IN ORDINARY DAYS, CASSIDY FINDS THE PERFECT SCRIPT TO STREAM

 

IN ORDINARY DAYS, CASSIDY FINDS THE PERFECT SCRIPT TO STREAM 

Roy Berko
(Member: American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle)

 
In these days of angst, many theaters have attempted to stream various types of entertainment.  The formats have been mostly musical reviews, with a few scripted musicals being attempted.  
 
Most of these pieces haven’t worked too well.  It is hard to imagine running through the woods hand-in-hand, dancing cheek-to-cheek, or making love, when there is definitely a screen divide separating the participants.
 
Adam Gwon’s ORDINARY DAYS is a song heavy, action light musical, that requires little in the way of sets or physical interactions to develop the tale.  Many of the songs are solos.  Even the duets don’t require much physical interaction.

The story concerns four young New Yorkers whose lives intersect as they search for normalcy and personal and interpersonal connections.  They are each searching for, as one of the song’s states, “The Perfect Picture.”  
In spite of some personal stress by the characters, they are neither life threatening or a reflection of major pending doom.  Which is fine as there is a longing today for ordinary days and normalcy as an escape from the ever-present angst.  

As Kristin Netzband, the show’s director states, “The sense of the show is simply of how the lives of four individuals interconnect.”  

Of the staging process she states, “Rehearsing during the pandemic proved interesting. The process began virtually before going in-person with social distancing between masked actors taking place in the Cassidy Theatre lobby.  Then the staging moved to the actual set, which was on platform levels with plastic sheeting between the characters.”

Zach Palumb is dork-perfect as Warren, the cat sitting artist who paints “pithy sayings” on paper which he distributes around Manhattan.

One day, during his Big Apple wanderings, he finds a notebook.  The contents are the research notes of Deb, Rachael Armbruster, she of strong voice and good acting chops, who is a graduate student who has escaped from her hick town, but is frustrated by her studies and her lack of ability to tap into the writings of Virginia Woolf, the subject of her thesis. 

Warren and Deb originally are indifferently to each other, but when Warren takes her to the roof of his building, and they discuss their ambitions, they both realize they hoped for something more.  Warren throws the papers of his sayings over the roof’s edge. Seeing this, Deb also throws her thesis off the edge. 

The other couple is Jason (Pat Miller) and Claire (Kelley Wheelock) who have recently moved in together, but are having doubts about their relationship.

Miller’s “The Spaces Between” is nicely presented, while Wheelock’s “I’ll Be Here” is one of the show’s highlight vocals.

The two couples collide when, as Warren’s papers float downward, Jason who has decided to move on from Claire, finds one of the papers, with the statement,” Don't worry, everything will be OK." Claire also sees the shower of papers, calls Jason on his mobile.  After a revelation about a past relationship she realizes that it is okay to move on to her life with Jason.

Obviously this is not a great story line, but it is the music which carries the show.

The production’s musical director is Heidi Herczeg.  Though the music was well played, the sounds often drowned out the singing of the performers, making some of the vocals difficult to hear.

CAPSULE JUDGMENT:  Cassidy Theatre’s ORDINARY DAYS was a nicely directed and performed production of a story-light script which leant itself to being presented in a streamed format.  Kudos to director Kristin Netzband and her cast, Pat Miller, Kelley Wheelock, Rachael Armbruster and Zach Palumb.

The show streams April 9-11, 2021.  

Tickets may be purchased here:  Buy Tickets

Nine (Cassidy Theatre)

Challenging 'NINE' performed at Cassidy

Cassidy Theatre, known for years as Greenbrier Theatre, is tucked away in Parma Heights. The city not only encourages the theatre, but gives it financial backing. In the Greater Cleveland area, where public subsidization of the arts is almost nil, this governmental support is a wonderment. Soon, the Cassidy theatrical family will be moving into its new home at Claire’s Folly, a state of the art facility, with a forty-foot fly gallery and state of the art sound and lighting systems. There are many laughs at the sake of this white socks, polyester wearing blue-collar community, but they sure are more into backing of its local theatre than almost any other of its more affluent suburban neighbors. Maybe there is a lesson to be learned here!

