Anna Bella Eema

Theater Ninjas confuses, confounds and fascinates with ‘ANNA BELLA EEMA’

Theatre Ninja’s talented Artistic Director, Jeremy Paul, has a knack for picking plays which are challenging. Challenging to the cast, who must find the performance devices to portray characters which are usually extremely non-traditional, often edging on the insane. Also challenging to the audience who must figure out what is going on with these people.

Paul’s latest mind boggler is ‘ANNA BELLA EEMA,’ a play by Lisa D’Amour.

Reviews of the script in other venues reveal explanations such as, “the script is part fairy tale and part creepy campfire,” “it is an intriguing, beguiling tale of creation, womanhood, anima, loss and survival. “ Other views were: “it is far-fetched, ridiculous and silly,” and “it drags and disengages.”

For the sake of discussion, let’s say that this is a ghost story with three bodies with three voices. The three voices belong to Actress # 1: a mother who is a thick sturdy woman who we eventually discover is agoraphobic, obsessive and paranoid. Actress #2 is an impish young girl “whose eyes sparkle and whose voice reaches toward the sky.” Actress #3 is also impish, sometimes appearing to be Actress #2's twin sister. She has a supernatural soul.

The characters generally don't speak to each other, but to the audience. They tell improbable story after improbable story relating to how their household is the last holdout in a trailer park being displaced by a highway project. These stories include how Actress 2 created Actress 3 out of clay. According to the playwright, the script “asks us to listen and listen carefully’ as the characters “explore the human and particularly the female experience.”

The Theatre Ninjas production, under the guidance of Paul, is both confounding and compelling. It is well staged, well acted and in spite of its obtuseness, is captivating.

All three cast members are strong. Elizabeth R. Wood, Actress One, the mother, demands attention. Wood develops a neurotic being who is out and out scary. Why is this mother like she is? What has driven her into her state of insanity? I don’t know, but Wood makes her live with impassioned frustration.

Faye Hargate is properly child-like as the basically “normal” young girl, mature beyond her years. Well, as normal as a child could be living in solitude, in a decaying trailer, surrounded by miles of nothingness, with bulldozers at the front door.

Cassie Neumann, Actress 3, may be the most bizarre of all. What is she? Is she really a creation of mud? Whatever, she is properly spooky.

Curtis Young’s set, Alison Garrigan’s costumes, and Jeremy Paul’s lighting all enhance the bizarre experience.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: ‘ANNA BELL EEMA’ is a quirky Goth play that will not be to everyone’s liking. It’s worth going to see three fine performances. The ride home should be a setting for trying to figure out what you just saw and what, if anything, it means.

Blue Door

Thought provoking, well conceived ‘BLUE DOOR’ at Dobama

Tanya Barfield, the author of ‘BLUE DOOR,’ which is now in production at Dobama, is one of the new breed of African American playwrights. She, along with such writers as Dael Orlandersmith, who wrote ‘YELLOWMAN,’ which got such a wonderful production at Karamu last year, have helped to transition the focus of plays about the Black experience in the United States.

Early African American playwrights such as Lorraine Hansberry (‘RAISIN IN THE SUN’ and ‘THE SIGN IN SIDNEY BRUSTEIN’S WINDOW,” and James Baldwin (‘BLUES FOR MR. CHARLIE’ and ‘ONE DAY WHEN I WAS LOST’) probed into the Black-white relationships, while looking at racism and integration.

Barfield and Orlandersmith have transitioned into looking at Black on Black issues. While recognizing that it’s still difficult to Black in “white America,” they appear to feel free to expose audiences to issues that African Americans experience intrapersonally, within themselves, and interpersonally, with other members of the Black, as well as the white community.

‘YELLOWMAN’ examined the conflict between light-skinned African Americans which sometimes causes social level distinctions, with their darker brethren. ‘BLUE DOOR’ looks at the crisis of a Black man’s self-identity and his cultural history.

Neither playwright is afraid to break the “rules” of political and semantic “correctness.” They use language that traditionally has been shunned and ideas that were hidden by historical avoidance. Barfield refers several times to the role of the ‘house nigger” (Blacks who worked in the houses of plantation owners) and uses language like ‘the white devil in black skin.” She draws attention to the concept that both whites and Blacks must realize that “you can’t look at the present without looking at the past.” And that look requires using authentic language, even if it jars the ears.

