A COMEDY OF TENORS @ The Papermill Playhouse

In 2013 Paper Mill Playhouse produced Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me a Tenor with director Don Stephenson at the healm. Now, over 3 years later, Stephenson and the original cast are back for its sequel, A Comedy of Tenors. This grand reunion paired with a hilarious script filled with hijinks makes for an evening filled with hysterics.

The title immediately gives you a clue as to what’s in store- borrowing its name from Shakespeare’s A Comedy of Errors, Ludwig’s sequel has all of the trademarks of an outrageous farce. From mistaken identities, to slamming doors, lots of sex, a little bit of opera, and of course a wedding to tie everything up, this 2-hour long show is a fast paced wild ride. Set 2 years after the events of the original, we find producer Saunders (Michael Kostroff) in a hotel room in Paris attempting to keep his opera performance together. Returning are Max (David Josefsberg) his son-in-law and aspiring opera performer, and world famous Tenor Tito (John Treacy Egan) along with his hot-headed wife Maria (Judy Blazer). Along for the ride is Tito and Maria’s daughter, aspiring actress Mimi (Jill Paice) with her boyfriend, the new opera star Carlo (Ryan Silverman), and Racón (Donna Englisch), a former fling of Tito’s. With Tito already feeling jealousy that his stardom is being outshone by bright Tenor Carlo, things escalate when he mistakenly believes his wife is having an affair with the young singer, not knowing he is actually the secret boyfriend of his beloved daughter. Shenanigans ensue, while Saunders tries to keep everyone from strangling each other and get them ready to sing for a soccer stadium full of fans.

Kostroff, Josefsberg, Egan, and Blazer all reprise their respective roles from Lend Me a Tenor, and they excel in them. Their familiarity with the characters allows for lots of nuances within the absurdity and a real sense of connection between one another. Egan particularly shines, tackling a duel role. Much like his portrayal of Franz Liebkind in Paper Mill’s recent production of The Producers, he is able to deftly navigate moments of over-the-top absurd anger and moments of pure joy and silliness; and here his voice is allowed to soar even more in the few operatic occasions featured. Egan is certainly the standout, commanding the stage for the majority of the evening. Also returning from The Producers are Kostroff and Josefsberg who had been Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom respectively. It is fun to see these two teamed up again and show off their deft comedy skills. The final returning cast member from the original Tenors is Judy Blazer as Maria, whose fierce hot-headed Italian attitude is especially delightful, and I only wish there had been even more of her throughout the show. The three new characters are all amusing, but it is Ryan Silverman as Carlo who really stands out. His voice is incredible, and he proves a skilled comedic actor as he serves as the catalyst for all the wacky goings-ons.

All of this crazy action takes place in a hotel room in Paris, with Michael Schweikardt’s scenic design setting a wonderful grand atmosphere, with luxurious adornments and a gorgeous terrace featuring the Parisian sky and a view of the Eiffel Tower. The lighting design by Stephen Terry was quite appropriately simple for the room, but its prowess was shown through the terrace. Subtly, throughout the progression of the play, the outside sky began to change color, effectively communicating the passage of time and providing an insight of urgency to the audience that time was running out for everything to come together for the fast approaching opera concert. Paper Mill favorite and returning director from Lend Me a Tenor, Stephenson navigates the ridiculous A Comedy of Tenors with skill, stretching out the wacky moments for an optimal amount of laughs, while still letting the heart of the characters come through.

With lots of slapstick, screaming, singing, scandal, and a stirring script, Paper Mill’s A Comedy of Tenors is a fun night of laughter and entertainment. If you were a fan of Ludwig’s original show and want to see how these zany characters end up, or if you’re a newcomer looking for a farce check out this uproarious comedy before it ends its limited run on Sunday, February 26.

Review By: April Sigler

Photos By: Jerry Dalia and Kevin Thomas Garcia

THE PRESENT @ the ETHEL BARRYMORE THEATRE

It’s hard to review this show without just writing a love letter to the entire cast and crew. So to start off I will say, The Present is a show that will stick with you, that will challenge you, that will make you think days after seeing it, and will over all just blow your mind. Most people see the name Anton Chekov and either roll their eyes or jump for joy. Personally I have always been on the fence. I am a lover of the classics but I also have ADD so I have a short attention span. (It’s a curse) Writer Andrew Upton manages to take one of Chekhov’s early works and turns it into this modern high speed chase of love, life, passion, and of course vodka.  I honestly don’t think I have ever been so entranced with a show, and that’s saying a lot since this one is four acts!

The playbill is key in this production because Mr. Upton gives you some backstory of these characters if you are unfamiliar with Chekhov’s work. But beyond the stellar writing, director John Crowley has staged this production so beautifully.  Upton and Crowley have managed to make Chekhov actually funny.  We have a cast of 13 very different characters and Crowley gave each of them shinning moments and it never felt, crowded or upstaged, it was perfect chaos.

