New York Musical Festival Alumni News in LA

"They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!"...Well, more like LA.  Fellowship! The Musical Parody of the Fellowship of the Ring (NYMF '10) begins an eleven-week run on April 13th, performing two shows (8pm & 11pm) every Friday night at the Trepany House at the Steve Allen Theatre in Los Angeles, CA.  You won't want to miss the winner of NYMF Award for Excellence: Best Ensemble.  Tickets are now on sale for shows through May 18th.
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This show was hilarious.  If you are in Los Angeles you might really like it.

Slow Air: The Moving Tale of an Estranged Brother and Sister

Slow Air @ 59 E59 Theaters

The Scottish Week Theater celebration, at 59E59 Theaters, has brought in an unexpected and wonderful play, Slow Air.  It is a two person, story-telling play – where the actors address the audience directly instead of each other.  The device allows the characters to open up about emotions and insecurities, which they can’t do face to face with others.  It allows the audience to share their introspection and, in this case, builds tension for what will ensue.

Susan Vidler as Morna, and Lewis Howden as her brother, Athol in SLOW AIR

The two characters here are Athol and Morna, adult siblings who haven’t spoken in 14 years.  Athol, played by Lewis Howden, is the stable brother.  He has grown up, built a floor tiling business and raised a family with his wife.  They have moved to Glasgow, made friends with their neighbors and settled into a comfortable life.  Mr. Howden beautifully brings to life the pleasant and unassuming Athol.  A man perfectly suited to his current situation, but uneasy when his emotional boundaries are tested.

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And his sister, Morna, excels in testing Athol’s boundaries.  Susan Vidler brings the hyperkinetic Morna to life, demanding attention even when sitting still.  Morna hasn’t traveled far from home, living in Dalry with her son, Joshua.  It is the unseen Joshua who provides the catalyst for Morna and Athol’s story.  On his 21^st birthday, Joshua goes to visit the Aunt and Uncle he hasn’t seen in 14 years.

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Slow Air explores the ties of family and community, and how seemingly random coincidences affect those ties.  Ultimately, Slow Air is wistful and hopeful story.  It is not so much a tale of “love wins out”,but a more truthful “love gives us a chance”.

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David Shea handles the lighting design expertly, always critical in a show where the focus transitions between monologues.  David Harrower, the writer and director, brings the story to life gently and slowly, opening up the story in bits to make a satisfying whole.  It is a tentatively happy tale – which is the perfect tone, without ever becoming saccharine.  

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Slow Air at 59E59 Theaters

Playwright: David Harrower

Director: David Harrower

Cast: Lewis Howden, Susan Vidler

Through April 29th (website)

Upcoming: Medieval Play @ Signature Theater

The Signature Theater has amazing shows for $25.
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Link for Tickets
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Federer Versus Murray: An Emotional Match at 59E59

The title of the new show at 59E59 Theaters, Federer Versus Murray, isn’t truly indicative of the content.  True, you will see a match of wills - complete with volleys, pot shots and the occasional smash, but this is an emotional match between Jimmy and Flo, a long married Scottish couple.

Dave Anderson plays Jimmy and Gerda Stevenson plays Flo, and both actors have a real feel for these middle aged characters.  The play opens with Jimmy having recently been laid off, and deciding to watch Wimbledon before looking for a new job.  Jimmy’s decision upsets the marital dynamic, which has been carefully developed after the loss of their son in the Afghanistan war.  Since their loss, and possibly before that, Jimmy and Flo have lived a quiet life.  They have studiously avoided certain topics that would cause conflict, but now Jimmy’s constant presence at home forces some uncomfortable conversations.

Ms. Stevenson, as Flo, manages to organically convey exasperation, annoyance, longing and love towards her husband – common in marriage.  But she finds that the reality of Jimmy wears on her patience.  She has settled into a household rhythm and Jimmy has upset it.  Even more frustrating, her husband now wants to discuss the loss of their son.

Federer Versus Murray is a quick show, about an hour long, but packs quite an emotional punch into that time.  There is a fair amount of biting wit - a sign of affection in Scotland, but sometimes harsh to American sensibilities.  In other moments, quiet things, like the emotion Roger Federer brings out in Jimmy, are quite moving.

The Scottish brogue here is quite dense and sometimes difficult to understand.  It is a choice of the playwright (Ms. Stevenson), as it is the language of the working class in Scotland.  Jimmy and Flo are definitely working class, struggling to make ends meet.  This adds a layer of complexity to the characters, but it is a tough choice for American ears.

Gerda Stevenson wrote and directed this show, and her mastery of the material shines through.  The cast comes with the show from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last year.  It is a wonderful chance to see a show that presents a different viewpoint on the war, loss and bereavement.

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Federer Versus Murray @ 59E59 Theater

Playwright: Gerda Stevenson

Director: Gerda Stevenson

Cast: Dave Anderson, Ben Bryden, Gerda Stevenson

Plays Through: April 22 (website)

Upcoming: Title and Deed @ Signature

The new shows at the Signature Theater have been announced.  It is an amazing space.
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Select here for tickets.