‘BLUE DOOR’ is a moving and searing script. It grabs and holds the viewer’s attention. We get on intimate terms with Lewis, an African American professor of mathematics at a prestigious university, who finds himself grappling with his personal devils, in the form of his ancestors and their roles on his present day life. He struggles with the effect of these people’s histories on who he is, or perceives himself to be. We watch as Lewis’s personal and professional life spins into turmoil as his “demons” emerge. His wife leaves him. He is suspended for calling one of his students a “nigger.” His ancestors come forth during his fits of insomnia. He struggles with the story of how his family, as is true of many African Americans, were transplanted, becoming the only major cultural group who were brought to the U.S. against their wills, rather than emigrating on their own.

The Dobama production, under the sure handed direction of Scott Plate, is both upsetting and mesmerizing. The pacing allows ideas to clearly develop, even with a script that is a little too long.

Rod Lawrence, who claims he is “stoked” to be in his first production at Dobama, is compelling in each of his enactments. Playing three of Lewis’s ancestors, he develops each as a distinct character. The multi-talented Baldwin Wallace College junior gives a top notch performance in which his acting, singing and dancing are all on target. He’s impressive, very impressive.

Though he had some focus and consistency problems on opening night, Geoff Short is properly torn as Lewis. His is a difficult task. He must walk the fine line between reality and illusion, sanity and depression. He basically succeeds.

Jeff Herrmann’s set design and Richard Ingraham’s sound design both enhance the production.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: ‘BLUE DOOR,’ is theatre of the mind. In this case, theatre of a Black man’s mind. It is a thought provoking script, given a fine production, that is a must see for local audiences.

‘BLUE DOOR’ runs through February 21 at Dobama. For tickets call 216-932-3396.

Dobama’s next production is ‘SPEECH AND DEBATE’ by Stephen Karma, directed by Plate.

Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 2010, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info

His reviews can also be found on www.coolcleveland.com and NeOHIOpal (to subscribe visit http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/neohiopal.)Thought provoking, well conceived ‘BLUE DOOR’ at Dobama

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times

Tanya Barfield, the author of ‘BLUE DOOR,’ which is now in production at Dobama, is one of the new breed of African American playwrights. She, along with such writers as Dael Orlandersmith, who wrote ‘YELLOWMAN,’ which got such a wonderful production at Karamu last year, have helped to transition the focus of plays about the Black experience in the United States.

Early African American playwrights such as Lorraine Hansberry (‘RAISIN IN THE SUN’ and ‘THE SIGN IN SIDNEY BRUSTEIN’S WINDOW,” and James Baldwin (‘BLUES FOR MR. CHARLIE’ and ‘ONE DAY WHEN I WAS LOST’) probed into the Black-white relationships, while looking at racism and integration.

Barfield and Orlandersmith have transitioned into looking at Black on Black issues. While recognizing that it’s still difficult to Black in “white America,” they appear to feel free to expose audiences to issues that African Americans experience intrapersonally, within themselves, and interpersonally, with other members of the Black, as well as the white community.

‘YELLOWMAN’ examined the conflict between light-skinned African Americans which sometimes causes social level distinctions, with their darker brethren. ‘BLUE DOOR’ looks at the crisis of a Black man’s self-identity and his cultural history.

Neither playwright is afraid to break the “rules” of political and semantic “correctness.” They use language that traditionally has been shunned and ideas that were hidden by historical avoidance. Barfield refers several times to the role of the ‘house nigger” (Blacks who worked in the houses of plantation owners) and uses language like ‘the white devil in black skin.” She draws attention to the concept that both whites and Blacks must realize that “you can’t look at the present without looking at the past.” And that look requires using authentic language, even if it jars the ears.

‘BLUE DOOR’ is a moving and searing script. It grabs and holds the viewer’s attention. We get on intimate terms with Lewis, an African American professor of mathematics at a prestigious university, who finds himself grappling with his personal devils, in the form of his ancestors and their roles on his present day life. He struggles with the effect of these people’s histories on who he is, or perceives himself to be. We watch as Lewis’s personal and professional life spins into turmoil as his “demons” emerge. His wife leaves him. He is suspended for calling one of his students a “nigger.” His ancestors come forth during his fits of insomnia. He struggles with the story of how his family, as is true of many African Americans, were transplanted, becoming the only major cultural group who were brought to the U.S. against their wills, rather than emigrating on their own.

The Dobama production, under the sure handed direction of Scott Plate, is both upsetting and mesmerizing. The pacing allows ideas to clearly develop, even with a script that is a little too long.

