Oscar E Moore

Spellbound: A musical adventure – “an epic fantasy for all ages” written by Paul J. Deakin and Christian De Gre is being presented at The Ellen Stewart at La Mama ETC as part of the Fringe Festival NYC, directed by Nancy Robillard.

It is fitting that it is playing at this venue as so many experimental plays have been supported and nurtured here.  Spellbound is an ambitious project.  It tries to do far more than it can possibly achieve on stage.  It is a fantasy.  It is about wizardry, warlocks and witches with oddly named characters inhabiting their very own mythical world.  Does Harry Potter come to mind?

It does.  Only the person who wants to follow in grandfather’s magical Wizard shoes is an eighteen year old girl named Herianne – with a lovely soprano (Ashley C. Williams).  And so she meets up with lots of opposition on her journey to become a Grand Wizard.  Girls cannot do that.  But with a lot of help from her friends she does exactly that.

It doesn’t matter if a musical is “for all ages” – what does matter is having characters that you can care about, a strong story and memorable music.  Spellbound does have a heroine that we care for but the story is a bit too convoluted and the music, which sounds like a combination of “New Age” and Yanni with a nod towards Andrew Lloyd Webber, strains the eardrums with its abundant duets, trios and quintets. 

There are twenty two pre recorded songs that the large cast of eighteen actors sings along with under the direction of musical direction of Manny Simone without intermission.

Many of the singers are outstanding:  Aaron Schroeder (Greeme) Martin Van Treuren (Master Garlan) Kristin Wetherington (The Dark Witch Meldah) and David Garry (Egor) who also gets to complain and fart a lot, adding some much needed comedy to the saga.

Spellbound might make a better movie.

www.SpellboundTheMusical.com   

www.MindTheArtEntertainment.com

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Imagine that an old friend, an affable laid back teacher invites you over to talk about his one year trip to China months before the Tiananmen Square incident in 1988.  I think you would expect some exciting insights as to what caused the Chinese students to revolt so dramatically and at least a couple of photos.

In Gary Moore’s “Burning in China” a solo autobiographical monologue about his one year trip to China with his wife Susan, starring Jeff LeBeau as Mr. Moore – which is part  of the Fringe Festival NYC at the 4^th Street Theatre – you get an affable laid back account of his teaching stint at a Chinese University, his difficulty in communicating with his students afraid of making errors, his attraction to the Chinese females in his class and in general, his mounting of an original “Rap Opera” – a combination of Abe Lincoln and the Monkey King, and an introductory video of smog, tons of bicycles and people doing Tai Chi on a large video screen that is unfortunately never put to use again.

Considering that “Burning in China” is directed by five-time Oscar nominated cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, it is surprising to say the least.  Pictures are worth a thousand words – and they would have helped alleviate some of the tedium that begins to set in.

It is about half way through when things begin to get interesting as he speaks to some Chinese guys about sex and penis size – in hushed tones – of course.  But hushed tones in a theatre, even one as intimate as The 4^th Street Theatre do not work.  One needs to hear what is being said.  Despite the affable and laid back performance of Mr. LeBeau who started to look more and more like Ryan O’Neal, many important lines went whispered and were lost.

The bi-lingual Rap Opera does enliven the monologue and give Mr. LeBeau a chance to break loose, showing Mr. Moore’s breakthrough in communicating with his students and their desire for emancipation and democracy that led to them skipping classes and demonstrating for freedom that lead to Tiananmen Square which in turn led to Mr. Moore leaving China early and in documenting his experiences which in turn led to “Burning in China” at the Fringe.

www.FringeNYC.org

www.BurningInChina.com

Tags:   Caleb Deschanel · Gary Moore · Jeff LeBeauNo Comments.

Downright dizzying.  That’s what The Twentieth-Century Way – a production by The Theatre @ Boston Court and now part of Fringe Festival NYC at The Players Theatre comes across as.  Written by Tom Jacobson and directed by Michael Michetti it is an intriguing, puzzling and challenging experience in theatrics.

Two actors are auditioning for a movie in Hollywood circa 1914.  They are to be hired by the Police Department – as actors – to entrap homosexuals for “social vagrancy” in public rest rooms and Private Clubs in Long Beach.

Warren (Robert Mammana) is ruggedly handsome while Brown (Will Bradley) is pretty.  Warren is an actor in the style of the grand manner – outwardly theatrical while Brown is more method – inwardly finding his character.  Or characters in this case.  As both actors are called upon to play a variety of parts.  Often with split second timing to change a hat or add a cane or a flower in the lapel.  With accents to match.  It is a mind boggling tour de force on both actor’s parts.  They are simply magnificent.

