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.

Times Theatre Tributes--2009

TIMES THEATRE TRIBUTES--2009

Greater Cleveland is blessed with a vital theatre scene. It is the purpose of the TIMES THEATRE TRIBUTES to recognize theatrical experiences that, in the mind of this reviewer, were excellent and deserve special recognition.

Only shows performed in 2009 which I reviewed were considered. Selections were limited to locally produced stagings, so none of the professional touring shows are recognized, though actors, directors and technicians who were imported by local theatres were considered. Actors are not separated by gender or leading or supporting roles.

If there are any spelling errors on the list please let me know so I can change the permanent record on my blog.

If you would like to read any of my reviews for the year, please go to www.royberko.info, enter the blog and click on “2009 Reviews” or click on the name of the producing theatre and scroll through their performances. Reviews from previous years may also be accessed.

NOTE: THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE A CERTIFICATE OF THEIR RECOGNITION SHOULD E-MAIL ROY BERKO ( royberko@yahoo.com). PLEASE INCLUDE THE ADDRESS TO WHICH THE CERTIFICATE(S) SHOULD BE MAILED!

2009 BEST OF THE BEST DRAMAS:
BLACKBIRD (Dobama)
CRAVE (Theatre Ninjas)
no CHILD (Cleveland Public Theatre)
YELLOWMAN (Karamu)

2009 BEST OF THE BEST MUSICALS:
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE (Playhouse Square)
PIPPIN (Cain Park)

2009 BEST OF THE BEST PERFORMANCES:
Dominguez, Nina, no CHILD (CPT)
Folino, Dan, SWEENEY TODD (Lakeland)
Hammer, Joel, BLACKBIRD (Dobama)
Koesters, Nick, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (Porthouse)
Little, Kristi, YELLOWMAN (Karamu)
Mach, Corey, PIPPIN (Cain Park)
Nottage, Mary Jane Nottage, WHY TORTURE IS WRONG AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM (CPT)
Primous, Kyle, YELLOWMAN (Karamu)

Also, thanks to the following for making the 2009 theatre scene in the Cleveland area stimulating and memorable:

PLAY
A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (Porthouse)
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (CPH)
BLACKBIRD (Dobama)
CRAVE (Theatre Ninjas)
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (CPH)
DREAM/HOME (Dobama)
EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL (Beck)
FOR BETTER (Actors’ Summit)
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE (Playhouse Square)
INHERIT THE WIND (CPH)
MAHALIA ( CPH)
no CHILD (Cleveland Public Theatre)
OPTIMUM PRIME FOR PRESIDENT (Fourth Wall)
PANGS OF THE MESSIAH (JCC)
PIPPIN (Cain Park)
RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET (CSU-Summer Stages)
WHY TORTURE IS WRONG AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM (CPT)
YELLOWMAN (Karamu)

DIRECTOR
Bussert, Victoria, A LOVE YOU BECAUSE (Playhouse Square)
Bussert, Victoria, PIPPIN (Cain Park)
DeLorenzo, Bart, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (CPH)
Gordon, Seth, INHERIT THE WIND (CPH)
Kent, Terri, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (Porthouse)
Maudlin, Michael, RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET (CSU-Summer Stages)
Messina, Jenna, OPTIMUM FOR PRESIDENT (Fourth Wall)
Ortenzi, Lisa, no CHILD (Cleveland Public Theatre)
Paul, Jeremy, CRAVE (Theatre Ninjas)
Plate, Scott, BLACKBIRD (Dobama)
Robbins, Sonya, DREAM/HOME (Dobama)
Spence, Scott, EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL (Beck)
Sternfeld, Fred, YELLOWMAN (Karamu)
Thackaberry, A. Neil, FOR BETTER (Actors’ Summit)
Thomas, Rohn, ODD COUPLE, Porthouse
Verciglio, Joe, H.R. (Dobama)
Woods, Beth, WHY TORTURE IS WRONG AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM (CPT)

PERFORMER
Bredeson-Smith, Lucy, CRAVE (Theatre Ninjas)
Bredeson-Smith, Lucy, BIG LOVE (convergence-continuum)
Bruno, J. R., [title of show], (BW/PLAYHOUSE SQUARE)
Busser, John, THE GOOD DOCTOR (Ensemble)
Cataan, Ursula, THE SHADOW BOX (CSU-Summer Stages)
Chanenka, Lydia, THE SHADOW BOX (CSU-Summer Stages)
Cranendonk, Terence, CRAVE (Theatre Ninjas)
Crouch, Kevin, THE SEAGULL (GLTF)
Cummins, Jackie, THE ALICE SEED (CPT)
Dixon, Ed, INHERIT THE WIND (CPH)
Domingue, Nina, no CHILD (CPT)
Farley, Keythe, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (CPH)
Felder, Hershey, BEETHOVEN, AS I KNEW HIM (CPH)
Folino, Dan, EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL (Beck)
Folino, Dan, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY ITCH (Hi Fi Concert Club)
Folino, Dan, SWEENEY TODD (Lakeland)
Foust, Joe, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (CPH)
Garrigan, Alison, SWEENEY TODD (Lakeland)
Germany, Carly, TEN MORE MINUTES FROM CLEVELAND (Dobama)
Halling, Michael, HEAVEN’S MY DESTINATION (CPH)
Hammer, Joel, BLACKBIRD (Dobama)
Harper, Ciara, THE WILD PARTY (BW)
Hawkes, Robert WHY TORTURE IS WRONG AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM (CPT)
Jaeck, Scott, INHERIT THE WIND (CPH)
Kennedy, Mimi, THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS (CPH)
Koester, Nick, BLASTED (B&C)
Koesters, Nick, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (Porthouse)
Koesters, Nick, TEN MORE MINUTES FROM CLEVELAND (Dobama)
Kozlenko, Val, CRAVE (Theatre Ninjas)
Little, Kristi, YELLOWMAN (Karamu)
Mach, Corey, I LOVE YOU BECAUSE (Playhouse Square)
Mach, Corey, PIPPIN (Cain Park)
May, Andrew, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS (GLTF)
May, Andrew, TWELFTH NIGHT (GLTF)
May, Michael, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM (Beck)
May, Michael, MILITANT LANGUAGE (B&C)
Myor, Jennifer, ME AND MY GIRL (Mercury)
Nagel, Maryann, GREY GARDENS (Beck)
Nottage, Mary Jane, WHY TORTURE IS WRONG AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM (CPT)
Patterson, Tracee, RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET (CSU-Summer Stages)
Prentice, Christian, OUROBOROS (convergence-continuum)
Primous, Kyle, YELLOWMAN (Karamu)
Rosenfeld, Ethan, PANGS OF THE MESSIAH (JCC)
Roth, George, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (Beck Center)
Schwartz, Layla, CRAVE (Theatre Ninjas)
Seman, Larry, FOR BETTER (Actors’ Summit)
Sills, Brian, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (CPH)
Smith Kelly, PETER PAN (Beck)
Smith, David Anthony, TWELFTH NIGHT (GLTF)
Soto, John Paul, RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET (CSU-Summer Stages)
Stewart, Paul Anthony, CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (CPH)
Thomas, Scott, MILITANT LANGUAGE (B&C)
Van Baars, Eric, 14 (Kent State University Theatre)
Van Baars, Eric, ODD COUPLE (Porthouse)
Violand, Greg, THE SHADOW BOX (CSU-Summer Stages)
Weldon, Alyssa, BLACKBIRD (Dobama)
White, Tom AUTOBAHN (CWRU MFA ACTING PROGRAM)
Williams, Leigh AUTOBAHN (CWRU MFA ACTING PROGRAM)
Williams, Natasha Yvette, MAHLIA (CPH)
Zoldessy, Brian, CLEVELAND HEIGHTS (JCC/CCC)
Zoldessy, Brian, THE ODD COUPLE (Fairmount)