In many ways Cassidy is like the little engine that could. It keeps taking on challenges that are beyond its capabilities. It was the first theatre in the area to stage ‘PARADE’ and it now is the first to undertake the challenge of doing the musical ‘NINE’ since its recent Broadway rebirth.

‘NINE,’ made its original debut in 1982. The production won five Tony Awards. It had a very successful revival in 2002.

The show’s book was written by Arthur Kopit, known for his aloof, often abstract plays. The music and lyrics is by Maury Yeston who also penned the less than memorable score for the musical ‘TITANIC.’

The story, which was inspired by the 1963 Federico Fellini film ‘8 1⁄2’, revolves around Guido Contini, a film director in the Fellini mold. The plot is slight enough to easily boil down to: Guido is stalemated in his personal and professional life, unable to commit fully to a relationship or summon the creative energy to make his next movie. This leads to disorienting fantasies (including suicide) from which he's rescued by his nine-year-old alter ego.

In spite of its moderate success, neither the original version nor the revival of ‘NINE’ went critically unscathed. A good deal of negative was pointed at Kopit's failure to create a book that was emotionally satisfying and was too moody and lacking in warmth.

Yeston's unmemorable score is a mix of musical genres -- solo ballads ("My Husband") and duets ("Unusual Way") as well as a whole comic opera sequence ( "Grand Canal "). This is not the kind of music you go out of the theatre humming.

What made the Broadway shows run were the casts. In the 1982 version, the multi-talented Raul Julia played Guido Contini, the film director. In the revival, as one Big Apple critic put it, “The revival of ‘NINE’ owed much of its almost instant hit status to Antonio Banderas whose acting and singing talent plus good looks made for an ideal, matinee idol.

Before examining Cassidy’s production, let’s examine Cassidy Theatre. This is an amateur theatre, no equity contacts, no paid performers. These are performers who perform for the love of performing. Any evaluation of their productions must take that into consideration. The yardstick for measurement can’t be the same as that used for a Broadway touring production, or even the likes of Great Lakes Theatre Festival or the Cleveland Play House. This is theatre right out of the Andy Hardy movies: “Hey kids, here’s a performance space, let’s put on a play.”

With that said, The Cassidy production of ‘NINE’ is credible. This is a compliment considering the difficulty of the vehicle they chose to confront. The show requires a charismatic, sensual, fine singing, superlative actor to play the lead. It requires one talented eight-year old boy and thirteen actresses who can sing and act. Few, if any theatres could pull that off with aplomb.

Director Lester Currie has done a fine job of staging the play. He uses his performers like chess pawns, moving them to the most advantageous places to accent ideas. He is also the costume designer of some of the finest and most appropriate clothing seen on a local stage.

Bob Stroesser, who portrays Guido is definitely no Raul Julia or Antonio Banderas. He lacks their sensuality. He often feigns emotions, overacting and making distracting facial expressions to express feelings. His inconsistent accent sometimes makes understanding him difficult and may be the cause of his acting difficulties. He has a fine singing voice which he uses well in interpreting songs.

The women, who are like an ever-present modern Greek chorus who step in and out of Guido’s life, are generally acceptable. Their acting and singing varies, as is often the case in amateur theatre. On the high end is Megan Grimes as Guido’s wife, Beth Cubbison as his mother and Linda Kindsvatter as one of the women in Guido’s life.

David Dettloff’s orchestra did a nice job of backing up the singers rather than drowning them out, which is often the case in local theatrical productions where the musical director sometimes forgets that this is not a concert, but the purpose of the music is to aid the performers.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: ‘NINE’ is a very difficult theatrical undertaking. The Cassidy production was well-received by the sold-out house, and that, when you get down to it, is what theatrical entertainment is all about.

