Silence! The Musical: Play Review

Last week I had the pleasure of seeing Silence! The Musical at The 9^th Space Theatre at PS122 in New York City (part of the COIL Festival). It was a much awaited experience for me, and it lived up to every bit of anticipation. And did I mention in has a dream ballet? Does it get any better?

This show was conceived by Jon and Al and Kaplan who are comedy writers and composers. They wrote the music and lyrics, and their original screenplay was adapted for the stage by Hunter Bell. The show was originally produced for the 2005 NYC Fringe festival, at which it won “Overall Excellence Award” for Outstanding Musical. In its new incarnation (which features many of the original performers) they have taken out the intermission and trimmed down some of the songs, making the 90 minute show clip right along.

This show is a parody of the 1991 film Silence of the Lambs, and it gets right to the heart of what every fan of this movie wants to see. Even from the opening sequence in which Agent Starling (played by Jenn Harris) jogs around the stage reenacting the opening of the film, I knew even the smallest detail would not be overlooked.. This production capitalizes on each memorable moment and quote, and it knocks it in just the right way. A few of the classic lines from the show are even turned into full blown musical numbers, such as “If I Could Smell Her C---” and “Are You About a Size 14”. These songs not only bring special attention to some of the unforgettable gems the film has to offer, but these songs also shine light on characters’ backgrounds and inner motivations, elaborating on the baseline provided by the film. What I love about the way they make fun of the movie is that, as a self-proclaimed super-fan of the film itself, I am able to laugh with the show, rather than being offended. Even Jodie Foster saw the play and gave it a standing ovation! I would wager the creators of this show have to be fans of the movie as well, to be able to put it on a pedestal, and then point and laugh.

Highlights

High Production Value: The design elements are generally simple across the board. The set (designed by Tony Award winner Scott Pask) is a nearly empty stage filled with rolling set pieces covered with pieces of leather (…or human skin?) maneuvered to perfection by dancing “lambs”. But in this simplicity comes crisp perfection – everything executed cleanly and with purpose. Lecter’s cell is effectively depicted with a few drawings hanging from the walls and a rolling desk with a glass “viewing window” attached to it. This not only makes the transitions completely seamless, but it also captures the essence of the locale while still allowing for the movement of the campy musical theater choreography. Complementing the simple scenery is some flawless lighting (designed by Jeff Croiter), again an example of elegant simplicity with perfect shifts from the jazzy dance numbers to the harsh asylum lighting, nothing is over (or under) done.

Amazing Performances: All of the performances are stellar – especially the supporting cast. It was fun to see a show that seems like a silly lark, and then have a veritable parade of incredible voices guide me through the show. I was able to have a fairly mindless good time without having to compromise on quality. The standout performance is by Annie Funke – who plays both the kidnapping victim Catherine Martin as well as her mother, Senator Martin. As Catherine, she gives new life to the character, rather than attempting to recreate the character from the film. She plays her roles with a great balance of honesty and humor, and she’s got a voice that will knock your socks off.

Ponderings

As I was watching this show, it struck me that the downside is that I don’t really see it going anywhere. This is not a show that will be hitting your regional theater anytime soon, because it has a fairly specific audience in mind - and a pretty raunchy core of text and situations. It really belongs right where it is, and I hope for their sake that they keep finding their audience – because we are out there! But I don’t see it moving to Broadway in the near future – I can’t imagine the masses choosing to see a spoof like this over the more traditional Broadway fare.

Another thought that continually crossed my mind during the show was that I didn’t love the lead actress Jenn Harris’ parody of Jodie Foster. It was hilarious at first, as Harris does an over-the-top impersonation that plays up all of Foster’s mannerisms from the film. She exaggerates the vocal twang and movements just enough to be hilarious - for about the first two scenes. Then it sort of became tiring for me, and lost its charm. I didn’t even really notice this phenomenon until her performance was juxtaposed with that of David Garrison’s portrayal of Hannibal Lecter. The beauty of Garrison is that he doesn’t mock Anthony Hopkins’ character – he simply does an incredibly spot-on portrayal. He plays the role so straight, that it actually became the funniest performance for me, subtly highlighting the character’s natural quirks and humor. I appreciated that his impersonation didn’t try too hard, it just worked.

