BY AARON LOEB DIRECTED BY JIM PETOSA SEPTEMBER 2-24, 2017
“This season we felt compelled to look at the resilience of the human spirit,” says Artistic Director Jim Petosa. “At a time when it is increasingly difficult to decipher truth from fallacy in politics and the news, Ideation allows us to explore actions of thought in the creation of realties. In this thrilling, and darkly comic mystery, the truth becomes so twisted that we begin to question everything. We’re asking those who see the show to please spread the word, but don’t give away the ending!”
“After the tremendous success of last year, we’re thrilled to present another remarkable season at New Rep,” says Managing Director Harriet Sheets. “Our first production of the season takes us deep into the inner-workings of a fast-paced consulting firm and their a-list team. Joining us on that team are a number of New Rep regulars: Christine Hamel, Lewis D. Wheeler, and Ed Hoopman, along with Jake Murphy, who made his New Rep debut last season, and newcomer Matt Ketai. We welcome them all for what is sure to be one of our most talked about productions of the season!”
In Aaron Loeb’s darkly comic psychological thriller, a group of top-tier consultants are tasked with a mysterious project for an unnamed client. The team must come up with a solution to a morally and ethically ambiguous hypothetical—one that threatens to tear the team apart. Ideation is a captivating new work that will leave you on the edge of your seat.
CHRISTINE HAMEL* (Hannah) returns to New Repertory Theatre after performing in Brecht on Brecht, Broken Glass, On the Verge, Ragtime, and Sweeney Todd.
ED HOOPMAN* (Ted) returns to New Repertory Theatre after performing in Mister Roberts, Indulgences and touring productions of Macbeth and Hamlet. Recent credits include Camelot (Lyric Stage Company); and Finish Line (Boston Theater Company/Boch Center).
Mosesian Center for the Arts321 Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA 02472
For more information:Telephone: 617-923-8487
newrep.org
Season includes Fear and Misery in the Third Reich, Old Money, Death and the Maiden, Richard III on Boston Common, and more
Steven Maler
Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC) Founding Artistic Director Steven Maler announced today the 2017-18 Season, to be presented at the Sorenson Center for the Arts at Babson College in Wellesley, as well as in downtown Boston.
Mr. Maler explained the themes connecting the season offerings: “William Faulkner said ‘The past is never dead. It’s not even past.’ I keep coming back to this quote as I think about the world we find ourselves in today, as we struggle to make sense of our rapidly changing world. Industries are being disrupted, politics are being disrupted, lives are being disrupted. In this sea of change, where norms are being upturned and the future is murky, I wanted to look at how great writers responded to mercurial times, how they captured the fleeting moments of civic and personal decisions when history was not yet inexorably fixed, when a change of direction was still possible. These plays capture the subtle, and not so subtle, fissures in the daily domestic tapestry as the Nazi’s came to power in Germany in Bertolt Brecht’s Fear and Misery in the Third Reich; the half-lives of destruction in the wake of a tyrannical military dictatorship in Ariel Dorfman’s Death and the Maiden; the power of money, both old and new, in Wendy Wasserstein’s Old Money; the chaos and devastation of political instability in Macbeth; and of the destructive rise and fall of one of Shakespeare’s most riveting villains in Richard III. It’s an intense season for an intense time, a season of plays that we hope provoke deep thought about how we want to be remembered by history.”
Fear and Misery in the Third Reich: A Staged Reading
by Bertolt Brecht, translated by Eric Bentley, directed by Steven Maler;
featuring Tony Shalhoub and Brooke Adams
Monday, November 13, 2017 at 7:00 P.M.
Carling-Sorenson Theater, Babson College
Brecht’s series of 18 interconnected playlets describe what life was like in German households in the 1930s as the Nazis came to power. Written while Brecht was in exile in Denmark and first performed in Paris in 1938, these poignant stories dramatize the suspicion and anxiety experienced by ordinary people, particularly Jewish citizens, as the power of Hitler grew. The reading features renowned film and theater actors Tony Shalhoub and Brooke Adams.
Theatre in the Rough is a script-in-hand reading series presented without common theatrical elements like sets or costumes. These pared-down readings uniquely engage the audience by immersing them in the immediacy of the text and the actors’ performances, allowing one’s own imagination to take creative flight.
Death and the Maiden
a play by Ariel Dorfman, directed by Steven Maler
January 30–February 11, 2018
Sorenson Black Box, Babson College
After the fall of the totalitarian regime in a South American country, a former political prisoner finds herself face to face with the man she believes was her captor, a sadistic doctor who’s face she never saw. Is he guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, or is her paranoia getting the better of her?
Old Money by Wendy Wasserstein, directed by Karen McDonald
March 6–18, 2018
Carling-Sorenson Theater, Babson College
A dinner party in a fashionable home offers a rich and witty look at social classes and issues of wealth and privilege — from the Gilded Age of the early 20th century to the present day.
