Shakespeare & Company presents Satchmo at the Waldorf

By Terry Teachout

Directed by Gordon Edelstein

Starring John Douglas Thompson as Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong and Joe Glaser

Reviewed by Lesley Ann Beck

John Douglas Thompson delivers an extraordinary performance in Satchmo at the Waldorf, portraying three men: the aging Louis Armstrong, his bulldog of a manager Joe Glaser, and even the critical Miles Davis. “I got stories on top of stories,” says Armstrong in Terry Teachout’s brilliant play, and it’s true – Armstrong’s story is utterly compelling and this excellent production, from the fine writing to Gordon Edelstein’s superb direction to Thompson’s bravura portrayal, serves Armstrong’s legacy well.

Toward the end of his life, Louis Armstrong (called by many the greatest jazz musician of the twentieth century) recorded hundreds of hours of conversations and anecdotes. This play is set in Armstrong’s dressing room at the Waldorf Astoria in New York in 1971, shortly before his death, and the reel-to-reel tape recorder is prominently placed on the set, providing the framework for Armstrong to begin relating his life story. Teachout is an expert on Louis Armstrong, having written the biography Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong in 2009, and while this play is a work of fiction, Teachout based it on Armstrong and Glaser’s lives.

Satchmo offers a fascinating look at the music business in the first half of the twentieth century, told through the life experiences of this musical genius, from his impoverished childhood in New Orleans to his years on the road during Jim Crow to his success, which surely came at a price. We learn about his four wives, about traveling in the segregated South, about dealing with gangsters, and about Armstrong’s passion for his music.

But this play is about a relationship, possibly the most important relationship in Armstrong’s life – the one he had for forty years with his manager, Joe Glaser. Thompson is a chameleon, shifting from Armstrong to Glaser and back again many times during the play – and it is always immediately clear which man is speaking. That Thompson plays both Armstrong and Glaser – one actor giving us both sides of the relationship – is amazing, and in one scene he has a telephone conversation between the two men, seamlessly, convincingly. This is extraordinary acting.

Armstrong’s public persona was that of an optimistic, charming, smiling entertainer, but this play reveals a darker, more complex character. The challenges of race relations during Armstrong’s lifetime surely shaped the public face that Armstrong showed to his public, especially the white audiences who came to his nightclub performances. And between the characters of Armstrong and Glaser, they explain the successful strategy behind the marketing, the branding if you will, of Louis Armstrong.

Teachout’s play gives us glimpses of the familiar Armstrong who appeared on television on mainstream programs like the Ed Sullivan Show, playing the accessible hits that made him wealthy, and he also shows us the Armstrong who used plenty of profanity, the womanizer, the angry Armstrong expressing his disgust over the travesty of segregation, and the dedicated musician who wondered why more black people didn’t come to hear his music.

Thompson’s portrayal of Glaser is riveting as well – the Jewish entrepreneur who handled the finances, the negotiations, and the packaging of the jazz star was a brash, hard-charging individual. Glaser made some hard decisions and in some ways tried to shield Armstrong in what was a tough business. The two men were very, very different, making Thompson’s performance all the more impressive.

The third character appears in just a few vignettes: Thompson plays Miles Davis, who accused Armstrong of pandering to the white audiences and selling out musically.

There are so many reasons to see this show – under the sure hand of Gordon Edelstein, the production is seamless. Edelstein is the artistic Director of the Long Wharf theatre in New Haven, Connecticut, and Satchmo will transfer there in the fall. Teachout has written a significant play, important in revealing the details of Armstrong’s story in this powerful way. But the main reason to make sure to see this exceptional show is to witness Thompson’s brilliant performance — it is an extraordinary artistic accomplishment.

Satchmo at the Waldorf runs approximately 90 minutes without an intermission.

Production team: Set design by Lee Savage; costume design by Ilona Somogyi; lighting design by Matthew Adelson; sound design by John Gromada; stage managers Diane Healy and Hope Rose Kelly.

Satchmo at the Waldorf plays through September 16. For tickets call 413.637.3353 or visit www.shakespeare.org.

Boston Pops Orchestra conducted by Keith Lockhart, Leonard Slatkin, and Shi-Yeon Sung

Tanglewood

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Reviewed by Lesley Ann Beck

The folks at Tanglewood really know how to celebrate. Saturday night’s concert marking John Williams’s 80^th birthday was a marvelous occasion, from top notch performances and special guests, both in person and via video, to the perfect weather that enticed a near-capacity audience to fill the Shed and Lawn.

With an honoree as accomplished and prolific as John Williams, of course, the challenge is to select music that represents the arc of his long and successful career as a composer. Saturday’s concert included some of his most iconic film scores and a number of other commissions and concert works, all beautifully performed by the Boston Pops Orchestra. Williams was the conductor of the Pops for fourteen seasons and is artist-in-residence at Tanglewood, where his Film Nights are among the most popular concerts every summer.

Saturday’s concert began splendidly with the Olympic Fanfare and Theme, the musicians of the U.S Army Herald Trumpets ranged at the front of the stage, flanking Keith Lockhart on the podium conducting the Boston Pops. The Army contingent, in full dress uniforms with embellished banners hanging from their instruments, lent a ceremonial and rather magnificent importance to the familiar and very timely composition.