The play is another story.  Who is auditioning for whom?  Is one of them gay or both?  Will they regret the fifteen dollars a head they receive for each degenerate arrested?  Will they never stop arguing over their individualistic choice of acting styles?  Are they afraid to reveal who they really are?  Is this the role of an actor?  So many questions with so few answers.

Directed with precision the two actors never stop rattling off their staccato dialogue and changing of accents and characters.  It does become a bit wearisome and the story of entrapment gets lost within all the improvisational games being played out by them.

The invention of the zipper it seems was one of the reasons that started homosexuals gathering in places for easy and quick fellatio and when cornered by a cop could hasten their getaway.  Because of this horrible true story laws were passed making it a criminal offence to expose and play ruining many a person’s career and life.

It’s an important but little known piece of gay history which is performed to the hilt by Messrs Bradley and Mammana.  Baring both their talent and their bodies for a good theatrical albeit confusing thrill ride.

www.fringenyc.org

www.bostoncourt.org PHOTO:  Ed Krieger

Tags:   Michael Michetti · Robert Mammana · The Theatre @ Boston Court · Tom Jacobson · Will BradleyComments Off on The Twentieth-Century Way – Fringe Festival NYC

Without an actress who can evoke the true essence of Judy Holliday you might as well forget writing a play about her.  Luckily, Bob Sloan, the creator and director of Just in Time – The Judy Holliday Story, which is being performed at The SoHo Playhouse as part of the NYC Fringe Festival, has found just the right person.  Her name is Marina Squerciati.

With utmost sincerity she becomes Judith Tuvim.  And then, Judy Holliday when Hollywood made her lose weight and change her name.  Marina Squerciati is at once the insecure, honest and smart as a fox dumb blonde.  The vulnerable, anagram and crossword puzzle aficionado, steadfast friend and loving mother who is able to deal with her Jewish, star struck stage mother Helen (beautifully brought to overbearing life by Mary Gutzi) and who is able to evoke laughter and tears with her Swiss clock work timing and delivering her lines with the special vocal quality that belonged unmistakably to Judy Holliday.

Marina Squerciati has Holliday’s endearing personality, quirks and all, down pat.  It’s a delight to watch her in this play that tells you everything you need to know about the star in 88 minutes.  But that’s not enough time to do Judy Holliday justice and regretfully diminishes the total pleasure that “Just in Time” could be.

It’s her life and death in a nut shell, so to speak, with three songs.  Condensed and compressed.  It’s 1951 and she has been nominated for an Academy Award for the Garson Kanin comedy “Born Yesterday” which was originally written for the stage for Jean Arthur.  In flashback, we see what tricks of fate led her to this point and beyond. 

Her job as switchboard operator at The Mercury Theatre headed by Orson Welles and John Houseman which would later be turned into “Bells Are Ringing” by her on again off again friends Betty Comden and Adolph Green whom she started out with at the Village Vanguard as The Revuers.  Her appearance on What’s My Line? which segues into the HUAC investigation into her being a communist and her inability to work for over three years because of it.

The men in her life, and there were many, are portrayed by Adam Harrington who has some hits and some misses – included are Jimmy Durante, Peter Lawford and Harry Cohn et al.  Cameo appearances by Dorothy Kilgallen, Gloria Swanson and Hepburn are deliciously played by Catherine Lefrere who threatens to take over with her insightful portrayals.

At times, the script becomes a bit repetitive with Judy declaring over and over that she doesn’t want to be an actress – that she wants to write and direct and make a difference in the world.   But overall, “Just in Time” is an enjoyable and touching affair with Miss Judith Tuvim also known as Judy Holliday.  It’s an entertaining tribute to an original and very special lady.   www.FringeNYC.org    www.thejudyhollidaystory.com

Tags:   Adam Harrington · Bob Sloan · Catherine Lefrere · Marina Squerciati · Mary GutziNo Comments.

Matt Saldarelli is a corporate lawyer.  He loves the theatre and wants to be a part of it.  He had an idea in college about writing a play about getting back at Shakespeare to avoid writing a paper about the Bard.  Some eleven years later it is being presented as part of the Fringe Festival at The Players Theatre. My advice to Matt is – do not give up your day job and do a rewrite.

Although sporadically funny, “Getting Even With Shakespeare” is more an academic exercise.  A play written to show off  how intellectual the writer is.  A writer who has a large enough ego to include himself as one of the characters and in the final scene read a NY Times profile that lauds Matt as someone who has written “arguably the most important play of the decade”.  It isn’t.

