PARTY PEOPLE @ The Public Theater

Writing this review has been one of the hardest things I have had to do. Not because the show, but because what it stands for and how relevant it is today.  With that being said excuse me if this review is a little scattered.

Party People takes place now. We follow the Journey of Malik and Jimmy, two millennial’s who are putting on a show to celebrate the party. (The party meaning Black panthers and Young Lords) The opening scene we see Malik (Christopher Livingston) practicing a monologue expressing his anger of never being good enough to be a Black Panther like his father. Enter his right hand man Jimmy (William Ruiz) who has an alter ego Primo but we will get to that later. Jimmy gives Malik a pep talk on how they are prepared for this show and just like that we find ourselves back in the 60’s in the middle of the civil rights movements.

We see Black Panthers and Young Lords fighting together using slam poetry, jazz, hip hop to have their voices heard. It took everything in me to not chant with them. IT AINT JUST! Throughout these flash backs we come to see each revolutionary and all the struggles they went through with the corrupt world we live in and with each other in the party. By intermission we come back to the present and we see the revolutionaries enter the show, which is all about them. They make small talk, until deep secrets rise. 

Act two we learn about spies and betrayal in the party, but we mostly focus on our new generation. How are we fighting for what is just! Do we just hide behind a hashtag and a keyboard? The party calls us weak, lazy, because we use a Facebook status to voice our opinion. What will we DO! How will we make Black lives matter?  “They don’t want us truly free, that’s how a man like Donald Trump is elected president”.

Party People is the most honest, truthful, realistic show in New York right now. The cast is filled with an amazing talented ensemble. And is truly an ensemble piece. The use of multi media is used to perfection and helps show the difference between generations and how we are all evolving.

Leaving the show I was emotionally drained. Walking down the stairs at the Public I heard some people say, “it was good, but really long”. I don’t know why but that stuck with me. It was long, yes, but it was necessary. Just like how these next four years will be long. Just like how we are still fighting for people to be equal. When will it end? IT AINT JUST!

All my babbling aside, I encourage every human to see this show. It is so powerful, inspiring, and important! I promise you will leave the theatre fired up and ready to make a change, and not hide behind a hash tag.

Review By: Briana Burnside

Photos By: Sara Krulwich

The Total Bent @ The Public Theater

Attention all dreamers, outcasts, idealists, and rebels! Make your way to The Public Theater immediately and see, The Total Bent! If you are looking for a piece of theatre to question all your beliefs look no further! The Total Bent will take you on a ride that will make you rethink who you truly are as a person.

We are set into what looks like an old recording studio and all we see is a microphone with a single light. All of a sudden are ears are filled with the soothing voice of Joe Roy (Vondie Curtis Hall). The creators set you up to feel relaxed and then BAM! The band kicks in and a gospel rock fills the theater and he belts “That’s why he’s Jesus, and you’re not, whitey”.  We find out that Joe is a popular preacher in Alabama and his son; Marty (Ato Blakson Wood) is quite the opposite. The time is 1960 in the heat of the civil rights movement and Marty wants his father to make an album about protest. Throughout the show we see their struggle grow and intensify. Luckily with the brilliant music by, Stew and Heidi Rodewald they manage to give the show a satire feel with dark comedy undertones.

Ato Blankson-Wood (Marty) gives an outstanding performance. He gives off a magnetic energy that makes you root for him the entire show. We follow his journey from a teen that doesn’t like his father but too shy to truly stand up for himself, to a full on rebel (or in this case, sinner. Marty has the sex appeal to make every woman and man desire him, a true rock n roll STAR! In seeking revenge on his father, enter a sleazy music producer Byron Blackwell (David Cale) who manages to take everyone’s beliefs and throws it out the door. He loves black gospel rock and yet he asks why out of all the people in the world “why do black people still believe in god?” This causes the final break and Marty and Joe go to war. Vondie Curtis Hall (Joe Roy) gives you almost a cheesy car salesman vibe but he’s selling Jesus. “I’m a hoe and God is my pimp.” Despite his shallowness about making money and self-absorption, you still don’t hate him. Mr. Curtis Hall delivers a monologue towards the end about shooting the television  (he’s a TV preacher) because everything is a lie, essentially bringing us back to the beginning of who are we, what is our identity.

