; they would taker anybody.
The recruiting sergeant there said to take a seat and when about 10 guys showed up, he would give a test. After we turned in the tests, the sergeant went into a back room to score them. A few minutes later, he came out and said everyone had passed; I think he dumped them into a waste basket.
We had our physicals and were sworn in a few days later. After turning 18 in October, I got word to report to Fort Devens in Ayer on Dec. 13, 1943. It was cold, about zero when we arrived. We were there about six days, getting shots, uniforms, and watching Mickey Mouse films.
A troop train came in and took us on a 5-day train ride to Miami Beach with XYZ priority; that meant whatever track we were on, we had the lowest priority. No wonder it took five days. As we got off the train, hundreds of guys were getting on, yelling “You’ll be sorry.” They were being sent to the infantry, as all the tech schools were filled up.
We lived in the Betsy Ross Hotel on South Beach and went to training at the local golf courses, which were turned into training centers. The same thing was done in Atlantic City, and Biloxi, Miss. The flight was half from Fort Devens, and half from Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
The first three days were precarious as the Civil War nearly erupted again. A quarry worker from Quincy saved the day when he picked up the biggest Rebel with one hand; that ended the war.
The cafeteria was turned into a clinic. We all lined up for shots, hundreds of soldiers. After getting our shots, we soldiers walked out into the parking lot three abreast, Ollie Johnson on one side and me on the other, and in the middle was Walter O’Connell of North Reading, about 6-5.
He would let out a piercing scream and faint, falling backwards. Ollie and I would catch him before he hit the ground.
About 50 soldiers in the long lines were fainting dead away; ambulances started arriving to tend to the faint of heart.
The flight sergeant, a New Yorker, came running down the street, screaming "You guys from Boston are going to get me court-martialed yet."
We went on night and day maneuvers up by Opa Laoka. The sergeant sent us out on patrol on all dirt roads at 11 at night, Naturally, we got lost, but somehow we found a roadhouse out in the boondocks, in an area that was all jungle at the time.
We were in the back yard when a bartender came out with the trash. He asked all four of us if we wanted a cold beer.
It was very hot and muggy, so we downed a few beers and finally found the sergeant. The first thing he said was “I smell beer. Where did you guys from Boston find a barroom in the middle of the jungle?”
The road house was in -- believe it or not -- Robert Ripley. It was completely covered with bottle caps on the walls and ceiling.
We enjoyed a swim every day after training as the ocean was across the street. We had many days of tests called the "stay nines"; they determined whether you would be a pilot, navigator or bombardier cadet. If you didn’t score high enough on those, there were tech schools -- engineer, radio or armorer gunner.
The interviewer told me the cadet groups were full but some guys with exceptional scores would be sent to college until there were openings. The tech schools were full up and not available. He thought we would be sent to aerial gunnery school, which is what happened, We were put on a troop train to Kingman, Ariz.
It was a very slow and beautiful trip -- the cars were troop sleepers, very comfortable. The trip took eight days. We stopped in Houston, Texas at 8 a.m. Some cars were detached as the guys were going to gunnery school in Laredo, Texas. We were supposed to be in Houston for six hours.
The sergeant said that under no circumstances were we to leave the train. When he was out of sight, the windows went up and about 600 guys were loose. It took about two weeks to round them up. I’ve never seen as many beautiful women as there were in Houston. All I remember is getting rousted out of a barroom about midnight.
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
First Week of Rehearsals
The cast and crew had a successful first week of rehearsals for Mister Roberts, and they launched into their second week today! Just two more weeks of rehearsals and then the show will open on September 14th at 7:30! Here is a quick look at what happened last week during rehearsals:
The cast, crew, and staff at the first day of rehearsal for Mister Roberts.
Kate Warner (Artistic Director) talks about her vision for Mister Roberts.
Molly Trainer (Costume Designer) shows off her costume renderings to the cast, crew, and staff.
Set furniture for Mister Roberts from the model set!
Mister Roberts cast watching the designer presentations. 
Patrick Lynch (Scenic Designer) showing off the set of Mister Roberts!
Kate Warner (Artistic Director) gets ready to start rehearsing Mister Roberts!
We hope to see you at the theater during the run of Mister Roberts (September 13 - October 3)!
Thursday, August 06, 2009
S.Robert Winer, a WWII Veteran, Tells Us His Story…
New Rep is calling on all active Service Members and Veterans to “Tell Us Your Story.” We want to hear how you, like Mister Roberts, showed bravery, honor, and grace in challenging times. Please e-mail your personal story to marketing@newrep.org. 