Composite cast
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (CPH)
BLACKBIRD (Dobama)
CRAVE (Theatre Ninjas)
DREAM/HOME (Dobama)
FOR BETTER (Actors’ Summit)
HEAVEN’S MY DESTINATION (Cleveland Play House)
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE (Playhouse Square)
LADY (Bang and Clatter)
ODD COUPLE (Porthouse)
OPTIMUM FOR PRESIDENT (Fourth Wall)
RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET (CSU-Summer Stages)
THE RECEPTIMNIST & HR (Dobama)

TECHNICIANS
Borski, Russ, set and costume design, GREY GARDENS (BECK)
Borski, Russ, set design, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (Beck Center)
Burch, Ted, THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS (CPH)
Burns, Trad, scenic and lighting design, THE FARNSWORTH INVENTION (Beck)
Couture, Francois-Pierre, BEETHOVEN, A I KNEW HIM (CPH)
Davis, Jeff, lighting design, CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (CPH)
Davis, Jill, set design, ALL’S WELL THAT END’S WELL, CWRU MFA Acting Company
Folino, Dan and PJ Toomey, special effects, EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL (Beck)
Gould, Richard, set design, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM (BECK)
Herrmann, Jeff, set design, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD (GLTF)
Herrmann, Jeff, set design, THE WILD PARTY (BW)
Hu, Tiffany, costume design, CINDERELLA, Mercury Summerstock
Karpinski, Todd, set design, DREAM/HOME (Dobama)
Kata, Takeshi, set design, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (CPH)
Kondilas, Tom, video designer, BIG LOVE, convergence-continuum
McBride, Don, set design, EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL (Beck)
Metheny, Russell, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, (GLTF)
Michalak, Amber, painting of the set, PANGS OF THE MESSIAH (JCC)
Middleton, Rayna, costume design, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (Porthouse)
Needhanm, Ben, scenic design, PETER PAN (Beck)
Roech, Michael, scenic design, THE RECEPTIONIST & H.R. (Dobama)
Savage, Lee, set design, CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (CPH)
Smith, Jim, set design, BIG LOVE, convergence-continuum
Sparano, Jenniver, costume design, EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL (Beck)
Tarantowski, Laura Carlson, set design, PANGS OF THE MESSIAH (JCC)
VanCurtis, Jeffrey, costume design, ALL’S WELL THAT END’S WELL, CWRU MFA Acting Company
Williams,, Gage, set design, TWELFTH NIGHT (GLTF)
Yetman, Charlotte, costume design, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROO (GLTF)
Yetman, Charlotte, costumes, THE WILD PARTY (BW)

MUSICAL DIRECTION
Carney, Eddie, GOODSPELL (Mercury Summer Stock)
Carney, Eddie, ME AND MY GIRL (Mercury Summer Stock)
Garrett, Ryan, musical accompaniment, [title of show] (BW, PLAYHOUSE SQ)
Goodpaster, Larry, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (Beck Center)
Goodpaster, Larry, PETER PAN (Beck)
Krol, John, RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET (CSU-Summer Stages)
Maier, Nancy, PIPPIN (Cain Park)
Taylor, Brian, THE WILD PARTY (BW)
Webb, Matthew, I LOVE YOU BECAUSE (Playhouse Square)
Yurich, Dennis, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (Hi Fi Concert Club)

CHOREOGRAPHY
Brault, Pierre-Jacques, CINDERELLA (Mercury Summer Stock)
Brault, Pierre-Jacques, GODSPELL (Mercury Summer Stock)
Céspedes, Martin PETER PAN (Beck)
Céspedes, Martin, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS (GLTF)
Céspedes, Martin, EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL (Beck)
Céspedes, Martin, I LOVE YOU BECAUSE (Playhouse Square)
Céspedes, Martin, PIPPIN (Cain Park)
Céspedes, Martin, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD (GLTF)
Céspedes, Martin, THE WILD PARTY (BW)
Deering, Lynn, RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET (CSU-Summer Stages)
Van Baars, Eric, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (Porthouse)

SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Michael Bloom, Fusion Fest, CPH
Jewish Community Center for their good intentions in commissioning a play that would commemorate the Cleveland Jewish Community
Eric Coble for his authorship of ‘H.R.’ and ‘FOR BETTER’
Margi Herwald Zitelli for her authorship of ‘OPTIMUS PRIME FOR PRESIDENT’
Sarah Morton for her authorship of ‘DREAM/HOME’
Mercury Summerstock for the initiation of “My First Musical Program,” a program which makes available performances to children who would otherwise not have the opportunity to attend live theatre.
Roe Green, for her financial backing of the JCC Arts program, as well as her contributions to the Kent State University Theatre and Dance programs
John Cameron for his authorship of ‘14’

January 2010 Theatre/Dance Calendar

January is coming and the theatre and dance season looks promising!

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association and Dance Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

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

COOLCLEVELAND.COM

January in Cleveland is normally dark and dreary, but attending a dance or theatre offering can be a good break from the overcast skies. Here’s a list of offerings that you can experience.

SUPPORT LOCAL THEATRE AND DANCE!

DOBAMA
BLUE DOOR
Box Office:
January 29-February 21
Left alone by his wife, an African American math professor is forced to face the ghosts of his ancestors as they shatter the silence of his insomnia.