See it for yourself!

It was recently announced that the show’s run has been extended (yet again! ) and tickets are on sale through May 6^th.

Find out more and get some tickets at Silence! The Musical's Website

(all photos by Carol Rosegg)

Theatre Companies you should know about: The T.E.A.M. (Theatre of the Emerging American Moment)

The TEAM's Mission Drift: a Teaser from Rachel Chavkin on Vimeo.

Who are these people?

The T.E.A.M. was founded by NYU Ticsh grads way back in 2004. They were young, idealistic, and certain that they were going to revolutionize American theatre. Since those days, they have added a few NYU outsiders, enchanted a large European audience and won fists full of Edinborough Fringe Awards. Most importantly, they have somehow managed to figure out what theatre can do better than television and film—and they exploit the hell out of it.  They are genuine to the core, and seemingly ego-less artists who really just want you to have a great night in the theatre.  Although Europe has had a major crush on them since they first appeared at the Edinborough Fringe Festival, America hasn’t quite caught on. Their mediocre reviews for their latest show Mission Drift at PS122’s COIL Festival are befuddling, claiming that the two hour show goes on too long. I’m willing to bet, if you love innovative theatre mixed with soul-wrenching music and brave performances you will not want Mission Drift to end.   

 

the TEAM Mission Drift

Amber Gray,Libby King, Heather Christian, Mikaal Sulaiman and Brian Hastert

photo by Rachel Chavkin theteamplays.org



What do they do?

The T.E.A.M.  devises plays by “examining a wealth of material, ranging from existing texts (fiction, theory, drama, etc.) to images taken from visual art and film, and then combining that research with original writing and staging.” (theteamplays.org) They also throw in some bold physicality, an American history lesson, and a moving human (sometimes alien) journey.

the TEAM Mission Drift

Brian Hastert and Libby King

photo by Rachel Chavkin theteamplays.org

Why should I care?

Well, in the effort of full disclosure. I know a couple of these people and they are super cool.  Speaking as an objective theatergoer, you should care because what they do is insightful, moving and crazy energetic.  Although their dramaturgical choices are often bold, the simplest action or transformation of a prop can be the most surprising and heartbreaking thing to happen on stage.  In Particularly in the Heartland they somehow pulled off the perfect movie-montage with live theatre set to Sufjan Stevens in which a sprinkling of powdered sugar translated into snow fall, the passing of time, and the end of life.  They are basically the gold standard of what young, good, theatre looks like.


Where can I see them do cool stuff?
Lucky you!  You can see Mission Drift for the next two weeks (until February 4th) during PS122's COIL Festival at the Connely Theatre! For more information click here.  And if you want to go on a Tuesday or Wednesday use discount code mission15 for $10 off tickets!  How cool is that?  Go see it, you won't be disappointed.  If you are, I'll give you a hug and a plate of cookies.  I'm serious.  That's a threat.

Elizabeth Rex: Play Review

This play left me in a puddle riding the 66 Bus back to Michigan Avenue after seeing a production at Chicago Shakespeare last week. This came as a complete surprise given my level of “theatrical jade” I have toward works on stage. But Elizabeth Rex, by Timothy Findley takes no prisoners.

What is this play about?

Elizabeth Rex takes place on the eve of the execution of the Earl of Essex, the Queen’s supposed lover (yeah, “Virgin Queen” my ass). In order to distract her self from the night’s gloom, she commissions Shakespeare’s men to put on a performance of Much Ado About Nothing. Following the performance, Elizabeth shockingly appears in the barn where the players are staying (acting is SO glamorous), where she meets our other protagonist, Ned. Ned is the premier player of the strong independent women in Shakespeare’s company, the Queen being particularly fond of his portrayal of Beatrice that evening. Ned, we come to find out, is dying of the pox (a LOT of allusion to AIDS here). There begins the crux of our story. Ned is trying to “man up” and face death with strength while he notices that Elizabeth has closed off her heart to feeling, much like a man. One of the many memorable quotes comes when Queen Elizabeth says, “Teach me how to be a woman and I will show you how to play a man.” (or something like that) What follows is a tale that never lets you unclench your guts with twists, magic reveals, and what can only be described as theatrical majesty.