Rod Lawrence, who claims he is “stoked” to be in his first production at Dobama, is compelling in each of his enactments. Playing three of Lewis’s ancestors, he develops each as a distinct character. The multi-talented Baldwin Wallace College junior gives a top notch performance in which his acting, singing and dancing are all on target. He’s impressive, very impressive.

Though he had some focus and consistency problems on opening night, Geoff Short is properly torn as Lewis. His is a difficult task. He must walk the fine line between reality and illusion, sanity and depression. He basically succeeds.

Jeff Herrmann’s set design and Richard Ingraham’s sound design both enhance the production.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: ‘BLUE DOOR,’ is theatre of the mind. In this case, theatre of a Black man’s mind. It is a thought provoking script, given a fine production, that is a must see for local audiences.

Dance (Verb), Dance (Groundworks), Dance (Aspen Santa Fe Ballet)

DANCE (Verbs), DANCE (Groundworks), DANCE (Aspen Santa Fe Ballet)

There’s been a lot of dancing going on in Cleveland, with a lot more to come.

VERB BALLETS’ ‘HOMEGROWN” leads to audience enjoyment

Verb Ballets, performing before a Sunday afternoon family audience at the new Breen Center, on the campus of St. Ignatius High School, went back into their repertoire and pulled out some of their most audience friendly pieces. No premiers here, just tried and true pleasers.

The well selected program included an opening mini-lecture by Dr. Margaret Carlson, the company’s Chief Executive Officer and Artistic Officer, who gave a capsule summary of each piece. It was an excellent device for this audience, who, it appears, were mostly dance neophytes.

‘LADY BE GOOD,’ a ballroom theatre piece, was a reminder of the new rage of dance shows on TV. The jazz and scat music of George Gershwin was well interpreted by choreographer Gary Pierce, and the dancers.

‘LE CORSAIRE PAS DE DEUX’ exposed the audience to classical ballet. Beautifully performed by Brian Murphy and Jennifer Moll Safanovs, its highlights included excellent toe work, proficient leaps, strong coupling, and sprightly music and movement.

The music to ‘SPEED, THE ICARUS PROJECT’ brought squeals of delight from the children in the audience, familiar with the character of Speed Racer. A little static in movement, complete with some stumbles by Antwon Duncan, the piece did not hold the same fun power as previous enactments by the company. Katie Gnagy and Danielle Brickman were fine as the Wings.

‘VESPERS,’ with music by Mikel Rouse, was a visual enactment of passion and spirituality. The dancers stood and sat on, moved under, crawled beneath, and used chairs as the center point for their emotional feelings. A tribute to Martin Luther King, Ulysses Dove’s intricate choreography, as restaged by Dawn Carter, was filled with symbolism. This is one of the company’s signature pieces, and justifiably so.

The program ended with Pamela Pribisco’s ‘PETER AND THE WOLF. It was charmingly danced to the music of Sergei Prokofiev. The children in the audience verbally reacted to the familiar story and actions.

Verb’s next offering will be ‘CLEVELAND COMPOSERS, CLEVELAND CHOREOGRAPHERS, which is part of Dance Works 2020 at Cleveland Public Theatre from April 8 to the 11th. For information go to cptonline.org or call 216-631-2727.

GROUNDWORKS presents world premiere as part of Breen Center program

The Breen Center was the home to Groundworks DanceTheatre’s most recent concert. Made up of three pieces, the program again highlighted the uniform dancing excellence of the company. The six company members were nearly flawless in interpreting the works of three different choreographers.

‘POLARITY,’ staged by David Shimotakahara to atonal music composed and recorded by Gustavo Aguilar, created an abstract work centering on the internal and external impulses and forces of the performers. Though a little long, the dancers, dressed in striking orange costumes, used angular body moves, straight and bent arms and intertwining of bodies to create visual images of connections and disconnections of thought and action. Highlights of the piece included a mesmerizing solo by Kelly Brunk, who has developed into a premiere dancer since he joined the company 2008, and a duet coupling Brunk and powerhouse Amy Miller.

‘DELAYED,’ another abstract piece, was performed to the atonal sounds of Terry Riley. Supposedly developed as a movement piece which created a distinctive dance vocabulary. The dancing was well performed, but the repetition of movement and theme became somewhat tedious.

‘JUST YESTERDAY’ was an unusual piece for Danceworks. A combination of speaking, singing and dancing, with an excellent concept, some of the impact was lost because the vocalizations by the dancers were not always easy to hear. Too bad there wasn’t a way to individually mic the performers. The general idea came across, but with better audio, the effect could have been greater. Choreographer Dianne McIntyre did an excellent job of creating movement to parallel to the recollection and lasting family impressions of the dancers.

