Meet the Samsas at UConn's Connecticut Repertory Theatre an inspired grownup puppet production

Three Stars (good)

Location: Studio Theatre, 802 Bolton Road, Storrs.

Production: A Puppet Arts Production, inspired by Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis." Original adaptation by Mary Gragen Rogers and S. B. Parks. Costume design by Marti Simmons. Scenic design by Brian "Traz" Sharron. Lighting design by Brad Seymour. Sound design by Rebekah Eyre. Technical direction by Alex Colodner.

Running time: About one hour without intermission.

Show Times: Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. through April 6.

Tickets: $11 to $25. Call 486-4266 of visit their Web site at

www.crt.uconn.edu.

ACTOR…CHARACTER

Aaron Johnson … The Director

Brittaney Talbot … Grace, puppeteer

Fergus Walsh … Mr. Samsa, puppeteer

S. B. Parks … Mrs. Samsa, puppeteer

Shih-hung (Ken) Ko … Gordon the Bug, puppeteer

Zach Dorn … Gordon the Man, the Date, puppeteer

Daniel Sheridan and Mary Gragen Rogers … Commercial voice-overs

By Kory Loucks

Journal Inquirer

Storrs

— Imagine waking up one morning and discovering you have turned into a giant hard-shelled, eight-legged bug. That is the premise of this highly imaginative adaptation of Franz Kafka's "Metamorphosis" — a Puppet Arts Production through the Connecticut Repertory Theatre at the University of Connecticut.

In Kafka's story the experience, and his relationship with the world, is told primarily through the point of view of the man/bug, Gregor.

In this inspired adaptation by Mary Gragen Rogers and S. B. Parks, you hear from everyone but the man turned into a bug, who in this show is named Gordon.

Gordon is one member of a family who live in a reality television show based on their family exploits

— complete with his father, mother, sister, and the sister's date.

All the characters, except the voice of the director, played with dictatorial authority by Aaron Johnson, are marionettes, expertly manipulated by a talented ensemble of puppeteers.

There is Grace, Gordon's sister, play by Brittaney Talbot, who fully-embraces the star-making machinery that is their lives, the mother, Mrs. Samsa, played by S. B. Parks, and the father, played by Fergus Walsh with menace covering a terror of being in financial debt, much like the Kafka story.

The articulation of the marionettes by the puppeteers is terrific

— even their ankles move. They walk, sit, read the newspaper, and in the case of Gordon, crawl, through a miniature kitchen, living room, and bedroom meticulously designed by Brian "Traz" Sharron.

How the puppeteers manage to stay in character as the voices of the individual marionettes and at the same time articulate the movements of the multi-stringed puppets without running into each other or getting their strings impossibly intertwined was remarkable.

Shih-hung (Ken) Ko, who plays Gordon the man/bug somehow manages to get across the idea of a man trapped inside a bug's body through buggy-movements and fine bug-like clicking sounds.

The play like Kafka's original story is darkly funny and sad too.

At one point the mother, Mrs. Samsa, played by Parks, asks if they can bring in a doctor to look at Gordon, to which the father, played by Walsh, says the doctor's visit would not be covered by insurance because he says, it isn't an illness that ails their son

— "This is clearly a metamorphosis."

With four television screens in each corner of the set, along with a special "bug-cam," this show is a technical marvel too, technically directed by Alex Colodner with sound design by Rebekah Eyre, with only occasionally some loud feedback noise, which hopefully can be eliminated in future performances.

The idea of having a reality-type external world be more important to the characters than their interior life illuminates how crazy our world can be, and how much importance our society collectively puts into the myth of celebrity.

The Studio Theatre, which seats 100, is a perfect venue for this intimate show, which runs through Sunday.

Meet the Samsas at UConn’s Connecticut Repertory Theatre an inspired grownup puppet production


Storrs - Imagine waking up one morning and discovering you have turned into a giant hard-shelled, eight-legged bug. That is the premise of this highly imaginative adaptation of Franz Kafka’s "Metamorphosis" - a Puppet Arts Production through the Connecticut Repertory Theatre at the University of Connecticut.
In Kafka’s story the experience, and his relationship with the world, is told primarily through the point of view of the man/bug, Gregor.
In this inspired adaptation by Mary Gragen Rogers and S. B. Parks, you hear from everyone but the man turned into a bug, who in this show is named Gordon.
Gordon is one member of a family who live in a reality television show based on their family exploits - complete with his father, mother, sister, and the sister’s date.
All the characters, except the voice of the director, played with dictatorial authority by Aaron Johnson, are marionettes, expertly manipulated by a talented ensemble of puppeteers.
There is Grace, Gordon’s sister, play by Brittaney Talbot, who fully-embraces the star-making machinery that is their lives, the mother, Mrs. Samsa, played by S. B. Parks, and the father, played by Fergus Walsh with menace covering a terror of being in financial debt, much like the Kafka story.
The articulation of the marionettes by the puppeteers is terrific - even their ankles move. They walk, sit, read the newspaper, and in the case of Gordon, crawl, through a miniature kitchen, living room, and bedroom meticulously designed by Brian "Traz" Sharron.
How the puppeteers manage to stay in character as the voices of the individual marionettes and at the same time articulate the movements of the multi-stringed puppets without running into each other or getting their strings impossibly intertwined was remarkable.
Shih-hung (Ken) Ko, who plays Gordon the man/bug somehow manages to get across the idea of a man trapped inside a bug’s body through buggy-movements and fine bug-like clicking sounds.
The play like Kafka’s original story is darkly funny and sad too.
At one point the mother, Mrs. Samsa, played by Parks, asks if they can bring in a doctor to look at Gordon, to which the father, played by Walsh, says the doctor’s visit would not be covered by insurance because he says, it isn’t an illness that ails their son - "This is clearly a metamorphosis."
With four television screens in each corner of the set, along with a special "bug-cam," this show is a technical marvel too, technically directed by Alex Colodner with sound design by Rebekah Eyre, with only occasionally some loud feedback noise, which hopefully can be eliminated in future performances.
The idea of having a reality-type external world be more important to the characters than their interior life illuminates how crazy our world can be, and how much importance our society collectively puts into the myth of celebrity.
The Studio Theatre, which seats 100, is a perfect venue for this intimate show, which runs through Sunday.