What it is is a long winded play short on clarity.  Unless you are a master of Shakespearean plays you might miss many of the barbs and “in” jokes in a production directed by Laura Konsin that has a fey Hamlet (Josh Odsess-Rubin), a wuss of a  Romeo (Ben Holmes), a preppy harlot of a Juliet with a tart tongue (Amanda Tudesco), a vindictive Macbeth (Patrick Pizzolorusso) and a bicycle peddling King Lear (John D’Arcangelo) floating around in space and time, attending every performance everywhere of their namesake plays and for the moment congregating in a bar trashing and bashing the Bard. 

It seems that Shakespeare’s words have “hurt” them and he has tortured and killed them all off in such dastardly ways that they want revenge.  There is also an Ophelia who is not the actual Ophelia but the barmaid/ actress looking for a larger role.

Into this group of dissenters enters Matt (Greg Ayers), a lawyer and unsuccessful playwright, who wants into their club.  Only he must write a play for them to get even with their creator.  When we finally see “Getting Even with Shakespeare” the play within the play of the same name in the fourth scene of this five scene play there is some sparkle and wit to be found.  But prior to this we get a lot of mangling of famous lines, cell phone calls, dialogue sprinkled with tweeter talk, and references to Marlowe, Beckett and metaphysics.

Brush up your Shakespeare before heading out to see this one.

www.GettingEvenWithShakespeare.com

Tags:   Matt SaldarelliNo Comments.

If you go to “Love in the Time of Swine Flu” a comedy about sex, dating, and everything else terrifying – expecting to see a play – you won’t.  What you will see are five average, young and sometimes funny actor/writers on view (Grace Blakeman, Derek Dupuy, Joella Fink, CJ Hunt and Mike Spara) in a series of sketches – reminiscent of The Second City, Nichols and May and Beyond the Fringe – just not as sharp.

Ranging in length and subject matter from STD’s and the ubiquitous blow job to the energy crisis and oil spill, vampires and werewolves, family dinners, movie trailers, airport security, a prolonged President Obama press conference full of illogical arguments and a horny cab driver these five actor/writers give it the good old collegiate try. 

Perhaps if they came up with some better topics their improvisational and comedic skills could be better put to use.  As it is, some fall flat while others are more successful with a sure satiric arrow piercing the subject matter.

As in – the vampire with his jealous and unfulfilled victim.  This was right on target as they use the male sexual dysfunction that sometimes loses its rigidity and turn it upside down and inside out with the Vampire having dysfunction of his fangs and accusing his victim of having a loose neck.  It is very funny.

In another recurring skit – a family dinner where the daughter has brought home her hapless fiancée – he is put on the spot (three times) by her dad who is fond of playing ridiculous games while waiting for the turkey to get cooked. Only it’s the fiancée who gets cooked each time.

Anyway, the show is fast paced and lasts about an hour.  It’s at Dixon Place – 161A Chrystie Street.  You should check out a map before starting out as even the Fringe Associate got lost on her way to the venue.

www.stupidtimemachine.com

Tags:   CJ Hunt · Derek Dupuy · Grace Blakeman · Joella Fink · Mike SparaNo Comments.

With a title as startling and attention grabbing as “Abraham Lincoln’s Big, Gay Dance Party” which has recently opened at the Acorn Theatre on Theatre Row after a successful run at last years Fringe Festival, you might think that you would be bombarded with some frothy, silly, meaningless gay review that addresses the rumor of Honest Abe’s sexuality with his good friend and bed partner Joshua Speed.

However, this extremely theatrical satire, directed with flair by Chris Smith is much more.  It is an indictment of the American Political Machine – then and now – which strives to give the truest definition of “Liberty” and to knock down all types of bigotry while seven excellent actors wearing fake beards and stove pipe hats carry on like the Marx Brothers.

Written by Aaron Loeb, the show is a hybrid mix of biting humor, searing honesty and dance.  A combination of “You Are There” (a television show of the 50’s that brought you live into history in the making – here the cornfields of Illinois, Rashomon where you get different views of the same story and the cleverness and wit of Alan Ayckbourn’s “The Norman Conquests” where you could see the three plays in any order and be entertained and marvel at the ingenuity of the playwright while following the story without any problems.

