Diego Matamoros. Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann

I was concerned walking in. Not entirely convinced that this show was the kind of show I would enjoy. It sounded a bit too 70’s experimental performance art piece rather than theatrical experience. And that concern was pretty spot on, as it turns out, I’m sorry to say. Exploring the tension that exists between the outside and the internal cages of the human mind and our physical world, this piece, for me, fell flat. Maybe it never even raised itself up enough to fall, but flat it did remain. Inspired by apes in cages at the zoo, expanded to deconstruct the ideas of Zen buddhism, and dive into the concepts presented by American avant-garde composer John Cage, Cage the play, if you dare to call it that, is inherently difficult. Structured around his infamous 1952 piece of music titled 4’33”, in which the score instructs the performer not to play their instrument during the entire duration of the piece. That creation is commonly thought of as environmental sounds that the listener creates while hearing the sound of silence. This study is a bit more than just that. It starts there, and continues beyond, playing with that idea by splitting the entire show into 12 movements, each one that exact length of time. Each evolve or revolve around a concept of time, space and matter, all created by actor Diego Matmoros, sound designer Richard Feren, and production designer, Lorenzo Savoini. But none, for this theater-goer, ever grabs hold.

Parceled out singularly at first in the same conceptual framework as Cage’s, Savoini (set and lighting designer for Of Human Bondage) messes with lighting for the first segment. Red and white florescent lights, flickering on and off for four minutes and thirty-three seconds. I must admit, my heart sank a bit, that this is what I was going to have to witness for the next hour. Images and quotes from Cage are projected on all four walls of the theatrical cage that we find ourselves stuck in. One such telling quotes suggestions that “the act of listening is in fact an act of composing”. This quote is followed by a segment of Feren (composer and sound designer for Soulpepper’s Angels in America) creating amplified sounds made from ordinary objects under a microphone hanging from the ceiling. Ping pong balls are played with, horns blown, and eggs are beaten, in an abstract reference to Cage’s ‘prepared pianos’ (a piano with its sound changed by ordinary objects placed between or on its strings or hammers) that he used to compose many of his scores. Dice are rolled after a glance to the stopwatch countdown projected on the wall, making me wonder if order and design is being played out by chance and how the dice is cast.

It’s clear the three, plus stage manager, Arwen MacDonell, are fully committed to the piece and it’s purpose. Savoini draws and paints concepts and theory of sorts on the walls of the cage. Feren experiments with other sounds and creates music from an actual fiddle, while doing the same with static from a number of old radios. For four minutes and thirty-three seconds per segment. “If something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, than eight. Then 16. then 32. Eventually one discovers that it is not boring at all.” Or so states another quote. But what happens if after 6o minutes, the boring never really fully goes away. What to do if the tediousness of the experiment remains flat and un-engaging after all that time?

Cage, the only new production being showcased here in New York, never really lands you anywhere, nor does it try. There is no journey that you are being guided on or through, just an exercise in creation and examination. It’s brave but I wish it was more thought provoking, at least for me.

Soulpepper, the Canadian Theatre Company that was taken over the Pershing Square Signature Center, is presenting numerous types of theatrical shows for the month of July. Kim’s Convenience is reality theatre, a play about a specific immigrant family’s experience in Canada, that takes place in a very authentic convenience store recreated exactingly on stage. It feels like this expertly done play could be filmed almost as is, and it would still be as perfect as it is here. Of Human Bondage, is the kind of theater I love the most, a narrative piece of story-telling that utilizing theatrical magic, metaphors in space and movement, stylistic directorial ideas, and abstract scenarios. Much like the magnificent Indecent on Broadway. (Go see them both while you still can!) All the creative and interesting aspects of live theatre are used to tell this one central story. It’s told in a way that couldn’t be told using any other medium. This is what theatre, in my mind, is created for. Similarly, Spoon River utilizes theater in a similar manner, but in this musical, the main purpose is not to tell just one grand story, but a compilation of tales to create a moment of time and a peek into a life other than our own. All three succeed marvelously, utilizing the aspects of what theatre is expertly and emotionally.