Selections from a number of Williams’s film scores as well as concert pieces were interspersed by birthday wishes from a number of guests throughout the evening. Brian Williams, anchor of NBC Nightly News, was the first of the well-wishers to have a video message for John Williams; others included conductor Gustavo Dudamel, and many of the Boston Red Sox players, accompanying the performance of “Fanfare for Fenway.” There were several wonderful surprises revealed one after another as the concert unfolded.

Jessye Norman, elegant in a turban and sweeping evening gown in chic black and white, sang a selection by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein, and then followed her personal birthday message to John Williams by introducing the next section of the concert. Shi-Yeon Sung led the Boston Pops Orchestra in three concert pieces: Concerto for Oboe, 3^rd Movement: Commedia, with Keisuke Wakao on oboe, was first, featuring the playful notes of the oboe over the richness of the string section. The second selection was Concerto for Horn and Orchestra, 5^th Movement; Nocturne, with James Sommerville on horn, a slower, rather majestic work with a noble and uplifting quality. The third selection was Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra, 3^rd Movement, featuring Mike Roylance on tuba, a lively, bold selection with wonderful contributions from the entire brass section.

In a big surprise moment for the enthusiastic audience, Steven Spielberg was next to take the stage and share birthday wishes. “John Williams has made the most indelible contribution,” Spielberg said, “a musical language that can be understood in every country in the world.” Spielberg credited Williams with being the single most significant contributor to his success as a filmmaker, and called Williams a national treasure. Spielberg’s remarks were followed by Leonard Slatkin conducting the Pops in Adventures on Earth from “E.T. The Extra-terrestrial.” It is always thrilling to hear this soaring, exciting score performed live.

Following the intermission and “Fanfare for Fenway,” Keith Lockhart took a moment to describe John Williams as “a tough act to follow,” and crediting Williams with being a valued mentor, advisor, and friend. He then led the Pops in playing Hedwig’s Theme from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, an iconic piece of music that perfectly represents the strong narrative quality of Williams’s compositions, conjuring up all the magic of the Harry Potter films.

The next special guest who appeared on video was President Barack Obama, who said, “on behalf of all Americans, I thank you for sharing your incredible talent.” The president’s message was followed by the quartet Williams created for the Inauguration: “Air and Simple Gifts.” It was performed by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, pianist Gabriela Montero, and clarinetist Anthony McGill, all of whom played the selection at the inauguration, joined Saturday evening by violinist Gil Shaham. It was like a gentle jazz improve on the beloved Shaker tune, imparting a very modern feeling by enhancing the harmonies and manipulating the tempos, while retaining the plaintive beauty of the old-time song.

Yo-Yo Ma stayed on stage with the Pops Orchestra to play a selection form the film Memoirs of a Geisha, with Leonard Slatkin conducting. The beauty of Ma’s playing was complemented by Williams’s interesting use of the harp and creative percussion. Then Gil Shaham returned to play the violin solo on Theme from Schindler’s List, a haunting and beautiful composition that features a particularly lovely passage between the solo violin and the harp.

George Lucas appeared next, via video, calling John Williams an icon in the world of music; his remarks served to introduce a wonderful, lengthy performance of the Main Title from Star Wars, accompanied by film clips from all the Star Wars films. This might be the ultimate adventure score, and always thrilling to hear played by a large orchestra.

The second very special guest who appeared unannounced was James Taylor, who thanked John Williams for introducing him to the BSO and to the love of his life, his wife, Caroline, before singing “You’ve Got a Friend,” with BSO cellist Owen Young. JT sounded wonderful and the cello was a perfect fit with the guitar.

Video messages from Bill Clinton and Seiji Ozawa were shown, and then came the grand finale, a festive performance of “Happy Birthday Variations” with the Pops augmented by brass and woodwind players from the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra. The concert came to a rousing finish as everyone in the Shed rose to sing “Happy Birthday” to John Williams, who took a bow with all the special guests and performers. It was quite an evening, and a fitting tribute to one of the most beloved of American composers, as the 75^th Anniversary celebration of Tanglewood begins to wind down for the summer.

The Boston Pops will perform next on Friday, August 24 at 8:30 p.m. in the Shed at Tanglewood. The program is titled Gershwin and Friends, and features guest performers Maureen McGovern and Brian Stokes Mitchell, as well as pianist Ilya Yakushev. Along with selections from the Great American Songbook, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue will be performed.

For more information, visit tanglewood.org.

Parasite Drag by Mark Roberts

A new production at Shakespeare & Company’s Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre

Directed by Stephen Rothman

Cast: Elizabeth Aspenlieder as Joellen; Josh Aaron McCabe as Gene; Jason Asprey as Ronnie; and Kate Abbruzzese as Susie

Reviewed by Lesley Ann Beck

[Lenox, MA] — “In one family you can have five different versions of the same story, and every person is affected by it five different ways,” says one of the characters in Parasite Drag, Mark Roberts’ dangerous drama about devastating family secrets. The play is both very funny and tragically sad, revolving around two estranged brothers, brought up in the same dysfunctional environment, who are as different as two men can be. Stephen Rothman, directing for the first time at Shakespeare & Company, has crafted an impeccably paced, balanced production filled with exceptional performances from the skilled cast. Roberts’ insightful script is full of tack-sharp dialogue that is outrageously funny, powerful, and provocative. This play is for adults only; there is plenty of profanity and adult content.

As the play opens there is a tornado brewing outside and a simmering argument inside. The tense atmosphere of Joellen and Gene’s arid home in Illinois is broken by the unexpected arrival of Gene’s older brother Ronnie and Ronnie’s new wife, Susie, a visit precipitated by the hospitalization of their troubled sister.