We start with a 4^th grade Christmas Pageant where Harmony, the teacher in charge, has changed the script to include, along with Jefferson’s slaves, some sexual tidbits regarding Abe and Joshua’s “special relationship” which causes an uproar resulting in her being fired and put on trial – with an Afro-American woman to defend her who is running for Governor against her mentor, the prosecutor – a die hard Republican and gay basher and  a Pulitzer-winning investigative reporter for the New York Times sent to cover “the trial of the century” who is a gay activist and real angry.  They all have some surprising secrets reflecting their political and private agendas that emerge within the three acts which could use some trimming.

An audience member, chosen at random, selects which story is played first – and second – adding to the playfulness, which soon gets down to some very serious business and some serious boogieing thanks to choreographer Vince Pesce.

The terrific cast members play multiple roles and all have a go at Abe.  Stephanie Pope Caffey especially stands out as the Defense Attorney Regina and the photojournalist Esmerelda.  Robert Hogan, Ted Koch, Pippa Pearthree, Ben Roberts, Arnie Burton and Lisa Birnbaum all imbue their characters with sincerity and spunk.

Played out on an imaginative set by Bill English – three blown up portraits of Lincoln in the style of Andy Warhol that move, open up and fold out to become the various locations – the over the top fun cleverly takes the sting out of having the serious overtones become preachy.  It’s a message play disguised as a political burlesque which will entertain, make you think and laugh out loud and perhaps even cringe.

Through September 5^th.   www.AbeParty.com Photo: Carol Rosegg

Tags:   Aaron Loeb · Arnie Burton · Ben Roberts · Chris Smith · Lisa Birnbaum · Pippa Pearthree · Robert Hogan · Stephanie Pope Caffey · Ted Koch · Vince PesceComments Off on Abraham Lincoln’s Big, Gay Dance Party – Off B’way

Noah Robbins & John Glover

Noah Robbins has been given a second opportunity to strut his stuff in the new play “Secrets of the Trade” written by Jonathan Tolins and directed by Matt Shakman running through September 4^th at Primary Stages at 59 E 59 Theatres.  Second opportunities rarely come by this quickly.

If you happened to miss his superb portrayal last season of Eugene, the 15 year old alter ego of Neil Simon in the ill fated and short lived excellent production of “Brighton Beach Memoirs” directed by David Cromer you now have the chance to catch him as 16 year old Andy Lipman – another bright, ambitious and earnest young Jewish boy whose story is told Simon style with a heavy handed gay bent to the proceedings.

Spanning ten years in the life of Andy whose love of everything theatrical is only surpassed by his adoration for legendary demon director Martin Kerner (John Glover) he is prompted to write a letter with the hope that Kerner might find a job for him someplace, perhaps with the man himself.  With the approval of his competitive parents who support his theatrical desires one hundred percent, architect Peter Lipman (Mark Nelson) and his skeptical and a bit jealous teacher of a wife Joanne (Amy Aquino) who was a dancer “in her other life” vicariously follow their son’s journey when the reply comes two years later and they learn more than they bargained for in the process.

Noah Robbins gives a well grounded performance: going from hope to excitement to coming to terms with his latent homosexuality to disillusionment to acceptance as a Hollywood writer – while maturing in his manner and looking eerily like Woody Allen without missing a single laugh along the way.  And there are some very funny lines in this play.

Despite the robust hilarity in much of the script “Secrets of the Trade” is a mixed bag that doesn’t fully succeed.  In both substance and style.  It seems to want to accomplish too much.  Is it a coming of age play or a play about coming out?  Is it a satire or a truthful tale about mentoring in the theatre?  Is it about the relationship between Andy and his parents or Andy and the older gay director?  Actually it’s about all of the above.  One minute it’s sight gags and the next – sermonizing. 

Director Matt Shakman has attempted to keep things moving along briskly but the many set changes done by cast members due to the various locations in the script keep it lurching at a stop and go affair.  There is a very funny bit in a restaurant where the director has taken Andy to lunch where all the famous names are “dropped” literally and a waiter “pings” his glass to replace them.  But we get a lengthy bit about Jerry Lewis and the British and a bit with an agent among others that get the play off its too long track.

John Glover is all sound and fury personified as the flamboyant and flippant gay director who is not about to flaunt his sexual proclivities publicly but does offer some sage advice.  As does his assistant Bradley – played to perfection by Bill Brochtrup who looks at his boss with admiration and contempt.   He too wrote a letter.

www.primarystages.org    

Photo:  James Leynse

Tags:   Amy Aquino · Bill Brochtrup · John Glover · Jonathan Tolins · Mark Nelson · Matt Shakman · Noah RobbinsNo Comments.

