Wandering out to Williamsburg in order to fall down a rabbit’s hole and find oneself in the insane asylum at The Kingsland Ward, St. Johns, a century-old institutional building, filled with the crazy characters that populate Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland books feels like quite the adventure through the looking glass. Although not difficult to get to (just 2 blocks off of the L train at Grand Street), I do wish I wasn’t traveling down this path all on my own that cold wintery night, although how this spectacle is orchestrated, the solo experience is just as beautiful and poetic regardless of companionship. Separated from others almost instantly Then She Fell, a product of Third Rail Projects, is a fascinating and unique experience, resembling but quite different from the successful and intense Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More. In that production, that has run for over 6 years (opening March 7, 2011), they take their spectators through an artful and conjured creation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth at an exhilarating high speed pace through the McKittrick Hotel. It’s quite a self created adventure, where all of your own choices construct your experience as you run up and down stairs chasing a favorite character. This production, at first felt like it was going to be much the same when thrown into a room on my own to peruse an assortment of hats and discarded letters, but that was basically my only solitary moment of the night, as the Mad Hatter, played mischievously by Alex Schell interrupted my solitary exploration and pushed me forward into a dreamy and slightly madcap experience. I was, from that moment on, coaxed on a journey that felt guided and controlled, while also maintaining an air of mystery and wonderment, accompanied by a magnificent and musical score by Sean Hagerty.

ThenSheFell4_ChadHeird — Marissa Neilson-Pincus (as Alice) & Tara O’Con (as Alice). photos by Chad Heird.

As constructed, choreographed, and orchestrated by Zach Morris, Tom Pearson and Jennine Willett, this graceful and mischievous telling of the complexities of Lewis Carrol, played compellingly by Gierre J. Godley (at least at the performance I attended, the cast rotates among many) and his questionable relationship with the young Alice, played by two similarly looking and dressed young ladies, Kristen Carcone and Jenna Purcell, is teased out at various moments and degrees. Using letter dictation, wonderful mirror play, and a lot of modern dance and movement, the sly details and suspicions are parceled out. These choreographed compositions are a huge part of the journey from room to room, suggesting a somewhat sexual and romantic attraction between the young girl and the writer whose actual name is Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. The movement is powerful while giving a great insight to the parallels and layers between real people and imaginary characters and situations. Sometimes the creations begin to feel repetitive and not overly thought-expanding, although they all are dreamy and visually appealing especially in their staging and the manner we are privy to them. While Sleep No More has testosterone and heart pounding exhilaration, Then She Fell feels more wistful, elegant, and passively romantic.

ThenSheFell9_ChadHeird — Rebekah Morin (as Red Queen) & Tom Pearson (as White Rabbit). photo by Chad Heird.

One of the better moments is when we get to secretly watch the red queen, portrayed aggressively by Taylor Semin and the White Rabbit play out power and control in a sensual dance around a sitting room. We are lead by the White Queen, a charming Roxanne Kidd, to watch like sneaky children hiding in another room peeking in on adults engaging in something mysterious and naughty. There is also a magical bit of card play, wonderfully conjured by the impressive Doctor, Charly Wenzel, and a number of sly and sexy staring contests (or so it felt to me) with Orderly Robinson and the White Rabbit, played crisply by Jeff Sykes and Kyle Castillo, two among numerous others. If direct eye contact makes you uncomfortable or want to giggle, this might not be the show for you.

ThenSheFell11_DarialSneed — Rachel I. Berman (as Alice). photo by Darial Sneed.

The sequence of rooms and experiences will vary for each and everyone. I started with the Mad Hatter, and was led to two Alices doing a hypnotizing mirror dance, ate some oranges and was gestured forward. Yours, I’m sure will Be something completely different. It’s a moody and intoxicating evening, and not just because we are given numerous alcoholic beverages to drink down. We are pulled through a dreamy and eerie kaleidoscope of images and ideas, well structured and timed throughout a tightly choreographed two hours. And when all is said and done, we find ourselves drinking a glass of tea and ushered back out by the ward’s assistants, Gabriela Gowdie, Bree Doobay, and Kasey Blanco, into the night. Back into the real world, and only at that moment, did I wish I had a companion to dissect and compare our unique and different journeys down a rabbit hole, through the halls of an asylum, and back up to the cold Brooklyn streets.