KARAMU
A HOUSE WITH NO WALLS
January 23-February 15
Box Office: 216-795-7070
The grounds of George Washington’s presidential home erupt into an emotional minefield when two opposing African-American politicos weigh in on how to honor both American liberty and the memory of the nine slaves who lived in the eight-by-eight foot square quarters on site. Based on real events, the play exposes a modern challenge of successful African-Americans while revealing still-hidden prejudices.

ACTORS’ SUMMIT
NOBODY DON’T LIKE YOGI
Box Office: 330-342-0800
January 7-January 24
An evening with baseball legend Yogi Berra, the man who said: "I didn't really say everything I said."

PLAYHOUSE SQUARE CENTER
Box Office for all Playhouse Square Center shows: 216-241-6000

CHICAGO
Palace Theatre
January 12- 24
Broadway's hit musical, the recipient of six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards and a Grammy, is a tale of sin, corruption and all that jazz. If you loved the Academy Award-winning film, nothing beats the live show, and if you are already intimately acquainted with the musical, experience that sizzle again.

CLEVELAND: THE MUSICAL
Hanna Theatre
January 16
Jon Leiken and Friends relate the untold story of the greatest city on the earth through speech and song. Special guests: Michelle Federer (WICKED), David Wain (THE STATE), Larry Marrow, and students from Mercer School and Shaker Heights High School. This performance a benefit for the Great Lakes Theatre Festival.

BILL T. JONES/ARNIE ZANE DANCE COMPANY
Ohio Theatre
January 30
Presented by Dance Cleveland and Cuyahoga Community College
Bill T. Jones’s newest work, FONDLY DO WE HOPE…FERVENTLY DO WE PRAY, examines the legacy of Abraham Lincoln.

VERB BALLETS
Breen Center opposite St. Ignatius High School
Tickets: 216-961-2560
January 17
Program: PETER AND THE WOLF, VESPERS, LADY BE GOOD AND SPEED

CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE
LOST IN YONKERS
January 8-31
Tickets: 216-795-7000
Neil Simon’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning comedy which is set in Yonkers, New York, in 1942, focuses on two young brothers, Arty and Jay, left in the care of their feuding relatives, Grandma Kurnitz (played by Broadway veteran Rosemary Prinz) and Aunt Bella.

GROUNDWORKS
Groundworks at the new Breen Center
2008 W. 30th Street, Cleveland
Tickets: 216-961-2560
January 22 and 23, 2010 at 8 p.m.
Program: World Premiere of a commissioned work by choreographer Dianne McIntyre with composer Olu Dara; DELAYED by Zvi Gotheiner; POLARITY by David Shimotakahara

TRUENORTH AT FRENCH CREEK NATURE PRESERVE
THE LAST FIVE YEARS
January 8-24
4530 Colorado Avenue in Sheffield Village, Ohio
Tickets: 440-949-5200
Jason Robert Brown’s play about Jamie, who is an up-and-coming Jewish writer and Cathy an up-and coming summer stock actress. Mirroring their self-absorbed identities, Jamie and Cathy sing the story of their marriage from differing perspectives: Jamie from beginning to end, Cathy from ending to beginning. And never the two shall meet?

CLEVELAND PUBLIC THEATRE/THEATRE NINJAS
January 28 - February 13
Anna Bella Eema
Tickets: 216-631-2727 x501
Written by Lisa D'Amour
Anna Bella Eema is a dark comedy about a woman, her daughter, and a strange girl in a trailer park. Written by Obie Award Winning playwright Lisa D'Amour, it combines creepy campfire stories, music, sound and fairy tales in an original, highly stylized one-act.

Peter Pan

‘PETER PAN’ flies into the hearts of kids at Beck

Just before the conclusion of Beck Center’s ‘PETER PAN’ a short scene was needed to give time to change the sets. So Peter (John Paul Soto) and Tiger Lilly (Alexis Generette Floyd) stood in front of the closed front curtain, and asked some children in the audience to come on stage and “crow.” Three little ones, a shy girl and two vocal boys, bounded up. One of the boys, probably having been Peter for Halloween, came forth in a total Peter Pan costume, making him look like a clone of Soto. The kids on stage crowed, the kids in the audience crowed, and the entire experience was charming. And so was most of the rest of the production.

Beck’s Artistic Director Scott Spence decided to bring back ‘PETER PAN’ for yet another holiday season. But this time, he took over as director, whacked away at the overly long script, brought in a new Hook (George Roth), and supported him with many of last year’s strong cast and production team.

‘PETER PAN’ is a musical adaptation of J. M. Barrie's 1904 play. The music is mostly by Mark Charlap, with additional music by Jule Styne. Most of the lyrics were written by Carolyn Leigh, with additional words by Betty Comden and Adolph Green.
The 1954 Broadway musical production, which starred Mary Martin as Peter and Cyril Ritchard as Captain Hook, earned Tony Awards for both stars. The show has enjoyed many revivals and has become a holiday staple at many theatres.

The story centers on Peter, a boy who ran away from his parents because he heard them discussing what he would be when he grew up. Peter didn’t want to grow up. He desires to be a boy forever. Missing a mother for himself and the other Lost Boys, he talks Wendy, a young British girl, into coming to Neverland and being the troupe’s mother. She flies away, with her brothers, John and Michael, to find a world of Indians, pirates and a crocodile. It’s a fantasy with a strong underlying message.

The highlight of the Beck production is Martin Céspedes’ choreography. He is a master at taking a group of semi-talented movers and making them appear to be dancing with ease and delight. His restaging of last year’s choreography, with a few new tricks, works again, especially in “Ugg-a-Wugg,” and “Indians.”

In contrast to the usual productions of the show, Peter is played by a male rather than a female. This gives a totally different dimension to the role. In the hands of Soto, Peter is not delicate and charming, but all boy. In fact, he may be too manly to being portraying a kid who doesn’t want to grow up, but in general the interpretation works. He is softer this year than last, but he still has trouble in the higher song registers.

Kelly Smith, as in the past, is engaging as Wendy. This is one talented young lady. She sings and acts well and is totally believable.

Brothers Lincoln and Stephen Sandham (there are four Sandham brothers in this production) are British-correct as John and Michael. Stephen is a little scene stealer, and lights up the stage with his antics.

Floyd is delightful as Tiger Lily, the leader of a group of the nicely performing tribe of female Indians. She dances and sings with vigor.

Some of the lost boys are a disappointment. Often their lines are flat, lacking meaning and there is tendency for several to look at the audience during scenes, breaking continuity rather than staying focused on the action and reacting to what is going on.