A benefit for Groundworks will be held on Saturday, March 13, at Windows on the River. The company will at the Philomethian Center in Chagrin Falls on February 20 at 8 p.m. and will be at the Cleveland Play House as part of Fusion Fest from April 22 to the 25th. For information go to www.groundworksdance.org or call 216-691-3180.

ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET to perform at the Ohio Theatre

Dance Cleveland and Playhouse Square Center presents the ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET on Saturday, February 27 at 8 PM and Sunday, February 28 at the Ohio Theatre. This fresh young company has established itself as one of America's leading contemporary ballet companies with their eclectic repertoire, musicality, athleticism and all-out dancing. For tickets and information call 216-241-6000 or go to playhousesquare.org.

Jerry's Girls

‘JERRY’S GIRLS’ gets serviceable proudction at Ensemble

‘JERRY’S GIRLS,’ which is now being performed by Ensemble Theatre, is a tribute to Jerry Herman and the women he wrote about. Herman penned such Broadway musical gems as ‘HELLO, DOLLY!,’ ‘MAME, ‘ and ‘LA CAGE AUX FOLLES.’ He also wrote such lesser works as ‘MACK AND MABEL,’ ‘MILK AND HONEY,’ ‘DEAR WORLD,’ and ‘THE GRAND TOUR.’ He has been nominated for the Tony Award five times, and won twice. Last year Herman received the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.

‘JERRY’S GIRLS,’ originated 1981 as a night club act. It was called a “brilliantly lively and scintillating evening of cabaret.” In 1984, the script was expanded and premiered at the Royal Poinciana Playhouse in Palm Beach, Florida, with Carol Channing, Andrea McArdle, and Leslie Uggams, backed by an all-female chorus. You can only imagine how the stage sizzled with that combo.

When the show was brought to Broadway in 1985, the cast included Uggams, Dorothy Loudon and Chita Rivera. It was not well received. None of the Big Apple cast was associated with any of Herman’s original shows and some of the songs were given questionable interpretations.

The conceiver’s choice of the songs seems strange. The review supposedly centers on Herman’s women, yet at least half a dozen of the songs were written for men to sing, and don’t lend themselves to a female view. “I Won’t Send You Roses” or “I Am What I Am” which has become the symbolic gay/transgender unofficial national anthem, aren’t female songs. Putting a fedora on a woman does not transition the gender of a lyric.

Many believe that a review is an easy theatrical piece to stage. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is no story to hold the attention. There is just a series of songs which have to be creatively staged. In the case of ‘JERRY’S GIRLS,’ the requirements, besides a very inventive director who is blessed with choreographic skills, is a necessity to frame the songs in a concept that grabs and holds the audience. It also needs five divas with broad vocal ranges and the ability to suck the emotions out of many of the songs’ lyrics. This is a score which includes such gems as “It Takes a Woman,” “Bosom Buddies,” “Hello Dolly,” and “The Best of Times.”

Don’t go to the Ensemble production expecting “a scintillating evening of cabaret.” The production, under the direction of Frank Lucas, is serviceable. The show has no clear concept. Fun songs, such as “Bosom Buddies,” “The Man in the Moon,” and Gooch’s Song,” aren’t much fun, and some of the big emotion songs lack power.

The singers vary from possessing voices that are good to acceptable. Some don’t have the range to belt or give the pathos needed to fit Herman’s style. The vocal blendings don’t generally work.

There are some good individual vocal presentations. Kudos to: (one of the area’s best female performers) Adina Bloom, “If He Walked Into My Life,” and “I Don’t Want to Know;” Lindsay Pier, “It’s Today,” and “Before the Parade Passes By;” Jamie Finkenthaler-Has, “I Am What I Am; ” and Holly Feiler, “Mame” and “Look What Happened to Mabel.”

The band, Herczeg on piano, Mark Bussinger, percussion, and Tim Keo, bass, are very good. Martin Cosentino’s black and white set, complete with piano key risers, is very creative.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: Ensemble’s ‘JERRY’S GIRLS’ gets a serviceable production at Ensemble. If you like Jerry Herman’s songs, you probably will find the evening/afternoon pleasant.