THEN SHE FELL

Directed, designed, written and choreographed: Zach Morris, Tom Pearson, and Jennine Willett in collaboration with original cast members: Elizabeth Carena, Alberto Denis, Stacie C. Tobar, Rebekah Morin, Marissa Nielsen-Pincus, Tara O’Con, and Zoë Schieber. It is currently performed by the company: Matthew Albert, Eric Berey, Erika Boudreau-Barbee, Andrew Broaddus, Kyle Castillo, Kristen Carcone, Larry Daniels, Elisa Davis, Caitlin Dutton-Reaver, Julia Galanski, Gierre J. Godley, Joseph Harris, Julia Jurgilewicz, Julia Kelly, Mary Madsen, Lauren Muraski, Jenna Purcell, Alex M. Schell, Taylor Semin, Mackenzie Sherburne, Julie Seal, Jeff Sykes, and Charly Wenzel. Supported by Elizabeth Carena, Alberto Denis, Joshua Dutton-Reaver, Kim Fischer, Rebekah Morin, Taylor Myers, Edward Rice, Kim Savarino, Bre Short, Samuel Swanton, and Madeline Wilcox. Production design by Zach Morris, Tom Pearson, and Jennine Willett; original music & sound design by Sean Hagerty; costumes by Karen Young; lighting design by Kryssy Wright; production management by Brittany Crowell; assistant direction by Marissa Nielsen-Pincus; rehearsal direction by Julia Kelly; assistant rehearsal direction by Mary Madsen; original technical direction by Carlton C. Ward; wardrobe by TJ Burleson.

For more go to frontmezzjunkies.com

Related Topics:alice in wonderland Immersive theater lewis carroll New Ross Then She Fell third rail projects

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Ross

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

Ken Fallin's Broadway

Ken Fallin’s Broadway: Dracula: A Comedy Of Terror

Published

16 hours ago

September 24, 2023

Ken Fallin

Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, is now playing at New World Stage, 340 West 50th Street, until January 7, 2024 or beyond.

In this caricature you will find James Daly’s Dracula and clockwise: Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Arnie Burtin, Ellen Harvey and Jordan Boatman who make up this amazingly talented cast.

You can read T2C’s mouth watering review here.

Broadway

Theatre News: Wicked, The Wiz, Hypnotique, Female Troubles and Love In The Time Of Crazy

Published

4 days ago

September 21, 2023

Suzanna Bowling

Broadway’s blockbuster Wicked, in partnership with National Day Calendar, has announced that October 30 will officially become National Wicked Day, in honor of the hit Broadway musical’s debut at the Gershwin Theatre (245 West 51^st Street) on October 30, 2003.

This marks the first time that a Broadway show will have its own official day in the National Day Calendar. With this inclusion, Wicked joins some of the most recognizable National Day celebrations, including National Barbie Day, National Star Trek Day, National Scrabble Day, National Winnie the Pooh Day, and National Teacher Appreciate Day, among others.

Read the official announcement HERE.

Currently Wicked 4^th longest-running show in Broadway history, and will celebrate its 20^th Anniversary on Broadway this October 30^th.

The Broadway production of Wicked currently features Alyssa Fox as Elphaba, McKenzie Kurtz as Glinda, John Dossett as The Wizard, Michele Pawk as Madame Morrible, Jordan Litz as Fiyero, Jake Pedersen as Boq, Kimber Elayne Sprawl as Nessarose, and William Youmans as Doctor Dillamond.

Adam Blackstone

Emmy Award^®-winning music director and Grammy Award^®-winning writer, Adam Blackstone, joins the creative team as Dance Music Arranger for the revival of The Wiz. The Wiz will launch a national tour on September 23, 2023 in Baltimore, MD before returning to Broadway for a limited engagement in the 2023/24 season.

Adam Blackstone

“Joining The Wiz’s creative team has been a very surreal moment. I remember watching the film on VHS daily for years, wondering how it sounded so incredible, how MJ transformed into the Scarecrow, and the score and orchestrations truly told a story all of its own. Fast forward to today, I get to musically partner with Terence Vaughn and reunite with my brother, super choreographer and creative director JaQuel Knight, and explore our own interpretation for a revival of this masterpiece. I am excited and look forward to this body of work changing lives, just like it did for me in the 80’s!” stated Adam Blackstone.

The cast will include previously announced Wayne Brady to lead the production as the Wiz on Broadway in Spring of 2024, San Francisco (January 16 – February 11, 2024) at the Golden Gate Theatre, and Los Angeles (February 13 – March 3, 2024) at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. Alan Mingo Jr. will star in the role of the Wiz in the following cities of The Wiz National Tour this fall, kicking off with the tour launch in Baltimore, including Cleveland, OH, Washington, DC, Pittsburgh, PA, Charlotte, NC, Atlanta, GA, Greenville, SC, Chicago, IL, Des Moines, IA, Tempe, AZ and San Diego, CA.