MEET THE SAMPSAS

Three Stars

Location: Studio Theatre, University of Connecticut, 802 Bolton Road, Storrs.

Production: A Puppet Arts Production, inspired by Franz Kafka’s "The Metamorphosis." Original adaptation by Mary Gragen Rogers and S. B. Parks. Costume design by Marti Simmons. Scenic design by Brian "Traz" Sharron. Lighting design by Brad Seymour. Sound design by Rebekah Eyre. Technical direction by Alex Colodner.

Running time: About one hour without intermission.

Show Times: Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. through April 6.

Tickets: $11 to $25. Call 860-486-4266 of visit their website at www.crt.uconn.edu.

ACTOR...CHARACTER

Aaron Johnson ... The Director
Brittaney Talbot ... Grace, puppeteer
Fergus Walsh ... Mr. Samsa, puppeteer
S. B. Parks ... Mrs. Samsa, puppeteer
Shih-hung (Ken) Ko ... Gordon the Bug, puppeteer
Zach Dorn ... Gordon the Man, the Date, puppeteer
Daniel Sheridan and Mary Gragen Rogers ...Commercial voice-overs

Cabaret
Two Stars (fair)

Theater: Phoenix Theater Company

Location: Town Hall Theater, 174 South Main Street, Deep River

Production: Book by John Masteroff. Music by John Kander. Lyrics byFred Ebb. Directed by Chris Ryan. Produced by Joyce Sakowicz. Musicaldirection by Jason Ferrandino. Choreographed by Todd Santa Maria.Staged manager Patrique Hurd. Costumes by Starr McLean. Lightingdesigned by Roy Ryzak. Sound designed by Jareth King.

Running time: Two and a half hours and one intermission.

Show Times: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. through April 5, with a 3p.m. matinee Sunday, March 30.Tickets: $20. For further information call their box office at860-291-2988, or visit their Web site at www.phoenixtheater.us.

ACTOR...CHARACTER
Kyle Metzler...Emcee
Victor Gonzalez...Cliff Bradshaw
Emily Mazotas...Sally Bowles
Lynne Mazotas...Fraulein Schnieder
Michael May... Heir Schultz
Steven Kelley...Ernst Ludwig
Joyce Sakowicz...Fraulein Kost, Kit Kat (Fritzie)
Melissa McLeod ...Kit Kat (Rosie)
Stacey Constantine ...Kit Kat (Lulu)
Samantha Frank...Kit Kat (Helga)
Chelsey Neville...Kit Kat (Texas)
Ashley Cugno ...Kit Kat (Frenchie)
Mike Kubica ...Kit Kat (Bobby)
Todd Santa Maria ...Kit Kat (Victor)
Chris Rudolph ...Max
Chris Ryan...Train Conductor

(Originally published in the Journal Inquirer, March 2008)

DEEP RIVER-Just like the mythic firebird they take their name from, the Phoenix Theater Company keeps emerging from the ashes and reinventing themselves.

The Town Hall Theater in Deep River is the third location in as many shows for the group and hopefully it will be their home for some time to come.

As the name of the theater implies, the theater is located in Deep River's Town Hall. It is a charming, old but well-maintained auditorium on the second floor with stair and elevator access.

The Phoenix Theater's production at this venue is "Cabaret," themusical is perhaps best known as the 1972 film starring Liza Minnelliand Joel Grey, based on the 1966 Broadway production.

The story is set in 1929-30 Berlin, Germany at the sleazy Kit Kat Klub just before the Germany Nazi's come to power. An American writer, Cliff Bradshaw, played by Victor Gonzalez, comes to Berlin after stints in France and England, and falls in love with a free-spirited but self-destructive English nightclub performer Sally Bowles, played with youthful vivacity by Emily Mazotas.

Although set in another time and in another country, the warning Clif fgives to Sally about the impending political uprising: "If you're not against this, you are for this," is just as politically relevant and true today.

The musical involves a host of colorful characters including a terrific Michael May with a great German accent as Heir Schultz, aNazi activist. Steven Kelley as Ernst Ludwig, gave a fine, sympathetic performance,with an excellent singing voice, as the oppressed German Jew. Also outstanding was Joyce Sakowicz as Fraulein Kost who nearly stole the show in the second act with her song "Mein Herr," along with theKlub Girls whose choreography by Todd Santa Maria was the best in theshow.