Cage is another beast. Matamoros, Savoini, and Feren are showcasing performance art using themes of space, light, video, sound, objects, and text to create of collage of ideas and experience. It reminds me of experimental theatre that took place decades ago in places like New York City’s East Village. I’ve seen some of it recently, in works like MYTHO? Lure of Wildness at the Abrons Center and the more thoughtful but also frustrating Richard Maxwell’s Good Samaritans. Both felt like ancient artifacts stuck in an older idea of theatrical performance art. And while Cage doesn’t carry the feeling of artists stuck in an old mindset, it still struggles to connect. It feels modern and thoughtful, but ultimately, this twelve creative happenings fail us, leaving us all caged and trapped in the Studio Theatre of the Signature Center. Not the way this Canadian wanted to end my celebrational experience with Soulpepper, but I’ll set it aside, and remember the other three shows that engaged and thrilled me. The three main stage productions will be some of the best theatre of the summer. And while some will like Cage, and maybe even love this conceptual meeting of art and theatre, this creation left me feeling like a caged beast; bored, disconnected, and anxious to escape.

So for more, go to frontmezzjunkies.com

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My love for theater started when I first got involved in high school plays and children's theatre in London, Ontario, which led me—much to my mother’s chagrin—to study set design, directing, and arts administration at York University in Toronto. But rather than pursuing theater as a career (I did produce and design a wee bit), I became a self-proclaimed theater junkie and life-long supporter. I am not a writer by trade, but I hope to share my views and feelings about this amazing experience we are so lucky to be able to see here in NYC, and in my many trips to London, Enlgand, Chicago, Toronto, Washington, and beyond. Living in London, England from 1985 to 1986, NYC since 1994, and on my numerous theatrical obsessive trips to England, I've seen as much theater as I can possibly afford. I love seeing plays. I love seeing musicals. If I had to choose between a song or a dance, I'd always pick the song. Dance—especially ballet—is pretty and all, but it doesn’t excite me as, say, Sondheim lyrics. But that being said, the dancing in West Side Story is incredible! As it seems you all love a good list, here's two. FAVORITE MUSICALS (in no particular order): Sweeney Todd with Patti Lupone and Michael Cerveris in 2005. By far, my most favorite theatrical experience to date. Sunday in the Park with George with Jenna Russell (who made me sob hysterically each and every one of the three times I saw that production in England and here in NYC) in 2008 Spring Awakening with Jonathan Groff and Lea Michele in 2007 Hedwig and the Angry Inch (both off-Boadway in 1998 and on Broadway in 2014, with Neal Patrick Harris, but also with Michael C. Hall and John Cameron Mitchell, my first Hedwig and my last...so far), Next To Normal with Alice Ripley (who I wish I had seen in Side Show) in 2009 FAVORITE PLAYS (that’s more difficult—there have been so many and they are all so different): Angels in American, both on Broadway and off Lettice and Lovage with Dame Maggie Smith and Margaret Tyzack in 1987 Who's Afraid of Virginai Woolf with Tracy Letts and Amy Morton in 2012 Almost everything by Alan Ayckbourn, but especially Woman in Mind with Julia McKenzie in 1986 And to round out the five, maybe Proof with Mary Louise Parker in 2000. But ask me on a different day, and I might give you a different list. These are only ten theatre moments that I will remember for years to come, until I don’t have a memory anymore. There are many more that I didn't or couldn't remember, and I hope a tremendous number more to come. Thanks for reading. And remember: read, like, share, retweet, enjoy. For more go to frontmezzjunkies.com

Off Broadway

Let’s Talk to Lindsay Heather Pearce and Jordan Donica Guest Stars of The New Rock Musical, Exorcistic

Published

1 day ago

September 30, 2023

Suzanna Bowling

The new rock musical, Exorcistic will premier in NYC just in time for Halloween. The show will come to NYC for its limited viewing on October 8th through October 23rd at The Box. The unauthorized parody of The Exorcist was brought back by popular demand after their sold-out run at The Three Clubs in Los Angeles.

Lindsay Heather Pearce (Wicked and Titanique,) will be featured in the opening cast. Each night there will be a different special guest performer who will be played by: Marissa Rosen (For the Girls, Water for Elephants, Modern Love) Nick Cearly (The Skivvies, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown) Jillian Schiralli (CATS, now that’s what i call 90s) Gerard Canonico (Almost Famous, The Dude Ranch) Jordan Donica (Camelot, Rent, Hamilton) Jamie Cepero (SMASH, The Function) and more!

