Oscar E Moore

Tommy Femia

Somewhere over the rainbow, somewhere between a gay cabaret act and a legit comedy with musical parodies is where you will find Tommy Femia in this drag star vehicle “Norma Doesmen” doing his best to satirize the classic Billy Wilder film noir “Sunset Boulevard” and its star Gloria Swanson who played Norma Desmond.  Get it?

If not, you will be clobbered over the head with sexual innuendos, wild acting styles, and outlandish costumes until you do.  If you are going to parody this classic you must be up to the challenge.  To parody the sardonic Billy Wilder one needs a razor sharp wit.  Stephen Stahl who wrote this odd piece of theatrical ridiculousness and who also directed with a heavy hand doesn’t.  Sexual jokes can only go so far to help a limp script.

Modern day references are all over the place - with particular offense being taken by bringing up things to look forward to: McCarthy, assassinations, sexually transmitted diseases and Anita Bryant which stopped what comedy there was cold in its tracks. 

Tastelessness abounds.  That is, except for the extremely well appointed Gothic set designed by James Lyons which includes the requisite stained glass windows, Persian carpet, potted ferns and dimly lit lights to flatter the aging or is it ageless star of the show - the faded, over sexed and delusional Norma of the silent screen who is seeking a comeback playing Salome. 

She’s gotten herself a writer - the young stud Joe Dillis (Bryan R. Caine) who plays deadpan against her histrionics.  He actually is quite good at times but a bit inconsistent whenever he isn’t narrating or having to deal with his narcoleptic girlfriend Betty ShaveHer (ouch!) played unconvincingly by Christina Giordano.  With all due respect she doesn’t have much to work with having to fall asleep often at the drop of a cue.

Norma’s Germanic butler Max (Ken Shepard) is required to wear the most embarrassing outfits and cavort around the stage with his feather duster like a lunatic let loose from an asylum.   Or has living with Norma taken its toll on him?  He does an outstanding job.

But the night belongs to Tommy Femia whose wild eyes dart around trying to focus on any reality available.  Taking stage center declaring that it is all about “Me! Me!!  Me!!!!  When he has good material he is great and when he doesn’t well it’s not his fault.  He does get to imitate Chaplin, tango, rub against Joe, get out a few very good one liners and run off stage often to change his elaborate if somewhat tacky costumes.  He has the character down pat.  But it’s not enough to sustain two acts of utter nonsense.

Norma Doesmen is not ready for her close-up.   At the Abingdon Theatre through March 28^th.

www.abingdontheatre.org                   Photo:  Milton Perry

Tags:   Bryan R. Caine · Christina Giordano · Ken Shepard · Tommy FemiaNo Comments.

Jim Brochu

Zero Mostel born Samuel Joel Mostel - renowned actor, legendary comedian, notorious House Un-American Activities Committee victim who refused to name names and abstract painter (who knew?) is alive and well and venting at the DR2 Theatre on East 15^th Street where Jim Brochu is zeroing in on the man named Zero in his one man magnum opus performance in his new play Zero Hour which has transferred from its very successful run at the Theatre at St. Clements.

For those skeptics who do not believe in reincarnation, buy a ticket to see Mr. Brochu and you will instantly become a believer.   He has the bulk.  The darting eyes and salacious tongue.  The mannerisms.  The voice.  The ferociousness and the finesse - a magnificient embodiment of the real Zero Mostel.  It is to his credit that you begin to believe that you are watching Zero give this interview to an unseen reporter from the New York Times and not the actor portraying Zero.

Not only is the performance worth the price of admission but the script is well crafted - roaringly funny at times, full of backstage anecdotes which include tales about George Abbott, David Merrick, Louis B. Mayer, Lucille Ball and Jerome Robbins whom he labels a loose lipped weasel of a genius.  Fate kept putting them together.  Robbins did name names; Zero didn’t resulting in ten years of blacklisting.  Robbins came in to fix “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum” starring Zero and Brochu recreates brilliantly their chilling confrontation in front of the cast and crew.  They joined forces again with “Fiddler on the Roof” overcoming personal differences for the creation of art.