Macbeth by William Shakespeare, directed by David Gammons
featuring the CSC2 Company of early-career actors
Carling-Sorenson Theater, Babson College June 1, 2018 Shakespeare’s classic tragedy dramatizes the damaging effects of political ambition on those who seek power for its own sake.
Richard III – Free Shakespeare on the Boston Common!
by William Shakespeare, directed by Steven Maler
July – August, 2018Shakespeare’s searing chronicle of a ruthless leader’s ascension through betrayals and multiple murders, and the devastation he leaves in his wake as he gains power over the realm.
In addition, CSC presents its annual series, Shakespeare and the Law and Shakespeare and Leadership as follows;
Shakespeare & the Law: Measure for Measure
Directed by Adam Sanders
Tuesday, September 26, 2017 at 6:00 P.M.
Lyric Stage Company, 140 Clarendon Street, Boston
The Story Of Elvis Presley’s Early Years To Run August 30 though September 20
From the creator of Tony Award-winning musical Million Dollar Quartet, the Ogunquit Playhouse is proud to produce the World Premiere of Heartbreak Hotel, as part of its 85th anniversary season, on stage August 30 to September 30. This brand new musical tells the story of Elvis Presley’s journey from an unknown musician to the cusp of his super-stardom. This new musical features hit songs from the King himself, as well as the legends who influenced his iconic music, with chart-toppers including “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Tutti Frutti,” “That’s All Right,” “Shake Rattle and Roll,” and, of course, “Heartbreak Hotel.”
Executive Artistic Director Bradford T. Kenney stated, “Throughout this year I have had the privilege of working very closely with Floyd Mutrux, the creator of the Tony Award-winning musical Million Dollar Quartet on its prequel, Heartbreak Hotel, now making its premiere on our stage. It has been an incredible journey working hand in hand with Floyd, the commercial partners, and Authentic Brands Group/Elvis Presley Enterprises, to bring the rich story and music of Elvis to life. Elvis became one of the great icons of our popular culture. He made a lasting imprint on our society, and his career changed the course of popular music, not only in our country, but around the world – all during a time of great change in America. I am thrilled that Ogunquit audiences will be the first to see this exciting new show.”
Eddie Clendening
This brand new tribute to the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” features actors who also play all their own instruments. It stars Eddie Clendening in the role of Elvis Presley, as well as Co-Musical Director. Mr. Clendening originated the role of Elvis in the Broadway production of Million Dollar Quartet, which he played for 1500 performances, and later Off-Broadway for 523 performances. He will recreate the role for this tender story that follows Elvis Presley in the early years of his bourgeoning career as he and Sam Phillips create the music that will forever change their lives. As Elvis’ career skyrockets, both lifting and shattering the lives of those he loves, a secret love story is revealed, a betrayal is discovered, and “Colonel” Tom Parker changes the course of history. When describing the show, Writer/Director Floyd Mutrux explained, “This is the story of 18 months of the life of a truck driver, and how he and his music impacted the world around him.” Jerry Kernion makes his debut at the Ogunquit Playhouse as Col. Tom Parker, Elvis Presley’s long-time manager. Mr. Kernion has performed around the world with The Reduced Shakespeare Company for the last 15 years; many regional and international productions including Cirque du Soliels’ The Beatles, LOVE, Cirque du Soliels’ Banana Shpeel; and various shows at regional theatres including Laguna Playhouse, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, San Diego Repertory Theatre, and many more.
Joining the cast as Sam Phillips, the record producer who founded Sun Records and is credited with discovering Elvis Presley, is Matt McKenzie. He recently debuted on Broadway in Monday After the Miracle with Jane Alexander, directed by Arthur Penn. He’s played leading roles at many regional theatres across the country. In the Academy Award-winning film Gods and Monsters, he played Colin Clive opposite Sir Ian McKellan.
Also returning to the Ogunquit Playhouse is Christopher Sutton who will portray Dewey Phillips, one of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s early disc jockeys. He was last seen on the Ogunquit stage as Prince Herbert in Spamalot.
Los Angeles music scene veteran Geno Henderson serves as Co-Music Director and also appears as B.B. King, Ike Turner and Chuck Berry in this production. Mr. Henderson is a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, who has toured, recorded and/or made television with: The Gap Band (featuring Charlie Wilson), The Pointer Sisters, Billy Preston, Roberta Flack, James Ingram and Patti Austin (at Carnagie Hall), Smokey Robinson, Sly Stone, and many others. In 2011, he made his Broadway debut originating the role of Jocko Henderson in the musical Baby It’s You.
Bassist Nathan Yates Douglass returns to the Ogunquit Playhouse as Bill Black, one of the pioneers of Rock ‘n’ Roll music and bassist in Elvis Presley’s trio in the early days of his career. He was last seen on the Ogunquit stage in the 2016 production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Million Dollar Quartet. His National Tour credits include The Buddy Holly Story and The Tammy Wynette Story, and Off-Broadway On the Bum.
