Who’s Your Baghdaddy? Or How I Started the Iraq War @ The Actor’s Temple

I typically do not read reviews or director’s notes before I see a show of any kind. I want to have an unadulterated opinion of what I see and hear- my own experience. Ironically, I happened to see “Who’s Your Baghdaddy? Or How I Started the Iraq War” with two people I have done civil disobedience activism with for several years. None of us had any idea what to expect. I was simply told that the play is offensive. Well it’s about fucking time! Thank you Charlie Fink and Lee Seymour for adapting the screenplay by J.T. Allen and his gutsy and creative approach to the human errors that were at the root of a now fourteen year long war that has displaced millions of people with hundreds of thousands dead. Humans. Who cares within what arbitrary lines these people were born, they are human beings. Or they were. I mention the director’s review because, in this case, the note inside the playbill from Mr. Fink is spot-on in his criticism of how “we” got into this mess, intimating that there is culpability and responsibility by all of us to heal the world from the destruction we have caused.

Of the dozens of Broadway and Off-Broadway shows I’ve seen, this was one of my favorites. From the moment I walked into the Actor’s Temple Theatre, I was greeted by the sweetest doorman and theatre manager. The actors served wine and donuts to audience members as though we were guests, freeing us all up from any stuffiness so we could relax into their fun and amusement. It worked for me…I twirled back from the loo…and I am shy with an audience. But the eight actors disrupted any pretense of formality, so our voyeurism into their “group” therapy was transformed into a shared experience.

With the self-indulgent mantra “We deserve better” that has become embedded in the American narrative, the cast, made up of Brennan Caldwell, Jason Collins, Bob D’Haene, Brandon Espinoza, Nehal Joshi, Olli Haaskivi, Claire Neumann, and Larisa Oleynik gives a sardonic portrayal of the events brought about by a succession of wrong decisions made, not by governments, but by people, which led to the invasion of Iraq and subsequent devastation to millions of people. People’s whose lives were destroyed- the collateral damage of hubris and conceit run amok. Thank-you for engaging me with your singing and dancing while you carried me along the journey of selfishness that gave rise to self-loathing- not the self-satisfaction and praise sought after by each player.

Directed by Marshall Pailet, who also did the music and with lyrics by A.D. Penedo, this play, really should be performed in schools as a warning against unchecked ambition and the role of personal accountability; and in churches where worshipers have sadly foregone grace to pledge allegiance to their new god, the State, which has instilled within us all a fear of our fellow man. Yes, humor is often the best way to impart a difficult lesson that requires we look at ourselves. I really wish there had been a Q & A afterward in order to hear if and how others were impacted. As for my friends and I, we were moved and reinvigorated to be more humble and gracious and will think twice before acting on that lie we’ve accepted as a truism: We deserve better…even if it’s at the expense of others.

You can catch this must-see show at The Actor’s Temple on W 47th through November 22nd.  Although perfectly acceptable for all ages, I suggest over sixteen. It is quite a heady show. Definitely get dinner or dessert afterward and discuss and chew on how you can repair the world. If a succession of decisions can bring about devastation, change can and does begin with just one and we can end the trend together, one thought and choice at-a-time.


Review By: Michele Seven
Photos By: Jeremy Daniels

Clever Little Lies @ The Westside Theater (Upstairs)

Congratulations to the cast and crew of Clever Little Lies which opened October 12th at the Westside Theatre, and will be running through January 3rd. Both witty and poignant, two-time Tony Award winner, Joe DiPietro, succeeds in delivering a script, using the two-couple ensemble, reminiscent of 60’s sitcoms that audience members find uproariously entertaining. I do wonder, however, whether anyone noticed that the semi-misogynistic teasing of female frailties common to those beloved shows was replaced by the celebration of self-empowered women at the expense of their pusillanimous husbands.

Charming Marlo Thomas, wife of Phil Donahue and best known as creator and star of TV show That Girl, was spot-on as the strategizing and manipulative mother archetype who, despite her claim that all her meddling is for family, is completely self-serving. Did her character go to sleep that fateful night certain that her ends justified the means? I hope not. Throwing her relationship to doting husband, Bill Sr, played by Greg Mullavey, under the bus as penance for her own infidelity was a heart-breaking thing to watch. I felt so bad for him that I nearly jumped on stage to join in a sympathetic nightcap. Obviously, I was pulled in by this show and the persuasive talents!

