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GUEST REVIEWER: THE VISIT At the Lyric Theatre

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A review of
THE VISIT
at the Lyric Theatre

April 12, 2015 and April 21, 2015 – Opened April 23, 2015

THE VISIT offers so much that one does not usually get in a typical new musical nowadays: a score with memorable songs, a plot that is thought provoking and best of all, a Star Turn of the Highest Caliber. THE VISIT is also a brave show, in the sense that it does not try to stroke the audience’s sensibilities and even dares to make them work at understanding what happens onstage. In the VISIT, the citizens of the desperately poor Swiss town of Brachen welcome Claire Zachanassian, the richest woman in the world, who is returning to the hometown that she had fled long ago. The impoverished villages hope that they can persuade Claire to use her wealth to revitalize the town. To their surprise Claire agrees but lays out a deal. She will endow the village with untold billions if they kill the man who loved her, impregnated her and then denied being the father of her child, forcing her to flee Brachen when she was a young girl and make her own way in a cruel and dangerous world. That man is Anton Schell, an impoverished shopkeeper who can’t even win the respect of his own family. The leaders of the town indignantly reject such a horrendous offer, but soon after townspeople start buying expensive items from Anton’s store, charging their purchases to some unmentionable windfall they expect and talk darkly about how Anton had so foully wronged poor Claire…

Mr. Terence McNally has created an often powerful book based upon the original play by Mr. Friedrich Dürrenmatt and Mr. Fred Ebb’s lyrics and Mr. John Kander’s music further hone the sharpness of this Brechtian Fractured Fairy Tale. Justice, revenge, the violent collision of love and self-interest, and the moral fluidity of honorable people are all covered in rather raw terms, but somehow there is a humor and even lightness that flavors even the most severe and unsavory moments of this story with a touch of vaudeville. Messrs. McNally, Ebb and Kander work very carefully together contrasting the diverse feelings of the Brachen denizens with their attempts to form a united front in the face of poverty with such numbers like the community glee “Out of the Darkness.” They eventually show these same people descending into moral self-delusion with the bitterly entertaining “Yellow Shoes.” As far as Claire is concerned, her very first entrance provides her with firm dramatic footing augmented with strong numbers like the unforgettable matrimonial success catalogue “I Walk Away” or Claire’s soulful description of her feelings for and about Anton and their broken past in “Winter.”

Admittedly, not every song is a gem – Anton’s first number “I know Claire” has a very general feeling as if it could be from any show at any period from 1965 to the present. In fact there is sometimes an uneven style that seems less an attempt at being rustic and more a case of needing more work. Nevertheless much of what is on offer is choice indeed.

The opening scene of THE VISIT makes for a most appropriate introduction to the threadbare inhabitants of Brachen: Ms. Diana Dimiarzo’s plays the Mayor’s wife and local gossip and Messrs. David Garrison, Rick Holmes, Aaron Ramey, Timothy Shew and Jason Danieley are the town’s Mayor, Priest, Policeman, Doctor and Schoolteacher respectively: all are excellent as desperately respectable people who will throw aside all scruples if they have to, all the while convincing themselves of their decency.

Just as bad – and very good – are the members of Anton’s own family. Ms. Mary Beth Peil is wonderfully acerbic as Matilde Schell, a wife who never hesitates to reminds Claire that she is the woman who married Anton, yet doesn’t even find much satisfaction in that fact. Mr. George Abud is Anton’s son Karl and Ms. Elena Shaddow plays daughter Ottilie, showing a very effective indifference for a father who couldn’t even afford to let them have things from their own family store. The promise of prosperity brings this family and the town to life, even though they all have to keep tamping down that little part of them that knows what the price will be. Mss. Piel and Shaddow and Mr. Abud make this painfully clear in the song “A Car Ride;” a pleasant and simple number sung with Anton where the Schells enjoy what is the first happy family moment that they have had in many years. Everyone is delighted but the unspoken cost is still there.

Contrasting the dingy indigence of Brachen’s people is Claire Zachanassian’s astonishing entourage led by Mr. Tom Nelis’ imposing Butler Rudi. Mr. Matthew Deming is Eunuch Louis and Mr. Chris Newcomer takes the role of Eunuch Jacob. All three are always dressed in dapper suits, carefully hatted and walking in eye-catching footgear. These performers shine in their marvelously fantastic roles, often taking the spotlight with remarkably controlled insanity beginning with the Eunuch’s startling backup chorus in “I Walk Away.”
Since this is a show about a present that can never escape the past, the figures of the young Claire and Anton are part of every scene whether reenacting their amour or watching the current situation. Ms. Michelle Veintimilla and Mr. John Riddle truly haunt the show, vividly showing the joy of young love and standing aside as observers to the demands and cruelties of the real world. When Ms. Veintimilla and Mr. Riddle join their present counterparts (such as in the beautiful song “You, You, You”) the contrast of destroyed youthful romance and the cynicism, hurt and longing that has taken its place is deeply moving.

Of course the present Anton has long been a beaten down man who cruelly sacrificed love for security and has since had to make do without either. Mr. Roger Rees plays this role expertly rising from the miserable storekeeper to the hopeful former lover who dares to hope a little. Mr. Rees displays every turn of amazement, disgust and realization that is inherent in Anton Schell as he sees the past catch up with him and the future demand his removal. Mr. Rees makes it painfully clear that anyone in Brachen could have been as cruel and stupid as Anton had been in his youth, but there are times in the middle of THE VISIT when Anton is less caught by the story than bogged down in it.

