Tag: Theatre

by Mike “Buzz” Buzzelli, ‘Burgh Vivant.

The sky’s the limit at the world premiere of Keith Reddin’s “Some Brighter Distance.”  It’s a complex and engaging story of Arthur Rudolph (Jonathan Tindle), a complicated hero. On one hand, he helped America win the Space Race, but, on that other hand he acted with impunity. Or so he thought. His ugly past comes roaring forth when he meets with Robert Davis (LeRoy McClain) late in his life. Rudolph was a member of the Nazi party as most Germans were, but was he culpable of any atrocities? The devil is in the details. “How deeply was Rudolph involved?” becomes the play’s central question. There are no easy answers, but it makes for a fascinating story.

The play moves from different points in the scientist’s life from 1934 to 1984, flashing forward and backward seamlessly.  We’re with him when he meets famed rocket scientist Werner von Braun (David Whalen). We’re with him when he meets his love interest, Marta (Elizabeth Rich). We’re also with him on May 7, 1945 when Germany surrenders to Allied Forces and War World II ends. Rudolph sits with Major Turner (Matthew Stocke) and signs a very important document; one that insists he was never a devout member of the Nazi party. That signature is wherein our story lies (hello, double entendre!).

Tindle is a treasure as the analytical and pragmatic man.  Time shifts and events swirl around him. He transforms from younger to older and back again in a breath. It’s a stunning performance.

He’s backed up by a terrific cast. Whalen plays Braun with the bravado and boisterousness without becoming a caricature. He’s delightful as the bold, telegenic rocket man. Stocke isn’t a slouch either. His portrayal of Major Turner is nuanced, layered.  McClain’s Davis dangles the Sword of Damocles with a smile. He’s a noble man who must punish wrong doing, even after we’ve come to know and like Rudolph. It’s a difficult role, but McClain handles it with aplomb.

Elizabeth Rich’s Marta Rudolph is the icing on an already delicious slice of cake. She is charismatic and charming as the wife of the scientist. Marta is much more conflicted about her history. Playwright Reddin gives her a lot to handle, and Rich handles it deftly.

Gianni Downs scenic design was sparse but spectacular. A lion’s share of the credit should also go to lighting designer Andrew David Ostrowski and projection designer Jordan Harrison, who bring another layer to the tale with film, photographs and art.

The play is a masterful collaboration between the playwright and director Tracy Brigden. Their symbiotic relationship shines brightly throughout the production.

Reddin reminds us that even in the 40s, 50s and 60s when the world seemed black and white, there were just as many shades of gray as there are today and no easy answers.

Kudos to the City Theatre for being rewarded with the premiere of this brilliant new work. Surely, it will go the distance.

(“Some Brighter Distance” is at the City Theatre, 1300 Bingham Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203. For more information, click here.)

– MB

by Mike “Buzz” Buzzelli, ‘Burgh Vivant

Linda Haston explores the nebulous relationship between a mother and daughter in the biographical, one woman show, “Mother Lode” written by Virginia Wall Gruenert.

Haston plays both Linda (herself) and her mother, Ruth.  The ornery older woman is in a losing battle with dementia, while Linda struggles with the financial burden of caring for an aging parent on her own. Ruth also recants her life, and it’s equally riveting and revolting.

Side note: The shocking tale of the death of Ruth’s mother is horrifying.

The show is not just a showcase of Haston’s talent, but a deeply emotional story of two women discovering each other and themselves along the way. Haston sings, dances and wails with intensity. It’s a powerful night of theater. It’s also surprisingly funny. There’s a quote from the play “Steel Magnolias” that aptly describes the evening, “Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.”

‘Burgh Vivant’s October 2015 interview with actress Linda Haston.

Haston transforms from mother to daughter seamlessly. Of course, there’s one cliché in solo performances and it rears up on the top of the head here. Switching characters with a chapeau is definitely old hat. It’s the easiest way to silently telegraph to the audience the transformation is taking place, but Haston’s characters are so distinctive that directors Wall Gruenert and Spencer Whale could have left it on the hook. However, the co-directors wink at the cliché with a beautiful and moving moment at the end of the play with a hat box and a carefully placed bonnet.

Not long ago, playwright Virginia Wall Gruenert wrote “Without Ruth,” a play about Haston’s mother/daughter relationship based on a diary of the events. Gruenert added Norah (Adrienne Wehr), a health care worker who helps Linda navigate the system, and Abby (Diana Ifft), Norah’s childhood friend and sounding board. Though Wehr deftly handled the role of Norah, the secondary plotline was unnecessary. Gruenert streamlined the story, and “Mother Lode” is a distilled reimagining of “Without Ruth.” Simply, it’s “Without Ruth,” without the B storyline. It’s also a superior piece to the original work.