Photo Credit: Robert Winer and his squadron are shown in 1944. Winer is standing third from the right.
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090606/NEWS01/306069956
In September 1941, before the war began, I went on active duty at Fort Devens, here in Massachusetts, where I was put in command of a heavy weapons platoon in H Company, second battalion, of the 26th Infantry Regiment, part of the First Division, commonly known as the Big Red One. Our regimental commander was Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. Our battalion commander told us junior officers we were like toilet paper, i.e. expendable.
The following July, I was transferred to the Army Air Corps to be trained as a glider pilot. Training took place over several months and at many bases, and I got my wings in February 1943.
I should say, at this point, the gliders were not the pretty little sailplanes that one thinks of as gliders nowadays. They were large, with a wing spread of close to ninety feet, and could hold 13 troops, in addition to the pilot and co-pilot, or they could carry equipment, including a jeep (which we carried on our mission in Holland in September 1944).
A number of us shipped to England in March 1945, and I was assigned to a base at Aldermaston. On D-Day, at 1:30 a.m., the first wave of gliders were towed across the
As we flew in, we took ground fire. I remember bullets shooting right through the floor of the glider, but luckily none of us got hit. We landed at 4:00 a.m. The first glider to land in our field hit the trees at the end of the field, killing Brigadier General Don Pratt and the co-pilot, and badly injuring the pilot and the general’s aide.
The second glider landed safely; however, our glider slammed into it due to the darkness. No one was hurt in the collision, but the second glider’s tail was damaged.
Army intelligence had informed us that the field we were to land in was surrounded by hedges, like ones that you would find in your yard. The hedges turned out to be 30-foot-tall poplars. Good old army intelligence. The hedgerows helped hide us from the Germans and their tanks on the road on the other side of the trees. The tanks’ engines were running, which helped mask the noise the gliders made on landing and the crash of the gliders.
For two days, I stayed at the nearby Château de Colombieres, an old château that was converted into the first American field hospital in Europe during the war. There we were given two missions: 1) burial patrol and 2) guarding German prisoners and the hospital. On the 8th of June, the other glider pilots and I were transported back to England to be issued further orders.
I only flew one other mission - the invasion of Holland the following September. I was unable to fly in the last mission my squadron flew due to illness. The pilot who replaced me was killed during this operation.
Since WWII, I have been back to Normandy twice. Once in 1984, around the 40th anniversary of D-day and the second time was five years ago to mark the 60th anniversary. Each time I visited the family who owned the farm we landed on and the owners of the Château, and, of course, they were very hospitable. I was, indeed, very fortunate to come through those missions unscathed.
Photo Credit: Robert Winer and his squadron are shown in 1944. Winer is standing third from the right.
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090606/NEWS01/306069956
Monday, August 03, 2009
Steppin Up and Moving On
On Thursday, July 30th, the Studio students gave a fabulous performance to an enthusiastic audience of friends, family, New Rep staff, and even some Summer Studio alumni! As I watched the performance from the back row with Wendy, what struck me most was the growth and commitment I saw in each student's performance. One student confessed earlier in the week that she had never had a solo in a performance before -- ever! What a leap, in four short weeks, to command a stage in a solo piece and to do so convincingly. Ben, Chris, Wendy and I were very proud of all the students! Thanks to Rachael Donnelly, who instructed the group on make-up application, the students had wide-awake eyes and looked really good under the lights. I hear there are some great production photos taken by our own Todd Michael Hall, so stay tuned to the New Rep website....
It's been a while since my last post, so I also wanted to mention highlights of the Theatre Tastes programming that occurred in the last two weeks. Chris Webb gave an introduction to Viewpoints (the actor training program made popular by Tina Landau and Anne Bogart), in which the group explored the viewpoint of Tempo in depth. The group remarked on the wildly different experience of thinking of one's own body as elements of space and shape and tempo. It was inspiring to see the sense of release and depth of articulation this type of training brings to actors! Sign me up!
Speaking of inspiring, last week New Rep Artistic Director Kate Warner led an illuminating discussion about the work of a director. To have a director's work demystified was, in my opinion, important for young people who sometimes don't see themselves in any other role but that of performer. Kate also had some great answers for their most dreaded audition questions! Though there was a lot of laughter, and the group was drawn to Kate's welcoming presence, they all took away some good information about a life working in the theatre.
