CRITICS PICK
CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF
Neighborhood Playhouse
In this mesmerizing revival of Tennessee Williams' 1955 Southern family epic, a quartet of performances—backed by a strong ensemble, an impressive set, and thoughtful direction by Brady Schwind—provides a three-hour theatrical treat, from Maggie's Act 1 entrance to Brick's poignant last line in Act 3.
All signs point toward success from lights up, thanks to Kathleen Early as Maggie the Cat. Strutting and preening across the bedroom of the family's Southern plantation mansion, Early presents a Maggie who is determined and ruthless, but who has a soft side because of a love—or possibly just desire—for Brick (Aaron Blake). Early gives an overall sense of sadness to Maggie that makes her sympathetic, even when she's spouting shallow complaints. Blake, in what is arguably the most challenging role, succeeds in subtleties. Even at Brick's least aware moments, Blake places a glimmer of heart behind his eyes, as if a dying man is inside this drunken body longing to escape.
As impressive as Early is in Act 1, Michael Prohaska raises the bar even higher in the second act, making Big Daddy frightening and ruthless. Prohaska doesn't give his character a single moment's weakness, even when Big Daddy realizes he has cancer. Instead, tears turn to rage. A physically imposing man, Prohaska uses his size to his advantage, literally tossing Brick and Big Momma (Nadya Starr) like rag dolls. And Starr delivers a nervous, barely coherent Big Momma, whose fidgeting and constant fan waving reflects a woman who is losing the fight to ignore that her family is falling apart.
Schwind's pacing is swift, but he isn't afraid of silence and pauses at key moments. And he uses the spacious bedroom set, designed by Andrew Vonderschmitt, to accent the family's emotional distance through physical separation. All classics deserve this level of attention and care.
Presented by Neighborhood Playhouse at Neighborhood Church, 415 Paséo del Mark, Palos Verdes Estates. July 9–26. Wed.–Thu., 7:30 p.m.; Fri.–Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun. 2 and 7:30 p.m. (800) 595-4849.www.neighborhoodplayhouse.net.
The Tennessee Williams estate is very particular about whom it grants right to Mr. Williams’ plays. Justly concerned about protecting the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright’s reputation, the estate won’t let just any theater company stage the Williams oeuvre, particularly the two plays which won him the Pulitzer—A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. Other than A Noise Within’s 2000 production and the Geffen’s in 2005, I can’t recall a local staging of Cat, nor can I recall its being produced by a 99-seat theater. Thus, The Neighborhood Playhouse’s just-opened revival of the 1955 classic is a major Southland theatrical event.
The reasons for the Williams estate’s confidence in the Neighborhood Playhouse should be amply clear to those who saw their recent productions of Parade and Our Leading Lady. The Neighborhood Playhouse is a class act in every respect, and director Brady Schwind’s superb staging of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof is no exception. In every respect—performance, direction, and design, this is an all-around Grade A production.
But first a word about the play itself. Taking place in real time, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof unfolds over the course of a single evening at the Mississippi plantation home of multi-millionaire tycoon “Big Daddy” Pollitt. Big Daddy has recently undergone a battery of tests to determine the nature of the abdominal pains he’s been suffering. To his great relief, the doctors have informed and him and his wife “Big Mama” that the only thing wrong with Big Daddy is a spastic colon. In fact, the patriarch is suffering from inoperable, incurable cancer, and is unlikely to live much longer. A contemporary doctor would likely have told Big Daddy the truth about his condition, but this was the mid-1950s and doctors of the time often hid painful truths from their patients, the better to give them “hope” for the future. Big Daddy’s family has gathered together this evening to celebrate his birthday and later, when the time is right, to break the news of Big Daddy’s actual condition to
The Big Mama.
Big Daddy’s two sons are there, of course. There’s older son (and successful businessman) Gooper, married to Mae, with a gaggle of bratty children in tow and another on the way. There’s also younger son Brick, a sportscaster unable to forget his past glories as a high school football star, or (more significantly) his deceased best friend Skipper. Brick, too, is married (to Maggie, the titular cat), but they are childless, Maggie is frustrated (in more ways than one), and Brick spends all day imbibing drink after drink until he feels that “click” that will make being alive bearable.
Those whose only familiarity with Cat On A Hot Tin Roof is the 1958 film version, shot at the height of the MPAA Production Code, will be surprised at how truly adult Williams’ original script is. If Brick hasn’t been showing Maggie a good time in bed recently, the most likely cause would seem to be a still-repressed sexual longing for dead football buddy Skipper. When both Maggie and Big Daddy accuse Brick of wanting more than friendship from Skipper, the explicitness of their accusations shows how far ahead of Hollywood 1950s Broadway was in its depiction of “sensitive” subject matter. Though there are three young children in the production, this is most definitely not a play for the kiddies.
When the Neighborhood Playhouse’s announcement that they were reviving Cat On A Hot Tin Roof was big news in L.A.’s theater community and well over a thousand actors submitted résumés and headshots for the production. With so much talent to choose from, it’s no wonder that Schwind was able to come up with the phenomenal cast now bringing Williams’ complex characters to life.
For the roles of Maggie and Brick, Schwind was looking for a pair of actors who could combine 1950s movie star looks and 2000s acting chops, and he struck gold in Kathleen Early and Aaron Blake.
Early, who starred opposite Kathleen Turner in the National Tour of Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf at the Ahmanson, makes a strong impression as the sexy, conniving Maggie. Act One is a virtual monolog for Maggie The Cat, Brick only occasionally interrupting the rants, pleas, and accusations of his frustrated wife, and Early doesn’t miss a beat. It is a dynamic, exciting performance, and also one that reveals the depth of Maggie’s pain.
Blake is new to the L.A. theater scene, but with the actor’s talent, classic good looks, and athletic physique (Brick plays much of the first act wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist), he could very well find himself a star in the not so distant future. Blake shows us Brick’s sadness, repression, and regret, his passivity making Maggie’s frustration all the more palpable. Since Brick has a newly broken ankle, relies on a crutch, and falls a number of times, the part is a physically challenging one, and Blake is more than up to the role’s demands.
Michael Prohaska’s Big Daddy is truly bigger than life, the actor giving a Mississippi hurricane of a performance as a man with such a lust for life and power that his imminent demise is all the more poignant. The impression that Prohaska creates is so powerful that even when he is offstage his presence is felt.
Doing memorable, multi-layered work as well is Nadya Starr as the pitiable Big Mama, a woman who has loved (not wisely but too well) a husband who for the past forty years has had nothing but contempt for her.
Jennifer L. Davis is simply wonderful as Mae, lumbering around the stage in her final months of yet another pregnancy, a woman disheartened by a husband who’d be far more effectual if only he had a bit more of his wife’s raw ambition. Mark A. Cross does fine work as the unfortunately-named Gooper, the older brother who can’t seem to escape from the shadow cast by the taller, handsomer, younger Brick.
Completing the first-rate cast are Chris O’Connor (Dr. Baugh), Gordon Wells (Reverend Toooker), Beverly Oliver (Sookey), E Fé (Lacey, and child performers Hannah Kreiswirth, Becky Jester, and Rachelle Dale as Gooper and Mae’s obnoxious “no-neck monsters.”
The Williams estate could surely not be happier with Andrew Vonderschmitt’s gorgeous set design, integrated to perfection into the architecture of the 1927 Neighborhood Church. Just as Williams strips away the public façade of the Pollitt family, so Vonderschmitt strips off most of the plaster from the walls of their plantation, allowing us to see through to other rooms and to the sky beyond. Christopher Singleton’s lighting design is equally noteworthy, subtly enhancing the beauty of Vonderschmitt’s set and the changing moods of Williams’ script. Nancy Ling has designed a perfect ensemble of period costumes, exactly what the Pollitts would have worn on a summer evening.
Schwind has preserved Williams original three act-two intermission structure, and though the play runs well over two and half hours, it is never tedious or slow-moving. As much pleasure as there is in seeing a World or West Coast Premiere of a new work, there is great enjoyment to be had in revisiting a 20th Century classic like this one. At age 54, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof has stood the test of time, and contemporary playwrights can learn a lesson or two from a master like Tennessee Williams.
Neighborhood Playhouse, 415 Paseo Del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates. Through July 26. Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays at . Fridays and Saturdays at . Sundays at Reservations: 800 595-4849
www.neighborhoodplayhouse.net
--Steven Stanley
July 15, 2009
Sizzling'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' at PVE playhouse
* * * *
By Jeff Favre
Posted: 07/13/2009 11:35:30 AM PDT
The Neighborhood Playhouse may not be a household name with South Bay theater fans, but that's likely to change if artistic director Brady Schwind keeps staging top-flight productions on par with Southern California's top regional theaters.