Director, David Saint was so clever to use, in the opening scene, a heated discussion between Bill Sr and son Billy, played by George Merrick, Honeymoon in Las Vegas (Broadway), so that we audience members could watch the emasculating devolution of this man, who served as a rock for his spoiled wife and entitled son, for whom enough was never enough. Bill Sr is critical of the American milieu which he claims is embedded by design in the Declaration of Independence: “We’ve been promised happiness, so we’re chasing it all the time.” Not quite the perspective we hear promulgated by the declarants of “The American Dream”.

Darling, daughter-in-law Jane, played by Kate Wetherhead, who originated the role in 2013, is so successfully, superficially, supine we barely notice that she has yanked her husband here, then there with her demands and incessant whining about her ever-changing wants and needs. Her character alas redeems herself when she admits that she’s not been showing her “shiny side” and thankfully takes some responsibility in the marriage hiccup that has caused this showdown.

These were such difficult and challenging topics for what is written and performed as a comedy. The four actors were fantastic together and the comedic timing was brilliant. This could have easily been billed as a tragedy, which it is, and they would have knocked that out of the park as well. I was suitably entertained during the show and even days later, I am still reflecting on the nuance of the stories that are unfortunately common to us all, as we, as they, fumble along, screwing up constantly even while trying to do the right thing for ourselves and our loved ones.

Review By: Michele Seven
Photos By: Sara Krulwich

Airline Highway @ The Samuel Friedman Theater

The Hummingbird Motel is the church where retired burlesque club owner and prophet to those with “bad luck, bad tempers” who suffer “no bullshit, no pretending” conducts one last sermon to her congregation of duckies in “Airline Highway by Lisa D’Amour and directed by Joe Mantello. Miss Ruby is about to meet her Maker so her flock is going to give her a send-off complete with booze, music and tortilla chips-be-damned in the place where they “don’t bury all [their] dirty stuff under the sidewalk.”

With young Zoe, guest of former resident bad boy, as the witness to the event, her query for high school sociology paper on subcultures spotlights the “messy and honest and real” lives of these morally questionable misfits. The characters, as colorful as the streamers and a New Orleans funeral procession have mostly reconciled the ghosts of their past, integrating them into their lives. And where they haven’t, there is inconsolable grief and heartache. Miss Ruby scolds all for letting the world make them feel small and disposable. Her greatest encouragement is to revel in the mystery of our sexual selves.

Thoroughly entertaining, the cast delivers an authentic presentation of these down-and-out, has- beens, wannabes, and parental disappointments in such a way to endear them to us. We are at once grateful to not be in their situation while also envious of their loyalty and dedication to each other. For them, there is no greener grass; reflecting upon what might have been is a luxury they cannot afford. And in that place, they find freedom where there is “no magic fucking fairy dust” to give them any delusions about who they are and their place in the world.

As I left the Samuel Friedman, I saw several of the cast mates out chatting with the matinee crowd. Maybe that it was the first warm, sunny day in the City for months had something to do with it, but it seemed more likely that these people truly enjoyed what they created and presented to us and were happy to bask and reminisce.

Opening night is April 23 and I say “Go!” And then maybe make your way down to New Orleans for some beignets at Café du Monde where you can sit and watch people, much like the Hummingbird Motel residents, headed home in the wee hours, who will ask nothing of you other than to live your life the best you can and to not forget them.

Review By: Michele Seven
Photos By:Sara Krulwich

One Day @ The 3LD Art & Technology

The trials and tribulations of puberty, the struggle for independence, and the discovery of one’s personal identity are experiences to be wrestled with by all teens as an essential right-of-passage into adulthood. But for many, those difficult milestones are tainted with the toxicity of neglect and abuse. One Day, the Musical, co-directed by author and songwriter, Michael Sottile and choreographer, Ray Leeper, takes us through a heart-wrenching journey of the American “troubled teen”.