Sakowicz was last seen as the stellar Evita in the Phoenix Theater Company's 2007 production of "Evita."

Kyle Metzler, who looks a lot like the rock musician Marilyn Manson, gave a fine performance as the creepy Emcee-the sardonic, hedonistic master of ceremonies.

The first half of the production was inconsistent but by Act II the show came together and felt more solid and self-assured. Perhaps part of the difficulty came from the distance between the performers on stage and the band located in the back of the balcony,making it inherently challenging for them to all be on the same beatand note.

Many of the costumes designed by Starr McLean had a punk rock theme, particularly for the Kit Kat Klub characters, which was a good choicefor the show and worked well with the decadent essence of the musical.

Marvin's Room Marvellous

Three Stars

Location: Cheney Hall, 177 Hartford Road, Manchester

Production: by Scott McPherson. Directed and set designed by JosephKeach-Longo. Stage manager Tom Goodin. Lighting design by Kyle Charles. Sound design by Mike Pienkosz.

Running time: 2 hours, with one 15-minute intermission

Show Times: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8 p.m. Sunday at 2 p.m.through March 9.Tickets: $18 - $23. Seniors over 60 and students receive a discount. Call the box office at 647-9824, or visit their Web site atwww.cheneyhall.org

ACTOR…CHARACTER

Virginia Freese...Bessie
Daniel Coyle...Dr. Wally
Miriam Neiman...Ruth
Augustus Marinak...Bob
Betsy Bradley...Lee
Darlene LaPointe...Dr. Charlotte
Peter Waluk...Hank
Jason Fazzino...Charlie
Diane Lareau AmEnde...Retirement Home Director.

(Originally ran in the Journal Inquirer, February 2008)

MANCHESTER - The Little Theatre of Manchester kicked off their 2008 season with "Marvin's Room," a sometimes humorous, and often touching story of life, love, and how people cope with what life throws in their direction.

Virginia Freese plays Bessie, a woman who has devoted much of her life to caring for her ailing father, Marvin, and her elderly Aunt Ruth, played by Miriam Neiman.

At one point in the play Freese's character says wryly that her father "has been dying for the last 20 years -He doesn't want me to miss anything." Her tone, one of resigned good humor, is constant, but when she becomes ill herself, she reveals her fear and worry to her sister, Lee, played with pitch-perfect impatience by Betsy Bradley.

Bradley's Lee has her own concerns, with two children, one a17-year-old named Hank, who has been placed in a mental institution, and is played believably by Peter Waluk, and the other a 10-year-old named Charlie, played by Jason Fazzino.

Particularly good was the scene between the two boys, with the older one forcefully lecturing the younger on how to behave in a way that siblings really talk to each other.

In fact, the whole play, written Scott McPherson and flawlessly directed by Joseph Keach-Longo, had the ring of truth. Keach-Longo also designed the set, which was spare and functional in its transitions from a doctor's office, to a home interior, to Disney World.

The play takes place primarily in Florida, and briefly in Ohio, where Lee and her two boys live. They come down to Florida and visit. The play has a child-like hopefulness and optimism about it, making the best of whatever life deals out, with grace and love.

All the actors were fine, including the ditzy Dr. Wally played by Daniel Coyle, the insincere double-speaking psychiatrist, Dr.Charlotte, played by Darlene LaPointe, and the officious retirement home director, Diane Lareau AmEnde.

Augustus Marinak's Bob the receptionist was almost a cameo role, which he played well and gave the play some much-appreciated comic relief.

The subject of death and dying is a heavy one, and not a topic most people generally like to think about, but this play brings up some important issues, like the expense of growing old and disabled in this country.

And love. Love amongst siblings and family relations, and howdifficult but vital it is to show those closest to us that we care.

The Rink, the Musical

Two and one half stars (fairly good)

Theater: Broad Brook Opera House, 107 Main St. Broad Brook, CT

Production: Music by John Kander. Lyrics by Fred Ebb. Book by Terrance McNally. Directed by Philip D. Vetro. Musical direction by TomSlowick. Choreography by Todd Santa Maria. Assistant director anddance captain Khara C. Hoyer. Stage manager Paul Leone. Produced by Moonyean Field. Lighting designed and operated by Diane St. Amand.Sound designed and operated by Devon Gamache.

Running Time: Two hours plus one 20 minute intermission

Show Times: Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.through Feb. 24

Tickets: $20, $16 for over 65 and under 12. Call 292-6068 to purchase tickets. For further information visit their Web site athttp://www.operahouseplayers.org/

Actor...Character

Kathi Such...Anna Antonelli
Nicole R. Giguere...Angel Antonelli
Maria Meier...Little girl
Tom Denihan...Guy, Dino
Tom Knightlee...Lino, Lenny, Punk #3, Peter Reilly
Michael Reilly... Policeman
Dallas Hosmer...Buddy, Hiram, Mrs. Jackson, Suitor #2,
ArnieMark Wantroba...Tony, Tom, Punk #1, Suitor #3, Booby Perillo
Sam Donovan...Lucky, Sam, Punk #2, Suitor #1, Junior Miller, Danny

EAST WINDSOR (originally published in the Journal Inquirer in February 2008) - "The Rink, the Musical" is a relatively obscure, rather serious musical that could not have been better cast or staged.

