2012–2013 Season
Ch’ing.lish
David Henry Hwang has written a very, very funny play. With deft swift strokes, he manages to make a serious problem of communication, misunderstanding and cultural differences into a hilarious situation. In brief, a businessman from Cleveland, Daniel Cavanaugh (Gary Wilmes), is trying to establish a contract with the Chinese for English signs for their new Cultural Center that are not rife with bizarre mistranslations. Along the way he acquires a consultant, Peter Timms (Stephen Pucci), who is an American residing in China for the last 19 years, working as a teacher of English. He meets with the Cultural Minister, Cai Guoliang (Larry Lei Zhang), who appears to be agreeing with him but is actually unable to follow through with any action. He also meets his assistant, Xi Yan (Jennifer Lim), who has her own agenda, promises to get him the contract, and winds up in a sexual relationship with him. Many misunderstandings follow, not only in translating Mandarin Chinese into English, but in every possible way as each person has his own motives under the smiling facades.
The actors are all excellent, particularly Jennifer Lim, whose facial expressions and bodily movements reveal a conflicting struggle and Angela Lin whose role as a misguided interpreter is a revelation in discomfort. Gary Wilmes as the Cleveland hick is equally dexterous. The various plot twists and turns are abetted by a miraculous set design by David Korins that revolves into many locations—all beautifully executed. The entire evening is a joy as one leaves concerns over America’s economic woes behind and follows the machinations of the Chinese as they reach greedily for the brass ring of success. What a pleasure!
Godspell
This is the first revival of the 1971 musical that ran for several years, both off and on Broadway. Although it has been updated slightly with references to current events and people, it remains a somewhat dated rock musical. That said, the current cast of enthusiastic youngsters give it their all in interpreting the Book of Matthew’s parables in their own inimitable style, often bringing audience members up on stage to participate. The music and new lyrics are by Stephen Schwartz (of Wicked fame) with orchestrations and vocal arrangements by Michael Holland. The orchestra players are interestingly spaced throughout the theatre with each player in a different spot, an achievement that comes naturally to the Circle in the Square configuration. Hunter Parrish is a beautiful looking Jesus while Wallace Smith plays both John the Baptist and Judas with aplomb. The rest of the cast is equally energetic and appealing, but the truth of the matter is that this show is for the young—and the young in heart. You need energy to keep up with it.
On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
This show, which deals with reincarnation, past lives regression and doomed love, is a reincarnation of the original show and film version, which had the girl as the main protagonist. Now it is the doctor, Harry Connick, Jr. as Dr. Mark Bruckner who is telling the story and the time is updated from one century to another in the past life and from 1965 to 1974 in the current moment. Also, the girl is now a boy! A charming, bewildered homosexual (David Turner as David Gamble) who turns into a girl (Jessie Mueller as Melinda Wells) under hypnosis. It seems she has died and been reborn as David. And, of course, the doctor falls in love with the dead girl. And so it goes. Despite this farfetched plot, the show is a joy! The music (Burton Lane) is beautiful, the scenic design (Christine Jones) intriguing, the rest of the cast appealing and the entire evening a happy occasion. Harry Connick, Jr. is a pro who does not disappoint, David Turner and Drew Gehling as his lover are delicious and Jessie Mueller in her Broadway debut proves her pipes are as good as anyone’s. Michael Mayer directs with a steady hand and despite the impossibility (or is it?) of the plot, the show entertains mightily. Go see it!
Other Desert Cities
Beautifully written by Jon Robin Baitz, magnificently performed by a cast of five dynamos, this play explores the machinations of a family tortured by secrets that deform it, yet strong enough to maintain smooth facades that initially appear invulnerable. Polly and Lyman Wyeth (Stockard Channing and Stacy Keach) are wealthy Republicans living in retired splendor in Palm Springs. He was an actor, then a politician, an ambassador and a stalwart adherent to the Republican role. She was a Hollywood scrip
t writer—along with her sister Gilda (Judith Light—then a backbone of strength for her husband in a role similar to that of Nancy Reagan. They have a daughter Brooke (Rachel Griffiths) who, although a novelist with some success, has spent the last six years in a major depressive state requiring institutionalization. She, an avid East coast resident of leftist persuasion, has come to visit for Christmas. There is also a younger son Trip (Thomas Sadoski) who produces TV shows and there once was an older son, Henry, who became involved in drugs, political activism and bomb blowing fatal extremism, who committed suicide during the Vietnam era. Brooke has written a memoir of that period, casting her parents in the most unfavorable light and is now asking for their blessing before publishing it! She considers their behavior and her brother’s suicide the dynamic spurring her own suicidal thoughts. Well, explosions follow, facades fade and emotional truths finally escape into the open air. Stockard Channing is utterly superb as the beautifully dressed, witty and bitter matriarch holding herself on a tight leash and she is met with equal ferocity by the rest of the cast. Judith Light literally folds in half as the alcoholic-in-recovery sister, Rachel Griffiths is the hysterical accusatory virago crying for both vengeance and acceptance and Stacy Keach and Thomas Sadoski are equally effective. The Palm Beach setting by John Lee Beatty is up to his usual matchless standard and the entire production is tightly controlled by director Joe Mantello. Old fashioned Broadway drama at its best!