The ensemble cast works beautifully: Josh Aaron McCabe is brilliant as Gene, unlikable and controlling at first, allowing his guard to drop in increments as the plot unfolds. Elizabeth Aspenlieder is riveting as Joellen, the desperately lonely wife, armed with an attitude. We understand their frustration as we listen to their opening conversation: this is a long marriage, a longer relationship, and the pattern of the argument is clearly an all-too-familiar one.

Gene has wrapped himself in a rigid, dry Christianity, persuading himself that the appearance of forgiveness will erase the sins of the past. Ronnie, Gene’s older brother, has done the opposite; he “acts out” and says exactly what he thinks, with all the embellishments of a lusty, vulgar, and attention-getting vocabulary of swear words.

Jason Asprey is excellent as the outrageous but charming Ronnie, his snarky humor masking his hard edges. And Kate Abbruzzese is marvelously grounded and appealing as Susie, the youngest of the four but possibly the most sensible.

As the two brothers try to communicate, long-hidden family secrets spill in an avalanche of anger. There’s a lengthy list of off-limit topics going back to their early childhood, and with every new revelation, the wounds and scars that make the brothers behave as they do come more and more into focus. Ronnie and Gene appear to be irretrievably estranged, but the truth is that they are connected in complex and profound ways, because of the shattering events in their past.

Everything about this production makes it clear that from the writing to the direction to the superb performances, close observation of the human condition has been taken into consideration. This feels real, authentic, and painful. We identify with these characters, even with a character we never actually meet – a character who, as it turns out, is the core of the story.

Anyone who is part of a family or a marriage will recognize something in this play that resonates. Some of us, unfortunately, will recognize a lot. Just remember to breathe.

Production team: Set design by Patrick Brennan; costume design by Esther Van Eek; lighting design by Stephen Ball; sound design and original music by Joe Cerqua; stage manager, Zach Kron.

Parasite Drag runs now through September 2 in the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre at Shakespeare & Company, 70 Kemble St., Lenox, MA. For tickets, call the box office at (413) 637-3353 or visit www.shakespeare.org.

The North Pool by Rajiv Joseph at Barrington Stage Company

Directed by Giovanna Sardelli

With Remi Sandri as Dr. Danielson and Babak Tafti as Khadim

Reviewed by Lesley Ann Beck

[Pittsfield, MA] — The taut, tense plot of Rajiv Joseph’s psychological thriller, The North Pool, is a fascinating one, full of surprising twists. The excellent production at Barrington Stage Company’s St. Germain Stage now through August 11 features a pair of powerful performances, with the two male characters, one a high school administrator and the other a student he has summoned for questioning, circling and stalking each other like modern-day gladiators, all in the space of one fraught hour of detention at a public high school.

This production is skillfully directed by Giovanna Sardelli, who has orchestrated a remarkably authentic dialogue between her two actors as well as creating real suspense for the series of revelations that constitutes the plot.

Remi Sandri is brilliant as vice-principal Danielson, well aware that he has the upper hand, having called Khadim, a recent transfer student, to his office in the basement of the school at the beginning of spring break. Using well-honed interrogation skills, he shifts from his apparently sympathetic demeanor to that of an accuser and then back again, as he questions and berates. His performance is skillfully crafted, the ideal portrayal of a middle-aged man who is probably socially awkward in his own peer group but revels in his power over the teenagers under his jurisdiction.

Babak Tafti is equally splendid as Khadim, the wealthy student with an international background who has landed at a public high school after his recent transfer from an exclusive prep school. He is handsome, clever, and wealthy, but he knows that his Arab descent could make him a victim of ethnic profiling. He is wary at first, knowing that the school is deserted, that faculty and students have left for spring break, and that his position in the vice-principal’s basement office is a precarious one.

The set is excellent: an uncanny representation of an office in a typical high school, with cinder block walls painted institutional green, a row of lockers in the hallway, and a large world map covering one wall. The action begins with Khadim appearing in Dr. Danielson’s office; the awkward conversation includes some initial pleasantries, but it’s clear that the vice-principal has an agenda and he is going to keep that hidden from Khadim for as long as possible. The two dodge and dance around the truth as one surprise after another is revealed. These two strong actors are very well-balanced in their roles, seamlessly presenting the administrator and the student in a back-and-forth that reveals the complexity of their personalities. 

The unfolding of the plot is an important part of the experience, so there will be no spoilers here. That Rajiv Joseph is a masterful playwright is amply demonstrated in this elegant, brilliantly constructed cat-and-mouse game, and this artful production serves the play beautifully.

Production team: scenic design by Brian Prather; costume design by Amy Clark; lighting design by Clifton Taylor; sound design by Daniel Kluger; production stage manager, Zac Chandler.

Barrington Stage Company’s St. Germain Stage at the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Art Center is located at 36 Linden Street in downtown Pittsfield, Mass. For ticket information, call the Barrington Stage Company box office at 413.236.8888 or visit www.barringtonstageco.org.

Reviewed by Lesley Ann Beck

A sunny afternoon, the Boston Pops, and the extraordinary Bernadette Peters combined for a perfect Tanglewood afternoon. Sunday’s concert, the first Boston Pops performance of the 75th Tanglewood anniversary season, began with a varied musical salute to the city of New York, followed by a set of marvelous songs performed by the incomparable Peters (she included a generous selection of tunes by Stephen Sondheim), and finished with the Pops’ signature march, Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Together.

