Maria Dizzia as Abby, and Gilbert Owuor as Alioune in a scene from "Belleville." (Photo by Joan Marcus.)

"Belleville" a compelling, dynamic play

NEW HAVEN — Not all is as it appears in the world premiere of Amy Herzog’s play “Belleville” — a fine contemporary drama with unexpected twists and turns.

Newlyweds Abby and Zack, a recent medical school graduate, are living in the funky Belleville district of Paris where he has accepted a position as a pediatric AIDS researcher.

Abby has many neurotic issues including an over-attachment to her father, and Zack is doing all he can to manage her, to the point of withholding her cell phone from her.

She is something of a lost soul, taking French lessons then giving them up saying that it is unnecessary because everyone speaks English, and teaching a little yoga.

She arrives home early one afternoon and finds Zack unexpectedly there. As the play continues, the landlord and his wife, Alioune and Amina, enter, and it becomes evident that something is not right in this dimly lit corner of the City of Light.

Maria Dizzia plays Abby, a sarcastic woman who is drifting through life, opting to have her primary identity be that of a doctor’s wife, a role for the 32 year old that is far too narrow for her, but one that she thinks she wants.

Abby’s sister back in the United States is having a difficult pregnancy, but they can’t go home because of Visa problems, we learn.

I had some problem believing that Abby was talking with anyone on the other end of the phone. Zack was more convincing.

In France, the Belleville district is an area where few tourists visit, but where a richly diverse population lives and works.

The impressive set is the one bedroom flat where Zack and Abby have been living for the past four months. Designed by Julia C. Lee, it is one of the best, most detailed sets I have seen in a long time, with even the rooftop view of the chimneys.

I wondered about the broken restaurant sign visible out their apartment window, however. Granted, it’s supposed to be a lower income area, but it looks like something one would see in a war zone.

Still, the overall set looks like a work of art, and was fully utilized by director Anne Kauffman.

Kauffman showed courage allowing some scenes to be completely silent for what felt like an almost excruciatingly long time, but at the same time the silence felt completely appropriate and compelling.

It was the same, too, at the end of the play, where little is said but so much is communicated.

The French immigrant’s accents of Alioune and Amina, played by Gilbert Owuor and Pascale Armand, were believable and necessary to give the play its sense of foreignness. Fine work by vocal and dialect coach Beth McGuire.

There are some genuinely frightening and disturbing moments where the unstable characters reveal their long-kept secrets.

This underlying and increasing tension holds “Belleville” together and sweeps the audience along, even when logic says that the secrets probably would have been discovered long before they saw the light of day.

The combination of dynamic acting, confident direction, and strong writing make “Belleville” an excellent, compelling play.

Stage review

3 1/2 stars

"Belleville"

Theater: Yale Repertory Theatre

Location: University Theatre, 1120 Chapel St., New Haven.

Production: Written by Amy Herzog. Directed by Anne Kauffman. Scenic design by Julia C. Lee. Costume design by Mark Nagle. Lighting design by Nina Hyun Seung Lee. Sound Designer and Composer Robert Kaplowitz. Production dramaturgs Amy Boratko and Alex Ripp. Vocal and dialect coach Beth McGuire. Fight directors Rick Sordelet and Jeff Barry.

Running time: 1 hour and 45 minutes with no intermission.

Show times: Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. with Saturday matinees as 2 p.m., through Nov. 12.

Tickets: $25-$54. Call 203-432-1234 or visit: www.yalerep.org.

Actor...............Character
Greg Keller.........Zack
Maria Dizzia........Abby
Gilbert Owuor.......Alioune
Pascale Armand......Amina

4 stars Excellent 3 stars Good 2 stars Fair 1 star Poor. 1/2 star designates half-rating higher

Simple, uncluttered "Our Town" at CRT
STORRS — What a great way to kick off the 50th anniversary of the University of Connecticut’s School of Fine Arts than with the New England classic, Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” at the Nafe Katter Theatre.

