As Wide As I Can See: It is Wonderful!

As Wide As I Can See @ Here Arts Center

As Wide As I Can See, at the Here Arts Center, is one of those rare shows that force one to move from a critic to an evangelist. Go see it right now; it will not disappoint.

As Wide As I Can See takes place entirely in an Ohio backyard.  Set in suburban Youngstown, the town has been hit by the recession and is slowly contracting; involuntarily downsizing the hopes and aspirations of its citizens.  In a nice little yard, Dean, an out-of-work journalist, is preparing a bar-b-que with his buddy, Tyler.  Tyler is an old high-school friend, now living with his young family in a trailer parked out back.

The bar-b-que is to introduce Dean’s girlfriend, Jessica - who owns the house, to Dean’s friends.  Despite their obvious affection, Jessica and Dean’s relationship is strained by Dean’s recent unemployment and the continuing occupation of the yard by Tyler and his brood.  But for this one evening, everyone is trying hard to get along.

Cast of As Wide As I Can See at Here Arts Center
Conan McCarty, Melisa Breiner-Sanders, Ryan Barry, Julie Leedes, Joshua Levine & Kay Capasso

A wildcard gets thrown into the mix when Jessica invites an old acquaintance, Charlotte, to the party.  Charlotte brings up memories that neither Tyler nor Dean want to revisit.

The beauty of As Wide As I Can See, is that this set-up feels natural.  Writer Mark Snyder brings a realistic voice to these characters, a voice that never feels forced or un-natural.  Dean, an excellent Ryan Barry, is a little lost and bitter, but obviously in love and a very likeable character.  As the more uptight Jessica, Julie Leedes, brings a warmth and insecurity that helps explain Jessica’s desire for order.  Their affection is believable, walking the tightrope between reminding versus nagging while still being supportive.  Ryan Berry’s Dean is confronting the little and big questions of life. And the introduction of Charlotte intensifies the questions.

Julie Leedes and Ryan Barry

As Tyler and Nan, the couple in the trailer our back, Joshua Levine and Kay Capasso are wonderful.  They question life less and enjoy it more than the complex couple in the house.  Tyler and Nan enjoy the simple pleasures of life, but without ever being “simple”.  The final couple is Charlotte and Walt, played Melisa Breiner-Sanders and Conan McCarty.  Both of these actors do a great job of bringing difficult characters to life.  Conan McCarty,in particular, layers his performance as the supportive Walt.

Director Dan Horrigan does a great job with a wonderful script.  He has given the characters the time and space to grow over the course of the show.  There is a point, late in the show, when Jessica is sitting on the stoop, smoking.  The slouch of Ms. Leedes’ carriage, the simple act of smoking – not over-the-top puffing and exhaling, coupled with the time Mr. Horrigan allows for the scene to linger, give rise to a sense of fragility bordering on exhaustion. And it is gone the second someone else enters the scene, as Jessica wouldn’t allow herself to be seen in a moment of self-pity.  It is simple touches like that which makes As Wide As I Can See such a fantastic piece of theater.

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As Wide As I Can See at Here Arts Center

Playwright: Mark Snyder

Director: Dan Horrigan

Cast: Ryan Barry, Melisa Breiner-Sanders, Kay Capasso, Julie Leedes, Joshua Levine, Conan McCarty

Runs Through: March 10th

Carrie: Extended

MCC THEATER PRODUCTION OF

“ C A R R I E ”

ANNOUNCES A FOUR-WEEK EXTENSION

THROUGH APRIL 22, 2012

NEW FRONT ROW RUSH POLICY ADDED FOR EXTENSION

TICKETS TO ALL PERFORMANCES NOW ON SALE

New York, NY – MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) announced today that Carrie, now in previews at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street), has extended its run by popular demand, and will now play performances through April 22, 2012. 

The newly reworked and fully re-imagined production of Carrie features music by Michael Gore, lyrics by Dean Pitchford (Academy Award winning composer and lyricist for the original film Fame) and a book by Lawrence D. Cohen(who also adapted the 1974 novel by Stephen King for the 1976 Brian DePalma film).  Directed by Stafford Arima, performances for Carrie began January 31, 2012, at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC).  The official opening night is set for March 1, 2012; the show was originally scheduled to run through March 25, 2012.

It was also announced today that a new Front Row Rush policy will be in place for all performances March 27 – April 22, 2012.  Two hours prior to each performance, tickets for the front row of the orchestra (11 seats) will be available at the box office for $20, to anyone under the age of 30, by showing a valid photo ID (one ticket per person).  This program is in addition to MCC Theater’s longstanding $20 Under 30 program, which is still available in advance, online and in person at the box office.