Of course it is a task indeed for Anton to approach the level of the fabulous Claire Zachanassian – especially when Ms. Chita Rivera so embodies that adjective. This is natural, not only due to Ms. Rivera’s phenomenal performance but because Claire’s presence simply permeates the play – even when the action does not focus on Claire, it occurs because of her. Ms. Rivera imbues this glamorous and wealthiest of women with the world weary brio of one who is always in charge, but when Claire turns to the only happy memory of her past, Ms. Rivera lets the joy and pleasure of that youthful love melt her hardness. This is one of the reasons that Claire Zachanassian is not a monster of vengeance, but someone all too human and desperate to take back something that had been stolen from her so long ago. This performance keeps the play’s ending from being the grotesque finale that it might have been and transforms it into something that ought to be seen to be appreciated: a true example of Theatrical Power at its height.

Director John Doyle does amazing work with THE VISIT giving the story the universal feeling that a fable ought to have. But Mr. Doyle wisely never paints anyone as an outright villain, making the wrongs committed all the more real. People can disassociate themselves from bad actions that happen in the present just as they did so many years ago. Other folks may demonstrate what can happen when justice is withheld. But the moral caprices are far from alien. Unfortunately, while the show engrosses and appeals and appalls two thirds of the way through THE VIST seems to get stuck. The depiction of Anton feeling trapped and his putting up with the emotional justifications of an apologizing villager is essential but the storytelling at this point seems to go awry and put a drain on the energy of THE VISIT’s surreal narrative. Maybe Anton ought to have more or different emotional power as he watches his own world turn on him, but as done now, Anton, Mr. Doyle and THE VISIT seem to just soldier through this void, until theatrical balance returns. Happily the ending is well worth it.

Ms. Graciela Daniele’s choreography lets the citizens of Brachen make much use of Mr. Scott Pask’s spare scenic design with its decrepit railroad station setting and Claire’s vast pile of luggage and coffin. With the addition of Mr. Japhy Weideman’s lighting, we are taken all over Brachen from station to hotel to woods to past and present with amazing clarity, giving a wonderful meaning to the idea of dealing with people’s baggage. Then also, both Mr. Doyle and Ms. Daniele gives nodding acknowledgement to the notion that Claire Zachanassian now has some trouble with her limbs, but they allow Ms. Rivera to soar gloriously beyond such commonplaces as physical infirmity in this mythic role. When handling the young Anton and Claire too, director and choreographer are amazingly able to let these shades be a part of the action and still keep them firmly in the past.
Music Director David Loud contributes mightily with the orchestra allowing the different types of numbers – choral to star solo to ghostly echoes – to shine and fit the action even when the music suddenly shifts from one style to another.

The costumes by Ms. Ann Hould-Ward with hair and makeup by Messrs. Paul Huntley and J. Jared Janas are downright spellbinding with the dusty threadbare denizens of Brachen contrasted strikingly against the glamorous and dapper beings that are Claire and her crew and the cream white garb of the young Claire and Anton.

As it is now, Ms. Chita Rivera and Messrs. Kander and Ebb’s score make THE VISIT a truly amazing spectacle to behold and well worth the trip to the Lyceum Theatre, but there is still a feeling of inertia in the middle of THE VISIT that cannot be ignored and must be endured as one goes from the extraordinary start to its dazzling finish.

Running Time: 95 minutes, no intermission

LYCEUM THEATRE
149 West 45th Street
Between 6th Avenue and Broadway
Box Office Hours:  Mon – Sat: 10am – 8pm | Sun: Noon – 6pm
Online Tickets: Or Call 212.239.6200

About the reviewer:

I am a computer programmer, wannabe writer who loves theater and just got into the habit of inflicting my theatrical opinions.
I live in New York. Moshe can be reached at MB1224@aol.com

EDITOR’S UPDATE: 04/28/2015

GUEST REVIEWER: A review of Lincoln Center Theater revival of THE KING AND I

Anna’s Undies
or
The Front Row Follies

A review of Lincoln Center Theater revival of
THE KING AND I
At the Vivian Beaumont

April 7, 2015 IN PREVIEWS

NOTE TO READERS: I usually try to treat every show I review as if I am seeing it for the first time. However in the case of THE KING AND I such a position was not entirely possible.

Mr. Oscar Hammerstein II wrote the book and lyrics for the classic 1951 musical THE KING AND I basing his work on Ms. Margaret Landon’s novel ANNA AND THE KING OF SIAM, (which is in turn a reworking of Ms. Anna Leonowens’ dramatic memoirs of the 1870’s). THE KING AND I tells the story of the young widow Anna Leonowens who in the 1860’s has journeyed to Siam with her young son Louis. Anna has been hired as teacher for the King of Siam’s royal family as part of the King’s plan to modernize (westernize) his country while fending off the imperialist ambitions of European powers. As she starts her work, Anna finds herself being drawn into the intrigues of Palace life and even having conflicts with the King – primarily regarding a certain term of her contract that he claims to have no knowledge of. In turn the King is intrigued by the Englishwoman who apparently has no fear of him and who represents the western advances in sciences and ideas that he is aspiring to achieve. When Western adventurers call the King a barbarian whose country should be made a protectorate Anna helps him to entertain and influence an English Delegation with results that deeply affect the King, the Royal Family, Siam and herself.

Director Bartlett Sher and his production team are clearly in awe of THE KING AND I and have mounted a revival that is both an astonishing eyeful and a veritable crowd pleaser. But for all that Mr. Sher and Co. have accomplished to impress the hell out of the audience and make it feel that it has gotten its money’s worth, there is an air of self-importance and a tendency to miss details that keeps this revival from being the truly outstanding production it so clearly is trying to be.

The book itself is an example of this problem: the current revival makes certain revisions to Mr. Hammerstein’s book and cuts the song “A Puzzlement” in a way that adds emphasis to the King’s difficult position as a traditional Eastern monarch who must adapt and strategize in the face of European imperialism. For the most part, I actually like these changes which make His Majesty seem less naïve and driven by personal desires than in previous productions. However, there is a tendency to make the situation clear and then immediately expound upon another variation of the same point. This causes certain scenes to lose their tension and focus and become rather labored. Judicious cutting and refining would definitely help.