Every member of the nine-person ensemble was terrific, with not a weak link in the bunch.From the lead roles of the mother, Anna Antonelli, played withwise-cracking earthiness by Kathi Such and Nicole R. Giguere'sheart-felt portrayal as Anna's prodigal daughter, Angel, down to the all male chorus who play a broad spectrum of characters-they wereall stellar.

The plot centers on a decaying roller rink at a seaside resort whose heyday has passed it by. Anna has sold the rink to developers and itis about to be demolished, when her long-absent and estranged daughter, Angel, reappears unexpectedly.

The story is told in a series of musical flashbacks, where the two struggle towards mutual understanding and forgiveness.The play, originally produced on Broadway in 1984, starred Chita Rivera, who won a Tony for her performance, and Liza Minnelli, who was nominated for a Tony. Despite the star power behind the show, the production, written byTerrance McNally, never became a bonafide hit, and closed after ashort run.

While none of the songs were particularly memorable on their own, they worked together well enough to tell the detailed history of love and loss.There was humor along with some genuinely funny scenes interspersed amongst the more serious mature segments.

Without giving away too much of the story, there was no nudity, however there was a graphic "mature audience only" scene that was as powerful as it was surprising-well handled by director Philip D.Vetro.

Early on in the production there was a dance number with construction workers which was amusing. Later in the show the construction crew all roller-skated on the stage and were a lot of fun to watch, with fine choreography by Todd Santa Marie.Such and Giguere both have powerful Broadway-belting voices, which wasa good thing, because they sang a lot. Their voices also harmonized beautifully together in their duet "The Apple Doesn't Fall."

Maria Meier who played the little girl gave a strong performance-more than holding her own with the adult cast.

Other notable characters were Tom Knightlee who played a variety of roles, including one hilarious Mrs. Silverman, reminiscent of Mike Myers' Linda Richmond "vaclempt" character from "Saturday Night Live,"along with the equally funny Dallas Hosmer as Mrs. Jackson.Tom Knightlee, who looks much like Keanu Reeves, also played a number of roles, and had a fine, crisp, and clear tenor voice.

All in all, the cast, under Vetro's assured direction, was better than the material, and the actors made the most of what they had to work with.

"Don’t Dress for Dinner" a delicious concoction


Three Stars (good)

Location: Mapleton Hall, 1305 Mapleton Ave. Suffield

Production: By Marc Camoletti. Adapted by Robin Hawdon. Directed by Rayah Martin. Technical direction and lighting design by Jerry Zalewski. Set design by Konrad Rogowski. Sound design by Dana T. Ring. Costumes by Dawn McKay.

Running time: 2 hours, including one intermission.

Show Times: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. through Feb. 23.

Tickets: $15, $13 for seniors and students. Call 800-289-6158 of visit their Web site at www.suffieldplayers.org.

ACTOR...CHARACTER

Robert Lunde...Bernard
Gina Marie Paro...Jacqueline
Christopher Berrien...Robert
Amy Rucci...Suzette
Meagan Kinney...Suzanne
Edwin R. Lewis III...George

(Originally ran in the Journal Inquirer February 2008)

The play "Don’t Dress for Dinner" is like a delicate soufflé - if all the ingredients are not of the best quality and if the timing is off just a smidgen, it would collapse.

Thank goodness for those lucky enough to see this production, this farcical comedy is one delicious concoction of gourmet quality.

What ingredients were needed to cook up this successful production?

First, take one philandering cad of a husband Bernard, played with Jimmy Stewart-like humor by Robert Lunde, and add one sexy wife, Jacqueline, played with style by Gina Marie Paro.

Next mix in a large portion of Bernard’s best friend, Robert, who just happens to be having an affair with Jacqueline, played with terrific dead-pan humor and intelligence a la Cary Grant by Christopher Berrien.

Now quickly stir in a cook-for-hire who through mistaken identity ends up making a small fortune pretending to be Robert’s mistress and then his niece - nicely portrayed by Amy Rucci as Suzette.
Then, for zest, add in Bernard’s mistress, Suzanne, a high fashion model played with panache by Meagan Kinney and at the last minute toss in the cook’s husband George, played with energy and appropriate confusion by Edwin R. Lewis III.

Mix well with superb direction from Rayah Martin and viola! You have one silly, wacky, delicious farce, reminiscent of old screwball comedy films like "Bringing Up Baby," with Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant.

The one set by Konrad Rogowski, is convincing and functional as a former barn converted into a home in France.

The costumes, of which there were a number, were all fine. Particularly outstanding was the cook’s uniform, which was transformed into a dinner dress on stage.

The French rock music played in the background during intermission was energetic and lively enough, but a little too loud.

The entire production was one delightful mind-twisting treat after another.

"Don’t Dress for Dinner" is definitely one scrumptious theatrical entrée worth savoring.

The Little Dog Laughed is a Smart, Razer-sharp Success

Three Stars (good)

Theater: TheaterWorks

Location: 233 Pearl St. Hartford.

