Actors Theatre Acting Apprentices "Blow the Roof Off" in Humana Festival Showcase

Oh, Gastronomy!

Written by Michael Golamco, Carson Kreitzer, Steve Moulds,

Tanya Saracho and Matt Schatz

Directed by Amy Attaway

Co-conceived and developed with Sarah Lunnie

A review by Keith Waits

Entire contents are copyright © 2012 Keith Waits. All rights reserved.

When a show has an 11:00 p.m. curtain, it had better be an energetic and dynamically paced piece of theatre, lest sleepy audiences lose interest. I’m happy to say that Oh, Gastronomy! has an abundance of these qualities, making it an easy, accessible and hugely enjoyable experience.

Essentially, it’s a “feast of fools” format preoccupied with food in all its aspects – where it comes from, how to cook it, how and where to eat it – all presented in a series of sketches and songs from the pen of five different writers. Not unexpectedly, there is some variance in the quality and impact among the variety of small pieces. But the structure and overall presentation propel the action so swiftly that any lackluster moments are nearly obliterated from memory.

Most of the material is comic, including a few reoccurring scenarios that develop some narrative threads and bring cohesion to the revue format. Michael Golamco’s Ordering series uses various interactions with waiters (in every instance the scabrously funny Amir Wachterman) to explore the emotional memories of food, the minefield of choosing menu items free of politically incorrect associations, and food as commodity in an escalating negotiation. The simple metaphors neatly illustrate how much we take food for granted.

Fear and Loathing at the Food Truck, parts 1-4, by Carson Kreitzer, stages a series of scenes in and around a gourmet, exotic-flavor ice cream truck and a woman selling organic micro-greens at a nearby table. There is nicely observed character interaction, including a budding romance that is vividly played by Maggie Raymond and Jonathan Finnegan.

Calvin Smith and Zoe Sophia Garcia enact a developing series of moments between student and teacher in segments by Mr. Moulds that are some of the more thoughtful pieces. Mr. Smith would seem to dominate with his expert ability to draw laughter, but Ms. Garcia imbues her wordless character with an inner glow and steady calibration of movement that anchor the depth of the material.

Yet some of the greatest impact comes from individual pieces: Steve Moulds’ Artisanal Foods Anonymous hilariously satirizes both support group dynamics and the current trendy obsession with highly specialized hand-crafted foods that carry a snobbish appeal. Mr. Kreitzer’s Tomatoes pays overt and heartfelt homage to the traditions of family-run farms; while Tanya Saracho explores the connection between food, weight and self-image in A Numbers Game, which flirts with abstraction but is given emotional resonance by the well-judged work of Liz Malarkey, Katie Medford and Nick Vannoy. In The Last Supper, another of Mr. Galamco’s pieces, the comedy and pathos were perfectly balanced, as the unspoken details of one character’s apparent fate were wisely underplayed. These more sober pieces give the pace of the program just enough room to breathe and the audience something to think about, so that it does not feel worn out by the overwhelming comic energy of the evening.

That energy was matched by a standing-room-only opening night audience that responded with verbal appreciation that, in effect, became part of the performance. Cheers and whoops of delight were frequent, and seemed to further energize the enthusiastic work of the cast of Apprentice Company members. The liberal use of music, played entirely onstage by the cast, was also a key factor in this, ranging from a boisterously funny opening number about a Derby Pie eating contest, to a brief and delicate solo number about a child’s simple understanding of food being made complex in a modern world that was charmingly rendered by Erika Diehl. Best of all in the musical numbers (all composed by Matt Schatz) was CSA Battle, in which the competition between CSAs is memorably manifested in a full-on rap war.

Even the weaker writing was delivered with such conviction, and welcomed so enthusiastically, that it hardly mattered. Ms. Saracho’s Banana Girl is an obvious and distinctly one-note idea, yet it stirred up a raucous response from the audience that owed much to Lisa Dring’s go-for-broke commitment to its execution.

Oh, Gastronomy! is this year’s Humana showcase for the Actors Theatre Acting Apprentice Company – an evening intended to embrace and spotlight the talents of the hard-working young people who give almost a year of their lives to serve with this company.  It accomplishes that goal very effectively; and it is that youthful, eager-to-please energy that blew the roof of the Bingham Theatre last night – and makes this production a must-see. 