Mr. Mostel was a man of contradictions.  Always feeling excluded.  Always wanting to be in the spotlight and then not.  Retreating to his Studio on West 28^th to paint away the fears and the paranoia - where his Catholic wife Kathryn keeps calling to remind him to bring home some sour cream from Zabar’s and where he found solace recuperating from being hit by a bus which resulted in the near amputation of his leg and his relieved exit from a flop.

But most of the drama in the two act Zero Hour comes from the time when he was under scrutiny by the FBI regarding his communist affiliations.  It is in these scenes that you see the pent up anger explode - like a human volcano slowly erupting, spewing forth his rage at the “intellectual final solution to eliminate thought” - his hatred for Jerome Robbins festering and his fury over his best friend Paul Loeb jumping to his death after being blacklisted.  It’s an amazing piece of writing, performance and direction by Piper Laurie - who has just the right touch and tone for each segment of this intimate and impassioned portrait of an artist.  Zero Hour is the best one man show ever!

 www.zerohourshow.com             Photo:  Stan Barouh

Tags:   Jim Brochu · Piper Laurie · Zero MostelNo Comments.

Brian Murray & Melissa Errico

On a beautifully designed Victorian set, rich with details and carpets, by Tony Walton - who has also directed this new production of Candida by George Bernard Shaw - Brian Murray as Mister Burgess - Candida’s irascible and delightful scoundrel of a father who slowly realizes everyone else is “mad” -  just about pulls the rugs out from under everyone on stage at the intimate Irish Rep with his masterful and understated comic performance which brings to vibrant life this otherwise staid relic of a play.

But I suppose if G B Shaw had not written this odd love triangle of a play he might not have written Pygmalion and then we would never have had My Fair Lady.  So it’s a good thing that he got it out of his system early on.

The production is just fine.  It’s just that the play itself leaves much to be desired.  The Rev. James Morrell (a too uncharismatic Ciaran O’Reilly) is happily married and deeply in love with Candida (the beautiful Melissa Errico) who has been away on vacation for three weeks.  She brings home a souvenir.  Eugene Marchbanks (Sam Underwood), a shy eighteen year old poet who is also deeply in love with her, wanting to “rescue her” from her dull life.  The battle of who gets Candida ensues with a lot of talk that could lull you to sleep if not for Brian Murray and his excellent supporting players: Josh Grisetti (an excellently precise Rev. Alexander Mill - Morell’s curate) and Xanthe Elbrick (a totally efficient and somewhat tipsy Miss Proserpine Garnett (Morell’s typist and I think her typewriter is lacking a ribbon).

Unfortunately there is little “love chemistry” between the three main players.  Not for a minute do you believe that this Candida could ever have fallen in love and married this particular Reverend who supposedly has the world enthralled with his sermons.  I think not.  Nor is there much of anything coming from the gangly, nervous and noble young Marchbanks who seems almost robotic in his musical comedy delivery.

The ravishing Ms. Errico must choose between them.   You might be surprised with her decision but then again you most probably already know with the many many production of this Shavian comedy produced over the years.

What might have spiced things up quite a bit would be to have Bruce Willis, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher acting out this imagined love triangle.

 www.irishrep.org   Photo:  Carol Rosegg

Tags:   Brian Murray · Ciaran O'Reilly · Josh Grisetti · Melissa Errico · Sam Underwood · The Irish Rep · Tony Walton · Xanthe ElbrickNo Comments.

Robbie Collier Sublett

How long a journey must a young Celtic lad, Finn McCool (part human, part magical, part hunk; straight out of a legend from pagan Ireland) travel to avenge his father’s death, fall in and out of love, meet up with a salmon who imparts knowledge, listen to his story being told by not one but three long winded storytellers at odds with each other, be wounded and impart wounds and finally learn that it is far better to win with words than with weapons?

The answer is an eternity.  It’s a very long one and a half hours on this ill conceived Mabou Mines adventure (directed by Sharon Fogarty - written by Jocelyn Clarke) which uses the latest digital technologies (Misha Films) to bring this ancient tale up to the 3D present.  Some of the videos are quite vivid and interesting.  The story isn’t.  It’s complicated to the point of not caring.