Kudos to set designer Adrienne Fischer for selecting a wide range of picture frames and photographs to cover the wall. The set is simple but adds another emotional layer, especially with assistance of lighting designer, Madeleine Steineck.

It’s a talented group of people who put together the show (almost all female, with the exception of co-director Whale and sound and music designer, Ryan McMasters), but the evening belongs to two women, Linda and Ruth, and the single actor who portrays them. Haston hits gold in “Mother Lode.”

(“Mother Lode” returns in June and August to the Carnegie Stage, 25 W. Main Street, Carnegie, PA 15106. For more information, click here.)

– MB

FRONT PORCH THEATRICALS announces Equity and Non-Equity Season Auditions for THE SPITFIRE GRILL and FLOYD COLLINS

 Who:  Trained Singers/Actors – Seeking versatile Equity and Non-Equity males and females with strong singing abilities in folk-rock & contemporary musical theater styles, in addition to strong acting capabilities.

Performers of all ethnicities and racial backgrounds are encouraged to attend.

For:     Front Porch Theatricals’ 2016 Season: THE SPITFIRE GRILL (May 27 – June 5) and FLOYD COLLINS (August 26 – September 4).  Rehearsals commence May 2 for Spitfire and August 1 for Floyd.

Where & When:      Pittsburgh Musical Theater Studios 327 South Main Street, Pittsburgh (West End), PA 15220

• Friday, February 19 – 5:00PM to 10:00PM (open call)
• Saturday, February 20 – 5:00PM to 10:00PM (open call)
• Sunday, February 21 – 10AM to 4PM (open call) – DANCE CALL 4 – 6PM
• Monday, February 22 – 5:00PM to 10:00PM – CALLBACKS FOR SPITFIRE
• Tuesday, February 23 – 5:00PM to 10:00PM CALLBACKS FOR FLOYD
• Wednesday, February 24 – 5:00 to 10:00PM – Reserved for additional callbacks

ALL APPLICANTS MUST REGISTER ONLINE!

Please complete the online registration form at: http://frontporchpgh.com/audition-form.

For Floyd Collins, please indicate any musical instrument(s) you play (guitar, banjo, mandolin, violin/fiddle, harmonica, percussion, etc.) and your proficiency.

EQUITY APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE

Equity and E.M.C. will receive a scheduled 5 minute audition slot. If Equity, please bring your Equity card. All others (non-Equity) will be given an audition time upon arrival.

If you are unable to access the link, please email frontporchtheatricals@gmail.com or call Bruce Smith at 412-551-4027 to register.

ALL:    Please send us your Head Shot and Resume by email when you register

and also bring your head shot and resume to the auditions.

Video submissions will not be accepted.

Requirements:

SPITFIRE GRILL:

• Character Ages range from 20’s – 70’s

• 16 bars of a folk-rock or contemporary musical theater ballad or up-tempo piece
• Be prepared to recite a 1-2 minute CONTEMPORARY monologue upon request
• Head shot and resume

FLOYD COLLINS:

• Character Ages range from 20’s – 50’s
• 16 bars of a folk-rock or contemporary musical theater ballad or up-tempo piece
• Be prepared to recite a 1-2 minute CONTEMPORARY monologue upon request
• Head shot and resume

An accompanist will be provided. You may audition for both shows with the same piece.

Rachel M. Stevens is directing the season. Deana Muro is music director for Spitfire, and Doug Levine is music director for Floyd Collins. Alivia Owen is choreographing the season.

For further information, please see the Character Breakdown and Show Descriptions on our website.

If you have any questions, please call Bruce Smith at 412-551-4027 or visit our website at www.frontporchpgh.com.

By Michael Buzzelli, ‘Burgh Vivant.

After all this time, Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist,” originally published in monthly installments in the Magazine Bentley’s Miscellany from February 1837 to April 1839, is still all the rage. Rage, indeed. The tale is dark, twisted and rife with rage. Lots and lots of rage.

When an orphan boy, Oliver (Will Sendera), begs for a second bowl of gruel from the parish beadle Mr. Bumble (David Cabot), he is cast out of the workhouse and has a series of misfortunate events that would make Lemony Snicket sigh in desperation.

Eventually he runs away to London and meets up with the Artful Dodger (Simon Colker), Charley Bates (Lance Wilhelm) and the band of misfit pickpockets under the care of Fagin (James FitzGerald). Fagin instructs Oliver in their devious ways, but on his first assignment watching Dodger and Bates pick pockets, Oliver gets nabbed by Mr. Brownlow (Martin Giles).