Of course even with such changes, the rest of the score is wonderfully intact: from the optimistic trepidation of “I Whistle a Happy Tune,” through the endearing “Getting to Know You,” and the climactic “Shall We Dance,” Composer Richard Rodger’s and Mr. Hammerstein’s widely ranging music and lyrics define characters, enhance the action and make up one of the truly great musical scores.

This production of THE KING AND I is indeed “Mrs. Anna’s” show as Ms. Kelli O’Hara’s Anna Leonowens sweeps into Siam with all the apparent eagerness and self-confidence of someone who is certain that she is right. But Ms. O’Hara makes it clear that Anna’s assuredness and insistence of promises being fulfilled is actually the armor her character uses to protect herself and her son in this strange new place. Bit by bit this shell is removed, letting us see the woman who can become a discreet champion of doomed lovers in the moving “Hello Young Lovers,” make a classroom of royal children into a believable mutual adoration festival through the joyful “Getting to Know You.” It is Ms. O’Hara’s ability to contrast Anna’s humanity and vulnerability with her overwhelming desire to have everything set to rights in the Kingdom that makes this Governess a heroic and sympathetic person instead of the interfering intruder she might easily have been. This Anna may be exasperated and critical of the King – earning our sympathy and well deserved laughs and applause in the explosive and difficult soliloquy “Shall I Tell You What I Think of You?” – but she champions his goals and even makes some effort to understand him.

As Anna’s employer, Mr. Ken Watanabe is a truly formidable King Mongkut of Siam, presenting a man driven by politics as well as royal prerogative. This King understands how essential it is for him to speedily assimilate new ideas and languages, while trying to maintain authority in a changing world. Thus for Mr. Watanabe’s King, his fascination for Mrs. Anna is that of someone who represent the challenge of a Western influence as well as a colleague with whom he can communicate. Mr. Watanabe uses his accent to provide a vocal brusqueness that would be natural for a Monarch who is still feeling his way through English. Alas, some of the spectators around me did have some trouble fully understanding him – especially when he sometimes hastened though his sentences. Furthermore – although I fear this may have been due to Mr. Bartlett Sher’s direction – Mr. Watanabe’s depiction of angst was often of an “all or nothing” style of delivery that made his version of “A Puzzlement” appear less a song of intellectual perplexity than of digestive trouble.

Adding to His Majesty’s anxieties is the emotional isolation of his new wife, the Lady Tuptim. A gift from the court of Burma, Tuptim had already fallen in love with Lun Tha, one of the Burmese delegates, before she had ever been presented to the King. Charming Ms. Ashley Park is a wonderful Lady Tuptim, giving her role a grace and spirit that makes Tuptim more than just a girl driven by love. This is a woman who dares to hope for a better future even in the face of futility. Ms. Park’s memorable rendition of “My Lord and Master” – a song describing Tuptim’s emotions when she has been accepted as a wife to the King – manages to be both operatic and yet believably from Tuptim’s secret heart.

Although the handsome Mr. Conrad Ricanora’s Lun-Tha is not as imposing or even as heroic a character as the King is, his reckless and despairing love for Tuptim endows his role with its own power. When he sings “We Kiss in a Shadow,” Mr. Ricanora makes it Lun-Tha’s musical lure that unites him to Tuptim in their dangerous dream.

Where Tuptim feels trapped in the world of the Palace, Ms. Ruthie Ann Miles’ brilliant Lady Thiang is a poised inhabitant. Ms. Miles’ shows us the embodiment of a loving consort, who truly loves the King and does all she can for him and her son, the Crown Prince Chulalongkorn, seeing their potential for good. This is clearly shown in Ms. Miles’ moving performance of “Something Wonderful” which can all too easily become a hymn to enablement rather that the longing need of a woman to assist someone she loves in their aspirations for greatness.

As the heir of the King, Prince Chulalongkorn represents the aspirations for the future. Mr. Jon Viktor Corpuz presents us with a sturdy young prince who is not sure that he is really thrilled with life under Anna’s instruction and plays the Prince’s gradual warming to his teacher most quite well, keeping Anna unsure of how much her lessons are reaching him.

Mr. Jake Lucas succeeds nicely in preventing Anna’s son Louis Leonowens from becoming a mere prompt for other people’s dialogue. Indeed Mr. Lucas’ sunny young man provides an interesting contrast to the Royal Children, always being part of the crowd yet apart from them too which gives his duet with Chulalongkorn in the recap of a “A Puzzlement” a bit more depth than I expected in a reprise that was originally devised to cover a scene change.

Another surprise was Mr. Paul Nakauchi’s finely tuned performance as the King’s Prime Minister, the Kralahome. Mr. Nakauchi created an aloof dignitary who truly understands and respects his ruler, letting his feelings for him show briefly but most effectively.

The rest of the performers are all excellent, be they wives, children, courtiers, dancers and foreigners. Indeed the troupe who dance the balletic play-within-a-play THE SMALL HOUSE OF UNCLE THOMAS are simply phenomenal, performing this earnest “Siamese” take of UNCLE TOM’S CABIN with a flair and sense of fun that never crept into parody.

It is obvious from this splendid cast and the ornate production that Director Bartlett Sher truly has an embarrassment of riches on his hands. I only wish he could let some of that wealth fall to the sidelines when a concept does not quite work. Also it is apparent that Mr. Sher is enthralled by staging and designs that can only be appreciated properly from the back rows of the theater. This results in a lovely and inspiring state of affairs for anyone seated in the rear of the house but downright frustrating to those holding seats closer to the action, starting with the opening scene which became a debacle for many people sitting in the first four or five rows around the Orchestra Pit: As the stage extends over the musicians in orchestra an imposing model steamer sails onward, its prow towering above the front of the stage apron. When Captain Orton and Louis Leonowens appear on the top deck of this vessel, all that is visible for those unfortunates in the closer seats is Captain Orton’s cap. Then Ms. Kelli O’Hara makes what ought to be THE star entrance as Anna Leonowens. Her voice is clear and her hat the only visible part of her until she approaches the ship’s rail and treats the spectators seated beneath the ship to several long and unnerving views of the vast underside of her hoopskirt. After THAT introduction, I can report that under the interesting array of her crinoline, Ms. O’Hara wears sturdy traveling shoes, proper hose and clean pantalets that ended above the knee.