Lost In Yonkers

Neil Simon’s LOST IN YONKERS’ is a find at CPH

Neil Simon is the crown prince of theatrical comedy. His plays are generally delightful. Some of his works, including ‘LOST IN YONKERS,’ which is now being staged at the Cleveland Play House, also serve as message scripts. This added element makes ‘LOST IN YONKERS’ a multi-dimensional winner.

In 1966, Simon became a Broadway superstar when he had four shows running at the same time: ‘SWEET CHARITY,’ ‘THE STAR-SPANGLED GIRL,’ ‘THE ODD COUPLE,’ and ‘BAREFOOT IN THE PARK.’.

‘LOST IN YONKERS’, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1991, was also the recipient of that year’s Tony Award for best play. It focuses on Arty and Jay, teenage brothers who are left in Yonkers, New York, in the care of their stern, Germanic Grandma Kurnitz and their Aunt Bella, a woman-child. Their father, Eddie, has to abandon the boys as he needs to become a traveling salesman in order to pay off debts incurred during the illness of his now deceased wife. Grandma, who is herself a mental and physical invalid as a result of a horrific childhood and miserable adulthood, has damaged each of her children, to varying degrees. Will she succeed in ruining her grandsons?

The Broadway production ran 780 performances with a cast that included Irene Worth as Grandma, Mercedes Ruehl as Bella, and Kevin Spacey as Louie, the gangster son.

The Play House presentation is co-produced with Florida’s Maltz Jupiter Theatre and Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey. By tripling up, the theatres save money on conceiving individual shows and the actors get a long run. It’s a device more and more theatres will be using in these times of economic problems.

CPH’s Michael Bloom, who directed all three stagings, has done a nice job of pacing the action. The casts hits almost all the laugh lines right on. The pathos is not short changed, allowing the audience to experience a full gamut of emotions.

Rosemary Prinz, who is probably best known as Penny Hughes on television’s As the World Turns, is no newcomer to the legitimate stage. She made her Broadway debut in 1952 and has appeared in such shows as ‘CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF,’ ‘MASTER CLASS,’ ‘MAME,’ and ‘ANNIE GET YOUR GUN.’ She is nothing short of perfection as the stern grandmother whose hair, according to Arty, “could be sold as barbed wire.”

Maxwell Beer nearly steals the show as Arty, the youngest boy. This kid is a total professional. He knows how to set up a joke, present the line, and sustain the mood. His accent is right on. His mobile face and delightful vocalics are refreshing in one so young.

Beachwood native Alex Wyse, who cut his acting teeth on local stages, is excellent as Jay, the more uptight of the two boys. Welcome home Alex!

Though at times Sara Surrey is not childlike enough as Aunt Bella, her second act monologue is right on target, as is her final speech.

Anthony Crane is “gangsta” right as Uncle Louie. Patricia Buckley, is fine as the daughter who is so traumatized that she literally gasps for air in her mother’s presence.

John Plumpis fails on two levels as Eddie, the boys’ father. His performance stays on the surface. He feigns emotional weakness, he is not experiencing it. And, to add to his problems, even though the script specifically refers to his New York accent, he has none.

Michael Schweikhardt’s period correct set and David Kay Mickelsen’s costumes add to the quality of the production, as does lighting designer Paul Miller’s “hot” lighting, which had the audience sweating in the middle of a Cleveland winter night.

CAPSULE JUDGMENT: Cleveland Play House’s ‘LOST IN YONKERS’ is a winner. It’s an evening of theatre that will delight and enlighten. It’s hard to believe that anyone wouldn’t appreciate this Neil Simon gem.

Chicago

‘CHICAGO’ jazzes up the Palace

The multi-award winning musical ‘CHICAGO,’ a touring company presentation of which is now appearing at the Palace Theatre, has been running on Broadway for thirteen years. As of January 12, it is the 6th longest running musical in the history of the Great White Way. The longest running show? ‘THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.’

‘CHICAGO,’ the John Kander (music), Fred Ebb (lyrics and book) and Bob Fosse (book) show, is set in the razzle-dazzle decadent era of the 1920s, when “gangstas” and corruption ran wild. It centers on a Windy City story of Roxie Hart, a married free-love housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her lover after he threatens to walk out on her. She, along with fellow inmate Velma Kelly, both long for attention and turn to Billy Flynn, Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer, to get them out of jail and into show business through a series of publicity charades.

The original 1975 staging highlighted the dynamic choreography of Bob Fosse. The dancing in the touring production is staged in the style of Fosse by Ann Reinking, who played Roxie in the show’s 1996 revival. That production also stared Bebe Neuwirth as Velma and Cleveland’s Joel Grey as Amos, Roxie’s husband.

