VERB BALLET JOINS THE LIVING WITH A WONDERFUL EVENING OF DANCE

Friday, June 26, after a Covid-induced period of Zoom-only dance recitals, Cleveland’s “classical ballet with a dash of American modern dance” company, joined the world of the living with a performance of three pleasing pieces, at the Breen Center.  
 
That’s not to say Verb is abandoning streaming.  The Director’s Choice” program was filmed and was streamed locally, nationally and internationally to an audience it had developed during the last year and a half.  A group of viewers who, not only bought tickets to the company’s electronic programs, but also became donors. 
 
As Dr. Margaret Carlson, Verb’s Producing Artistic Director stated before the opening curtain, it was those ticket sales and donations that kept the company financially solvent during the angst filled “we can’t perform live” days.
 
The program opened with a video interview featuring Richard Dickinson, the company’s Associate Artistic Director.  A former member of the Ohio Ballet, he explained why that Akron based company was the “grandfather of Verb.”
 
Ohio Ballet was founded by Heinz Poll, a German-born dancer who left the country in 1951 for political reasons.  After periods in France and New York, In Akron, he founded the Chamber Ballet, later Ohio Ballet, at the University of Akron in 1968.  Over a span of 31-years he choreographed 60 ballets and created a reputation that led to a local rivalry for excellence and audience between OBT and the Cleveland Ballet.  Unfortunately, due to what local dance aficionados would call errors in judgement by the companys’ boards, both organizations ceased to be.

In 1999, when he retired, Poll left the rights to some of his works to former dancers and company. Dickinson, who was given the rights to Triptych, the opening selection of the evening, explained the influence that Poll had on dance.

Triptych, in its company premiere, was first performed in 1988 and has been restaged from Poll’s original choreography by Dickinson.

Set to Mendelssohn’s piano concerto #2, the classical ballet with contemporary overtones, was danced on point in smooth, flowing movements.  Highlights of the number were a lovely pas de deux performed by Cleveland native Kelly Korfhage and Butler University graduate Benjamin Shepard, and strong solo segments by Emily Dietz, also a Butler grad.

The mood for the number was developed through Lighting Director Trad Burns’ warm lighting, which accented A. Christina Giannini’s costumes.

Stephania Martinez, the conceiver and choreographer of World of Another, a new ballet commissioned by Verb, was filmed explaining her philosophy of dance conception and how this piece was conceived.  She explained that using a computer and a wide-angle GoPro camera to enable full viewing of the studio, the ballet was created.  Martinez explained that she was inspired by “kinetic momentum, a versatility that expands the boundaries of contemporary ballet movement.”

Filled with visual interactions and creation of living images, World of Tomorrow is a showcase for displaying the breath of Verb’s multi-cultural company, with everyone, including Sikhumbuzo Hlahleni, and International Cultural Exchange Artist and Somlya Schirokauer, a Junior Trainee, taking the stage.  

Before one of the company’s favorite pieces, Bolero, was presented, Xochiti Tejeda de Cerda, who Poll gifted the rights, did a video interview.  Set to the sensual and exciting music of Maurice Ravel, Heinz Poll’s original sizzling choreography exploded amidst controlled movements, swirling capes and enticing dancing, featuring Antonio Morill.  
 
It was a perfect ending to joyous hour and twenty minutes of dance.

Capsule Judgment:  Audiences are emerging from the days of angst.  Live dance is back!  Verb Ballets is back!  Bravo!

Join Verb Ballets for free summer performances on July 30-31 for the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival, on August 13 for Tremont Arts in August, August 20 for Ballet Under the Stars, and September 3 at Cain Park.  For details go to verballets.org/performances

  

QUILTERS proves to be a pleasant way to bring back live theater to Porthouse

The weather forecast was for storms, possibly a tornado.  The actress scheduled to play the lead role wasn’t going to perform.  Cars stood at odd angels blocking spaces in the parking lot.  But, in reality, none of this mattered.  Opening night for Quilters, the first show after a year of theatrical darkness, went off like a charm. 

 

Quilters is a series of short playlets, with music.  It has a book by Molly Newman and Barbara Damashek, and music and lyrics by Damashek.

 

The stories center on the lives of American Pioneer women as originally presented in the book The Quilters: Women and Domestic Art by Patricia Cooper and Norma Bradley Allen.

 

Though it won the Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival, when it opened on Broadway in 1984, it ran a meager 24 performances and 5 previews. 

 

The issue on the Great White way was that the material lends itself to an intimate production and an older audience.  That’s not what Broadway is about.  It is, however, just what Porthouse, with its small thrust stage in the Midwest setting, engenders.

The rather static mélange of skits, monologues and songs, unified by a theme rather than a sustained plot or characters, fits the pallet of the local audience.  Who are willing to fall in love with what many might call “hokey.” 