Schwind's deft direction of a remarkably talented cast ignites the Palos Verdes Estates Neighborhood Church by delivering a taut, nearly flawless revival of Tennessee Williams' instant classic "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."
Dominated by a quartet of powerful performances, Williams' depiction of a decaying Southern family remains vibrant and relevant, without Schwind and company resorting to experimentation or alterations for the sake of being different.
The play's lazy summer setting is conveyed before the first scene begins, thanks to the church's serene oceanside locale, and the way Andrew Vonderschmitt seamlessly blends his set with the 80-year-old building. Even the theater's permanent ceiling fans seem to be part of the design, as they waft the breeze around the bedroom where the entire play takes place in real time.
The most challenging of the three renowned acts is the first, because poor pacing or inauthentic acting will sabotage the remainder of the play.
But this "Cat" is in safe hands, particularly because Kathleen Early exudes all aspects of Maggie, from her sensuality, to her unrequited passion, to her barely contained rage and overwhelming desire never to return to a life of poverty.
Delivering a 50-minute monologue, that only occasionally is interrupted by Maggie's drunk husband, Brick (Aaron Blake), Early delivers all necessary exposition of this dysfunctional family feud in a natural manner, while carrying on a one-sided conversation with a husband who doesn't conceal his hatred for her.
As the first act made Maggie one of the most coveted female roles in theater, the second act has done the same for older males, as some of the best known actors - including James Earl Jones, most recently, on Broadway - have portrayed the patriarch, Big Daddy.
Michael Prohaska's portrayal is fearless and frightening. As Big Daddy, the head of a backstabbing family who unknowingly has cancer and is celebrating what will be his last birthday, Prohaska offers not one moment of relief from Big Daddy's relentless abuse toward everyone but his beloved son Brick.
His domineering behavior is balanced on the opposite end by Nadya Starr as Big Mama. Starr offers a bundle of nerves and fear as she tries to ignore that Brick is killing himself with alcohol and that her other son, Gooper (Mark A. Cross) is champing at the bit to take over the family plantation the minute Big Daddy dies.
And then there's Brick, one of modern theater's most challenging parts to play, in part because he speaks so little, drinks so much, and it seems most critics have a specific vision of the one character whose presence most greatly effects the others. Blake straddles the thin line between Brick's disgust and his anguish over the death of his closest friend, Skipper. His anger when confronted with whether he is gay explodes across the stage, and elicits shock, even for those who know what's coming.
Schwind's masterful pacing never drags, while allowing for poignant silences and stillness at key moments. Also, his blocking speaks volumes, in particular the physical distance between Brick and Maggie in the first scene. At one point, Brick even leaves the stage completely while Maggie is speaking, a clear sign that he doesn't have any interest in his wife.
Vonderschmitt's multilevel set is highlighted by walls made of aged wood slats spaced a couple inches apart, which speak to the family's decay, as well as to the idea that there are no secrets in the house because all can be seen and heard through the walls.
If, as Schwind reported, this is the first South Bay production of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" in about 20 years, the Neighborhood Playhouse has made it worth the wait.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
When: Plays at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; with 2 p.m. Sunday matinees through July 26.
Where: Neighborhood Church, 415 Paseo del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates.
Tickets: $22-$28.
Information: 800-595-4849 or www.neighborhoodplayhouse.net.
Jeff Favre is a freelance entertainment writer based in North Hollywood.
THEATRE REVIEW: "OUR LEADING LADY" by Charles Busch
Comedienne extraordinaire Carol Burnett once said, “Comedy is tragedy plus time,” an adage which playwright Charles Busch proves spot-on in his hilarious backstage farce Our Leading Lady, now playing at The Neighborhood Playhouse in Palos Verdes Estates. The tragedy is the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln at Washington D.C.’s Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865, only days after Lee surrendered at Appomattox. In imagining the backstage shenanigans taking place in the hours leading up to that fateful performance of Our American Cousin, starring real-life actress-manager Laura Keene, Busch has written an outrageously funny play which finds comedy out of national tragedy—and serves as an affectionate love letter to the theater as well.
The repertory company of Ford’s Theatre have decidedly mixed reactions to the presence of Keene (Gillian Doyle) amongst them. Southern belle Verbena De Chamblay (Kathleen Taylor), a self-described “actress of great accomplishment” is none too pleased about being “cruelly reduced to being a supporting player” during Keene’s two-week stay. Others are concerned that the stage star plans to take over their company and bring in her own New York City troupe of actors. Still, no one can dispute that having an actress of Keene’s renown will be good for business.
Vebena is married to the very “theatrical” (i.e. gay as a goose) Gavin De Chamblay (Michael Tatlock) who has his eye on W.J. Ferguson (James Jaeger), the comely younger backstage worker and understudy. (“I’ll coach you privately on Sunday,” Gavin offers W.J. entirely with ulterior motive. “I shall keep you there late and be a strict taskmaster,” he promises his protegé.) Maude Bentley (Rita Hull) is an elderly company member whose husband and she once “played in log cabins with handmade candles stuck into large potatoes for lights.” Harry Hawke (Robert Youngs) is a dashing young leading man with alcohol on his breath and the guts to tell Laura Keene that she’s “a great, big, shiny, sugar-glazed ham” to her face. Clementine Smith (Tracy Ahern) is a booze-swilling former child star whose “reflection in the gin bottle tells me my ingénue days are fast coming to an end.” Accompanying Laura is her devoted servant Madame Wu-Chan (Carla Valentine), whose name (and dialog like “See Tow Chee Chee Poo Ma Tow”) would seem to indicate someone born in China were it not for her darker-than-average skin tone. One might assume this to be an example of alternative casting were it not for Clementine’s matter-of-fact “You’re a Negro lady, aren’t you?” Yes, even we were fooled there for a while, so it’s no wonder that everyone at Ford’s Theatre assumes that the escaped slave is an honest-to-goodness “Oriental.”
As Our Leading Lady begins, Laura Keene is rehearsing Act One, Scene One, “once again, please, from the tippy top.” Harry and Gavin have only just said their first lines when Laura interrupts them, complaining, “The two of you have managed within seconds to completely eviscerate this play. As an actress-manager and visiting star, I shall not lower my standards to fit those of a provincial stock company!” Clearly with Keene around, the road to tonight’s performance will be a rocky one for the Ford’s Theatre company of actors, though at least President Lincoln is coming to brighten their spirits.
Not that Laura Keene is without a heart. Her previous performances of Our American Cousin have inspired “cripples” to send her “countless letters.” “Yes, CRIPPLES, who trudge torturously into the theater on CANES,” she declares with a combination of pride and false humility. She’s compassionate to her costars as well, telling Verbena that “there is nothing wrong with being a supporting character woman. One’s value in a repertory company is only increased by a thickening waist and softened jaw line.” The ungrateful Verbena has the nerve to declare that “everyone knows (Laura Keene) was spawned only several inches higher than the gutter.”
Lines like the above give some idea of the particular brand of comic genius that is Charles Busch. Famed for his theatrical movie spoofs in which he transforms himself into the glamorous leading lady (Shanghai Moon, Die, Mommie Die!, Psycho Beach Party, Red Scare On Sunset, etc.), Busch here allows an actor of the biologically female persuasion to portray real-life stage star Laura Keene. Kate Mulgrew originated the role in New York to considerable praise, and Doyle is sure to garner equally fine notices for her performance in the West Coast premiere, directed with considerable panache by Brady Schwind.
Doyle, looking gorgeous in her period brunette wig and hoop skirts, captures all the elegance and hauteur of a legendary stage star, and has the razor-sharp comic timing to milk the most out of every one of Busch’s laugh lines. Every bit her equal is Valentine as Madame Wu-Chan, throwing political correctness to the wind with her pseudo-Chinese-accented speech and deliberately clichéd “Oriental” subservience. Valentine’s subtle transformation from Asian to authentic African-American is particularly well-played. The two actresses mesh perfectly, whether playing scenes for laughs or, in a sudden switch to the dramatic following the assassination, discovering more about each other in half an hour than they had in all their years together.
The supporting cast deliver gems of just-over-the-top-enough performances, from Youngs’ amusing take on the stalwart “leading man,” to Taylor’s feisty faded Southern belle, to Hull’s comically aging character actress. Ahern is a hoot as the perennially tipsy ex-child actress and Michael Prohaska does solid work as Major Hopwood, who investigates the troupe following the assassination. Stealing every scene they’re in are Tatlock (swishing and flouncing with the best and gayest of them all) and Jaeger (all sweet innocence as Gavin’s apparently willing pupil).
The tonal shift in the first half of the second act bothered some New York critics. Though one does suddenly feel that one is watching a different play, the scenes between Keene and Wu-Chan (especially as brought to life by Doyle and Valentine) are so well-played, and somehow still connected to the broader characters they’ve painted in the first act, that I didn’t particularly mind the change of mood. In any case, soon enough, the other actors are back on stage and things return to their previous brand of Busch hilarity.