We're having a good last day together, giving audition tips, learning music and choreography "just for fun," and playing Theatre Sports-style acting games. I'll miss this bunch of enthusiastic students, but know they'll see future success!
Happy August!
Liz Fenstermaker, on behalf of the Summer Studio Team
It's been a while since my last post, so I also wanted to mention highlights of the Theatre Tastes programming that occurred in the last two weeks. Chris Webb gave an introduction to Viewpoints (the actor training program made popular by Tina Landau and Anne Bogart), in which the group explored the viewpoint of Tempo in depth. The group remarked on the wildly different experience of thinking of one's own body as elements of space and shape and tempo. It was inspiring to see the sense of release and depth of articulation this type of training brings to actors! Sign me up!
Speaking of inspiring, last week New Rep Artistic Director Kate Warner led an illuminating discussion about the work of a director. To have a director's work demystified was, in my opinion, important for young people who sometimes don't see themselves in any other role but that of performer. Kate also had some great answers for their most dreaded audition questions! Though there was a lot of laughter, and the group was drawn to Kate's welcoming presence, they all took away some good information about a life working in the theatre.
We're having a good last day together, giving audition tips, learning music and choreography "just for fun," and playing Theatre Sports-style acting games. I'll miss this bunch of enthusiastic students, but know they'll see future success!
Happy August!
Liz Fenstermaker, on behalf of the Summer Studio Team
Monday, July 20, 2009
Process, Process, Process
As week three begins, Wendy (Hall) and the students are doing ballet technique to Bon Jovi, while I am in reverie about the process-rich format of our program here at Summer Studio. When we came together as a faculty last summer, we agreed it was very important to pass on some of the skills in performing arts that would make for happy, healthy performers in the future. To that end, we teach technique exercises in dance, acting, and voice that we hope to be in each student's personal "bag of warm-ups" in their personal practice. We have regular "check-ins" about the work of the students; just this morning, one student shared her method of memorizing lyrics with the others. As many of us know, the performing arts can feel very competitive for a young performer; when that competition is removed, as our theory went, the student is more willing to take risks and grow. So far, it's also amazing to see the swell of generosity and trust that each student shows the group.
Speaking of creating a competition-free zone: a word about our showcase! The idea behind this informal showing (July 30th at 7:30pm! Free of charge!) is to highlight the students' work in acting, singing, and dance. Each student will have a solo piece in the showcase, which we hand-picked to show off the student's personality and range. We don't do auditions, but pick material based on our observations when building the all-cast numbers. No stress, no muss, no fuss, no tears. We will do some audition technique workshops in the final week, but our philosophy so far is to treat auditions as something that happens outside of this experience. Our job is to build up students for the tests they will face outside Summer Studio. (And, I might add, they each sound fantastic!) On Tuesday, each student will receive personalized vocal coaching from Ben (Rauhala), and I will work with each to transfer our monologue skills to song. Based on our very early work on playwriting, students are writing introductions, transition scenes, and short monologues to educate the audience on the "page to stage" connections. They are a hard-working bunch, and I couldn't be more proud of their work!
OK, ok, enough philosophy -- let's talk about STAGE COMBAT! Our own Chris Webb led us in an afternoon of kicking and hair-pulling that highlighted technique and safety. It was fun to watch -- and occasionally practice with Chris -- some really convincing and stomach-turning moves. (Don't be surprised if there's, oh, say, a CAT fight in the show.... Meow!) Thanks, Chris!
-Liz Fenstermaker, on behalf of the Summer Studio Team
Speaking of creating a competition-free zone: a word about our showcase! The idea behind this informal showing (July 30th at 7:30pm! Free of charge!) is to highlight the students' work in acting, singing, and dance. Each student will have a solo piece in the showcase, which we hand-picked to show off the student's personality and range. We don't do auditions, but pick material based on our observations when building the all-cast numbers. No stress, no muss, no fuss, no tears. We will do some audition technique workshops in the final week, but our philosophy so far is to treat auditions as something that happens outside of this experience. Our job is to build up students for the tests they will face outside Summer Studio. (And, I might add, they each sound fantastic!) On Tuesday, each student will receive personalized vocal coaching from Ben (Rauhala), and I will work with each to transfer our monologue skills to song. Based on our very early work on playwriting, students are writing introductions, transition scenes, and short monologues to educate the audience on the "page to stage" connections. They are a hard-working bunch, and I couldn't be more proud of their work!
