REVIEW: "Fake" in Chicago

Performance: Saturday, October 24th @ 7:30pm

Location: Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago, Illinois

Anyone willing to traverse the depths of evolution versus religion, will find a topic for conversation in Eric Simonson's play Fake. Simonson, inspired by a documentary film he saw on television about "the piltdown man" which was thought to be the missing link between man an ape, accepted the task of weaving a tapestry of belief, fact, and the illusion of fact as the audience is transported back and forth between 1914, two years after piltdown man was unearthed, and 1953, when the piltdown was discovered to be a hoax. Polly Carl, Director of Artistic Development at the Steppenwolf Theatre comments, "The core of Eric Simonson's play Fake is about belief, about our faith in objects to tell the story of our past and present. "

In the year 1914, Rebecca Eastman (Kate Arrington - seen to the right) an American journalist, Arthur Woodward (Alan Wilder) an anthropologist consulting on the discovery of piltdown man, Charles Dawson (Larry Yando) discoverer of piltdown man, and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (Coburn Gross) a priest assisting the anthropologists in their work, are invited to the home of Sir. Arthur Conan Doyle (Francis Guinan). This meeting initiates the question of whether piltdown man is really the "missing link". Eastman takes on the story of piltdown man and with edge and determination, will stop at nothing to discover the truth behind the mysterious skull and its origins.

Flashfoward to the year 1953, Jonathan Cole (Francis Guinan) a British anthropologist and Doug Arnt (Coburn Goss) an American anthropologist are prepared to complete the scientific testing needed to definitively determine whether piltdown man is a hoax.

The acting was superb, as I have come to expect from the Steppenwolf. While conscious of the fact that each actor was playing two different roles, the transformations were made so clearly in tone, dress, and character that it was easy to accept each as an independent voice. Watching Kate Arrington move from the independent, quick witted, American journalist to the Lithuanian born anthropologist was a testament to the mirage that is possible with character development at its best.

I was particularly intrigued by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, who represented the potential for marriage between religion and evolution. One is asked to consider whether these two ideologies must be mutually exclusive, though ultimately, the script itself fell a little short. While drawn in by the story, I would have liked to see aspects of the story taken one step further. There are momentary hints at questions, such as "Are we ignoring the significance of the present by defining ourselves by the past?". This question is one that is eluded to in a conversation between Katarina Meras (Kate Arrington) and Doug Arnt (seen below) in 1953. "I don't fit in with the smart set... I think you can be bogged down with deductions, you know, lose the big picture? There's more to life than facts and figures, don't you think?" Arnt says. "Like what?" Katarina asks. "I don't know," he says. "Mystery." While I appreciate leaving the theatre with questions to ponder, further exploration of this would have added the depth that I felt was missing when the curtain came down.

Curious about the piltdown man? Read Mystery of Piltdown Man by Knud Adams, Artistic Intern at the Steppenwolf theatre.

(Left: Photograph of the actual piltdown man skull reconstruction)

REVIEW: "Blood Brothers" in Bloomington

Performance: Saturday, October 17th @ 2:00pm

Location: Ruth N. Halls Theatre

(Indiana University Theatre Department Bloomington, IN)

The curtains have barely closed on this powerful musical and I am driven to post my review. Blood Brothers, Oliver Award winner for Best New Musical in London and a multiple Tony Award nominee in New York, tells a poetic, yet heartwrenching story of twin boys separated at birth only to be pulled together by an invisible bond of which they are unaware. However, this bond also leads them to the same woman.

It was unfortunate to see such a small audience in attendance, though this can be attributed to Homecoming weekend, rather than the quality of the production. There was not a single performance to be disappointed by; I can only highlight the best of the best.

Mandy Striph (Mrs. Johnstone) has been a favorite of mine since her performance last season as Dolores in The Wild Party. I appreciated seeing her versatility on the stage as the mother of the twin boys, one of whom she gives up at birth for fear of not being able to support both. As Mrs. Johnstone slowly ages over the course of the show, the subleties Striph brought to her made the transition seemless. The same gradual transformation was just as exquisitely done by Julia Mosby (Mrs. Lyons), as the secret adoptive mother of one of the boys. Both Striph and Mosby effectively conveyed the weight and worry that burdened them in their decisions.