Drummer Jamie Pittle will perform as DJ Fontana, a drummer for the Louisiana Hayride radio broadcasts and Elvis Presley’s drummer for fifteen years. Mr. Pittle appeared Off-Broadway in the US Premiere of Missed Connections and Requiem for a Lost Girl. In regional theatres he has appeared in Million Dollar Quartet as Fluke, and The Buddy Holly Story as Jerry Allison. Guitarist Matt Codina will make his acting debut in Heartbreak Hotel as Scotty Moore, the guitarist and recording engineer who was known for backing Elvis Presley in the first part of his career, up to the beginning of Elvis’s Hollywood years.
Brenna Bloom portrays Marion and the queen of Rockabilly, Wanda Jackson. She has performed Off-Broadway in One Day and in regional theatres in such productions as Spring Awakening, Chicago, Grease and A Chorus Line. Erin Burniston plays Elvis’ girlfriend Dixie Lock. She recently performed in the National Tour of Spring Awakening and in regional theatre productions of Gypsy, La Cage Aux Folles, Hello, Dolly!, George M!, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and many more.
Director and writer for Heartbreak Hotel is Floyd Mutrux, who is the co-author of the Tony award-winning Million Dollar Quartet and the co-author/director of the Tony nominated Broadway production of Baby It’s You!
Individual tickets are on sale and prices start at $52 each. www.ogunquitplayhouse.org Box Office: 207-646-5511.
Lyric Stage, SpeakEasy Stage Company, and Huntington Theatre Light Up In September
An exciting new theatre season is about to get underway in Boston. Three of our best local companies will soon be raising their curtains in what promises to be an exciting season of both new and classic works. We are lucky to have so many great companies in Boston and this should be another great year of theatre.
Huntington Theatre Company Presents
Merrily We Roll Along
Over at the Huntington Theatre Stephen Sondheim’s legendary musical Merrily We Roll Along will open on September 8th and run through October 15th. Director Maria Friedman will recreate her critically acclaimed West End production for the Boston stage, a production that received the most five star reviews in West End history.
Stephen Sondheim
It also received praise from Stephen Sondheim who said “This production of Merrily We Roll Along is not only the best I’ve seen, but one of those rare instances where casting, direction, and show come together in perfect combination, resulting in the classic ideal of the sum being greater than the parts.”
The cast includes Mark Embers and Damian Humbly who will reprise their roles from the London production, Aimee Doherty who was in last year’s Huntington production of Sunday In The Park With George, and Jennifer Ellis who was just spectacular in last year’s SpeakEasy production of The Bridges Of Madison County.
huntngtontheatre.org 617.266.0800
Men On Boats
At The SpeakEasy Stage Company
From September 8 to October 7, 2017, SpeakEasy Stage Company will proudly present the Boston-area premiere of MEN ON BOATS, a comic adventure tale about an actual 1869 expedition to chart the Colorado River, brought thrillingly to life by a diverse non-male cast.
Men On Boats
The play is the work of Brooklyn resident Jaclyn Backhaus, who stipulates that, while the characters in the play were historically cisgender white males, the cast should be made up entirely of people who are not. “I am talking about racially diverse actors who are female-identifying, trans-identifying, genderfluid, and/or non-gender-conforming,” notes the playwright in the script.
The result is a hilarious historical pageant that offers both a provocative and contemporary lens through which to view our shared past.
Somerville resident Dawn M. Simmons will direct SpeakEasy’s Boston Premiere production of MEN ON BOATS. In addition to her many directing credits, Ms. Simmons is co-Artistic Director of New Exhibition Room, Artistic Lead with The Front Porch Theatre Collective, a member of the StageSource Board, and Director of Performing Arts for Boston Center for the Arts.
To go on this journey with her, Ms. Simmons has assembled a talented crew of Boston-based actors: Lyndsay Allyn Cox, Ally Dawson, Veronika Duerr, Bridgette Hayes, Alice Kabia, Mal Malme, Cody Sloan, Robin Javonne Smith, Hayley Spivey, and Ellie van Amerongen.
The all-female design team is Jenna McFarland (scenic); Rachel Padula-Shufelt (costumes); Daisy Long (lighting); and Elizabeth Cahill (sound).
MEN ON BOATS will run for five weeks, from September 8 through October 7, in the Roberts Studio Theatre in the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont Street in Boston’s South End.
www.SpeakEasyStage.com 617.933.8600.
Gypsy
A Musical Fable
At The Lyric Stage
Once again, this year the Lyric Stage will take a lavish Broadway production and set it in the intimate confines of the theatre on Clarendon Street in Boston. My Fair Lady and Camelot both received rave reviews in the last two seasons and the Lyric has shown the magic that can be made by producing intimate versions of these classic musicals.
Featuring Leigh Barrett as Rose, Kirsten Salpini as Louise, Kira Troilo as June, and Steven Barkhimer as Herbie plus direction and choreography by Rachel Bertone audiences will have high exceptions for this production. I doubt the Lyric will let them down.
Jule Styne
With music by Jute Style and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Gypsy is one of the iconic musicals in theatre history.