After this annoyingly awkward sequence, everyone climbs off the ship which pulls away to reveal a quayside setting that would have been perfectly fine from the very beginning since most of the action and singing takes place here anyway IN FULL SIGHT. But clearly someone’s judgement was woefully affected by the concept of that unfortunate ship.

This “sightlines be damned” tendency occurs consistently and aggravatingly throughout the evening, caused by the arrangements of the set, a prop or groupings of the cast members and I firmly and regretfully lay the blame for this ineptitude at Mr. Bartlett Sher’s feet. Doubtlessly Mr. Sher is trying to emulate the beautifully cinematic flow of SOUTH PACIFIC (a show he dazzlingly revived at the same theater some years ago), but the palatial progression and set pieces of THE KING AND I constantly works against such a dynamic approach due to the need for the action to be visible to the entire audience and because all the time taken for the constant onstage shifting and rearranging of scenery tends to drain off more and more energy.

Then too, it appears that Director Sher sometimes focuses on the impressive climax of a scene but lets everything coast into it. At other times he allows the action to build up ponderously, such as the aforementioned thematic repetition of the King’s concerns with Europe. For me the worst instance of all this sloppiness is in Act 2 during Anna’s final confrontation with the King. Each of her accusations is rushed along like a run-on sentence that comes to a halt with her final indictment of His Majesty. This haste robs Ms. O’Hara and Mr. Watanabe of their most powerfully dramatic moment since each of Mrs. Anna’s charges is meant to hit the king like an emotional body blow until he can no longer take it and finally erupts at her.

Still, there is much to praise in Mr. Sher’s work from the scholarly and politically shrewd King through Anna’s delightfully individual relationship with each of the Royal Children. Mr. Sher makes certain that even the smallest role onstage provides another character in the story rather than function as mere walking scenery. If I had to argue with any of the characterizations it would be with Mr. Edward Baker-Duly’s Sir Edward Ramsey: why must this visiting dignitary who had been part of Anna’s past always get played with a sort of to-the-gallery vapidity? I have seen this style of portrayal often enough to assume it is traditional with revivals of THE KING AND I but to me is just seems silly and makes Anna and the King’s interaction with Sir Edward of far less importance than we have been led to believe it should be, especially after all the highlighting of the King’s political concerns.

Choreographer Christopher Gattelli is quite faithful to Mr. Jerome Robbin’s original dances but marvelously makes the fullest use of the vast Vivian Beaumont stage to permit the performers to come alive rather than merely re-enact the glory of Mr. Robbin’s past work.

Similarly Mr. Ted Sperling directs a wonderfully large orchestra that truly glories in Mr. Richard Rodgers unforgettable music (with the classic orchestrations of Mr. Robert Russell Bennett and Ms. Trude Rittman’s additional arrangements). Alas the Overture deserves better treatment, not merely being truncated which would have been understandable given the length of the show, but being rewritten into a mere hit parade of tunes lingering on “Shall We Dance,” a theme that is usually never heard in the overture because it is reserved for actual performance to heighten it’s impact. Such a spoiler of an overture is better discarded altogether.

The sets (besides the confounded boat) are simple yet grand. Mr. Michael Yeargan understands how sumptuous and magnificent does not have to be overwhelming. He skillfully evokes the Bangkok riverside and the Palace Environs on the large performance space with care and even delicacy. The sets and stage action were admirably lit by Mr. Donald Holder and Mr. Scott Lehrer’s judicious sound designs assured that even if the scenes cannot be fully seen by everybody, they can clearly be heard.

It has been observed that certain moments of THE KING AND I star not only the actors but the costumes they wear and Ms. Catherin Zuber’s gorgeous creations take the stage most impressively. From English hoopskirts to Siamese pha nungs, Ms. Zuber’s garments both capture the eye and define the character of the wearer. While using new designs to make Mrs. Anna look most charming, Ms. Zuber wisely does not eschew the magic of the famous pink satin ball gown that has always made “Shall We Dance” one of the most memorable moments in musical theater. On an irreverent note, THE KING AND I’s opening scene makes it most clear to the closer seat holders that Ms. Zuber is as just meticulous about designing the cast’s underclothes.

THE KING AND I is slated to open on April 16 and it is sure to be a popular draw and should not be missed. All the same, I feel sad that some unfortunate and thoughtless choices will prevent this revival from being the defining hallmark production that it ought to be. And I close with a word of advice:

When booking your seats, avoid the first five rows around the stage.

and an ardent plea to Mr. Sher:

SINK THAT SHIP!

About the reviewer:

I am a computer programmer, wannabe writer who loves theater and just got into the habit of inflicting my theatrical opinions.
I live in New York. Moshe can be reached at MB1224@aol.com

BREAKING: Frozen 2 is Officially Announced – Disney Blog

Frozen 2 is Officially Announced And We Are Crying Icy Tears of Joy

It’s of-f-f-f-f-icial: Frozen 2 is in development at Walt Disney Animation Studios with directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee and producer Peter Del Vecho, the Oscar-winning filmmaking team behind Frozen.

The news was announced at this morning’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders by Bob Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company; John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios; and actor Josh Gad (voice of Olaf and all-around cool dude).

Frozen-2

We don’t have an official release date for the film yet, but we do have so many hopes and dreams and excited screams and are jumping up and down! We can’t believe this is real life!!

Some GIFs that represent our feelings (they are of escalating size but equal status in our hearts):

Olaf in Frozen

Elsa Gif Frozen

Sven-Trolls

Anna and Elsa sliding

What do you think’s going to happen in Frozen 2?!

