Marc Savitt - Page 5

Dold demonstrates mastery of an overwhelming amount of dialogue and the nuance necessary to present a total of some 19 characters. Dold navigates the thin line between perception and reality so adeptly, the line blurs and we find ourselves questioning whether the character knows exactly what he is doing, or has become lost in his own deception.

There are many good reasons you might choose to see GODSPELL under the tent at Berkshire Theatre Group's Colonial Theatre. Whatever the motivation, you will experience a new, fresh, relevant, powerful, topical, and most certainly different production. You will also be making history as part of what many see as the rebirth of theatre in America.

With a small cast of only ten, the simplicity and small scale of Godspell made it an ideal choice to move forward with given current concerns. Performances will take place under a tent in the parking lot of BTG's Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield. To allow for Social Distancing, the audience for each performance will be limited to 75-100.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Barrington Stage Company has postponed the previously announced 2020 season until 2021. They have, however, come up with an a?oealternate seasona?? that honors live theatre and allows for gathering safely. BSC has devised a plan which follows Social Distancing guidelines to ensure the safety of audience members, employees, and performers alike.

In mid- June here in The Berkshires, a?oethe seasona?? should be in full swing. We SHOULD be enjoying outstanding performance experiences at our beautiful and beloved venues by world-class artists and creatives. Alas, that is proving to be difficult if not impossible.

A unique and interesting collection of more than 30 titles including clips, concerts, shorts, and full performances are made possible through the permission and generous support of ATF alumni playwrights and filmmakers. The content, you likely will not find elsewhere, will be available during the dates originally planned for ATF's 2020 summer season: June 12 - Aug. 7, 2020.

HERSHEY FELDER AS IRVING BERLIN is being presented as a Mother's Day special on Sunday, May 10 at 8pm. Participants will be able to stream on a smart TV, computer, smartphone or tablet. After the performance, audience members will be able to communicate directly with Felder, via text or online, in a post-show audience encore.

The a?oeseasona?? for the performing arts in The Berkshires typically runs the six months between May and October. With the limited window of opportunity to create the outstanding work Berkshire arts organizations are known for and the public health concerns making it difficult to imagine let alone plan for an a?oeordinarya?? season. Accordingly, it is not surprising that many have adopted a a?oewait and see posturea?? as Julieann Boyd Artistic Director of Barrington Stage Company announced this morning.

I want to state clearly this a very good production with a large group of talented professionals. Notable performances include Yehezkel Lazarov as Tevye and Ms. Murphy, Froch, and Barenblat as his daughters, Tzeitel, Hodel, and Chava respectively. The choreography originally by Jerome Robbins, recreated by Christopher Evans, with new choreography by Hofesh Schecter is also noteworthy. Overall, however, I felt the production did not quite reach its potential. While this is not a re-imagined Fiddler, there are infusions of some new elements that for me, just didn't work.

With costumes by Trinity Koch, lighting by Lucas Pawelski, sound by Alex Sovronsky, stage management by Rachel Lynne Harper, and line production by Nora Zahn, ten new plays presented by six fine performers under the guidance of two strong directors, the  10 x 10 NEW PLAY FESTIVAL continues at Barrington Stage Company's St. Germain Stage in Pittsfield through March 8th. 

This production of YOUR BEST ONE marks the east coast premier of one in a series of three plays by Meridith Friedman. In it, the Hoffman family rallies together, and against one another, as they wrestle with issues such as love, loss, finance, health insurance, child custody, and more in the context of a non-traditional, more modern family. As Richard and David deal with grown up matters, Josh, David's teenage adopted son, deals with newcomer Richard: Who is he? What does he really want? And what does it mean for Josh's future? Meridith Friedman's warm, funny and touching play gets to the heart of what family is all about and makes us realize that indeed, family matters.

THE BAND'S VISIT is a heartfelt, critically acclaimed (one of only four musicals in Broadway history to win the unofficial a?oeBig Sixa?? Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score, Best Actor in a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical, and Best Direction of a Musical) of how the smallest moments can have the largest impact.  The characters have unusual names and speak differently from a?oetypical Americansa?? and those we typically see on our stages, but their story is both charming and delightful. It reminds us that as human beings we are far more alike than we are different.

