The Fab Marquee

The Fab Marquee review by Antonio Miniño.

Phare Play Production proves to be an artistic busy bee. With their current production of Ghosts, they also present to us Office Hours by Norm Foster (not to mention they have a production of Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia lined up in May). Office Hours is a group of six vignettes that take place in a different office on a Friday afternoon. Mr. Foster takes us on a comic ride with 13 characters that we can’t help but see ourselves reflected in, and the journey is pure hackling fun.

Katie McConaghy as Ellie Young &
Nicholas Masson as Mark Young.

At first you might think a desperate producer, an overweight jockey and a figure skater, just to mention a few of the characters, have nothing in common. But the success of Norm Foster’s piece lies in the interconnection of the stories. What sometimes seems as a repetitive tool to tie these stories together (a shiny new leather bound week-at-a-glance, a romance novel and a race horse), turns out being a well thought out amusing element to the blossoming reveal. Even though we have it figured out from scene one (as the production expresses on the show’s description), it’s still a mirthful journey.

The highlights of the evening for this humble theatergoer were the crisp and humorous performances by most of the cast, wonderfully orchestrated by director Christine Vinh. Beth Adler’s comic timing was precise as clockwork. Miss Adler plays Rhonda Penny, an oppressive mother and wife, who deals with her sarcastic husband (well played by Edward Monterosso), and her two sons; a gay entertainment lawyer and a suicidal straight figure skater (both played by the zestful Christopher James Cramer).

Michael Weems as Stan Thurber &
Blake Bradford as Artie Barnes.

Blake Bradford proves to be a master in the art of comedy and improv. His portrayal as the desperate producer Gordon Blanes and the overweight jockey Artie Barnes left me gasping for air between cackles and tears. I’ll make sure to attend future productions graced by Mr. Bradford.

Nora Vetter, Katie McConaghy, Michael Weems and Nicholas Masson form the rest of the hard working ensemble.

The minor hitches of this production have to do with first performance nuances. Some of the momentum was lost in a couple of the skits, and the cast seemed to lose focus with the responsive and engaged audience. Not to worry, Mr. Foster’s material, and this energetic cast, can only get tighter and finer. If you want to experience what smart comedies are made of, you should definitely see this show.

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Phare Play Productions presents
Norm Foster’s
Office Hours
directed by Christine Vinh
March 30-April 6, 2008
American Theatre of Actors
Schedule: Sun, March 30 – Tue, April 1 @ 8pm; Sat, April 5 @ 3pm; Sun, April 6 @ 8pm
Tickets: $20.00; Reservations: (646)241-0823, online purchase www.theatremania.com

American Theatre of Actors | Beckmann Theatre | 314 West 54th St | Manhattan.

“… actresses require protection in their art from blind abuse, from savage criticism. Their work is their religion, if they are seeking the best in their art, and to abuse that faith is to rob them, to dishonor them.”

-Nance O’Neil

The Fab Marquee review by David Stallings.

It is a testament to Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts, that two productions of his play are being performed for New York audiences this month. One is the Off Broadway production at the Pearl Theatre and the other is the Off-Off Broadway production at the Beckmann Theater at the American Theatre of Actors. I had the pleasure of seeing the latter this week.

Jean Walker as Mrs. Alving &
Alan Altschuler as Pastor Manders

Ibsen is known for writing book-end plays that discuss two sides of the same issue. Ghosts is paired with A Doll’s House. Where A Doll’s House explores a young woman’s journey to making the then unheard of decision of leaving a bad marriage, Ghosts explores what happens when a woman compromises herself and does not escape. The results are tragic, but Ibsen tells the story in such a wickedly humorous way, that the play is addictive.

