Roy Berko - Page 32

At the end of each year, the Cleveland Critics Circle meets to select the winners of that year's performance awards as well as to deal with matters of importance to area theatres. At the session which brought to a close the 2014 season, I mentioned that Fran Heller, who was a member of CCC at the time, had proposed several years ago that the group nominate the Cleveland Play House for The Regional Tony Award. It had been agreed that the timing was probably not right as CPH was adjusting to its new home in the PlayhouseSquare area and a new Artistic Director was coming on board.

Cleveland Heights School Board member, Eric Coble, has an inside track on understanding the way schools work. In his play, FAIRFIELD, he starts with the premise of an elementary school whose motto is, 'Peace. Love. Respect for all.' And then asks, 'What could possibly go wrong?'

In BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO, Cleveland Heights native Rajiv Joseph's, surreal dark play, ghosts roam the streets of Baghdad in 2003. Ghosts of soldiers, citizens, zoo animals, a son of the former ruler of the country. These ghosts are part of the vivid display of the madness of war, and what it means to be caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Tracy Letts, the author of SUPERIOR DONUTS, now on stage at Dobama, is an accomplished playwright, actor, and screenwriter. He was awarded the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for his play AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY. He won a Tony Award for his portrayal of George in the recent Broadway revival of WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?. He wrote screen adaptations for his plays: BUG and KILLER JOE, as well as AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY and has been nominated for two Screen Actors Guild Awards for his portrayal of Andrew Lockhart in Showtime's HOMELAND.

What are the feelings of a husband and wife when they want to conceive a child, but can't? What are the ramifications for that childless family when they are given the opportunity to adopt the 'perfect' child? What is it like when that family becomes aware that their child is autistic? How do parents cope with a child who screams when he becomes frustrated and doesn't have the words to express his needs or habitually follows a pattern over and over, such as reading the same book again and again, or can't socialize with others? What emotionally happens to that family when that child disappears?

Shortly into Actors' Summit's production of BAD JEWS, several things become obvious. The off-setting title was not only a turn-off for many, but was misleading. Secondly, author Joshua Harmon, self-admitted stumbler into the world of playwriting, may need a re-thinking about his career.

William Shakespeare is considered by most experts on English language theatre as being the greatest of all writers. His vast folio of plays, consisting of tragedies, comedies, histories and dramas have lasted for over four hundred years. He is one of the few writers who has theatres, let alone festivals, dedicated exclusively to his works.

As the lights came up at the start of Cleveland Play House's VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE, the audience is exposed to a comfortable large morning room, backed up by a piano area, and stairs to an upstairs. On stage left is a patio, on stage right the house's entrance. Were in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in a home situated on a lake.

o resounding applause, Gina Vernaci, the Executive Producer of Playhouse Square, the woman responsible for cobbling together each year's Key Bank Broadway Series, announced at the local KINKY BOOTS' press opening, that Cleveland's 32,000 subscribers constituted the largest body of audience for any of the toured Broadway cities. What she didn't share was that almost all the tickets for the local run of KINKY BOOTS are sold out. If you expect to see the show, run, don't walk to your computer or phone and order now (216-241-6000 or www.playhousesquare.org). Not later, now!

Some people go to the theatre to be educated. Some go to see/listen to a pleasing combination of music and lyrics enclosed in a story. Others go to just have a good time. The latter group should run to their phones or computers right now and make reservations for LEND ME A TENOR. Beck's production is farce at its finest!

One of the major issues in watching a historidrama is figuring out what is real, what is fiction, and what is fantasy. This is especially the case in Lucas Hnath's ISAAC'S EYE, now on stage at convergence-continuum. Between the laughs and mumbles of 'I didn't know that,' 'wow,' and, 'no way,' it's easy to get lost in intrapersonal mumblings.

In October of 2012, when Cleveland Public Theatre first staged, STANDING ON CEREMONY THE GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS, 'same sex marriage was legal in nine states (Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont and Washington and the District of Columbia).' At the same time, '30 states had added language to their constitutions banning same-sex marriage.'

Gina Gionfriddo, the author of BECKY SHAW, now on stage at Dobama Theatre, is one of the new breed of playwrights who reflect topics relevant to today, cleverly construct their writings, and uses language that shimmers with naturalism. They don't use stage language or formats like Arthur Miller or Eugene O'Neill, or the oft-present symbolism of Tennessee Williams, nor the existential philosophy of Edward Albee. Gionfriddo, along with such modernists as Neil LaBute and Rajiv Joseph, push the envelope, using real people interacting to highlight their foibles and weaknesses.

It is the intent of theater to educate and entertain, and, in the case of some special offerings, enrapture. Such a piece of theater is THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE, now on stage at Cleveland Play House.

DIRTY DANCING, THE CLASSIC STORY ON STAGE, which is now in production at the Connor Palace transports the audience back to the summer of 1963. As is the custom of many well-to-do Jewish New York City families of that time, the Housemans have escaped for the summer to the Catskill Mountains, home of the Borscht Belt. It's a summer away from the sweltering city. It's a time for fun and games, and summer romances.

Mystery books are the second highest money-making genre in literature, only exceeded by Romance/Erotica. They are the highest rated television demand topic.

One of the major purposes of collegiate musical theater programs, besides teaching acting, singing and dancing skills, is to expand student knowledge of not only traditional, but new scripts. Kent State is offering its students such an opportunity by presenting MY HEART IS THE DRUM.

Beck Center for the Arts and Baldwin Wallace's Musical Theatre Program have, for the past four years, collaborated to produce some outstanding productions. CARRIE, SPRING AWAKENING and NEXT TO NORMAL all received Cleveland Critic Circle and Times Tribute recognitions.

PIPPIN, the Stephen Schwartz (music and lyrics) and Roger O. Hirson (book) magical show is now on stage at The Palace Theatre. It tells a modern version of the mythical tale of Pippin, the oldest son of King Charlemagne, and his search for purpose and identity.