There is the young savage (Robbie Collier Sublett) with his naked torso and dreadlocked hair whose story is being relived as it is told by an old man (Jarlath Conroy) looking like Moses ready to part the Red Sea with his two assistants (Brandon Goodman & Dion Mucciacito) jumping in and out of the orchestra pit, acting very much like Tweedledee and Tweedledum - adding very little to this high school level performance.

With his magical spear, Mr. McCool - who isn’t -  finally finds his father’s magical treasure bag - the word magical is used throughout but there isn’t anything remotely magical happening on stage.  It’s downright boring (except for the video tricks).  About half way through a young voice was heard in the darkened theatre - which was lacking in audience members - “Is it over?”  It wasn’t and we all hoped it would soon be.  It wasn’t.  Droning on until the digitally enhanced bitter end.

Last performance is Sunday March 7^th @ 2PM.  Finn-ito!

Photo:  Paula Court

Tags:   Mabou MinesNo Comments.

What’s more horrible - killing a new born kitten, a hit and run accident, capital punishment, serving a vegan some foul or having an abortion?  All of these points are brought up in the new Jonathan Reynolds play Girls in Trouble - and are they ever.

There are three stories going on here and the resident acting company of the Flea Theatre, the Bats, does an admirable job of acting them out.

First up is a naturalistic segment that has two guys with an inebriated gal in the back seat of their car driving wildly to Cleveland during the sixties when abortion was illegal to have that act performed on said gal. Frat sex talk and jokes abound.  Hutch (Andy Gershenzon) is a well connected, crass young egotist in D.C. who has a quickie along the road with his female friend (Betsy Lippitt) while Teddy, his nerdy buddy (Brett Aresco) listens and looks and masturbates while they partake in said quickie.  She finally has the procedure for which she is also ripped off financially by Hutch.  The abortion goes awry while the daughter (Eboni Booth) of the abortionist (Akylaa Wilson) snaps the head off a new born kitten.  How symbolic!

The second too long for its own good section is a kind of rap monologue by the drugged up grown up daughter of the abortionist from the earlier segment which takes place during the Reagan years which now puts this ghetto girl in control as she has the law on her side.  Waffling back and forth to abort or not to abort, Eboni Booth delivers the goods turning in a great performance.  And she isn’t finished yet.

After a long intermission, while they set up an entirely new kitchen set with a wok that works, we find ourselves in a completely new tonal landscape.  Ms. Booth has cleaned up her act and life - she is now a doctor (but is she?) has married her old boyfriend, has six children and has gotten herself into the kitchen of NPR star chef Amanda (a beautiful, strong and believable Laurel Holland) who finds herself surprisingly pregnant and has called on the services of this other woman to help her.

Eboni Booth & Laurel Holland

As it turns out she is a pro life activist and does everything to convince Amanda that she is not there to harm her (she strips down naked to prove her point) and that Amanda should have her baby even if she puts it up for adoption.  Every conceivable argument is presented here (verbal ping pong) both pro and con, by Mr. Reynolds with a dash of satire thrown in to spice things up even more.  Betsy Lippitt shows up as the young daughter that hates her mom and her ex-husband (Marshall York) appears so that more opinions can be screamed.  The pro life activist finally takes things into her own hands, literally, with an ending that is extremely hard to swallow.  It’s not for the squeamish.

Director Jim Simpson has attempted to make sense out of this long, graphic and uneven production.  It’s unsettling but I suppose that’s the point.   www.theflea.org

Tags:   Betsy Lippitt · Eboni Booth · Jim Simpson · Jonathan Reynolds · Laurel HollandNo Comments.

Michael Urie & Thomas Jay Ryan

Your average looking guy, not effeminate in the least - a Communist married for over ten years who has children and is living in California suddenly decides in 1950 to admit to his being “different” as he falls in love with Rudi Gernreich - the designer (before he became famous).  They recruit three other men of the same persuasion - calling themselves “Temperamentals”.  They unanimously swear to execute a Manifesto which asserts that they are not to be considered second class citizens anymore, aiming for security and equality of rights under the law.  And thus the Mattachine Society was born - the first gay rights organization in America.

His name was Harry Hay.  This is all before Stonewall.  This is a true story.  The play The Temperamentals by Jon Marans has reopened at New World Stages - playing at Stage 5.