    With two decades of stories from the real-life journal entries of teens, we’re allowed into their hearts and minds through music and dance performed by Brenna Bloom, Chase O’Donnell, Marco Ramos, Honey Ribar, Aaron Scheff, Austin Scott, Ben Shuman, Andy Spencer, Aliya Stuart, Nyseli Vega, and Charlotte Mary Wen accompanied by musicians Keith Harrison, Justin Rothberg, Matt Cusack, Michalina, and Madeline Meyers.

    As a mother of three children who have all nearly made it through to the other side, I was gutted by the emotional devastation relayed by these performers who so kindly and compassionately portrayed the human suffering with a vulnerability that is quite gutsy. I was particularly moved by Honey whose rawness was beautifully balanced by Chase’s self-deprecating oblivion. “Golden Boy”, Austin Scott and “Faggot”,  Marco Ramos encapsulated what I’ve observed to be the reality for so many young men today- basically told by their parents and society that they are not enough no matter what they are if they don’t confine themselves to the tiny little box of accepted norms.

    Video production designer, Andrew Lazarow, added tremendous value in the story-telling aspect of the musical, incorporating the words written as journal entries of these teens and displaying social media posts that serve to connect us and sadly sometimes wreck lives behind the safety of a screen.

    They say that “youth is wasted on the young”. On the contrary, only the young can possibly endure youth. With life rushing at you, particularly in a society driven by social media, agility, adaptability and most of all, idealism, forgiveness, and hope are what get you through the angst, loneliness, and despair that bombard the fragile hearts and minds of the not-quite-fully-developed fledglings who yearn to fly.

    With a limited engagement until March 1, #OneDayTheMusical is being performed downtown at 80 Greenwich in the fantastic space, 3LD Art & Technology. It is an honest portrayal of the American youth in crisis with the resounding truth that love is the answer to all of the questions.

Review By: Michele Seven
Photos By: Bob Degus

The Lost Lake @ New York City Center Stage 1

We all want to be seen and to be heard. And those of us who need it most are often the ones who are least likely to get it. We’re cold, or prickly, or dirty, or losers at life as society defines it. Lost Lake by David Auburn and directed by Daniel Sullivan, starring John Hawkes and Tracie Thoms is an “and, and, and, and” paying tribute to that bittersweet irony. Together, this team of seasoned and award-winning performers and enablers, demonstrate the often gritty nature that we, as mere mortals, can be reduced to when faced with our own insufficiencies. Interestingly enough, it is in that reduction that we often find the very thing we so desperately need- a cup of coffee and a donut offered to us by a friendly face with a willing ear. Such has become the state of things in our society, where the quest for better and more has replaced what is meaningful and sincere.

The set design by J. Michael Griggs is special. People actually walked slowly past the stage as they exited the theater, commenting upon it as they might the storefront window displays of the department stores during the holiday season.

Don’t go see this show to be entertained. Yes, you will giggle at times and laugh at others. But rather go because we all have moments when we feel unworthy, and unloved, wishing desperately for someone who will stand in the gap, taking us from our most base nature to a place of principled peace, where we can foster relationships that provide hope that we can be better than what we are at the moment.

I love the shows that Manhattan Theatre Club puts out- they are often painfully and acutely astute in their revelation of the tragic loss that is the human condition. I know we here in the US would all like to think life is wonderful, but behind closed doors, it’s filled with heartache within merely one degree of separation. The goal really ought to be to close the gap.

Lost Lake opened November 11 and will be running through December 21 at the New York City Center.

Review By: Michele Seven
Photo By: Joan Marcus

Disgraced @ The Lyceum Theatre

Bravo Kimberly Senior, director of Pulitzer Prize winning play, Disgraced, by Ayad Akhtar. How gutsy are you to dare to challenge an audience with such brazen ideas as: maybe the US had some culpability in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 or, that Muslims are the new “niggers”. Wow! Talk about shocking. People don’t even suggest such things in the privacy of their own homes, in the company of close friends...as was demonstrated in the staged dinner party on the fateful evening when secrets were revealed and lives changed forever.