If you think of FROZEN as being for kids, I suggest you need to think again. Like the stage version of Disney's Lion King before it, this production is high quality live theatre that excels on multiple levels. There is quite a lot to see, experience, and enjoy in FROZEN both for the young and the young at heart.

This production is, in a word - 'tight'. The many facets and elements of the script, costuming, sound, lighting, sets, direction, and cast are all notable in their own right. This is a case where they come together and the whole is, indeed, greater than the sum of the parts. The result is 90-minutes of powerful, intense, and frighteningly plausible theatre that is engaging, emotional, intriguing, important, and regardless of your politics or point-of-view, well worth seeing.

At it's core, WHAT THE JEWS BELIEVE is a poignant story about the loss of faith and the journey to find it. Moreover, it is about life. The joys, sadness, fears, and many of the overwhelming number of questions that come with it. To his credit, playwright, Mark Harelik, goes to great lengths to pose a plethora of questions most of have, or will have to deal with. It is both notable and admirable that he does so without providing answers. About the choices we make as well as their consequences and impact. Harelik encourages us to think but never tells us how, what, or why we should do so.

Over the span of two hours, TIME STANDS STILL explores the relationship between the individuals and the two couples at a crucial juncture in each of their lives. Their desire to move forward in conflict with the comfort of clinging to the past. Will they fight, challenge, accept, reject, change, or stand still?

Felder's performance is sublime. Watching his hands manipulate the keys of the Steinway Concert Grand Piano is a thing of beauty almost like watching the seemingly effortless movements of Gene Kelly and Syd Charise in American In Paris. So much so, it felt as if I were floating, gliding, and soaring above my seat throughout the production. Felder's performance is so genuine and strong, tears were brought to many an eye when he setup his performance of the duet from Porgy and Bess. He explains the evolution of this and other pieces providing fascinating insight and showing what an absolute genius Gershwin was. Felder's performance of the entire Rhapsody in Blue itself is well worth the price of admission. Happily, the show provides much more including both Q&A and sing-along segments.

One should plant their tongue firmly in cheek for this one. It is over-the-top, exaggerated, and farcical in the way of Urinetown, The Book of Mormon, and Something Rotten. The original music is quite good and rather entertaining. The content seems to be split between two camps some directed at the a?oeadult generationa?? of baby boomers, and some at their a?oemillenniala?? offspring. Not that the two can't or don't overlap. Several common stereotypes and clichés are targeted as the butt of many jokes so there is pretty much something that works for just about everyone. There are some fun moments that require thinking: a?oethat Greek figure of a daughter of yoursa??, a?oelet's light a match behind this cowa??; and some that are just plain in your face: a?oemaybe the earth doesn't like an enemaa??. Some, I really just did not understand: a?oejust because you have the same feet doesn't mean you have the same legsa??, nor why it is supposed to be funny. That's when I realized it was best to simply let go and enjoy the silliness that abounds.

The brothers reflect on their lives revealing bad parenting, neglect, abandonment and a series of life events that have left the two relatively young men badly broken. When Lincoln suffers yet another setback, he returns to his previous vices and the life lessons each of the brothers has learned well, are once again set into play - this time upon each other. The result is an overwhelming piece of riveting drama that is raw, deeply emotional, and must be experienced to be appreciated.

As the subtitle clearly states HAMILTON is An American Musical and to say there is a lot of that would be an understatement. I don't think there is more than about five minutes without music over the course of the two hour and 45-minute production. Thirty-four musical numbers are presented flawlessly by the cast of nearly 40 talented performers. While there are no low-points to speak of, the capacity crowd pleasing highs are plentiful and include: a?oeThe Story of Tonighta??, a?oeThe Schuyler Sistersa??, a?oeYou'll Be Backa??, a?oeHelplessa??, a?oeWait For Ita??, a?oeYorktowna?? (The World Turned Upside Down), a?oeDear Theodosiaa??, a?oeWhat Did I Missa??, a?oeSay No To Thisa??, a?oeWashington On Your Sidea??, a?oeOne Last Timea??, a?oeBurna??, a?oeIt's Quiet Uptowna??. Naturally they are often delivered by the leads and featured players but the power and energy that resonates throughout the theatre in production numbers featuring the full cast including the attractive ensemble complete with sexy and sultry choreography is undeniable.