I know this seems like a lot of drama! But Thank goodness for the friends turned back up singers/dancers Andrew (Jahi Kearse) and Abee (Curtis Wiley). They bring us comedic relief whether it is a funny one liner or complete fear of papa Joe.  The band also interjects with the plot and with the audience, giving us the feeling of history with the character and its not just background music.

The Total Bent will change your life, mind and question everything you ever thought. It re- educated me and I didn’t even realize I needed the lesson. Which is a sad truth about most people today. Make your way to the Public Theater to see this important piece of theatre! 

Review By: Briana Burnside
Photos By: Joan Marcus

The Comedy of Errors @ The Shiva Theater @ The Public Theater

Have you ever been mistaken for someone else? Have you ever gone looking for something? Have you ever been in love? These are the questions the audience is asked before the show begins. The Public Theatre’s production of The Comedy of Errors was a contemporary look at the Shakespearean classic filled with a lot of life, love, and as the title implies- comedy. 

Comedy of Errors follows two sets of identical twins who are separated at birth. Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant Dromio of Syracuse arrive in Ephesus where they are mistaken by the townspeople (including Antipholus of Ephesus’ wife Adriana and her sister Luciana) for their identical counterparts, Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus. This is the ultimate case of mistaken identities, wrongful accusations, and slapstick humor. 

Each Antipholus is played by Bernardo Cubría, with Lucas Caleb Rooney taking on each Dromio. Baseball caps for the boys from Syracuse and cowboy hats for the two Ephesus twins were used to help the audience distinguish between the characters. These two actors are exquisite, able to effortlessly transform between each twin within seconds, making them distinct and captivating. While the entire cast is marvelous and hysterical, these leading men really stand out and are commendable for their portrayals of the twins.

The Shiva theatre is a small intimate space, and the show uses this to its full advantage. The actors interact with the audience, sitting next to them, delivering soliloquies to them, and sometimes even bringing them onto the “stage” to be a part of the action. Seating is general and in the round, but no seat is a bad seat- you are right there with the performers. The only set provided is a square of grass and dirt, with a border-line painted between Syracuse and Ephesus. This allows the audience to really focus on the superb acting and the poetry of the language.

            When faced with a Shakespeare show most worry over the long hours they are about to endure, but there is no need to worry here: Running at 90 minutes with no intermission and constantly filled with infectious energy and fun the show breezes by- You can’t help but have a smile on your face for the entire hour and half.

This unique production is part of the Public’s Mobile Shakespeare Unit, which travels the five boroughs (and more) providing free entertainment to those in prisons, homeless shelters, and community centers. Director Kwame Kwel-Armah’s version is filled with contemporary references (border patrol officers, cell phones, etc.) that make it relevant to today and destroy the notion that Shakespeare is something “superior” that not everyone can understand. As is their mission, this production proves that Shakespeare is for everyone, and makes it enjoyable along the way. Now done touring, it is playing at the Public Theatre on Lafayette Street until November 22. If you’re looking for an evening filled with laughs and merriment make your way to The Comedy of Errors!

Review By: April Sigler
Photos By: Joan Marcus

Barbecue @ The Public Theater

Barbecue. A welcome intervention.

Barbecue, written and hilariously introduced by Robert O’Hara was an utterly unique and thought provoking look into stereotypes, similarities and racial identities. Receiving its debut at the Public Theater, Barbecue was a real treat.

Jason Lyons and Clint Ramos brought terrific lighting and a masterfully colored stage to life, bringing the audience into a picnic/barbecue setting in a lusciously green forest. Paul Tazewell hit every cultural note with his costume design and Director Kent Gash, Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham found a way to emulate O’Hara’s conveyance of the striking similarities between inner city black and trailer park white trash families with a severe plot twist in the middle.

Allow me to explain without giving away too much. Barbecue is a play about a family, the O’Mallerys, that is trying to stage an intervention for their “crack head ho” sister, Barbara or as they prefer to call her: Zippity Boom and just how far that story goes.

Barbara (Tamberla Perry and Samantha Soule) is the tail-end of any memory regarding a jail cell, running from the police, working a corner—she has gotten to a level in her life where her family, particularly her sister Lillie Ann, cannot handle. The caveat: both a black family and white family are performing the exact same story but with their own cultural twang, complete with “The Nae-Nae” graciously performed by the white family.  