But it wasn’t the revelation of the secrets themselves that was so horrifying; it was how the words spoken mirrored the inner thoughts we all have but don’t wish to admit to ourselves or our loved ones. And those thoughts, though intentionally provocative, only served to demonstrate how in this society, this so-called “free society”, we are trapped by convention and fear- damned if we do; damned if we don’t. Does one perpetuate the lie he lives, thereby being accused of duplicity; does she accept that which she’s not earned, taking full advantage of a work places need for a “token”? What is worse- to live a lie and get what we want, or be honest and lose what we never really had? Seems easy enough, except that we are all liars- made so by the conventions of so-called “polite society” which is really just a cover-up- gracious hospitality has replaced plain old grace which is the one thing needed for us to truly get along and which was lacking by all of the characters in this must-see play.

Hari Dhillon as Amir endears us with his all-too-pitiful desire to please and then takes us straight into an abyss that is his innermost sanctuary as he plays the accuser and accused. Gretchen Mol gives a believable performance as Emily, a waspy liberal whose naiveté would be charming if it wasn’t so self-serving. Danny Ashok, Hussein, AKA “Abe” provides a fair representation of a twenty-something whose youthful bliss is at odds with the harsh realities for a young Arab man in post 911 era in the US. Playing opposite of the couple are Josh Radnor as Issac, a pretentious and weak-willed man whose apparent strong convictions are simply a mimicry of what society has told him to believe. Conveniently, his wife, played by the gorgeous and talented Karen Pittman as Jory, lets him be pretty with his pictures while she clearly and unapologetically claws her way to the top of the law firm where she and Amir are associates. 

The Lyceum Theatre is the oldest in the City and is charming with its reflection of the lavishness of turn-of-the-century New York. Seats and loos are tiny so leave your shopping bags elsewhere. I will be very surprised if this does not win a Tony for best production, direction, acting. If it doesn’t, meh, blame it on the Jews. And if you think that comment is inappropriate, you better buckle up because that’s nothin’!

Be sure to get your tickets here!

Review written by: Michele Seven

Pictures by: Joan Marcus

Indian Ink @ The Laura Pels Theatre

Indian Ink, playing at the Laura Pels Theatre paints a fragrant view of a 1930’s love affair in India where the stakes were high and the temperatures more so. Playwright Tom Stoppard (The Real Inspector Hound) provides a beautiful structure for the characters to laugh and have joy amidst the tragedies that envelop their lives, not because of them, but in spite of them. The set design and lighting transcend us from the basement of the playhouse to an exotic land where the taste of forbidden fruit is to be both worshipped as well as cause for disgrace.

Rather than describe the reasons why you should go see this gorgeous and erotic production, let me elucidate the reasons why the reviewers who “didn’t get it” didn’t get it. They are emotionally stagnant; they’re accustomed to in-your-face, pornographic, over-the-top, let us tell you what you need to think and feel storylines…oh but they are excited about Rosemary Harris because their first year drama teacher told them to be; and most importantly, they’ve not experienced the juxtaposition of circumstances that life offers us if we are at all daring. Screw them. See the play. It’s smoldering as restraint confines desire and longing.

The costuming and props were simple and honest which was in stark contrast to the reality of the tellers of the tale who told more with what they didn’t say than what they did. I loved it! And obviously the audience of seasoned theater-goers did as well as they applauded at intermission- something I’ve not experienced but once or twice in many years of seeing shows.

Directed by Carey Perloff are Rosemary Harris (The Road to Mecca) as Eleanor Swan who is the beloved of her departed sister, Flora Crewe played by Romola Garai (I Capture the Castle). Though separated by two different worlds, they share verve and an acceptance of their life’s limitations whilst living more, within those limitations, than the entire rest do without. The best thing that the men in the performance do is provide a structure for these ladies just as a canvas gives a platform for a painting- without it, there can be no real art. Bravo men for having the fancy footwork directed by dance captain, Claire Brownell, be mirrored in the way you beautifully provide a frame to allow these women to dance and twirl.

Put up by the Roundabout Theatre Company, the show runs through November 30 and should be seen by lovers and romantics alike.

Review By: Michele Seven
Photos By: Joan Marcus

The Country House @ The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre

In the midst of tragedy and heartache, we can find ourselves focused inward in a way, which to the outside observer, seems ridiculously narcissistic, but in fact, is a survival mechanism- some things are just too painful to feel. Blythe Danner (Butterflies Are Free) as Anna Patterson, joins her family at the anniversary of her daughter’s death of cancer in The Country House by Donald Margulies. Ms. Danner elegantly walked that fine line of self-respect with vulnerability and self-centered, emotional detachment, demonstrating a sublime womanness.