The Boston Pops, conducted by Keith Lockhart, opened with John Williams’s Liberty Fanfare, composed in 1986 for the 100^th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty. The bold piece showcases the brass section, features a big and varied percussion presence and also includes a lovely melodic section; it was a perfect start to the afternoon’s proceedings and the Pops Orchestra was in fine form.

Keith Lockhart welcomed the audience and explained that the first half of the concert was a tribute to New York City: then he introduced the second selection, a terrific arrangement of 42^nd Street, the tune from the film of the same name, with music by Harry Warren and a marvelous arrangement by Don Sebesky. The orchestration is huge, a brash celebration of the song, with a distinct swing/jazz flavor. There is a wonderful tuba solo, very engaging percussion, big sound from the brass, and a spectacular saxophone solo. This number was just a lot of fun.

The next selection changed the mood; the orchestra played Taxi Driver: A Night-Piece for Orchestra, composed by Bernard Herrmann, well-known for his long collaboration with Alfred Hitchcock. This piece was written for the Martin Scorsese film, of course, and this iconic score reflects the seaminess and isolation portrayed in the film. The movements named in the program are Prelude, Blues, Night Prowl, Bloodbath, and Finale. The bluesy, soulful passages were played magnificently by the orchestra, and Michael Monaghan contributed a haunting, memorable saxophone solo.

The last work in the New York tribute was Harlem, written in 1950 by Duke Ellington. The composition takes the listener on a tour of Harlem, starting with the blues, moving into jazz, then a section of Latin tone and tempo, going right into a powerful big band swing moment. We heard strains of a Dixieland funeral, then a late evening at a night club, and even a fragment of gospel. Ellington included all the facets of the personality of mid-century Harlem blended into a masterful whole. There was a wonderful trombone solo, as well as excellent work in the percussion and woodwinds.

The Boston Pops, dressed in white on a warm afternoon, were superb. They play with precision as well as with great energy; the way the sound fills the Shed is just glorious.

After the intermission, Lockhart lost no time in introducing Bernadette Peters, the Tony Award-winning performer who has had great success not just on Broadway and on the concert stage but in film, on television, and most recently as the author of children’s books. Peters’s first number was “Let Me Entertain You” from the musical Gypsy, by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim. Peters was wearing a slim, spangly purple gown and she looked gorgeous. “I always dress like this in the afternoon,” she joked. She is tiny, but has tremendous stage presence, completely confident and at ease. Her second number was the haunting ballad “No One Is Alone” from Into the Woods, a Stephen Sondheim musical, and she sang it simply, effectively, beautifully.

Peters is a very accomplished singer – her voice is distinctive, recognizable, rich and warm in tone, and she is very much a storyteller. Her next selection was the humorous “There Is Nothing Like A Dame” from South Pacific, by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, which she delivered with a light-hearted sexiness.

Performing, as she said, for the first time the classic torch song, “Fever,” Peters gracefully perched on the big Steinway, where a black velvet pillow had been placed. Her interpretation of this song was alluring and sophisticated. Peters brought a trio of musicians with her: Marvin Laird on piano, Cubby O’Brien (yes, the former Mouseketeer!) on drums, and Mike Rivard on bass. She also sang with the whole Pops orchestra – the next song was also from South Pacific, a lush, gorgeous rendition of “Some Enchanted Evening,” romantic and with some interesting choices in the phrasing. Tamara Smirnova, Pops concertmaster, added a beautiful violin solo.

Peters is well-known as a superb interpreter of the songs of Stephen Sondheim, and she offered two from Follies; she recently starred in a revival of the show in New York, playing Sally Durant Plummer. On Sunday afternoon, she sang “In Buddy’s Eyes” which was lovely, and then the heartbreaking ballad, “Losing My Mind.”

Beginning with a majestic orchestral treatment, the next song was the poignant “Johanna,” from Sweeney Todd, also by Sondheim, and then the last Sondheim song of the concert was the showstopping “Being Alive” from Company. Peters is a compelling performer, completely engaging the audience. Her encore was a lullaby titled “Kramer’s Song,” named after her dog and part of a benefit for the Broadway Barks organization, a charity that helps shelter animals. Peters wrote the music and lyrics herself to go with the first of two children’s books, “Broadway Barks,” she has penned about shelter animals, and all proceeds go to the charity.

The Boston Pops ended the afternoon with a rousing performance of their signature tune, “Stars and Stripes Forever,” by John Philip Sousa, which happens to be the official march of the United States.

All in all, it was a memorable concert, with a stellar performance by Bernadette Peters paired with the wonderful Boston Pops. The summer season, the 75^th anniversary year for Tanglewood, is off to a terrific start!

For complete information on upcoming concerts programmed for the 75th anniversary Tanglewood season, visit www.tanglewood.org.

Directed by David Hyde Pierce

On the Mainstage at Williamstown Theatre Festival through July 14

Reviewed by Lesley Ann Beck

Lady Bracknell as a tough, pistol-packing mob matriarch? Played by the indomitable Tyne Daly? Absolutely. In directing Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest at Williamstown Theatre Festival, David Hyde Pierce, with a touch of inspired alchemy, has given the audience a new way to enjoy this marvelous society satire.

Damon Runyon’s fictional New York gangsters, circa 1932, operated within a social hierarchy as clearly defined as that of Wilde’s fictional English upper class at the close of the Victorian era. So why not take The Importance of Being Earnest, Wilde’s brilliant comedy of manners, and imagine the characters are members of an American mob family, transplanted to London to escape some awkward “entanglements”? That is precisely what Hyde Pierce decided to do, with fascinating – and very, very funny — results.

