Well-performed Call Me Elizabeth explores Elizabeth Taylor at YPH

Call Me Elizabeth, which was recently streamed by Youngstown Playhouse, is a solo performance piece about the early life of Elizabeth Taylor.  It was written by Kayla Boye and is set in May 1961.  

 

The play is inspired by Taylor’s conversations with her biographer Mac Lerner at The Beverly Hills Hotel where Taylor rediscovers her sense of self following her 1961 Academy Awards triumph and recovery from a nearly fatal battle with pneumonia. 

 

The play examines Taylor’s career, life, and loves, chronicling her survival in the face of adversity and tragedy, many marriages, child-star to Hollywood sex symbol.  It illuminates her compassion that inspired her later activism in the fight against HIV/AIDS, homophobia and mental health.  A fight probably by her close friendships with closeted and troubled actors, including Rock Hudson, Roddy McDowall, Montgomery Cliff and James Dean.

 

Kayla Boye, who stars in the Youngstown Playhouse production states, “Like so many, I have long been fascinated with Elizabeth Taylor, a pop culture icon who continues to captivate. In her youth, Taylor epitomized movie stardom, later becoming associated with her fabulous jewels, her popular perfumes, and her activism in the fight against HIV/AIDS. But what is the story behind the image? How does a star develop into a legend, and how does that legacy sustain itself? With Call Me Elizabeth, I hope to pay tribute to the life of this extraordinary woman by exploring how the strength of her character enabled her to break barriers with unshakable bravery–and with signature style.”

 

As is the case with one-performer shows, there is little action.  This means the script has to hold the intrigue and excitement to grab and hold the audience’s attention. 

 

Though the material is interesting, there is little drama, little unexpected, few “oh-ho” moments, no humor to break the conversational monotone, and an over-abundance of pauses to fill the glass and drink champagne.  

 

In spite of a well nuanced performance by Boye, who has a remarkable resemblance to Taylor, minus the violet eyes and kittenish voice, the outcome is acceptable, but unspectacular. 

 

Capsule judgment: “Call Me Elizabeth” is a solo-performance play which gives a snapshot view of the complex Elizabeth Taylor, who rose to lasting fame growing from a child actress to complex adult, to captivate the attention of fan magazines and an adoring public.  The script gets a solid on-line production at Youngstown Playhouse.

 

Unfortunately, the streamed production has concluded its run.

BERKO PREVIEWS: BWU PRESENTS BARS, PORTHOUSE REOPENS, DOBAMA ADOPTS LOVE AND RESPECT PROGRAM, CHRISTINE HOWEY AT MALTZ, PHSQ SET TO REOPEN

BERKO PREVIEWS:  BWU PRESENTS BARS, PORTHOUSE REOPENS, DOBAMA ADOPTS LOVE AND RESPECT PROGRAM, CHRISTINE HOWEY AT MALTZ, PHSQ SET TO REOPEN 

BWU/PHSQ presents BARS  Baldwin Wallace Music Theatre, in partnership with Playhouse Square, is proud to announce that tickets for BARS are on sale now!   BARS (Beatboxing, Acting, Rapping, Singing) is a hip-hop music theatre-based improv show conceived by BWMT alum, Jay Ellis '12. BARS combines classic music theatre with contemporary skills in beatboxing and rapping. The culturally diverse and stylistically dynamic cast will pilot this interactive audience experience through the world of improvisational sketch comedy while creating scenes and songs (both lyrics and music) on the spot. Each show will present a unique combination of characters, scenes, and material using audience input. Get ready to laugh, groove, rap, and sing with the cast of BARS!   Experience BARS April 9 - April 11 Click here for tickets and more information.