I also found myself hypnotically drawn in to Matthew Martin's portrayal of the Narrator. The sing song rhyme of the Narrator's dialogue added a melodic quality to the production and Martin's performance added an element of intrigue. As he moved in and out of events taking place, one had to wonder whether his insight predicted or prescribed what would unfold. His dramatic choices made one feel both uneasy and yet still, captured in the moment.

Julia Mosby (Mrs. Lyons), Matthew Martin (Narrator), & Mandy Striph (Mrs. Johnstone)

Looking more broadly at the production as a whole, what made the story believable were the costume choices that aided in the aging of the twins (Martin Brent as Mickey and Matt Birdsong as Eddie), as well as the other children. I am sure I could not have been the only skeptic that college aged students could draw an audience in to believing they were 7 years old. It took only moments to see these men as the young boys being portrayed. From 7 to 14 to 18 years old, these actors and actresses grew and changed in ways that kept the audience vested in the story they had to tell.

Blood Brothers opened the 2009-2010 Indiana University Theatre Department's season with a bang. One can only hope the remainder of the season will continue to build on this wonderful beginning.

REVIEW: "Inherit the Wind" in Bloomington

Performance: Saturday, September 12th @ 2:00pm

Location: Waldron Arts Center (Cardinal Stage Company, Bloomington, IN)

As I continually seek productions that are relevant, thoughtful, and engaging, community buzz about the Cardinal Stage Company's production of Inherit the Wind caught my ear. This production was a collaborative endeavor between Cardinal Stage and Indiana University's College of Arts and Sciences as a part of their them=es=ter focusing on "Evolution, Diversity, and Change".

Inherit the Wind asks the audience to weigh a topic that is just as relevant today as it was in 1925. The play, written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, was inspired by the real events that played out in Dayton, Tennessee. The production's progam highlighted that, "a substitute biology teacher...named John T. Scoops volunteered himself as a violator of the Butler Act, which prohibited the teaching of evolution in schools."

Lights up. We meet the youngest Hillsboro residents, Howard (Adam Berndt) who triumphantly pulls a worm from the ground, dangling it in front of the face of Melinda (Amara Crook) and allowing us to witness the innocence that will be a stark contrast to the courtroom drama that will follow. Similar to Scoops, Bertram Cates (Brian Bradshaw) finds himself arrested charged, and tried for teaching Darwin's theory of evolution, which brings together the equal and opposite forces of Matthew Harrison Brady (Ernest Perry, Jr.), follower of the word of the Bible, and Henry Drummon (Danny Goldring), called "the Devil" by young Melinda as she flees his presence. Head to head they argue and defend their beliefs in the evolution v. creationism debate.

Which side wins the ruling, I will not reveal, but I can say that this large ensemble cast created a realistic glimpse into the struggle and heartbeat within this small southern town where the controversy takes place. It would be difficult to identify a weak link among sincere and energetic performance. To bring such talent together from not only the Bloomington community, but from around the country allowed the audience to travel exactly to where it says it will -- It might be yesterday. It could be tomorrow.

It was a great honor to see the stage work of Goldring and Perry, whom I recognize from some of their previous television work. They were worthy adversaries on stage with power that kept me on the edge of my seat. My one wish for this production was a larger venue. While I appreciated the "in the round" choice, there were clearly some theatre-goers whose views were blocked during the courtroom scenes and there were moments of near misses with set pieces coming in and out. In addition, there is a certain level of discomfort when there are, at times, over twenty-five actors on stage at once. As the Cardinal Stage Company continues to work to establish a professional regional theatre in Bloomington, I am unsure if the local venues will be able to keep up.

No Review for "The Rockae"

For anyone who may have actually been looking forward to a review of the Indiana University Musical Theatre Department's Premiere Musical, The Rockae -- unfortunately, there isn't one coming.