The cast will also feature Nichelle Lewis as Dorothy, Deborah Cox as Glinda and Melody A. Betts as Aunt Em and Evillene, Kyle Ramar Freeman as the Lion, Phillip Johnson Richardson as the Tinman, and Avery Wilson as the Scarecrow. The Wiz ensemble includes Maya Bowles, Shayla Alayre Caldwell, Jay Copeland, Allyson Kaye Daniel, Judith Franklin, George, Collin Heyward, Amber Jackson, Jackson, Jones, Jones, Kindle, Mariah Lyttle, Kareem Marsh, Anthony Murphy, Rae, Matthew Sims Jr, Avilon Trust Tate, Keenan D. Washington, and Timothy Wilson.

The production will include ‘Everybody Rejoice’ music and lyrics by Luther Vandross, as well as the ‘Emerald City Ballet’ with music by Timothy Graphenreed.

The McKittrick Hotel (530 West 27^th Street, NYC), home of Sleep No More, announced the opening of Hypnotique – A Late Night Sultry Spectacle. Performances have been extended on Friday and Saturday nights through October 14, 2023. The all-new Hypnotique revue offers a unique after-dark experience that envelops you. Audiences are captivated by spontaneous performances and mesmerizing dancers, accompanied by daring sonic soundscapes in a surreal ambiance in The Club Car.

The cast features Chloé Lexia Worthington, Courtney Sauls, Fabricio Seraphin, Haley Bjorn, Jacob Nahor, Jesseca Scott, Maurice Ivy, Maya Kitayama, Samantha Greenlund, Victoria Edwards, and swings Alex Sturtevant, Cameron Arnold, Kennedy Adams, and Stacey Badgett Jr..

Cocktails inspired by the experience, including the signature Hypnotonique (an electrifying punch made with cucumber-infused vodka, elderflower liqueur, and grapefruit juice), are available from The Club Car’s bar.

Performances are offered on Fridays and Saturdays at 10:30PM. General Admission tickets with standing room are currently priced from $65 per person.

Kevin Del Aguila and the cast Photos by Marc J. Franklin

Two industry readings for Female Troubles, an original musical comedy, will happen next week at Open Jar Studios. Female Troubles is a completely original musical comedy featuring lyrics by two-time Tony Award nominated and Grammy Award nominated songwriter Amanda Green (Mr. Saturday Night, Hands On A Hardbody, Bring It On), music by three-time Emmy Award nominee Curtis Moore (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), book by Emmy Award-winning writers Gabrielle Allan and Jennifer Crittenden (“Veep,” “Arrested Development,” “Seinfeld,” “The Simpsons,” “HouseBroken”) and directed by Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli (Disney’s Newsies, My Fair Lady, “Schmigadoon,” “Schmicago”).

Lesli Margherita

The cast for the readings will includeKrystina Alabado, Kevin Del Aguila, Amanda Green, Lilli Cooper, Lillias White, Lesli Margherita, Ryann Redmond, Kate Rockwell, Matt Saldivar, Alanna Saunders, Trent Saunders, Jake Swain, Sav Souza, Rachel Stern and Frank Viveros. In Female Troubles, Elinor Benton finds herself surprisingly and undeniably “knocked up” — and, since she’s unmarried and this is 19th century England, she has a very big dilemma. Facing ruin, she and her girlfriends embark on a raucous journey to find the one notorious woman who can help them with their “female troubles.” Their misadventures change the course of each of their lives. This uproarious musical comedy asks the trenchant question “Can you believe this sh*t is still happening in 1810?”

I attended the reading of Love In The Time Of Crazy withbook and lyrics by Peter Kellogg (Outer Critics Winner for Desperate Measures), music by Stephen Weiner (two-time Richard Rodgers Award winner) and David Hancock Turner (orchestrator for Desperate Measures and Penelope), directed by Lauren Molina (Desperate Measures ). The cast stared Philippe Arroyo, Stephen DeRosa, Robin Dunavant, David Merino, Josh Lamon, Roe Hartrampf and Alexis Cofield .

Look for more from this tuneful musical that actually has you leaving humming the songs. The cast was terrific, the direction sublime and the show ready to move.

Love in the Time of Crazy is a riot, but, you know, in a good way.

Off Broadway

Arms and the Man Meet The Press

Published

4 days ago

September 21, 2023

Genevieve Rafter Keddy

Gingold Theatrical Group next show is a new production of George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man.

