Othello: The Remix @ The Westside Theater (Upstairs)

In recent seasons where hip hop seems to be dominating musical theater, The Q Brothers’ Othello: the Remix fits right in. But these brothers are no strangers to infusing the style into their work.  In the past decade and a half, the production group has created several hip hop adaptations of Shakespeare’s most famous works: The Bomb-itty of Errors, Funk it Up About Nothing, Q Gents, and I <3 Juliet have been produced around the country and Off-Broadway. John Leguizamo’s presentation of Othello the Remix brings the Q Brothers back to New York.

The re-imagining presents Othello (Postell Pringle) as a hip hop mogul, about to embark on a cross country tour to promote the new album for pop-rapper Cassio (Jackson Doran). Fellow artist Iago (GQ) feels betrayed to be the “opener for the opener” on the tour, and sets out to get revenge by ruining Cassio’s career and Othello’s new marriage. Though the plot is modernized, Shakepeare’s themes of jealousy and betrayal are still very apparent.

The Q Brothers incorporate a unique style of comedy into their work. Like a sketch group, there are many characters played by the company of four actors. Wigs, shirt fronts, and hats are used to differentiate the characters. Like an improv troupe, the actors break the fourth wall and make out-there jokes that incite heavy laughs. But where they differ: they do all this in the middle of catchy beats and smart rhymes, just like a hip-hop crew. Move over Hamilton, looks like you have some competition.

JQ stands out as the character actor of the production. In 80 minutes, he becomes tennis-obsessed record producer Loco Vito, Rosie Perez-like groupie Bianca, and lovesick Dungeons & Dragons player Roderigo. Doran’s Cassio is an endearing comic relief: the guy you want to laugh at and feel bad for at the same time. GQ’s Iago is earnest and jealous; he’s the puppet master villain who you almost want to see succeed. Pringle carries the show as leading man Othello, and your hearts breaks right along with him.

Equal parts Shakespeare, Hip hop, and sketch comedy doesn’t sound like a formula that should work. Oh but it does. Even the elderly ladies in the front row were raising the roof.

Othello: The Remix performs at the Westside Theater.

Review By: Kelcie Kosberg
Photos By: Carol Rosegg

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

Heathers: The Musical @ New World Stages Stage 1

Hold onto your hats 80’s cult movie fans! A new musical adaptation of your favorite 80’s movie Heathers has been turned into a stage musical and is the must see Off-Broadway production of the 2014 season! Filled with memorable songs, a hilarious script and ridiculously talented cast, Heathers: The Musical restores your faith in the theatre world’s ability to take a known movie title and transfer it into a success stage production.

Heathers: The Musical, which features a book, music and lyrics by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe, is essentially your Mean Girls of the 1980s. Its September 1989 at Westerberg High School and the entire school is being terrorized by the “Heathers”. These girls manage to get away with just about anything until newcomer J.D. Dean comes along and decides to put them in their place. With the help of Veronica Sawyer, together J.D. and Veronica help destroy the high school society’s they know only to learn even more things they wish they never knew in this hilarious new musical loving ripped off of the screenplay of the same title by Daniel Waters. There is major credit that needs to be given to Murphy and O’Keefe who have just landed an A plus across the board when it comes to the score and script with this production. The focus is clear. The piece moves very well and you never find yourself waiting for another musical number. Oh, about the musical numbers. They deliver memorable song after memorable song with a score of A plus tunes. You can tell O’Keefe has put his classic charming touch onto the songs with it being about something ridiculous only to come across with a lyric that smacks you right in the face. “You are the only right thing about this broken world” sticks out in my mind.

Barrett Wilbert Weed stars as Veronica Sawyer and gives a stand out performance with strong acting choices and solid vocals throughout the entire piece. She is a knockout and clear force of talent. Weed wins you over from the very beginning as she narrates her journey from average girl to Heather sidekick to God or Gods unwilling assistant as her and J.D. takes matters into their own hands over time. Speaking of, J.D. Dean played by Ryan McCartan is a strong force to be reckoned with as the productions leading man. He makes bold acting choices throughout the pieces and also enjoys some really beautiful moments throughout the score. Weed and McCartan share a beautiful chemistry on stage you can’t help but love.