As it turns out, the precise, mannered speech of Runyon’s gangsters, with their deliberate pronunciation and elaborate vocabulary, is reminiscent of the dialogue that Wilde created for his British gentry. Hyde Pierce shifted the timeframe forward a few years to the 1930s, added revolvers in shoulder holsters to the men’s costumes, and created a fresh way of experiencing this classic. Wilde’s characters work well, for the most part, as mobsters and molls, and the wicked wit that makes this play a perennial favorite is unimpeded by the change of accent.

The plot of The Importance of Being Earnest revolves around two single gentlemen, Jack Worthing (a strong, steady performance by Glenn Fitzgerald) and Algernon Moncrieff (nicely played by Louis Cancelmi with a brash, slightly smart-alecky attitude). Jack, who is called Ernest by his friends in London, wants to marry Algernon’s cousin Gwendolen, but Gwendolen’s mother, the intimidating Lady Bracknell, described by one of the other characters in the play as a gorgon, objects to the match. Gwendolen, however is set on the marriage: she has always dreamed of marrying a man called Ernest.

Jack, also known as Ernest, Worthing has been leading a double life: calling himself Ernest in London and Jack in the country, where his ward Cecily lives with her governess, Miss Prism. When Algernon discovers that his friend has a young ward named Cecily, he visits unexpectedly, announcing himself as Ernest Worthing, Jack’s brother, only to fall instantly in love with her. Cecily, too, has dreamed of marrying a man called Ernest.

The action of the play revolves around Jack’s efforts to persuade Lady Bracknell that he should be permitted to marry Gwendolen; clearing up the confusion about his two identities and the unusual circumstances that led to his adoption; and resolving Gwendolen and Cecily’s mistaken notion that they both are engaged to the man named Ernest Worthing.

Hyde Pierce has done an excellent job; he knows comic timing, and he assembled an excellent cast who could deliver the goods. Tyne Daly is a fine choice as Lady Bracknell; she has definitely mastered the withering look, and can deliver a drop-dead line with the best of them. Her interrogation technique, aimed at Jack/Ernest as Gwendolen’s suitor, is extremely effective, to say nothing of daunting.  

Amy Spanger is terrific as a ditzy blonde Gwendolyn who is set on getting exactly what she wants, and Helen Cespedes is charming as the no-less-determined Cecily. When these two face off over the tea table, the sparring is rapier sharp, and the verbal barbs are no less dangerous for being couched in the most excruciatingly polite terms.

Marylouise Burke is perfect as the loopy Miss Prism. Her face, her voice, her posture, all contribute to this hilarious performance. She is delightful, and it’s no surprise that Henry Stram delivers a charming and humorous Dr. Chasuble, the vicar who is the object of Miss Prism’s flirtatious advances.

The set is a marvel; Algernon’s apartment slides into position, giving the audience a view first of the kitchen, then the sitting room, and then the formal parlor. The garden and conservatory at the country manor are impressive as well, and set off by well-crafted lighting. The costumes are ideal, from chalk-striped suits and fedoras to Lady Bracknell’s fur-draped chiffons.

Oscar Wilde was taking aim at “polite society” when he wrote this play, so it follows that some rule-breaking is in order. In embracing the gangster motif, Hyde Pierce re-imagined this work in a way that brings a fresh perspective while preserving the wicked wit; it’s an impressive accomplishment, and what’s more important, it’s very, very funny. The New York-ese accents never interfere with Wilde’s brilliant language and his perspective on the absurdities of human interactions.

Cast:

Marylouise Burke as Miss Prism; Louis Cancelmi as Algernon Moncrieff; Helen Cespedes as Cecily Cardew; Sean Cullen as Lane; Tyne Daly as Lady Bracknell; Glenn Fitzgerald as John Worthing; Paul Anthony McGrane as Merriman; Amy Spanger as Gwendolen;

Henry Stram as Rev. Canon Chasuble; and Julian Cihi, William Berger-Bailey, TJ Sclafani, Charlotte Bydwell, Shaun Lennon, Ariana Seigel as gangsters and servants

Production team: scene design by Allen Moyer; costume design by Michael Krass; lighting design by Ben Stanton; sound design by Jill BC Du Boff; wig design by Paul Huntley; fight director, Thomas Schall; dialect coach, Stephen Gabis; production stage manager, Eileen Ryan Kelly; production manager, Eric Nottke.

The play is performed in three acts with two 15-minute intermissions

For more information, visit wtfestival.org or call 413.597.3400

Dr. Ruth, All the Way by Mark St. Germain

A world premiere at Barrington Stage Company

Directed by Julianne Boyd

Starring Debra Jo Rupp

Reviewed by Lesley Ann Beck

Dr. Ruth Westheimer is well-known for her frank talk about sex, but anyone who thinks her appearances on radio and television sum up her accomplishments would be mistaken. Dr. Ruth is an exceptional woman, courageous and compassionate, whose sunny temperament belies the challenges she has weathered, from the loss of her family in the Holocaust to her struggles as a
single mother living and working in New York City. The story of her remarkable life unfolds in Mark St. Germain’s excellent new play, Dr. Ruth, All the Way, directed by Julianne Boyd, now playing at Barrington Stage Company.