The pirates are acceptable, but generally lack the dynamics that should make them outrageously funny bumblers, rather than ruthless cutthroats.

George Roth is the new Father and Captain Hook. It appears that he decided to underplay the Hook role, so he loses some of the fun that is usually inherent in the overblown version of the role. He’s not bad, just a little lacking in dynamics. Often, in other productions, when Hook meets his doom, the kids applaud. Nothing here.

The fight scene, which should be swashbuckling and a hoot, lacks energy. It is very plotted and is almost slow motion. Maybe a strobe light would have helped.

Do you believe in fairies? The kids on the night I saw the show sure did. They seemed primed and ready for the scene where Peter informs the audience
that Tinker Belle, his personal fairy, will die if children don’t clap and yell that they believe. Several of the children around me yelled and clapped and jumped around so much that I’m sure they went home hoarse. Yes, they believed!

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: Beck’s ‘PETER PAN’ is generally a delight and should be loved by the kids of all ages who see the show. It’s a nice holiday break from the usual Christmas plays.

Nutcracker

Underwhelmaing ‘NUTCRACKER’ by Winnipeg Ballet at Allen

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s ‘NUTCRACKER’ is a musical score that lends itself to a dynamic ballet. It is musically filled with passion and lyrical texturing. In the hands of a creative choreographer and the proper lead dancers, the stage explodes with excitement and delight.

Unfortunately, though they presented a ballet that was proficiently danced, the overall effect of the Winnipeg Ballet’s presentation of the Christmas time classic was a lack of passion. It was bland. Maybe those north of the border would say, “Canadian sensibility” prevailed.

Traditionally, ‘NUTCRACKER’ is set at Christmas time in Tchaikovsky’s Russia in the late 1800s or a British Victorian home. This version is set in Canada in 1913. The plot revolves around 12-year old Clara, whose family is hosting a large holiday party. Clara receives nutcracker from Drosselmeier, her Godfather. She takes the doll to bed with her and spends the night dreaming of various adventures including a fight with mice and a magical swan sleigh ride.

On the positive side, the usual excessive amount of walking often found in ‘NUTCRACKER’ stagings is eliminated, the sets are gorgeous, the costumes era correct, the orchestrations work well. A cute bit with a Canadian bear, the delightful young corps of local children, and a charming snow ballet complete with falling snow, add to the positives. A clever device of having hockey players cavort during the overture, which shows guests arriving for the party, is definitely a Canadian addition.

Anyone who saw Karen Gabay and Raymond Rodriguez, of the late Cleveland Ballet, dance Clara and the Nutcracker Prince, know how enthralling the performance of those roles can be. On Thursday night, Vanessa Lawson danced the role of Clara. Lawson is a fine dancer, but lacked the necessary enchanting presence. Gael Lambiotte, who performed as the Nutcracker Prince opposite Lawson, was also competent, but lacked the needed prince charming charm. Alexander Gamayunov didn’t radiate the dynamism usually inhabited by Drosselmeier. The battle between The Mouse King and the Nutcracker Prince lacked excitement.

Positive performances were mounted by Maureya Lebowitz, who was delightful in the Chinese segment of the Kingdom sequence, as were Jo-Ann Sundermeier, as the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Robert Pleschke and Liam Caines in the Arabian segment.

Not once during the presentation were the cries of “bravo,” so common at well-performed ballets, heard. There was no traditional Cleveland standing ovation during the curtain call. The children sitting around me were not entranced. Not an “ooh” or “wow” came from their lips. Their eyes were not twinkling with wonder.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: At the conclusion of the performance of Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s ‘NUTCRACKER,’ the adorable nine-year old girl sitting behind me was asked by her mother, “Did you like it?” Her response was a perfect review of the evening. She sighed and said, “It was okay.”

Gutenberg! The Musical

‘GUTENBERG!’, a slapstick musical spoof at Dobama

This is the time of year when theatres go in three directions: serious scripts with moral messages (think ‘A CHIRSTMAS CAROL’ at Great Lakes Theatre Festival and ‘GODS TROMBONES’ at Karamu); family warm and fuzzy (‘A CHRISTMAS STORY’ at Cleveland Play House and ‘A LITTLE HOUSE CHRISTMAS’ at Magical Theatre), or just plain out and out goofy (‘THE SANTALAND DIARIES’ and ‘BROWNS RULES’ both at Cleveland Public Theatre).

Dobama, now settled in its new home on Lee Road, has chosen to go goofy with ‘GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL.’ The script by Scott Brown and Anthony King, was the winner of the 2006 New York Theatre Festival Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre Writing.

It is billed as a two-man musical spoof about a pair of aspiring playwrights auditioning their new project, a big, splashy musical about printing press inventor Johann Gutenberg. Quickly we discover that their dreams are ill-advised and those in attendance aren’t really “producers” but theatre attendees.

Using a multiple number of blue baseball caps adorned with the name of the character being portrayed, such as Gutenberg, The Anti-Semite, Beef Fat Trimmer, Helvetica, Monk, Young Monk, Rats, and Feces, the duo play all 30 or so parts.

The music from the show is basically unmemorable, and consists of such ditties as “I Can’t Read,” “The Press Song,” “What’s the Word?” and “Tomorrow is Tonight.” There is a charming ballad entitled “Biscuits,” and “Words, Words, Words” is a show highlight. The sound is rock, rap, ballad and show tunes.

Critical reviews of the NY festival and the off-Broadway production called the production, “A gleefully goofy affair that is loaded with laughs” and “Riotously funny.”

The Dobama production, under the direction of Marc Moritz and musical director Brad Wyner, who also plays the piano to accompany the goings on, is fun, but not of the level of praise applied to it in New York.

Dane Castle, who is a BFA Music Theatre major at Kent State, and Chris Richards, a recent graduate of KSU, are full of youthful enthusiasm. They put out total effort, to the effect that the audience is as exhausted as they are by the end of the show. Their comic timing is basically good. Their singing voices are acceptable for the musical requirements of the score. They are, however, pretty hard to accept as being the authors and that may be why what locals see is not what was experienced in New York. Would the whole thing work with veteran actors who know how to milk an audience? As is, too much of what goes on is just too “staged” for it to be spontaneous. Maybe as the show runs, the boys will learn to make the goings on look and feel more adlibbed, which is needed to pull in the audience.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: Don’t go to Dobama expecting to learn about how Gutenberg invented the printing press, or gain any mind bending message. ‘GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL’ is a slight piece of ridiculousness that is good for some laughs, if you are in the right mood and just let your sensibilities flow away and appreciate the efforts of the two enthusiastic young performers.