Both Tamberla Perry and Samantha Soule took a character with generally un-relatable characteristics and made her relatable to almost any family at large. I found that I put Barbara right in with the “crazies” in my family quite easily and the rest of the O’Mallery family were no exception.

Opening the play was James T. (Marc Damon Johnson and Paul Niebanck), the sole brother of the family and not without his own problems. “Addicted” to weed and alcohol, James T. is upset about trying to convince Zippity Boom to do anything as she is volatile and dangerous. Johnson and Niebanck both allow James T. to culminate into the ever-concerned but wary of showing it brother.

Beginning the setup of the barbecue was Lillie Ann (Becky Ann Baker and Kim Wayans). Lillie Ann is the sister that has chosen to overcompensate for her family’s drug and alcohol addicted madness. Both Baker and Wayans brought to life a character that will stop at nothing to get her family back on track and the twist at the second act is worth a watch!

Her other two sisters, Adlean (Constance Shulman and Benja Kay Thomas) and Marie (Arden Myrin and Heather Alicia Simms) both added to the ruse-filled barbecue. Adlean, wrought with cancer and addicted to pain pills becomes the brother or sister that has fallen into our overwrought medical system. Both Shulman and Thomas were hilarious to watch bring so many stereotypes to life.

Marie was the sister that judges others but somehow finds herself under the radar of being judged. Also “recreationally addicted” to crack and quite the alcoholic, Marie tries to escape her own intervention by participating in Barbara’s. Yet again, Myrin and Simms made Marie that weird aunt that believes that canned corn causes cancer and that the Middle East is responsible for all of our problems.

Steppenwolf Theater Company did not miss a beat in commissioning Barbecue’s world premier. Not every family has these levels of issues and obstacles but this stereotypical and analytical look into the lives of two culturally dichotomous families in a side-by-side way is a look into the American Family and its values. If for nothing else, see the play for an evening of laughter and a real look at what the line between cultures is.

Review By: Alexandra Lipari

Photos By: Joan Marcus

Cymbeline @ The Delacorte Theatre w/ Public Theatre

Despite varied reviews on The Public Theatre’s Cymbeline, we were blown away by the whimsy, ingenuity and overall fun of the production. Cymbeline, a play most directors don’t touch with a ten foot pole, was thoughtfully executed capturing the true melodramatic nature of the text and circumstance. Embodied by a fine ensemble of actors and directed brilliantly by  Daniel Sullivan, Cymbeline will tickle your funnybone and touch your heart with its music, aesthetic and of course, message.

While the title refers to King Cymbeline, the real stars of the show are Princess Imogen and Posthumus, who are marvelously brought to life by Tony-nominated (and American Horror Story alum) Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater. These two simply soar and inject passionate energy every moment they are on stage. Rabe provides a feisty spirit to a character who could veer too prim and proper, all the while still maintaining her innocence that Imogen is noted for having. Linklater is one of several actors who double their roles, as he takes on both Imogen’s lover Posthumus and her betrothed lover/stepbrother Cloten. He effortlessly balances both characters by making them distinctly different (and with the aid of a silly wig reminiscent of Moe a la the 3 Stooges), while also exposing the similarities and differences between the two. This combination provides an intriguing antithesis of each of their relationships with the princess. Linklater is absolutely hysterical as the Queen’s dimwitted son, punching all of the correct moments to elicit laughs, while also sweet, strong, and heroic as Posthumus. His morning woo-ing song left the audience in stitches for a long while!

Raul Esparza is a deliciously evil Iachimo, decked out in a gangster-esque suit at the poker table in Italy. He exudes a despicable and cunning air as he wagers with Posthumus that he can seduce his virtuous and loyal Imogen. Esparza, who has a wide range of credits in theatre, film, and television, is able to show off his extraordinary singing skills thanks to music provided by Tom Kitt (Next to Normal). 

This adaptation of Cymbeline is driven by its modern folk rock score which kept your feet tapping the entire duration of the play. Mimi Lieber choreographs bright and bonnie dances that mirror the lighthearted nature of this melodrama. Overall, Sullivan has  assembled and directed an amazing team of actors and coached them brilliantly to bring to light one of Shakespeare’s “problem pieces”. It was certainly melodramatic, all the while seeing two sides to every story from the way he doubled the characters. The play is about forgiveness and trust and we certainly saw that culminate through all the journeys reaching their end at the conclusion of the play.