OK, ok, enough philosophy -- let's talk about STAGE COMBAT! Our own Chris Webb led us in an afternoon of kicking and hair-pulling that highlighted technique and safety. It was fun to watch -- and occasionally practice with Chris -- some really convincing and stomach-turning moves. (Don't be surprised if there's, oh, say, a CAT fight in the show.... Meow!) Thanks, Chris!
-Liz Fenstermaker, on behalf of the Summer Studio Team
Monday, July 13, 2009
Summer Studio Week 2
Hi, everyone!
Liz here again. We had a great first week with our strong group of students at Summer Studio. There are so many highlights, I'm not sure where to begin. One piece that was especially exciting for the group to work on was "Mama Who Bore Me" from Spring Awakening. At one point, Ben (New Rep Summer Studio, Musical Director) referred to them as a "choir of angels" singing -- which was an apt comparison. The group is also interested in looking at some of the original Bill T Jones choreography, so Wendy (New Rep Summer Studio, Choreographer) is looking into recreating some of his signature swirly moves. We also worked on "Invocation and Instructions to the Audience" from Frogs, which stretches our comic acting skills. Our facial muscle isolations and work on focal points are coming in handy -- and the group is seeing that Nathan Lane was not built in a day!
On Friday, we worked on monologues, which can be daunting and intense, especially on a sunny Friday summer afternoon. They dove right in, analyzing text for salient words, establishing objectives, and creating a physical life for their characters. It truly wowed me that their early work was so rich and their readings so expressive and natural. (On a practical note, I'm glad they'll be able to rock upcoming auditions with this new material.)
Oh, and how could I forget our new best friend Maurice Parent?! Part of the New Rep’s cast of Ragtime, Wild Party, and Cabaret, funny and charming Maurice came to chat with us about his life as a working actor and creating the role of black in Wild Party, whose music and original text we had sampled earlier in the day.
This morning, I'm watching Wendy give a technique class, and wishing more schools would have formal dance instruction as part of their arts curriculum so teens could have great teachers like Wendy. (There, I said it. Write your school boards!) Later today, each student will show a piece of their own choreography they created this weekend as "homework." One student told me this morning that she's done a production number and we each have a part. I guess I'd better go stretch!
Liz here again. We had a great first week with our strong group of students at Summer Studio. There are so many highlights, I'm not sure where to begin. One piece that was especially exciting for the group to work on was "Mama Who Bore Me" from Spring Awakening. At one point, Ben (New Rep Summer Studio, Musical Director) referred to them as a "choir of angels" singing -- which was an apt comparison. The group is also interested in looking at some of the original Bill T Jones choreography, so Wendy (New Rep Summer Studio, Choreographer) is looking into recreating some of his signature swirly moves. We also worked on "Invocation and Instructions to the Audience" from Frogs, which stretches our comic acting skills. Our facial muscle isolations and work on focal points are coming in handy -- and the group is seeing that Nathan Lane was not built in a day!
On Friday, we worked on monologues, which can be daunting and intense, especially on a sunny Friday summer afternoon. They dove right in, analyzing text for salient words, establishing objectives, and creating a physical life for their characters. It truly wowed me that their early work was so rich and their readings so expressive and natural. (On a practical note, I'm glad they'll be able to rock upcoming auditions with this new material.)
Oh, and how could I forget our new best friend Maurice Parent?! Part of the New Rep’s cast of Ragtime, Wild Party, and Cabaret, funny and charming Maurice came to chat with us about his life as a working actor and creating the role of black in Wild Party, whose music and original text we had sampled earlier in the day.
This morning, I'm watching Wendy give a technique class, and wishing more schools would have formal dance instruction as part of their arts curriculum so teens could have great teachers like Wendy. (There, I said it. Write your school boards!) Later today, each student will show a piece of their own choreography they created this weekend as "homework." One student told me this morning that she's done a production number and we each have a part. I guess I'd better go stretch!
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Summer Studio is Sizzling!
Hi, New Rep fans!
I'm Liz, director of this year's Summer Studio: "Page to Stage." Over the next few weeks, we will be exploring the connections between some of our favorite musicals (like Frogs, Oliver, Applause, Damn Yankees, and Wicked) and the works of literature that inspired them. (Our awesome education intern, Jason Simon, is busy amassing a research library for us!)