Production: Written by Douglas Carter Beane. Directed by Rob Ruggiero.Set design by Adrian W. Jones. Costume design by David R. Zyla. Sounddesign by Zachary Williamson. Lighting design by Thomas Dunn

Running time: 2 1/4 hours, with one intermission

Show Times: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. Fridaysand Saturdays at 8 p.m. Matinees on Sundays and selected Saturdays at2:30 p.m. The show will run through March 9.Tickets: $37, except Friday and Saturday nights, $47, and areunassigned. Center reserved seats are $11 extra. $11 student rushtickets at showtime, with valid ID (subject to availability). Fortickets call 527-7838 or visit their Web site at www.theatreworks.org.

ACTOR...CHARACTER

Candy Buckley...Diane

Chad Allen...Mitchell

Jeremy Jordan...Alex

Amanda Perez...Ellen

(Article originally ran in the Journal Inquirer, February 2008)

What can one say about a closet-homosexual movie star onthe rise, his lesbian hyper-agent, a street hustler with integrity,and his gold-digging girlfriend? Well first of all, "The Little Dog Laughed" is not for kids, due tomale nudity along with some non-gratuitous but sexually explicitscenes.

That being said, the play, directed by Rob Ruggiero, was funny, witty,entertaining, and smart.Written by Douglas Carter Beane, the Tony Award-nominated playexamines the world of appearances at odds with that age-old pursuit of happiness, and blind ambition.

The agent, who also doubles as the show's narrator, Diane, played withhilarious drive and Chutzpah by Candy Buckley, is doing all she can tokeep her client, Mitchell, from coming out of the closet, ironically so he can play a gay man in a movie.

Evidently in the topsy-turvy world of show business if Mitchell playsthe role of a gay man in a movie and is straight in real life, that isacceptable, but if he is a gay actor playing a gay man, it's career poison.

Diane's "in-your-face" razor-sharp delivery was exhilarating to witness, and the dialog felt authentic with all the behind-the-scenes wheeling and dealing that comes with getting movies produced, cast, and delivered.

Chad Allen does a fine job playing the egotist actor Mitchell who is struggling to find personal happiness - in direct conflict with hisprofessional ambitions. As Diane succinctly observes: "Mitch's dream is to be everybody else's dream."

Mitchell hooks up with a male hustler with a heart of gold named Alex, played with sincerity and intelligence by Jeremy Jordan. Alex is unsure of his sexual orientation, and has a girlfriend after a fashion, named Ellen, played by Amanda Perez.

Perez, a recent college graduate, more than held her own with the experienced, seasoned cast. She could not have been better as the perky, young materialistic party-girl, who calls her mother "screecher" and mournfully laments her childhood is over now that her mom converted her former bedroom into a craft room.

She also has a moody streak, referring to herself as the "Netherlands"because she gets dark so fast. There were some other great lines, too, as when Alex, trying to get his point across to a less-than-receptive Mitchell, exclaimed: "God,talking to you is like sewing a button on cottage cheese."

At one point near the end of the play, when Diane was peppering the other three with questions, Alex said: "This is like a game for mean people."To which she fired back: "The truth has its consequences."

Diane speaks directly to the audience at the beginning and end of eachact, to fine effect- even cleverly reminding the audience to turntheir cell phones off after intermission - always a nuisance in thetheater.

Another interesting technique was occasionally having the actors speak monologues while in the presence of another, so you learned what they were really thinking, as opposed to what they said after.This was seamlessly accomplished with selective spotlighting, with lighting designed by Thomas Dunn, while the music, by sound designer Zachary Williamson, often a driving disco beat between scenes, didn't overwhelm the production, and set the right tone.

The costumes, by David R. Zyla, of which there are many, were terrific for the most part, particularly for the women.The two appeared to be wearing something different in almost every scene, from the trendy colorful clothes and tights Ellen wears, to the"all business, but with bling" ensembles Diane dons.For some reason however, Mitchell's pants were two sizes too big, andnot in the "hip-hop" big style either - not a good look for a movie star. In a play about appearances, Mitch's clothes should have been much more cool and sexy.

What a difference a year makes. Last winter, life was looking rather grim for TheaterWorks. According to Steve Campo, the theater'sexecutive director, they were suffering from the largest deficit in their 22-year history.

Before the curtain rose at Saturday's performance, Campo told the sold-out audience that the company should be deficit-free by year-end. Here's wishing many healthy and exciting years ahead forTheaterWorks and fortunate Hartford audiences.