The Playwright

Timothy Findley (known as “Tiff” to his friends, because of his initials: Timothy Irving Frederick Findley- don’t you just LOVE that!?) is a Canadian Playwright born in 1930 and died in 2002. This guy is fascinating. Even though he was publicly a homosexual he married a woman, Janet Reid, in 1959 which ended in divorce two years later in 1961. Well then he started shaking up with this guy William Whitehead, also a writer, and the two collaborated on a bunch of projects in the 1970s! Did these two relationships influence Elizabeth Rex’s “what makes a man, what makes a woman” debate? I THINK SO! Elizabeth Rex is his most famous and most successful play but he also wrote a bunch of novels and short stories that I HAVE to read. Does anyone know anything about this guy!? I’m obsessed with him.

Why is this Play Rad?

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Historical Figures!- In what other play do you get to see: A Shakespearean boy player, Queen Elizabeth, and Shakespeare himself! If you are an anglofile like I am, your inner twelve year old orphan squeals, “Pleez sah I wont Summore!”

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Men-Women or Women-Men?- No other play that I know of deals with the idea of being a masculine woman or a feminine man with such grace and clarity as this one. I’m still reeling from it’s effects. Where do I stand on this scale, I wonder?

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Glorious Speeches- Contemporary writers are not known for their ability to write sweeping lines of lengthy prose. (See: Mamet, LaBute, etc. where every other line is “yeah” or “fuck you”). But this play is a gold mine for an actor who needs a great contemporary English period piece for auditions.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Fabulous Costumes- The potential for costuming here is fabulous. This play would make a great costume design project! You would have to design: Queen Elizabeth, Shakespeare, Ned as Beatrice, Elizabeth as Beatrice, a grubby seamstress, a fairer boy player who plays Hero in Much Ado.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->An ending to die for- if this last moment doesn’t grab you by the balls, you don’t have a soul. Simple as that.

Actors’ Annex

Most of the play’s great dialogue takes place between the following two characters:

NED: Mid-late 30s, must have an air of the feminine with the ability to encapsulate the masculine desire to cheat death.

ELIZABETH- Mid-late 50s, the woman has to have (dare I say it?) BALLS. She lets nothing get by her and is quick to strike if anyone dares to cross her. Think Attila The Hun in a corset.

Where you can get the script:

I can only find it on Amazon used for $70. Anyone know any Canadians with the hook up?

Learn From Our Mistakes: Choosing a Grad School for Design

When I began my search for an MFA program in Lighting Design and Technical Direction, the only question I had (besides the obvious issues of location and cost) was – “will you let me in?” I didn’t know what to look for, I just figured I would jump in and hope for the best. Well, three months later and a report card full of “Withdrawn” grades might be a sign that I should have looked a little more carefully. Granted there were circumstances way out of anyone’s control that lead to my decision – but let me help you, future grad students, with some things I wish I had known.

Best Kept Secret:

You can just talk to them! You are no longer a lowly undergrad! That bachelor’s degree IS worth something – somehow it means that if you email the head of an MFA design program, they write back, they are really interested in you, and they will talk to you on the phone about all of your questions! This may serve as a sort of preliminary interview, so be on your best behavior, but it is also an amazing way to see if the school is a good fit. It turns out they really do want to help find the best school for you – they are not simply selling their own program. So take a deep breath and ask them everything you want to know.

