Andria Tieman - Page 6

WEST SIDE STORY, the classic retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in New York City places our star-crossed lovers on either side of a turf war between rival gangs.  It's a play so iconic and so familiar that even if one hasn't actually seen it, he or she has likely heard the songs and knows the names of Sharks and Jets.  Even if you've seen it 100 times, it's very worth stopping by Theatre by The Sea for another viewing.  Sometimes a show is practically perfect and doesn't need much tinkering, but skilled direction, choreography and costumes can still elevate a classic to new heights.

Wilbury Theatre Group closes out their 2015-2016 season with JERUSALEM by Jez Butterworth.  It's a skillfully directed production with a few standout performances, but unfortunately is bogged down by an overlong story that doesn't deliver much tension until after the two hour mark and suffers from some clumsy accent work.  It's an ambitious project for the Wilbury group to take on, and the sets and costumes are absolutely perfect for the story, unfortunately the source material is the main problem and its cliche' plot and incredibly slow pacing just never really deliver.

KILL THE VIRGIN, the latest offering by playwright Kevin Broccoli and produced by Counter-Productions Theatre Company is a cheeky and self-aware look at the cliches in horror movies.  Thankfully, unlike the Scary Movie franchise, it manages to stay away from the gross-out humor and instead relies on quick wit and observation of the tropes that we've all seen in teen movies, and may be so accustomed to that they barely register anymore.  Excellent acting and the fine direction of Ted Clement bring this fun and twisted romp to life, and while it's still a bit clunky in parts, it's exciting, genuinely funny and awfully sexy.

Based on the classic novel Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith, Epic Theatre's page to stage season re-write imagines a deftly wrought twist both in the gender of the protagonist and antagonist as well as almost everything else that happens. Two women meet on a train, that much is familiar, but the rest of the story is one unexpected twist after another that leaves the audience almost exhausted at the end, but still completely satisfied. Anyone who has seen a show at Epic knows that sets are minimal and dialogue and performance rule. This works incredibly well thanks to the talents of Hannah Lum as Georgia and Kelly McCabe as Beth. What is essentially two women having a conversation becomes a fascinating back and forth that ratchets up the tension with every word. Epic always proves that you don't need elaborate sets to tell a compelling story, and this show is a fantastic example of the power perfectly chosen words delivered by skilled actors.

At its core, MURDER BALLAD is a simple and timeless story of a love triangle (or quadrangle) gone wrong.  What makes this show so fresh and compelling, is the fantastic addition of catchy, funny, heartfelt songs and the excellent direction of Wendy Overly and set design of Josh Christofferson.  Wilbury Theatre Group is quickly developing a reputation for staging exciting and fresh musicals, and Murder Ballad is no exception.

Trinity Rep's world premiere of Katie Pearl's ARNIE LOUIS AND BOB is a charming take on getting older, family and whether or not men ever really grow out of being a lost boy.  By shattering the fourth wall and actually having the author of the play become one of the characters, the play manages to comment upon itself and inject laugh upon laugh into an increasingly absurd situation that's set in what looks like Grandma's house.  Exceptional performances all around and unexpected characters and twist come together to create a lovely story with plenty of heart and humor.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC, the classic tale of love, music and Nazis is having its 50 year anniversary, and while it's very exciting to see this much-loved production back on the road, there are quite a few hiccups that make this production a little underwhelming to watch.  Despite amazing vocal talents among the cast, and the adorable pack of Von Trapp children, the distinct lack of chemistry between Captain Von Trapp and Maria, and Leisl and Rolf sucks a lot of the much-needed tension out of the story and leaves us with a story that's very nice, but not very compelling.

Stories of police brutality are all over the news these days, but they may still seem like something that happens “elsewhere”. In INVISIBLE UPSOUTH, Wilbury Theatre Company's latest in their New Works program, the headlines move right into Providence and we're forced to examine the reality of life as a person of color in the liberal Northeast.  Told half in explosive spoken word and half in traditional scenes, this play manages to convey a lot without coming off as didactic or cliche'.  In particular, it shines a light on experiences that probably most people of color have had, that would likely make many white people say “I had never thought about that”.

Festival Ballet's productions are always exciting and beautiful, but the UP CLOSE ON HOPE series is a rare treat.  Unlike the lavish productions at PPAC or the Vets, these are small, intimate performances of works one might not see anywhere else.  This spring's UP CLOSE program showcases the best of what Festival is all about with two stunning pieces featuring new choreography, new musical arrangement and hauntingly beautiful performances from our local dancers.  This program is a rare treat in that leaves the viewer emotionally disarmed, but still wanting more.