Playing her funny and sassy, college-age grand-daughter, Susie, is Sarah Steele (Slowgirl). There was a fun and authentic play between the senior and junior actors. She will be a fun one to watch. Her deceased mother’s brother, Uncle Elliot, is played by Eric Lange (“Weeds”). He courageously dove right off the cliff and into the abyss of self-loathing, taking us with him and everyone else too, including his brother-in-law Walter Keegan, played by David Rasche (Lunch Hour), blockbuster movie maker who has “sold out” and ended up with the money and the girl. The girl just so happens to be the one Elliot has always wanted, Nell McNally. Katie Jennings Grant (The Lyons) had a difficult task. It cannot be easy to be “the replacement” to a woman who had been loved and adored by all but she utilizes grace and humility to do so with aplomb. And in the midst of this family chaos is the dashing Michael Astor played by Daniel Sunjata (Cyrano de Bergerac) who was loved by three generations of women in this family and envied by the men. You walk away knowing he and Walter will of course be the happiest in life as they are the ones who merely skim the surface and can always be found on top.

Daniel Sullivan (The Snow Geese) took us on a difficult journey, peppering it with laughter and joy. And isn’t that life anyway- an attempt to find meaning and joy amidst the confusion and disappointments? John Lee Beatty (Knock Knock) did scenic design; lighting was done by Peter Kaczorowski (Tales From Red Vienna); a fantastic costumer, Rita Ryack (Casa Valentina) and sound designer Obadiah Eaves (The Assembled Parties).The original music was done by Peter Golub (The Hieress). Fight director…yes there is a fight was Thomas Schall (This Is Our Youth) and the stage manager was Danny Maly (Casa Valentina).

Put on by Manhattan Theatre Club, one of the leading nonprofit producers of contemporary theatre, Opening Night was October 2nd at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre and will be playing through November 23rd.

Review By: Michele Seven
Photos By: Joan Marcus

Almost Home @ The Acorn Theatre @ Theater Row

In an hour and twenty minutes, Almost Home, by Walter Anderson, does what not even the activists of OWS could do: demonstrate how the State, whether the federal government or the local police force is at the very core coercive, fraudulent, and the corrupter of men’s souls. Wow! Every Millennial should go see this production to know what road not to take.

Set in the Bronx in 1965, Joe Lisi (Take Me Out, London production) as Harry, a pathetic, loser-of-a-man whose dignity hangs in the hopes of his equally pathetic son, Johnny, played by Jonny Orsine (The Nance) demonstrates how repeated compromises of one’s moral principles, assuming one has them to begin with, has collateral damage spanning beyond oneself. A poor example of a man and a father, he is able to blame the indecency of war for his shortcomings. And his son follows right in his footsteps.

James McCaffrey (“Rescue Me”) plays the dirty cop, Pappas, and serves as a contrast to the women in these men’s lives. Wife and mother, Grace, appropriately named, is played by Karen Ziemba (Tony Award winner for Contact). She is seamless in her portrayal of patience, kindness, and forgiveness. Together with young Johnny’s former teacher, Luisa, played by Brenda Pressley (The Lyons) who is steadfast in her commitment to education as well as Johnny’s well-being, these women demonstrate the bravery that is required to tolerate the misdeeds of foolish men who are beholden to fraternal brotherhoods at the root of evil perpetrated by government.

I look forward to reading the play to see if the intent by the writer was so clearly subversive or if director, Michael Parva (Murder in the First) took license. Either way, with nearly 100 years of continual war by the US Government, the tragedy, loss, and devastation is as relevant whether set in 1945, 1965, or 2015. Kudos for your not-so-subtle attack on the puppeteers and the men who volunteer.

Set design by Harry Feiner looked like something out of “Ozzy and Harriet” with a genuine 1965 Corn Flakes cereal box atop the fridge. Michael McDonald did costume design and together with Leah J. Loukas who did wig and makeup, did a particularly lovely job on the ladies. Lighting by Graham Kindred served as an equal element to the production. Sadly the sound done by Quentin Chiappetta was undermined by the exterior street noise- I suggest house right.

