Review - The Call

After numerous miscarriages, unsuccessful tries with fertility medications and an arrangement with a pregnant American woman that falls through, white metropolitan couple Annie and Peter (Kerry Butler and Kelly AuCoin) decide to adopt a child from Africa.

And thus the issues involved are delicately juggled in Tanya Barfield's engrossing, funny and heartfelt drama, The Call; given an excellent premiere mounting by director Leigh Silverman.

The decision to take in a child from a poverty-stricken region where doctors lack the adequate equipment to deal with the AIDS epidemic is primarily the passively controlling Annie's choice. Peter jokes about others regarding their baby as a "fashion statement" but he also carries unexpressed emotions about a time he spent in Africa before they met.

Their close friends, black couple Rebecca and Drea (Eisa Davis and Crystal A. Dickinson), are both supportively excited and cautious about the issues involving cross-cultural parenting. Rebecca tactfully voices her concerns but Drea's bluntness touches nerves in Annie, who is prepared with carefully researched statistics to furiously defend her decision.

Adding to the debate is their new neighbor Alemu (Russell G. Jones), who recently migrated from Africa and, upon hearing the news, has been dropping medical supplies and sports equipment at Peter and Annie's door, expecting them to drop them off at a needy facility when they fly over to pick up their child.

Though the couple had specified that they wanted a baby no older than 18 months, fearing any psychological damage an older child may have developed, when they're told a match has been made the accompanying photo appears to be of someone much older, prompting a discussion of their wants versus what the need is.

An accomplished musical comedy actress, here Butler is called on to play the most involved character of her New York career and her work with AuCoin is particularly impressive as we see his groundedness trying to make peace with her rapid mood swings as they maneuver through this important decision. Their scenes with Davis and Dickinson, set in designer Rachel Hauck's well-detailed living room interior, feature some crackling banter by Barfield that is both clever and character-revealing.

This is a tight, entertaining and ultimately touching drama that will leave you with plenty to discuss.

Photos by Jeremy Daniel: Top: Kelly AuCoin and Kerry Butler; Bottom: Eisa Davis and Crystal A. Dickinson.

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Ya gotta love those 60s bands with their matching outfits. The Beatles had their buttoned up suits and ties and Paul Revere and The Raiders wore mod colonial getups, but perhaps the craziest rocker look ever broadcast into American homes was the schoolboy ensemble worn by a band then known as The Young Rascals.

Wearing dark knickers, white round-collar shirts with floppy bows and caps, they were a quartet of Little Lord Fauntleroys with attitude, blasting The Ed Sullivan Show with the sexual charged rhythms of what was then called "blue-eyed soul" with their first big hit, "Good Lovin'".

The costumes were eventually ditched, their name was shortened to The Rascals and the boys followed up with some of the most fondly remembered hits of the late 60s; most famously "Groovin'", "People Got To Be Free" and "A Beautiful Morning". But conflicting ambitions and other issues led to the breakup of the band in the early 70s, despite the addition of new members to the group.

So when The Rascals take the stage for their Broadway concert Once Upon A Dream for two hours worth of songs like "How Can I Be Sure?", "I've Been Lonely Too Long", "I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore" and, of course, the title tune, it is the first time in over 40 years (save for a brief tryout engagement this past December) that the four of them have played a full show together.

Jersey boys Felix Cavaliere (keyboard/vocals), Eddie Brigati (tambourines and vocals), Dino Danelli (percussion) and Gene Cornish (guitar) are all inching their way toward 70, but the joyful energy they bring to their nostalgia trip is both heartwarming and exciting. Brigati spends much of the evening with a big smile on his face, merrily dancing about the stage and banging his tambourines together. The deadpan Cornish occasionally struts downstage to show off some fancy licks for cell phone photographers and to toss guitar picks out into the crowd.

They're joined on stage by Mark Alexander (keyboard), Mark Prentice (music director/bass) and vocalists Sharon Bryant, Angela Clemmons and Dennis Collins.

The reunion concert is the brainchild of Steven Van Zandt, who co-produces, co-directs and has scripted video moments where band members talk about the group's rise and fall and actors representing the boys in their younger days play out scenes of key events. (Like the time in a recording studio when someone suggests they do a cover of that Olympics song, "Good Lovin'".) The acted out moments come off stilted and a little silly and while the clips of the actual guys give you a nice overview of their history and influence in the growth of rock music (They felt so strongly about the civil rights movement that they insisted at least one black act opened for them at each concert.) the sentiments expressed tend to come off as the generic reactions of a group of regular guys caught up in the excitement of an explosive scene. Co-director Marc Brickman's video contributions are more pleasing when flashing up vintage film clips and photos or psychedelic backgrounds.

But as long as The Rascals are making their music, the evening is nothing short of groovin'.

Photo by George Rodriguez.

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