The musical parody brings about horror, hilarity, and the most powerhouse rock tunes you’ll see in a theater this year! The production brings to roaring life with iconic imagery and an explosive live band, with book, lyrics, and music by two-time Ovation Award winner Michael Shaw Fisher. This is the story of a movie star whose daughter becomes possessed and is helped by priests who try to save her.

The show stars Emma Hunton (Freeform’s Good Trouble, Wicked, and Rent) reprises her role from the LA production, The Summer Set’s frontman Brian Logan Dales, Leigh Wolf (Exorcistic 2013), Jesse Merlin (For Love of the Glove, Re-Animator the Musical), Nick Bredosky (UMPO 10 Things I Hate About You) Kim Dalton (Cluelesque, Toil & Trouble) Mitchell Gerrard Johnson (A New Brain) Gabby Sanalitro (That 90’s Show) and Tyler Olshanksky.

The Box is located at 189 Chrystie St, New York, NY 10002. The show will start promptly at 7:30 pm with the doors opening at 6:30 pm. Tickets are now available and can be purchased here

To listen to the cast album of EXORCISTIC: The Rock Musical, click here

Video by Magda Katz

Off Broadway

Opening Night of Golden Rainbow

Published

1 day ago

September 30, 2023

Genevieve Rafter Keddy

Last night the York Theatre Company presented their production of Golden Rainbow, with book by Ernest Kinoy and music and lyrics by Walter Marks, the third offering of the Fall 2023 “Musicals in Mufti” series. Performances continue through Sunday, October 1, 2023.

Jonathan Brody

The show stars Max Von Essen (York’s Tenderloin)

Benjamin Pajak

Benjamin Pajak (Broadway’s The Music Man)

Mara Davi

Mara Davi (Broadway’s Dames at Sea)

Robert Cuccioli

Robert Cuccioli (York’s Rothschild & Sons)

Danielle Lee Greaves

Danielle Lee Greaves (Broadway’s Parade)

Felipe Barbosa Bombonato

Felipe Barbosa Bombonato (Les Misérables)

Jonathan Brody

Jonathan Brody (The Sorceress)

Nick Cearley

Nick Cearley (The Skivvies),

Jillian Louis

Jillian Louis (York’s The Game of Love),

Gina Milo

Gina Milo (York’s Subways Are for Sleeping)

Maria Wirries

Jillian Louis, Gina Milo, Maria Wirries

and Maria Wirries (York’s Penelope: or How The Odyssey Was Really Written).

Golden Rainbow is directed by Stuart Ross (York’s Enter Laughing), with music direction by David Hancock Turner (York’s Cheek to Cheek and Desperate Measures). The production team includes Lighting Designer Garett Pembrook, Projections/Sound Designer Peter Brucker, Production Manager Aaron Simms, Production Coordinator Noah Glaister, Production Stage Manager Hailey Delaney, Assistant Stage Manager Carson Ferguson, and Company Manager Tori Calderon-Caswell.

Jim Morgan, Producing Artistic Director

Walter Marks and Producer Riki Kane Larimer

The Golden Rainbow cast

Jim Morgan, Walter Marks, Director Stuart Ross

Walter Marks, Benjamin Pajak

Director Stuart Ross, Benjamin Pajak

the Golden Rainbow Cast

Robert Cuccioli

The band

Robert Cuccioli, Benjamin Pajak, Max Von Essen

Robert Cuccioli, Max Von Essen

Walter Marks, Benjamin Pajak, Producer Riki Kane Larimer, Director Stuart Ross

Jim Morgan, Walter Marks, Benjamin PajakProducer Riki Kane Larimer, Director Stuart Ross

Lee Roy Reams, Lorna Dallas, Max Von Essen

Jim Morgan, Lee Roy Reams, Lorna Dallas, Max Von Essen, Jamie deRoy

Jillian Louis, Max Von Essen, Gina Milo, Maria Wirries, Robert Cuccioli

Gina Milo, Jillian Louis, Nick Cearley, Maria Wirries

Jim Caruso, Max Von Essen, Nicholas King

Jim Morgan, Joan Ross Sorkin, Producer Riki Kane Larimer and the York board

Off Broadway

Golden Rainbow…indeed!

Published

2 days ago

September 29, 2023

Writer

By Jacqueline Parker

Nature’s reward for enduring a spate of rain and gloomy weather is a rainbow. The York has delivered just that in their latest production in their Mufti series, Golden Rainbow. This musical from the late 60s is always mentioned among aficionados of this art form with wistful smiles and fond remembrances. The York has brought it back to life in a version that features some new lyrics by original composer/lyricist Walter Marks that carry the storyline into this century.