Ghosts follows Mrs. Alving’s torment at realizing that her only son, Oswald has somehow inherited his fathers disease of “dissoluteness”, which we assume is syphilis. Mrs. Alving always lied to Oswald about his father’s character and sudden demise in order to shield him from disillusionment. She has also hidden the fact that her ward, Regina, is the illegitimate daughter of her husband and an early housekeeper. The ghosts of her lies come back to haunt her as she learns of Oswald’s illness, his newfound love of his half-sister Regina, and even contemplates allowing their marriage to occur despite her secret. Paired with the re-entrance of the true object of her affection—a pretentious pastor, the play is a fast paced drama that keeps audiences gasping.

Essentially, the play is about a woman who is a coward. Mrs. Alving is progressive in thought and much sharper and well read than any one else in her town. But her need to fulfill her duty as a wife compromises her ideals and brings about her ruin. There is no need to do this piece unless the actress playing Mrs. Alving has the ability to hold the empathy of the audience and convey the intensity of the moment. In Phare Play’s Production, Jean Walker delivers and then some. Ms. Walker was charming and captivating in her role. From the moment she walked on stage, the audience believed every word she uttered, and was concerned for her fragile self. The character’s arc worked well under this actress’s command. At times, the audience forgets she is an actress, as she affected no airs, but rather played the part with heart. It is always a relief when the lead proves to be the scene-stealer, for no one could take their eyes off of Ms.Walker.

Laurence Waltman as Jacob Engstrad &
Alan Altschuler as Pastor Manders

Alan Altschuler fared well in his role as Pastor Manders. His naturalism in the role and ease with environment made the pivotal arguments between his character and Mrs. Alving come to life. Laurence Waltman was also enjoyable and garnered many laughs as Jacob Engstrand (think a darker version of Eliza Doolittle’s father).

Unfortunately the younger members in the cast struggled more with the text. Yury Lomakin had a commanding voice and presence as Oswald, but his handling of the difficult task of playing the disease was unsuccessful. Oswald is certainly a troublesome part, as he is quite confident in his language at the top of the play, and by the climax (which occurs in the same day) he can barely string together a sentence. Lomakin handled the task by suddenly playing the pain in fitful moments, but seemed more upset than anything else. Playing against the pain and trying to conceal his hardship throughout would have gained him more ground. As Regina, Sarah Schmidt seemed uncomfortable on stage. Her stiff body and frustrated sighs strangled the fluidity of many scenes.

Director Kymm Zuckert staged the play seamlessly and seemed to have a good grasp of the subtext in the piece. Her infusion of humor into the play is to be commended. The audience even laughed throughout some tense moments, due to Zuckert’s highlighting of the provincial attitudes of Pastor Manders. It was a successful turn.

Overall, the evening was quite enjoyable. The mature choices of the lead actors, humor filled directing, and rich text proved a delight for the audience. If young theatergoers have not had the opportunity of seeing Ghosts staged, I recommend they see this light and laugh filled production.

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Phare Play Productions presents
Henrik Ibsen’s
Ghosts
directed by Kymm Zuckert
March 26-April 6
Wed-Sat @ 8pm; Sun @ 3pm (no show March 29)
American Theatre of Actors

Tickets $ 20.00; Call (646)241-0823; online purchase direct link: http://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/37831

American Theatre of Actors | Beckmann Theatre | 314 West 54th St | Manhattan.

“In Mexico, theater is very underground, so if you’re a theater actor it’s very difficult to make a living. But it’s also a very beautiful pathway to knowledge and to an open education.”

-Gael Garcia Bernal

“To save the theatre, the theatre must be destroyed, the actors and actresses must all die of the plague. They poison the air, they make art impossible. It is not drama that they play, but pieces for the theatre. We should return to the Greeks, play in the open air; the drama dies of stalls and boxes and evening dress, and people who come to digest their dinner.”

-Eleanor Duse

Phare Play Productions presents
Henrik Ibsen’s
Ghosts
directed by Kymm Zuckert
March 26-April 6
Wed-Sat @ 8pm; Sun @ 3pm (no show March 29)
American Theatre of Actors

Henrik Ibsen’s 1891 play is startlingly modern even today, with its frank defense of free love and condemnation of the power of the church, there is nothing quaint or old-fashioned about it. Directed by Kymm Zuckert, Phare Play’s new production stars Jean Walker as Mrs. Alving, Yury Lomakin as Oswald Alving, Alan Altschuler as Pastor Manders, Sarah Schmidt as Regina Engstrom and Laurence Waltman as Jacob Engstrom.