Porgy and Bess
This revival of George Gershwin’s magnificent folk opera changes some details and makes do with less than operatic staging, but it does not diminish the music and most of the wonderful arias remain. The story about the residents of Catfish Row, an impoverished section of Charleston, South Carolina, remains tragic and compelling although changing Porgy’s condition from a man on a goat cart who cannot use his legs to a walking man in a brace with a twisted leg does change some of the dynamic between Porgy and everyone else, particularly Bess. But the basics remain. Bess (Audra McDonald) is the girlfriend of Crown (Phillip Boykin) who, in an impulsive fight, kills a young husband Robbins (Nathaniel Stampley). When Crown goes into hiding, Porgy (Norm Lewis) offers Bess shelter and love and appears to be ridding her of her drug habit and violent relationship with Crown. But Crown comes back to abduct her and threaten Porgy with death. Then there is Sporting Life (David Alan Grier), who offers everyone a life on drugs and a trip to New York City for the good life. Malice and tragedy abound.
Audra McDonald has a golden voice and her duets with Norm Lewis are wonderful (“Bess, You Is My Woman Now,” “I Loves You Porgy”) while Nikki Renee Daniels and Joshua Henry soar in “Summertime.” David Alan Grier enchants with “It Ain’t Necessarily So” and “There’s a Boat That’s Leaving Soon.” The rest of the cast does right by the score and the production sounds marvelous. The scenic design by Riccardo Hernandez is a bit too minimal and does not do justice to the colorful Catfish folks but the costumes of ESosa are perfect. Directed by Diane Paulus for the American Repertory Theater.
Relatively Speaking
This play purports to be three one-act comedies. The first two by Ethan Coen and Elaine May have amusing moments but they are by no means comedies. The third, by Woody Allen, might pass as a comedy were it not so filled with caricatures and apologies for Woody’s personal life. Ethan Coen’s play, Talking Cure consists of a psychiatrist (Jason Kravits) attempting to “cure” his patient, a post office clerk (Danny Hoch) locked up in a mental hospital after attacking an old lady at his post. The patient keeps turning the tables on his doctor and a vignette with his parents arguing during his incipient birth is neither helpful nor funny although it tries hard. This is not Mr. Coen at his best. The second play, George is Dead by Elaine May, presents us with a narcissistic, dependent, manipulative heroine played to perfection by Marlo Thomas, who is utterly unable to deal with reality. Used to being catered to by everyone, she arrives at the doorstep of her former nanny’s daughter (Lisa Emery), dumps herself and her problems with her husband who has just died in a skiing accident on this hapless woman and totally interferes with her relationship with her husband (Grant Shaud). While initially funny, this egotistical woman becomes an irksome burden and drags the play down to ignomy.
The last play, Honeymoon Hotel by Woody Allen has its moments and its laughs although it is filled with ridiculous stereotypes and ends with a raison d’etre delivered by a pizza delivery man. It seems the bride has run away with the father of the groom rather than the groom and the entire wedding party follows them to the motel to recriminate, accuse, blame, posture and carry on. The rabbi delivers unwanted eulogies, the bride’s parents play out their dysfunctional marriage, the groom’s mother jabs at her betraying husband, the best man argues, the groom flails and on and on. In the midst of this carping and ranting the pizza delivery man solves everyone’s dilemma with his ridiculous explanations and everyone decamps into the future. Ah so! At least this play has its moments but enough of the personal mea culpa Mr. Allen. Go back to writing brilliant movies. To be fair, the audience laughed throughout the evening.