This allegorical play, set in the fictional New Hampshire town of Grover’s Corners, explores the seemingly simple but ultimately meaningful lives of the town’s inhabitants around the turn of the 20th century, starting on May 7, 1901, just before dawn.

As with most of Connecticut Repertory Theatre’s productions, the actors are a combination of graduate and undergraduate students along with professional actors.

David Patrick Kelly stars as the Stage Manager who narrates the entire show and occasionally plays a couple of characters.

Kelly might be known to some from the films “48 Hours” and “Warriors.” As the Stage Manager, he has the commanding presence of a director, confidently leading the audience through the fast-paced play that zips by in about 2½ hours, even with two 10-minute intermissions.

As a play within a play, the Stage Manager uses the actors to play out their lives in Grover’s Corners from 1901 to 1913.

Robert Ross Parker directed “Our Town,” and made the wise decision to keep the play clean and simple by using pantomime to indicate props, as Wilder envisioned.

It feels a little awkward initially, but works quite well over all, and keeps this play on the move.

Other fine professional actors include UConn alumnus Mary Cadorette as Mrs. Julia Gibbs and David Sitler as her husband, Dr. Frank Gibbs.

Ken O’Brien is perfectly nerdy as Professor Willard who explains the geological history of Grover’s Corners to the audience.

When Dr. Frank Gibbs lectures his son on shirking his duty, it is a gentle lesson in good parenting, with kind but respectful discipline.

Brad Bellamy practically steals the show as the beleaguered, grumpy, and delightfully amusing local newspaper editor who ekes humor and humanity out of each pause and glance.

He is especially funny when he reluctantly gives his future son-in-law, George Gibbs (Michael John Improta), a lecture on married life.

Kelsea Baker plays Emily Webb, the bright but plain girl whose mother, played by Carolyn Popp, tells her when pressed, “You are pretty enough for all normal purposes,” but can’t bring herself to tell her about the facts of life.

The set, by Kailey B. Hays-Lenihan, is simple and uncluttered, just like this play, with a few chairs, a couple of tables and a plain brick backdrop that serve as the homes and graveyard of the town.

The costumes, by Maureen Fitzgerald, are finely detailed yet simple, too, and appropriate to the era — which is especially useful to establish the time period of this play.

Ultimately, the Pulitzer prize-winning 1938 play is a useful and elegiac reminder of the importance of appreciating each and every moment of our precariously short and precious lives.

"An Enemy of the People" at Playhouse on Park a perfect political play
WEST HARTFORD — What better show to see during this political season than the ultimate political play, “An Enemy of the People,” at Playhouse on Park.

Originally written by Henrik Ibsen in 1882, this play was adapted in 1950 by Arthur Miller after his “Death of a Salesman” and before writing “The Crucible,” during an incredibly prolific time in his career.

Somehow Miller managed to maintain the Norwegian sensibility of this play while at the same time making it timely and fascinating.

“An Enemy of the People” is set in a provincial Norwegian seaside town that has experienced a recent boon thanks to a newly created health spa called Kirsten Springs.

Dr. Thomas Stockmann (Jeremiah Wiggins), a man well liked in the community, discovers that the waters at the spring are being polluted by a tannery up river and are actually killing people.

His brother, Mayor Peter Stockmann (Michael McKenzie), is the chairman of the board of Kirsten Springs, realizes that this news will cause economic devastation, while the doctor naively believes he will be hailed as a hero by the town for his discovery.

Dr. Stockmann goes to the newspapers with the news and they at first want to print the information until they realize that it will hurt their circulation.

There is no question that the water is contaminated, but the mayor, with brilliant, forceful, and persuasive language, is able to convince the majority that his brother’s claims shouldn’t even be heard.

McKenzie’s portrayal as mayor is absolutely mesmerizing, while Wiggins is constant and wonderful as the absent-minded professor who doesn’t understand the economic implications of his discovery until it is spelled out to him by his older brother.

The rest of the play is an effort by those in power, including the duplicitous, self-serving newspapermen, to get the good doctor to compromise.