Tickets tend to sell fast for these Lyric Stage musicals, so I would urge you not to wait long. Gypsy runs from September 1st through October 8th.
Ragtime
The Ogunquit Playhouse Through August 26th
reviewed by Bobby Franklin
As the musical Ragtime begins it appears to be a bit overwhelming. The play has a huge cast, and I wondered how I would keep track of all the characters and what was going on. I soon realized that it was like watching a huge chess board with numerous pieces that were constantly in motion. All of these pieces had a purpose that soon became very clear.
Cast of Ragtime (Photo: Gary Ng)
The story, set in early 20th Century America, revolves around three groups of people, the established old guard, the recent immigrants (Mostly from Eastern Europe), and African Americans. The struggles, pain, hopes, disappointments, coping with change, successes, failures, and tragedies are all captured in this work. And while it takes place over a hundred years ago, many of these struggles are constant in a free society that is continually dealing with changes. It is what makes the United States so great while also so vulnerable to making mistakes.
Ragtime has a truly marvelous score. The fact that so much of it is played with the delightful syncopations of ragtime is fitting. Fitting because the new music of the time represents so many of the changes then occurring. I am not a musician but I felt there was more to the music than just being used as a period piece, so I looked up the definition of syncopation. I found it is a term for “a disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of rhythm” a “placement of rhythmic stresses or accents where they wouldn’t normally occur.”; and that is just what is going on in Ragtime.
This fine production captures so well that interruption of the regular flow in the lives of all involved. Everyone one involved is dealing with change, drastic change. Tateh (Josh Young) the Jewish immigrant from Latvia who has brought his young daughter to America in the hope of giving her a better life, Coalhouse (Darnell Abraham), the African American musician, who has worked hard to make a good life for his family, the unnamed father and mother (Jamie LaVerdiere and Kirsten Scott) who are faced with the “interruption” in their way of living they have known for some time.
For one it turns out well, for another tragic, and for another transformational. It is fascinating, though at times overly predictable, to watch. It is also quite thought provoking because none of the issues addressed are simply black and white. What is to be done when change doesn’t occur fast enough? When justice is not equally applied? Is vengeance ever justified? We hear from Booker T. Washington (Rod Singleton), Emma Goldman (Klea Blackhurst), and Admiral Peary (Joel Robertson).
The discussion between Washington and Coalhouse after a terrible injustice has occurred is very thought provoking. How to deal with such injustice is a question that is not easy to answer.
Josh Young and Ella Luke-Tedeschi (Photo: Gary Ng)
Though dealing with so many serious questions, this is also a lively and funny play. There are appearances by Harry Houdini (Freddie Kimmel) and the singer Evelyn Nesbit (Carly Hueston Ambur), and a wonderful scene at a baseball game that captures the fun of the early game but also shows the difficulty in some being able to accept the changing ethnicities of the players.
The score is superb. It flows smoothly and keeps the story connected. Darnell Abraham’s rendition of Make Them Hear You is particularly powerful not only in its lyrics but because of the deep emotion Abraham brings to it.
As I have said, this play has a huge cast so it is impossible to give credit to all of the excellent performances in the limited space I have. However, I have to mention one member of the cast that not only impressed me but who also had the audience talking about him after the show.
Seven year old Tyler Wladis as The Little Boy was just phenomenal. I have never seen such talent in someone so young. Tyler had a huge part with many lines, both opening and closing the play. His opening monologue set the tone for what was to unfold. His expressions and movements about the stage were just impeccable. This young man has an energy and timing that is truly amazing. He was simply a joy to watch and will surely be seen again.
Ragtime at the Ogunquit Playhouse is an interesting and well done work. It is thought provoking and fun. It will provoke much discussion afterwards. I would just warn you not to take a position of moral superiority when having a conversation about it. Remember, just because someone has views that differ from yours or is not from the same socio economic background does not mean they are evil. I firmly believe that the vast majority of the American people only want better lives for their families and for others. The approaches to the problems facing our society may be different, but if you keep in mind our goals are similar and meant for the better it will maybe, just maybe, make it easier for us to talk to each other.
Ragtime shows us the difficulties in dealing with change, but change will always be occurring as it always has. We can deal with it. Let’s tone down the moral superiority and stop the shouting and lecturing. That is what I have taken away from this wonderful play. It will never be easy, but there s much more kindness than cruelty out there. We just need to listen.
Ragtime Through August 26th
Ogunquit Playhouse, Ogunquit, Maine
ogunquitplayhouse.org
207.646.5511
Tony Award Winning Musical Plays August 2nd Through August 26th
Ragtime, the Tony Award winning musical, will run at the Ogunquit Playhouse from August 22nd through August 26th. In addition to a cast and creative team made up of Broadway veterans, it will also feature the original Tony nominated costumes by Santo Loquasto.