Opening night was September 18th and is set to run through October 12th. So take mom and dad to The Acorn Theatre and then prepare yourself for exciting dinner conversation to follow.

Review By: Michele Seven
Photos By: Carol Rosegg

Love Letters @ The Brooks Atkinson Theatre

I traded my first “love letter” with Jason Forrester in 2nd grade. We passed notes back-and-forth in Mrs. Black’s class, hoping not to get caught but elated when we did and had to sit in detention alone together. I had forgotten all about that memory until I saw “Love Letters” by A.R. Gurney (The Dining Room) at the fabulous Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Opening September 18th with the ageless Mia Farrow (Rosemary’s Baby) as Melissa Gardner, a precocious, wild child who time reveals to be damaged and fragile, with an incredible sensitivity, whose letters from Andrew Makepeace Ladd III, embodied by “the man” Brian Dennehy (Tony Award winner for lead in Death of a Salesman), whose voice remains commanding and defies mortality, provide the only real sense of stability in her whimsical and sometimes chaotic life.

Thought to be a dream job for actors who sit upon the stage alone as they trade turns reading five decades worth of letters, I am unconvinced if anyone claims it to be an easy task. The trip that the playwright and these two stellar actors took me on, under the direction of Gregory Mosher (former director of the Lincoln Center Theater) was an epic journey of missed opportunities until the eventual realization of one true thing. My heart was broken into a million pieces. I can hardly wait to do it again! And I will with each of the pairs who will grace the stage over the next three months: Carol Burnett, Candice Bergen, Diana Rigg, and Angelica Huston coupled with Brian Dennehy, Alan Alda, Stacy Keach, and Martin Sheen.

A simple set designed by John Lee Beatty, with Jane Greenwood doing costume, Peter Kaczorowski lighting, and Scott Lehrer sound, these professionals have obviously honed their craft, practicing incredible self-restraint, doing nothing to compete with the artistry of the actors’ voices nor the sentiment of two people experiencing a lifetime of emotions, experiences, and love through the letters they exchanged. Thank you for your subtlety. And thanks to Karen Armstrong, stage manager, for keeping it all on task. This show is for everyone who has ever dared to put pen to paper to scroll “I like you. Do you like me?”

Love Letters officially opened on September 18th, after previews starting September 13th and will run through February 1st at the Brooks Atkinson Theater.

Review By: Michele Seven
Photo By: Todd Heisler

Phoenix @ The Cherry Lane Theatre

Phoenix, written by Scott Organ and directed by Jennifer Delia is a two-person play starring Julia Stiles (Oleanna) as Sue and James Wirt (Let’s Kill Grandma This Christmas) as Bruce. It takes place in New York City and Phoenix though it really could be a story told anywhere in the United States. A one-night-stand with a consequential outcome serves as the catalyst for these two people’s very unlikely, and even curiously awkward, relationship.

Cherry Lane Theatre is set on a quaint street in SoHo and is certainly a place I’ll visit again. There is not a bad seat in the house, but do bring a sweater as the AC was set for a menopausal woman. Yikes! Caite Hevner Kemp did the set design which was hip and contemporary and together with Rick Carmona who did the lighting design, Janie Bullard who did the sound design, and Burton Machen who was the scenic artist, created an aesthetically pleasing view even if it did not make sense nor lend itself to a better understanding of the plot. Amit Gajwani costumed the two characters so they could really be any 20 or 30 something which is fitting with the American culture that serves as foundation to the storyline.

The ethical dilemmas that arise when you have two completely contradictory goals is present in the script though the articulation missed the mark. I could not tell if Sue was an emotionally vacant and self-consumed woman or if she was simply portrayed that way. And Bruce, bless his heart, seemed to be a well-intentioned man, but definitely a door mat for this woman who seemed to equate “the right to her body” with the right to be rude, abusive, vacillating between a femme fatale and “my way or the highway” gavel pounder. The severity of the issues: unwanted pregnancy, abortion, death, loss of hope, heartbreak, loneliness were hardly impressed upon the audience beyond sarcasm, yelling, or a science fiction fantasy story, more whimsical than tragic. There is a lot that can be done with this play and I really felt that the audience was pulling for Julia and James even if not for Sue and Bruce- the two have chemistry between them.

