Oscar E Moore

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Jonathan Reynolds’ Girls in Trouble – To abort or not to abort

March 1st, 2010 by Oscar E Moore
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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

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

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The Temperamentals – Radical Fairies Off-B’way

March 1st, 2010 by Oscar E Moore
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Michael Urie & Thomas Jay Ryan

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

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The Boys in the Band Penthouse Revival

February 27th, 2010 by Oscar E Moore
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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 28th.

In this inspired and ingenious production, director Jack Cummings III has set the play in a Penthouse loft space at 37 West 26th 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

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Blind – Craig Wright’s Oedipus in New York

February 26th, 2010 by Oscar E Moore
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Craig Wright has written a new, bewildering take on Oedipus called “Blind” and you can see it at the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater through March 21st.  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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Signs of Life – A Holocaust drama with music

February 26th, 2010 by Oscar E Moore
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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 63rd Street through March 21st.

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

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YANK! – A 1940’s gay military love story musical

February 25th, 2010 by Oscar E Moore
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Bobby Steggert & Ivan Hernandez

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

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

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The Orphans’ Home Cycle Part III

February 17th, 2010 by Oscar E Moore
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Rumor has it that the widely acclaimed production of Horton Foote’s The Orphans’ Home Cycle, co produced by Signature Theatre Company and Hartford Stage might be moved to Broadway in the Fall enabling all those who have missed any one part of the three part, nine play production a chance to catch up, be introduced to or revisit again the epic saga of Horace Robedaux, based on the life history Mr. Foote’s father, his family and relatives starting in the year 1902 and continuing through to 1928.

Because of scheduling conflicts I was unable to see Part I – The Story of a Childhood and Part II – The Story of a Marriage.  So, I was a bit fearful that I would have trouble catching up and understanding.  Fear not.  I really enjoyed Part III – The Story of a Family without any prior knowledge of what preceded it.  There are some great program notes to help clarify who is who, with a summary of the plot. 

I love the way Horton Foote writes.  He gets right into the heart and soul of the many, many characters – quirks and all.   The dialogue is so natural that you feel as if you are eavesdropping on friends, feeling all warm and cozy listening to their hurts, their secrets and their squabbles.

They say you should write about what you know.  And Mr. Foote did just that.  Texas seems to be imbedded in his blood and that is where he takes us.  With a cast of twenty two excellent actors to portray his vivid characters.   He knows these people inside out and has the great ability to convey that through his writing with compassion and style.  

Don’t be put off by its length.  If anything, you will want to linger a bit longer with his friends and family.  And his many cousins, the focus of Act Two of Part III which is very amusing.  Act Three of Part III seems a bit rushed with its necessary editing to get everything in on time.  But all in all, the production is a monumental feat of engineering.  All the elements fit together like a perfectly cut jig saw puzzle – the design elements: sets and costumes and lighting and sound all help director Michael Wilson create an extremely satisfying and cohesive production.

Bill Heck is ideal as Horace, looking like he came straight out of an Arrow Shirt advertisement of the period.  He gives a controlled and passionate performance.  His wife Elizabeth (Maggie Lacey) complements him fully.  It’s a lovely marriage of characters and actors.  In such an exciting ensemble it’s not fair to single anyone out as they are all equally excellent – but Lucas Caleb Rooney, Stephen Plunkett, Bryce Pinkham and Justin Fuller have put an indelible stamp on their characters.  And then there is Hallie Foote, daughter of Horton Foote who after his death this past March has helped to carry the torch of his legacy forward with this slice of life sampler of early twentieth century life in Texas.  She is a delight to watch.

Near the end, we are told not to be sure about anything in this world.  But there is one thing that you can be sure of.  You can be sure to be entertained and greatly moved by the writing of Mr. Horton Foote.  

www.signaturetheatre.org

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ReENTRY – Salute to the Marines, Off B’way

February 12th, 2010 by Oscar E Moore
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Joseph Harrell

Joseph Harrell

It’s one thing to fight for your country and it seems to be quite another coming back home.  In the forthright and eye opening new docu-drama ReENTRY by Emily Ackerman and KJ Sanchez, who has also directed this fine piece with military precision, we get a hands on experience as to what it is like to be a Marine fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and the difficulties that arise when they reenter a life that has become foreign to them.

If the monologues ring true that is because this one act play is based on the interviews with those who served, ranging in rank from private up to colonel as and those who love them – sisters, mothers and friends.

They enlist.  They go.  They serve.  They kill.  They return.  Serve again and again and then they are finally allowed to return home – “with all the life sucked out of them”.

It’s a reality check for those of us who remain at home, having wars filtered through Hollywood and video games; focusing on Skateboarding, American Idol or The Nanny Diaries while men and women are having to cope with what they have been through and what is expected of them post deployment.

The production is fast paced and fluid, using wire mesh lockers on wheels to enhance the feeling of peering into the warlike atmosphere.  It’s a very in your face production by Two River Theater Company being presented at Urban Stages through March 7th.  And it is powerful.  Growing in intensity as the characters release and vent their feelings.

Joseph Harrell, as the Commanding Officer, is perfect.  A Marine veteran who served as a drill instructor, he brings the authenticity needed to get your attention from the very beginning.  He has the nerve and the presence and the hurt radiating from his inner soul that makes ReENTRY so riveting.

The anecdotes are moving, chilling, stressful, angry, sometimes funny, but always focused on how a person can become immune to the horrors of war and how they deal with that which you cannot explain nor wish to do so. 