The Neighborhood Playhouse’s venue (Palos Verdes Estates’ The Neighborhood Church) proves as perfect a setting for Our Leading Lady as it did for Jason Robert Brown’s Parade. Scenic designer Vali Tirsoaga has transformed the 1927 Mediterranean-style church into an 19th Century theater, surrounding the stage with precisely the assortment of props and scenery that Ford’s Theatre would have accumulated. Lighting by Ric Zimmerman and John Stirling’s sound design are both first-rate. Jane Greenwood’s original New York designs, with additional costume design by Diana Mann, are elegant and pitch-perfect for the period. Michael Aldapa gets an “A” for his wigs as well.
In Our Leading Lady, Charles Busch has created one of his most memorable leading ladies. He’s also given us a colorful glimpse of theater life back in the mid-1800s, and even taught a bit of a history lesson. The end result is a thoroughly delightful and unexpected new play being given a sparkling West Coast Premiere well worth a drive to beautiful Palos Verdes Estates. (And the ocean view from just outside the theater is included in the price of admission.)
Neighborhood Playhouse, 415 Paseo Del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates. Through March 8. Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays at 7:30. Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00. Sundays at 2:00 Reservations: www.neighborhoodplayhouse.net
--Steven Stanley
February 22, 2009
Local theater livens up with a ‘Leading Lady’
Thursday, February 26, 2009 5:54 PM PST
Other than the assassination, the play was quite humorous.
By Mary Scott, Peninsula News
With the observation of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday past us, how timely it is to premiere a comedy about his death. Yes. I said comedy. And it’s a good one.
The Neighborhood Playhouse opened the West Coast premiere of Charles Busch’s new comedy “Our Leading Lady.” Busch is the brain behind “Psycho Beach Party.” The comedy is less about Lincoln’s assassination or the Civil War (both serve as a backdrop) and more about the outrageous goings-on behind the scenes of the acting troupe that was on stage performing “Our American Cousin” the night Lincoln was assassinated.
Actress Gillian Doyle returns to the South Bay to take on the role of the queen diva, a femme trailblazer in mid-19th century theater, Laura Keene. The real Keene, not only a popular British actress at the time but also a reputed theater manager, was leading the Ford Theatre’s cast of “Our American Cousin.” The president was not the only one assassinated that night. Keene’s career never recovered.
In Busch’s fanciful version, Keene is trying to take over the theater. Her plans are to have Mr. Ford hand over the management of his theater to her. Afterward, she will oust the resident company and replace them with New York actors. But she must keep this a secret — something hard to do in the theater! In the meantime, she must deal the assorted personalities in the cast all the while maintaining her ego.
When Laura learns that the president will attend the final performance, she concludes his presence will benefit her plan. When he cancels, she shames him into coming.
“Our Leading Lady” is not your run-of-mill situation comedy; it is reminiscent of the great classic Greek comedy where tragedy is still comedy if it ends on a high note. Besides some poignant dramatic moments, “Our Leading Lady” is full of humor, trysts, backstabbings — goes well with a shooting — egos, divas, all that you’d expect from a troupe of actors high on whiskey and themselves.
The playhouse cast of nine is made up of hardened stage veterans. Doyle, already mentioned, is brilliant, poised. I saw her several years ago in a Long Beach production of “My Boy Jack” as (Mrs. Kipling). Loved her performance then, love her performance now.
The graceful Doyle is paired with a spitfire, Kathleen Taylor, as Verbena de Chamblay (say that with a loud Southern accent!). Miss de Chamblay, the wife of Gavin de Chamblay, a closet homosexual, is the Southern belle and sympathizer of the Ford The-a-tre. An exhausting character, Taylor holds up quite well to her counterpart and is by far my favorite performance of the show.
“Our Leading Lady” is better suited for the community’s adult theatergoers, not that there’s anything too randy about the show. But given its historical content and subtle and some not-so-subtle adult humor, the younger set may not appreciate it. So leave them home.
Joining Doyle and Taylor in the cast are: Tracy Ahern as Clementine Smith; Rita Hull as Maude Bentley; James Jaeger as W.J. Ferguson; Michael Prohaska as Major Hopwood; Michael Tatlock as Gavin de Chamblay; Carla Valentine as Madame Wu-Chan; and Robert Youngs as Harry Hawk. Brady Schwind directs.
Performances of “Our Leading Lady” are: Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 27 at 8 p.m., Feb. 28 at 2 and 8 p.m., March 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m., March 6 and 7 at 8 p.m., and March 8 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Neighborhood Playhouse is located at 415 Paseo del Mar in Palos Verdes Estates. Reserved tickets cost $22 to $34 and are available by calling (310) 378-9353 or online at www.neighborhoodplayhouse.net.
THEATRE REVIEW: "OUR LEADING LADY" by Charles Busch
The West Coast premiere of the colorful over-the-top comedy, “Our Leading Lady,” written by Charles Busch, gives a humorous look at theater life in one of the most turbulent times of our history, at the end of the Civil War. The story is well done with zigzags of comical and stinging dialogue, and some volatile action scenes.
The whole cast literally sparkles with talent. Gillian Doyle gives a stunning performance as the leading actress of her day, Laura Keene. Not a lot is known about the actress’s early years or even her date of birth or real name. She came to America in 1852, becoming a favorite on the New York theater scene. She traveled the country and was best known for her contemporary work in “Camille,” and “Jane Eyre.”
The scene here is Ford’s Theatre in April 1865 and a rehearsal of the upcoming production of “Our American Cousin.” The war has just ended and Laura Keene is excited beyond belief because the opening performance is going to be attended by none other than President Abraham Lincoln! As usual, though, the practice turns into a bickering session due to petty jealousy and the Southern sympathies of one particular cast member, Verbena de Chamblay (Kathleen Taylor). The war may be over for some, but not everyone is happy with the outcome. Verbena’s husband, Gavin (Michael Tatlock), on the other hand, is busy having an affair, while Laura’s own lover, Harry Hawk (Robert Youngs), seems to be playing her against Clementine Smith (Tracy Ahern), an attractive but low-born cast member.
Maude Bentley (Rita Hull), who has spent many years onstage, is worried about her future amid rumors that the entire cast is going to be dropped after this play, a rumor that also disturbs W.J. Ferguson (James Jaeger), a stand-in who hasn’t had his chance yet. Amid all the hubbub is Laura’s maid, Madame Wu-Chan (Carla Valentine in a notable performance) who claims to be Chinese, talks in Chinese, walks like a Chinese, but has mysteriously dark skin. Then we have Major Hopwood (Michael Prohaska), a Union soldier, in an investigation of cast-members.
The show is produced by Karin Frasier and directed by Brady Schwind. Original costume design is by Jane Greenwood and additional design by the considerably talented Diana Mann.
Engrossing and ultimately enjoyable, this production is well worth seeing.
Our Leading Lady is onstage through March 8 at The Neighborhood Playhouse, 415 Paseo Del Mar, in Palos Verdes Estates. Performances, tonight at 7:30 p.m., tomorrow at 8 p.m., Sat. at 2 and 8 p.m.; Wed., March 4, and Thurs., March 5, at 7:30 p.m.; Fri., March 6, at 8 p.m.; Sat., March 7, at 2 and 8 p.m.; Sun., March 8, at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets, $22 to $34. Call (310) 378-9353 or go to neighborhoodplayhouse.net. ER
A Triumphant 'Parade'
By Jim Farber, Theater Critic
Article Launched: 07/14/2008 05:09:59 PM PDT
There are two remarkable things about the Neighborhood Playhouse's production of the 1998 musical "Parade" by playwright Alfred Uhry and composer/lyricist Jason Robert Brown, on stage in Palos Verdes Estates through July 27.
One: that a small fledgling company would take on the Los Angeles-area premiere of this complex and controversial musical about anti-Semitism in America in the early years of the 20 th century - and succeed so brilliantly.
Two: that this all but unknown organization, led by director Brady Schwind and music director David Sateren, is willing to go where major presenters such as the Center Theatre Group, Pasadena Playhouse and South Coast Repertory have feared to tread.
For that adventurous spirit alone, Schwind and company deserve a mighty "Bravo!" But what makes their achievement even more impressive is the degree to which this production triumphs as a searing piece of musical theater.
"Parade" focuses on a pivotal, though mostly forgotten, tragic event in American history - the 1913 trial, conviction (and lynching) of Leo Frank, a Jewish factory superintendent in Atlanta who was falsely accused of raping and murdering his 13-year-old employee, Mary Phagan. She was elevated to the stature of an angel. He, "the Yankee Jew," was branded as the devil incarnate.