Here’s what you want to know:

• Do they have a musical theater program? Will you get to design for dance performances? Make sure they actually do the kind of productions you want to work on.
• How much do you get to design? How many shows are done each year, and how many are designed by MFA students?
• Do they have a PhD program? It turns out you get smarter by being around smart people.
• Do they have an undergrad design program? If they don’t, that means that odds are good you will have undergrad students in your design classes, and this may slow things down and shift focus away from what you need to learn.
• Do they have a stage management program? If they don’t, who runs the shows? A stage manager can be a designer’s best friend. You want people who know what they are doing, and a program that respects the thankless work of the SM.
• Where do alumni end up? Not the list of famous graduates, but rather – do graduates usually go on to teach and work in universities, or do they work professionally? Which sounds more like what you want? Some schools have direct connections with New York City (NYU, Yale, North Carolina School of the Arts, Carnegie Mellon). Other schools have amazing facilities and programs (Indiana University Bloomington, University of Texas at Austin), but are not going to focus on connecting you with Broadway designers

Another factor to take into account is to make sure you love more than one thing about a school. Every school is going to have its pros and cons, but if you go somewhere counting on only one great component (a great class you want to take, an amazing mentor, or a specific show you want to work on) things may have changed by the time you arrive. There are a lot of circumstances out of your control, so don't put too much weight on any one element.

No matter how many times I was told that choosing a grad school is an important decision, and it’s all about finding the right fit, I didn’t care. I just wanted to go to school, and I was just going to make it work. But it turns out, as usual, they were right. You need to do the work and ask the questions. It’s not always about going to the “best” school, because there are plenty out there. It is about finding the program and the people who are going to help you get what you want out of your education. Take it from someone who found out the hard way.

And of course – this is just one girl’s experience. Please add to the conversation by commenting below with your advice and experiences! The more info out there, the better.

People You Should Know: Designer Spotlight: John Jesurun

Who He Is

John Jesurun is an avant-garde writer, director, filmmaker, and designer, creating innovative theater since the 1980s, challenging the line between life and death, and incorporating a variety of media into his productions. Born in Battle Creek Michigan in 1951, he is currently based in New York. He holds a BFA from Philadelphia College of Art, and MFA in Sculpture from Yale University.

Why You Should Know Him By Now

Trained in filmmaking and sculpture, he brings an innovative eye to the theater world. He breaks the rules and doesn’t subscribe to traditional forms of presenting live theater. He contrasts stark and simple staging with dynamic and complex digital projections. He deftly creates looks onstage that mimic film-style cuts and angles.

Why We Think He’s Cool

• Digital Projection. Jesurun uses projections onstage in every way imaginable. Some productions have a live feed of the action onstage projected on large screens. Other times the actors are seen in a close shot onscreen performing dialogue. (both styles seen in Septet in 2005). In his 2009 production of Firefall the large screen behind the performers is flooded with a multitude of layered windows streaming live internet footage. Jesurun blends his interests in filmmaking with his pension for “sampling” different images, song lyrics, and pieces of dialogue to create multi-layered and challenging pieces of theater.

• Ingenious staging. As seen in is long-running serial theater production Chang in a void moon, the actors perform on a starkly bare stage with minimal blocking. Jesurun deals with scenes as if editing a film, with short bits of dialogue and “fast cuts” to the next scene. He has been known to use pieces of white foam board to create the illusion that the audience is viewing the actors from different angles, as seen in the photo below. Actors may lay on their sides on custom made platforms to give the appearance of a top view. Jesurun doesn’t want to simply trick the audience; he wants to create a visual paradox. The audience begins to see the performers in two positions at once, both how they appear, and how they really are.

• In his own words. "You live in this house. You walk in this street. If you’re going to be in a big space then you have to make it further. Which is interesting to me from the sculptural point of view—to always deal with the space that you’re in. That’s where you are. That’s where everybody else is going to be. So let’s not pretend that we’re someplace else." (From an interview by Craig Gholson - Bomb Magazine, 1985)

Where To See Him Do His Thing

The world premiere of Jesurun’s production “Stopped Bridge of Dreams” will be showing at La MaMa from January 20 - Feb 5 2012.

Check out La MaMa’s website

Where To Learn More

http://sites.google.com/site/johnjesurun/

http://bombsite.com/issues/11/articles/617

(Photos courtesy of John Jesurun)

People You Should Know: Director Spotlight 1: Anne Kauffman

Who is she?

Anne Kauffman, is a NYC based, kick-butt director. 