A Christmas Story

‘A CHRISTMAS STORY on stage’ is soon to be a memory at CPH

It’s that time of year when theatres roll out their holiday cash cows, yearly offerings which fill the seats and help make the rest of the schedule possible. Great Lakes is offering ‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL,’ Cleveland Public Theatre is showcasing, ‘THE SANTALAND DIARIES,’ Karamu welcomes “GOD’S TROMBONES,’ Beck flies in ‘PETER PAN,’ Magical Theatre Company takes us to the prairie in, ‘A LITTLE HOUSE CHRISTMAS’ and for the fifth year Cleveland Play House brings up the curtain on ‘A CHRISTMAS STORY.’ Unfortunately, it’s the last showing of the script.

Though ‘A CHRISTMAS STORY’ takes place in Hohman, Indiana in 1938, most Clevelanders consider the movie and the play to be ours. Yes, part of the movie was made here, using a house at 3159 West 11th Street, which is now the official “A Christmas Story House,” and which you can tour to see many of the now famous visual images including the leg lamp. And, yes, Higbee’s decorated holiday windows and the welcome to Santa parade were centerpieces for the movie. But, to be honest, most of the film was shot in Toronto because the usual Cleveland “bad weather” refused to cooperate and there was no real snow for the outdoor shoots.

The film, as directed by Bob Clark, is a semi-fictional series of anecdotes of author, story teller and radio personality Jean Shepherd. It includes material from his books, In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash and Wanda Hickey's story Night of Golden Memories. ,

Though not a box office hit, the movie has become a holiday tradition through numerous television viewings. The film stared Peter Billingsley as Ralphie, Darren McGavin as The Old Man (Ralphie’s father) and Scott Schwartz as Flick, the kid gets his tongue stuck on a metal light pole. The play, as written by Philip Grecian, parallels the film.

A charming light comedy, the story centers on 9-year-old Ralphie Parker whose Christmas want-list includes only one thing: "an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time."

It’s a snapshot of life pre-television, Nintendo Wii, and gas furnaces. The days when the major trauma in Ralphie’s life centered on putting up with his weird younger brother, Randy, confronting school bully, Scut Farkus, and hanging out with his sidekicks, Flick and Schwartz. He feels the pangs of first love, in the form of Esther Jane. There is also his punishment of sucking on Lifeboy soap for swearing, waiting with impatience for his Secret Decoder pin from Little Orphan Annie, and his “watch the margins” teacher. There are the annual trip to visit Santa Claus at Higbee’s, the next door neighbor’s dogs who hated “The Old Man,” and the wars with the clinkers in the coal furnace. Oh, for the return to those days of innocence.

The CPH production, under the direction of Seth Gordon, is delightful. All the elements are there for enjoyment.

The adorable and talented Joey Stefanko is Ralphie, Charles Kartali is the bigger than life “Old Man,” Elizabeth Ann Townsend is the always right-on mother, Matthew Taylor is the “I have to go wee-wee” Randy (probably the best of all the kids who played this role at CPH), charming Olivia Doria is Esther Jane, Courtney Anne Nelson is the smart and feared Helen, Christian Flaherty, is the “if there is trouble I’m going to get into it’ Flick, Daniel Sovich acts well but is actually too handsome to be the menacing Scut Farkas, Christopher Burns is the reminiscing older Ralph and Pat Nesbit is the up-tight teacher.

The set is visually appealing, especially Santa’s home at Higbee’s.

Alex, “the kid reviewer,’” my 14 year old grandson who I take along to see if shows are kid friendly, loved the show, giving it an 8.5 on a ten point scale. He delighted in the farcical elements, liked the characterizations and, though he warned that there were “old time” references, like clinkers in the furnace, Little Orphan Annie and Lifeboy soap, he assured me, “kids will like this show.”

BTW….As much as I like to encourage parents to bring their children to the theatre, there were some younger kids on reviewer’s night who should not have been there. One child screamed his way through most of the first act and, at intermission, proceeded to almost wreck a Christmas tree in the lobby. Some discretion needs to be made in bringing young kids to any theatre production and a little discipline, other than smacking a child, which only encouraged more crying, is in order.

CAPSULE JUDGMENT: So long to Cleveland Play House’s ‘A CHRISTMAS STORY on stage.’ It’s been a good run. For those who haven’t seen in it, go! For those who have, go again, and have a sweet memory of life as it was!

Ouroboros: The Priest's Tale

‘OUROBOROS’ makes for challenging viewing at convergence continuum

'OUROBOROS,’ the name of the duo of plays now being staged at convergence continuum, is based on a snake, a Greek mythological creature. A being that, according to legend, is eternally devouring it's own tail, replenishing while destroying.

Tom Jacobson’s play also replenishes while it destroys as it examines the intersecting quest of two American couples as they travel Italy. The odd thing about what’s going on is that both couples are traveling the same route, but in opposite directions. How then do we continue to observe them as there paths continually intersect?

The play is actually two plays. One, ‘THE NUN’S TALE,’ the other ‘THE PRIEST’S TALE.’ One is a comedy, the other a tragedy. Each is being staged separately, but in tandem.

The quartet consists of a Lutheran minister and his mentally fragile wife who is in Italy to examine Limoges enamels, and a would-be Episcopalian nun traveling with her gay friend, who is trying to recover from the death of his lover. In the aftermath of a sexual encounter between the minister and the nun, a series of “miracles” occur.

The author sees himself as a combination of the two main male characters— he's gay and Lutheran. And the two women in the play are based on his friend who is an Episcopalian nun.

According to Jacobson, his characters are searching for love, faith and meaning. He therefore structured "THE NUN'S TALE" so the nun and her gay friend find their lives transformed, while in "THE PRIEST'S TALE," it's the minister and his wife who are gradually transformed.

The congruence-continuum production, under the theatre’s artistic director Clyde Simon, is on track. He allows the viewer to understand the backward-forward concept, while holding our attention, even if we may not understand all of the nuances of the script.

The cast, Joe Schultz (Philip) is believable as the minister, Amy Bistok-Bunce (Catherine), though some of her lines lack meaning, is acceptable as Phillip’s wife. Sarah Kunchik (Margaret) is basically on-target as the nun. Geoffrey Hoffman goes a little overboard as the fey Tor, but has a nice touch with humor. Interestingly, Christian Prentice, who plays a series of roles, gives the best overall performance.

Simon’s Italy set is nicely done, especially considering the small size of The Limitus (the venue’s name).

For the ‘uptight,” be aware that in ‘THE PRIEST’S TALE,’ there are simulated sex scene’s including both female-male and male-male sex.