Robert Cuccioli , Max Von Essen
Photo Credit: Rider R. Foster

From the opening notes of the Jule Styne-esque overture to the rousing finale, the audience was toe-and-finger tapping along to the sounds so evocative of the time when most of us were very young. The story itself is touching—a single father of a boy on the brink of teenhood must wrestle with the choice of saving his livelihood or letting his son move to the other side of the country with his aunt. The connection between father and son is made clear through several songs delivered touchingly by dad Max Von Essen and son Benjamin Pajak.

Mari Davis Photo Credit: Rider R. Foster

The arrival under a false pretense of Mara Davi as Aunt Judy sets the plot spinning and allows Robert Cuccioli as mobster Carmine Malatesta and Danielle Lee Greaves as Jill to play their part in the resolution with songs hilarious and touching.

Max Von Essen and Mara Davis Photo Credit: Rider R. Foster

If the story seems familiar it’s because it is taken from the film “A Hole in the Head,” based on the same source material, that starred Frank Sinatra and Eddie Hodges singing the Oscar-winning song High Hopes. Golden Rainbow opened in 1968 starring Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme in the leads. They were household names at the time, based on their talent and popularity from television appearances and cabaret performances.

Max Von Essen and Benjamin Pajak
Photo Credit: Rider R. Foster

Perhaps most impressive in this production was Von Essen’s version of the hit song “I Gotta Be Me.” It was haunting as it built in intensity and left the audience almost breathless at the end of Act 1.

Benjamin Pajak
Photo Credit: Rider R. Foster

Pajak, familiar to all from his recent appearances in Oliver! and The Music Man was astounding in his ability to project the at times heartbreaking and lovingly joyous emotions of his character.

Mari Davis Photo Credit: Rider R. Foster

Mara Davi’s character has her own roller coaster ride of emotions, which she transmits with style and conviction.

Robert Cuccioli Photo Credit: Rider R. Foster

Robert Cuccioli was hilarious as a mobster singing Taste,

Danielle Lee Greaves Photo Credit: Rider R. Foster

and Danielle Lee Greaves delivered two of the new songs, making me hope for a new recording of this terrific show soon.

Max Von Essen and Benjamin Pajak
Photo Credit: Rider R. Foster

The clock is ticking on this gem of a show – it closes Sunday, October 1st. Get your tickets at yorktheatre.org and find your own pot of gold at the end of this rainbow.

Max Von Essen and Mara Davis Photo Credit: Rider R. Foster

Broadway

Theatre News: Here We Are, Some Like It Hot, A Beautiful Noise, All The Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented The Villain and The Laramie Project

Published

2 days ago

September 29, 2023

Suzanna Bowling

The curtain rose last tonight on the first performance of the final Stephen Sondheim musical. Here We Are, the new musical from David Ives and Sondheim, is on stage at The Shed’s Griffin Theater (545 W. 30^th Street), with an Opening Night on Sunday, October 22, for 15 weeks only.

Directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello, the cast of Here We Are will feature Francois Battiste, Tracie Bennett, Bobby Cannavale, Micaela Diamond, Amber Gray, Jin Ha, Rachel Bay Jones, Denis O’Hare, Steven Pasquale, David Hyde Pierce, and Jeremy Shamos. The understudies for Here We Are are Adante Carter, Lindsay Nicole Chambers, Bradley Dean, Mehry Eslaminia, Adam Harrington, and Bligh Voth.

Here We Are is inspired by two films, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and The Exterminating Angel, by Luis Buñuel.

Here We Are will include choreography by Sam Pinkleton, set design and costume design by David Zinn, lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Tom Gibbons, orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, musical supervision and additional arrangements by Alexander Gemignani, hair & make-up design by Wigmaker Associates, and casting by The Telsey Office.

Tickets are on sale on TheShed.org.

For each performance, a limited number of $25 tickets will be available via a weekly lottery, which will open for entries on the TodayTix app each Sunday at 12:01 AM for the coming week’s performances and will close at 12:00 PM on the day before each performance. Winners will be notified by push notification and email between 1 – 4 PM on the day before their selected show, and will have 30 minutes to claim their tickets in the app. Entrants may request 1 or 2 tickets, and entry is free and open to all.