Along with Rose Riccardi, production state manager, Katie Fergerson, assistant stage manager, Jeremy Duncan Pape, production manager, Brierpatch Productions, general management, there was a host of producers: Nicholas Jabbour, Julie Pacino, Poverty Row Entertainment, Rian Patrick Durham, and Rattlestich Playwrights Theater. Get tickets for this one-act play with a limited engagement through August 23rd.

Review by: Michele Seven
Photos by: Harry Fellows

Piece of My Heart, The Bert Berns Story @ The Pershing Square Signature Center/Irene Diamond Stage

“Being lonely is the only way with a clock ticking in your ear.” This sad elegance embodies the spirit of the legendary songwriter of such hits as “Twist and Shout”, who paradoxically has remained virtually unknown until the persistent efforts of two of his children, combined with the collaboration of an amazing team of talent, lead by playwright Daniel Goldfarb, brought Piece of My Heart, The Bert Berns Story to audiences in Bert’s hometown of Manhattan at the Irene Diamond Theater. Directed and choreographed by Denis Jones (Popesical), he masterfully off-sets the grueling self-exploration of the characters in a time of revolution with the physical interpretation of the music through dance and movement. 

Starring as the 30 something-year-old Bert Burns is Zak Resnick (Momma Mia), who’s personification of a man who lived, desperate to be known as one of the great songwriters and who matured into the man who died with the meaningful desire to be known by his children through the music he left behind, chokes me up even as I write this. I’d also have him sing his version of “I Want Candy” over any other, any day! De’Adre Aziza (Passing Strange) portrays the inspiration for the song and damn, what a dame! Smart, sassy, sexy, the character lights him up and sets him straight before generously sending him off while allowing herself to be left behind. This story is as much about the women in his life as it is about the man.

The pairing of Leslie Kritzer (Legally Blonde) who plays Jessie, the youngest child and only daughter of Bert and his wife, Ilene, played by Linda Hart (Hairspray) is honest. Leslie humbly portrays a woman who is lost and directionless, without the advantage of having grown up with a father, while Linda is fearless, personifying a woman who was and is today one of the most important women in the music industry- no small feat especially in the context of her time. I wanted to hate them both: the one for being so whiny and self-consumed and the other for being intoxicated with her own sense of self-importance. Instead I fell in love with them as together they found reconciliation, integrating their feelings of abandonment with their intricate desperation for the love of this man who they thought gone forever, but who through the journey of his music found peace within themselves and purpose in their love for each other as Jessie found her father, as he wanted, through his gift of song. 

Joseph Siravo (Jersey Boys) and Bryan Fenkhart (Memphis) play Wazzel, elder and younger respectively. Beautiful job synching the mannerisms and subtleties of one another, I really thought I was looking at the real life younger version of Siravo/Wazzel. What an interesting man he must have been with his gangster-like exterior ensconcing a heart of gold who’s vulnerability and grace gave him the courage to reveal his shame, intent on making things right.

Best friend of Bert was Hoagy Lands, played by Derrick Baskin (Memphis). His soulful voice emits pain and suffering while almost demanding that we rise above our circumstances and overcome- a perfect match to interpret Bern’s lyrics as a tribute to his legacy. Bravo! Teal Wicks (Wicked) cast as young Ilene was believable as the young Jewish dancer clawing to escape the humiliation of poverty but who set aside her own ambitions for the hope of the love of a man and happy-ever-after.

The ensemble, featuring Carleigh Bettiol who is a gorgeous dancer, melds into the story making them almost forgettable but without whom the telling of the tale would have no flavor. Thank-you Teresa Gattison, Shonica Gooden, Sydney James Harcourt (+1 for facial expressions), Jessica McRoberts, Ralph Meitzler, Harris Milgrim, Michael Millan, Heather Parcells, Gabrielle Ruiz, Amos Wolff, and the man who played what’s his name…Jerry something, Mark Zeisler. This production is clearly a labor of love with the entire team pulling for this man, who until now, has been forgotten, even as we all sing along to his songs whenever we hear them four decades later. The supporting cast was gracious as they consistently sacrificed themselves to elevate the star, not Zak, but rather a man who has been dead since 1967. (Interesting to note is that Otis Redding died only days before him and we all know who he is by name.) 