He refuses to comply, and in short order Dr. Stockmann loses everything, including his home, the safety and welfare of his children, his livelihood, and his wife’s inheritance, and is officially labeled “An Enemy of the People” by the community.

Evidently Ibsen reserved a special hatred toward newspapers and moderates, because the press skewered his previous play, “Ghost,” with its reference to the sexually-transmitted disease syphilis — so this play was in part his revenge on them.

Miller trimmed out the social Darwinism references from the original, tightened the story, and focusing on the political implications of duplicity by a few and the self-serving mob mentality of the majority.

It is almost the mirror opposite to Miller’s next play, “The Crucible.” There the majority believes that the teenage girls have seen witches, while in “An Enemy of the People” the masses refuse to hear the doctor’s proof of poisoned water.

At one point Dr. Stockmann suggests to his wife, Catherine (Coleen Sciacca), that they start a new life in North America, saying that in a country so large there has to be room enough for other opinions, but then decides that it probably won’t be any different there.

Sciacca does the best she can with an underwritten part. I had difficulty determining when and why she switches her allegiance from arguing against her husband to standing behind him.

Catherine’s adoptive father, Morton Kiil, (an expansive, jovial Brock Putnam) is a mysterious figure whose source of wealth isn’t revealed until the end, which serves as a plot device, but seems unlikely.

Most of the costumes work well, designed by Production Designer Randall Parsons who is also the set and lighting designer, but Sciacca’s pink dress is ill-fitting and newspaperman Hovstad (Aaron Barcelo) shouldn’t be wearing Dockers.

Directed with pace and clarity by Kyle Fabel, “An Enemy of the People” feels just as relevant, powerful, and devastating today as it ever was.

"Wait Until Dark" at The Suffield Players is thrilling

SUFFIELD — Who would think that a missing child’s doll would be the cause of murder and mayhem?

In the Suffield Players’ production of Frederick Knott’s thriller, “Wait Until Dark,” all kinds of dark and devious deeds are unleashed on a blind but street-savvy woman, Susy Hendrix, played by the terrific Karen Balaska.

In the play, set in 1966 Greenwich Village in a basement apartment, her husband, photographer Sam Hendrix (Danny Viets), has returned from Montreal, having agreed to the strange request to bring a child’s doll on the airplane with him, to be picked up later by someone named Lisa.

The doll, which turns out to be filled with heroin, goes missing and so does Lisa. A couple of two-bit thugs played by Bill Mullen and Zach Grey (both fine losers) end up in the apartment and are blackmailed into finding the doll for an evil man, Harry Roat, played by the marvelous Konrad Rogowski.

Rogowski possessed such convincing menace that he actually received boos during the curtain call on Friday night. That’s one mean bad guy.

Emma Rucci is feisty and funny as the young, bratty neighbor, Gloria. She is pitch-perfect as the irascible and plucky 9-year-old who saves the day.

Tightly directed by Robert Lunde, this intricate and highly physical production is spine tingling, as the blind Susy is left to her own wits to outsmart the bad guys.

Balaska is convincing as Susy, the role that was played by Audrey Hepburn in the 1967 film with Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Alan Arkin, and Richard Crenna.

“Wait Until Dark” is even more harrowing because of the fast action on the dimly lit stage that is about 4 feet above the ground. Watching the actors move about the dark stage and not fall off is scary.

The set by Rowgowski looks authentically like a low rent 1960s flat, with lots of fine details, like an old-fashioned washing machine and refrigerator — and I love that starburst wall clock.

This is one show where the lighting cues are critical. Designed by Technical Director Jerry Zalewski and executed by Al La Plant, the lights were right on the mark and propelled the action.

The first act is loaded with lots of exposition and drags some, but the payoff is in the second act.

The plot line has some glaring holes in it. For example, at one point when they are trying to fool her into thinking that one of the bad guys is a cop, Susy observes that the guy is dusting the room, but how could she possibly know that if she is blind?

Despite this, the action in “Wait Until Dark” is compelling enough and the actors are convincing enough to make this show, with its unexpected twists and turns, truly thrilling to watch.