Ragtime (Cassidy Theatre)

"RAGTIME' at Cassidy--the first national non-professional production

On January 18, 1998 ‘RAGTIME’ opened on Broadway. Stephen Flaherty, who wrote the music for the show, gave his writing partner, Lynn Ahrens a notebook containing the original song sketches and notations from the show. It is inscribed: “Ragtime is about America in transition, constantly bending, blending, adapting.” It is that, and so much more.

‘RAGTIME’ ranks with the great shows of musical theatre. It has been called “A brilliant work of musical storytelling, ”a near masterpiece,” and “one of those rare musicals that can be mentioned in the same breath as ‘SHOW BOAT,’ ‘PORGY AND BESS,’ and ‘FIDDLER ON THE ROOF’.”

The story intertwines the lives of a Black American family, victims of brutal racism; a recently arrived Jewish father and daughter, impoverished, despairing; and an old New York family steeped in Victorianism. The play starts with our exposure to the characters.

It is New Rochelle, New York in 1906. There is a large Victorian house, the home of an upper middle class family. It is the home of Father, who has derived his wealth from the manufacture of fireworks, flags and bunting; Mother; their young son and Mother's brother, a genius at explosives who works in Father's fireworks factory.

In Harlem, crowds dance to the music of ragtime pianist Coalhouse Walker Jr..

America is filled with famous characters: escape artist Harry Houdini, J.P. Morgan, the wealthiest man in America, the radical anarchist Emma Goldman, and the chorus girl Evelyn Nesbit.

Tateh and his daughter arrive at Ellis Island, as part of the 1.2 million immigrants who flee from Europe.

As the families interact we are carried through an examination of the history of the era and the biases and prejudices of the population. This is told with a well-integrated story and wonderful music. Outstanding musical numbers are “YourDaddy’s Son,” “New Music,” “Heels of a Dream,” and the wonderous “Make Them Hear You.”

‘RAGTIME’ is a difficult show for any group to perform. For an amateur theatre it is a real stretch. The show requires a huge cast, a massive number of costumes, and a many scene set. The music is complicated.

Cassidy Theatre’s production, under the direction of David Jecman, is a credable amateur outing. Musical Director John D. Roberts has done an excellent job of bringing out the best in the cast’s voices. His orchestra is generally good but there are problems in the brass section and the underscoring is often too loud, thus drowning out some of the spoken lines. Choreographer Larry Braun has developed dances appropriate to the level of his performers. Scenic designer Mark Kobak has created a very functional set. Lester Currie’s costumes are excellent, but having Tateh wear a prayer shawl as a scarf was questionable. The lighting design was problematic. Many times performers were in the dark and light cues were sometimes late.

Geoffrey Short, as Coalhouse Walker Jr., and Trinidad Rosado, as his girlfriend, are each astounding. They both have outstanding voices, excellent acting skills and develop and keep their characters throughout. It’s worth attending this production just to see them light up the stage.

Beth O. Cubbison is fine as Mother. She has a lovely voice and wraps herself around the character. Michael Snider displays a wonderful singing voice as Mother’s brother. Noreen Lehmann develops a clear character as Emma Goldman.

Capsule judgement: ‘RAGTIME’ is a difficult show for any group to perform. For an amateur theatre it is a real stretch. The Cassidy production, under the direction of David Jecman, is a credable amateur outing.
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Social Security (Cassidy Theatre)

Cassidy's SOCIAL SECURITY offers side splitting laughter

Cassidy Theatre is one of the oldest and strongest community theatres in the area, and they do not disappoint in the uproariously funny, 'SOCIAL SECURITY.' Andrew Bergman's script is not for the prudish - there is plenty of sexual terminology (not innuendo) in this one.

The story is of two adult daughters of widow Sophie. Barbara and David are art gallery owners in Manhattan, very wealthy and happy by all appearances. Her sister Trudy is a housewife who cares for her boring accountant husband Martin and her "difficult" mother in the suburbs. When Trudy and Martin declare they are visiting Barbara and David, which is very rare, they know something is wrong. Apparently, their Trudy and Martin's 18-year-old daughter, away at college, is in a "sexual crisis", described in vulgar detail by the timid Martin, and they need to leave immediately to help her. With mom in the car, they plan to drop her off for three weeks while they "save" their daughter. One thinks that Barbara is going to have a heart attack, as she has not lived with mom in "20 years", as she tells us. From the moment when Sophie noisily enters with her walker, we know that the lives of Barbara and David will never be the same.