"Cabaret - The Musical" could be better by the Phoenix Theater Company



DEEP RIVER - Just like the mythic firebird they take their name from, the Phoenix Theater Company keeps emerging from the ashes to reinvent themselves.
The Town Hall Theater in Deep River is the third location in as many shows for the group and hopefully it will be their home for some time to come.
As the name implies, the theater is located in Deep River’s Town Hall. It is a charming, old but well-maintained auditorium on the second floor with stair and elevator access.
The Phoenix Theater’s production at this venue is "Cabaret - the musical" perhaps best known as the 1972 film starring Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey, based on the 1966 Broadway production.
The story is set in 1929-30 Berlin, Germany at the sleazy Kit Kat Klub just before the Germany Nazi’s come to power.
An American writer, Cliff Bradshaw, played by Victor Gonzalez, comes to Berlin after stints in France and England, and falls in love with a free-spirited but self-destructive English nightclub performer Sally Bowles, played with youthful vivacity by Emily Mazotas.
Although set in another time and in another country, the warning Cliff gives to Sally about the impending political uprising: "If you’re not against this, you are for this," is just as politically relevant and true today.
The musical involves a host of colorful characters including a terrific Michael May with a great German accent as Heir Schultz, a Nazi activist.
Steven Kelley as Ernst Ludwig, gave a fine, sympathetic performance, with an excellent singing voice, as the oppressed German Jew.
Also outstanding was Joyce Sakowicz as Fraulein Kost who nearly stole the show in the second act with her song "Mein Herr," along with the Klub Girls whose choreography by Todd Santa Maria was the best in the show.
Sakowicz was last seen as the stellar Evita in the Phoenix Theater Company’s 2007 production of "Evita."
Kyle Metzler, who looks a lot like the rock musician Marilyn Manson, gave a fine performance as the creepy Emcee — the sardonic, hedonistic master of ceremonies.
The first half of the production was inconsistent but by Act II the show came together and felt more solid and self-assured.
Perhaps part of the difficulty came from the distance between the performers on stage and the band located in the back of the balcony, making it inherently challenging for them to all be on the same beat and note.
Many of the costumes designed by Starr McLean had a punk rock theme, particularly for the Kit Kat Klub characters, which was a good choice for the show and worked well with the decadent essence of the musical.

Two Stars

Theater: Phoenix Theater Company

Location: Town Hall Theater, 174 South Main Street, Deep River

Production: Book by John Masteroff. Music by John Kander. Lyrics by Fred Ebb. Directed by Chris Ryan. Produced by Joyce Sakowicz. Musical direction by Jason Ferrandino. Choreographed by Todd Santa Maria. Staged manager Patrique Hurd. Costumes by Starr McLean. Lighting designed by Roy Ryzak. Sound designed by Jareth King.

Running time: Two and a half hours and one intermission.

Show Times: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. through April 5, with a 3 p.m. matinee Sunday March 30.

Tickets: $20. For further information call their box office at 860-291-2988, or visit their website at www.phoenixtheater.us.

ACTOR...CHARACTER
Kyle Metzler...Emcee
Victor Gonzalez...Cliff Bradshaw
Emily Mazotas...Sally Bowles
Lynne Mazotas...Fraulein Schnieder
Michael May...Heir Schultz
Steven Kelley ...Ernst Ludwig
Joyce Sakowicz ...Fraulein Kost, Kit Kat (Fritzie)
Melissa McLeod ...Kit Kat (Rosie)
Stacey Constantine ...Kit Kat (Lulu)
Samantha Frank ...Kit Kat (Helga)
Chelsey Neville ...Kit Kat (Texas)
Ashley Cugno ...Kit Kat (Frenchie)
Mike Kubica ...Kit Kat (Bobby)
Todd Santa Maria...Kit Kat (Victor)
Chris Rudolph...Max
Chris Ryan ...Train Conductor

The Concert Connection series at Hartford Symphony Orchestra makes classical music accessible to all

HARTFORD — Have you ever been interested in learning about classical music, but were afraid to ask?
Fortunately the Hartford Symphony Orchestra has a terrific music series called “Classical Connections,” which goes a long way to help audience members understand and enjoy classical music.
The Classical Connections series began in Hartford about six years ago under the direction of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s Musical Director Edward Cumming, who presented the program on his own, along with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, for the first two years.
Rather than playing a symphony straight through from beginning to end, in this series music selections are played by the orchestra, intermixed with spoken exposition about the composers, their lives and times, and their music, to give a deeper perspective and understanding of the artists and their compositions.
The series is concluding its fourth season on Thursday, April 10 and Friday, Arpil 11, with Dr. Robert Greenberg as the guest speaker.
A composer and musicologist, Greenberg is Music Historian-in-Residence with San Francisco Performances, a presenting organization in San Francisco.
Greenberg might also be known to some as the voice behind the audio lecture series entitled: “How to Understand and Listen to Great Music,” which examines the history of European music.
Greenberg says through the Classical Connection series he and Cumming have tried to mix and match known with less well-known compositions of various featured composers.
“We want to find a repertoire folks might not normally hear in a concert series,” Greenberg says, adding: “This is a great opportunity to hear music that is not usually played in the United States.”
The program in April will be the fourth and last of the series this season spotlighting Russian music, featuring the music of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich.
“Russian music is a great subject,” Greenberg says. It “is very appealing for a lot of reasons. It is a culture like ours that developed late with classical style music. It is very exciting.
“The whole point is great art is timeless,” Greenberg continues. “The music speaks for itself. People can use their own life experience. We try to create the right context for the music to be heard.”
Shostakovich
Shostakovich (1906-1975) might not be a name that comes to mind first when thinking about classical music composers, however he was an integral player in his time, whose music is still relevant today.
“Shostakovich is the most important composer of symphonies and string quartets of the 20th century,” Greenberg says, adding that his music was a direct reflection of the times he lived in.
Cumming says Shostakovich was one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, and that Shostakovich was “composing symphonies at a time when many thought symphonies were dead.”
Like Beethoven and Bach, Cumming says, observing that “great composers have a distinctive voice…even 100 years later,” Shostakovich’s music still sounds fresh today.
Shostakovich grew up during the Russian Civil War and then survived under Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev, and Brezhnev.
The challenge for Shostakovich was how to express his individuality while under intense political scrutiny, Greenberg says, and he did so by finding a way to code his music.
“He had a very difficult life — much of which found its way into his music,” Greenberg says. “He was a witness to rise and fall of Soviet Union, and had to fight for his own individuality.”
Shostakovich was a Russian patriot who didn’t want to desert the country. Later in his life allowed to leave the country on certain occasions, Greenburg says, however, he was always surrounded by his handlers and always had to be wary of what he said.
Lived in constant fear
“He is the poster boy of the life of an artist in a totalitarian society,” Greenberg says of Shostakovich. “He lived in constant fear.”
Despite suffering from polio, lung cancer, and heart disease, with a disintegrating body, he was still somehow able to continue to create memorable music.
“He had an incredible work ethic. His body fell apart; his creative spirit was just unbelievable. Shostakovich was regularly censured,” Greenberg says and “expected to be arrested any moment.”
Greenberg says Shostakovich said: “The only two constants my life are my music and my fear.”
It is difficult to image that under those emotional and physical circumstances he was able to produce great masterworks, but somehow he did, Greenburg states.
Many great artists through the ages have lived varying degrees of tormented lives, Greenberg observes, but says: “Their pain is our gain.”
There will be two Concert Connections performances featuring Shostakovich — 7:30 p.m., Thursday and Friday, April 10 and April 11, at the Maxwell and Ruth Belding Theater at the Bushnell in Hartford.
The performance will include music composed by Shostakovich including the Polka from “The Golden Age,” symphony no. 1, the first movement of piano concerto no. 2, and movements 2, 3, 4, and 5 from symphony no. 9.
All seats are $25 and are available by calling their box office at 860-244-2999 or by visiting their website at www.hartfordsymphony.org