Ragtime tells the story of three families trying to find their way during the turn of the twentieth century in New York City; each struggling with the changing cultural climate in America and each facing the promise of hope and new beginnings in the midst of prejudice and bigotry. A stifled upper-class wife, a determined Jewish immigrant and a daring young Harlem musician are each united by their courage, compassion and belief in the promise of the future. Together, they confront history’s timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair… and what it means to live in America. Written by the award-winning composer/lyricist team of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally, and based on E.L. Doctorow’s distinguished novel, Ragtime is the winner of the 1998 Tony Awards for Best Score, Book and Orchestrations, and both the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical and Best Score.
“Truly a story we need to tell at this point in our nation’s history, Ragtime is one of the most powerful shows ever written for the stage, and possibly my favorite show of all time,” stated Executive Artistic Director Bradford Kenney. “To tell this compelling story we have brought together a stellar creative team led by Director Seth Skylar-Heyn. Broadway set designer Tim Mackabee has also joined the team to create an all-new set for our Ogunquit production. I am looking forward to a production of Ragtime that we all will be so very proud of.”
The Ogunquit production of Ragtime will be directed by Seth Skylar-Heyn who has served as Executive Producer for Cameron MacKintosh Inc. in New York. He is also the Executive Producer and Associate Director for the 2017 Broadway revival of Miss Saigon.
Kirsten Scott
The cast includes Kirsten Scott making he Ogunquit Playhouse debut. Ms Scott has played in numerous Broadway productions including Follies, Big Fish, and Jersey Boys.
Also making his Playhouse debut is Jamie Laverdiere whose Broadway credits include The Producers, Pirate Queen, and Motown. He has also played in the National Tours of Urinetown, Motown, and A Chorus Line.
Other members of the cast include Josh Young, last seen in Ogunquit in Les Miserables, Darnell Abraham who was in the Barrington Stage Company’s production of Ragtime, Lindsay Roberts, IRNE Nominee for Best Supporting Actress for her 2016 performance as Queenie in Fiddlehead Theater’s Showboat.
Award Winning Actor To Play
Benvolio In Commonwealth Shakespeare’s
Romeo and Juliet
by Bobby Franklin
For its 22nd season Commonwealth Shakespeare Company will be presenting Romeo and Juliet on the Boston Common. The production, which is free to the public, will run from July 19th through August 6th.
Brandon G. Green
Brandon G. Green, will be taking on the role of Benvolio, Romeo’s cousin and friend. Brandon grew up in Selma, Alabama and earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Alabama State University. He moved to the Boston area to attend Brandeis University where he received his MFA. He now teaches at Brandeis.
Most recently he was seen on a Boston stage in the part of Mr. Tambo in the critically acclaimed SpeakEasy Stage production of The Scottsboro Boys. He also won the 2016 Elliot Norton Best Actor Award for his role in the Company One/Arts Emerson production of An Octoroon.
I had a chance to speak with Brandon before rehearsal at the Sorenson Center for the Arts at Babson College in Wellesley.
When we began our conversation I was struck by his rich, deep voice. I could immediately imagine Brandon in the role of the peacemaker Benvolio. His tone would convey both a calming effect and a command that would certainly enable his message to be heard and understood. Accepting that message will prove to be another thing.
Brandon Green grew up in Selma, Alabama. I asked him if there was much opportunity there for a student to pursue acting. “I went to a school that was very much about the arts when I was in the 6th grade, the School of Discovery. I got the bug there. Well, I actually had the bug before then.”
When I asked about what he used as an outlet in his younger, pre 6th grade days, he responded “Yes, I had the bug way before then. I would take part in school assemblies, Christmas Plays, as well as at church.” Was he a class clown? “No, actually, I was really quiet, very quiet. In high school I was in the marching band and choir. There wasn’t a lot, but what they did have helped me out.”
He recalls his time at Alabama State University in Montgomery fondly, “It was a really amazing program. I would argue it is one of the best undergraduate programs in the country.”
“I kind of feel like I’m playing a bit of myself…”
Our conversation turns to his latest project, playing Benvolio for CSC. “I kind of feel like I’m playing a bit of myself. The peacemaker almost reluctantly taking care of his cousin. Benvolio has his own things but he is definitely there for Romeo, and definitely the peacemaker. I was very much that in my friend circles. I was also the one people would come to for counsel in a way. I found myself there a lot of times, and there were times I was in need of a Benvolio in my life.”
Kai Tshikosi (Tybalt) and Brandon Green (Benvolio)
When I ask about Benvolio being a voice of calm and reason in a play where so many characters are irrational, Brandon gives some insight. “Benvolio means good will, well wisher, peacemaker. I feel like the straight man to a lot of the chaos that goes on. He is the cool head that is trying to prevail and survive in a way.” Why is Benvolio no longer in the play after Act I? “The peacemaker in this world has decided go away. He’s not there and that dims the lights a bit.”
Brandon tells me he has always loved Shakespeare. At Selma High while in the 10th grade he took a theatre arts class. He remembers, “LeBaron Mack taught us the Scottish Play (MacBeth). It was my first way into it and I fell in love with it there. When I got to Alabama State I saw Othello. It was amazing.” Brandon would go on to the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey in 2010 and then to Brandeis where he got more training in classical theatre. Two years ago he played Oswald in the CSC production of King Lear.