Somehow the story doesn’t seem as important as it should despite its importance in gay history.  This small group of brave men initiated the gay activist movement but the play is more a history lesson and lecture than a theatrical event.  Although director Jonathan Silverstein does his best with the aid of music and lights and moving chairs around the barren and depressing stage to suggest the many locales. 

As another theatrical device, Jon Marans has attempted to divide speeches among his five actors to make them well, more theatrical but the play just never seems quite compelling enough to warrant two and a half hours worth of political rhetoric albeit with humor, intelligence and bravado.

Once we know their problem it becomes repetitive.  It’s a long time before one of them is arrested for public lewdness with the police report stating that there were “No Humans Involved” sparking the transformation of Mr. Hays who comes out from behind his mask dropping all pretenses, donning a ladies shawl and openly admitting he is a homosexual.  Thomas Jay Ryan gives a masterful, insightful, conflicted and nuanced performance as Harry Hay.  His scenes with Michael Urie as Rudi are the best of the play with Mr. Urie giving us a charming, bemused and arrogant portrayal of the designer hungry for fame - willing to do anything to get to the top.  Two electrifying performances.  Backed up by Arnie Burton, Matthew Schneck and Sam Breslin Wright who play multiple characters to the hilt.   Mr. Burton is especially remarkable as Vincent Minnelli.

If anything, Rudi’s story becomes more interesting - perhaps because as a European he could get away with a lot more than his American counterparts.  Perhaps because it is the more colorful role.  Perhaps it’s just that Mr. Urie is so handsome, honest and magnetic. 

Every gay person should have an immense sense of gratitude to these groundbreaking men who dared to come out at a time when even looking at another man or secretly meeting with a lover could mean arrest and defilement.  The small tremors that they created started the gay activist avalanche.  Today’s gays, I’m afraid, care only about the here and now and not the past when if not for the past they would not be enjoying the here and now.   www.newworldstages.com   www.thetemperamentals.com  

Photo: Joan Marcus

Tags:   Arnie Burton · Jon Marans · Jonathan Silverstein · Matt Schneck · MIchael Urie · Sam Breslin Wright · Thomas Jay RyanNo Comments.

Consider yourself one of the lucky few who can get a ticket to the Transport Group’s revival of Mart Crowley’s “The Boys in the Band” - now extended through March 28^th.

In this inspired and ingenious production, director Jack Cummings III has set the play in a Penthouse loft space at 37 West 26^th Street which seats approximately 99 in the round - right in the middle of Harold’s gay birthday party bitch fest.  You are barely a breath away from the actors. 

As your head swivels to catch each and every classic zinger you may feel that you are in the midst of a 1960’s happening, watching a time capsule reincarnation of gay life way back when with references to Judy Garland, Bette Davis, sandalwood soap, gay bars and the baths.  When coming out was solely the act of a debutante.  However more open we have become regarding gays some of the same problems still exist - loneliness, guilt, self loathing and the importance of physical beauty.

All of the stereotypes are finely etched: The flamboyant Queen Emory (John Wellmann), The guilt ridden and bitter host Michael (Jonathan Hammond) the unexpected guest ex-roommate of Michael in-the-closet Alan (Kevin Isola) Bernard the Queen of Spades (Kevyn Morrow) the couple on-the-rocks, teacher Hank (Graham Rowat) in the middle of a divorce from his wife and dealing with the promiscuity of Larry (Christopher Innvar) his present lover.  Donald (Nick Westrate) Michael’s weekend trick, the Midnight Cowboy hustler (Aaron Sharff) who is a birthday gift for the very high and regal Harold (Jon Levenson) whose Greek Chorus comments are sublime.  All in all a wonderful ensemble that can deliver the now famous one-liners, one nastier than the next, as the evening progresses over cocktails of the Molotov variety and lasagna.

I had seen the original production and remember the incredible cast but this is a whole different experience.  Watching the play and the audience.  We dressed differently then and were a bit more formal and more careful of our actions - although just being there sort of gave us away.  I was intrigued by one young couple, probably just turned twenty something who sat there with their arms entwined, kissing and cooing like two turtle doves as they giggled over the somewhat contrived but altogether enthralling shenanigans on stage.