The other excellent members of the cast are Sameerah Luqmaan-Harris (a compassionate Mom), PJ Sosko/John (falling apart from post traumatic stress disorder but never going over the brink), Sheila Tapia (a fine Marine wondering why those “thanking” other marines cannot imagine a woman doing the same job) and Bobby Moreno combat-vet teenage brother of John who gives a very innocent and tough portrayal of a guy who wants to serve his country, have a few beers and mingle with the chicks).  A finer cast would be hard to enlist.  www.urbanstages.org  Photo Credit:  Michael Portantiere

Bobby Moreno

Bobby Moreno

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Happy Now? at Primary Stages

February 10th, 2010 by Oscar E Moore
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Primary Stages at 59 E 59 Theatres usually offers some fine theatrical presentations and so I was anxious to see Happy Now? A British import written by Lucinda Coxon that has had productions at The National Theatre in London and more recently at the Yale Repertory Theatre. 

Happy Now?  I think not after sitting through two hours worth of wondering how Kitty, (Mary Bacon) the heroine of the piece, in a series of incidents was going to manage the difficulties of juggling all that she has to do and remain sane.  I left with a headache.  Insufferable is the word that comes to mind.   Has she never seen A Doll’s House?

Kitty works for a cancer research charity.  Her boss has cancer, doubling her work load.  Her self absorbed, irritating mother (Joan MacIntosh) has an infected tooth and a cough and lays on the guilt.  Her father (unseen), long separated from his wife, is hospitalized with amputation looming.  Her husband (Kelly AuCoin) has changed careers (from law firm to teaching)  to spend more time with their two heard but not seen off-stage children.  Her best friend’s marriage is on the rocks:  Miles (Quentin Mare) a cynical alcoholic and Bea (Kate Arrington) who suffers his insults while pondering the choice of a new color scheme.  He eventually moves in with Kitty and her husband.  She has a gay friend (Brian Keane) who adds some wit to her life but has his own love problems with a younger man.  Shades of Will and Grace.  Kitty must travel to conventions and it is there that she meets Michael (C.J. Wilson) – who in all honesty tries to seduce her.  Nervous, she hesitates.  She stays but doesn’t give in.  This is the best and first scene of the play.  All else that follows doesn’t live up to the potential that is set up here.  And it is not a question of if but when will we see them together again.  He offers a solution.  Will she take the bait?

The action supposedly takes place in today’s London.  But the play sounds as if it had been written years ago.  Kitty, one would think, if faced with these problems today would have a firmer grip on her life, take action and wind up happy rather than trying to fit a fitness plan into her life on top of everything else.  Can she have it all and be happy?  She probably could if she took action.

Director, Liz Diamond hasn’t decided whether this is a naturalistic drama or some strange dreamscape that Kitty is traveling through, directing with a leaden touch (actors miming dialogue?) and having June, the mother, act as if she were in some restoration comedy – completely out of style and sync with her fellow actors.

Not even the fine acting abilities of Mary Bacon (whom I thought fantastic in The Late Christopher Bean) can rise above this material.  As the would-be seducer, Mr. Wilson is excellent and charming.  As are Quentin Mare and Kate Arrington as the other couple in distress.  Brian Keane as the token gay somehow seems added in for all the wrong reasons although there is nothing wrong with his performance.

What is wrong is the play itself.  Through March 6th.     www.primarystages.org Photos: James Leynse

Mary Bacon & C.J. Wilson

Mary Bacon & C.J. Wilson

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When We Have Gone Astray – and they have Off Off B’way

February 8th, 2010 by Oscar E Moore
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Not nearly ready.  Almost saved by a better if somewhat radically different second act, “When We Have Gone Astray” is being presented by The Seeing Place Theater through February 21st at the American Theatre of Actors’ Sargent Theatre (314 West 54th Street, 4th floor).  Part of my mission as a critic is to nurture.  So this is a nurturing review.

 I sincerely believe that they are well aware of the productions shortcomings and plusses.  But bravely they go out there and do it.  Not waiting for perfection.  Just getting the work and the acting out there. 

“Getting started, in a small way,” as Associate Artistic Director Anna Marie Sell stated, greeting the audience at Sunday’s performance as if speaking to a full house – there were a mere four in attendance, including myself.  That might have dampened the spirits of some.  But not this company.  They gave a full out performance.  And the acting was terrific.  Kaitlin Colombo has coached her three actors into giving extremely truthful, engaging performances.  Less can be said of her staging.  But that leads me directly to the playwright Brandon Walker.  The writing could be more focused.  There is a lot going on with the three characters and their back stories – and cell phones and bathrooms are an easy excuse for getting a character out of the way for a while.  But not a long while as sometimes happens here.

Once we get past the far fetched factor of how these three windup together on New Year’s Eve we get to know them and can finally feel for them in Act II – that is, if you come back for the second act – we lost one member of the audience to fatigue and/or confusion.

Ira, played by the author, is an unemployed actor who is ready to leave New York but decides not be alone on this New Year’s Eve of 2008, so he hires a hooker for two thousand bucks.  Roxy arrives.  Only her name is Cassie (a sexy, funny and headstrong Heather Lee Harper).  Do they know each other from the past or not?  Yes.  Ten years ago.  They order a pizza.  Pizza Man shows up – Keith (Joseph Mancuso – you may see Joshua Rivedal on certain dates).  I won’t go into details.  But a fresh look and a red pencil could work wonders.

Because of the economic turndown they all have problems.  That’s why Cassie has turned to prostitution and Pizza Man is delivering pizzas – his dad lost all his money to Bernie Madoff and the unemployed actor is in AA having sold his expensive and prized guitar to pay for his New Year’s Eve junket which doesn’t turn out how any of them expect it to.

I was impressed with the high quality of acting.  So they have a good start here with this new company that, if you miss this show, try going to the next.  They mean well and I found myself truly moved in Act II – even though they blame everyone else but themselves for the situations they are in.  But “The play’s the thing!

www.seeingplacetheater.com

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