Now, let me gush my love for the actors. Bare with me because, after this show I feel as I know them, and we are all now friends.  Cate Blanchett! Cate Blanchett! CATE BLANCHETT! I could watch her on stage just sitting doing nothing and she would manage to make it interesting some how. She has this ease, and effortless about her that is just memorizing. And just when you think she is just perfectly poised, she gets up on a table and dances to punk rock! I was with her on her entire journey of her 40^th birthday.

And then we have Mr. Richard Roxburgh. Who in my opinion steals the show. He starts off as this classic flighty playboy; all the girls love him (on and off stage) and then becomes the most grounded character. He manages to make you laugh in inappropriate situations and you can’t help but love him. And when he’s with Ms. Blanchett its pure magic!

The ensemble is filled with so many stars its hard to talk about them all. Toby Schmitz (Nikoli) has a spark that whenever he was on stage I couldn’t stop watching.  Chris Ryan (Sergei) is probably the most loveable character on stage, and I just rooted for him through the show.  Jacqueline McKenzie (Sophia) plays the perfect balance of a hot mess. Every actor on stage did beautiful work!

If you are looking for a show to make you make you laugh, cry, and honestly feel better about your friends and family, head to the Ethel Barrymore Theatre and see The Present!

Review: Bri Burnside

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

APARTMENT COMPLEX @ THE BARROW GROUP w. the NOW Collective

Self produced and self shaped theatre is very much a living, breathing entity clamoring under rug swept by the glitz and sparkle of Broadway. But its there. You just have to find it. Theatre makers are taking the industry into their own hands, arthritic from self promotion on any and every social media medium, and shaping their fates. I know, I know, easier said then done. And beyond that? Easier said then done WELL.

You know who does it well? The NOW Collective- a new group of graduate apprentices from The Barrow Group. Their mission is to provide a collaborative environment for emerging artists like themselves to get stoked and work on new pieces together. And if their current show, Apartment Complex, is any indicator as to the work we can expect from this group, I anticipate a bright future ahead.

Apartment Complex is a series of shorts by various playwrights and actors within the group about, you guessed it; the trials, tribulations and absolute thrills of living in one of the best cities in the entire world. And what a smart move that was for this fledgling company. Their first big show off the bat was material that invites an audience in, almost as if they too were a part of the ensemble, because as people of New York, we could identify with it ALL.

 

The evening truly got kicked off when actress/playwright Sam Evans found a bedbug on her sweater, which hilariously segued into a performance art piece where the actress, in a garbage bag and rain boots, destroyed everything in her apartment. Evans was absolutely captivating and had the audience convulsing in their laughter. A highlight of the evening for sure.

Next up is Adrian Burke, an extremely talented gentleman we need to be tracking. He had two plays up in the night, one of which Burke himself was in, and not only were they really frigging funny, they were poignant and satiated the audience on a different level. Hallways was particularly brilliant. It was a two man bit satirizing how we grieve and how we are allowed to grieve in our current climate. These points were punctuated perfectly and with care by actors Andrew Dobbie and Morgan Bartholick.

Sean T McGrath’s Dinner Party was also very well received within the audience. Dinner Party took us on an emotional rollercoaster, even in such a brief amount of time, which is super admirable. Kasey Lee Huizinga was heartbreaking in her pursuits of trying to maintain homeostasis in financial insecurity, a feeling we all know far too well.

Catch this show in it’s last weekend at The Barrow Group Studio Theatre over on 36^th. In this current political climate, we all need a friggin laugh…and more importantly, support the arts. Don’t allow them to get evicted from their homes.

Review: Brittany Goodwin

Photos: Kyle LeMaire Photography

A Bronx Tale @ The Longacre Theater

I feel like I have said this in many shows I review, but I honestly did not know what to expect when I sat down in the Longacre Theatre to watch A Bronx Tale. I did not know it was originally a one man show, and a movie, I am late to the party!  It is safe to assume that you are going to watch someone’s tale in the Bronx, Belmont Avenue to be exact.

We follow the story of Calogero. The year is 1960 and we are in a stereotypical Italian “neighborhood.” And what’s a classic neighborhood without some grown men carrying baseball bats and handling some “business”.  The young Calogero, played beautifully by Hudson Loverro, witnesses a murder and the show takes off and doesn’t slow down. Calogero decides he’s not a rat and the neighborhoods leader, Sunny, decides he’s one of the guys. Instantly we have a struggle between Sunny, and Calogero’s father. What kind of man will he become?

Did I forget to mention that this show is actually a musical! It’s hard to believe because the show is filled with so much drama, information, and yet the music doesn’t feel forced at all. Some stand out numbers were, Roll em, where we see how Sunny makes a lot of his money, and meet (for lack of a better world) the rest of the mob. Another song I just can’t get out of my head is “I like it” which gives young Calogero a chance to shine and shows us he’s ok with being one of the guys.