Debra Jo Rupp is simply magnificent as the delightfully irrepressible Dr. Ruth Westheimer in this world premiere
production. This is a sparkling gem of a one-woman show; the story flows beautifully for the almost two-hour-long running time. Every element works: St.
Germain’s brilliant writing is beautifully interpreted by Julianne Boyd’s skillful, insightful direction, to say nothing of Debra Jo Rupp’s superb performance. 

This new play was commissioned by Barrington Stage Company, the first show in their New Works Initiative; it’s the sixth premiere of a play by Mark St. Germain at Barrington Stage (St. Germain is an associate artist with the company), and, in fact, the play is being performed on the newly named St. Germain Stage at the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center.

Debra Jo Rupp, armed with a very believable version of a German-French-Hebrew-English accent, is utterly charming as Dr. Ruth. She is effervescent, energetic, and sharp-witted. Rupp doesn’t imitate her, but rather gives the audience an inspired interpretation of Dr. Ruth, from the distinctive way she answers the phone to a whole vocabulary of hand gestures and facial expressions.

We meet Dr. Ruth in her New York apartment, a cluttered, comfortable space filled with cartons. The year is 1997, and the doctor is planning to move, a decision with which her adult children disagree. She is on the telephone with Pierre, her “minister of communications.” When she hangs up the phone and turns toward the audience, she is delighted to see a room full of guests, guests she immediately welcomes into her home. The play continues with Dr. Ruth conversing chattily with the audience as if it was a long, friendly visit.

All the events recounted in the play are true. Ruth Westheimer was born in Germany in 1928; her name was Karola Ruth Seigel. At the age of ten she was sent to Switzerland, part of the Kindertransport, to escape the Holocaust; her parents and grandmother did not survive. When the war ended, she went to Palestine and lived on a kibbutz; she was only 17. She then moved to Jerusalem to continue her education and while there, joined the Hagenah, the Jewish underground army. After two short marriages and time spent living in Paris, she found herself in New York City, a single mother with a little girl. Dr. Ruth continued to pursue her education, working to master English, her fourth language. She was determined to get her doctorate. She met her third husband, Fred Westheimer, in 1961; they were married for more than thirty years. She has written 35 books and hosted nearly 500 television shows.

Presented with a fascinating subject and a storyline that included danger, tragedy, triumph, and romance – every element a playwright could desire – St. Germain has crafted a fascinating narrative. Debra Jo Rupp tells the story in a chronological fashion for the most part – often interrupted by the appearance of significant objects, family photos, and keepsakes as the cartons are packed, one by one.  

The script is peppered with dates. “Dates are very important,” says Dr. Ruth. “They are anchors for our memories. We don’t know who we are if we don’t remember who we were.” She recalls the date of every milestone exactly. Her humor and optimism are inspiring, and we soon learn that when the story veers too near something painful, she will pick up a book or a
game or a memento and begin to describe a more pleasant time. “Grandmother told me,” she says, “Always smile and be cheerful, you are loved.” The parents and grandmother she last saw when she was 10 years old have been a strong presence all her life, and are to this day.

Dr. Ruth Westheimer, as portrayed in this marvelous new play, is an inspiration. Her humor, resilience, and determination are displayed in abundance, and it is a treat indeed to spend an evening with the redoubtable Dr. Ruth.

Production team: Set design by Brian Prather; lighting design by Scott Pinkney; costume design by Jennifer Mueller; wigs by Gabriella Pollino-Rodman; sound design by Jessica Paz; production stage manager is Kate Cudworth.

Dr. Ruth, All the Way runs through July 21 at Barrington Stage Company’s St. Germain Stage. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit http://barringtonstageco.org.

Cassandra Speaks

A Shakespeare & Company production of a new play by Norman Plotkin

Directed by Nicole Ricciardi

Starring Tod Randolph as Dorothy Thompson

Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre; performances now through September 2, 2012

Reviewed by Lesley Ann Beck

[LENOX, MA] – Dorothy Thompson was the first journalist expelled from Germany on a direct order by Adolf Hitler and in 1939 Time magazine called her the most influential woman in America after Eleanor Roosevelt. In Cassandra Speaks at Shakespeare & Company, Tod Randolph delivers a complex, compelling portrait of Thompson in the world premiere production of this well-written, one-woman show.

As the play begins, it’s 1943 and Dorothy Thompson is writing a column about the plight of European refugees; millions read her syndicated columns. She is sitting at her big black Royal typewriter, hard at work, answering the phone, and talking to the audience as if they are her guests. She is very much the hard-driving, career-focused journalist. “Well, I’m not a nice woman,” she says. “I’m a driven woman.”

And then we discover that she is just an hour away from her wedding – her third. ‘I’m about to make a horrible mistake,” she says, quite seriously.

Randolph is marvelous in the role: she is authentic, engaging, wry, amusing, a little bawdy, and brilliant. The production, skillfully directed by Nicole Ricciardi, is beautifully paced and balanced.

One of the charms of this play, and of Randolph’s masterful performance, is that we see Thompson as the consummate professional, passionate and committed, and then we see her as a woman about to get married and coping with doubts.

Randolph as Thompson recounts her experiences as a journalist in Germany; she was aware very early on of just how dangerous Hitler could be. Thompson, of course, was a storyteller, and playwright Norman Plotkin has written the play in an engaging narrative style, weaving Thompson’s memories in with her present, impending wedding day activities. Thompson’s real life provided a rich trove of material to the playwright: for example, she met Sigmund Freud a number of times.