Why you should know her by now

She’s an OBIE award winner for her direction of The Thugs by Adam Bock at SoHo Rep as well as the go-to director for new plays.  She has a long standing relationship with playwrights like Jordan Harrison, Anne Washburn and Jenny Schwartz as well as others.  Her production of Harrison’s Maple and Vine, was one of the favorites of The Humana Festival of 2011 which prompted Playwrights Horizons to have her direct an all-new production this past year in New York. She is hired all over at places like A.R.T., Wooly Mammoth, Manhattan Theatre Club, The Vineyard and The Guthrie, just to name a few.  She is a professor of Directing at NYU’s Playwrights Horizons Studio. She received her MFA in Directing from UCSD.

Why we think she is cool

·         She is smart and very selective.   She seems to choose the projects that are right for her, rather than what makes sense for her career.  That takes a great amount of guts in a world where female directors (hell, all directors) can be seen begging for work.  This might be one of the main reasons she’s just so sought-after and successful.  That doesn’t mean she only takes “easy” projects that won’t risk failure.  She gravitates towards plays that have a lot of questions or problems to solve, often working on new plays and being instrumental in their development.  Playwrights seem to love her, due to the fact that if Ms. Kauffman has directed your play she tends to direct many that follow.  She’s a collaborator in the truest since of the word, and always serves the play.

·         She gets bored.  In a The Days of Yore interview she talks about how she started as an actress but would get “bored” in the rehearsal hall.  She turned to directing because it forced her to stay active, there’s too much responsibility as a director to let her mind wander.  That might be why she only spends a day or two on table work.  She gets her actors on their feet and keeps the rehearsal hall fluid and active. 

·         She surprises.  Her collaboration with her designers is risky and always seems surprising.  In her 2011 production of Maple and Vine at the 2011 Humana Festival of New American Plays the set moved and shifted in dozens of patterns.  The floor would disappear and suddenly a mid-century living room would appear while a modern day bedroom elevators down.  In her most recent production, Body Awarenes(currently playing at Philadelphia’s The Wilma Theatre), things appear simpler. She employs a unit set of three different spaces: a college lecture hall, a kitchen, and a bedroom.  What is surprising is how she uses it. She establishes rules of space and then breaks them, leaving the audience to wonder about the lines between academia and the bedroom.  It’s my belief, that theatre does surprise better than most things and it’s something Ms. Kauffman seems to be damn good at manipulating.

Where you can see her do her thing

Her production of Annie Baker’s Body Awareness opens at The Wilma in Philadelphia this week.  Click here for tickets and more information: http://www.wilmatheater.org/production/body-awareness

Where to learn more:

http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-02-04/theater/the-go-to-two-ken-rus-schmoll-and-anne-kauffman/

http://www.tcg.org/publications/at/Oct07/kauffman.cfm

http://www.thedaysofyore.com/anne_kauffman/

Watch videos about her approach: http://americantheatrewing.org/biography/detail/anne_kauffman

Why you should listen to us...

We are just like you.  We are interns/apprentices/recent graduates trying to keep the faith that next year will bring a break of some sort into the professional theatre world.  We are dreaming of bright lights but realize that the fluorescents hanging in temp agencies is more likely to be our reality.  For some strange reason, we aren't scared. Okay, we are totally scared, but we still plan to read the plays, meet the people, become discouraged, cry our selves to sleep at night and then wake up and repeat.

And we want you to join us.  Perhaps, you can just learn from our mistakes instead.

Here's what you can find over the next few months:

• Reviews on exciting new plays.  We're talking super new...like not even published yet.  I know, you were a fan before it was even on paper...
• Features on super cool people you should know.  Why don't you know them?  Your professors hate you.
• Resources for lazy actors...you know you don't want to have to read 15 plays for just one monologue.  You're in luck! Our writers will do it for you...because we don't want to hear another Neil LaBute monologue...like ever.
• Support and help in finding a great internship that will help you start off your career on the right foot...and at the copy machine.  Googling is hard...why not have them all in one place?
• We'll go see awesome plays for you since you live in Iowa and can't go.  Or, you live in NYC and have no money to take advantage of that great city.  You can totally quote us...that way your theatre hipster friends will think you're legit.
• Sarcasm...sorry, but being an intern makes you bitter.

Why should you read this?

Because...WE SAID SO.

xoxo,

We