The wonderful jazz score, lends itself to blockbuster production numbers. Outstanding are “All That Jazz,” “Roxie” and “Razzle Dazzle.”

The touring show is audience pleasing, but doesn’t reach the excitement level of some other versions, including the 2002 Academy Award-winning film directed by Rob Marshall, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere, and Queen Latifah.

On the plus side are the dance numbers, especially the performances of the male corps. These guys can really dance! Having the orchestra on stage adds to the flamboyance of the show as do the black, sensual costumes and the glitzy set. The mostly local orchestra is excellent, supporting but not drowning out the singing. Tom Riis Farrell wins the audience over as Roxie’s nebbish husband, whose rendition of “Mister Cellophane” is tenderly appealing. D. Micciche, as the reporter, Mary Sunshine, does a fun bait-and-switch, that fooled many members of the audience.

Brenda Braxton (Velma), Bianca Marroquin (Roxie) , Tom Wopat (Billy Flynn) and Carol Woods (Matron “Mama” Morton) are quite acceptable in their performances, but all lack the dynamics needed to make them compelling. Maybe it’s the long run of the touring show which often wears out a cast. They are good, just not great!

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: The touring company of ‘CHICAGO’ presents an audience pleasing production. It may not completely “razzle dazzle you,” but it will give you the feeling that you’ve seen “all that jazz.”

Nobody Don't Like Yogi

Yogi-isms flow forth at Actors’ Summit

Yogi Berra, the subject of ‘NOBODY DON’T LIKE YOGI,’ now in production at Actors’ Summit, is a baseball legend. But, he may be best know for his “Yogi-isms.” He is responsible for numerous American English malapropisms. Classics include: "This is like deja vu all over again," ""You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there." "If you come to a fork in the road, take it." And, the logically illogical, "It was impossible to get a conversation going; everybody was talking too much."

‘NOBODY DON’T LIKE YOGI’ is Tom Lysaght’s tribute to Berra , a Hall of Fame catcher and World Series manager, who was known as a warm and fuzzy guy devoted to his family and baseball. He is also noted as one of the few people who stood up to legendary tyrant, George Steinbrenner, renowned owner of the New York Yankees.

Steinbrenner was born in 1930 in Rocky River. His father, Henry Steinbrenner, owned a Great Lakes shipping company, which George operated for many years. His years of success as owner of the Yankees was balanced by his twice being suspended by baseball for legal and ethical violations. His run-in with Berra, which resulted in Yogi’s firing, centered on Steinbrenner questioning not only Berra’s managerial choices, but making accusations against his son.

The play is set on the afternoon of the Old Timer's Game in 1999, when Yogi returned to Yankee Stadium after staying away for 14 years, since vowing never to return after Steinbrenner fired him. Berra, concerned about his lack of education and public speaking abilities, centering on his belief that “I’m not inwardly outgoing," wanders the manager’s office and locker room telling stories about baseball, the players, and his own life. (His narration is backed up by slides of the people about whom he is speaking.)

The play reaches its logical climax as Yogi gives a heartfelt speech to a sold out Yankee Stadium. But, then, Lysaght decides that, as Yogi might say, “The end is not the end if you don’t stop when the end ends at the end.” The writer tacks on another fifteen minutes of repeating himself, drawing a moral to a story that has already moralized. The night I saw the show, the audience became restless during the tacked-on segment.

The New York production starred Ben Gazzara. Reviews reveal that Gazzara showed an inner strength of a man who, while deferential, was unyielding.

It is ironic that the guy of misplaced words is being portrayed locally by George Roth, a Yale graduate who was a two-time Jeopardy champ. Though maybe a little too intellectual, Roth’s characterization has a clear focus. It may surprise many who have never heard Berra speak that he did not have a New York accent. Born in St. Louis, his articulation was Midwestern, with a slight Italian intonation. Roth’s task is daunting. He holds sway for almost two hours, alone on stage, speaking line after line. As the woman in front of me asked at the end of the show, “How can any person remember all those lines?” I guess a Yale and Central School of Speech and Drama in London graduate can, and make sense of them.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: Though a little overly long and a bit languidly paced, ‘NOBODY DON’T LIKE YOGI’ is well worth seeing. It’s fun and interesting. The story is an eye opener, the acting excellent, and it’s nice to think about baseball’s opening day being only three-and –a- half months away.