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PRESS RELEASE: WORLD PREMIERE MUSICAL HAMILTON TRANSFERS TO BROADWAY

The PublicWORLD PREMIERE MUSICAL
HAMILTON
TRANSFERS TO BROADWAY

Previews July 13
Opens August 6
Tickets On Sale March 8
Richard Rodgers Theatre

+++++++++++++

Book, Music, and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Inspired By The Book “Alexander Hamilton” by Ron Chernow
Choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler
Directed by Thomas Kail

February 24, 2015 – The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) and producer Jeffrey Seller announced the world premiere musical HAMILTON – a sold-out hit since beginning previews January 20 in The Public’s Newman Theater – will transfer to Broadway, with previews set to begin July 13 prior to an official opening night on August 6 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 W. 46 St.)

HAMILTON is produced on Broadway by Jeffrey Seller, Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman and The Public Theater. Tickets for the Broadway engagement will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 8 via Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.

“Hamilton has burst on the world in a blaze that has amazed and delighted all of us at The Public. We have never experienced such ticket demand, or such wild enthusiasm from our audiences,” said Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis. “Lin-Manuel Miranda’s retelling of our nation’s founding tells the story of a country that truly belongs to all of us. We are honored to partner with our friend Jeffrey Seller, along with Sander Jacobs and Jill Furman, to bring this miraculous show to the broadest possible audience.”

Inspired by the book “Alexander Hamilton” by Ron Chernow, with book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and directed by Thomas Kail, HAMILTON will run through May 3 at The Public, following three extensions. The Richard Rodgers Theatre is, indeed, Miranda’s Broadway home: his first Broadway musical, IN THE HEIGHTS – winner of four 2008 Tony Awards including Best Musical – enjoyed a three-year run there.

From the creative team behind the In The Heights comes HAMILTON, a new musical about the scrappy young immigrant who forever changed America: Alexander Hamilton. Tony and Grammy Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda wields his pen and takes the stage as the unlikely founding father determined to make his mark on a new nation as hungry and ambitious as he. From bastard orphan to Washington’s right hand man, rebel to war hero, loving husband caught in the country’s first sex scandal to Treasury head who made an untrusting world believe in the American economy, HAMILTON is an exploration of a political mastermind. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Eliza Hamilton, and lifelong Hamilton friend and foe, Aaron Burr, all attend this revolutionary tale of America’s fiery past told through the sounds of the ever-changing nation we’ve become. Tony Award nominee Thomas Kail directs and Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler choreographs this new musical about taking your shot, speaking your mind, and turning the world upside down.

HAMILTON features scenic design by David Korins; costume design by Paul Tazewell; lighting design by Howell Binkley; sound design by Nevin Steinberg; hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe; music direction and orchestrator Alex Lacamoire; and choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler.

LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA (Book, Music, and Lyrics/Alexander Hamilton) is the Tony and Grammy award-winning composer-lyricist-star of Broadway’s In the Heights. In the Heights received four 2008 Tony Awards (including Best Musical, Best Orchestrations, Best Choreography), with Miranda receiving a Tony Award for Best Score, as well as a nomination for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. In the Heights was also recognized as a Finalist for the 2009 Pulitzer Prize in Drama. Miranda is the co-composer (with Tom Kitt), and co-lyricist (with Amanda Green) of Broadway’s Bring it On: The Musical (2013 Tony nom., Best Musical, 2013 Drama Desk nom., Best Lyrics in a Musical). Miranda contributed new songs to the revival of Stephen Schwartz’ Working and provided Spanish translations for the 2009 Broadway revival of West Side Story. Miranda, along with Kitt, won the 2014 Creative Arts Emmy for Best Original Music and Lyrics for their work on the 67th Annual Tony Awards. As an actor, Miranda appeared in the City Center Encores! productions of Merrily We Roll Along (Charley Kringas), and tick, tick… BOOM! (Jonathan). He is a co-founder and member of Freestyle Love Supreme, an improvisational hip-hop group that will launch a self-titled television series in October 2014 on Pivot TV. Additional TV and film credits include “The Electric Company,” “Sesame Street,” “The Sopranos,” “House,” “Modern Family,” “Do No Harm,” “Smash,” “How I Met Your Mother,” The Sex and the City Movie, The Odd Life of Timothy Green, and 200 Cartas.

THOMAS KAIL (Director). His Broadway credits include In the Heights (Tony nomination for Best Director); and two new plays, Lombardi and Magic/Bird. His Off-Broadway credits include In the Heights (Callaway Award, Drama Desk nom., Outer Critics nom.); at New York City Center Randy Newman’s Faust and The Wiz; Lincoln Center Theater’s Broke-ology and When I Come to Die; The Flea Theater’s Family Furniture (Drama Desk Nom.); and Second Stage Uptown’s The Tutors. Other credits include Williamstown Theater Festival’s Broke-ology; Paper Mill Playhouse’s Once on this Island; and the National Tour of In the Heights.   He is the co-creator and director of the hip-hop improv group Freestyle Love Supreme, which played the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, US Comedy Arts Festival, Montreal Comedy Festival and Melbourne Comedy Festival.  He served as the Creative Director of the 2012, 2013 & 2014 Webby Awards. For television he  directed episodes of “2 Broke Girls”; “Oprah Winfrey’s 2010 Primetime Oscar Special” for ABC; the pilot episode of “Storymakers” for AMC; and he served as Co-Music Director and consulting producer on first season of PBS show “The Electric Company”. He is the Executive Producer and Co-Creator of  new TV Series “Freestyle Love Supreme” for Pivot; and he is the recipient of the Martin E. Segal Award from Lincoln Center and is a graduate of Wesleyan University, CT.