Thompson reminisces about her love life as well; she was married three times; her second husband was Nobel Prize-winner Sinclair Lewis, who she called Hal. The script includes a wonderful description of Lewis, as well as their passionate but difficult relationship. There’s a marvelous phone call that only lasts a few minutes but gives the audience tremendous insight into their whole marriage, a wonderful piece of writing beautifully performed.

Thompson’s life was a fascinating one: She served as a foreign correspondent at a time when there were very few women in the international press corps, beginning in the 1920s. She interviewed Hitler in 1931 and wrote about the consequences if he came to power. In 1934, the Third Reich ordered her expulsion. She wrote a syndicated column read by millions and worked as a radio news commentator. This production of Cassandra Speaks does a marvelous job of reacquainting us with Thompson’s significant accomplishments, and Randolph does an exemplary job of portraying this iconic American journalist.

Run time is approximately 90 minutes; no intermission.

Set design by Patrick Brennan; costume design by Kara D. Midlam; lighting design by Stephen Ball; sound design by Michael Pfeiffer; stage manager is Joan H. Cappello.

Shakespeare & Company is at 70 Kemble St. in Lenox, Mass. For more information, visit http://www.shakespeare.org/. For tickets, call the box office at 413.637.3353.

10X10 On North New Play Festival

A Barrington Stage Company production of ten new plays

BSC Stage 2, Feb 16-26, Thurs-Sat at 7:30pm; Sat/Sun at 3pm

Plays by Suzanne Bradbeer, Sara Cooper, Laura Shaine Cunningham, Will Eno, Jacqueline Goldfinger, Mikhail Horowitz, Maureen McGranaghan, Chris Newbound, Marisa Smith, Cait Weisensee

Directed by Julianne Boyd, Tom Gladwell, Frank La Frazia, David Sernick, Mark St. Germain

Cast: Lily Balsen, Emily Taplin Boyd, Matt Neely, RylandThomas, Peggy Pharr Wilson, Robert Zukerman

Reviewed by Lesley Ann Beck

Barrington Stage Company’s 10×10 New Play Festival, part of 10×10 On North, the Berkshires’ first-ever winter contemporary arts festival, is a delightful diversion for a winter’s evening: the lineup of ten short plays, all approximately ten minutes long, makes for a lively and entertaining night of theater. The six actors are not only skilled but extremely versatile, delivering solid performances in a remarkably varied assortment of plays, from laugh-out-loud humor to budding romance to poignant drama, and even one or two plays that almost defy classification. These short plays prove that ten minutes is more than enough time to fall in love, change a life, be a hero, or just share important moments.

The ten plays included in the festival are particularly well-chosen. Another Cup of Coffee by Cait Weisensee depicts a husband’s patient, loving care of his wife, who suffers from some form of dementia, with gentle humor and poignant sadness. Robert Zukerman and Peggy Pharr Wilson are pitch-perfect as the challenged couple, skillfully directed by David Sernick. The Story by Mikhail Horowitz is a clever exercise in absurdist dialogue, as two men in a cave debate storytelling technique. Matt Neely offers a sly wit, countered by Robert Zukerman’s curmudgeonly demeanor, under the deft direction of Mark St. Germain.  

Mark St. Germain also directed Peggy Pharr Wilson’s strong performance in Lannie’s Lament by Jacqueline Goldfinger, a Southern Gothic tale about a funeral that takes a surprising turn. Wilson transports the audience to a sun-drenched porch somewhere in the deep South with her first few words. Behold the Coach, In a Blazer, Uninsured by Pulitzer Prize finalist Will Eno, is also a monologue, this time a quirky recounting of a failed season by an embattled sports coach, ably portrayed by Matt Neely, also directed by Mark St. Germain.

The line-up includes romance, of a sort. In Tenderness by Maureen McGranaghan, Emily Taplin Boyd offers an appealing depiction of a young woman confronting a modern dilemma: she awakes in the night to find her one-night-stand sneaking away. Ryland Thomas is the feckless man in the scenario directed by Tom Gladwell. In Chris Newbound’s Lunch with Amanda, Frank La Frazia directs Lily Balsen and Ryland Thomas as gently flirtatious, bantering co-workers discussing the aftermath of a company softball game in a nuanced, naturalistic conversation. La Frazia also directs God in the Goat by Suzanne Bradbeer, featuring Matt Neely as an unscrupulous but surprisingly thoughtful member of the paparazzi, staking out a rock star’s funeral , and Lily Balsen in a quiet but powerful turn as a woman who once knew the celebrity.

Tom Gladwell is at the helm for Total Expression by Marisa Smith, a funny piece that features Emily Taplin Boyd in a spot-on depiction of a Russian model looking for fame and fortune in New York, with Peggy Pharr Wilson as the unlikely recipient of some adventurous advice.

Julianne Boyd directs two of the funniest offerings of the evening, the first being Things I Left on Long Island by Sara Cooper. Lily Balsen plays a young woman who has had to move back home and contend with the dreaded dysfunctional family dynamic: Peggy Pharr Wilson is her overbearing, over-the-top mother; Ryland Thomas is the perfect younger brother; and Robert Zukerman is absolutely hilarious in drag as the very outspoken grandmother. And in Laura Shaine’s Fugu, two highly competitive “foody” couples, played by Matt Neely, Lily Balsen, Emily Taplin Boyd, and Ryland Thomas, gather for a daring gourmet dinner with a very exotic ingredient as the centerpiece.