Dark humor can be a challenge at times, but when it works, it can be so completely satisfying that it sticks in your mind long after the show is over.  A SKULL IN CONNEMARA is one of those shows, and not only is author Martin McDonagh's writing is a delightful exploration of the twisted and macabre, but the outstanding performances of Jim O'Brien, Jonathan Fisher, Wendy Overly and Steve Kidd deliver McDonagh's words to the audience and leave them laughing until it hurts.  This is a play that's strange and sinister, but so thoroughly hilarious that it's hard to describe, and director Judith Swift captured the spirit of it perfectly.

T.S. Eliot insists that April is the cruelest month, but I've always firmly believed that the correct answer is February. Between the unpredictable weather events and the cold; the sloppy sidewalks and the general malaise of realizing that spring is a long way off--February needs to have a few bright spots in order for us to power through. Thankfully, this year, we have Trinity Rep's THE HUNCHBACK OF SEVILLE to serve as one of those beacons. Though the story takes place on a cold day in 1504 Seville, it feels like a ray of sunshine-- perfect to thaw out your sense of humor and warm up your funny bone.

At its core, BREAKING LEGS is the story of a well-meaning guy who gets an offer he can't refuse, and then quickly realizes he's in way over his head.  It's a classic storyline that can be re-worked countless ways and still resonate with an audience.  Unfortunately, in order to reach the logical conclusion of this piece, playwright Tom Dulack trots out every Italian-American stereotype in the book, as well as a few racist and gay jokes leaving the viewer shocked that a play so well-acted and directed can come off so boring and underwhelming.  Many things work well in this production, but when the play itself seems incredibly dated and cliche, it never comes together and the whole endeavor just feels off.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WANDA JUNE is the only full length play by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., based on his novel of the same name.  Like many Vonnegut works, it captures beautifully the absurdity of life, death and senseless violence all while making you laugh so hard you worry you'll hurt yourself.  Burbage Theatre Company has taken this under-utilized gem and shined it up perfectly.  Though the play takes place in 1970, it's shocking to note how well it holds up, especially when acted and directed so well.

GRIZZLY MAMA, by George Brant, was written in 2011 at the beginning of the inevitable downswing of the stranglehold Sarah Palin seemed to have on media at the time, and though the program clearly states that any resemblance of the characters in GRIZZLY MAMA to real people is mere coincidence, that's obviously as tongue-in-cheek as the play itself is trying to be. Perhaps this was effective when it first premiered, but the passage of time has eroded the stings and barbs of this satire leaving is as more of a dark comedy without the comedy.  With the ludicrous coverage of the coming 2016 election in everyone's face, a play like this just doesn't have any teeth, and it comes off as almost too safe.

THE HEIDI CHRONICLES follows the career, social activities and love life of Heidi Holland, through 1970's & 80's .  While hers is not an everywoman story, there is still something that every woman today has gone through or will face in the future, namely, the quest to 'have it all', the question of whether or not that's even possible and what it means to be a feminist.  If that all sounds too heavy, don't worry.  This play has a lightness of tone that belies the serious issues underneath, and really strikes the perfect note of intelligent discourse with a heavy dose of levity.

THE RANT takes place in Brooklyn, NY, not too long ago--that's what the program says. It feels like it could have easily taken place within the past year, month or week. Denise Reeve's son, a black teenager, was shot to death by a police officer on her front porch while she and her husband ate Eskimo Pies inside. At least that's what the audience hears first. From there, the story devolves into different versions of what might be the truth from Ms. Reeves, police officer Charles Simmons, investigator Lila Mahnaz and journalist Alexander Stern. In the end, the story is so twisted and murky with events, intentions and agendas that the actual events become secondary to the perceived situation.

AMERICA STRIPPERS is a show that leaves the audience wiping away tears of laughter as it manages to both take one back to childhood while still remaining very adult.  Sound overwhelming?  It is, but in a very good way.

CAIN + ABEL, the Wilbury Theatre's new production by Resident Playwright Ben Jolivet re-examines the familiar bible story of the two brothers, the role of god, legacy and relationships in a play that blends levity, philosophy and tragedy.  The concept of the play is interesting and the story, which everyone already knows the ending of, is well punctuated with subtle jokes and moments of levity.  Unfortunately, the execution leaves the play both underwhelming and over the top.

Festival Ballet Providence kicks off their 2015-2016 season with a somewhat underwhelming Ballet Russes Reinvented.  The program, which features three shorter pieces and a longer section from The Firebird focuses on classical pieces from Russian ballet, particularly the work of Nijinsky and tries to put a modern twist on old favorites.

Going to see a symphony play songs from video games may seem like an odd way to spend an evening, but ZELDA--SYMPHONY OF THE GODDESSES, works surprisingly well, and creates a powerful experience both for fans of the video game or fans of classical music.