The incendiary nature of the crime and the firestorm of media coverage that followed it captivated the nation and resulted, simultaneously, in the birth of the Anti-Defamation League and the rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan.
This is definitely not "Cats."
Uhry ("Driving Miss Daisy") created a book that melds the painful legacy of the Civil War (the title refers to the parades that celebrate Confederate Memorial Day, April 26, 1865) to the cultural conflicts of the "New South" as factories replaced agriculture, child labor was the norm and prejudice against blacks and Jews was prevalent.
At the same time, Uhry's script paints a fascinating portrait of the conflicted relationship between Frank (Craig D'Amico) and his culturally assimilated Jewish Georgia Peach of a wife, Lucille (Emily Olson).
Written and composed when Brown was little more than a kid in his mid-20 s, "Parade's" music and lyrics provide a rich diversity of colors that make this tragedy emotionally wrenching, but at the same time surprisingly enjoyable.
The music melds together a crazy quilt of Americana from patriotic marches and chain-gang blues, to high-stepping fox trots, sonorous ballads and a pair of grotesque vaudeville numbers, all underpinned by a Phillip Glass/Stephen Sondheim sense of repeated phrases and melodic riffs.
The large cast of 28 (which combines Equity and non-Equity actors) is solid, with individualistic performances accentuated by Schwind's continuously inventive stage pictures and Imara Quinonez's choreography.
Musically and dramatically, the weight of the production rests with D'Amico and Olson.
D'Amico offers a scary portrait of Frank as a severely repressed man who drives his workers like a plantation overseer, is inept socially and intellectually scornful of Southerners in general. It is the evolution of his character, ending with his all-but-unwatchable on-stage lynching, that gives D'Amico's performance so much power.
Olson's sensitively rendered performance also follows a powerful arch, as she gradually takes on the political activist role of saving her falsely convicted husband.
In the strong ensemble, James Larsen stands out as the opportunistic reporter, Britt Craig; as do Michael Hovance as the career-advancing prosecuting attorney, Hugh Dorsey; Michael Prohaska as the "good ol' Boy" defense attorney, Luther Rosser; Loren Smith as the suspected nighwatchman, Newt Lee; Tareek Lee Holmes as the false witness, Jim Conley; and Alissa Anderegg as poor Mary Phagan.
The skillful set design is by Michael Tushaus, the excellent period costumes by Karen Cornejo, the lighting by Alicia Harrek.
"Parade" is a must-see musical that resounds with powerful political and social messages - some strident, some subtle. Ultimately, it poses the quintessential question of social conscience: "Where you gonna stand when the flood comes?"
The other question is, why did it take so long for "Parade" to arrive?
Jim Farber (310) 540-5511, Ext. 416 jim.farber@dailybreeze.com
PARADE
When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday through July 27; with additional performances at 7:30 p.m. this Sunday (benefit performance); 8 p.m. July 24.
Where: Neighborhood Church, 415 Paseo Del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates.
Tickets: $25-$35 ($50 this Sunday).
Information: (800) 595-4849, www.neighborhoodplayhouse.net
Parade
July 25, 2008
By Les Spindle
Astoundingly, it has taken a decade for this compelling musical drama — a Tony winner for Alfred Uhry's book and Jason Robert Brown's score — to receive a full L.A. staging, preceded only by Musical Theatre Guild's 2003 concert performance. The original Broadway production offered a resonant portrait of a tragic and shameful chapter in American history, which was driven by Harold Prince's galvanizing staging and Brown's stirring score, an eclectic feast of ragtime, folk music, patriotic anthems, blues, gospel, and traditional Broadway sounds. Here, director Brady Schwind's imaginatively scaled-down rendition beautifully captures the poetry and power of this extraordinary piece.
Brooklyn-born Jew Leo Frank (Craig D'Amico), a factory supervisor, knows he's an outsider in the racist domain of 1913 Atlanta. His trepidations prove well-founded when he's railroaded and sentenced to death for the murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan (Alissa Anderegg) during kangaroo-court machinations. With the aid of his devoted wife, Lucille (Emily Olson), Frank convinces the governor (Michael Tatlock) of his innocence, opening up the possibility of exoneration. But the joy is short-lived, as vigilantes drag Frank out of his cell and murder him. The heinous miscarriage of justice recounted in this true story led to the establishment of organizations with opposing aims: the Anti-Defamation League and the Ku Klux Klan. A similar irony is at the heart of the play's themes, as the joyous pageantry of Brown's songs are juxtaposed to the chillingly inhumane sentiments behind the wounded pride of defeated Civil War vets of the South.
The production is graced with an exemplary ensemble. D'Amico's portrayal is remarkable in its range, conveying the nervous eccentricity that worked against Frank in the courtroom, balanced by the character's innate decency. In a less complex role, Olson does a fine job, and she sings superbly. Lanky and limber James Larsen, playing a booze-soaked and unscrupulous journalist, gives a mesmerizing performance, showing astonishing grace and dexterity in his songs and dances, as he lights up the stage with edgy comic energy. Michael Prohaska is terrific as Frank's ineffectual defense attorney. In pivotal roles as African-American witnesses, Loren Smith and Tareek Lee Holmes stand out.
David Sateren's music direction exquisitely serves the lush score, and Imara Quinonez's choreography is sublime. Inspired design elements (Michael Tushaus' set, Alicia Harrek's lighting, Karen Cornejo's costumes) perfectly conjure the period. We thank our lucky stars this long-neglected gem has arrived in such expert hands.
Parade
(Neighborhood Church, Palos Verdes Estates; 104 seats; $35 top)
By BOB VERINI
Craig D'Amico and Emily Olson reign in the musical 'Parade,' about the racist lynching of Leo Frank in 1915 Atlanta.
A Neighborhood Playhouse presentation of a musical in two acts with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown and book by Alfred Uhry, co-conceived and directed on Broadway by Harold Prince. Directed by Brady Schwind. Choreography, Imara Quinonez.
Leo Frank - Craig D'Amico
Lucille Frank - Emily Olson
Hugh Dorsey - Michael Hovance
Gov. John Slaton - Michael Tatlock
Britt Craig - James Larsen
Jim Conley - Tareek Lee Holmes
Luther Rosser - Michael Prohaska
Newt Lee - Loren Smith
The demanding, widely underappreciated 1994 tuner "Parade" may be coming into its own. An acclaimed 2007 revival at London's Donmar Warehouse was scaled down in scope even as it ratcheted up the intensity. On its heels, the L.A. professional premiere from the South Bay's Neighborhood Playhouse demonstrates the material's suitability for a chamber ensemble approach, bringing out two potent narratives about prejudice: that between the community and the outsider, and that between spouses.
Helmer Brady Schwind refuses to reduce the tragedy of Leo Frank (a crisp, compelling Craig D'Amico), the New York Jewish executive charged in Atlanta with little Mary Phagan's murder, and lynched in 1915, to a mere anti-Southern screed.
Certainly these townspeople possess a vicious blind spot when it comes to outsiders, a sentiment Leo returns; "they belong in zoos," he hisses. But Frank's railroading is scarier and more realistic when carried out by ordinary folk, not cartoon ogres. (This approach does hit a snag when it's time for mob hysteria; these genteel folk gather to light torches because of plot demands, not inner need.)
Another case of cruel intolerance unfolds at the same time: Leo's contempt for Southern-born wife Lucille (Emily Olson), she of bowed head and cringing demeanor. Thesps and helmer alike deserve kudos for carefully charting the path whereby Lucille, striving to prove Leo's innocence, raises herself to full partnership to his joyous recognition.
Schwind takes advantage of the facility's low-ceilinged room with wood paneling and spinning fans to seat us in three-quarter thrust inside a courtroom thriller. Alfred Uhry's libretto proves sturdily capable of building suspense, even for those who know the outcome.
Numerous performers embrace nuance over cliche, notably Michael Prohaska as Leo's good-ol'-boy attorney; James Larsen, embodying the town's alcoholic, amoral newshound in both acting and dance; and Loren Smith and Tareek Lee Holmes, who offer fully realized portrayals as the two key African-American trial witnesses, the halting, troubled janitor Newt (Smith) and the slyly strutting Jim Conley (Holmes).
Only Michael Hovance's constant smirk as prosecutor Dorsey smacks of easy caricature. His utter certainty about the outcome reduces tension, whereas an iron will to mete out justice might draw us in.
Musical director David Sateren does well by the lushly varied score in which Brown weaves a complex skein of influences from ragtime to jazz to blues, from the cakewalk to the slow drag. Choreographer Imara Quinonez incorporates numerous styles into her movement, and Karen Cornejo costumes the troupe handsomely, but lighting is murky and unfocused.
Sets, Michael Tushaus; costumes, Karen Cornejo; lighting, Alisha Herrick; music director, David Sateren; sound, Michael Juneau; stage managers, Nancy Ling, Shannon Kelly. Opened July 10, 2008. Reviewed July 13. Runs through July 27. Running time: 2 HOURS, 50 MIN.