Oh, Gastronomy!

March 16-April 1


Part of the 36th Humana Festival of New American Plays


Actors Theatre of Louisville

Pamela Brown Auditorium
Third & Main Streets
Louisville, KY 40202
502-584-1205
http://www.actorstheatre.org

Good Cast Livens Up Mummers & Minstrels' Classic "Cinderella"

Composers Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein III.

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Music by Richard Rodgers

Book & Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

Directed by Barbara O’Daniel-Munger

Reviewed by Craig Nolan Highley

Entire contents are copyright © 2012, Craig Nolan Highley. All rights reserved.

Mummers & Minstrels is a community theater group that has been performing one big show a year since 1958, back when they used to create original musicals and perform them in the backyard of the company’s creator, Mavis McGhee. Mummers holds a special place in my heart, as they are the group that got me started in theater, way back in 1997 in the chorus of Hello, Dolly!, so I’m always thrilled to be able to go back and revisit them from time to time.

While they don’t always choose the best material for their productions, their shows are usually well done and crowd pleasing. For their latest offering, they’ve dusted off Rodgers & Hammerstein’s only made-for-TV musical, Cinderella, and for the most part they have succeeded once again in creating a nice evening of family entertainment.

The familiar fairy tale of a sad servant girl, wicked stepmother, fairy godmother, ugly stepsisters, handsome prince and glass slipper is enhanced by some truly great R & H songs, but sadly Hammerstein’s libretto is not one of his best. Written for television broadcast in 1957, it was already dated enough that it had to be substantially re-written for the 1967 broadcast and again for the 1997 film. It’s also been slated to receive a cover-to-cover overhaul for a new Broadway production in 2013.

The cast that director Barbara O’Daniel-Munger has assembled does manage to liven up the frankly corny script. Particularly memorable was Cindy Smith as the eternally cheerful Fairy Godmother, channeling Billie Burke’s Glinda the Good Witch without going over the top. Andrew McGill makes an impression as a non-traditional Prince Charming, but the character is given surprisingly little to do. Liam O’Daniel-Munger acts the hell out of the role of the Wicked Stepmother, a surprising casting choice considering in this show female impersonators usually play the stepsisters, not the stepmother. And speaking of the stepsisters, Amanda Kyle Lahti and Stacy Mullins imbue them with so much broad comedy they steal every scene they’re in. Simply a delight to watch.

O’Daniel-Munger’s direction keeps things flowing nicely, and the sets by Bob Harrett and Gary Tipton and costumes by Jane Burke are nothing short of amazing, really creating a fairytale world. The lighting effects were serviceable, though I’m not sure they were always doing what they were supposed to be doing; some of the effects just seemed to not be working.

During the intermission the company stepped out on stage to award a member with an Outstanding Mummers award. This was a nice touch, and done at an appropriate point in the evening. However, half-way through the second act the performance was stopped by two board members who stepped out on stage to announce raffle winners. This was completely inappropriate and frankly rather insulting to the director and performers who worked very hard to maintain the flow of the performance. It was a very unprofessional thing to do and completely unnecessary, considering there were plenty of other times it could have been done: before the show started, during the intermission or after the curtain call. I don’t know if my review will post in time for it to make any difference on this show, but I do hope they won’t do that again in future productions. It is just this type of thing that screams AMATEUR PRODUCTION to your audience.

Other than that one annoyance, though, it is a well-done show and definitely a crowd pleaser. I overheard a little girl behind me, every time the show went to a blackout, asking her mother, “It’s not over yet, is it?” Sounds like a ringing endorsement to me!

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Starring Shelby Ackerman, Jason Bruck, Jane Burke, Sarah Clark, Jennifer Fraser, Carolyn Gambrell, David Gambrell, Erin Heckel, Annika Hileman, Devon Hill, Zac Holman, Amanda Kyle Lahti, Makayla League, Jack Lowe, Jan Lowe, Andrew K. McGill, Stacy Mullins, Liam O’Daniel-Munger, Rick O’Daniel-Munger, Riley Morrissey, Alex Pappas, Richard Ray, Todd Rogers, Lilia Rosario, Cindy Smith, Ralph Snowberger, Olivia Thompson and John Trueblood.