To paraphrase one of the characters, we have to have respect for each others freedom.  In Mart Crowley’s ground breaking play he has helped gay people and the world around us to do just that with a wicked sense of humor.

www.transportgroup.org  Photo:  Carol Rosegg

Tags:   Aaron Sharff · Christopher Innvar · Graham Rowat · Jack Cummings III · John Wellmann · Jon Levenson · Jonathan Hammond · Kevin Isola · Kevyn Morrow · Mart Crowley · Nick WestrateNo Comments.

Craig Wright has written a new, bewildering take on Oedipus called “Blind” and you can see it at the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater through March 21^st.  But don’t say I sent you. 

In what could be the strangest theatrical experience I’ve ever had at the Rattlestick, King Oedipus (Seth Numrich - with bandaged feet that have no problem stalking the stage) has a sit down, heart to heart discussion with his wife Jocasta (a reed thin, frosty and feisty Veanne Cox) who is also his mom.  

A ninety minute discourse that has them rehashing the famous curse - trying to see the way through their tragic life; trying to discover who knew what and when -  that has brought them to this point of literally roaring at each other like two caged animals as directed by Lucie Tiberghien garnering some unwanted giggles.

Trouble is a brewing in Thebes.  Ancient Thebes - which is represented by one of the most elaborate contemporary bedrooms ever to grace the stage of the Rattlestick, designed by Takeshi Kata with red lacquered walls, black accents, a cell phone, crown moldings and a bath tub which finds a naked Jocasta soaking and partaking of a stiff cognac as she awaits the return of her young husband.  She needs it to get through what follows.

Should he abdicate?  What to do with the children?  Will the maid (Danielle Slavick) who secretly wants to be Queen and is screwing Oedipus on the side be any help?  Especially after the knock down, dragged out making up sex fest between mom and son that has Jocasta pleading to be murdered while vigorously being pummeled by her husband on the shag rug while ripping his eyes out in this self indulgent muddled mess of a play which garners too many unwanted laughs for its own good.

Bravo to the actors for learning their pompous lines and for delivering them with gusto even though we are hard pressed to understand what the meaning of all this is.  Perhaps it is that you just can’t fight fate.

 www.rattlestick.org  Photo: Sandra Coudert

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Amas Musical Theatre has gone out on a long, two and a half hour limb in association with Snap-Two Productions in presenting this must-be-told, fascinating and least known story to come out of the Holocaust.  The true story of the Czech ghetto Terezin, renamed by Hitler -Theresienstadt - in his bid to fool the world and to hide the truth about what he was actually doing to the Jews, using them as props to feed his propaganda machine.

Not only did the Nazi’s want to exterminate the Jewish race but they had the audacity to set up a “City for Jews” disguising the facts with a façade of beautification to fool the Red Cross inspectors - populating the city with artists, writers, musicians and scholars forced into lying - the alternative: being sent to Auschwitz.  Trying to impress the outside world with how well they were treating the Jews under their control.  Pretending that hell was indeed a paradise for them.  Signs of Life is a story of coping, surviving and ultimate bravery.

It is a difficult story to set to music without becoming maudlin or trite.  But it must be passionate.  Unfortunately the music by Joel Derfner rarely soars, becoming hypnotic when it should be haunting (with the exception of “Home Again Soon”).  The lyrics by Len Schiff range from the expositional to the poetic to the intellectual which carry out the themes set up by book writer Peter Ullian.  Although interesting, I felt a strong scholarly bent where more heartfelt emotions should be.

The cast does as well as can be expected under the static direction of Jeremy Dobrish.  The heroine of the piece, artist Lorelei Schumann (Patricia Noonan - who has some of the same wonderful qualities of Sutton Foster) is torn between surviving and wanting to get the truth out by rendering pictures that vividly portray what life is really like in the ghetto - and attempting to smuggle them out.  Her grandfather Jacob (Stuart Zagnit) the owner of an art gallery where Berta (an exceptional Erika Amato)  shops to fill her home with expensive artwork to impress and then finds herself out on the street when the Nazi’s arrive - dumped by her German husband, finds solace in the bed of the cabaret performer - Kurt Gerard (Jason Collins).  The young Wolfie Schumann (Gabe Green)  gives a very nice portrayal of a boy set down in a world that he doesn’t understand.  Wilson Bridges, as Simon Muller, is the political activist who falls in love with Lorelei.  He is excellent in spirit and voice despite the fact that his character can become annoying at times.  As the two Nazi’s, Kurt Zischke and Allen E. Read are rightfully despicable.  And then there is the flamboyantly gay Jonas (Nic Cory) who goes over the top which only makes it all the more difficult to accept him as the other characters he portrays.