Capsule Judgement: ‘OURBOROS’ is a mixture of déjà vu meets “The Twilight Zone.” Both the structure and the topic challenge the imagination. It’s worth a visit to convergence-continuum if you are interested a convoluted yet challenging experience.

Browns Rules

Browns not only fumble at stadium, but at CPT

As evidenced in the world premiere of ‘BROWNS RULES’ by local playwright Eric Schmiedl, our local football team doesn’t come out much better on stage than on the field. The script, like the team’s play book, is weak in many parts, and though the cast tries hard, the final product doesn’t score enough to be a winner. Director Bill Hoffman’s lack of clarity of purpose simply doesn’t give the actors the needed guidance, seemingly paralleling the actions of the Browns’ coach Eric Mangini (Boo!).

Staged on a creative brown and orange locker room set designed by Curtis Young, the script attempts to deal with the history of the modern Browns, starting with the 1945 team headed by Paul Brown. How did the team get its name? In a contest, the moniker Browns was selected, but the coach, Paul Brown objected, so the name Panthers was chosen. That identification was dropped because a local businessman already owned that name of an earlier failed local football team. So, Browns was the moniker and the Brownie Elf the logo. It remained so until Art Modell (Boo!) did away with the Brownie in the mid-1960s, believing it to be too childish. Its use has been revived under the current ownership. (Hurrah!)

The team became a success and dominated the All-America Football Conference. There were ups and downs, mostly ups with championships, and the eras of Jim Brown, Brian Sipe, The Kardiac Kids and Bernie Kosar. Then the worst of the worst happened. Team owner Art Modell (Boo!) announced on November 6, 1995, that he had signed a deal to relocate the Browns to Baltimore (Boo!). However, in February 1996, the National Football League caved in to media and litigation pressures by announcing that the team would merely be 'deactivated' for three years, and that a new stadium would be built for a new "reactivated" Cleveland Browns (Hurrah!). Unfortunately, the present team is a mere shadow of the “old” Browns.

The show’s title comes from a skit in which audience members are asked to submit the “rules” that must be followed to be a Browns’ fan. The entries are then read by the lighting/sound person amidst cheers and moans from the audience and the cast.

Schmiedl does a nice job of creating songs that highlight the highs and lows of the history of, and being a fan of, the brown and orange. If he had stuck to only that, he would have been fine. Unfortunately, he added an embarrassing interview with a senile old man, a lame section on Browns’ backers clubs around the world and a pathetic segment on superstitions. There was also some improv which often didn’t work. It’s not clear how much of that was actually in the script or was “actors gone wild.”

The show is too long. Maybe a ninety-minute, no intermission version might have worked. In fact, Schmiedl could probably get bookings at the many, many Browns backers clubs around the world if he went that route.

Clever songs included “Automatic Otto,” “With You,” and “All Night, All Day.” Others like, “Let’s Eat” and “That’s the Way It Is,” were weak. The music varied from rock, to polka, ballad and nationality music, echoing the ethnicity of the city.

The cast, which included Schmiedl, Nathan Lilly and Nick Koesters, put out full effort; however, Hoffman, seemed unable to clearly keep them on track and under control, especially Koesters. Koesters, one of my favorite local actors, was just too over the top in this production. He displayed no restraint. Energy is good, blatant overacting and “eating the scenery” is not.

Schmiedl has a nice charm, Lily has a wonderfully mobile face and an engaging singing voice. But, there seemed to be no clear motivation for some of their actions.

The band, Joe Milan, Eric Percherkiewicz and Bill Hoffman are good, but often get carried away and drown out the singers, who, because of the poor acoustics in the theatre are hard enough to hear, as is.

The audience on the night I saw the show was very vocal. They actually created a football game like atmosphere, making the material look better than it is. Was that caused by the beer sold before the show and during intermission, or just unbridled enthusiasm?

Capsule judgement: How can you not love a football team with an Elf for a logo? Well, the present Browns and ‘BROWNS RULES’ give reasons to not show much affection.

FRÄULEIN MARIA

Doug Elkins and Friends delight in ‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’ take-off

As evidenced by ‘FRÄULEIN MARIA,’ his take-off of the musical ‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC,’ which was recently presented by DanceCleveland at the Hanna Theatre, Doug Elkins may well be the crown prince of comic dance choreography.

‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’ is a stage musical based losely on the von Trapp family who escaped Europe at the onset of World War II after being harasssed by the Nazis. The musical is inspirational, farily serious and contains Rogers and Hammerstein’s usual social message of the better way to live.

Now, picture the goings-on as envisioned by Elkins.

The evening is introduced by Richard Rogers. Well, its a spotlight on the center of the stage which represents the song wirter and is supplemented by a tape recording of the great man, who probably rolls over in his grave every time Elkins and Friends does a take off on his beloved musical score.

Since the story takes place in the hills of Austria, we need hills. These are created by dancers encased in and waving green and tan strips of fabric. A snow capped mountain is formed by Elkins (who not only choreographed the performance but dances in it as well) leaping off the stage, snatching a white shawl off the shoulders of a woman in the front row, running back onto the stage and tossing it on top of one of the hills. This is done while hip hop, classical ballet, contemporary and modern dance, martial arts moves and improvised maneuvers are exploding on stage to the entire score from the musical.

Then there is Maria the singing nun turned nanny, turned dressmaker, turned mommy, who is simultaneously performed by three different dancers, one an African American male.

You think attending a dance concert is a passive experience? Not in Elkins’ creative hands. You will--yes, you will--take part by singing “Do-Re-Mi,” in three-part harmony, lead by Elkins, himself.

Elkins is not your usual run of the mill choreographer. He started his performance life as a B-boy. A break dancer who toured the world with groups like the New York Dance Express and Magnificent Force. And, with that background, as you watch the madcap antics on stage, you will surely note that his work is inventive, eccentric and compelling.”

Even Elkins choice of dancers is not traditional. While most dance companies go for thin woman and muscle toned males, Elkins favors sturdy, often fleshy men and women, with lots of power. There's nothing exotic, about this company, but, they are talented. And, as can be expected, their backgrounds don’t fit the usual company description. One of the males just started dance training in January. He’s a gymnast and martial arts expert.

The company is reinforced by local professionals who were chosen via a tryout. They are Kelly Michael Brunk from Groundworks, Ellen Ressler Hoffman of Repertory Project and Footpath Dance, Amy Miller, Groundworks, Rebecca Nicklos, MegLousie Dance and Morrison Dance and Marie Zvosec, Ohio Dance Theatre. They perform in a fantastic hip-hop segment set to “Climb Every Mountain.”