Shanel Baile

The cast of Arms and the Man will feature Shanel Bailey (“Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies”)

Delphi Borich

Delphi Borich (Camelot)

Ben Davis

Ben Davis (New York New York)

Keshav Moodliar

Keshav Moodliar (Queen)

Thomas Jay Ryan (Uncle Vanya)

Evan Zes

Evan Zes (The Kite Runner),

Karen Ziemba

Tony Award winner Karen Ziemba (Prince of Broadway).

Keshav Moodliar, Delphi Borich, Shanel Bailey, Thomas Jay Ryan, Karen Ziemba, Evan Zes and Ben Davis

Understudies for this production are Mazvita Chanakira (Gap Year)

René Thornton Jr (The Tempest)

Matthew Zimmerman

and Matthew Zimmerman (A Midsummer Night’s Dream).

David Staller

Arms and the Man will be directed by David Staller.

Lindsay Genevieve Fuori (Set Designer)

Lindsay Genevieve Fuori

The production will feature set design by Lindsay Genevieve Fuori

Jamie Roderick (Lighting Designer)

lighting design by Jamie Roderick

Ariel Kregal (Assistnat Costume Designer), Cassie Williams (Hair and Makeup Designer), Tracy Christensen (Costume Designer) and Karine Ivey (Wardrobe Supervisor)

costume design by Tracy Christensen

Julian Evans (Sound Designer)

and sound design by Julian Evans. Prop design is by Emmarose Campbell.

Allie Posner (Production Manager)

Production management is by Allie Posner. Hair design is by Cassie Williams, and Stephanie Yankwitt of tbd Casting Co. is the Casting Director.

Logan Gabrielle Schulman (Assistant to the Director)

Logan Gabrielle Schulman is the Assistant to the Director and Ariel Kregard is the Assistant to the Costume Designer.

April Ann Kline (Production Stage Manager) and Jade Doina (Assistant Stage Manager)

The production stage manager is April Ann Kline and Jade Doina will serve as assistant stage manager.

Pamela Singleton (Gingold Board Chair), David Staller, Greg Santos (Managing Producer) and Sean Bertrand (Managing Producer Associate)

Natalie Kane (Administrative Assistant)

Arms and the Man is one of Shaw’s most popular comedies. The plot follows a hunted soldier who, seeking refuge in a young lady’s boudoir, starts in motion a series of highly engaging and unlikely comedic events. His unusual philosophies about love, war and life in general open up a world of thought she’d never previously entertained–certainly not with her dashing war-hero fiancée who also arrives unexpectedly. This early work of Shaw’s is remarkably pithy.

Fareeda Ahmed, Ethan E. Litwin and Pamela Singleton

The play’s title, Arms and the Man, references the first line of the epic Virgil poem, The Aeneid, in which we’re reminded of how foolish humans can be by fighting each other and struggling against the best of human nature: “Arms and the man I sing, who, forced by fate / And haughty Juno’s unrelenting hate, / Expelled and exiled, left the Trojan shore.”

Arms and the Man will play Theater Two at Theatre Row (410 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036) from October 17 through November 18, 2023. Opening night is set for October 26. The performance schedule is Tuesday–Thursday at 7pm; Friday at 8pm; Saturday at 2pm & 8pm; Sunday at 3pm. Cast and guest-moderated talkbacks will take place after each Sunday performance.

Off Broadway

“Relapse” Musically Releases Some Compelling Voices in Our Heads

Published

5 days ago

September 20, 2023

Ross

By Dennis W

Vinny Celerio (as Intrusive), Nicole Lamb (as Intrusive), Mia Cherise Hall (as Melinda), Zummy Mohammed (as Intrusive), and Audree Hedequist (as Intrusive) Photos by Thomas Mundell.

Relapse: A New Musical is filling Theatre Row with the sound of music from voices patients in a psychiatric hospital hear only in their heads. The 100-minute production captures the audience and brings them into the foggy, erratic, self-destructive world of this group who have lost their grasp on reality. It’s a difficult feat to write a musical about mental illness and get it right. The approach J. Giachetti takes in the book and lyrics, with music supplied by Louis Josephson, is quite inventive and works. The play takes place in group therapy sessions for four patients. But the music is about what’s going on in the minds of these people as they struggle with their sanity. And there are four more players called, ‘The Intrusive’ (the voices in the patients’ heads) doing whatever they can to keep the people in the group from breaking through to reality.