Via TodayTix’s mobile rush program, a limited number of $40 same-day rush tickets will be available for that day’s performance of Here We Are at 9:00 AM each day on a first-come, first-served basis. Users can download the app and “unlock” rush tickets by sharing the program on social media ahead of their desired performance day.

The most award-winning musical of the 2022-2023 season, Some Like It Hot, will play for 13 more weeks through Saturday, December 30, 2023, at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre (225 West 44^th Street) before launching a national tour and West End production.

Awarded Best Musical by The Drama League, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle, Some Like It Hot received over 20+ major awards throughout the 2022-2023 season, including four Tony Awards for Best Lead Actor in a Musical (J. Harrison Ghee), Best Choreography (Casey Nicholaw), Best Orchestrations (Charlie Rosen & Bryan Carter) and Best Costumes in a Musical (Gregg Barnes). J. Harrison Ghee made history as the first non-binary performer to take home the Tony Award in their category.

A national tour will launch in September 2024 and a West End production will follow in 2025, produced by The Shubert Organization and Neil Meron in partnership with Ambassador Theatre Group.

At the time of the final performance, the production will have played the Shubert Theatre for over a year, for a total of 483 performances.

Will Swenson and the cast. Photo by Julieta Cervantes.

Will Swenson, who is electrifying audiences with his star turn in A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical, will play his final performance as ‘Neil Diamond – Then’ at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44^th Street) on Sunday, October 29. Casting for the role of ‘Neil Diamond – Then’ will be announced at a future date.

The unofficial commencement of “spooky season” takes place this Friday, September 29, when Tony Award® Nominee and Grammy Award® Winner Patrick Page returns to the New York stage in All The Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented The Villain, a new work created and performed by Mr. Page, based on the villains of William Shakespeare. Directed by Simon Godwin, the solo show will play the DR2 Theatre (103 E 15^th Street) beginning Friday, September 29, with an Opening Night set for Monday, October 16, for 14 weeks only.

Tickets are now available at allthedevilsplay.com, Telecharge or by visiting the DR2 Theatre box office (103 E 15^th Street).

Julie White

Julie White and Brandon Uranowitz will join Ato Blankson-Wood in a staged benefit reading of The Laramie Project. Moises Kaufman and the Members of Tectonic Theatre Project’s The Laramie Project, will bedirected by Dustin Wills (Wolf Play, Wet Brain). The event, which will raise funds to support the work of The Trevor Project, will take place on Monday, October 16^th at 7:00 PM at Peter Norton Symphony Space, and is being produced by District Productions. Additional casting is soon to be announced. For tickets and more information, visit https://www.symphonyspace.org/events/vp-the-laramie-project-a-benefit-staged-reading

Off Broadway

Meet Michel Wallerstein and Spencer Aste of Chasing Happy

Published

3 days ago

September 28, 2023

Suzanna Bowling

Pulse Theatre will be presenting Chasing Happy a new comedy by Michel Wallerstein (Flight, Five Women Waiting, Off Hand). Directed by Pulse Theatre co-Founder Alexa Kelly (Strings Attached).

Video by Magda Katz

The company of Chasing Happy features Spencer Aste (Wake Up, Axis Theatre), Jenny Bennett (City of Ladies, Pulse Theatre), Schyler Conaway in his Off-Broadway debut, Christopher James Murray (The Falling Season, Theatre Row), and Elizabeth Shepherd (Relatively Speaking and Conduct Unbecoming on Broadway; War and Peace and Inherit the Wind in London’s West End).

T2C talked to Michel Wallerstein and Spencer Aste to learn more.

Chasing Happy is a modern comedy about personal identity, love, acceptance …and the elusive pursuit of happiness. Nick is in love with another man’s boyfriend. (Oops.) Nick’s mother says George Clooney wants to date her (Really?). Nick’s ex-wife says she has to have surgery.( Now?) …It’s a laugh a minute on an unexpected merry-go-round when you’re chasing happy.

The limited engagement will play a five-week limited engagement, October 11 through November 11, at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street, NYC). Opening night is Thursday, October 19 at 7PM. Tickets are now on sale at TheatreRow.org or by calling the box office, 212-714-2442 ext. 45.

For more information visit www.ChasingHappyOffBroadway.com.