March 9, 10, 16 and 17 at 8:00 PM
March 11 and 18 at 2:00 PM


Tickets: $12 Adults, $10 Seniors/Students
Tickets Sold at the Door

Mummers & Minstrels at Anchorage School

11400 Ridge Road

Anchorage, KY 40223

Centerstage Brings Louisville Premiere of Tony-Winning Musical, “Curtains”

Curtains

Book by Rupert Holmes , Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb with additional lyrics by Kander & Holmes

Directed by John Leffert
Music directed by Angie Hopperton
Choreography by Valerie Hopkins

Review by Keith Waits

Entire contents copyright 2012 by Keith Waits. All rights reserved.

Congratulations to CenterStage for being the first to deliver a production of Curtains to Louisville audiences. This entertaining send-up of backstage murder mysteries is a fun and engaging show, despite some clichéd plot lines and obvious humor. The show’s history was a difficult one, with two deaths among the creative team and a lukewarm reaction to the first production. But it overcame such adversity to become a success on Broadway, winning three Tony Awards.

But part of the lesson may be that making Curtains work requires top-notch staging and performances that embrace the broad and sometimes predictable humor. Many of the jokes play as if they should be followed by a rim shot, and the cast members who make it work the best are the ones who aren’t afraid to ham it up pretty good and give a wink and a nod to the audience. Jason Cooper as the over-the-top director and Carol Dines as a tough-as-nails producer get top honors on this score. But more about that later.

The story, set in 1959, concerns a new musical in tryouts in Boston that loses its no-talent, faded star of a leading lady after she is murdered during the opening night curtain call. Lt. Frank Cioffi arrives to lead the investigation and proceeds to sequester the entire cast and crew in the theatre until he solves the crime. Secrets and apparent motives abound as the theatre buff detective becomes as involved in the desperate, last-minute reworking of the production as he does in solving the crime. The idea that the hard-boiled policeman knows as much about musical theatre as he does criminology is the one truly original conceit contained in the book, and it is a slender thread that keeps the remainder of the book from drifting into indifference. The saving grace is that the script is a pretty good satire, even if much of it seems borrowed from other shows.

So that is where the skill and energy of this production become so important. Director John R. Leffert always draws talent and has a good eye for how to use it to best advantage. Pete Lay makes a strong impression as Lt. Cioffi, exhibiting boyish enthusiasm for being plunged into the world of theatre, relishing his dream come true but still keeping just enough focus on the job at hand of finding the murderer. Mera Kathryn Corlett is charming and funny as Niki, the understudy of the deceased star who has an unfortunate knack for getting her fingerprints on key pieces of evidence. Lauren Maxwell is a glamorous presence as one-half of the songwriting team that has penned the tunes, and exhibits perhaps the best vocal performance of the evening. Jeremy Moon was also in fine voice as her partner and ex-flame, as was Andy Epstein as the chief financial backer, Oscar Shapiro. Rachel Hafell handled the role of Bambi “Bernet” in fine style, with some good energy and timing. She was a tall, leggy presence given a dance showpiece in the second act that made an impression, even if it seemed at times to struggle just a bit to reach its full effect. This was a show that attempted some ambitious choreography by Valerie Hopkins and pulls it off fairly well, although it probably needs a tad more rehearsal to achieve the knock-out punch it strives for.

Then there is Jason Cooper and Carol Dines. I cannot honestly say that what they achieved was extraordinary, but there is discipline required in swinging for the fences and then reining things in to just the right degree. And their work is emblematic of the fine balance, achieved by so many in this cast but best represented by these two veterans, that is necessary with such tricky material. So many details, from the way Mr. Cooper delivers double-takes and asides to the audience and at one key moment adjusts his shiny blonde toupee, or the forthright stance and borsht-belt timing that Ms. Dines exhibits throughout, seem just right. And she also knows how to belt out a tune.