For those unfamiliar with the musical (considering it's short run off-Broadway), it was created by Peter Mills (with music by Philip Glass), who left us with a heavy metal/80's glam rock musical of Euripides' The Bacchae - where Dionysis is a rock star. If you have reservations, I did too. Intially, I planned to attend the performance and simply leave at intermission if I didn't like the show enough to stay; however, upon learning that there was no intermission AND having watched the opening number posted on YouTube, which you will find here, I just couldn't bring myself to attend. You can judge for yourself.

REVIEW: "Present Laughter" in Brown County

Performance: Sunday, August 9th @ 3:00pm

Location: Brown County Playhouse, Brown County, IN

Noël Coward's play Present Laughter, is one that I had never read, nor had I seen a performance of before attending this Brown County Playhouse Production. The play was written in 1939, but not produced for the first time until 1942, which continues to support my feeling that many of the plays chosen for the summer Brown County productions are rather dated for those theatre goers who are searching something substantive to sink their teeth into.

First, I must say that I found myself asking throughout the performance, "what is the point of this play?" and "what is the playwright trying to say?" I would venture to say the answer is "not much". Coward himself is quoted on the introductory page of the play as saying, "Present Laughter is a very light comedy and was written with the sensible object of providing me with a bravura part." Coward was the first actor to play the lead role of Garry Essendine (standing in the photo to the right).

This slow moving play follows the days in the life of actor Garry Essendine (Paul DeBoy) leading up to his departure for Africa. Cared for by his attentive personal assistant, Monica Reed (Abby Rowold), Garry deals with a series of friends, family, and strangers who fawn over him and/or complicate the final days before his departure.

The two stand-out performances came from equity actors Paul DeBoy and Shannon Koob (Joanna). DeBoy's British accent, demeanor, and embodiment of the self-absorbed Essendine were brilliant. Even while the play was slow, it was enjoyable to watch DeBoy's performance. The stage heated to its highest point as Joanna, who happens to be Garry's producer's wife, makes advances toward him. Koob's performance was sultry and her chemistry with DeBoy lit the stage. The highest moments in the play were those scenes at the end of Act I and in Act II, where the audience had the opportunity to take in their banter.

There is one Indiana University MFA student who is one to watch for in the upcoming IU season. Abby Rowold, who was also seen in There Goes the Bride this summer, was very enjoyable to watch, had good timing, and seemed even stronger in the role of Monica Reed. Curiously, the 2009/2010 IU Theatre Season will include Major Barbara, which is a show that Rowold is very familiar with, as she has played the role of Barbara Undershaft in Chicago.

While there were certainly some bright spots in this production, I anticipate that this is the last summer Brown County Playhouse season that I will attend. This theatre goer prefers productions that take risks and inspire thought, rather than simply entertain, though Present Laughter fell a bit short of even this.

REVIEW: "Up" in Chicago

Performance: Saturday, August 1st @ 7:30pm

Location: Steppenwolf Theatre

I have been attending productions at the Steppenwolf Theatre since 2001 when I was looking for a show to see and sight unseen purchased a ticket to The Drawer Boy. Since then, the Steppenwolf has become my favorite theatre and I make a couple trips up every year to see productions.

I was greatly anticipating seeing Up not only for the story it would tell, but also to see another show directed by Tony Award winning director, Anna Shapiro. I became a fast fan of her work after seeing August: Osage County during it's original run at the Steppenwolf before making its way to Broadway.

Playwright, Bridget Carpenter's inspiration for Up came from her knowledge of Larry Walters, a truck driver who took flight in a lawn chair attached to 45 helium filled weather balloons in 1982. Eleven short years later, in 1993, Walters would commit suicide. Carpenter said in an interview, "That haunted me. I found it sad but unsurprising, somehow. I couldn't stop thinking about the flight, how magical it was. I think I wrote Up because I wanted to meet the man that did this beautiful, funny thing."

As the lights went down in the theatre, I took one breath in and the audience around me disappeared; I didn't exhale until the lights came up for intermission. It felt as if only moments had passed and it came as a shock to once again realize that I was sitting amongst hundreds of other theatre-goers.