Upcoming: Harold & Maude Musical (in progress)

York’s acclaimed Musicals in Mufti Series of musical theatre gems in staged concert performances has presented over 80 shows from the past in simply-staged concert format.  Mufti means: “in street clothes,” without the trappings associated with the original productions.

Harold and Maude. with Book & Lyrics by Tom Jones and Music by Joseph Thalken (Was, Songs from an Unmade Bed), based on the screenplay by Colin Higgins.  Directed by Carl Andress, the cast will feature original Harold and Maude cast members Donna Lynne Champlin (Billy Elliot) and Donna English (Lend Me a Tenor) with Matt Dengler(A Little Night Music) as Harold, Cass Morgan (Memphis) as Maude and Steve Routman (Le Bete). The musical adaptation of the 1971 cult-classic film Harold and Maude comes to life on the York stage in a new version by Jones and Thalken. In what some call the quintessential May-December romance, death-obsessed teenager, Harold, meets Maude, 79, at a funeral and thus begins one of the most unusual, yet truly touching romantic sagas in American pop-culture history. Harold and Maude, featuring Estelle Parsons in the title role, received its world premiere at Paper Mill Playhouse in 2005. The limited engagement will play 5 performances April 13 -15.

Cass Morgan 

Matt Dengler

York Theatre Company will host a special one-night only event, Story by Story: A Conversation with Tom Jones, onWednesday evening, April 4^th at 7:00 p.m.

All performances will take place at The York Theatre at Saint Peter’s on 54^th St, just east of Lexington Avenue.  Musicals in Mufti will continue with Colette Collage (April 27-29), and conclude with The Game of Love (May 11-13). Casting for these two shows will be announced shortly.

The performance schedule for each presentation is:  Fridays at 8:00 p.m., *Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and *Sundays at 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. (*Talkbacks follow all matinee performances). 

Tickets are priced at  $39.50 and are available online at www.yorktheatre.org, by calling (212) 935-5820, or in person at the box office at the York Theatre at Saint Peter’s (enter on 54^th Street, just East of Lexington), Monday through Friday (12-6 PM). A special $150 5-show package is still available and will include the remaining four Muftis and the conversation with Tom Jones, Story by Story on April 4^th.

Upcoming: Welcome Mat Reading Series

As I have noted before, New York offers some great chances to interact early with playwrights and actors as they progress works.  This company, Partial Comfort Productions, has mounted some amazing plays.  Here is a chance to see some works in progress.

Partial Comfort presents 8th Annual

WELCOME MAT READING SERIES

April 16 - May 7 at Atlantic Theater Company’s Studio Theater

Partial Comfort Productions will present its 8th annual WELCOME MAT

READING SERIES of new plays. The four-week series will be staged at Atlantic Theater

Company’s Studio Theater (330 W 16th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues) beginning April 16. Admission is free. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis with no advance reservation required.

The schedule for the  WELCOME MAT READING SERIES is:

Monday, April 16 @ 7:30 pm

TREVOR

Written by Nick Jones (The Coward, Jollyship the Whiz-Bang, and The Nosemaker's Apprentice with Rachel Shukert). Directed by Lila Neugebauer (The Aliens - West Coast Premiere, SF Playhouse), Nick Jones' Grizzly  at Joe's Pub).

Monday, April 23 @ 7:30 pm

THE OLD MASTERS

Written by Sam Marks (The Old Masters--Steppenwolf's First Look, The Joke--Studio Dante, Nelson--Partial Comfort). Directed by Daniel Aukin (4000 Miles at Lincoln Center, The Ugly One  at Soho Rep and THIS at Center Theatre Group).

Sunday, April 29 @ 7:30 pm

THE WHAT?

Written by Chad Beckim (After., The Maine Play, nami). Directed by Davis McCallum (A Bright New Boise - Drama Desk Nominations for Best Play and Best Director; Upcoming: February  House at Public Theater and Sam Hunter’s The Whale at Playwrights Horizons.)

Monday, May 7 @ 7:30 pm

THE MORNING THE SUN FELL DOWN

Written by Jonathan Caren (The Recommendation - Old Globe; 2011-12 Dramatist Guild Fellow, The 2011 New York Stage and Film Founder’s Award Winner; Most Outstanding Play, 2007 New York Fringe Fest for Catch the Fish.) Directed by Mia Rovegno (We Play For The Gods at The Women’s Project; Burnt Umber by Erik Ehn at LaMaMa); Underland by Alexandra Collier (The New Ohio).

Partial Comfort Productions is a collaborative ensemble devoted to the development and presentation of original new theater. The company was co-founded in 2002 by Chad Beckim and Molly Pearson. Past productions include Samuel D. Hunter’s A Bright New Boise (Best of 2010, New York Magazine), Thomas Bradshaw's The Bereaved (Best of 2009, Time Out New

York), a quartet of acclaimed works by Beckim (After., nami, The Maine Play and ...a matter of choice), Ross Maxwell’s Open House (Best Ensemble Award winner at FringeNYC 2006); Craft and Nelson by Sam Marks; Kidstuff by Edith Freni, Booty Candy by Robert O’Hara; and Play by OHara, Chay Yew, Kia Corthron, Eddie Sanchez, Keith Adkins and Tracey Scott Wilson. For more information visit www.partialcomfort.org.