The Bluest Eye heartbreaking


HARTFORD — Could there ever be anyone more disenfranchised than a poor young black girl in the 1940’s?
This heartbreakingly poetic play, “The Bluest Eye,” evocatively written by Lydia Diamond, is based on Pulitzer Prizing winning author Toni Morrison’s first novel by the same name.
The play centers on Pecola, played by Adepero Oduye, an 11-year-old girl suffering from an extreme degree of neglect from her mother, played by Oni Faida Lampley, whom even Pecola calls Mrs. Breedlove.
Pecola convinces herself that she would be loved if she only had blue eyes, and she focuses her will on a disastrous course.
Set in the 1940’s, first in Kentucky and then Ohio, Pecola’s drunken father Cholly, played with sorrowful dejection by Leon Addison Brown, burns down their house, and she comes to live with Claudia, her sister Frieda, and their parents for a time.
The actors who play Claudia, Pecola, Frieda, and later the white girl Maureen Pearl, are all adult young women, played by Bobbi Baker, Oduye, Ronica V. Reddick, and Shelley Thomas, respectively.
The fact that they are adults playing children made their performances all the more riveting. They captured child-like innocence, playfulness, truth speaking, and at times the real essence of boredom and anger that children sometimes feel.
They had plenty to be dissatisfied with. It was a world of appearances where Shirley Temple was the ideal child dancing with Bo Jangles, and even black girls received blonde blue-eyed dolls to play with.
The nice quality of nostalgia is it takes some of the sting out of the heartless and atrocious way society dehumanizes, damages, and in some instances, destroys those who are most at risk.
The play is relevant today, too, because, although we are subtler and externally politically correct, we still live in the crazy world of appearances — grounded in the steadfast belief and complete falsehood that “might makes right.”
While most of the actors in this play are new to the Hartford Stage Company, Miche Braden, who played Mama and a woman character, is no stranger to Hartford audiences, having played in “Mahalia — A Gospel Musical,” and “The Devil’s Music: The Life & Blues of Bessie Smith.”
Braden has a glorious voice, and each time she sang within the context of the play, it was a joy to hear. She was also fine as the frustrated but loving mother.
Baker, who played Claudia, did most of the heavy lifting, shifting seamlessly between adult narrator to a child who was fortunate to have enough love in her life to be righteously furious over the inequities of the world.
Often funny, always innocent, sometimes joyful, and totally fragile, Oduye’s Pecola was the lynch pin to the success of this play, and she completely delivered a vulnerable and gifted performance.
In the beginning of this astonishingly poignant play, the actors were at times difficult to understand, but as “The Bluest Eye” unfolded, the diction and pacing improved.
There were some amusing moments, and occasionally the actors didn’t pause long enough for the laughter to subside before speaking, but this will surely improve as the run continues.
The complex and varied set by Scott Bradley was ideal and compelling, using the entire stage beautifully, with complementary and inventive lighting by Russell H. Champa.
Mark Ting, who is the Long Wharf Theater’s artistic director, fluidly directed “The Bluest Eye.” The show has a shorter run than usual at the Hartford Stage, ending on March 23, and continuing at Long Wharf through April 20.