There is a pretty good score by the legendary songwriting team of John Kander Lyrics and Fred Ebb (Chicago, Cabaret, New York New York), with some work from Rupert Holmes (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Say Goodnight Gracie) after Ebb died. It cannot match their greatest work, but still provides some memorable tunes and clever lyrics. “Show People” may be the best of the lot, although it might be seen as a pale pastiche of “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” but “Coffee Shop Nights” is a more intriguing and original evocation of the lonely side of a life in the theatre. “What Kind of Man?” hilariously questions the integrity of anyone who chooses to review theatre and makes this reviewer wonder if every songwriter who has ever been panned by a reviewer has such a revenge-minded piece of material locked away in their imagination. The able orchestra, under the direction of Angie Hopperton, rendered the musical accompaniment with professionalism, in arrangements that made particularly expressive use of the woodwinds.

The opening night was dogged by a sense that the production was just shy of being finished, with a few technical items such as costume and make-up malfunctions that actually have nothing to do with the quality of work on display; and the design of sets, costumes and lighting were up to their usual high CenterStage standards. The tight rehearsal period was acknowledged by director Leffert in his curtain speech in an open nod to the certainty of being mentioned in a review. Perhaps it was unwise of Mr. Leffert to conjure such an image for opening night critics, but I mention it here to make this point: such things may seem distracting, but they are not the meat of any production, and only seem important when there is little of worth onstage to otherwise discuss, a problem this production certainly does not have. This reviewer was easily engaged and certainly well entertained, despite any opening night hang-ups. I am confident Curtains will gain its final polish and continue to please audiences throughout its run.   

Curtains

March 15 – April 1, 2012

JCC CenterStage

Linker Auditorium

3600 Dutchmans Lane

Louisville, KY 40205

502-459-0660

http://www.jccoflouisville.org/Centerstage.cfm

New Exhibit at Kaviar Forge & Gallery Proves the Human Form Continues To Fascinate

Figured Out:  Explorations of the Human Form

Review by Keith Waits

Entire contents copyright © 2012 Keith Waits. All rights reserved.

Throughout the history of modern art, images of the human form have been rejected, neglected, exploded and imploded to the point where, intellectually at least, one could argue the subject has been thoroughly exhausted – except that it hasn’t, and may never be. The use of the human figure in art can still allow us to turn a mirror on ourselves, whether to illuminate the complexity of our character or to simply confirm the narcissistic preoccupation with ourselves as the center of existence – it never fails to fascinate and still holds us in thrall.

  

Even a superficial examination of art history reveals that when the focus is the human figure itself, the images are predominantly female. A new exhibit at Kaviar Forge & Gallery is comprised mostly of work that continues to concentrate on the feminine, leavened with just enough unconventional twists to spice up the mix.

"What Lies Between Us," cotton,
hand-dyed silk, found beaded
border, gold cord, shower curtain
remnant, batik, ribbon,
metallic spray paint, oil pastel,
31" x 79", Penny Sisto.

Installed mostly on one wall, the first piece moving left to right is also one of the most arresting. Penny Sisto’s “What Lies Between Us,” the first of three quilts by the artist included here, is a vertical composition featuring a full-length human figure staring down at the viewer, a figure with the countenance and slender body of a young girl sporting female breasts and male genitalia. The gender confusion is underscored by a bold, aggressive juxtaposition of color, shape and texture that creates an unsettling emotional quality.

In another piece by this artist, “Crazy Quilt,” a large portrait of a woman’s face (she resembles Amy Winehouse) and breasts prove equally confrontational and unnerving. With the tilt of the head and eyes filled with accusation, the comfort and harmony associated with traditional quilt forms are abandoned entirely, replaced by aberrant psychological aspects that haunt rather than console the viewer. Each piece is hung for maximum effect, so that the genitalia of the former and the breasts of the latter fall at an approximate eye level, and the troubled gaze of each fall on you from a lofty perspective that intimidates ever so slightly.  

"Libertine," solid ceramic with metallic
patina, 16" tall with 8"x5" base,
4 lbs, Chyre Boardman.

Chrye Boardman has three ceramic sculptures in the exhibit, two of which offer a tidy exercise in the contrast of posture and attitude. “Libertine” illustrates a slightly abstracted female form with a dynamic upsweep, the impact of which belies the comparatively small size of the piece. The arms are pushing the pelvis forward and the shoulders pull back to emphasize the breasts enough to clarify the carnal intent of the figure. Conversely, “Softly Shy” diametrically opposes this expression, with the retreating posture drawing attention to the classic pose of vulnerability in which the hands cover the private parts. The forms are clean and economically crafted, with little detail to interrupt their iconic nature.