With: Marcy Agreen, Ryan Amador, Alissa Anderegg, Keith Barletta, Rachel Baumsten, Tawny Dolly, Megan Dorn-Wallenstein, David Fairchild, Laura M. Hathaway, Ian Littleworth, Lizzie Jester, Ross Love, Alison Matizza, Carly Menkin, Rashel Mereness, Leslie Morris, Chris O'Connor, Jessica Plotin, Aileen-Marie Scott, Michael Tushaus, Gordon Wells.
"PARADE"
The lynching of Jewish Northerner Leo Frank, falsely convicted of murdering 13-year-old Georgia factory worker Mary Phagan, remains today, nearly a century later, one of the most serious miscarriages of justice (and instances of anti-Semitism) in United States history. Powerful stuff for a Broadway musical, and one that would seem, at least on paper, more than a bit of a downer. Parade (with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown and book by Alfred Uhry) was a hard sell on Broadway. If Fosse was the “feel-good” musical of 1999, then a show with such grim subject matter as Parade was pretty much its antithesis, and closed after 85 performances.
Parade’s all too brief run on Broadway was a miscarriage of justice of its own sort, for Parade (which was co-conceived and directed on Broadway by legendary Harold Prince) is one of the most powerful and compelling American musicals ever. It scored a justifiable 9 Tony nominations and won in 2 categories, for best book and best score. Clive Barnes in the New York Post called Parade “a defining moment in Broadway theater” and a London revival last year received nearly unanimous critical raves.
With a brilliant Los Angeles premiere production just opened at Palos Verdes’ Neighborhood Playhouse, local audiences will finally get a chance to experience the power that is Parade.
Director Brady Schwind has assembled a superlative cast, headed by Broadway’s amazing Craig D’Amico, backed by a 12-piece orchestra and featuring razzle-dazzle choreography by Imara Quinonez to make this long awaited L.A. premiere a front-runner for Best Musical of 2008.
No contemporary musical theater composer writes songs better than Brown (13, The Last Five Years, Songs For A New World), and Parade is easily his strongest and most varied score, ranging from gospel to pop rock to rhythm and blues to emotional ballads. Likewise, no one writes with more insight about being Jewish in the South than Uhry, whose book proves the playwright as adept at the dramatic as Driving Miss Daisy and The Last Night Of Ballyhoo proved him at comedy. Uhry’s book moves back and forth through time, as flashbacks reveal the events leading up to Frank’s arrest and trial and we meet the musical’s many characters, each of whom played an important role in the case and each of whom gets his or her center-stage moment to shine.
In a powerful prologue, a young confederate soldier (a fine Michael Tushous) sings a hymn to Georgia, “The Old Red Hills Of Home,” morphing into his elderly self (the excellent David Fairchild, who also plays Judge Leonard Roan), reminding us that the Civil War was not a distant memory at the time of Frank’s trial, but a very real memory for the citizens of Atlanta.
Frankie Epps (a handsome and peppy Ryan Amador) invites Mary Phagan (lovely 9th grader Alissa Anderegg) to “The Picture Show,” but Mary never arrives. Soon after, janitor Newt Lee (a powerful Loren Smith) is being interrogated (“I Am Trying To Remember”) as reporter Britt Craig (James Larsen, magnetic) touts “Big News!” in Atlanta. The golden voiced Amador returns to sing the emotional “It Don’t Make Sense,” followed by “Watson’s Lullaby,” performed by power-hungry newspaper editor Tom Watson (Chris O’Connor, personifying the evil of prejudice).
Michael Hovance is riveting as prosecutor Hugh Dorsey (“Somethin’ Ain’t Right” and “Twenty Miles From Marietta”). Talented teenage trio Megan Dorn-Wallenstein, Carly Menkin, and Marcy Agreen invent an incriminating invitation by Frank to “Come Up To My Office,” a musical number all the more powerful for being so jaunty. Aileen-Marie Scott does her finest work yet as Mary’s mother, singing her heart and soul out in the devastating “My Child Will Forgive Me.”
In a show-stoppingly jazzy “That’s What He Said,” charismatic scene-stealer Tareek Lee Holmes (as factory worker Jim Conley) concocts the elaborate lie that sealed Frank’s fate.
The sensational Ross Love and Tawny Dolley join Smith and Holmes in the gospel-inspired “A Rumblin’ and a Rollin’,” which recounts the influx of Northerners brought South by the Frank case. Michael Tatlock is in fine voice as Governor John Slaton in “Pretty Music,” a lively dance number which precedes Judge Roan’s moving plea to Slayton to commute Frank’s sentence (“Letter To The Governor”).
Though Parade is the epitome of an “ensemble show,” showcasing each and every member of the cast (which also includes the uniformly fine Rachel Baumstein, Laura Hathaway, Lizzie Jester, Alison Matizza, Rachel Mereness, Leslie Morris, Jessica Plotkin, Michael Prohaska, Gordon Wells, and USC’s dynamic duo Keith Barletta and Ian Littleworth), it is the roles of Leo and Lucille Frank which provide Parade’s heart and emotional punch.
In D’Amico, featured on Broadway in a pair of revivals (Annie Get Your Gun and Fiddler On The Roof), director Schwind has found a performer of depth and power, with the acting and vocal chops (and star quality) to turn this odd, reserved outsider from anti-hero to hero. It is a performance that starts out strong and only gains in power, climaxing in Parade’s devastating yet inspiring finale.
Recent Loyola Marymount grad Emily Olson’s youth and petite stature make Lucille Frank’s transformation from shrinking violet to her husband’s greatest advocate and near savior all the more powerful. Though Olson’s lovely un-miked voice does not always carry above the orchestral accompaniment, her performance is one of grace and strength.
Actually, Olson is not the only performer impacted by Parade’s being staged without amplification. The Neighborhood Playhouse’s acoustics and the size of the upstage (mostly hidden) orchestra do occasionally make dialog and vocal solos hard to hear, yet miking the performers might have proved equally problematic.
The Neighborhood Playhouse’s home at Palos Verdes’ historic Neighborhood Church does prove itself an ideal venue in at least one important respect. Its architecture and layout make for an easy transformation (thanks to Michael Tushous’s inventive scenic design) into a 1913 Georgia courthouse, ceiling fans and all.
Under Schwind’s inspired direction, most cast members never leave the stage, observing when not the focus of attention, transforming the set into numerous locales, singing, dancing, bringing history to life. Schwind’s creative use of silhouetted figures behind the upstage courtroom backdrop also proves effective, as in a chain-gang prison sequence as well as in a fantasy song-and-dance number in which Frank (sporting devil horns) seduces Mary. Though Parade runs a full three hours (including intermission), there isn’t a boring moment in it. Quite the contrary, despite our knowledge of the tragic outcome of Frank’s case, we remain riveted, and with Brown’s eclectic score including numerous upbeat, uptempo numbers and Qinonez’s choreography demonstrating the cast’s assured footwork, there are many bright moments amidst the somber reality of Frank’s trial.
David Sateren’s musical direction is impeccable, and what small theater musical ever has an orchestra of this size? Karen Cornejo’s costumes, designed and executed specifically for this production, are an exquisite medley of early 20th Century fashion and styles. Alicia Harrek’s lighting, Tushous’ set, Michael Aldapa’s hair design, and the contributions of everyone involved in this production are deserving of the highest praise.
Anyone who loves the art form that is the American Musical owes it to him/herself to drive to Palos Verdes (the ocean view from the cliffs alone is worth making the trip) to see this landmark show, done full justice by The Neighborhood Playhouse’s absolutely heartrending and breathtaking production.
The Neighborhood Church, 415 Paseo Del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates. Through July 27. Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00. Sundays at 7:30 except Sunday July 27, which is at 2:00). Additional performance on Thursday July 24 at 8:00.
Reservations: 800-595-4849 or www.NeighborhoodPlayhouse.net.
--Steven Stanley
July 11, 2008
A lynching yields a musical love story
Neighborhood Playhouse
'PARADE': From left, Emily Olson as Lucille Frank, Alissa Anderegg as Mary Phagan and Craig D'Amico as Leo Frank in Neighborhood Playhouse's production of "Parade."
July 18, 2008
Charged with raping and murdering 13-year-old Mary Phagan in 1913 Atlanta, Leo Frank, a Brooklyn-raised Jew, was convicted in a kangaroo trial that travestied due process. The case divided the nation and prompted the outgoing governor to commute Frank's death sentence to life in prison, on the expectation that Frank would be released on subsequent appeal. Those hopes were dashed when Frank was lynched by an outraged mob, an atrocity that gave rise to the Anti-Defamation League, as well as the Ku Klux Klan.