When one thinks of Shakespeare the likes of Romeo and Juliet or A Midsummer Night’s Dream usually come to mind. The late-romance of Cymbeline is not as well-known, and yet this production has gotten one of the most well-received reactions from an audience we have ever experienced. The laughs were long and constant and everyone rose to their feet in the concluding dance of an amazing evening. Head on over to the Delacorte and share the joy of love and language! 

Review By: Brittany Goodwin

Photos By: Michelle V. Agins

The Tempest @ The Delacorte Theater w/ The Publice Theater

Shakespeare in the Park’s production of The Tempest certainly took us by storm. It was imaginative and sensory, brought to life by fantastical masters of the language. The actors were superb and wonderfully showcased a large skill set, creating a fascinating environment provided by Michael Greif’s direction.

From moment one, the production captures your focus and places you into the shipwreck- no longer in Central Park, New York, New York. Being outdoors allows you to experience the elements as the characters are, and truly elevates the sensibility.

The scenic design by Riccardo Hernandez was beautifully simplistic, and offered a fresh change in locale as the play goes on, married to David Lander’s gorgeous lighting design. The Public withheld its amazing standards even in the outdoor elements. Emily Rebholz designed costumes that mirrored the surrealistic, timeless quality of the adaptation of the piece, thus further allowing the story to feel contemporary and relevant to our modern audience. Arthur Solari’s percussion underscored the action beautifully, giving the piece a heart beat. 

Sam Waterston leads the show as Prospero, the exiled ex-duke of Milan, in a brilliantly captivating manner. He embodies a man driven by both passion and logic, and the audience is able to see his pain and triumphs with every character he meets. The star vehicle, Jesse Tyler Fergusen as Trinculo, certainly does not disappoint. He injected comedy and whimsy into the scene, forcing the audience to be fixated on his hilarious reactions and commentary to the given circumstances. Other standout performances include Louis Cancelmi as Caliban, who tells his story not only verbally, but also giving a chilling and utterly compelling physicality to his tale. Chris Perfetti’s attention to the language and essence of a spirit was irresistible as Ariel.  His focus and movements were ethereal, enrapturing the audience’s eye as he moved across the stage. Ensemble troupe members were able to showcase their various talents, whether it be silk dancing, contortion, or glorious and haunting harmonies. Everyone’s talent and mastery of the Shakespearean language were demonstrated through the fact that it flowed effortlessly and felt like you were watching a modern tale.

The Public Theatre provides a unique thought-provoking free experience for the general public to enjoy and appreciate. The crowd rose to its feet at the conclusion of the show and voiced their endless appreciation for the actors’, designers’ and directors’ work. So pack up your picnic basket and head on down to the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park! May only an actual tempest deter you from running to see this production.

Review By: Brittany Goodwin
Photos By: Joan Marcus

Father Comes Home from the Wars Parts 1, 2, and 3 @The Public Theater @ The Anspacher Theater

While hundreds of thousands of Americans died in the bloodiest war in its history, there was an emotional war brewing in the hearts and minds of African American slaves in the South. Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks gathered these narratives to create an interesting twist on the unfortunately familiar story of slavery in Parts 1, 2, and 3 of Father Comes Home from the Wars. 

Daring to question any definition of freedom, Suzan-Lori Parks crafted a tale of a strong and capable slave, Hero (Sterling K. Brown), and his strict adherence to morality. Hero oddly believed that it was his moral obligation to remain a slave and not run. Hero reasoned that his monetary worth stopped him from "stealing" his independence. 

This welcome twist had me interested from the start. History aside, I have never considered such a moral dilemma before. The consequences of Hero's blind following of his inner compass affected everything in his life and made for a compelling story. 

Director Jo Bonney brought this tale to life with the help of Scenic Designer Neil Patel, Costume Designer Esosa, and Lighting Designer Lap Chi Chu. Nestled near a modest cabin, the stage brought me to a modest Texas planation in the early spring of 1862 in Parts 1 and 3 and in 2, a camp in late summer where the cabin was replaced with a small wooden cell.