Seminar
Leonard (Alan Rickman) is teaching a master class in fiction writing to four aspiring writers who have paid $5000 for this private seminar. As such, they feel entitled to be upset as he criticizes and demeans their efforts often after reading only six words and a semi-colon. In response, each student reacts in a personalized way using every technique at their disposal to get his approval or failing that to reveal him as a total fraud. The interaction between the actors is often funny, witty and endearing despite the sadism involved. Izzy (Hettienne Park) relies on her sultry sexuality, Kate (Lily Rabe) her cool disdain, Douglas (Jerry O’Connell) his pretentiousness and Martin (Hamish Linklater ) his withdrawal and refusal to participate. The battles between the five forms the content of this very amusing play by Theresa Rebeck. Alan Rickman gives a fortissimo performance as the brilliant but vicious literary giant who ultimately recognizes good writing when he sees it, while the other four are equally adept in their characterizations. David Zinn has designed two exciting sets while Sam Gold makes his debut as a Broadway director in good form.
Stick Fly
Lydia R. Diamond’s play is full of ideas, expositions, and commentary on racism, sexism and class warfare ad infinitum. It is also an exciting, riveting script that grabs the audience’s attention and doesn’t let go all evening. The black LeVay family is meeting for the weekend at their summer house on Martha’s Vineyard in 2005. To be sure, it is not the Oak Bluffs section of the Vineyard, which consists of magnificent estates that belong to white people, but it is still a beautiful upscale lavish setting implying wealth and success. The patriarch Joe (Ruben Santiago-Hudson) is a neurosurgeon, his eldest son Flip (Mekhi Phifer) a plastic surgeon, and his younger son Spoon (Dule Hill), after several careers, is a budding author in the process of publishing his first novel. Both brothers have invited their girlfriends for the weekend. Taylor (Tracie Thoms), a black entomologist who is the abandoned daughter of a famous intellectual who lives with his second family, is in love with Spoon but otherwise is spilling over with rage and resentment. Kimber (Rosie Benton), girlfriend of Flip, is a white rich girl who works with the underprivileged. Soon fireworks explode and extend to the maid Cheryl (Condola Rashad), who is the daughter of the now sick longtime housekeeper of the LeVays. She is filling in for the weekend and soon is involved in the crazy dynamics of power and privilege that are spilling out wildly. The cast is excellent with Condola Rashad making a memorable Broadway debut. She has an exciting career awaiting her. And yes, she is the daughter and niece of two outstanding longtime stars.
The Mountaintop
The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968 was one of those horrendous moments of history. A great orator, founder of the Civil Rights Movement, a man of huge promise—the loss was shattering and unbelievable. This play does not really explain it, but it does give a stirring account and a whimsical interpretation of the circumstances.
Dr. King (Samuel L. Jackson) has returned to the Lorraine Motel in Memphis after a rousing speech in a dispirited mood. He calls room service for coffee and the chambermaid Camae (Angela Bassett) who responds is both beautiful and peppy, ready for some kind of exchange. She flirts with him, shares a cigarette with him, giggles and postures in a most insipid and annoying fashion and then—the play changes completely to an engrossing dialogue and a heartbreaking climax.
Both Samuel Jackson and Angela Bassett give it their all. They are moving and magnificent in the finale. Author Katori Hall pulls no punches, nor does director Kenny Leon, who is having a busy year on Broadway this season.
The Road to Mecca
This 1984 play by Athol Fugard is being revived with a stellar cast consisting of Rosemary Harris as Miss Helen, the tormented artist who has lost her way, Carla Gugino as her devoted friend Elsa Barlow, a teacher who believes in her friend’s artistic vision, and Jim Dale as the pastor Marius Byleveld who wishes to maintain her safety by moving her into a comfortable, secure nursing home. But what does Miss Helen want? Beset by an unknown darkness, this talented woman who has created visionary sculptures and artifacts has suddenly lost her purpose and direction to the point of setting an accidental fire in her home and allowing herself to be burned as a consequence of her seeming paralysis. Where is the certainty that allowed her to create objects that frightened the inhabitants of the South African isolated Karoo village in which she resides, an opinion she has ignored when she was sure of her artistry. But now she is old, arthritic and seemingly helpless. What should she do? She sends for her friend who drives 800 miles to support her and provide the rebuttal to the pastor’s concern for her safety. And this is the play—the confrontation and the resolution. The actors are all superb and if Athol Fugard is a bit too wordy in Act I he makes up for it in Act II. Directed by Gordon Edelstein with an elaborate original set by Michael Yeargan.
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