ANDY BLAKENBUEHLER (Choreography)’s Broadway credits include In The Heights (Tony, Outer Critics, Drama Desk Awards), Bring It On, 9 To 5, The People In The Picture, The Apple Tree, Annie, The Wiz (City Center Encores). Regionally his credits include FLY (Dallas Theatre Center), Desperately Seeking Susan (West End), A Little Princess (Andrew Lippa), Joseph (National tour). Upcoming projects include Only Gold with British singer/songwriter Kate Nash.

JEFFREY SELLER is the winner of three Tony Awards for Best Musical:  Rent (1996), Avenue Q (2004) and In The Heights (2008).  Additional productions include De La Guarda, Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party, La Boheme, the 2009 revival of West Side Story, and this season’s The Last Ship.  As director his credits include  Fly (2013) at Dallas Theater Center.  He is a graduate of the University of Michigan.

SANDER JACOBS has been represented on Broadway with the Tony Award-winning Best Musical In The Heights and the Tony Award-nominated West Side Story revival.  Jacobs has served as a co-producer and/or investor for numerous Broadway, national and international productions, with a selection of theatre’s most celebrated and critically-acclaimed musicals including Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, Follies and The Last Ship.

JILL FURMAN received the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical for In The Heights. Other Broadway credits include Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, The Heiress, Seminar, West Side Story, The Drowsy Chaperone, Sly Fox and Fortune’s Fool. Off-Broadway her credits include On The Line and Adult Entertainment.  Furman executive produced the Pivot television series “Freestyle Love Supreme,” starring the hip-hop improv group of the same name, and also produces the live version of the show.  In 2011, Furman received the Robert Whitehead Award for Outstanding Achievement in Commercial Theatre Producing. She is a member of the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures.

ABOUT THE PUBLIC THEATER:

 

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham, The Public Theater is the only theater in New York that produces Shakespeare, the classics, musicals, contemporary and experimental pieces in equal measure. The Public continues the work of its visionary founder, Joe Papp, by acting as an advocate for the theater as an essential cultural force, and leading and framing dialogue on some of the most important issues of our day.  Creating theater for one of the largest and most diverse audience bases in New York City for nearly 60 years, today the Company engages audiences in a variety of venues—including its landmark downtown home at Astor Place, which houses five theaters and Joe’s Pub; the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, home to its beloved, free Shakespeare in the Park; and the Mobile Unit, which tours Shakespearean productions for underserved audiences throughout New York City’s five boroughs. The Public’s wide range of programming includes free Shakespeare in the Park, the bedrock of the Company’s dedication to making theater accessible to all; Public Works, a new initiative that is designed to cultivate new connections and new models of engagement with artists, audiences and the community each year; new and experimental stagings at The Public at Astor Place, including Public Lab; and a range of artist and audience development initiatives including its Public Forum series, which brings together theater artists and professionals from a variety of disciplines for discussions that shed light on social issues explored in Public productions.  The Public Theater is located on property owned by the City of New York and receives annual support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; and in October 2012 the landmark building downtown at Astor Place was revitalized to physically manifest the Company’s core mission of sparking new dialogues and increasing accessibility for artists and audiences, by dramatically opening up the building to the street and community, and transforming the lobby into a public piazza for artists, students, and audiences. Key elements of the revitalization an expanded and refurbished lobby; the addition of a mezzanine level with a new restaurant lounge, The Library, designed by the Rockwell Group. www.publictheater.org

The LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust provides leadership support for The Public Theater’s year-round activities; Bank of America, Proud Season Sponsor of Shakespeare in the Park; The Harold & Mimi Steinberg New Play Development Fund at The Public Theater Supports the Creation and Development of New Plays; The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation – Lead Supporter of The Public’s Access and Engagement Programming; The Time Warner Foundation, Founding Sponsor of The Emerging Writers Group; Delta Air Lines, Official Airline of The Public Theater; New York Magazine is the official print sponsor of The Public Theater’s 2014-2015 downtown season; Public support is provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency; and the National Endowment for the Arts, an independent federal agency.

TICKET INFORMATION

HAMILTON began performances on Tuesday, January 20 in The Public’s Newman Theater and was extended three times through Sunday, May 3. Tickets for the Broadway engagement that will begin performances on July 13 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 8 at via Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.

HAMILTON is sold out at The Public Theater but cancellations may become available so check the box office at (212) 967-7555 or www.publictheater.org for last minute availability. A limited number of $20 tickets, subject to availability, will be distributed via a lottery in the lobby of The Public Theater.  These tickets are $20, cash only, with a limit of two tickets per person.  TodayTix and The Public continue to offer “Hamilton for a Hamilton” ($10) where a pair of tickets will be available for every performance for $10 per ticket. The lottery will begin each day at midnight for the performance that same day, and winners will be notified three to four hours before show time. Winners will make the payment in the TodayTix app and collect the tickets at the box office.

The performance schedule through Sunday, April 5 is Tuesdays through Sundays at 8:00 p.m.; and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. The performance schedule from Tuesday, April 7 through Sunday, May 3 is Tuesdays through Sundays at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00 p.m. (There is no 8:00 p.m. performance on Sunday, March 8; Sunday, March 15; and no 7:30 p.m. performance on Wednesday, April 8. There is an added performance on Monday, April 6 at 8:00 p.m. and Wednesday, April 8 at 1:00 p.m.). Please check The Public’s website for the most up-to-date performance calendar.

The Library at The Public is open nightly for food and drinks, beginning at 5:30 p.m., and Joe’s Pub at The Public continues to offer some of the best music in the city. For more information, visit www.publictheater.org.

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PRESS RELEASE: RICHARD SKIPPER CELEBRATES…The Life and Work of Lee Roy Reams!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Richard Skipper Celebrates, 845-365-0720

RICHARD SKIPPER CELEBRATES…The Life and Work of Lee Roy Reams!

A Benefit for the Spiral Theatre Studio, Wednesday, February 25th, 8PM

ONE NIGHT ONLY!