Even the curtain call was fun.

Capsule judgement: . ‘FRÄULEIN MARIA’ was an evening of dance not to be missed! Too bad Elkins only performed twice because word of mouth would have filled additional stagings. Let’s hope that Pam Young, Executive Director of DanceCleveland, brings Elkins back in the very near future.

Wicked

Wonderful ‘WICKED’ wows ‘em again at State

How good is the production of ‘WICKED’ which is now appearing at the State Theatre? My 14-year old grandson, known as the Kid Reviewer because I take him along to give the teen/tween view of shows, gave it a 9.5 out of 10 on his “rate the play scale.” Why only a 9.5? He said he’s reserving the 10 for the most unbelievable show he’s ever seen. But, he indicated “’WICKED’ was GREAT!” Why? “It had everything. Great story, outstanding production qualities…sets, costumes, lights, special effects. The music and the performances were awesome.” His advice: “Go see this show! It’s appropriate for kids and their parents.”

‘WICKED,’ an alternative view of the ‘WIZARD OF OZ,’ tells the “true” story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch, and her relationship with Glinda, the Good Witch. It has all the elements of the original story, but packages them in a different way. We find out about how the Lion, the Scarecrow, and the Tin man came to be. How Dorothy got the red (in this version silver) slippers. And, most importantly, what really happened to Elphaba. (Ah, yes, in a quirky ending, there is a happily-ever after story.)

The music and lyrics, by one of my favorite theatre composers, Stephen Schwartz, includes such beautiful and delightful songs as “Popular,” “I’m Not That Girl,” “Defying Gravity,” “As Long as You’re Mine,” and Alex’s favorite, “For Good.”

The production qualities of this touring show, are outstanding and impressive. There is a dragon hanging over the proscenium arch that has a wingspan the same as a Cessna 172 airplane. They use 200 pounds of dry ice every show for smoke effects and enough power in a single production to supply twelve houses with electricity. There are 175,000 pounds of scenery. This is not a stripped-down touring show, it’s a full-blown Broadway extravaganza.

With the exception of Richard Kline, who seems to be sleep-walking through the role of the Wizard, the cast reaches Broadway levels. Donna Vivino glows gloriously green as Elphaba. She hits the vocal high notes with ease and creates a clear characterization. Chandra Lee Schwartz is properly air-headed as the “popular” Glinda. Richard Blake is excellent as the self-centered Fiyero, who falls in love with Elphaba. BTW…did you know that Adam Lambert, the “American Idol” runner-up (can you believe he didn’t win?) was the understudy for Fiyero in the Los Angeles production of ‘WICKED?’

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: As Alex said, with glee and enthusiasm, “Go see this show!” Grandpa totally agrees!!!!

Mamma Mia

‘MAMMA MIA’ entertains once again at Palace

The two middle-aged women sitting in front of me at the Palace Theatre’s production of ‘MAMMA MIA,’ could not sit still. As the music rolled off the stage, they were swaying in their first row seats, mouthing the words to the Abba songs, doing hand gestures, and bellowing their pleasure at the conclusion of each song. They did everything that takes place at a rock concert other than flick their cigarette lighter. They, like the rest of the audience, were into the performance!

When a show makes its fourth tour into an area, as is the case with ‘MAMMA MIA,’ there is fear that the production will be tired and the worse for wear. Fear not. As the ladies in front of me showed, this showing is fresh and full of energy.

‘MAMMA MIA’ came to the stage in a different way than most musicals. The usual path is to take a previously written piece of material and add music and lyrics, or create a script and meld in the songs. ‘MAMMA MIA,’ however, is a compilation of the songs of the singing group ABBA with a story written around them. What is amazing is how each song fits into the storyline, as if it were written specifically for the script.

The show has been playing to sold-out audiences on Broadway for over 7 years. The London production has done more than 4,000 performances. It’s been seen by over 40 million people worldwide, grossed over $2 billion dollars at the box office, and has been seen in over 200 major cities. It’s about to open in such locations as Oslo and Mexico City, and will soon tour in Spanish and Dutch versions. Yes, ‘MAMMA MIA’ is a gigantic hit!

The story concerns a single mother (Donna) who owns a small hotel on a Greek island. She has never told her daughter (Sophie), who is about to get married, the identify of her father. The daughter finds her mother’s diary and figures out that there are three possible “dads.” She invites each to the wedding. And, as in all good fairly tales, everyone lives happily ever after, and the audience has a swell time in the process.

It’s basically purposeless to evaluate the cast as opening night in Cleveland found five replacements, including Rachel Tyler (Donna) . It mattered little. This is a professional cast, and all but amateur acting Bradley Whitfield (portraying Sky, Sophie’s finance) were excellent.

I defy anyone to sit through the production and not be carried away by such wonder tunes as “Dancing Queen,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” ‘S.O.S.,” “Take a Chance on Me,” and “The Winner Takes It All.” As my wife says each time we see the show, “How can anyone not like a show that features three middle age women disco singing and dancing?”

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: This excellent production of ‘MAMMA MIA,’ runs only through Sunday, November 15. If you haven’t seen the show before, go, you’ll have a blast. If you have seen it before, go, you’ll have a blast!

For Better

A delightful look at romance in the cyber age at Actors’ Summit

Playwright Eric Coble, whose play ‘FOR BETTER’ is getting its regional premiere at Actors’ Summit, is a satirist whose weird sense of humor allows him to hone in on peculiar social phenomena and take them to the extremes of absurdity. Coble asks such questions as: are up-scale parents interested in getting their child into the “correct” school, willing to kill another kid for the institutions last opening (‘BRIGHT IDEA’)? Or, to what extremes will someone go on a reality show to win a million dollars, such as agreeing to commit suicide using a method decided upon by the viewers (‘THE DEAD GUY’)?

Building on the premise that an entire generation of thirty-somethings have been brought up on email, instant messaging, cell phones and texting, Coble ponders whether a woman can develop a relationship on-line, almost never meet the guy face-to-face, accept his proposal for marriage, get her wedding ring via a FedEx delivery, and . . . (you’ll have to go see the show to find out what the “and” is all about).

At the center of non-stop talking (mostly electronic, of course) is Karen, who spends time with her fiancé Max (a character who never appears on stage) via wireless media.

Her electronically-challenged father, Wally, can't understand how to operate his TiVo, let alone understand his daughter’s virtual on-again, off-again engagement.

Her older sister, Francine, criticizes her rashness, even though she met her husband through an online dating service and their relationship has about as much passion as the electronic instruments they constantly depend on.