ITEM OF INTEREST

” P U P P E T R Y   O F   T H E   P E N I S “

CELEBRATES A DIFFERENT KIND OF PENIS ARTISTRY

WITH FIRST-EVER PENIS PAINTING COMPETITION

FINALIST ENTRIES TO BE DISPLAYED IN EXHIBITION AT 45 BLEECKER

WINNING SUBMISSION TO BE CHOSEN AT EXHIBITION’S

OPENING NIGHT RECEPTION

AUGUST 24, 2010 AT 6:00 PM

WINNING ARTIST TO RECEIVE CUSTOM PORTRAIT BY

WORLD-RENOWNED PENIS PAINTER

PRICASSO

New York (8/5/10) – David J. Foster, producer of the world’s top genital origami attraction, Puppetry of the Penis, announced today that he is holding the world’s first ever “penis painting competition.”  Aspiring and experienced penis painters from around the globe are encouraged to submit their best penis painting (a work painted with a penis in lieu of a paintbrush) for a chance to win a priceless, commissioned work by world-famous penis painter Pricasso.  Pricasso will review the submissions and choose a handful of finalists, whose works will be included in an exhibition at 45 Bleecker, where Puppetry of the Penis is currently playing.  One winning work will be chosen at the exhibition’s opening night reception, at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 24.  The grand prize winner will receive a custom painting, of the subject of the winner’s choosing, painted by Pricasso himself.
“At Puppetry of the Penis, we celebrate all kinds of genital artistic expression,” Mr. Foster said in a statement.  “By breaking new ground, Pricasso is helping to pave the way for future genital artists.  We hope that penis artists, young and old, from all over the world embrace this challenge.  We expect competition will be stiff.”

Submitted works should be no larger than 8.5″ x 11″.  Paintings can be of any subject and in any style, so long as they were painted with a penis (if the artist doesn’t have a penis, the artist is free to use someone else’s).  Participants are urged to exercise extreme caution when painting in order to avoid bodily injury.  All paints should be patch-tested to ensure they are safe for use on sensitive areas.  Submissions must be postmarked no later than Monday, August 16.

Please send submissions to:

“Puppetry of the Penis” Art Competition

c/o O&M Co.

333 West 39^th Street

Suite 601

New York, NY 10018

For more information on Pricasso, and his technique, please visit www.pricasso.com.

The new Off-Broadway production of Puppetry of the Penis began performances Tuesday, July 13^th at The Green Room Theater at 45 Bleecker.  Literally stretching the human body to its absolute limit, genital artists Rich Binning and Gavin Stewart present over forty astonishing, now-iconic penis installations including the Pelican, The Windsurfer, The Eiffel Tower, Loch Ness Monster, and their mind-boggling, signature installation: the Hamburger. A handful of breathtaking new installations, including Yoda, Sombrero, and E.T., are being performed for the first time on a New York stage in this 8-week limited engagement.

Created by Simon Morley and David Friend in 1996, Puppetry of the Penis introduced the world to the ancient Australian art of genital origami. It has been experienced by over 1 million people (including the likes of Hugh Grant, Naomi Campbell, Posh Spice, Christina Aguilera, Nicole Richie, Bono and Elton John) in over 14 countries (including the U.S., Great Britain, Australia, Holland, Germany, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, Belgium, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Portugal). It has been translated into three languages, had a “how to” book published, been featured on HBO’s “Real Sex” since 2002, and had DVD releases throughout the world.

The performance schedule for Puppetry of the Penis is Tuesday through Saturday at 8:00 PM.

Tickets are $49.50 (regular seats) and $79.50 (premium seats) and are now on sale via Telecharge.com/(212) 239-6200 or at the Box Office at 45 Bleecker Street (Hours: Monday: Noon – 5pm – 8pm / Tuesday – Friday: 12:30pm – curtain / Saturday – Sunday: 11:30am – curtain).

www.puppetryofthepenis.com

LINK TO MY ORIGINAL REVIEW:

http://talkentertainment.com/c-12619-Puppetry-of-the-Penis-the-long-and-short-of-it.aspx

Tags:   PricassoComments Off on Penis Painting – A little dab’l do ya!

Item of interest: 

You might want to check out this production of Damn Yankees directed by John Simpkins and starring Andre De Shields running through August 29^th. 

It has garnered some great reviews, including one from The New York Times. 

http://theater.nytimes.com/2010/07/18/nyregion/18playli.html

www.johnwengemantheater.com

Photos:  Paul De Grocco

Tags:   Andre De Shields · John Simpkins · John W. Engeman TheaterNo Comments.