RICHARD SKIPPER CELEBRATES AN INTERVIEW WITH LEE ROY REAMS TO BENEFIT THE SPIRAL THEATRE STUDIO

New York, New York, January 25th, 2015: The Interview takes at AS Ballet Ltd. Studios 300 West 43rd Street, 6th Floor New York, NY 10036

At 8pm Wednesday Night, February 25th, Richard Skipper will sit down with legendary song and dance man, Lee Roy Reams to discuss his career and his body of “worth”.  

 

Theatre Pizzazz calls Lee Roy a Showman’s Showman

Lee Roy is an acclaimed dancer/singer who has starred on Broadway, Off Broadway, on television and recordings. “There are singers, actors, dancers – triple threats – but there’s only one Lee Roy Reams, known by many as Broadway Royalty.  And what’s more – can this guy dish the dirt!  In a little over 65 minutes we knew all the backstage gossip from every show he was ever in about every celebrity performer and songwriter!”

–Sandi Durell, Theatre Pizzazz

 

You ain’t heard nothing yet! The evening is being put together as a reminiscence of Lee Roy’s amazing life and career– and, oh, that must have been some career with Cy Coleman, Jerry Herman, Charles Strouse and Jule Styne.  That’s what the man asked for and that’s what he got!  Liliane Montevecchi and Ann Miller and MANY MORE are part of the fabric of his life.

At present he is appearing as “Zaza” in La Cage Aux Folles at The Wick Theatre in  Boca Raton, Florida through February 15th.

RICHARD SKIPPER:

Of Richard Skipper Celebrates is known for his hands-on approach and has conducted over 700 interviews of famous people in the arts. Most recently, he interviewed Lesley Ann Warren at Barnes and Noble to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary DVD release of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

Web: RichardSkipper.com

TW:@RichardSkipper

E-mail: Richard@RichardSkipper.com

Blog: http://richardskipper.blogspot.com

THE SPIRAL THEATRE STUDIO:

The Spiral Theatre Studio is a premier incubator theater for off-off-Broadway plays, focused on the stories of characters grappling with issues related to growing older in a culture at times disrespectful of aging.  Our Salt & Pepper Series promotes greater awareness of issues about the grace and grit of “seasoned” citizens. Each of our four annual main-stage productions by established and emerging playwrights features a weekly Industry Night and performs on our innovative Spiral Stage that provides an emotional landscape for these poignant plays.  We are proud to use environmentally conscious, green technology (recycled materials, LED lighting) for these showcase productions.

Doors open at 7:30 PM, interview at 8 PM promptly.

Ending with a Q & A session with the audience.

Tickets are $30.00

Seating is Limited! RSVP highly recommended: 845-365-0720

See Lee Roy Reams in a clip from Jerry Herman’s Broadway (filmed at The Hollywood Bowl) http://youtu.be/F8z19_3Wfqs

Lee Roy Reams Bio: http://www.bwaydirect.com/webpages/bios/bio_lee-roy.html

 

Richard Skipper Celebrates

RichardSkipper.com

CallonDolly.com

New York, New York

Office: 845-365-0720

Fax:    845-893-6559

Helping you get the Buzz YOU deserve

Call Answered: Elli “The King of Broadway”: Chanukah at The Metropolitan Room

Call Answered: Elli “The King of Broadway”
Chanukah at The Metropolitan Room

Friday, December 19, 2014 at 8:00AM


Elli “The King of Broadway””

Call Me Adam” chats with Elli, “The King of Broadway” about his 2nd annual Chanukah show at The Metropolitan Room (34 West 22nd Street, between 5th & 6th Avenue) on December 21 (9:30pm) and December 22 (7pm). We also discuss his Jewish upbringing and the role religion has played throughout his life and career!
Click here for tickets to Elli’s show Chanukah!

For more on Elli be sure to visit http://www.broadwaykingdom.com and follow him on Twitter!

1. On December 21 and 22, the 6th & 7th nights of the Jewish Holiday Chanukah, you are presenting your 2nd annual Chanukah at The Metropolitan Room. What initially made you want to do a Chanukah show? The lack of any other Jewish programming during the month of December. There are sometimes shows that include a Chanukah song or two, or claim to be Chanukah shows and the content mostly has the “I’m jealous of all the other holidays this month that seem better than mine” vibe to them. It’s always been my belief that we Jews have a rich heritage and Chanukah is an important part of it. Something to ‘kvell’ about!

2. What made you want to make this an annual show? That’s easy, we got an amazing reception to last year’s show but since Chanukah fell out so close to Thanksgiving there were a lot of people out of town that wanted to come but couldn’t. Plus, the whole cast had so much fun doing, it we all wanted to do it again! Hopefully for many years to come!

3. What can audiences expect from this show and what do you hope audiences come away with after seeing Chanukah at The Metropolitan Room? A singularly genuine and unique celebration of Chanukah with traditional songs the audience can sing along to and some new songs from around the Globe they’ve never heard before. There will be songs in English, Hebrew, Yiddish and even Ladino from the Sephardic Jewish heritage. Songs from the liturgy and songs from Broadway. And, I throw in some facts about Chanukah in case people aren’t aware. I hope they’ll leave asking, “Will there be a show for Purim as well?”(We’re working on it!)

4. What do you enjoy most about performing at The Metropolitan Room? What do they offer you that another venue does not? Bernie Furshpan! No one else has a Bernie! He’s totally on board with my ideas and has even gone out of his way to make sure the Club has Kosher Wine for those who keep Kosher. We will also have Latkes and Sufganiot (Donuts) at the shows. The Metropolitan Room has a wonderful vibe to it and with all the new upgrades that JoAnne has made to the venue it’s just a great place to perform.


The ghost of Pavarotti

5. What do you love most about celebrating Chanukah in NYC? Menorahs and Jews everywhere. There are also dozens of Kosher eateries and Chanukah parties to attend. You could be out at a different Chanukah event every night of Chanukah (except Shabbos of course).