Tickets $ 20.00; Call (646)241-0823; online purchase direct link: http://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/37831

American Theatre of Actors | Beckmann Theatre | 314 West 54th St | Manhattan.

Phare Play Productions presents
Norm Foster’s
Office Hours
directed by Christine Vinh
March 30-April 6, 2008
American Theatre of Actors

During the course of one day in the city, in six different offices, the lives of a chaotic group of characters unfold like a spider’s web. You might need a shiny new, leather bound, week-at-a-glance to keep it all straight. Starring: Beth Adler, Blake Bradford, Christopher James Cramer, Nicholas Masson, Katie McConaghy, Edward Monterosso, Nora Vetter, and Michael Weems.

Schedule: Sun, March 30 – Tue, April 1 @ 8pm; Sat, April 5 @ 3pm; Sun, April 6 @ 8pm

Tickets: $20.00; Reservations: (646)241-0823, online purchase www.theatremania.com

American Theatre of Actors | Beckmann Theatre | 314 West 54th St | Manhattan.

PlaidBird Productions presents
Katherine Williams’
My Dead Mother is Funnier than You
April 3-April 13th, 2008
Thursday-Saturday @ 8pm
Sunday @ 3pm
The Arclight Theatre

PlaidBird Productions presents Katherine Williams’ My Dead Mother is Funnier than You, directed by Clyde Baldo, premiering at The Arclight Theatre (152 W. 71st St between Broadway and Columbus), from April 3rd through April 13th.

First date criers, pants-crapping setter-uppers and online dating horror stories abound as a single woman in NYC struggles to break out of bad habits dealing with men, including her widower father. Soon enough, she traces both back to her mother’s passing.

My Dead Mother is Funnier Than You stars Franklin Abrams, Dan Almekinder, Makenzie Caine*, Joseph Callari*, Todd Conner, Michael Scott King, Jaye Maynard*, Gabriel Silva, Jeff Stevens*, and Katherine Williams. Production crew includes Stage Manager Rome Brown, Set Designer Sarah Phykitt, Lighting Designer Timothy Walsh, Costume Designer Jaye Maynard and Sound Designers Mark Sutton and Rob Carpenter.

Tickets: $18.00; , available online at www.Theatermania.com or by phone at 212-352-3101. For more information visit www.myspace.com/myfunnydeadmom.

The Arclight Theatre | 152 W. 71st St between Broadway and Columbus | Manhattan

James Magruder’s
TRIUMPH OF LOVE
Friday, April 25th- Sunday, May 11, 2008
The Broccoli Theatre

ASTORIA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER is pleased to announce the production of TRIUMPH OF LOVE, a musical directed by Brian Swasey. TRIUMPH OF LOVE will play a 3-week limited engagement at the Broccoli Theatre (Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens, 21-12 30th Road, Astoria). Performances begin Friday, April 25th and continue through Sunday, May 11th.

Love can make a woman do strange things–like lie about her past or give up her career for the man she loves. Or throw off her princess raiment and disguise herself as a young man in order to infiltrate the guarded “men-only” palace compound of an exiled prince she’s admired from afar. Such is the state of things in James Magruder, Jeffrey Stock and Susan Birkenhead’s hilarious, tongue-in-cheek, anachronistic adaptation of the classic Marivaux comedy TRIUMPH OF LOVE.

Tickets are $15 in advanced and $18 at the door. Available online at www.apacny.org or by calling 866-811-4111. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the Theatre Box Office, 30 minutes prior to showtime. TDF vouchers accepted.

The Broccoli Theatre | Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens, 21-12 30th Road | Astoria

“The Center of the stage is where I am”

-Martha Graham