Today was our first day, and the group of teen performers is truly fabulous! Wendy Hall, choreographer extraordinaire, gave a great dance technique class this morning and taught a fun 1980s dance combination. In the afternoon, our new best friend and music director Ben Rauhala busted out some of the company numbers for our Showcase (July 30, 7pm, in the Mosesian Theatre). The group was singing in three-part harmony by the end of the afternoon, which is a huge accomplishment on the first day! Best of all, everyone seemed to be having a good time, and the group went off to lunch break chatting like old friends.
A new component of this year's studio is the inclusion of workshops that will encourage these young artists to take on the creative roles of choreographer, playwright, and director. Keep reading to see what this group can do!
Liz Fenstermaker
on behalf of the Summer Studio team
I'm Liz, director of this year's Summer Studio: "Page to Stage." Over the next few weeks, we will be exploring the connections between some of our favorite musicals (like Frogs, Oliver, Applause, Damn Yankees, and Wicked) and the works of literature that inspired them. (Our awesome education intern, Jason Simon, is busy amassing a research library for us!)
Today was our first day, and the group of teen performers is truly fabulous! Wendy Hall, choreographer extraordinaire, gave a great dance technique class this morning and taught a fun 1980s dance combination. In the afternoon, our new best friend and music director Ben Rauhala busted out some of the company numbers for our Showcase (July 30, 7pm, in the Mosesian Theatre). The group was singing in three-part harmony by the end of the afternoon, which is a huge accomplishment on the first day! Best of all, everyone seemed to be having a good time, and the group went off to lunch break chatting like old friends.
A new component of this year's studio is the inclusion of workshops that will encourage these young artists to take on the creative roles of choreographer, playwright, and director. Keep reading to see what this group can do!
Liz Fenstermaker
on behalf of the Summer Studio team
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Exciting Changes
Hi Everyone,
As we are preparing for the New Voices @ New Rep reading of DEPORTED / a dream play, Joyce has been rewriting the script based on our discoveries in the Boston University New Plays Initiative Workshop (please see my earlier entries).There are some major, exciting changes a-brewing! The dream-like quality of the play is growing and characters deepening and changing. I am so looking forward to sharing these changes with you in a public setting!
We have also confirmed the majority of our panel for discussion after the reading about the place theater has in the public discussion and processing on the issue of the Armenian Genocide. We are thrilled to have some wonderful members of the Armenian community on our panel including Ruth Thomasian (Founder and Executive Director of Project Save, the Armenian Photo Archive), Dr. Martin Deranian (the real life son of one of the principle characters in DEPORTED), Mariam Stepanyan (Executive Director, Armenian Library and Museum) and Tina Sajonian (President, BU Armenian Student Association).
We hope you will join us on Monday, May 4th at 7:30 pm for the reading of DEPORTED / a dream play!
Best,
Judy Braha
Director
As we are preparing for the New Voices @ New Rep reading of DEPORTED / a dream play, Joyce has been rewriting the script based on our discoveries in the Boston University New Plays Initiative Workshop (please see my earlier entries).There are some major, exciting changes a-brewing! The dream-like quality of the play is growing and characters deepening and changing. I am so looking forward to sharing these changes with you in a public setting!
We have also confirmed the majority of our panel for discussion after the reading about the place theater has in the public discussion and processing on the issue of the Armenian Genocide. We are thrilled to have some wonderful members of the Armenian community on our panel including Ruth Thomasian (Founder and Executive Director of Project Save, the Armenian Photo Archive), Dr. Martin Deranian (the real life son of one of the principle characters in DEPORTED), Mariam Stepanyan (Executive Director, Armenian Library and Museum) and Tina Sajonian (President, BU Armenian Student Association).
We hope you will join us on Monday, May 4th at 7:30 pm for the reading of DEPORTED / a dream play!
Best,
Judy Braha
Director
Monday, April 13, 2009
Discovering Cultural Components
Hi Everyone,
In February, we had a very exciting experience with DEPORTED / a dream play! Boston University New Plays Initiative gave us the opportunity to work on further developing an already strong script via a workshop production of the play with BU School of Theater students. Joyce and I spent 5 weeks working on the play in rehearsal with 9 BU actors and 3 designers. This rehearsal and performance process was invaluable to us! We learned a huge amount about the world of the play, the characters, the style and the use of Armenian dance, music and film images.