Playwright Alfred Uhry, whose grandmother was friendly with Frank's widow, Lucille, was subsequently inspired to write "Parade," the 1998 musical that won well-deserved Tonys for Uhry's book and Jason Robert Brown's lush and intricate score.
It's easy to see why "Parade" received mixed reviews when first produced. Many critics were likely put off by the piece's grimness. It's also easy to see why it has taken 10 years for it to receive its first extended professional production in the L.A. area.
Material this exacting would challenge all but the most intrepid interpreters. Fortunately, those who make the trek to the Neighborhood Playhouse, located in a gorgeous Italianate mansion on the shores of Palos Verdes, will be richly rewarded. Director Brady Schwind has mounted an ambitious and rewarding production, spearheaded by able Craig D'Amico and affecting Emily Olson as Leo and Lucille Frank.
Granted, the acoustically disastrous venue eats sound, and the musical intricacies sometimes outstrip the performers' abilities, but the cast is, for the most part, solidly professional, and handsome design elements largely compensate for the space's imperfections. Those prepared for a bleak evening will be surprised to find "Parade" is a love story, as well as a fitting tribute to a wronged man whose fate we cannot afford to forget.
-- F. Kathleen Foley
"Parade," Neighborhood Playhouse, 415 Paseo Del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates. 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays (additional performance July 20 at 7:30 p.m.). Ends July 27. $25-$35. (800) 595-4849. Running time: 3 hours.
Passing L.A. By
Our critic turns heckler
By Don Shirley
Sometimes it’s necessary to heckle L.A. producers about the good shows that got away.
Take Passing Strange. This indie musical, a wonderfully imaginative hybrid of theater and rock concert, should have played L.A. first. Its narrator and co-creator Stew is known for running an L.A.-based band, the Negro Problem. The first third of Passing Strange is about Stew’s youth in South Central. True, most of the rest of the show is about how he rebelled by fleeing to the more bohemian Amsterdam and Berlin. But the script ends with his unexpectedly poignant return to L.A.
Although Passing Strange was conceived in New York, when Stew and company were performing at a pub near the New York Public Theater, its premiere was at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in 2006, after development workshops at the Sundance Institute in Utah and at Stanford. It didn’t open on the East Coast until an off-Broadway run in 2007.
I saw it on Broadway a few days before it closed there last Sunday. Apparently Stew’s Tony Award, for his droll and often lyrical script, wasn’t enough to keep the show going at the box office – although on the Tuesday I saw it, the house was packed with deliriously happy theatergoers.
It would be swell to report that a savvy L.A. producer spotted the potential for the show early in its development and made a deal to bring it here, straight from New York. But I haven’t heard of any such plan. And with Spike Lee filming the Broadway production last weekend, the show’s onstage future might be limited. It’s difficult to imagine anyone other than Stew narrating his own story.
If it’s strange that the L.A. theatrical world passed right by Stew without ever noticing him, it’s even stranger that Parade passed by L.A. for a decade. Finally, this 1998 musical is in its first professional Los Angeles County production – but in Palos Verdes, far from the heart of L.A. theater.
Not that I’m complaining about the Neighborhood Playhouse, where Parade has briefly sprung into life. Located on top of a cliff looking north over the southern Santa Monica Bay, it offers L.A.’s most scenic intermission view. The theater itself has a makeshift appearance, with some problematic sightlines, but Brady Schwind’s cast is convincingly professional, and Jason Robert Brown’s sophisticated score is performed by 29 voices and 12 instrumentalists.
In 1999, Parade won Tonys for both Alfred Uhry’s book and Brown’s score. But it lost the best musical prize to Fosse, which hardly had a book – and used other shows’ music. Still, this travesty of justice might not have counted against the show’s commercial prospects as much as the fact that the story ends in an on-stage lynching. It’s based on the true tale of Leo Frank (Craig D’Amico), the Georgia Jew who was wrongly convicted of the rape and murder of one of his employees and subsequently swung from a vigilante gang’s gallows in 1915. This depressing denouement, however, is balanced by a warmly human tale of the evolution of Frank’s marriage.
Most of L.A.’s major theaters are nonprofits, which are supposed to be able to tackle challenging material more often than are the commercial theaters. L.A.’s flagship company, Center Theatre Group, is currently presenting Of Equal Measure, which is set in the same era and deals with some of the same topics as Parade, much less successfully (see the Stage listings). Brown’s sunnier musical 13 opened in a CTG production last year and now is headed for Broadway. There’s really no justification for the decade-long absence from L.A. of Brown’s crowning achievement.
Parade will play Palos Verdes for only one more weekend, and it’s likely to sell out. But some other producer or company should take this opportunity to bring to the center of L.A. a Parade that has nothing to do with floats and flowers.
Parade, Neighborhood Playhouse, Palos Verdes Estates. (800) 595-4849, neighborhoodplayhouse.net.
Theater Review
“Parade”
by Bondo Wyszpolski
Published July 24, 2008
One of those musicals that has fallen between the cracks, “Parade” ran for less than two-and-a-half months on Broadway, from late 1998 until early 1999. Even so, it picked up a Tony Award for Best Score (Jason Robert Brown penned the music and lyrics) and Best Book of a Musical (Alfred Uhry, better known for “Driving Miss Daisy”). Now, directed by Barry Schwind, “Parade” is receiving its first extended run in Los Angeles and is onstage through July 27 at the Neighborhood Playhouse in Malaga Cove.
In 1913, a young factory girl named Mary Phagan (Alissa Anderegg) is found murdered in her place of employment after she’d gone there on a holiday (thereby missing “the parade”) to collect her pay. Leo Frank (Craig D’Amico) may have been the only one in the building, with the possible (well, probable) exception of the janitor Jim Conley (Tareek Lee Holmes). Frank, who is the Superintendent of the National Pencil Company, is a New York Jew who came to Atlanta, Ga. when his father-in-law offered him the position. He doesn’t feel comfortable in the South (we can see why), and makes an effort to hold onto his Jewish heritage.
Newt Lee (Loren Smith), the night watchman who finds Mary’s body, is arrested along with Leo Frank. There is no evidence to link either man to the crime, but the community wants a culprit and revenge – and certain public figures will lose credibility if no one is charged and convicted. In other words, a scapegoat may suffice, and all the better if he’s an Other and an Outsider, two conditions unfortunately well met by Leo Frank.
It’s easy to underline the anti-Semitism, but with the politicians and cronyism lingering behind the scenes it appears that a Native American Indian or a Chinaman or a Mexican dishwasher might have done almost as well. As an African American, Newt Lee could easily have ended up in prison, or worse, but this time the play’s corrupt politicians need a bigger fish to fry.
The story’s not all black and white, but I can’t imagine “Parade” being a big hit in the South. Much of the work takes place in the courtroom and it becomes clear that prosecutor Hugh Dorsey (Michael Hovance) has coerced most of his witnesses into making false statements. Leo Frank has asked to be defended by a lawyer he knows in New York, but ends up with Luther Rosser (Michael Prohaska). Try to act a little more like a good ole boy, Rosser tells him – and Prohaska by the way is perfect for the part. When we see him with his client a genuine tension and urgency fills the air.
While there’s never an indication that Frank could have been responsible for the girl’s death, his formality (a starchiness) and his abrupt manner work to his disadvantage. His factory girls portray him as creepy, but if he was disliked it may have been because he was a strict employer (all the reason most people need to detest their boss).
Frank’s abrasive tone has also put an emotional distance between himself and his wife Lucille (Emily Olson). She’s the long-suffering spouse who eventually rises to the occasion in an effort to have her husband exonerated, or at least given a new (and fair) trial. In fact, if there’s anything that’s resolved in “Parade,” it’s the strained relationship between this married couple.
As mentioned, Hugh Dorsey has coached and coerced his witnesses into testifying against Leo Frank, and he comes across as the true villain of the piece, even more so than the likely killer, Jim Conley, who has already had run-ins with the law.
Is the play accurate? The depiction of Frank’s defense lawyer makes it seem as if Rosser did very little for his client, and he doesn’t appear to have cross-examined anyone. However, the headline for the Atlanta Constitution for Aug. 5, 1913 reads: “Conley Grilled Five Hours by Luther Rosser.” There’s also the impression that, without any preparation whatsoever, Frank didn’t say a great deal in his own defense. But another headline (same paper, different issue) indicates that “Frank Ends Statement After Testifying Four Hours.”
That’s not to say that this isn’t an engrossing production, one obviously well-rehearsed with fine choreography (Imara Quiñónez), first-rate costumes (Karen Cornejo), plus scenic design by Michael Tushaus and lighting design (that tawny, yellow glow seems perfect) by Alicia Harrek. At the helm once again (after a well-received production of “Amadeus” in the same venue earlier this year), Brady Schwind has brought yet another engaging and seldom-seen offering to the South Bay.