More traditional takes on the subject are offered by Claudia Hammer and Clinton Hobart. Both display assured craft and technical control in relatively straightforward studies of nude models. Ms. Hammer’s carefully observed oils are characterized by an acute sense of light and form; and in “Liz Reclining,” the figure is exquisitely captured in tight brushwork, yet surrounded within the frame by swift, broad strokes of color that contain the form. In Mr. Hobart’s oil paintings, the women recall an aesthetic of nude pin-ups from the middle of the 20th century, a bracingly nostalgic perspective that is accurate except in leaving behind the sexism of the period in favor of a dash of psychological complexity.

"Moody Nude," pastel on paper, 18"x26",
Sharon Matisoff.

This last quality is pushed even further in Sharon Matisoff’s “Moody Nude,” in which we encounter a model whose thoughts seem far distant from her circumstance, and the shadings of human emotion are made manifest in both the troubled facial expression and the vivid and expressionistic range of colors in the skin tone and background: warm, creamy Caucasian hues clashing with intense purples.

Some of the work includes the human form in somewhat more oblique or reduced fashion. Craig Kaviar’s copper reliefs, such as “Bacchus with Nymphs and Cupid,” are figurative to be sure, yet the forms are captured beneath an aged surface and utilized more as graphic elements in illustrating the classical mythology of its source, so that the human images are somewhat deemphasized in comparison to the other artist’s work that surrounds them. In yet another variation, the wood and glass constructions of Sergio Vettori employ tiny male forms as focal points in modestly-scaled sculptures and boxes that are precious in their appeal. Most striking is “Taken,” in which the figure is balanced upon a precarious network of glass tubes that blend the sensibilities of Rube Goldberg and M.C. Escher.

"An Innocent Desire to Know," oil on panel,
9"x12", Mark Selter.

Finally, there are three small oils by Mark Selter that are worthy examples of the rich, sensual technique that characterizes this artist’s best work. In paintings such as “An Innocent Desire to Know,” which depicts Eve about to face the serpent’s temptation, his human figures take center stage in narrative compositions that are as carefully formed as they are luxurious in their texture. Mr. Selter’s compositions are reminiscent of classic masters, but his insightful attitude is entirely modern.

A visit to the gallery is worthwhile, but to witness the “complete” exhibit one might consider it essential to attend the F.A.T. Friday reception on March 30, where the artist known as W.A.R. will be on hand to create a unique work, painting performance artist Monet Magnolia.

Figured Out: Explorations of the Human Form

March 2-May 19, 2012

F.A.T. Friday Receptions March 30 & April 27

March 30th event features performance artist Monet Magnolia painted by the artist known as W.A.R.

Kaviar Forge & Gallery

1718 Frankfort Avenue

Louisville, KY 40206

502-561-0377

http://www.craigkaviar.com/#!gallery/vstc3=current-exhibition

"Eat Your Heart Out" Is Intriguing and Well-Acted but Lacking in Dramatic Resolution

Sarah Grodsky and Kate Eastwood Norris. Photo by Alan Simons.

Eat Your Heart Out

By Courtney Baron

Directed by Adam Greenfield

Reviewed by Craig Nolan Highley

Entire contents copyright © 2012 Craig Nolan Highley. All rights reserved.

In the publicity materials for her play Eat Your Heart Out (one of the entries at this year’s Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville), playwright Courtney Baron indicates that the play’s genesis stemmed from a New York Times article on Broken Heart Syndrome. That’s a medical condition in which stress is so extreme, or grief is so overwhelming, that it causes a chemical reaction in the body that can lead to a heart attack.

That is undeniably an interesting jumping-off point for a theater piece; all sorts of dramatic possibilities come to mind. Unfortunately, it is only given a perfunctory treatment in Baron’s new play, a comedic drama full of sitcom clichés and a Tarantino-esque non-linear timeline that turns downbeat and ugly just before a completely unsatisfying, anti-climactic conclusion.

