Things To See

Alright, shameless plug time. I've been dramaturging two shows, and am incredibly proud of both of them. They're in previews now, and definitely worth a trip.

First off is Here Where It's Safe, at Stage Left, 3408 N Sheffield. It's a world premiere by Jeff winner M. E. H. Lewis, a moving story about an American couple, desperate to have a child, and the Indian surrogate they hire to help them. It's a gorgeous, involving play, and I couldn't be prouder of everyone involved. (The design is really stunning, too.) Previews are only $10, and they are tonight, tomorrow, Saturday, and Monday, all at 8 PM. We open Tuesday at 7:30, and the regular run is Thursday-Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM through April 3rd, with every Thursday being a "Pay What You Can" show. More info and tickets can be found at (216) 337-5281 or here.

Meanwhile, Fiddler on the Roof started previews last night at the Marriott Lincolnshire, 10 Marriott Drive in Lincolnshire, IL. You all know the story, but this is a particularly excellent production. Director David H. Bell has really led the cast to its very best work, and it's just sensational. The official opening is Wednesday the 24th, and it runs through April 25th. Tickets and info by phone at (847) 634-0200 or here.

So see these wonderful shows, with my recommendation, and let us know what you thought here.

(And I hope the lack of comments on the previous entry doesn't mean that nobody can think of a good theatre experience. That would just be too depressing.)

New Review Posted: The Light in the Piazza

This past Wednesday I turned 24, and Marriott Lincolnshire gave me a great present--opening night of The Light in the Piazza. Adam Guettel's score is one of the best of the past decade, and I had not yet gotten the chance to hear it live. The script has flaws, and the production isn't perfect, but there were moments that were truly thrilling, and the show as a whole had a real emotional pull. If you care about serious musicals, it's definitely worth a trip.

The link is here and the text of the review is below.

That "The Light in the Piazza" was a Broadway success must be one of the miracles of contemporary theater. Adam Guettel's score is absolutely ravishing, but also far more complex than the usual Broadway score. Audiences proved hungry for beautiful music, though, and it ran for over a year.

American Margaret Johnson (Mary Ernster) and her daughter Clara (Summer Smart) are vacationing in Florence, where Margaret once honeymooned with her husband Roy (Michael Accardo). Clara meets, and falls for, the young Florentine Fabrizio (Max Quinlan). But, as one character says, "happiness can also scar," and the play is concerned with both the danger and the beauty of love.

Joe Leonardo's production stumbles in places, but the emotional tug is still there. Since it also has a few excellent performances and some genuinely thrilling musical moments, the show is a must for those who care about musicals. Ernster's Margaret is the center of the production, and she is magnetic. She believably shows both the humor and pain of a woman for whom managing, fixing and avoiding have become a way of life, and the painful process that just might let joy back in. Add in her luscious alto, and her songs become simply heartbreaking.

Smart and Quinlan act the lovers convincingly, but they seem to be trying too hard when they sing; their vocal performances are technically accurate, but far from effortless. The supporting cast is studded with flavorful performances, especially Paula Scrofano, as Fabrizio's mother, and Jennifer T. Grubb as his sister-in-law.

The book has clichéd sections, certainly, and the staging and design don't fully capture the beauty of Italy. The nine-piece orchestra, while artful, still lacks the lushness of the original orchestrations. More quibbles could surely be found. But when song after song sends a chill up the spine, who cares?

New Review Posted: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Centerstage has posted my review of Spelling Bee at the Marriott in Lincolnshire, which I saw on Wednesday night. You can read the review here, with all of the pretty pictures and information, or just read it below.

I really do recommend it strongly, by the way--it is one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time, and the acting is really exceptional. If you have a car and $45, it's very worth the trek to Lincolnshire. (And I bet discounts can be found.)

Anyhow, here is the review:

"I'm not that smart," confesses Leaf Coneybear (Derrick Trumbly). He's been home-schooled, undermined by his many siblings, wears bizarre clothes that he designed himself, and is socially awkward to the point of behavioral disorder.

Yet, as he finds, he is that smart — he's made it to the titular spelling bee and spells with the best of them. Similarly, one might dismiss The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee as nothing much — who wants to see pubescent kids struggle through a spelling bee and sing about it? Well, the doubters are wrong: the show is utterly hilarious, surprisingly warm, and almost criminally entertaining.

The play, with a brilliantly witty, Tony-winning book by Rachel Sheinkin and a zippy and tuneful score by William Finn, focuses on six misfit contestants at the regional spelling bee finals. All focused on the final prize, a trip to Washington DC for the national finals. Three clueless adults attempt to help them along, while often getting caught up in their own dramas. Each has their own bizarre set of quirks, from William Barfee (Eric Roediger), overweight, allergic to everything, and hostile to everyone, to Marcy Park (Katie Boren), chafing against her constant record of overachievement.

Director/choreographer Rachel Rockwell has shaped the cast into one of the best ensembles I've seen in a long time. Each of the nine actors has a razor-sharp take on his or her character, down to the tiny quirks and habits, yet none hogs the spotlight. It’s really extraordinary work.

The physical production is perfectly in line with the show's sensibility — Nancy Missimi's costumes are particularly spot-on — and the show is exceptionally well-sung and played. It's not for the easily offended, but it's one of the best combinations of hilarity and heart around, and more fun than I've had at the theatre in months.