Fight Director Angie Jepson, Kai Tshikosi, and Brandon Green.
Does he have a dream role? “I kind of already played it and that was in An Octoroon. I could not have dreamt up that role. It scared me. That was the perfect storm. A role that called on all my facilities as a performer. It was fun. It was challenging to myself and the audience. I got to let loose in a way I wanted to, or that I didn’t know I wanted to. I will carry that with me forever.”
As our conversation winds down I ask Brandon why people should see the CSC production of Romeo and Juliet on the Boston Common. “It is a magical experience. I truly believe that. Also, seeing a cast this diverse telling the story is incredible. There is nothing like this, it is transformative. You are out there with thousands of people. It’s crazy and it’s beautiful. A very unique experience.” His enthusiasm is contagious.
“Theatre is a collaborative between the audience and the performers..”
In closing I ask Brandon what he would like to say to the audience. I found his comments very thoughtful, sincere, and important. “Theatre is a collaborative between the audience and the performers, so please, we need your energy as much as you need ours. It’s reciprocal.”
Shakespeare said “All the world’s a stage.” Well, you have a wonderful opportunity to share that stage this summer with a very talented and committed actor. Join Brandon Green and the rest of the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company on the Common for what will surely be a great experience.
Romeo and Juliet
Boston Common
July 19 through August 6
commshakes.org
617.426.0863
Vincent Pastore (Nick Valente) and Reed Campbell (Cheech) With Ensemble
The Ogunquit Playhouse takes audience on a hilarious trip back to the Roaring Twenties with their production of the musical adaptation of Woody Allen and Douglas McGrath’s madcap film, Bullets Over Broadway on stage from July 5 – July 29. Hailed by Time Magazine as “Musical Theatre Gold!,” Bullets Over Broadway is the side-splitting musical comedy about the making of a Broadway show, filled with tap dancing gangsters, saucy showgirls, big laughs and colorful characters. A young playwright who is in desperate need of financial backing for his next show accepts an offer he can’t refuse from a gangster looking to please his ditzy, talentless girlfriend. Stage and screen star Vincent Pastore is cast as the mobster Nick Valenti, joined by Emmy-winner Sally Struthers who returns to the Playhouse as the dog-toting Eden Brent. Loaded with songs that made the ’20s roar, this six-time Tony-nominated musical features hits from the decedent decade, including “Let’s Misbehave,” “‘Tain’t Nobody’s Biz-ness If I Do” and “There’s a New Day Comin’!”
Vincent Pastore makes his debut at the Ogunquit Playhouse reprising the role of Nick Valenti, which he originated in the Broadway production of Bullets Over Broadway. He is best known for his long running performance on HBO’s The Sopranos, as well as his work on HBO’s 1996 television movie, Gotti and ABC’s The Practice. His numerous film roles include Goodfellas, Revolver, Made, and The Hurricane. On stage, he has played the role of Amos Hart in Chicago. His Off-Broadway roles include Queen for the Day and Lampost Reunion.
Two-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner Sally Struthers joins the cast as the dog-toting Eden Brent. She is probably best known for her role as Gloria in the groundbreaking TV series All in the Family. She has also starred in the Fox television series 9 to 5 and her own CBS series Gloria, as well as recurring roles on the CBS comedy Still Standing and the CW network’s highly acclaimed Gilmore Girls. Ms. Struthers joined the Gilmore cast for Netflix’s new four movie limited revival, which premiered in the fall of 2016, and recently guest starred in the acclaimed IFC comedy series Maron. Sally Struthers has performed many roles at Ogunquit Playhouse including last season’s Anything Goes as the socialite Evangeline Harcourt, as the Duchess Estonia Dulworth in Nice Work If You Can Get It, as Louise Seger in Always, Patsy Cline, Mama Morton in Chicago, Paulette the hairdresser in Legally Blonde and as Felicia Gabriel in The Witches of Eastwick.
John Rochette is making his debut at the Ogunquit Playhouse as young playwright, David Shayne. On Broadway, he starred as Norm Waxman in Jersey Boys. Off-Broadway, he’s performed with Blue Man Group at Center Blue Man and some of his many regional credits include Elvis in Million Dollar Quartet, as well as Sir Lancelot in Spamalot and Frank N Furter in Rocky Horror Picture Show. He has performed on television on NBC’s Guiding Light, and on ABC’s One Life to Live and All My Children.
Joining the cast is Reed Campbell, in his Ogunquit Playhouse debut as Cheech. He was Cookie McGee in the National Tour of Nice Work If You Can Get It, and performed off-Broadway in Important Hats Of The Twentieth Century at the Manhattan Theatre Club, in The Comedy Of Errors at The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park, and regionally as Judas Iscariot in Stage 773’s The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot. On television, he’s starred as C.O. Will Frank in Netflix’s hit series Orange Is The New Black and on NBC’s The Blacklist: Redemption. He is the co-creator of BROdway and Broadway Late Night on The Broadway Channel.