What ensues is hilarity. There were times when you could not hear the dialogue as the audience was laughing so hard.

Sophie turns out to be a very interesting character, and Barbara introduces her to Maurice, a 98-year-old painter, who takes a fancy to Sophie. Bergman is a good writer, once crowned "the unknown King of Comedy" by New York Magazine in 1985.

With a good script and good casting by director Dan Harper, this play is great fun.

The set could was very sparse and could be dolled up to look more like a wealthy Manhattan loft, but the quality of the script and the acting far supercede any concern about the set.

Particularly noteworthy are performances by Marcia Mandell as the incorrigible, "dumb as a fox" Sophie, Marybeth Orr as the neurotic Barbara, and Nancy Helmrich as Trudy, as the spartan, guilt filled caretaker, whose facial expressions were well crafted and sparse. Don Krosin as Maurice Koenig, the nearly 100-year-old painter, was charming as ever.

Capsule judgement: In Act II, Sophie says to Barbara, "there is no reason to analyze anything," as she listens to her neurotic daughter's analysis of every little thing. Go see this play, and don't analyze. As Sophie would say, "Just enjoy!"

Parade (Cassidy Theatre)

'PARADE' enlightens at Cassidy

Cassidy Theatre is noted as a community theatre which tends to play it safe. It produces the likes of Neil Simon comedies and pleasant Broadway hit musicals. That’s what its generally conservative audience wants, and the audience is composed of local taxpayers who financially support the theatre.

But every once in a while the theatre goes out on a wing. They are doing that now with the musical 'PARADE.' They are, in fact, one of the first nonprofessional theatres in the country to tackle this controversial piece. The show has two major blocks to success. The production requires a huge cast, in Cassidy’s case, over 35 bodies. The players must be talented enough to both act and sing their way through a script that requires high drama and good voices. Secondly, the story is very serious, not normally the basis for audience enjoyment.

In 1913, Leo Frank, a Brooklyn-born Jew living in Georgia, was put on trial for the murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan, a factory worker under his employ. Though innocent, he is guilty in the eyes of everyone around him who. They don’t like that he is Jewish, a northerner, and rich. His only defenders are a governor with a conscience, and his assimilated Southern wife who finds the strength and love to become his champion.

'PARADE' tells the story pretty accurately, even including actual words spoken by the real-life characters. Its goal is to educate people about the tragedy of prejudice. It is successful in doing this. As one critic said, "I left the theatre shaking, horrified at what I'd just seen, moved to tears. Real life dramas are hard enough, but stories this tragic are just shattering." The show won two Tony Awards.

Cassidy is fortunate that its former artistic director David Jecman has returned to take on the production. Jecman has a clear sense of purpose for the staging. He also knows the limits of his amateur cast and has not sugar-coated the material. Don Irven portrays Leo Frank with well-measured compassion. Maggie Wirfel gives a polished performance as Frank’s wife. Jecman, in contrast to most directors, has paid much attention to the supporting players and the effort shows. The highlight of the show is the well-honed trial segment.

Is the production perfect? No, the choreography is weak, some of the acting is very amateurish, several performers over act, and the required southern drawls come and go. But this is a community theatre and an amateur production that has undertaken the staging of a tough show.

In spite of Jecman and the cast’s work, and the high quality of the script, some audience members vocally indicated they didn’t "enjoy" the production. This, of course, was not the universal reaction.

It is ironic that in the area of Cuyahoga county which has had much publicity regarding its lack of openness to minorities, some people would reject their being educated to the horrors of prejudice. People like the woman who vocally complained as she marched down the aisle at intermission, "I didn’t come to the theatre to see stuff like this," ought to realize that not all life’s experiences are meant to be "enjoyed!"

Capsule judgement: This is a show worth seeing!