Coble, who admits to having only one cell phone for his entire family, observed those around him and states that he found “people’s emotional lives were really coming to depend on our cell phones and emails to keep us connected and sane as we became new hunter/gatherers. And I wanted to write a sweet romantic comedy about that.” Coble succeeded.

Though the script looks easy to stage, it isn’t. A good production depends on a quick pick up of line cues, actors all talking at the same time while insuring each idea is understood, making the characters real even though they are ridiculous, and rapid pacing.

The Actor’s Summit production, under the direction of A. Neil Thackaberry, accomplishes all the “must does.”

Though at times she is a little shrill, Constance Thackaberry, is in a proper state of angst as Karen. As Francine, Karen’s sister, Sally Groth proves again that she is very good at being uptight, frustrated and bitchy. Larry Seman basically steals the show as the widowed father. Most of the “mature’ audience totally understood his frustrations of living in an electronic world with only a fleeting knowledge of the technical language, let alone having the skills to navigate the terrain. Keith Stevens as Francine’s husband, and Tony Zanoni, as the Verizon man who travels the world asking, “Can you hear me now?” are on the mark. Their cyber drunk scene is hysterical. Jen Walker, Francine’s friend Lizzie, develops her role well.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: FOR BETTER is a delightful script which is given a fun production at Actors’ Summit. If you want to thoroughly enjoy yourself, put down your cell, turn off the computer, jump into your hybrid Prius, and set your Garmin to get you to 86 Owen Brown Street in Hudson. Think of it this way…you can text your 500 best cyber friends at intermission and tell them what a good time you are having.

Woyzeck: A Proper Murder

‘A PROPER MURDER,’ a good production of a convoluted script at Theater Ninjas

In his program notes to ‘WOYZECK, A PROPER MURDER,’ director Jeremy Paul states, “’WOYZECK’ was the first play I ever wanted to direct.” To be honest, I have no idea why of all the great plays written, Paul would pick this abstract, convoluted script as his heart’s desire.

‘WOYZECK,’ was written in the mid-1860’s by Georg Büchner. The script, which was found in segments with no clear structure, was left unfinished when Büchner died. It was completed by a variety of other writers.

The script deals with the dehumanization of a human being caused by human jealousy. It parallels the true story of a Christian Woyzeck, a wigmaker and soldier, who murdered his live-in mistress.

‘WOYZECK’ is supposedly a commentary on social conditions as well as an exploration of poverty and how circumstances in one’s life ultimately can push a person over the edge.

The Theater Ninja production, in spite of creative staging by Paul and fine acting by the cast, is a hard sit-through. Sebastian Hawkes Orr is properly maniacal as Woyzeck. Emily Pucell develops effectively the role of Marie, the woman Woyzeck is living with. The rest of the cast, Val Kozlenko, Elaine Feagler, Katelyn Cornelius, and Adam Seeholzer compently carry out the director’s concept.

Doing the play in the Asterick Gallery in Tremont adds to the abstract quality of the action as the actors dart in and out of the gallery’s display walls.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: ‘WOYZECK, A PROPER MURDER,’ gets a fine production at Ninjas, but there is a caveat. The script will appeal to those who like abstract, experimental theatre. For those interested in a standard format of beginning, middle and end, with a clear message, this isn’t going to be their thing.

Inherit the Wind

‘INHERIT THE WIND,” an onstage view

‘INHERIT THE WIND,’ which is now receiving an impressive production at the Cleveland Play House, opened on Broadway on April 21, 1955 with a cast that included Paul Muni, Ed Begley, and Tony Randall. Basically, it is the story of a situation which put John Thomas Scopes, a Dayton, Tennessee school teacher on trial for teaching Darwin’s Theory of Evolution to his students. At the time, the state of Tennessee had a law on its books preventing the teaching of the evolution of man from lower orders of animals in place of the Biblical account. That state did not repeal the Butler Act, as the law was called, until 1967.

The Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee play was, according to the authors, an attempt to criticize the then current state of McCarthyism, the anti-Communist investigations of the House Committee on Un-American Activities. Lawrence commented in an interview that, "we used the teaching of evolution as a parable, a metaphor for any kind of mind control. It's not about science versus religion. It's about the right to think." Arthur Miller used a similar device in his showcasing the Salem witch trials as the basis for his anti-McCarthy play, ‘THE CRUCIBLE.’

It’s interesting to note that Lawrence was from Cleveland and Lee from Elyria.

The play opens on a scorching July day in 1925. The trial pits two legal greats against each other, Mathew Harrison Brady (William Jennings Bryan) and Henry Drummond (Clarence Darrow). For twelve days, Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes (“The Monkey Trial”) captured the nation's attention as a media circus swept through Dayton, mainly fanned by the writing of liberal-leaning journalist E. K. Hornbeck (H. L. Mencken).
The script's title comes from Proverbs 11:29, which, in the King James Bible reads: “He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.”

The CPH production, under the adept direction of Seth Gordon, hits all the right notes. It is well paced, cutting the script from the traditional three-acts to a more sitable two, and keeps interest high through stressing both the humor and the captivating dialogue.

Broadway and TV veterans, Ed Dixon (Brady) and Scott Jaeck (Drummond) are both compelling in their characterizations. Scott Plate adds just the right sarcasm to the comments of Hornbeck. Dudley Swetland as the Judge, Tom White (Cates), Sarah Nedwek (as Cates’ girlfriend), and Cameron McKendry (as Howard, one of the children who testified at the trial) all are believable in their portrayals. Though I would have liked Mark Alan Gordon, as Reverend Jeremiah Brown to be filled with more fanaticism, Rohn Thomas to be more believable, and a more consistent use of the Tennessee accent by the Dayton locals, but those are just nitpicking points.
It was nice to see the Play House using many local area performers in the production. I hope this is a trend toward the future as there are good home town actors who could use the stage-time.

The Play House added a clever gimmick, filling the jury box with local lawyers, actors and volunteers. I was included in that group, so I got to see the play from the stage, as well as from my traditional seat in the audience. It was not my first experience with either the stage at CPH or with the script. As a youth, I was a Curtain Puller, one of the young thespians who learned their acting skills from the CPH staff. While a student at the University of Michigan, I participated in a staged reading of the script, portraying E K. Hornbeck. It was very pleasant to revisit past life occurrences.

CAPSULE JUDGMENT: ‘INHERIT THE WIND’ gets an excellent production at CPH. For those who saw the play in the past, a repeat visit is worth the time. For those who have not had the pleasure of viewing the Lawrence and Lee script, this is an excellent opportunity. Good job!