We had the extreme pleasure of collaborating with Apo Ashjian, Artistic Director of SAYAT NOVA DANCE COMPANY. Apo taught the actors in the workshop traditional Armenian dance that wove throughout the scenes of the play. We made some wonderful discoveries about how essential these cultural components were in weaving the play together and evoking a whole culture in a very private world. It became clear that these elements gave us a real link to finding the universal in the particular, to linking the vibrancy of the Armenian culture to the difficult memories of the genocide. It has been most important to us that we speak for life in this play and the opportunity to work with Apo and sound designers Liz Wallbridge and GW Roderigez in adding the dance and sound of historic Armenia to the play helped us immensely!
The reading for the New Rep will be the first reading of the newly revised script based on our discoveries from the BU New Plays Initiative workshop!
Best,
Judy Braha
In February, we had a very exciting experience with DEPORTED / a dream play! Boston University New Plays Initiative gave us the opportunity to work on further developing an already strong script via a workshop production of the play with BU School of Theater students. Joyce and I spent 5 weeks working on the play in rehearsal with 9 BU actors and 3 designers. This rehearsal and performance process was invaluable to us! We learned a huge amount about the world of the play, the characters, the style and the use of Armenian dance, music and film images.
We had the extreme pleasure of collaborating with Apo Ashjian, Artistic Director of SAYAT NOVA DANCE COMPANY. Apo taught the actors in the workshop traditional Armenian dance that wove throughout the scenes of the play. We made some wonderful discoveries about how essential these cultural components were in weaving the play together and evoking a whole culture in a very private world. It became clear that these elements gave us a real link to finding the universal in the particular, to linking the vibrancy of the Armenian culture to the difficult memories of the genocide. It has been most important to us that we speak for life in this play and the opportunity to work with Apo and sound designers Liz Wallbridge and GW Roderigez in adding the dance and sound of historic Armenia to the play helped us immensely!
The reading for the New Rep will be the first reading of the newly revised script based on our discoveries from the BU New Plays Initiative workshop!
Best,
Judy Braha
Monday, April 06, 2009
DEPORTED/ a dream play
Hi New Rep Bloggers!
I am the director of the upcoming play in NewVoices @ New Rep's reading series, DEPORTED / a dream play. The play will be read at 7:30pm on Monday May 4, 2009! I have been working with playwright, Joyce Van Dyke (A GIRL’S WAR), and a company of ten actors for over two years to create a play based on Armenian genocide survivor stories. Using survivor oral history interviews from the Armenian Library and Museum (ALMA) as well as documents, letters and personal reminiscences by survivors and their descendants, we began holding improvisational workshops based on this material, developing characters, theatrical images and story lines. We began without a script and the script grew out of our collaborative process. The actors in our developmental company include some New Rep favorites, Bobbie Steinbach and Ken Baltin!
The play is a true story based on that of 2 friends— the playwright’s grandmother, Elmas and her close friend, Varter Nazarian Deranian. In dreams and memories, the play conjures worlds of the past as well as the future. It covers events from 1915 to beyond 2015!
We look forward to reading the play at New Rep! This will be our first public reading of the newest version of the play, which continues to evolve! I will be posting thoughts and information about the project regularly! We look forward to hearing from you on this blog and starting a conversation!
Best,
Judy Braha
Director, DEPORTED / a dream play
I am the director of the upcoming play in NewVoices @ New Rep's reading series, DEPORTED / a dream play. The play will be read at 7:30pm on Monday May 4, 2009! I have been working with playwright, Joyce Van Dyke (A GIRL’S WAR), and a company of ten actors for over two years to create a play based on Armenian genocide survivor stories. Using survivor oral history interviews from the Armenian Library and Museum (ALMA) as well as documents, letters and personal reminiscences by survivors and their descendants, we began holding improvisational workshops based on this material, developing characters, theatrical images and story lines. We began without a script and the script grew out of our collaborative process. The actors in our developmental company include some New Rep favorites, Bobbie Steinbach and Ken Baltin!
The play is a true story based on that of 2 friends— the playwright’s grandmother, Elmas and her close friend, Varter Nazarian Deranian. In dreams and memories, the play conjures worlds of the past as well as the future. It covers events from 1915 to beyond 2015!
We look forward to reading the play at New Rep! This will be our first public reading of the newest version of the play, which continues to evolve! I will be posting thoughts and information about the project regularly! We look forward to hearing from you on this blog and starting a conversation!