Reprising her role from the First National Tour of Bullets Over Broadway as Olive Neal is Jemma Jane. Her overseas credits include Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, Texas in Cabaret, and as the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Kenny Morris is making his Ogunquit debut as Julian Marx, the producer that enlists the help of a wealthy gangster to help pay for David Shayne’s play. On Broadway, he’s starred in Hairspray, Les Miserables, and the 20th Anniversary of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. He was a member of the National companies of Kinky Boots, Hairspray, Sunset Boulevard, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He was nominated for a Barrymore Award for Best Supporting Actor for his regional performance in Funnyman at Arden Theatre. He can be seen on film in Steven Soderbergh’s The Knick, and on television on ABC’s Law & Order: Criminal Intent and NBC’s Third Watch.
John Paul Almon joins the cast as Warner Purcell. His Broadway and National credits include, Karpathy in the Kennedy Center’s My Fair Lady, Tussaud in The Scarlet Pimpernel, and as a performer in the past twelve seasons of The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Regionally he was in the World Premiere of The Bridges of Madison County at Williamstown, and in the Carbonnell Award-winning, Romeo and Bernadette at Paper Mill Playhouse.
Joining the cast as Helen Sinclair in her Playhouse debut is Michele Ragusa. On Broadway, she’s starred as Elizabeth in Young Frankenstein, as Evelyn Nesbit in Ragtime, and as Pennywise in Urinetown, among others. Regionally she’s performed in Mame, Hello Dolly, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Into the Woods, Marry Poppins, and Boeing, Boeing, as well as headlining with numerous symphonies across the country.
Bridget Elise Yingling returns to the Ogunquit Playhouse as Ellen, after last being seen on the Playhouse stage in 2015’s Sister Act. She is a recent graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and has starred as Little Red in Into the Woods, and Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie.
The ensemble members includes Blaire Baker, Jake Corcoran, Elizabeth Dugas, Carissa Fiorillo, Dan Higgins, Justin Jutras, Patrick Lavallee, Will Mann, Brian Martin, Vanessa Mitchell, Corinne Munsch, Kaylee Olson, Joey Ortolani, Kelly Peterson, Lexie Plath, and Ian Saunders.
Helming Bullets Over Broadway for the Ogunquit Playhouse is Jeff Whiting, who is recreating the original direction and Tony nominated choreography of five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman. He was associate director and choreographer on the Broadway production of Bullets Over Broadway alongside Stroman, and was director on the National Tour. Other Broadway credits include twelve-time Tony nominated The Scottsboro Boys, Big Fish, and Young Frankenstein as well as the National Tours of Hairspray and The Producers. A member of Disney’s Creative Team, he’s provided television direction for Disney’s Magical Moments Parade, as well as numerous shows and events such as Disney’s Very Merry Christmas, Disney’s 100 Years of Magic, and Disney’s Magic Mirror.
www.ogunquitplayhouse.org. 207.646.5511
The Four C Notes Give A Barn Burner Performance In Arundel
The Four C Notes
At Vinegar Hill Music Theatre
Arundel, Maine
Saturday June 17 and Sunday June 18
Reviewed by Bobby Franklin
The Four C Notes
Vinegar Hill Music Theatre has kicked off their second season with the return of the Four Seasons tribute group The Four C Notes led by John Michael Coppola. I attended the Saturday night performance at Vinegar Hill Music Theatre, and if this show was any indication of the upcoming season it is going to be a hot and lively summer in the converted barn that is one of the most beautiful venues for musical performances in Maine.
Dressed in vintage clothing and backed by a terrific seven piece orchestra, Mr. Coppola was joined by Aaron Davidson, Adrian Aguilar, and Tyler Ravelson. The Four C Notes do not impersonate the Four Seasons. What they do is put on a wonderful evening comprised of recreating the still very popular music of the group led by Franke Valli. They do this with energy, enthusiasm, and humor. Mr. Coppola sings the lead with his wonderful falsetto voice and he has what it takes. He also allows the other members of the group to showcase their talents, they all have theatrical backgrounds that add to their performances.
The show opened with Oh What A Night, and then the gang moved right into a medley of Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, and Walk Like A Man. The crowd was already feeling excitement as they were clapping and singing along. This was a high energy performance. As the Cs sang Sunday Kind Of Love a cappella I thought that much of the Four Seasons’ music is actually a cappella with instruments added to it. This led into the very popular Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You.
Mr. Coppola sings the lead with his wonderful falsetto voice and he has what it takes.
In case you are thinking this was strictly a concert with one song after another being performed, that was not the case. There was quite a bit of showmanship involved. The Four C Notes were beautifully choreographed as they moved about the stage with precision but also with an ease that was very natural. The banter was funny and informative. Each member had a distinct personality and they all had fun playing off one another. Tyler Ravelson was the self proclaimed “Bad Boy” of the group, and on top of his marvelous bass voice he also showed his acting ability. He shined when taking the lead on Beggin’. Aaron Davis stepped forward for the Doo-wop number Cry For Me and put it over smoothly. It brought the audience back to the days of street corner singing.