The Heathers, played by Jessica Keenan Wynn (Heather Chandler), Elle McLemore (Heather McNamara) and Alice Lee (Heather Duke) are over the top ridiculous in all the ways you want them to be. From their first entrance to songs like “Candy Store”, they are your quintessential plastics of high school. They’re so evil in what they do; you can’t help but love them. Evan Todd who stars as Kurt and Jon Eidson who stars as Ram deliver hilarious performances as your typical high school jocks. They’re over the top choices and ridiculous antics show just how far we’ve come since the 1980’s but the nonsense we can still manage to get away with in high school.

The ensemble is filled with all of your typical high school stereotypes (Nerds, Goth, Cheerleaders) that also double as adult roles throughout the piece. The ensemble is consistently present but not in the way where they become bothersome or distracting. They only add to the story with their vocals and help bring to life some of the largest and most vibrant numbers of the entire production.

Heathers: The Musical not only scores when it comes to the production’s talent but also it’s technical elements. Timothy R. Mackabee provides a simple and yet adequate scenic design that allows for characters to move freely about and doesn’t leave us crammed for when it comes to the bigger production numbers. Amy Clark gives us a beautiful costume design and Jonny Massena’s sound design is spot on when it comes to not only mixing in the band with the vocals but for the special cues as well. The be all to end all of the technical elements is the ridiculous lighting design provided by Jason Lyons. His lighting designs shines (No pun intended) as bright as the stars themselves or even brighter as he hits you with cue after cue of rolling effects, beautiful mixes and fantastic marks.

Do yourself a favor and make sure to get to experience Heathers: The Musical now in performances at New World Stages. It will restore your faith in musical theatre film adaptations but more importantly, it will restore your faith in theatre. Heathers not only brings to life a hilarious cult movie on the stage but an important topic in society with youngsters and how we define ourselves. While I’ll let them be sure to teach you everything you need to know, all you need to know from me is that like the anthem of this production, it is Beautiful.

Review By: Chris Luner
Photos By: Chad Batka

Stockholm @ 59E59 B

   Stockholm both a place and a state of mind. The play by Bryony Lavery and directed by Nick Flint is an intellectually stimulating look at abusive relationships and the devastating affects they will have if perpetuated.

   Christina Benne Lind plays Kali, a wonderfully passionate woman bent on enjoying life to the utmost. Without once losing the intensity of a woman deeply in love, we see her passion become raging manipulation and abuse towards Todd played by Richard Saudek. A game which they have played for years, wherein she become jealous of some past lover of his, convinces herself he is going to leave her and then seeks to destroy his will. The story is old, domestic abuse. It is a rarity though, in which we see it displayed from this perspective. Richard's transitions from man in love to caged animal is both seamless and heartbreaking.  Christina and Richard sizzle onstage. Their chemistry and tension so clear you can see it shimmering between them, a chord that tightens, both in love and inevitably, hate.

   Typical Bryony Lavery style, the script is static. Jumping between third person narratives and dialogue, it takes a moment for the audience to understand who the story is about. A ploy that is both confusing and yet, highly stimulating. This is clearly not just a story about a couple, but rather an inside glimpse into an abusive household and how it will affect the next generation.
   Natalie Lomonte's choreography compliments both the actors abilities and the script. A particularly beautiful piece near the end of the play is breathtaking to watch as we see this couple, whom we have come to know, start their abuse cycle all over again.

   Nick Flint's direction smooths over much of Bryony's static style making the show relatable to an audience. I found the actors speaking in tandem to be a bit disconcerting because they were not completely in sync with each other, a direction I understand thinking back on the show, but one that confused the audience during the production.

   Crew includes, Techincal Director Lou Albruzzese, Composer Estelle Bajou, Sound Designer Janie Bullard, Scenic Designer James Dardenne, Lighting Designer Mike Rigs, and Costume Designer Kenisha Kelly.

   Both erotic and disturbing, Stockholm is not a show to be overlooked, but a piece to be savored and discussed. This play is only running through March 29th, so be sure to get your tickets here.

The Correspondent @ Rattlestick Playwrights Theater

Take a moment and imagine the slightly off-beat combination of W.W. Jacobs short horror story The Monkey’s Paw and the hit 1980’s movie Ghost.  You are now primed for the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater’s production of The Correspondent.

In The Correspondent a grieving husband, Philip Graves (Thomas Jay Ryan) hires a dying woman, Mirabel (Heather Alicia Simms) to deliver a message to his recently deceased wife in the afterlife.  When he receives letters describing events that only his wife could know, he must determine if the correspondence, delivered by a young man (Jordan Geiger), is from a con artist or actually from the beyond.