The 10×10 New Play Festival is a successful and very entertaining format: while some of the plays are more polished than others, the compelling performances from this very skilled, chameleon-like company of actors make for a very satisfying evening indeed. This reviewer is already looking forward to next year’s roster of ten new plays.

Production team: Natasha Sinha, associate producer; Jeff Roudabush, lighting designer; Andy Reynolds, sound designer; and Michael Andrew Rodgers, production stage manager.

Barrington Stage Company’s Stage 2 is at 36 Linden St. in Pittsfield. Tickets are $15 and $20; to purchase tickets or for more information, call the Barrington Stage box office at 413.236.8888 or visit www.barringtonstageco.org. Barrington Stage Company’s box office is located at 30 Union St. in Pittsfield.

War of the Worlds

Adapted by Howard Koch from the novel by H. G. Wells and additionally inspired by the radio broadcast by Orson Welles

Directed by Tony Simotes

Now through November 6

Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre

Cast: Elizabeth Aspenlieder, Jonathan Croy, Dana Harrison, David Joseph, Josh Aaron McCabe, and Scott Renzoni

Reviewed by Lesley Ann Beck

[Lenox, MA] — Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt our regularly scheduled program … for Tony Simotes’s terrific production of War of the Worlds at Shakespeare & Company.  The golden age of radio is alive and thriving at Shakespeare & Company, as six adept actors sing, dance, and emote their way through an old-time variety show, culminating in a gripping re-enactment of Orson Welles’ renowned War of the Worlds.

On October 30, 1938, radio listeners across the country were terrified when they heard Orson Welles and his Mercury Theatre broadcast of War of the Worlds and mistakenly believed that Martians were attacking New Jersey.  Based on the classic H.G. Welles novel and adapted by Howard Koch, with plenty of inspiration from the original Mercury Theatre production, the new Shakespeare & Company production of War of the Worlds is an imaginative and entertaining evening of theater.

A circa-1930s radio studio has been recreated in the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre, from the authentic microphones to the APPLAUSE and ON THE AIR signs that cue the studio audience.  The show begins with the actors strolling into the studio, relaxed and bantering, getting ready to perform. 

Each of the six accomplished actors in the cast plays multiple roles, as the troupe, in various configurations, presents a sampling of 1930s-type radio entertainment, from tight-harmony bluegrass tunes “Man of Constant Sorrow” and ‘I’ll Fly Away,” to a series of commercial breaks for local businesses, a quiz show, and an episode of an action/adventure serial; to the fully dramatized War of the Worlds segment.  There is even a tap dance number.

Scott Renzoni plays Bobby Ramiro, the emcee, with an authentic 1930s inflection to his voice and a smooth, suave radio manner.  He introduces all the other actors, sings, and takes the helm for the clever “Bobby’s Knowledge Nook Quiz.”  Jonathan Croy is first-rate as Lionel Harrison, leading man and the star of “Ace Moran: American Hero,” who is battling the villain Drakkar Noir, voiced by Josh Aaron McCabe.  The good vs. evil action allows for lots of great sound effects, and the sounds not supplied by the in-view sound man are provided vocally by the multi-talented McCabe.

Sound designer Michael Pfeiffer is on stage, playing the part of Foley artist Max Michaels, creating a marvelous array of sound effects with a tableful of props from rubber gloves to bells and horns to ice cubes and coconut shells.

Elizabeth Aspenlieder delivers several effective performances, first as Darla Ford, one of the singing Sweetwater Sisters, and then as Carla Phillips, the hard-hitting journalist with microphone in hand who is on the scene in New Jersey, filing her eye-witness account of the Martian invasion.  David Joseph is wonderful as the sophisticated, handsome heartthrob crooner, who is rattled as the news of the Martian invasion begins to come into the studio, but stays calm and keeps on broadcasting.  Dana Harrison is Melinda Maguire, the other Sweetwater sister, and a whole roster of characters in the Pyramus and Thisbe scene from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the radio play that is under way when the “Martian invasion” begins.  Harrison, Croy, and Renzoni are the harried thespians who are trying to get through their scene and are repeatedly interrupted by the breaking news announcements, a circumstance that adds to the hilarity of their scene.  Renzoni is a hoot as Pyramus, aided and abetted by Harrison and Croy.

Where the first part of the production is witty and light-hearted; the second section, which includes the War of the Worlds, is darkly dramatic and suspenseful.  Simotes has wisely decided to take the action outside the studio, so while we see some of the characters at their microphones, continuing to broadcast, the other actors change costumes and with the help of skillful lighting, perform as if they were in the small New Jersey town being overtaken by aliens.  Croy delivers a compelling scene as an Air Force pilot reporting on the destruction, and McCabe is very affecting as the Princeton professor who identifies the Martian threat.  

Simotes has skillfully woven the multiple elements of this show into a satisfying production, likely to please those nostalgic for days gone by as well as others looking for a spooky, autumnal show to set the mood for Halloween.  War of the Worlds is an enjoyable mix of smart direction, clever writing, and skilled performances, with just the right amount of old-fashioned suspense.

PRODUCTION TEAM: Set design by Patrick Brennan; costume design by Kara D. Midlam; lighting design by Stephen Ball; sound design by Michael Pfeiffer; stage manager, Hope Rose Kelly; singing coach, Bill Barclay 

Shakespeare & Company is at 70 Kemble St., Lenox, Mass.  For tickets, call the box office at (413) 637-3353 or visit www.shakespeare.org.