Brownlow realizes Oliver is innocent and decides to give him food and shelter, but Fagin fears Oliver will ‘peach’ him (snitch in modern vernacular). Fagin asks for help from Bill Sikes (a very scary Tony Bingham) and Nancy (Karen Baum) to aid him in recovering Oliver. Things go sideways pretty quickly, and not everyone gets a happy ending.

“Oliver Twist” is not to be confused with the musical “Oliver!” that recounts the same tale with song and dance, however, when Dodger makes his first appearance, it’s hard not to start humming “Consider Yourself” in your head.

Alan Stanford adapted this version for the stage and also directs. Dickens writes merciless satire on the Poor laws of the time. Orphans were cast adrift, unwanted and treated badly. They were treated as if their situation was their fault. The story remains relevant. Imagine Oliver as a Syrian refugee or the child of an illegal Mexican immigrant and there would be very few rewrites needed. There’s a disturbing parallel. The serialized story, the play and the musical are all about hope, though. Dickens knew that kindness and charity were some of man’s best qualities. He went to the darkest depths to shine the light bright.

PICT Classic Theatre’s usual suspects are in fine form here with excellent performances from FitzGerald, Giles, Cabot, Baum and Bingham. The surprise is that many of the younger actors are equally brilliant. Sendera deftly portrays the lost parish boy, Oliver. The kid has a star quality.

Fagin’s gang handed in some fine performances as well, especially Colker’s Dodger and Wilhelm’s Bates. Let’s doff our caps to PICT players Ken Bolden, Linda Froelich, Parag S. Gohel, Bridget Connors and Dylan Marquis Meyers for very good performances in smaller roles.

Scenic Designer Johnmichael Bohach makes a grand use of very few materials. In the words of Cosmo Kramer, “It’s all about the levels.” There are very credible looking costumes from Costume Designer Joan Markert.

“Oliver Twist” runs until December 19 at the Charity Randall Theatre, inside the Stephen Foster Memorial, 4301 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. For more information, click here.

– MB

By Michael “Buzz” Buzzelli, ‘Burgh Vivant.

Bricolage Producing Artistic Director Tami Dixon takes Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” stuffs it with mashed potatoes and rolls it into a pierogi in her outrageous Midnight Radio production of “Yinz’r Scrooged,” a version of the classic Christmas tale in Pittsburghese.

Fans of the Midnight Radio series are sure to enjoy this skewered Scrooge. If you haven’t heard of Midnight Radio we need to get you up to speed: Midnight radio is not on the radio and it does not start at midnight. The shows are produced with an old-timey radio bluster, replete with Foley artist sound effects and campy commercials. Listen carefully to the Pittsburgh Directional Translation app. It’s hilarious.

The show sticks closely to the Scrooge story with a decidedly Pittsburgh twist. In this tale everyone pitches in and plays a variety of offbeat characters doing multiple voices and a series of vocal aerobics. Ebenezer Scrooge (with a slight name variation) is played by Howard Elson. Lissa Brennan is Cratchit (sort of) and her sweet, but sickly child is played by Connor McCanlus (McCanlus also plays Young Ebenezer). The ghosts of Christmas are local legends, expertly voiced by Michael McBurney and Sheila McKenna.

Spoilers ahead.

Fred Rogers is the ghost of Christmas Past, taking Ebenezer on a trolley ride (naturally) to his childhood. McBurney’s impression is delightful. If you close your eyes you could almost see the familiar red-sweater and tennis shoes on the popular Pittsburgh icon. The band, comprised of musical director James Rushin, guitarist George Elliot and clarinetist Kira Bokalders (the Bah Humbugs), literally chimes in with the familiar tune that used to take us back and forth from Make-Believe.

Mayor Sophie Masloff rears her Babushka wrapped head as the Ghost of Christmas Present. You could swear that the squeaky-voiced diminutive mayor was in the room with you, thanks to McKenna’s rendition. None of the impressions are subtle but they are sublime.

The cast is brilliant. With three Equity actors in the cast it’s almost expected, but McBurney and Brennan deftly keep up with their talented union brothers and sister.

Sam Turich directs this laugh-out-loud production. The show is a brisk, hilarious and… strangely heartfelt. After all, the original yarn is about giving back. In the spirit of the story, Bricolage is collecting donations, food and art supplies to various charities. When you go, bring stuff! You don’t want to have the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future haunting you. Of course, if it was the cast of Bricolage’s “Yinz’r Scrooged” you might. Bring stuff anyway.

The Bricolage is downtown at 937 Liberty Avenue (First Floor), Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For more information about the show, click here

– MB