Adrian Aguilar, who had been in Rocky, The Musical on Broadway, led on My Eyes Adored You. It looks like Adrian developed a knock out of a voice while in Rocky and he was in championship form on this night. I will pass on the Yo! Adrian jokes as I am sure he has been hearing them long enough.
In an interesting medley called The Ones That Got Away, the group showcased a number of Four Season Songs that never made it to number ten on the charts. These included Save It For Me, Opus 17, Tell It To The Rain, and Girl Come Runnin’. While I was not familiar with these songs they had the unmistakable Seasons’ sound that drove so many other songs to the number one spot.
Vinegar Hill Music Theatre
The band was showcased at the beginning of the second set as they performed an instrumental version of Grease. With one exception, they were made up of local talent drawn from the Maine and Boston areas and all were excellent. Two favorites of mine were there and were absolutely solid as usual. Rob Doquette on drums and the remarkable Tom Snow on keyboards. They are Maine’s gift to the music world.
In the second set things didn’t slow down a bit. The Four Seasons had a lot of hits and they were included here. Dawn, Big Man In Town, Workin’ My Way Back To You as well as Rag Doll triggered the nostalgia nerve in everyone there.
John Michael Coppola, who was in the Chicago production of Jersey Boys, is just superb in so many ways. He has made this show special in that it was really a night of great entertainment that left the audience shouting for more. His dedication shows alongside his gift as a performer and a singer, a gift that he has made great use of.
With the crowd on its feet there was certainly going to be an encore, and much like the finale of a Fourth of July fireworks display, the boys let it all rip out with Grease that featured each performer, and a reprise of Oh What A Night. What a finish to a great night, and Oh! What a night it was!
Broadway’s Ciarán Sheehan and Boston’s Own Sarah Muirhead headline in
Show Boat
The epic tale of life on the Mississippi
Reagle Music Theatre, July 6-16, 2017 – 8 performances only
Directed and Choreographed by Rachel Bertone
Broadway’s “Phantom,” Ciarán Sheehan, returns to Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston to take on the role of GAYLORD RAVENAL in Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II’s 1927 masterpieceShow Boat.Running from July 6-16 for 8 performances only, Show Boat will also starBoston’s own Sarah Oakes Muirhead (Sunday in the Park with George) as MAGNOLIA HAWKS. A groundbreaking show when it debuted in 1927,Show Boatcontinues to touch audiences with timeless themes and unforgettable music. Rachel Bertone (IRNE Award Winner, Carousel, Wild Party) will direct and choreograph this intimate Goodspeed Musicals version of the production, in creative partnership with Musical Director and Conductor Daniel Rodriguez (Carousel, Barnum). Original set design by Mike Micucci. Producing Artistic Director Robert J. Eagle.
“What’s beautiful about the Goodspeed version of Show Boat, that our producer Bob Eagle has procured, is that it focuses very concisely on the themes of loss and love—the themes that bind all of us.” said Rachel Bertone, Director/Choreographer. “The beauty of the theatre, to me, is how it so powerfully reflects our humanity in all its strengths and weaknesses, how it holds a mirror up to who we are so that we might learn something about our own journeys through life. Great writing, like Show Boat, accomplishes this and as a director I feel an almost sacred responsibility to convey these themes with as much truth and integrity to our audiences as I can muster.”
Show Boat is based on Edna Ferber’s bestselling novel, following three generations of the Hawks family on the Cotton Blossom river boat from 1887-1927. The story chronicles the fortunes of naïve Captain’s daughter Magnolia and her troubled husband Gaylord Ravenal, and the lives of the performers, stagehands, and dock workers whose lives are affected by the ever-changing social current along the Mississippi River. Show Boatwas the first fully integrated “book musical”, tackling issues of unhappy marriage, miscegenation and racial prejudice. The musical’sclassic songs, including “Ol’ Man River, “Only Make Believe,” “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man,” and “You Are Love,” have become mainstays of the Broadway canon.
Performance Schedule: Thurs, July 6th at 2:00 PM; Friday July 7th at 7:30; Sat, July 8th at 7:30 PM; Sun, July 8th at 2:00 PM; Thurs, July 13th at 2:00 PM; Fri, July 14th at 7:30 PM; Sat, July 15th at 7:30 PM; Sun, July 16th at 2:00 PM.
“This season we felt compelled to look at the resilience of the human spirit,” says Artistic Director Jim Petosa. “At a time when it is increasingly difficult to decipher truth from fallacy in politics and the news, Ideation allows us to explore actions of thought in the creation of realties. In this thrilling, and darkly comic mystery, the truth becomes so twisted that we begin to question everything. We’re asking those who see the show to please spread the word, but don’t give away the ending!”