We find ourselves in an apartment building in the Beacon Hill area of Boston.  Here, in this perfectly livable set by Andrew Boyce, we find a voyeuristic window for the next ninety minutes.  From the coffered ceilings, to the built in bookshelves, to the floor to ceiling windows and outdoor environment, Boyce’s attention to detail truly shows through. With the copious and homey props from Ricola Willie and Julia Moreno, Beacon Hill finds a home in New York.

The cast attempts to portray the natural discomfort that occurs when strangers meet and discuss tragic emotions.  Through the direction of Stephen Brackett, they make minor strides with the somewhat unnatural and clumsy writing of Ken Urban.  Some small successes of the show are seen in the casual and realistic habits the actors portray, such as eating, drinking and looking at their cell phones.  This does not make up for the lack of comfort found in the flow of the dialogue.  The addition of the nudity and graphic sex scene seemed nothing more than an attempt to shock the audience, moving past the point of its effectiveness.

The true triumph belongs to the brilliant lighting and sound duo of Eric Southern and Daniel Kluger. Southern’s lighting is a beautifully dynamic work, giving a simple and natural effect of time passing in one moment and abruptly switching to a jarring light to grasp the viewer back into the action.  Putting Boyce's windows to great use, Southern brings the sunlight into the room the way day breaks through the window panes in our own homes.  Then like movie magic, he steals the sun away from us just moments later.  The addition of Kluger’s suspenseful and well placed sound keeps most of the audience awake enough to witness the conclusion of the story.

The Correspondent tries to keep us guessing to the end and does succeed in holding onto its secret, but the journey causes some of the audience to disengage.

Opening night is set for Thursday, February 13th and the show will run through Sunday, March 16th at the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, 224 Waverly Place, west of Seventh Avenue South, between West 11 and Perry Streets.

Review by Paul David Morin

Philosophy For Gangsters @ The Beckett Theatre @ Theater Row

A grisly family murder leads Italian gang member, Callie, to kidnap a college philosopher and put him to work in her mafia family’s business and at the forefront of a misguided revolution that reaches as high as the White House in the comedy Philosophy for Gangsters. On paper, the play promises a quirky, Jersey comedy, rich with stereotype humor; ending with a beautiful message disguised in laughter to appeal to the liberal arts freshman, hipster artists, and embittered college professors. In the flesh however, this comedy falls flat with missed cues, broken character work, and scene changes that were often longer than the scenes themselves. 

Australians Liz and Barry Peak wrote and directed Philosophy for Gangsters and while I admire their
idea of “a comedy that throws various popular culture myths, story forms and memes into a Mafia melting pot,”a their writing style was sloppy for the stage. The amount of screen usage undermined the stage work and the 45 second scenes onstage were not enough for the audience to care about any of the characters. 

A play made up of secondary characters cannot illicit a reaction and I felt as if I were watching a sketch comedy show, not a two hour, two act comedy supposedly comprised of complex characters. That being said, David Demato (Eddie), tackled his character and was the only actor who made conscious choices, even if he did break character to laugh at an obviously ad libbed joke from his scene partner. 

The cast for Philosophy for Gangsters is: Michael Brusasco, Kyle Robert Carter, David Demato, Shabazz Green, Bruno Iannone, Leajato Amara Robinson, Courtney Romano, Tally Sessions, Deborah Tranelli and Tom White.

The creative team is comprised of Julia Noulin-Mérat (scenic design), Sarah Cogan (costume design), Carl Wiemann(lighting design), M. Florian Staab (sound design) and Lauren Genutis (properties). Jessica Pollack is Production Stage Manager.

Art enables the freedom to be offensive and this play sets up for hilarity, but the political correctness of the script caused the jokes to fall flat. If you’re going to poke fun at anything, do it with conviction. 

Philosophy for Gangsters opened at The Beckett Theatre(west 42nd) and has a limited run through March 1st. 

Review By: Aziza Seven
Photos By: Carol Rosegg

Almost, Maine @ The Gym at Judson

   The delightful performance of Almost, Maine presented at The Gym at Judson by director Jack Cummings III was a complete treat to experience. Set in the not quite a town, of Almost, the audience was transported through different romantic situations for an off-beat, “almost”, romantic comedy. 