6. You are known as “The King of Broadway.” How did you get this title? It’s quite a story but the short of it is before I moved from Miami to NYC I was doing Karaoke in a Lesbian Sports Bar. I came to NYC for an Audition and brought back a Karaoke CD from The Producers which was on Broadway at the time. There’s a song in the show called “The King Of Broadway.” I sang it, and afterwards the Karaoke Hostess said, “That was Elli – The King Of Broadway” and it stuck. A few months later I decided to make a web site and searched for that name AND NO ONE OWNED IT! I immediately grabbed it and have had it ever since. So – I got the moniker singing Showtunes in a Lesbian Sports Bar in Ft Lauderdale – you can’t make stuff like that up – and now that’s how people refer to me! It’s pretty cool.

7. You are also one of the founding members of Improvodox, a Jewish Improv Group. What made you want to start your own Improv group instead of just joining one of the many groups already out there? I’ve been performing and teaching Improv for over 30 years. During the 15 years I taught at Jewish Day Schools in L.A. & Miami Beach I used it quite successfully as a teaching tool. When I moved to NYC I heard about a young lady wanting to start a Shomer Shabbos (Sabbath observant) improv group because all the groups she’d been in performed on Friday nights, she was looking for 5 other people to join. I auditioned and was chosen as one of the founders.


Rabbi Elli

8. You have spent your career both performing and being a Hassidic Orthodox Rabbi/Cantor. When did you decide to stop performing in theatrical shows to pursue your Rabbinical/Cantorial passion? What was it like to not perform in theatrical shows after becoming a Rabbi/Cantor? What made you want to return to your theatrical performing? I have been performing since I was 5 in one form or another starting with the role of “The Arab Shepherd Boy” in Milk & Honey at the local JCC to playing “Arab” in West Side Story at the Temple (I see a weird pattern there) and many different roles in High School as well. I had always planned on becoming a Cantor, our Temple’s Cantor was like a 2nd father to me. I was his assistant (teaching Bar Mitzvah students for him) from age 11 on. During High School I became more religious and decided to go to the Chabad Rabbinical College of America in Morristown, NJ to study to become a Rabbi as well. During my years in Yeshiva I performed in Holiday programs all over the NE. After I graduated I moved to Miami Beach, FL and began teaching/performing to a Jewish Day School audience of 20 5th graders daily while still leading services at different Shuls in S. Florida. So in truth I never really ever stopped performing. After raising a family and trying new careers after many years, my life took an unexpected left hand turn, and during the tumult I was at a friend’s Birthday party and there was Karaoke. I was pushed to go up and sing, which I did and was asked by the host to start coming to his Karaoke nights in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. One thing led to another and I gained quite a following. I decided to start travelling to NYC to audition for Musical Theatre and – well, I already told you above how I got my moniker… and here I am! BTW, I’m still teaching as I’ve happily become the Rabbi to many entertainers in NYC.


Elli “The King of Broadway”

9. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Pursue your heart’s desire and dream big dreams for little dreams have no magic.

10. What have you learned about yourself from your varied careers? I learn something new every day. It’s a process and I can achieve any goal I set.

BONUS QUESTIONS:

11. If you could have any super power, which one would you choose? I already have my super power, it was given to me in high school by my classmates, they called me “Super Jew!”

12. If you could be any original flavor Life Saver, which one would you be? Life Savers aren’t Kosher these days, but for a short while when I was in my 20’s they were and without a doubt Wild Cherry was my favorite.

13. If you could create your own signature drink, what would you call it and what would the ingredients be? Of course it would be called “The King’s Brew.” It has Fresca as the base but it’s still under development. I’ll let you know when it’s ready! For Chanukah I’m drinking Redd’s Apple Ale as a compliment to the homemade applesauce I made for the homemade Latkes!


Elli “The King of Broadway”

More on Elli:

Elli began his theatrical career in Los Angeles under the direction of the famous That Little Old Wine Maker ME! James Rawley & Rawley’s best friend, Lee Strasberg. Some of the many varied roles he inhabited were “Jud” in Oklahoma, “The Tin Man” in the The Wizard of Oz, “A-rab” in West Side Story, “Charlie Davenport” in Annie Get Your Gun, “Kralahome” in The King & I, “Nicely-Nicely” in Guys & Dolls and of course, the part he was born to play but never has, “Tevye” in Fiddler on the Roof. He has also appeared in such favorites as Arsenic & Old Lace, Julius Caesar, Up the Down Staircase and Our Town, to name a few. Elli’s unique look and moldable image, added to the myriad of languages & accents he has perfected, lends itself to the diverse roles he plays.

For a while, Elli changed directions and lived his childhood dream of becoming a Hassidic Orthodox Rabbi & Cantor, leading religious services and teaching in Synagogues throughout the U.S. and Canada. He is now reviving his dream of taking his place on “The Great White Way,” by lending his rich, multi-accented and multi-character voice to several children’s audio tapes, radio and TV commercials, both in the U.S. and England.

In 2002, Elli appeared as a “Hassidic Jew” (big surprise) in the film, 2 Fast 2 Furious, filmed on location in Miami, Florida; in 2003, he worked on the Indy film, Once Upon A Wedding (now on DVD) as a “Barfly” and in 2003, he performed the role of the “Papa” in The Jazz Singer, which played South and Central Florida.

Currently working on his third one-man show, Elli has become quite popular and well known on the Florida, New York and California Karaoke circuits and is lovingly referred to as “The King of Broadway.” Since moving to NYC in 2004, he has been seen in commercials, promo spots for VH1’s Metal Month, as featured background in several movies and been on stage at Birdland in Times Square, the Duplex and Marie’s Crisis in the Village and onstage at the Triad, doing his stand-up comedy. Elli is currently in a pilot for Comedy Central and is a founding member of Improvodox, a Jewish Improv Group.

Article originally appeared on New York Theatre – Entertainment – Interviews – Actors – Actresses – Reviews (http://www.callmeadam.com/).
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