Bryan is played by Randall Scott Carpenter and this is his Off-Broadway debut. Bryan has an eating disorder and Carpenter captures a man searching for control right down to the nervous tick of shaking his leg. The schizophrenic in the group is Melinda played by Mia Cherise Hall. She has just the right spin on the character’s detachment from reality while still being part of the group.

Audree Hedequist (as Intrusive), Zummy Mohammed (as Intrusive), Becca Suskauer (as Kendra), Nicole Lamb (as Intrusive), and Vinny Celerio (as Intrusive) Photos by Thomas Mundell.

Kendra is played by Becca Suskauer (Pretty Woman, National Tour) making her Off-Broadway debut. Kendra is a sociopath who torched her home and killed her father. Rounding out the cast is Adam played by Jacob Ryan Smith (Lizard Boy, Off-Broadway) who is new to the group. He’s an alcoholic and this is his fourth relapse. All the characters have a singular goal: to get out. They are joined by ‘The Intrusive’ played by Vinny Clear, Audree Hedequist, Nicole Lamb, and Yummy Mohammed. They swarm around the patients blocking their way to progress, as well as, filling the void as a well-voiced chorus.

The lyrics by J Giachetti do the job of filling out the characters with titles like Psych 101, Outta Here, Shattered Brain, and What Would You Do. The rock edge to the music by Josephson (Composer, Additional Lyrics, Orchestrations, Julliard) adds to the chaos nicely.

Vinny Celerio (as Intrusive), Nicole Lamb (as Intrusive), Zummy Mohammed (as Intrusive), and Audree Hedequist (as Intrusive) Photos by Thomas Mundell.

Dr. Carlisle and Margot, the nurse, are played respectively by Troy Valjean Rucker (Romeo and Bernadette, Off-Broadway) and Ashley Alexandra (Tootsie – National Tour) who have a kind of antagonistic relationship. Margot is not completely happy with the doctor’s handling of the group and is not shy about speaking out. They also talk about how funding for the group session may be cut off. This is where the plot begins to wander somewhat unnecessarily.

Director and Choreographer Joey McKneely (West Side Story, Broadway) keeps all the characters moving to highlight their stories in the ensemble musical using all of the stage space. The eerie swarming of ‘The Intrusive’ works but as the show progresses their movements become somewhat repetitive.

Randall Scott Carpenter (as Bryan) Photos by Thomas Mundell.

The scenic design by Sheryl Liu (The Memorial, A.R.T.) is adequate, with six blue chairs in a semi-circle as you would expect. It’s easily moved around as needed. Liu, as costume designer, dresses the patients in simple scubs-like tops and pants. Except for Bryan who has a slouching muddy brown cardigan that he uses to his advantage as he nervously rubs it between his fingers hinting at his lack of control and obsessive-compulsive behavior.

This ensemble production of Relapse: A New Musical takes us inside mental illness. The problem comes within the optimistic ending. We really have mostly seen how the characters deal with their specific problems and how the voices in their heads keep holding them back. The doctor says he is moving a patient to the next level facility even though he isn’t ready just to show some progress on paper. Relapse isn’t perfect but it is definitely an evening of entertainment that will give you a lot to talk about when you leave the theater.

Ashley Alexander (as Margot) Photos by Thomas Mundell.

For more go to frontmezzjunkies.com

Off Broadway

On The Red Carpet at Dracula Comedy of Terrors

Published

5 days ago

September 20, 2023

Genevieve Rafter Keddy

The new hilarious Off Broadway show Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen, officially opened at New World Stages September 18th.

Producers Dane Levins and Drew Desky

Tally Sessions

Gordon Greenberg (Co-Author and Director)

Tally Sessions and Gordon Greenberg

Victoria Deloris (Sound Design)

Steve Rosen (Co-Author)

Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen

Gordon Greenberg, Chess Jakobs and Steve Rosen

Telly Leung and Karen Mason

Karen Mason

Telly Leung

Paul Rolnick and Karen Mason

Julie Halston

Darren Goldstein

Katie Finneran and Darren Goldstein

Katie Finneran, Steve Rosen and Darren Goldstein

Katie Finneran

Dominick Laruffa

Brett Ricci

Kaitlyn Boyer

Sean-Michael Wilkinson and Kaitlyn Boyer

Sean-Michael Wilkinson

Rob Denton (Lighting Design)

B.D. Wong and Julie Halston

B.D. Wong

Drew Desky and Dane Levins

Creative Team Victoria Delorio (Music and Sound Design), Tijana Bjelajac (Scenic and Puppet Design), Ashley Rae Callahan (Wig and Hair Design) and Rob Denton (Lighting)