   The cast of four played a range of 21 characters who experience all stages of love: first love, broken hearts, marriage troubles, etc. Playwright, John Cariani starred as a series of male characters that are both heartwarming and socially awkward. His portrayal as Dave in the vignette “Seeing the Thing” was particularly lovable while, in “This Hurts,” his character, Steve was charming with an open honesty that left the audience applauding before the lights dimmed. 

   Kevin Isola’s and Donna Lynne Champlin created the perfect scenario of married couple exhausted by life. Their’s was the only story that resonated truthfully without the added illusion of new love in any form. Kevin’s performances were spot on as what seems to be the only normal male living in the town. Particularly interesting was his portrayal as Man in “Story of Hope.” 

   One of the best scenes was due to Donna Lynne Champlin and Kelly Mcandrew’s chemistry during “They Fell.” They truly captured the whimsical moment of falling in love and the audience was clearly captivated. Donna Lynn’s winning performance in the scene “Her Heart,” set the speed for her performances throughout the show. She was memorable in everything she performed, no matter the character. 

   Last, but certainly not least, was Kelly McAndrew as the other leading lady in the play. She played everything from the disappointed soon to be fiancee, to the newly discovered lesbian, to the heartbroken high school sweetheart with aplomb. Her mannerisms were spot on and different for each character, leading to believable moments among a cast that seem to share a different kiss with each scene. 

   Scenic design and lighting design by Sandra Goldmark and R. Lee Kennedy create the atmosphere or each scene. Both simple and enchanting, their work didn’t overpower the acting, but enhanced it.  

Charming, real, and not always containing a “happily ever after,” Almost, Maine rings true for all the ages. 

   Almost, Maine opened Januray 21st at the Gym at Judson located at 243 Thompson street in the West Village. Get your tickets here!

Review by Aziza Seven

Photos provided by Transport Group

Year of the Rooster @ The Ensemble Studio Theater

Year of The Rooster is about a man who owns a prize rooster for cock fights. After getting involved with dirty dealings, his thirst for power takes over and he ends up with nothing.  

This play was simply riveting from the beginning. I was captivated by all the performances. A man named Gil Pepper(Thomas Lyons)  takes risks with cock fights and has a thirst to win but Dickie Thimble(Denny Dale Bass) is a powerful and wealthy man in the cock fighting business who always wins. Pepper's thirst for power is ultimately his downfall. His rooster Odyssesus Rex(Bobby Moreno) believes he is invincible and can kill anything or anyone.

Delphi Harrington(Lou Pepper), who plays Gil's mom, gives a stunning performance as a new widow struggling for independence while till desperately holding on to the son who takes care of her. She has let herself go completely due to her tragedies. Megan Tusing(Philipa) who plays Gil's co-worker at McDonalds gives a stellar performance as a 19 year old cashier who exhibits the innocence in the show. You see her struggle with moving up in the world yet enjoying the power that comes her way.

Year of the Rooster is at Ensemble Studio Theatre as apart of there Youngblood Program for Playwrights Under 30. Year of the Rooster is running till February, was written by Eric Dufault and directed by John Giampietro.

Photos By: Russ Kuhner

Review By: Sarah Brown

Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter @ York Theatre Company

Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter is a one woman show that will have you leaving the theatre more thoughtful and educated about the relationship between one of Broadway’s greatest composer and the charming millionaire wife that helped create him. 

Stevie Holland who wrote the book with Gary William Friedman, also plays the esteemed Linda Porter with grace and poise, breathing life into this often looked over muse in history. While some of the acting would be better suited for a less intimate gathering, Stevie does a wonderful job. She is obviously very invested in this historical figure and her passion shows so much so that I found myself completely immersed. 

Lending a hand was the talented Musical Director, Christopher McGovern on the piano, featuring bassist Danny Weller, and drummer Alex Wyatt. Together, they created the perfect jazz trio. Mixed with Stevie’s throaty jazz vocals, they’re interpretation of Cole Porter’s works brought to mind the speakeasies and parties they were originally played at by the legend himself. 

The show features such classics as "In the Still of the Night," "Love For Sale," and "Miss Otis Regrets." 

Directed by Tony winner Richard Maltby, Jr., the production weaves itself through a narrative exploring the deep love felt between the couple as well as shedding some light on their more complicated relationship.

Love, Linda opened officially at the York Theatre Company on Dec. 12 and has a limited run through Jan. 5th. I suggest getting tickets as soon as possible!

*The York Theatre Company is under the leadership of producing artistic director James Morgan and executive director Andrew Levine. 

Photo provided by playbill.com
Review By: Aziza Seven