Three stars

Theater: Hartford Stage Company

Location: 50 Church Street, Hartford

Production: Based on Toni Morrison’s novel “The Bluest Eye” by Lydia Diamond. Directed by Eric Ting. Scenic design by Scott Bradley. Costume design by Toni-Leslie James. Lighting design by Russell H. Champa. Original music and sound design by Michael Bodeen and Rob Milburn.

Running time: 1½ hours with no intermission

Show Times: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday performances at 8 p.m., with matinee performances Sunday and selected Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2 p.m. through March 23.

Tickets: $23 to $64. For further information call their box office at 527-5151, or visit their website a www.hartfordstagecompany.org.

ACTOR...CHARACTER
Bobbi Baker ... Claudia
Miche Braden ... Mama/ Woman
Leon Addison Brown ...Cholly
Ellis Foster ...Soaphead Church/ Daddy
Oni Faida Lampley ...Mrs. Breedlove/ Woman
Adepero Oduye ...Pecola
Ronica V. Reddick ...Frieda/ Darlene
Shelley Thomas ...Maureen Pearl/ White Girl/ Woman

Love’s Labour’s Lost


STORRS — If you are one of those people who feel that seeing a Shakespearean play is like watching a foreign film without subtitles, rest assured that you are not alone.
Also rest assured that in this highly entertaining and energetic production of Shakespeare’s comedy, “Love’s Labour’s Lost” by the Connecticut Repertory Theater at the University of Connecticut, the cast does a fine job of making the language comprehensible and the story clear.
Creatively staged and set in the high rolling 1920’s, this breezy and colorful production, imaginatively directed by Gabriel Barre, is delightful.
Setting a Shakespeare play in a non-Elizabethan era can be fraught with difficulties, but thankfully the frivolous ‘20’s and the lighthearted, silly premise of this play are a perfect match.
In “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” the youthful King of Navarre, played with proper authority by Nicholas Dillenburg, convinces his three friends, Lords Dumaine, Longaville, and Berowne, played by Dean Alcott, Luke Daniels, and Christopher Hirsh respectively, to join him for three years of study.
The king requires they all sign an oath agreeing to stay away from women, among other depravations, for the whole three years. One of them promises: “I will not love — if I do — hang me.”
So, of course they all fall in love immediately, and spend the rest of the play trying to hide it from each other.
The women they fall for are the Princess of France, played with regal beauty by Heddy Lahmann, and her three friends, Rosaline, Maria, and Katherine, played by Lauretta Pope, Rebecca Ricker-Gilbert, and Catherine Yudain, who all make one of the most unique first entrances ever.
The costumes by Kevin Thacker are gorgeous cotton-candy colored confections — cleverly color-coded as to leave you in no double who pairs up with whom.
The young man in blue is sweet on the young woman also wearing blue, the green-clothed man ends up with the green-attired woman, pink with pink, and purple with purple. Even the shoes were perfectly matched.
The single set, designed by Mike Billings, was an out-door courtyard, with a small pool and trees and many books hanging about. It fit the story well, with lots of playful options.
There seems to be something about this Shakespeare comedy that drives directors to song — case in point is Keith Branagh’s spectacularly awful musical film of “Love’s Labour’s Lost.”
In this production music is employed frequently, composed by Julian Fleisher, and musically directed by Ken Clark, but thankfully it succeeds here, with jazzy accompaniment woven throughout by the excellent band called the “B-Naturals.”
The actors were all clearly having a great time, with much energy, action, and unrestrained calisthenics, particularly by the clownish Costard, played by Joseph Gallina, who certainly had his way with a hat.
Another notably character was Don Adriano de Armado, the vain Spanish buffoon, played with theatrical bravura by Richard Ruiz.
Sadly this show closes far too soon on Saturday, so by all means go see the Connecticut Repertory Theater’s fun and frolicking production of Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost.”

LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST

Three Stars

Location: Nafe Katter Theater 802 Bolton Road, Storrs.

Production: Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by Gabriel Barre. Music composed by Julian Fleisher. Music direction by Ken Clark. Scenic design by Mike Billings. Costumes designed by Kevin Thacker. Lighting designed by Arthur W. Whaley. Sound designed by Ed Weingart.

Running time: About 3 hours including one intermission.

Show Times: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. through Saturday.

Tickets: Range in price from $11 to $28. Call 486-4266 of visit their Web site at www.crt.uconn.edu.

ACTOR...CHARACTER

Nicholas Dillenburg ... King Ferdinand of Navarre
Christopher Hirsh ... Berowne
Luke Daniels ... Longaville
Dean Alcott ... Dumaine
Richard Ruiz ... Don Adriano de Armado
Kate Shine... Moth
Daniel Sheridan ...Boyet
Sean Keane ...Anthony Dull
Joseph Gallina ...Costard
Walker Jones ...Nathaniel
Heddy Lahmann ...Princess of France
Lauretta Pope... Rosaline
Rebecca Ricker-Gilbert ... Maria
Catherine Yudain ...Katherine
Meghan O’Leary ...Jaquenetta
Hillary Parker...Holofernes
Peter Mutino...Lord
Timothy Byrne...Monsieur Marcade
Dan O’Brien...Forester

The B-Naturals
Jim Wheeler...Guitar and Bass
Dan O’Brien...Bass and Guitar
Peter Mutino...Drums
Timothy Byrne...Clarinet and Percussion