Best,
Judy Braha
Director, DEPORTED / a dream play
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Welcome!
Greetings from John Malinowski, lighting designer for New Rep's production of Picasso at the Lapin Agile. I'll be blogging here.
What a wonderful play Steve Martin has written and I can't wait to help bring it to life on the stage in Watertown at the Arsenal Center for the Arts. Danny Gidron, the director, Cristina Todesco, the set designer, Frances McSherry, the costume designer and I met a few weeks ago to brainstorm about the world of a bar in Paris in 1904, which is where Steve Martin set his play.
We decided that the specific period of Paris in the 1900s is a spark that ignited the playwright's imagination. The world of the play is much bigger than Paris in 1904. Steve Martin has imagined a bar where Picasso and Einstein might meet. What would they talk about? What sort of conversation could a brilliant artist and a brilliant scientist have in Paris together? What do they have in common?
I have not seen a production of this popular play, but after hearing the premise of Picasso and Einstein meeting in Paris, I was intrigued. I read the play fresh and open minded about what encounter Picasso and Einstein might have in the mind of brilliant comic.
I'll leave this entry here, where I began several months ago. A script in hand, the famous names etched in my mind, and a modern day comedian bringing them together.
The possibilities put a smile on my face as I sat down to read the script for the first time.
Please come back soon and share my journey.
- john malinowski
What a wonderful play Steve Martin has written and I can't wait to help bring it to life on the stage in Watertown at the Arsenal Center for the Arts. Danny Gidron, the director, Cristina Todesco, the set designer, Frances McSherry, the costume designer and I met a few weeks ago to brainstorm about the world of a bar in Paris in 1904, which is where Steve Martin set his play.
We decided that the specific period of Paris in the 1900s is a spark that ignited the playwright's imagination. The world of the play is much bigger than Paris in 1904. Steve Martin has imagined a bar where Picasso and Einstein might meet. What would they talk about? What sort of conversation could a brilliant artist and a brilliant scientist have in Paris together? What do they have in common?
I have not seen a production of this popular play, but after hearing the premise of Picasso and Einstein meeting in Paris, I was intrigued. I read the play fresh and open minded about what encounter Picasso and Einstein might have in the mind of brilliant comic.
I'll leave this entry here, where I began several months ago. A script in hand, the famous names etched in my mind, and a modern day comedian bringing them together.
The possibilities put a smile on my face as I sat down to read the script for the first time.
Please come back soon and share my journey.
- john malinowski
Monday, March 23, 2009
Fight Directing "Fool for Love"
Hello all,
This is Meron Langsner again. This time I’d like to give a quick overview of the fight directing process for Fool for Love.
Like any other design discipline, fight directing begins with the text. After giving the play an initial read, I go through it once more notating any violence or potential violence and where it fits into the script and plot structure. Those notes get sent to the Director, Bridget Kathleen O'Leary, and she and I have a conversation about what she wants out of each moment of violence so that I can go into the choreography with the entire concept of the production in mind.
Something that came up right away was the use of a lasso in this play. Lassoing is not a commonly practiced movement discipline around here and was not a part of my own training, so this was wisdom I had to seek elsewhere. An old friend of mine from martial arts circles, Dr. Peter Ward, an anatomy professor at West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine as well as the head instructor of Greenbrier Traditional Martial Arts Society, happened to have this skill (he is from Wyoming). He came to our aid with a short instructional video he created and sent our way via the internet. This was useful not only in helping Tim Smith obtain that skill, but also in deciding on how certain set pieces would be placed in order to serve both the safety of everyone involved and that specific series of dramatic moments.
Before rehearsals started I attended a production meeting where I was able to assess how I would work within the parameters of the set and costume design, and equally important, get a feel for how the concept was coming together so that everything I composed would fit in with the whole. Ideally, it should be unclear to the audience where my work begins and ends in relation to the director’s. Knowing what the designs look like is an important aspect in making this happen. Questions I ask set designers include whether or not certain set pieces can take weight and/or impact, as well as whether small set pieces can be moved around and used in the fights. When looking at costume designs I need to know how much freedom of movement the performers will have as well as what kind of shoes they might be wearing during the fights.
The main part of my job, the work with the actors themselves, can often be very brief. In this case the entire composition of the fights took something like two ninety minute rehearsals early in the process, followed by a return trip to watch a dress rehearsal and give notes.