Inventive, madcap "Around the World in 80 Days"
WEST HARTFORD — Before television’s "The Amazing Race," before the movie "It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World," there was Jules Vernes’ novel "Around the World in 80 Days."

Adapted by Mark Brown and directed by Russell Treyz, this production at the Playhouse on Park takes the play a step farther and has five talented and versatile actors play over 30 characters, including a panther and a monkey.

The play takes place in 1872 as the set, designed by Bob Phillips tells us twice, on the painted floor and on the backdrop of a map of the earth.

The independently wealthy, supremely confident, and fastidious stuffed shirt Phileas Fogg (Russell Garrett) makes a 20,000-pound bet at the Reform Club in London that he can travel around the world by steamer and railway in 80 days.

"The unforeseen does not exist," Fogg boldly states. And when it does, money helps.
With only a table and a few chairs, we travel with the characters from England by boat, train, sled with a sail, and even an elephant to India, Hong Kong, China, Japan, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, and back to London.

Just before he departs for his record setting, seemingly impossible journey, Fogg hires French manservant Passepartout (the athletic Aidan O’Shea) who literally flips over backwards to please his new boss. Passepartout says he is looking for a quieter life, but ends up with more excitement than he bargained for.

Meanwhile, a great theft has taken place in London and Fogg is suspected of committing the crime, so Detective Fix (Chris Mixon, looking and acting much like Nathan Lane) chases around the world after him.

While in India they come upon a Suttee, an outlawed Hindu human sacrifice where the wife throws herself on the funeral pyre with her husband when he dies.

They rescue the young woman, Aouda, played by Veronique Hurley, who joins them on the rest of their journey and in the process humanizes Fogg.

Hurley holds her own with the boys, but sometimes her Indian accent drifts into a German sounding dialect.

The dialog is extremely expository and precise, and the actors do a remarkable job of delivering all the exact locations while moving the furniture to create the next scene, which keeps the action always moving ahead.

Except for Fogg, all the actors play other characters, but the imaginative Jef Canter plays around 28 distinct characters with 33 costume changes.

From a Scottish boatman, to an Indian judge, to a western cowboy and a mumbling mountain man named Mudge, and many more, Canter plays them all.

He also had a little fun with an audience member in an improvised bit that works beautifully.

Occasionally a few words were missed Sunday and the actors paused and scrambled to find their place, but that is understandable in this madcap show that rarely lets up and never loses its way.

Physical details abound to sweep us along, like bouncing and jostling to represent a train in motion, the swaying of riding an elephant, and imitating the surging motion of a typhoon so well I felt a little dizzy, with technical direction by Steve Mountzoures.

The sea spray from squirt guns is a nice, whimsical touch too.

This terrific ensemble cast gives a dynamite performance that is full of inventiveness and loads of fun.

Take a trip around the world without leaving your seat at Playhouse on Park’s colorful and entertaining "Around the World in 80 Days" running through Sunday, Oct. 2.

4 Stars
Theater: Playhouse on Park
Location: 244 Park Road, West Hartford
Production: Adapted by Mark Brown from the novel by Jules Verne. Directed by Russell Treyz. Costume design by Jennifer Raskopf. Set design by Bob Phillips. Technical direction by Steve Mountzoures. Stage Manager Dawn Loveland. Lighting design by Will Lowry.
Running time: 2 hours plus a 15-minute intermission
Show Times: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. through Oct. 2.
Tickets: $22.50 — $32.50. Call the box office at 860-523-5900 ext. 10, or visit their website at www.playhouseonpark.org
ACTOR…CHARACTER
Russell Garrett … Phileas Fogg
Aidan O’Shea … Passepartout and others
Chris Mixon … Detective Fix and others
Jef Canter … Sir Francis Cromarty and others
Veronique Hurley … Aouda and others

Delightful, joyful ‘Little Women the musical’

EAST WINDSOR — Once again, the Opera House Players deliver a lovely, life affirming, and joyful show, “Little Women the musical.”

Based on the beloved book by Louisa May Alcott, the musical follows the fortunes of the four March sisters and their mother, whom they call Marmee, left behind in Concord, Mass. while their father fights in the Civil War.