We see Calogero grow into a man. And that’s when things get real difficult. The world is changing and so is the neighborhood.  Calogero, played by Bobby Conte Thornton does a fantastic job moving this show along, and makes the whole audience fall in love with him.  So, it’s obvious he needs a love interest. Enter Jane, a girl from the other side of the neighborhood, Webster Avenue to be exact. Racial tensions rise, fights between the neighborhoods occur, a real Romeo and Juliette vibe.

My only problem with this show was a lot of things we glossed over. I wanted to see more of the love story between Calogero and Jane. I wanted more struggles between Sunny and Lorenzo. I wanted more of Rosina, his mother. I think there might have been too many side plots.

The cast was absolutely amazing. Lorenzo, played by Richard H Blake will absolutely tear your heart out and break it to a million pieces and blow you away with his voice. Lucia Giannetta (Rosina) and Ariana Debose (Jane) both had amazing solos but again, wish I got to see them more! Nick Cordero (Sunny) makes me remember why I will always have a crush on an Italian man. He has such a charm you can’t help but love him and root for him the entire show.

A Bronx Tale has something for everyone. It’s filled with lovely little comedic gems such as a ‘girlfriend test’ and just good ole neighborhood charm that will make anyone reminisce on their youth. This could be… One of the great ones.

Review By: Briana Burnside
Photos By: Joan Marcus

THIS DAY FORWARD @ The Vineyard Theater

The Vineyard Theatre’s newest installation, This Day Forward, is one show that certainly makes you think. Written by Nicky Silver (Pterodactyls, The Lyons) it is not your typical love story; in fact, it is the lack of love that really is the star of this show.

Set in both 1958 and 2004, the story centers around Irene’s (Holley Fain) love life. The play begins in 1958, in a swank hotel (with trimmings that seriously make me consider hiring scenic designer, Allen Moyer, to re-do my place), on Irene and Martin’s (Michael Crane) wedding night.  We immediately are drawn in by Fain’s excellent portrayal of a nervous, fidgety and distressed newlywed.  After skirting around for awhile, she finally admits to Martin that she is not in love with him, but instead, is in love with Emil (Joe Tippett), a loud-mouth, brash, gas station attendant she has been forbidden from dating by her mother.  Martin, in obvious disbelief, begins to question her about the relationship and why she decided to wait until AFTER their wedding to share this information.  Irene explains how the two became acquainted, their subsequent break-up and how Emil was on his way over to pick up Irene after she had seen him earlier that morning.  Emil arrives and the three hash it out in the hotel room. The men decide to fight for the right for Irene.  While they “take it outside,” Irene is given love advice from Melka (June Gable), the polish immigrant hotel maid, who was in a similar situation.  She cautions her from following her heart, as it did not work out in her favor, and urges her to stay with a man who can take care of her and give her the material things she desires.  Martin finally returns and with her mind made up, Irene chooses to forgo Melka’s advice and go with love over material wealth and leaves to meet up with Emil.

The second act begins in a totally redesigned space (and again, Moyer’s design of a chic New York apartment makes me question if I could pull that off in suburbia).  Major kudos to the run crew who successfully took apart an entire stage in the time it took to check my Facebook.  The story begins with Crane, now playing Noah, with his boyfriend, Leo (Andrew Burnap) in a beautiful NYC apartment in 2004.  Leo is stressed out because his estranged mother is coming after being picked up by the police at JFK Airport after seemingly having an Alzheimer’s episode.  We then meet Noah’s sister, Sheila (Francesca Faridany) who explains just how bad it is living with her mother.  When their mother arrives, we realize it is Irene (now played by June Gable), many years later.  We learn that even though we saw her exit to follow her heart to be with Emil in Act I, she still wound up with Martin, lived a miserable life with all of the amenities a 20th-century woman could want.  This misery trickled down into her children, who both have sabotaged relationships, unstable lives and an affinity for feeling like they were generally unwanted.  The play closes with Irene seemingly talking to a ghostly Emil, in which we learn he never met with her that night.  Feeling like he was unable to provide her the life she wanted, he decided it was best to let her stay with Martin.  

It is in the final moments that this play really shines.  Taking on the concept of how failed love shapes people is not something many have done before.  Silver does a phenomenal job of making you think about following your heart without being cheesy.  Personally experiencing this show with someone who has been divorced was an added treat, as for her, it gave her some closure in her decisions.  You can never know what the future holds for you, but this play truly shows you that by playing it safe and not trusting your heart, you may be able to survive, but the life you lead will be riddled with misery, melancholy and general unhappiness that is felt by EVERYONE around you.  This will then affect the choices they make for the rest of their lives, causing this cycle to never end.  

Playing now through Dec. 18th, this is one show you do not want to miss.  Besides the kudos given above, a sincere salute to those cast members that played dual roles. Taking on the challenge of playing two completely different characters and making it believable can be difficult, but the cast makes it appear effortless.  For tickets and information, please visit www.vineyardtheatre.org and be sure to check out the lower lobby for added touches that make the play come alive.

Review By: Renee Demaio
Photos By: Julieta Cervantes 

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