As my actors in this piece are very physically adept, I was able to give them some fairly difficult moves with confidence that they would assimilate them into their work safely and effectively. For some sequences they were given very precise movements meant to create very specific illusions. These were drilled in the moments they needed to happen, and then set. For some of those moments the actors and I showed Bridget some options and then we decided which one was most effective choice for that point in the characters’ journey. For other sequences, I gave the actors a framework in which to safely improvise the violence during the rehearsal process before setting it. In those sequences I used a “contemporary violence” technique developed by a woman named Ricki Ravitts, who is an esteemed fight director based out of New York City and one of my first instructors in the discipline. In this method the actors can create some fairly intense movement while staying both physically and emotionally safe. Many of the scenes between Tim and Stacy were developed with Ricki’s methods. The scene between Tim and Andrew was mostly “by the book” as it were, since the moment called for in the script is so specific.
Towards the end of the rehearsal process I attended a dress rehearsal and gave notes. The adjustments I had to make in this case were few and minor. An angle on one illusion had to be reset to sell well for the entire audience, and other than that all that was really necessary was to check in with the actors to make sure they still felt safe and comfortable with the choreography.
The violence in Fool for Love is an integral part of the storytelling. Though there are relatively few moments of actual assault on stage, each one is crafted into the play to move the plot forward.
This is Meron Langsner again. This time I’d like to give a quick overview of the fight directing process for Fool for Love.
Like any other design discipline, fight directing begins with the text. After giving the play an initial read, I go through it once more notating any violence or potential violence and where it fits into the script and plot structure. Those notes get sent to the Director, Bridget Kathleen O'Leary, and she and I have a conversation about what she wants out of each moment of violence so that I can go into the choreography with the entire concept of the production in mind.
Something that came up right away was the use of a lasso in this play. Lassoing is not a commonly practiced movement discipline around here and was not a part of my own training, so this was wisdom I had to seek elsewhere. An old friend of mine from martial arts circles, Dr. Peter Ward, an anatomy professor at West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine as well as the head instructor of Greenbrier Traditional Martial Arts Society, happened to have this skill (he is from Wyoming). He came to our aid with a short instructional video he created and sent our way via the internet. This was useful not only in helping Tim Smith obtain that skill, but also in deciding on how certain set pieces would be placed in order to serve both the safety of everyone involved and that specific series of dramatic moments.
Before rehearsals started I attended a production meeting where I was able to assess how I would work within the parameters of the set and costume design, and equally important, get a feel for how the concept was coming together so that everything I composed would fit in with the whole. Ideally, it should be unclear to the audience where my work begins and ends in relation to the director’s. Knowing what the designs look like is an important aspect in making this happen. Questions I ask set designers include whether or not certain set pieces can take weight and/or impact, as well as whether small set pieces can be moved around and used in the fights. When looking at costume designs I need to know how much freedom of movement the performers will have as well as what kind of shoes they might be wearing during the fights.
The main part of my job, the work with the actors themselves, can often be very brief. In this case the entire composition of the fights took something like two ninety minute rehearsals early in the process, followed by a return trip to watch a dress rehearsal and give notes.
As my actors in this piece are very physically adept, I was able to give them some fairly difficult moves with confidence that they would assimilate them into their work safely and effectively. For some sequences they were given very precise movements meant to create very specific illusions. These were drilled in the moments they needed to happen, and then set. For some of those moments the actors and I showed Bridget some options and then we decided which one was most effective choice for that point in the characters’ journey. For other sequences, I gave the actors a framework in which to safely improvise the violence during the rehearsal process before setting it. In those sequences I used a “contemporary violence” technique developed by a woman named Ricki Ravitts, who is an esteemed fight director based out of New York City and one of my first instructors in the discipline. In this method the actors can create some fairly intense movement while staying both physically and emotionally safe. Many of the scenes between Tim and Stacy were developed with Ricki’s methods. The scene between Tim and Andrew was mostly “by the book” as it were, since the moment called for in the script is so specific.
Towards the end of the rehearsal process I attended a dress rehearsal and gave notes. The adjustments I had to make in this case were few and minor. An angle on one illusion had to be reset to sell well for the entire audience, and other than that all that was really necessary was to check in with the actors to make sure they still felt safe and comfortable with the choreography.
The violence in Fool for Love is an integral part of the storytelling. Though there are relatively few moments of actual assault on stage, each one is crafted into the play to move the plot forward.
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