••••••••••••   Porthouse Theatre plans summer program   Porthouse Theatre reopens for 2021 with the following productions and performance schedule: QUILTERS, (June 17 – July 3), BKLYN, (July 8 – July 25), and ALTAR BOYZ (July 29 – August 15).   ••••••••••   Dobama adopts Love and Respect Document   On March 8, 2021 the Dobama Theatre Board of Directors unanimously adopted the Love and Respect Document: a living document for anti-racism action and a culture of authentic inclusivity at Dobama Theatre. This shift in Dobama's approach to making theatre will help create an environment of authentic inclusion. These next steps in our collective equity work will guide us as we look toward reopening for live performances sometime within the next year. Dobama Theatre is grateful to the Board of Directors, staff, community members, partners, friends, supporters, colleagues, and collaborators that helped make this next step possible. Together we will move forward in action and accountability. We hope you’ll join us in this vital work. It will take all of us to create a world that is equitable and safe. It will take all of us to nurture a community of love and respect.   ••••••••••   Cleveland Critic Circle’s Christine Howey shares her journey in openly transitioning to life as a woman On International Day of Transgender Visibility, join Phyllis Harris, executive director of LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland as she interviews Christine Howey on her journey in openly transitioning to live as a woman in her mid-forties and how her stage plays and later film, “Exact Change” has impacted the lives of trans youth and their families on their own journeys. Wednesday, March 31, 4:00 pm--Online Program $10 non-members; Free for Members of the Maltz Museum and Members of Program  Register Now!   •••••••••••••• PLAYWRIGHTS LOCAL LAUNCHES PL RADIO   Playwrights Local announces the launch of PL Radio, a new streaming media channel featuring original works by writers from Northeast Ohio. All radio plays are professionally recorded and include acting, directing, and design talent from the Cleveland area. Streaming and download are free at Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, PodBean, Spotify, and Stitcher. Find additional info at www.playwrightslocal.org.   PL Radio debuts with the re-release of four audio plays that were previously recorded. All titles are available for free streaming now. Entanglement Written by Les Hunter Directed by Christine McBurney Featuring John Busser and Cathleen O’Malley   Every Play is a Radio Play When You’re Blind Written by Meghan Louise Wagner Directed by Constance Thackaberry Featuring Denise Astorino, Leonard Goff, Stuart Hoffman, Kyle Huff, Rachel Maria Inés, Diane Mull, and Laura Stitt              Stranded Written by Edward J. Walsh Directed by Tim Tavcar Featuring Agnes Herrmann   Flame Puppy Written and directed by Mike Geither  Featuring Benjamin Gregg, Beau Reinker, Amy Schwabauer, and Lauren B. Smith   Programming for PL Radio will continue with a new series of audio plays funded through support from the Ohio Arts Council and Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. New works by Julia Fisher, Tom Hayes, Agnes Herrmann, Gail Nyoka, and Faye Sholiton will be announced in the coming weeks. All titles in this forthcoming series will be produced in partnership with Radio on the Lake Theatre.   •••••••••••• THE CHOIR OF MAN SET TO REOPEN PHSQUARE Playhouse Square will reopen its doors with a monthlong run of “The Choir of Man,” starting June 11 at the Mimi Ohio Theatre, 1511 Euclid Ave. in downtown Cleveland. This is the show’s third visit to Playhouse Square, and stars a cast of singers, dancers and musicians performing a mix of Irish tunes, pop music and Broadway classics, all on a set designed like an Irish pub. The Choir of Man will be presented by the same team behind Gobsmacked and Noise Boys. Scheduled for 35 performances through July 11, tickets range from $59 to $79. Tickets can be purchased at playhousesquare.org or by calling 216-241-6000. •••••••••••••••

BECK CENTER STREAMS MUST SEE CONCERT OF BROADWAY ALUMS

 
Beck Center often coordinates with Baldwin Wallace Music Theatre program to produce some of the area’s best musical theatre.  Not only does the stage often sparkle with BWU students, but thespians from all over the area are cast in some of the Beck shows.
 
Hosted by Kathleen Rooney Faubel, a BWU alum whose talent was showcased at Beck in The Little Mermaid and Evil Dead, The Musical, and her husband, Jarid Faubel, a showcase is being streamed which features performances and interviews with former BC actors and singers who have gone on to Broadway and professional touring company appearances.
 
Rory O’Malley, a St. Ignatius and Carnegie Mellon grad, who appeared on Broadway in The Book Of Mormon, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Hamilton, opened the program with a well-interpreted “A Good Thing Going,” which is from Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along.

 
Some of the members of the cast of Beck’s Dog Fight (for my review of the original production go to https://royberkinfo.blogspot.com/2015/02/dogfight-fails-to-live-up-to-beck.html, did a medley from the show.  Included was Colton Ryan, BW grad, who not only sang in that number, but did a charming personal interview.  Ryan made his Broadway debut in Dear Evan Hanson, and went on to appear in the new Bob Dylan musical The Girl from the North Country. Other performers were Zack Adkins, Gabe Brown, Mike Cefalo, Nick Drake, Andrew Kotzen and Stephan Stubbins.

 
Keri Rene Fuller, showcased in Beck Center’s Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson and Dogfight brought her talents to Broadway in Waitress and did the latest national tour of Cats.  She sang a plaintive version of “Before It’s Over.”
 
Corey Mach, who performed in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream
Coat at Beck Center prior to becoming a BW student and taking his talents to Broadway, appeared on the Great White Way in Kinky Boots, Hands on a Hardbody and Godspell.  He toured in Wicked, Flashdance: The Musical and Rent.  In this program he did a delightful rendition of “You’ll Be Back” from Hamilton.
 
The Faubels not only did a walking tour of some of the Broadway theatres, but interrupted their hosting to perform an engaging rendition of “It’s De-Lovely.”
 
Rebecca Pitcher, performed at Beck in Sweeney Todd and She Loves Me, and is noted for her long run as Christine in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.  She also appeared in Carousel on the Great White Way and toured in The Sound of Music.  She not only sang “How Could I Ever Know” from The Secret Garden, but told the tale of how she accidentally caught on fire while performing in “Phantom.”
 
Cassie Okenka, another BW alum, performed at BC in Moby Dick the Musical before rocking her way to Broadway in School of Rock and Bonnie and Clyde.  For the reunion concert she sang, “Put a Little Love in Your Heart.”

Cincinnati Conservatory of Music alum, Max Chernin, who sang “Sailing” from A New Brain, was seen on the Beck Center boards in Aida and The History Boys.  He performed in Bright Star and Sunday in the Park with George in NYC.

The concert ended with Libby Servais, who was in Glinda in Broadway’s Wicked, also performed there in Lysistrata Jones.  She was accompanied by and sang “‘Till There Was You” from The Music Man, with her husband.

Capsule judgment:  For anyone who loves musical theatre and talented Broadway performers, Beck’s stream is a total must see!  For free tickets to this engagement, which runs March 5 to March 28, 2021, go to ShowTix4U.com.  Also consider making a contribution to keep Beck as a thank you for the show and as a boost for their viability as a performing arts center.