Walter Griffin (Ian Barford) had his own story of flight in his homemade aircraft and spends his days chasing after the next invention, just out of his grasp, that will bring him the same recognition. Walter's wife, Helen (Lauren Katz) works full time as a mail carrier to support the family, which includes high school aged son, Mikey (Jake Cohen). Lives intersect when Mikey meets another student with no friends, Maria (Rachel Brosnahan), who also happens to be pregnant and her aunt Chris (Martha Lavey). I would be remiss if I did not mention Walter's muse, Philippe Petit (Tony Hernandez).


Above: Rehearsal Photos - (Top) Rachel Brosnahan & Lauren Katz (Bottom) Ian Barford

Below: (Top) Tony Hernandez in rehearsal (Bottom) Philippe Petit in 2009

This talented cast flawlessly wove a story that makes one question how to balance imagination and dreams with daily responsibilities. How many people give up their dreams and squelch their imagination to focus all of their energy on making a living, taking care of family, and creating financial security? How many throw caution to the wind to pursue their dreams, indulge their imagination, and follow what they love?

Anna Shapiro (left) expressed, in an interview with Martha Lavey (Artistic Director & Cast Member), "Up speaks to the experience of not being recognized in your expression, of living a life where your imagination is not valued. As I lamented the demands of my life, I was brought up hard against how rare it is to be a person whose expression is allowed, let alone lauded or appreciated." Shapiro's direction offered a fluidity that created poetry on stage. While direction is required, it is rare to take in a performance where it is as complimentary to the story as in Up.

Up closes August 23rd, 2009. I would highly recommend this show to anyone who may be in the Chicagoland area. You will not be disappointed. I already have plans to take in Fake and Parallelogram in the 2009/2010 season.

To see additional photos and videos from this production or to learn more about the Steppenwolf Theatre, visit their website, here.

*NOTE: Cast photos came from the Steppenwolf website and interview excerpts were taken from the Up program.

REVIEW: "Jersey Boys" in Chicago

Performance: Friday, July 31st @ 8:00pm

Location: Bank of America Theatre, Chicago, Illinois

I have been told numerous times by my theatre loving friends that Jersey Boys is a must see production. When I discovered that I was barely going to miss the opening of Spring Awakening and that I would see Jersey Boys instead, I will admit that I was feeling pretty lukewarm. My likings tend to fall in the direction of musicals with original songs and Broadway seems to have taken to the idea of "recycled" music. I did, however, go in with an open mind and ready to enjoy a night of theatre and I am so glad that I did!

To a rapt audience, Jersey Boys brings the story of Frankie Valli (once known as Francis Castelluccio) and The Four Seasons from the days of singing under the street lights in New Jersey, through the loss and gain of band members, money, and the fame that still follow Valli today. It is impossible to find fault in any of the performances and the performances of Michael Cunio (Tommy DeVito), Michael Ingersoll (Nick Massi), Shonn Wiley (Bob Gaudio, and Dominic Scaglione, Jr. (Frankie Vallie) provided immediate transport back to the height of The Four Seasons fame. Not a moment went by when you didn't believe their portrayals of these musical legends.

While caught in the grip of the music, large screens hanging above the stage held projections representing sixities style comic strip images that helped to set the mood. The set was simple with a silver metal staircase stage left that led up to a walkway that stretched the length of the stage and off stage right, which provided a very poignant exit. Small rolling set pieces and large neon signs took the audience from place to place seemlessly.

The only true fault I could find in the production were some microphone malfunctions during the first half of the show, which caused the audience to lose brief moments of dialogue. I can definitely say that I have been converted. While productions such as Mama Mia and Movin' Out used artists' music to create a new and unique story, Jersey Boys used all of The Four Seasons' music as a way of tell THEIR story. The audience was able to experience their music within the context of how and when it was created. I left energized and have had the music playing in my head every since.

If you are interested in learning more about Jersey Boys in Chicago, click here. Frankie Valli continues to perform around the United States. In fact, he will be performing at the Indiana University Auditorium this coming season. Valli is now 75 years old.