Music Director Steven Bargonetti accentuated each mood change with a strum of his guitar and the occasional welcome tune, which was acknowledged and sometimes even joined by cast members. Namely, the Chorus of Less Than Desirable Slaves, Russell G. Jones, Julian Rozzell Jr., Tonye Patano, and Jacob Ming-Trent. 

Each slave gambled on Hero's choice of whether or not to follow their master to war. They roused laughter and pulled me into a world where the wager of a simple spoon or boot has more worth than any other. The band of less than desirables may have used some 21st Century language but this did not diminish their presence.

The Oldest Old Man and Hero's adopted father was played by Peter Jay Fernandez. This oldest man was a proud and concerned father with unsteady hands, a long gray beard, the inability to hold back thoughts and a modern pair of crocs. Fernandez was the first character to question liberty and its price: Should Hero turn away from this war if he is promised freedom at its end? 

Penny (Jenny Jules), Hero's lover, questioned him further and helped to create this overtone of liberation. Should Hero refuse and take a stand against the Confederate mission to preserve slavery? Jenny Jules attempted to manipulate Hero’s principles and her chemistry with Brown made the exchange more captivating.

Homer, played by Jeremie Harris, was a character whose presence was a constant reminder to Hero of his choices. Harris' dynamic with Brown was that of palpable hostility. This negativity was a pull away from Hero’s belief that running is stealing, but not strong enough to change his mind.

I wanted to see how Hero's morality held against a stronger onslaught. Louis Cancelmi played Smith, a captive Union soldier who began this attack. Surely a Union soldier with his own freedom and tales of a better land could rattle Hero's resolve? Cancelmi portrayed a free “white” man wrestling with Hero’s choice to remain a slave with poise.

My fascination with Hero's belief system and the general overtone of self-determination was mildly slowed by Ken Marks' character, Hero's owner. Marks, a Colonel in the Rebel Army, attempted and succeeded in emulating the convictions of the white male population of the Confederacy at large. Marks effortlessly embodied white supremacy, the belief in the importance of the spread of slavery and even muttered “Thank God I was born a white man.” This was, however, a lot to fit into one character.

The comic relief was Hero's Dog, Odyssey, hilariously played by Jacob Ming-Trent. Revealing himself in Part 3, this surprisingly talking dog expertly drew the air from my lungs. A dog for Hero to have dominion over, Ming-Trent retells Hero's tale with a wagging tail of his own. 

Both believable and thought-provoking, Sterling K. Brown's rendition of Hero was well done. The story of slavery has been told in many ways and often it is mired with a history lesson--lacking freshness. Hero's unique moralistic qualities had a new fragrance.

I enjoyed The Public Theater in association with American Repertory Theater's presentation of Father Comes Home from the Wars. It made me question my own ethical framework and definitions of freedom. Albeit, I would have further enjoyed it if the theme was more concentrated on its unique aspects.   

Review By: Alex Lipari
Photos By: Sara Krulwich

The Fortress of Solitude @ The Public Theater @ The Newman Theater

The Public Theater bills itself as the “only theater in New York that produces Shakespeare and the classics, musicals, contemporary and experimental pieces in equal measure.” As such, the theater takes more risks than more commercial theatres and this is readily apparent in the world premiere of The Fortress of Solitude, a new musical written by Itamar Moses, with music and lyrics by Michael Friedman, that bends reality and fantasy to tell a unconventional coming of age story of two boys growing up in Brooklyn in the late 1970s-and what happens after those boys are all grown up.

The Fortress of Solitude revolves around Dylan Ebdus (Adam Chanler-Berat), a boy whose parents move him into Gowanus, Brooklyn at a young age, because his mother Rachel (Kristen Sieh) feels that Brooklyn is where things were going to happen. At first, Dylan feels ostracized by being one of the only white boys on the block, he quickly develops a strong friendship with his neighbor, Mingus Rube (Kyle Beltran) after Rachel suddenly leaves her husband and son with no intention of coming back, unbeknownst to Dylan. Mingus’s father Barrett Rude Junior (Kevin Mambo) used to be a successful R&B singer, but now only sings back-up. Dylan and Mingus are close friends, playing and putting Mingus’s graffiti “tag” everywhere they can, until life and tragedy drive them apart.