Four interconnected storylines comprise the plot, none of which are given a conclusion when the play ends abruptly: Social worker Nance (Kate Eastwood Norris) goes on a date with Tom (Alex Moggridge), a man she met online; Alice and Gabe (Kate Arrington and Mike DiSalvo), an attractive, upper-class young married couple, are meeting with Nance about a foreign adoption; Nance’s overweight and troubled daughter Evie (Sarah Grodsky) eats her feelings and can barely conceal that she’s falling in love with her best friend Colin (Jordan Brodess); and Colin struggles to maintain an increasingly one-sided long-distance relationship with his girlfriend who moved away.

All of these storylines, told completely non-chronologically, converge in the play’s shockingly bleak final minutes, building up to a final confrontation that we as the audience do not get to see. The play ends so abruptly, it literally feels like the power went out and you missed the end of a movie you’ve been watching for the last hour and a half!

As usual at Actors Theatre, on the production and technical side, the show is top-notch. The performers are all strong, with Norris and Moggridge’s scenes being particularly sweet-natured and memorable. Grodsky does her best with Evie, but she is done in by a script that makes the character so off-putting it is difficult to sympathize with her.

Your enjoyment of the play will depend a great deal on your tolerance for this kind of material. All in all not a bad production, but the script definitely needs work; reworking the ending (a play doesn’t have to have a happy ending, but it should at least have an ending) and a little more attention to Evie’s character would go a long way toward fixing what ails it.

Eat Your Heart Out

Featuring Kate Arrington, Jordan Brodess, Mike DiSalvo, Sarah Grodsky, Kate Eastwood Norris, and Alex Moggridge.

March 9-31


Part of the 36th Humana Festival of New American Plays


Actors Theatre of Louisville

Pamela Brown Auditorium
Third & Main Streets
Louisville, KY 40202
502-584-1205
ActorsTheatre.org

Somebody Worth Talking About: Scott Anthony Helps Bring Music to The Humana Festival

 

Actor, singer & musician Scott Anthony.

By Keith Waits

Entire contents copyright © 2012 Keith Waits. All rights reserved.

Each year the Humana Festival of New American Plays utilizes the talents of a larger-than-usual company of creative individuals to pull off one of the most ambitious theatre festivals in America. This year, and not for the first time, Actors Theatre has called upon local actor, singer, musician and arranger Scott Anthony to help with their musical needs on two separate plays: The Veri**on Play, which opened the festival on February 27; and Oh, Gastronomy!, which opens March 16 and showcases the Actors Theatre Apprentice Company.

In the case of The Veri**on Play, just before rehearsal began it was decided to add a full-blown song and dance in the finale. Noted Broadway composer Jeanine Tesori (Caroline, or Change), who had collaborated previously with playwright Lisa Kron, was brought in to write the music, and Mr. Anthony was recruited to arrange, perform and record the musical track himself, as well as direct the actors’ musical rehearsal. The result, “Can You Hear Us Now," helps finish an already high-energy show on an even more exuberant note.

Scott Anthony and Oh, Gastronomy! director Amy Attaway.
Photo by Bill Brymer.

More involved is his work on the upcoming Oh Gastronomy! The piece showcases the Apprentice Company and would require some of the cast to sing and play original music by Matt Schatz onstage as a band. The first step was an informal session in which Anthony could gauge the musical talent available to him. ”I was pleasantly surprised at how many instruments they played. They had some experience playing in non-theatrical situations, but I had a lot of fun teaching them how to be ‘A Band.' " He credits the impressive musical skills among the group to Apprentice Company Director Michael Legg and Associate Director Amy Attaway:  “I believe (in their audition process) they have placed more of a priority on seeking a broader range of talent." Ms. Attaway serves as Gastronomy’s Director and says about Mr. Anthony’s contribution: “He brings an amazing rock and roll vibe to the rehearsal room, with a deep understanding of the music and great instinct for working with the actors. Oh, Gastronomy! would be a very different production without Scott's immeasurable contribution."

Scott has had a long-standing relationship with Actors Theatre, having performed in Love, Janis (2005) and Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2007) and served as Musical Director for This Beautiful City and Game On! (2008 Humana Festival). Most recently, he played and sang on pre-recorded tracks for Sirens (2010).