Based on Stephen King's bestselling novel, the musical of Carrie hasn't been seen since its legendary 1988 Broadway production. Set today, in the small town of Chamberlain, Maine, Carrie stars Tony Award nominee Marin Mazzie (Next to Normal, Kiss Me Kate) as Carrie's evangelical mother, Margaret White, and Molly Ranson (Jerusalem, August: Osage County) as the lonely, vengeful, yet fragile girl at the center of it all.  The cast also includes Christy Altomare, Carmen Cusack, Jeanna de Waal, Derek Klena, Ben Thompson, Wayne Wilcox, Corey Boardman, Blair Goldberg, F. Michael Haynie, Andy Mientus, Elly Noble, Jen Sese, Mackenzie Bell, Jake Boyd and Anne Tolpegin.

Assistance @ Playwrights Horizons (thru March 11)

Assistance @ Playwrights Horizons

Assistance, now on stage at Playwrights Horizons, opens frenetically with two men sparring at/to each other in a shared language of puns, jokes, expletives, and verbal shorthand.  It races with such a rapid fire pace that the audience is left wondering if they will ever catch up.  Your ear has to attune to the cadence, in much the same way it takes a few minutes of Shakespeare before the viewer settles into it.

Those audience members that do fall into the rhythm and mindset of these men, they are rewarded with play that engenders a sense of camaraderie and fun set in the cut-throat world of entertainment personal assistants. Those audience members that are easily offended, too empathetic or don’t catch on quickly to the slang and speed of the delivery tend to drop out of the proceedings, which is too bad.  Because Assistants is about more than just crazed office workers, it is about the lengths we go to reach our dreams. And how we cling to those dreams, even after they fall short of our expectations.

The boss, a sadistic self-important and border-line psychopath, but powerful entertainment executive, is never seen.  It is his whims, frustrations and rules which drive the people on stage into fits to meet his requirements.  Michael Esper and Virginia Kull bring life to Nick and Nora, the central pair of executive assistants.  These two give voice and reason as to why someone would choose this job.  Nick guides Nora through the Byzantine rule set to please, or at least not anger, the un-seen Mr. Weinberger.

Virginia Kull & Michael Esper as assistants in Assistance

The rest of the cast, including Bobby Steggart and Lucas Near-Vergrugghe, are excellent – they show up for some magical moments, in roles as the assistant de jour.  Amy Rosoff and Sue Jean Kim play female assistants very well, although they are given pretty one dimensional roles to fulfill.

The sets (David Korins) are great, and provide an appropriate claustrophobic environment; big enough to lose something important, but not big enough to provide relief.  And Director Trip Cullman moves the cast very well inside of this new play by Leslye Headland.

But as good as the cast is, the point of the entire show hangs just out reach.  Is this elaborate game an appropriate, or useful, try out for the next job?  Is it a story of power gone mad, and the lengths people will do to achieve it?  Is it a morality tale; be careful what you wish for?  Or it is it the tale of the lifecycle of a relationship, albeit not a romantic one?  The ambiguity of the point can be fascinating, and it was in Assistance.  But an audience member looking for a more black and white experience could find Assistance frustrating.

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Assistance at PlayWrights Horizons

Playwright: Leslye Headland

Director: Trip Cullman

Cast: Michael Esper, Sue Jean Kim, Virginia Kull, Lucas Near-Verbrugghe, Amy Rosoff, Bobby Stegger

Runs Through: March 11th

Website

Ali Forney Center Benefit

“ B R O A D W A Y   B E A U T Y   P A G E A N T ”

WITH SPECIAL APPEARANCES BY BRENT BARRETT

AND PAST WINNERS FRANKIE JAMES GRANDE

AND MICHAEL CUSUMANO

ONE-NIGHT-ONLY

MONDAY, MARCH 19

AT SYMPHONY SPACE

New York, NY (2/21/12) – The contestants for the sixth annual The Broadway Beauty Pageant have been announced. Participants include Andrew Chappelle (Mamma Mia!), Wilkie Ferguson (Porgy and Bess), Corey Mach(Godspell), Jesse Swimm (Mary Poppins), and Anthony Wayne (Priscilla Queen of the Desert). Brent Barrett(Chicago) and past Pageant winners Frankie James Grande (Mamma Mia!) and Michael Cusumano (Chicago) are set to perform. As previously announced, four-time Tony nominated and Drama Desk Award-winning actress Tovah Feldshuh will host the event which will take place on Monday evening, March 19th, 8p.m., at Symphony Space (2537 Broadway at 95^th St.). The popular event is the annual benefit of New York’s Ali Forney Center.