David Sateren conducts a live ensemble that conveys the sometimes lush and sometimes bittersweet score – which occasionally gives way to a more rousing number (Holmes, for instance, may even put us in mind of the late, great James Brown). Occasionally the orchestra strong-arms the singers and the speakers, but I imagine that to consistently achieve just the right volume in a venue like this would never be easy. Of course, that’s no excuse to bypass this compelling and satisfying production. That’s my verdict.
Parade is onstage through July 27 at the Neighborhood Playhouse, located in the Neighborhood Church, 415 Paseo del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates (in Malaga Cove). Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 7:30. Tickets, $25 to $35. Call (800) 595-4849 or go to neighborhoodplayhouse.net. ER
Heartbreaking story gets powerful treatment
Thursday, July 17, 2008 5:00 PM PDT
From left, Alissa Anderegg, Emily Olson and Craig D’Amico all give powerful performances and lead a skillful ensemble in the Neighborhood Playhouse’s production of “Parade,” now playing in Palos Verdes Estates.
The Neighborhood Playhouse is first to present “Parade” in the greater Los Angeles area.
Reviewed by Mary Scott, Peninsula News
Even in today’s world, racism still rears its ugly head. For as far as we have come in human relationships, we still have a long way to go. That’s why “Parade,” a musical based on the tragic story of a Jewish man wrongfully convicted of murdering a young white girl and mercilessly lynched for it in the early 20th century American South, can be looked at as a lesson for today’s generations, as well as tomorrow’s.
“Parade,” which opened last Friday in Palos Verdes Estates, is a Tony Award-winning musical based on the true story of Leo Frank. Actor Craig D’Amico, as Frank, and a skilled Neighborhood Playhouse cast and creative team, take us back to Marietta, Ga.,circa 1913.
The townspeople are celebrating Confederate Memorial Day on April 26; it’s been 50 years since the end of the Civil War and Confederate veterans are the honored guests in the town’s parade. A 13-year-old girl, Mary Phagan (played by ninth-grader Alissa Anderegg), leaves the tribute to collect her pay at the pencil factory. Frank, the factory’s manager, is at work. An uptight New Yorker, Frank looks down his nose at his new neighbors — possibly contributing to his downfall. Foregoing any commemoration of the Confederacy, Frank puts his nose in the factory’s books. Here, he becomes one of the last people to see the young girl alive. He is soon the sole suspect in her murder.
During the trial that follows, the prosecution’s key witness is Jim Conley (Tareek Lee Holmes), a violent offender and ex-convict. Prosecutor Hugh Dorsey (Michael Hovance) coerces Conley to lie to save himself a trip back to prison. Some historians believe Conley is the real murderer. A witness claimed Conley killed the girl during an attempt to rob her of her pay, which begs to question the prosecution’s will to go after Frank. But, as in life and the musical, Frank’s trial is held in a court of corruption and unpopular public opinion. The media, spurred on by the prominent publisher and racist Tom Watson (Chris O’Connor), sensationalize the trial and demonizes Frank to the point where hysteria versus reason grips the townspeople.
Frank is convicted and sentenced to be hung.
Appeals to the Georgia Supreme Court and the Fulton County Superior Court were denied. However, Frank’s wife, Lucille (Emily Olson) continued to champion her husband’s innocence. One person Lucille convinces is Georgia Gov. John Slaton (Michael Tatlock). Hoping to give the couple time to prove Frank’s innocence, Slaton commutes his death sentence to life in prison, a move that kills his political career.
Demanded by public outcry, Frank was taken from his prison cell by a group calling themselves the Knights of Mary Phagan on Aug. 17, 1915, and hanged just outside of Marietta. The lynching mob included sheriffs, lawyers and politicians — none of whom was ever indicted.
The aftermath of Frank’s lynching was the revival of the Ku Klux Klan.
The musical’s creators, composer Jason Robert Brown and playwright Alfred Uhry, manage in little under three hours to capture the hatred, the yearning for the Old Dixie and the absolute corruption of power that took place during Frank’s two-year ordeal.
Uhry, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “Driving Miss Daisy,” has more than a creative attachment to “Parade.” His great uncle owned the pencil factory Frank managed and where Phagan was murdered. His grandmother was a friend to Lucille.
The backdrop for the Neighborhood Playhouse production is the beautiful Neighborhood Church, a 1927 mansion fashioned after an Italian villa. The theater’s heavy wood architectural details suit the play’s courtroom drama. And audience members, seated around the thrust stage, can feel transported back into time, observing the trial in real time.
The Neighborhood Playhouse creative team and cast are very brave to use the stage to expose this dark period of American history. “Parade” not only exposes the injustice served to the Frank family but also the savage behavior brought on by ignorance and an overwhelming belief that one race is superior to all others.
Cast: Craig D’Amico (Leo Frank), Emily Olson (Lucille Frank), Aileen Scott (Mrs. Phagan), David Fairchild (Old Soldier/Judge Roan), James Larsen (Britt Craig), Michael Hovance (Hugh Dorsey), Jessica Plotin (Sallie Grant Slaton), Tareek Lee Holmes (Jim Conley), Ryan Amador (Frankie Epps), Gordon Wells (Mr. Peavy), Loren Smith (Newt Lee), Tawny Dolly (Angela), Alissa Anderegg (Mary Phagan), Carly Menkin (Essie), Chris O’Connor (Tom Watson), Michael Tatlock (Governor Slaton), Marcy Agreen (Monteen), Michael Prohaska (Luther Rosser), Ross Love (Riley), Mike Tushaus (The Young Soldier/Fiddlin’ John), Megan Dorn-Wallenstein (Iola Stover), and an ensemble featuring Allison Mattiza, Keith Barletta, Ian Littleworth, Laura M. Hathaway, Leslie Morris, Lizzie Jester, Rachel Baumsten and Rashel Mereness. The creative team includes director Brady Schwind, assistant director Christen Jackson, musical director by David Sateren, choreographer Imara Quinonez, scenic designer Helen Fearon, costume designer Karen Cornejo, lighting designer Aly, sound designer Michael Juneau and hair designer Michael Aldapa.
Amadeus
by Blake French
EDGE Contributor
Tuesday May 6, 2008
Evan McNamara and Richard Perloff in "Amadeus."
Jealously -- the green-eyed monster -- is one of the most deviant of all emotions. It sneaks into our lives without warning, and has pricked the human soul since the beginning of time and still wreaks havoc today.
Few works of literature have captured the destructive process of jealousy better than Peter Shaffer’s heartbreaking masterpiece Amadeus. Honored with five Tony Awards, eight Academy Awards, and extended London and Broadway runs, the play has become one of the most popular and acclaimed of the 20th century. No doubt, Shaffer’s timeless themes and moral complexities are to thank.
The piece has been seen in Los Angeles before in touring engagements of the Broadway production, but not many companies have ventured to produce the show in a community setting. The Neighborhood Playhouse, however, a new organization situated in the residential cliff side community of Palos Verdes Estates, is doing just that, and they make quite an impression.
The play takes place in Vienna in the late 17th century. Court composer Antonio Salieri (Richard Perloff) narrates the story, revealing his internal struggles with the genius of young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Evan McNamara). He becomes insanely jealous of Wolfgang’s raw talent. As his envy grows, his relationship with Mozart becomes the sole subject of conflict between God and himself. Salieri asks, "why does God allow divine greatness to fall into the hands of someone so unworthy?"
For their small theater space, The Neighborhood Playhouse packs a big punch. The sets are lavish, detailed, and effectively bring the audience back to the 17th century. Also, the stage itself extends into the middle of the auditorium, allowing the audience to surround the drama, making for a very personal theater experience. For such intimacy to work, the actors must be high-caliber and never lose their focus.
Not to worry. They are...and they don’t.
Richard Perloff disappears in his character, effortlessly delivering lengthy monologues and subtext-rich dialogue. He captures the pathetic nature of Salieri without making him a black-and-white monster. And even if -- at first -- Evan McNamara seems to be a strange choice for Mozart, by the end, he too has proven himself a precise, calculated actor and extracts a profound character from Shaffer’s layered script.
Amadeus runs through May 10 at the historic Neighborhood Church at 415 Paseo Del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates. Tickets are $21.50 and are available through www.neighborhoodplayhouse.net or by calling 1.800.595.4849.
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Theater Review
“Amadeus”
by Bondo Wyszpolski
Published May 8, 2008
Perhaps Edvard Grieg said it best: “The death of Mozart before he had passed his 35th year is perhaps the greatest loss the musical world has ever suffered.” And if you don’t believe Grieg, just ask JB Kennedy, who used to celebrate Mozart’s birthday every year at his local bookstore with food, drink, and glorious music.