Having barely finished his Humana Festival duties, the in-demand Mr. Anthony is already in rehearsal for Happy Days, A New Musical opening April 3 at Derby Dinner Playhouse, where he previously appeared in Ring of Fire (2010), another musical, featuring the music of Johnny Cash. “When they need somebody with those (musical) sensibilities and talents, they think of me, which is nice." Always up for a challenge, recently Mr. Anthony has been seeking material where music is not as central, such as in Broadsword (2011, directed by Amy Attaway), and The Normal Heart (2010).  “Such roles push me more as an actor and allow me to work those muscles harder.” 

Actors Liz Malarkey, Alexander Kirby, J.Alexender Coe,
and Jonathan Finnegan with Scott Anthony (left), working on
Oh, Gastronomy! Photo by Kirsty Gaukel.

Looking to the future, he is excited to be doing sound design for the sophomore season of Theatre {502} (“…some of the most talented people I’ve worked with in this city”), and has ambitions to develop his own original material in collaboration with others. Scott would not relate anything of those plans, but you can bet they will be, as with all of his work, something worth talking about.

The Veri**on Play

February 26-April 1

Oh, Gastronomy!
March 16-April 1

Part of the 36th Humana Festival of New American Plays

Actors Theatre of Louisville
Bingham Theater
Third & Main Streets
Louisville, KY 40202
502-584-1205
ActorsTheatre.org

“Earnest” Earns Raves for Savage Rose Classical Theatre

The Importance of Being Earnest

Written by Oscar Wilde

Directed by Charlie Sexton

A review by Kate Barry

Entire contents are copyright © 2012 Kate Barry. All rights reserved.

Natalie Fields as Gwendolyn & Neill Robertson as Jack in
 The Importance of Being Earnest. Photo by Shana Lincoln.

Self-involved decadence, delicious extravagance and over-indulgent confidence. No, I’m not talking about a hotel heiress or some twenty-somethings who live on the beach in New Jersey. I am referring to The Importance of Being Earnest, that classic comedy of manners by none other than Oscar Wilde in which two women think they fall in love with a man named Earnest. Savage Rose Classical Theatre Company ends their season with this wordy comedy, and I was fortunate enough to grab a seat for the fun.

It’s hard to delve into the beauty and splendor of this play, because I truly don’t want to give away too much. The Victorian costumes designed by Shana Lincoln and lavish set design by Lily Bartenstein were just the icing on an already decadent cake. Intricate hats and ascots, area rugs and art pieces provide elegant details for Algernon Moncrieff’s flat as well as the Manor House. Complete with fine lace and silks, the set at the Nancy Niles Sexton Stage easily transports us into a time of refinement and taste even if the shenanigans themselves are anything but.

Neill Robertson as Jack, Mike Slayton as Algernon,
Julane Havens as Cecily & Natalie Fields as Gwendolyn in
The Importance of Being Earnest. Photo by Shana Lincoln.

Now I’ve never considered Wilde’s play as an ensemble piece, per se. But Savage Rose has managed to assemble a dynamic cast who ably carry each other through all of the punch lines and wordplay. As Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, Neill Robertson and Mike Slaton are a couple of Victorian era Dandies who gossip and judge the indecent behavior of others while engaging in their own “strictly immoral way of life.” Julane Havens is sweet and pretty as Cecily Cardew, Algernon’s love interest. Natalie Fields as Gwendolyn is a bold contrast for Robertson. Fields and Robertson are so dramatic and animated playing against one another, with chemistry and romance that soap operas can’t even touch.

And then there is the performance of a lifetime in the form of Lady Bracknell herself. Prim, proper and the embodiment of the Victorian British ideal, in this play it’s Bracknell’s world and we’re just living in it. Upon entering, decked out in a stunning green dress and sun hat, Lady Bracknel gained an audible, collective reaction of “ooh” and “ah” from the audience. I would hate to spoil the surprise because this performance is one of the can’t-miss moments of the season, but I have to give major kudos to J. Barrett Cooper for stepping into her shoes. He steals scenes with classic facial expressions, not to mention an oddly beautiful make-up design. Cooper had the most laughs and the biggest reactions during times of little movement or speaking, particularly in the famous “handbag” scene. Indeed, Mr. Cooper deserves the standing ovation he earned opening night as well as the additional bow at curtain call.

The Importance of Being Earnest

March 9-18

Savage Rose Classic Theatre Company

Nancy Niles Sexton Stage at Walden Theater

1134 Payne Street

Louisville, KY

502-599-3011

Savagerose.org