The script showcases reminders of a world of the past, straightforward comments about childbirth, honesty, school days, courtship, weddings, spinsterhood, twisters, fire, illness, death, religion, log cabins, and Midwest loyalties.  

What the Porthouse production also has is Terri Kent.  Kent, the venue’s Producing Artistic Director, stepped in at the last minute to play the central cog of the tale when Marla Berg became ill and had to drop out of the show.  With no aside meant to the very talented Berg, Kent was born to play the role of Mother/Sarah, the kind matriarch.

  

The daughters, each of whom play multiple roles, are well portrayed by Danielle Dorfman, Stella Fisher, Hannah Hensler, Israeljah Khi-Reign, Megan Polk, Alexis Wilson and Cameron Olin.  They are all students or graduates of Kent State.  Each has a strong singing voice and display well-honed acting and movement skills.

Jennifer Korecki and her orchestra set a note-perfect pace and sound for the production.  Michelle Hunt Souza’s costumes are period correct.  Cynthia Stillings’ lighting sets all the right moods and Ben Needman’s set is visually pleasing and aids in allowing the actors to create visually lovely pictures.  Parker Strong’s sound design leads to clear listening.

No credit is given to whomever made the many beautiful quilts but he/she/they deserve a well-earned solo curtain.

The production, which is heighted by the creative staging and movement, is directed and choreographed by Kent, with Rhon Thomas serving as Assistant Director.  

Capsule judgement:  Quilters, which could be dubbed Quilters 101, is not only a workshop of the role of material and sewing in the early days of this country, but a history lesson of the experiences of the women who helped settle the Midwest.  Don’t expect big chorus numbers or show stoppers, or to come out humming the score.  This is a just a pleasant slice of old-time life and makes for a nice way to spend a summer evening and the return of live theater.

Quilters runs through July 3, 2021 at Porthouse Theatre, on the grounds of Blossom Center.  For tickets go online to online to https://kentstateticketing.universitytickets.com/ or call 330-672-3884.

THE CHOIR OF MAN IS A JOYOUS WAY TO REOPEN THE THEATRES AT PLAYHOUSE SQUARE

Walking into the Mimi Ohio theatre for The Choir of Man was almost a surreal experience.  After receiving my tickets, based on the self-imposed over year-long Covid lockup, my mind was bouncing.  Do I wear a mask?  How close will others be in the auditorium? Do I greet people by shaking hands, hugging, or by keeping social distance?  

In spite of my being out of practice, all went well.  

The familiar redcoats, with smiles on their faces, welcomed theater-goers by informing that if one had their Covid vaccines, there was no requirement to wear face coverings, but could do if desired.  Seating was spread out so nobody would be directly in front of or next to anyone.  Beverages would be sold by touchless methods of payment.  

My emotional butterflies disappeared.  

The Choir of Man, which is presently reopening Play House Square, has been called, “rowdy,” raucous and resoundingly good fun,” “faultless,” “exhilarating,” “wildly entertaining,” and a “joyful romp.”   It is, as advertised, “80-minutes of unadulterated entertainment that combines high energy dance, live music and foot stomping choreography with the incredible talent of ordinary guys who perform everything from sing-along classics to classical rock.”

The cast features tap dancers, poets, instrumentalists and singers, ensuring that there is something for everyone in this uplifting presentation.  

The audience is greeted with an open curtain.  The setting is an authentic Irish bar where everyone is invited “to come ready to drink in the action!”  The performers wander onto the stage, greeting each other, yelling to the audience and passing out free beer to willing takers on long paddles to avoid contact.  

It must be assumed that in past and future non-Covid days, audience member would be invited up to the bar and given the chance to tip-a-pint with the “town folks.”

The cast is dynamic and care-free.  They remind the audience that, “the more you drink, the better we sound.”  

Even without imbibing, it immediately becomes apparent that these are multi-talented young men.   Switching from instrument to instrument, and able to sing every mode of musical style, they harmonize, sing solos of joy and remorse, tell jokes, tease and taunt each other, dance and reach out emotionally and personally to audience members, with enthusiasm and gusto. 

One of the local theatre-folk described the whole thing as the musical Once without women or plot!

Kudos to creators Andrew Kay and Nic Doodson (who also directs), choreographer Freddie Hudelson and Denis Grindel, who plays the narrator and keeps the action centered and flowing.

Capsule judgment:  It isn’t Frozen, The Lion King, or Hamilton, which some local theater-goers might have preferred to re-open the theatres of Playhouse Square, but The Choir of Man is an evening of emotional song and dance, and a perfect selection to reopen Playhouse Square. The response has been so positive that the run has been extended until July 25.

For tickets, which cost between $59 and $79, go to:  https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/choir-of-man-2021