The performances in general are top notch. Adam Chanler-Berat deftly leads the fairly large cast with his normal adorkable charm and flawless vocals. He nimbly ages Dylan from a young boy to a young man with subtlety, and showing all the emotional highs and lows skillfully. Kyle Beltran also shows an amazing journey from awkward child to a beaten-down young adult in a masterful way, reminiscent at times of Donald Glover in Community. The most vocally impressive was Kevin Mambo as Junior-his voice made my hair stand up, and hit amazing heights every time he sang a note, particular when he first shows off those tones in “Superman.” The ensemble is wonderful too, stepping in and out of multiple roles and vocal styles with ease. Particular praise goes to the Greek chorus, the Subtle Distinctions (Britton Smith, Akron Watson, and Juson Williams). The only slight misstep in the story was the characters of Dylan’s parents (Sieh & Ken Barnett), neither of who were really distinctive in the narrative, so the audience doesn’t really seem to care about them. Thematically it makes sense to have Rachel stick around in Dylan’s subconscious, particularly in a musical, but at times she seemed unnecessary and boring.

The music and lyrics by Michael Friedman, most know for Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson are both contemporary and era appropriate mixes of emotion and passion. The music really drives the story on, as good musical theatre should do. No song particularly stands out, particularly since many blend together, making it hard to figure out where one ends and another began, but none are clunkers either. One particular lyric in “The One I Remember” sums up the music with the ine “Everyone’s singing a different song / But if they all sing together / it can’t be wrong.” And the mix of songs really does work well together, weaving in and out of Itmar Moses’s book, guided by the smooth and careful direction of Daniel Aukin.

Officially opening on October 22, The Fortress of Solitude is only running at the Public Theatre until November 2, so get your tickets now to see this fierce and awesome new musical.

Review By: Chrissy Cody

Photos By: Joan Marcus

King Lear @ The Delacorte Theatre

The Public Theater has revisited William Shakespeare’s currently popular drama King Lear this summer with all the glorious tragedy the sad ruler deserves.  And they have done the Bard proud.

The staging at the Delacorte by director Daniel Sullivan lends itself beautiful and smoothly to the space and the piece, transporting us back to the days of not only the great King himself, but the old common English theater as well.  Accessible and sarcastically comical, the lens through which Sullivan allows us to glimpse Lear hoists the tragedy on us in a mercurial swing of moods not unlike those of the mad and foolish that are portrayed.  An awe inspiring vision, softening us just enough to allow the depth of the loss and pain to dig into our skin like loose soil; where it can grow and flourish, mirrored in our modern day.

As aid to the work, there are solid and insightful portrayals throughout the cast.  John Lithgow is a strong and versatile Lear, leading the way in his descent into madness.  He humanizes the epic King, leaving no wonder to the cause and purpose of his spiraling transformation.  Eric Sheffer Stevens' delivery of Edmund is second to none.  His casual wit and charisma endears him to the audience even as his actions horrify.  Stevens shines in this role, owning the stage. He gives us an Edmund that cannot be turned away from the moment he is left alone with his audience.  Other notable contributions come in the dynamic delivery of Steven Boyer as the fool, a pleasing balance of laughter and insight.  Clarke Peters as the Earl of Gloucester gives a well-grounded performance, a wonderful support in his paralleling tragedy with Lear.  Edgar, played by Chukwudi Iwuji, is free and vulnerable with nothing standing between him and his viewers.

Somewhat disappointing were the three sisters.  Annette Bening (Goneril) seemed uncomfortable with the language.  Jessica Hecht (Regan), though she elicited some laughs, was often ludicrous with her more serious moments.  Neither woman looked comfortable with their space on the stage.  Jessica Collins as Cordelia allowed herself to be immediately emotional available for the audience, but left little room for growth.

The scenic design of John Lee Beatty and costumes by Susan Hilferty are rustically elegant.  The use of drummed metal sheets, as well as the additional music completes the simple yet perfectly rendered environment.

King Lear, given life at The Public Theater, is an ideal night of theater for both those well versed in or new to Shakespeare, giving all something to take away.  Running through August 17th, this limited engagement should not be missed.

Review By: Paul Morin

Photos By: Joan Marcus