The Broadway Beauty Pageant will feature Chappelle, Ferguson, Mach, Swimm, and Wayne as they represent their respective Broadway shows, competing for the title crown through talent, interview and swimsuit competitions.  The contestants will go head to head in front of a panel of celebrity judges, but ultimately, the final vote is in the audience's hands. Past judges have included Bruce Vilanch, Carson Kressley, Rachel Dratch, Ana Gasteyer, Michael Musto, Christine Ebersole, Beth Leavel, Charles Busch, and Seth Rudetsky.

  

The Broadway Beauty Pageant is written and conceived by Jeffery Self and directed by Ryan J. Davis, with musical direction by Christopher Denny. The evening is presented by Time Warner NYC, HBO and The Corcoran Group, and produced by Ryan J. Davis, Wil Fisher and Matthew Oberstein. The casting is by Daryl Eisenberg, and the lighting design is by Brian Tovar. Choreography is by Erin Porvaznika.

The Ali Forney Center (AFC) was started in June 2002 in response to the lack of safe shelter for LGBT youth in New York City.  They have grown quickly to become the nation's largest and most comprehensive organization dedicated to homeless LGBT youth.  They are committed to providing LGBT youth with safe, dignified, nurturing environments where their needs can be met and where they can begin to put their lives back together. The center provides short and long term housing in Manhattan and Brooklyn, plus free medical care, HIV testing, mental health services, showers, food, computer access and job training and placement at its drop-in centers in Chelsea and Brooklyn. 

Tickets for The Broadway Beauty Pageant are available at www.SymphonySpace.org or by calling the box office at 212-864-5400, and are $25, $50 and VIP $150. Individual Sponsored tickets range from $250 to $1000 and can be purchased by contacting wfisher@aliforneycenter.org.

It is an Amazing Time for Theater

There is nothing like late Winter and Spring for a Theater Lover in NYC.
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I haven't had a chance to see "Poetic License" at 59E59 Theaters.  But here is a link to an interesting review from the NY Times.
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LINK (review by Anita Gates)

Poetic License Natalie Kuhn and Ari Butler in this unsettling drama about a renowned poet and plagiarism at 59E59 Theaters.

Shatner's World : A Comfortable Place to Visit

Shatner’s World; We Just Live In It… @ The Music Box

William Shatner ambles around the stage - in Shatner’s World; We Just Live In It… now on stage at The Music Box - comfortable, easygoing and fully in possession of the spotlight.  He spends a little over 90 minutes spinning tales and reminiscing about his career.  Watching the show is a bit like spending the evening with an eccentric old uncle.  Mr. Shatner is funny, interesting, endearing and every now and then a little od

The Man, William Shatner, and the alter-ego he can't forget. 

But above all here, in this venue, he is a showman and he knows what the audience wants. His monologues, stories and video bits never stray away from Captain Kirk or Denny Crane for too long.  He elegantly weaves his backstory and upbringing into a narrative that winds through some of our favorite collective memories.  And in Shatner’s World, this William Shatner is a character that cannot believe his good luck.  It is this acknowledgement that makes William Shatner, the person behind the character, likeable.

The show contains a nice mix of history, video clips and observations that keep the evening rolling along well.  It seems more suited to a informal New York Times talkback or a 92 Street Y evening, but that seems to be splitting hairs.  A full house demonstrated that Bill can sell a room.

Part way through the show, Mr. Shatner told the story of a dreadful theater experience, while doing The World of Susie Wong.  I can’t do it justice here, but to hear him tell it is to gain an entirely new appreciation for his style and work ethic.  I left the theater a much bigger fan than I entered.

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Shatner’s World; We Just Live In It… at The Music Box

Playwright: William Shatner

Director: Scott Faris

Cast: William Shatner

Website

Sounds Great for Children

..sounds a little much for me.  But if you have kids it could be great. They seem to have thrown in everything but the kitchen sink (what happened to the good old Peter & The Wolf days, with a flute and scary lights?).

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Cinderella and the Prince
Who Slays the Magic Dragon

The Little Orchestra Society/Orpheon, Inc.
James Judd, Guest Conductor

Saturday, March 10 at 11:00am and 1:00pm
Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center


A larger-than-life production of the classic fairy tale is set to the music of Sergei Prokofiev and brings to the stage dancers, puppets, a fifteen foot-tall Fairy Godmother and a Magic Dragon! Be part of the fantasy as dancers become winged horses and party guests become mice in a fabulous retelling of this story. With choreography by Lisa Rinehart, additional choreography by Roger C. Jeffrey, and character and production design by Manju Shandler, this fully staged production is a magical experience for audiences of all ages.