Playwright Peter Shaffer wrote “Amadeus” in 1979 and adapted it for the Oscar-winning film of the same name. It is, in short, not only an intelligent and nicely structured work, but one with the wistfulness of an unsolved mystery. At its basic level, the story pits the classic against the romantic, or Apollo squaring off with Dionysus.
Although a well-written play can scrape by with a less than stellar cast, director Brady Schwind has assembled a winning lineup for his Neighborhood Playhouse production of “Amadeus.” We need only consider the three leads, Richard Perloff as Antonio Salieri, Evan McNamara as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Afton Quast as Mozart’s wife, Constanze Weber. One almost wants to apologize for not having the space to write about more of the cast.
The play shuttles back and forth between the eve of Salieri’s death in 1823 and the years 1781 to 1791 when Mozart emerged like a comet at the Viennese court. Salieri, a mediocre court composer, was apparently smart enough to realize that Mozart was a true genius, but too proud and stubborn to give way and stand aside.
Perloff endows the role of Salieri with half a lifetime of classical theater expertise, and (somewhat reminiscent of Alan Rickman’s Snape in the Potter films) captures the affectations and yet the flickers of self-doubt of an acclaimed composer who knows that history will reduce him to a footnote.
Despite his precociousness, the Mozart we are introduced to is often a child who never grew up, and his naivety and immaturity never cease to amaze the envious and subsequently devious, hypocritical Salieri. Even so, the character of Mozart requires us to feel both chagrined and sympathetic, and McNamara elicits both responses.
The venue for this often dazzling play (most evident through Karen Cornejo’s costume design) invokes the intimacy of a Viennese drawing room, but it does not have gradational seating and sightlines can be poor. Despite this cautionary note, “Amadeus” enlightens and inspires. With the demise of the PV Players and the Actors’ Repertory Theatre it’s rare to find an endeavor of such substance in the South Bay.
‘Amadeus’ plays at 8 p.m. tomorrow, plus 2 and 8 p.m. on Saturday, at the Neighborhood Playhouse, located at the Neighborhood Church, 415 Paseo del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates. Tickets, $21.50. Closes Saturday night. (800) 595-4849 or go to neighborhoodplayhouse.net. ER
MAJESTIC MOZART: `Amadeus' shines in lavish production
By Jim Farber Theater Critic
Article Launched: 04/30/2008 01:59:53 PM PDT
Mozart (Evan McNamara) conducts the first performance of The Abduction of the Seraglio for the emperor s court. (Photo courtesy of www.davidfairchildstudio.com)
Ghosts in 18th-century finery are haunting the Neighborhood Church in Palos Verdes Estates, spreading malicious rumors about the death of Mozart and his would-be assassin, Antonio Salieri. "He says he did it?" "No." "I don't believe it."
These ghosts, who are members of the recently founded (apparently quite well-endowed) Neighborhood Playhouse, are performing Peter Shaffer's fever-dream fantasy, "Amadeus." And if your only knowledge of the play is by way of the film version, you definitely should see the work in its original, and to my taste more impressive, form.
It's just unfortunate that such a resplendent production is cursed by being in such a non-theater as the flat-floored, multipurpose auditorium of the Neighborhood Church.
Clearly a good deal of money has been pumped into the look of this production, with its lavish faux marble set design by John Boardman and sumptuous peacock period costumes by Karen Cornejo.
In the original 1979 Royal National Theatre production of "Amadeus," the revenge-seeking, God-cursing composer, Antonio Salieri, was played by Ian
McKellen, who recently appeared at UCLA as King Lear. I mention this because it takes an actor of King Lear proportion to play Salieri. The role is enormous, filled with complex nuances and internal conflicts.
Richard Perloff's performance offers an impressive partial picture of the character, but falls short of achieving the complete persona. Perloff simply doesn't possess the range to take Salieri's conflicted personality as far as it needs to go. Consequently, the production, despite its sumptuous look and able supporting cast, represents a fine approximation rather than a glorious summation.
Shaffer's controversial portrayal of Mozart is also a complex concoction. He's depicted as a petulant, scatological brat who has never grown up, but who (for those with ears to hear) is unquestionably the greatest composer of the age (or any age) - a duality that ultimately drives court composer Salieri to the point of suicide.
Evan McNamara's performance captures the infantile side of the character in a way that combines elements of Tom Hulce's performance in the film and the wide-eyed antics of Jim Carrey.
In the large cast, James Larsen and Michael Tushaus are superbly catty as Salieri's spies, his "Venticelli." Afton Quast combines exactly the right balance of bawdiness and gentle honesty as Mozart's wife, Constanze. Michael Hovance is a bit too flip as Joseph II, while Jack Messenger is the perfect representative of the musical status quo as Count Rosenberg.
Brady Schwind's direction captures the play's style with a succession of elegant stage pictures, as well as the essential outlines of its emotional battle to the death. Unfortunately, anyone seated on the side of the thrust stage or behind someone tall will have their view completely impaired.
Without question, this "Amadeus" is an impressive accomplishment. It bodes well for this young company. Jim Farber (310) 540-5511, Ext. 416 jim.farber@dailybreeze.com
AMADEUS
When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday through May 10.
Where: Neighborhood Playhouse at Neighborhood Church, 415 Paseo Del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates.
Tickets: $21.50.
Information: (800) 595-4849, www.neigborhoodplayhouse.net.
Entertainment News - July 19, 2007
Theater review - The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Bondo Wyszpolski
“The Issue of Murder at Hand!” L-r, front row: Scott Camden, Alison Robertson, Katie Alexander, James Jaeger; middle row: Kärin Frasier, Eric Cajiuat, Jonathan Kruger, Suzan Fairchild, Jim Goodrich; back row: Michael Frasier, Tom MacDonald. Photo ©David Fairchild Studios, 2007.
Considering that it remained uncompleted at his death, Charles Dickens’ novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, would seem an unlikely candidate for a play, let alone a musical. But that didn’t stop Rupert Holmes, who worked his magic back in 1985 and wowed ‘em on Broadway: “Drood” pulled in five Tony Awards, including one for the much-coveted Best Musical.
That’s not to say “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” has become an enduring staple of musical theater. It hasn’t. However, there’s a little fireball of a production, surprisingly well-acted and largely engaging, at the Neighborhood Playhouse in Malaga Cove. It opened last weekend and closes on Sunday, not so much a leisurely run as an urgent sprint. Even before we’ve settled into our chairs the colorful cast in their Edwardian hand-me-downs swarms in from the rear and then inundates the audience like urchins set free from “Oliver!” This chaotic preamble sets the table for the exuberant, boisterous, and over-the-top acting that director Brady Schwind has elicited from his highly diverse ensemble. There’s a sense that we’ve signed on for a bawdy, licentious evening in a cheap dance hall in a seedy part of London.
Edwin Drood, the young man who disappears and may have been murdered – but by whom? – is played by Katie Alexander, a slender and fine-boned actress with a somewhat crisp and chirpy delivery and an Oscar Wilde persona. When her pageboy hairstyle later gives way to dark tumbling tresses (there’s a play within a play here) she becomes rather stunning in an unexpected way. Ah, the power of theatrical illusion!
There is also an uneasy tussle between the overly impetuous music teacher John Jasper (Jim Goodrich) and his former pupil Rosa Bud (Kärin Frasier, with quite a nice singing voice in “Moonfall,” for starters) that may be pointing its finger toward jealousy and murder. This simmering conflict is surrounded by a mostly curious, even eccentric lineup that includes the gypsy-like Helena Landless (Alison Robertson, who throws glances like Bela Lugosi), the salacious Princess Puffer (Suzan Fairchild), the dubious Reverend Crisparkle (Eric Cajiuat), the crazed-looking Durdles (Michael Frasier, in gravedigger mode), and the rubber-faced Bazzard (James Jaeger, making his character resemble an animated frog).
Holding it all together like a master of ceremonies is The Chairman (Jonathan Kruger). Kruger’s commanding presence and assured delivery are just right for this production. Notable performances are also given by veterans (i.e., Lois Bourgon) and newcomers (i.e., Scott Camden) alike. Just as there are some fine performances on stage, the technical side is no less impressive, beginning with musical director David Sateren, who keeps his ensemble in line throughout. The costumes, for a show as relatively modest as this one, are first rate, enhanced all the more by David Fairchild’s lighting design. Director Schwind also reveals a flair for clever choreography in such numbers as “Both Sides of the Coin.”
This isn’t a subdued or subtly performed bit of drama, but rather one that’s high-handed, high-kicking, and intentionally brash and blatant. It would play better on a larger stage (I’m surprised nobody steps on the “candles” that serve as footlights), but even a larger stage would be hard-pressed to contain the energy packed into this show. Clearly everyone involved wants to have a good time, and – considering the dark subject – the result is exceedingly festive.