And last, but certainly, not least, Piece of My Heart Orchestra…It must really be something to be playing the music written by one who’s tunes who served as an inspiration since their youth. Like the actors, they played to create an ambiance where this man’s struggle to have meaning in his life, through his talent and hard work, could be told in such a way that we were all left cheering for him. With their help, the next stop for Bertrand Russle Berns- Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame!

This show is a must see for anyone who has sung along  to “Brown Eyed Girl”, “Under the Boardwalk”, or the gut-wrenching song “Piece of My Heart”  as well as for those who appreciate a great story of overcoming and quest. Stage manager, Matthew DiCarlo has this in the bag! Opening night was July 21 with a run time of one month, go now…and then take your mom. Get your tickets here!!

Review by: Michele Seven
Photo By: Jenny Anderson

The Religion Thing @ The Cell Theater

“The Religion Thing”, by Renee Calarco, directed by Douglas Hall, fell flat as a message medium and as a provocative catalyst for post-theater dinner gab, notwithstanding the relevant subject matter of interfaith marriage and more significant- the measure by which we define ourselves. It is a shame too because who of us cannot relate to the internal conflict of seeking our own bliss while also subjecting ourselves to cultural traditions and the difficulty in integrating the two?

The play performed at The Cell as a Project Y production opens with Glick’s (Curren Connor) stand-up monologue about the Amish rite of passage, Rumspringa. In so doing, we are led to believe this show will be a comedy where we poke fun at our religious traditions. His rightful conclusion that most adolescents return to be baptized into the faith foreshadows the interfaith marriage couple’s own struggle and eventual reconciliation of the distinct faiths they were born into, with the lives and partners they chose as individuals. However, its lack of meat made the tradition seem trivial as opposed to what it is: an honest struggle to choose a life path despite parental programming. Further, it would have more adequately been compared to Catholic confirmation or Bar/Bat Mitzva , and not to the grown-up turmoil of marriage and divorce.

Still thinking this to be a comedy, the next scene set in the swanky living room of Mo (Katherine McLeod) and Brian (Jamie Geiger) who are hosting Patti (Danielle O-Farrell) and Jeff (Andrew William Smith) revealed the central conflict in the play: Are we the sum of our choices and experiences, or are we who we choose to be and experience henceforth? Katherine does a sufficient job portraying the typical Type A, nearly 40 woman who was told and believed that she could have it all. And Jamie, whose portrayal of a 40 something, non-religious Jew living in an age of entitlement and indecision is certainly the most authentic of all the actors. Danielle and Andrew have zero chemistry together and I felt like I was watching a high school performance whenever they were on stage. It was confusing as an audience member if this was due to nervous actors, an inability to reach emotional depth, or the awkwardness of the unlikely pairing. After the scene, I was left wondering if the big reveal that Jeff is, was, might still be gay (what does that mean?) was more about it being Pride Week in NYC than anything relevant to a comedic play about interfaith marriages.

If we are to surmise, as the play intends that we can choose our path and that it can be the integration of all our individual conclusions about ourselves, it ought not to have been an issue that Jeff had chosen a woman as a life partner rather than a man regardless of why. And if it’s not a choice, why was it even placed in the construct of the interfaith challenges? Where were the Atheist and the Muslim and the potential fight over something meaningful like circumcision? Is it because that scenario lacks comedic implications?

Knowing what I know now would I still go see it? Yes. The venue is interesting and lends itself to layers of staging and direction. The tech was on cue which I appreciate as I feel that sound and lighting are part of the framework that provide structure whence the actor may shine. Further, Project Y is to be applauded for even attempting to broach the topic that has somehow been relegated to gauche in polite society despite it addressing the most fundamental aspect of being human- questioning the meaning of one’s life and place in the world. In closing, the use of Yael Ben-Zion’s photographic art displayed throughout deserves more than just a cursory glance and may provide for dessert dialog.

Review By: Michelle Seven

Photos By: Colin Hovde