In the lobby there is an exhibition of drawings salvaged from Terezin.  They are incredibly moving.  I wish I could say the same for Signs of Life.  At the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theatre 5 West 63^rd Street through March 21^st.

NOTE:  There are scheduled post performance talkbacks with Terezin survivors - Edith Eger, Edgar Krasa, Gisela Adamski, Anita Schorr, Sol Rosenkrantz and John Freund.  Others scheduled to appear are Robert Fischl, Barbara Siesel, Philip Silver, Stephan Herz and Fred Terna.   www.amasmusical.org

Photo: Joan Marcus

Tags:   Amas Musical TheatreNo Comments.

Bobby Steggert & Ivan Hernandez

Boy meets boy.  Boy gets boy.  Boy loses boy.  Maybe…Not your typical Rodgers and Hammerstein love story.  But a love story nonetheless.  A beautiful love story set during WW II - in the Army.  Bring along a tissue or two as it is also heartbreaking and totally honest.  And funny.  And toe tappingly tuneful.  Thanks to its creators - Joseph and David Zellnik - both gay, both magnificently talented and both beaming at the back of the house at the York Theatre where Yank! is receiving a full bodied, sensitive and totally entertaining production.  With an exceptional cast of eleven men and one woman - the distinctive Nancy Anderson - portraying the women in their lives and dreams.

All the elements of an old fashioned musical comedy have come together including a dream ballet in Act II (although nicely executed by Denis Lambert & Joseph Medeiros it makes the already long show longer) with a timeless and timely story of two servicemen falling in love with each other.  Where falling in love in the Army can get you ousted if you’re outed. 

The fluid direction of Igor Goldin is helped immensely by the simple yet magical set of movable screens designed by Ray Klausen - creating the effect of watching a movie - live on stage.  Costumes by Tricia Barsamian, particularly those of Ms. Anderson as she changes characters (and wigs) are particularly eye catching.  And Ken Lapham can beautifully change mood and location with a flick of his light switch.

Bobby Steggert is absolutely terrific as Stu - who finds a diary of a gay soldier in a junk shop - where most people would think it belonged - then becoming the character, telling his story with an electrifying and honest performance going from being scared about taking a shower with the guys to professing his attraction and love and then becoming man enough to fight what he thinks is right that makes you care for him and his gorgeous in-the-closet boyfriend Mitch - portrayed with equal compassion by Ivan Hernandez.  What a beautiful couple.

Nancy Anderson

There is an assortment of characters which include your typical homophobic hick from Tennessee (Andrew Durand), the Polak Czechowski (Tally Sessions), Rotelli with a strong Italian accent (David Perlman), Professor (Christopher Ruth), Sarge (a tough Todd Faulkner who doubles as Scarlett) and a trio of gay stenographers (including Zak Edwards as Melanie) working at Yank Magazine where Artie (Jeffry Denman) is head journalist and who helps Stu secure a job as photographer - keeping him out of the line of fire - teaching and convincing him how to protect himself with a great syncopated tune “Click”.  He is also responsible for the great dance sequences.

For all the fun found in Yank! - there is an equal amount of seriousness that reminds us all that we should be free to be who we are and to be able to love anyone openly without fear of being destroyed.  That we shouldn’t have to hide, keeping our lives in the shadows.  To not be afraid to stand up for what we believe in.  And boldly sing and dance about it.  We can thank Joseph and David Zelnick for doing just that it such an entertaining and sincere manner.    www.yorktheatre.org           Photo:  Carol Rosegg

Tags:   Bobby Steggert · David Zellnik · Igor Goldin · Ivan Hernandez · Jeffry Denman · Joseph Zellnik · Nancy AndersonNo Comments.