Tom Williams While Rodgers’ music is lush, varied and melodic, I believe that it was Larry Hart’s often sad yet smart lyrics that made tunes like “Falling in Love with Love”, “Little Girl Blue”, “My Funny Valentin,” “Blue Moon,” “I Could Write a Book” and “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” American classics.
We see a group of believers who are desperate, despite their misgivings, to connect with a departed loved one. The methodology of the seance and the trickery of the moderators and their medium add fuel to the desperate believers.
But Con Melody, a drunken ex-Irish gentry and disgraced Major in Wellington’s British Army, is so caught up in the past that he only drinks and keeps up his ‘gentlemanly manners’ despite being almost destitute. Con’s self-delusion is constantly being fought by his realistic daughter Sara.
The situations are absurd and the acting is spirited even if some of the funny moments seem strained. But as a light off-night show (Mondays & Tuesdays), The People’s Choice fills the bill. Brandon Galatz shows promise as the hapless President.
Not even the leading avant-garde director, Max Truax could , despite a dark, depressing set design (byMichael Mroch) and a totally dedicated cast, could make Henrik Ibsen’s 1866 verse tragedy, Brand, audience friendly. Written while Ibsen was on a self-imposed exile in Italy, Brand is a ‘think” piece about Ibsen’s Christian views concerning freedom of will and the use of sacrifice to illustrate one’s Christian faith.
I was impressed at the scope and depth of Musial’s work in the 2011 version. Seldom will you see a more technical stage work that vividly evokes the tragedy of a city-wide fire. The only thing lacking was the smoke and smell of a major fire. Telling the story of a catastrophic event on stage takes daring and loads of stage craft – all of which are ingredients in this thrilling and emotional telling of the story of the Chicago fire from October 8, 1871.
Sean O’Casey is in good hands under the spirited direction of John Mossman and the terrific ensemble acting (each in rich authentic Irish brogues) from the dedicated cast. The quirkiness and the submerged fear storms to the surface in this often-times funny yet sad tale of life and oppression in Dublin during ‘The Troubles” of 1920-23.
The dramatic retelling of the events of the Nickel Mines Shooting of 10 Amish children October 2, 2006 and the aftermath is a heart wrenching and complex story especially how the Lancaster, Pennsylvania Amish reacted. Told in an amazing tour de force performance by Sadieh Rifai, The Amish Project is a 70 minute drama that attempts to tell the shooting story and the effects on the Amish, the town’s folks and the shooter’s family.
The moods, desires and angst of revolving relationships are nicely presented by the three cast members. Their energy, singing skills ans their ability to “sell” their songs in character give this revue a tone of sensuality and realism. Eugen Dizon musical direction helps create a worthy accompaniment. Catch Starting Here, Starting Now to discover new show and movie songs and to have fun meeting Boone, Herman and Patingre. They’ll entertain you.
Redtwist Theatre features their top actors- Peter Oyloe (Kjell), Andrew Jessop (Elling) and Brian Parry (Alfons) who are sporting their comedic skills in the winning stage production of the Norwegian film “Elling” deftly adapted by Simon Bent. This is a charming, warm comic drama about two seemingly mentally challenged men who struggle to make it on their own away from a mental institution.