It’s a delightful tale that was turned into a successful 1933 film starring a youthful Katherine Hepburn as the lead character, Jo.

In this musical, with music by Jason Howland and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, the story closely follows the original, with book by Allan Knee, and the results are highly entertaining.

Jo March is the aspiring writer of the family and has grand ambitions to become famous and solve all their financial woes, of which there are many. She creates fantastic, romantic “blood and guts” stories and operatic tragedies that are over the top and full of fun.

Meagan Hayes is wonderful as the determined, enthusiastic, headstrong Jo, who will not be denied.

Her well-to-do and imposing Aunt March (the terrific Mary Jane Disco) wants Jo to find a rich husband and marry well, if she will only behave like a lady, but Jo just can’t conform.

Her youngest sister, the petulant Amy March, is milder and reaps the benefits of Aunt March’s wealth.

Jessica Frye is well cast as the spoiled Amy who bristles under her sister’s shadow and in retaliation destroys one of her stories.

Kiernan Rushford couldn’t be better cast as the sweet and doomed Beth March with a beautiful voice.

Elizabeth Drevits is also excellent as the pretty sister Meg March, who falls in love with Mr. Brooke the tutor, played with sweet vulnerability by Dallas Hosmer.

Paul Lietz is very good and has a fine voice, playing Laurie, the wealthy and lonely grandson of Mr. Lawrence, played by Matthew Falkowski. Falkowski has a strong voice too and is well cast as the rigid and gruff Lawrence.

I hope I am not giving too much away when I say that Laurie falls for Jo, but she thinks of him as a brother. He ends up falling in love with Amy, who returns his affections.

Brett Gottheimer has a solid German accent and is believable as the serene and scholarly Professor Bhaer. Donna Schilke is the perfect mom, and has a warm alto voice, full of nurture and love.

Reva Kleppel rounds out the cast as the frazzled rooming house owner, Mrs. Kirk.

Costume designer Moonyean Field really outdid herself this time with the numerous and detailed period costumes that add much to the enjoyment of the production.

The sound system seems better than it has ever been. All the singers could be heard over the excellent music, directed by John Pike with music direction by Melanie Guerin.

The choreography by Kim Cordeiro is well rehearsed and fun.

This time the Opera House Players also have a slide projection backdrop that adds so much to the enjoyment of the show.

Most scenes (whether at the March home, Cape Cod, or from the Civil War) have photos or paintings projected on the backdrop that keep track of the many different scenes without having to move a lot of furniture around — a great and helpful addition to this show.

This excellent and well produced musical brings the touching and uplifting story of a girl finding her way in the world against great obstacles to life. It is inspiring and absolutely delightful.

Little women the musical

Theater: Opera House Players

Location: 107 Main St., Broad Brook section of East Windsor.

Production: Music by Jason Howland. Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein. Book by Allan Knee. Directed by John Pike. Music direction by Melanie Guerin. Choreography by Kim Cordeiro. Stage Manager Christine Zdebski. Costumes by Moonyean Field.

Show times: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m., through Sunday, Sept. 25.

Running time: 3 hours plus a 15-minute intermission.

Tickets: $21, $17 for seniors over 60 and children 12 and under. Call 860-292-6068 or visit: www.operahouseplayers.org

Actor.................CHARACTER

Meagan Hayes...... .Jo March
Elizabeth Drevits...Meg March
Kiernan Rushford....Beth March
Jessica Frye........Amy March
Donna Schilke.......Marmee
Mary Jane Disco.....Aunt March
Paul Lietz..........Laurie
Brett Gottheimer....Professor Bhaer
Dallas Hosmer.......Mr. Brooke
Matthew Falkowski...Mr. Lawrence
Reva Kleppel........Mrs. Kirk

Photos by Bob Lyke

Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" at the Hartford Stage Company timely classic
HARTFORD — Paranoia, mob rule, and the law mixed with religious hysteria in a perfect storm of tragedy in Arthur Miller’s unnerving and brilliant play “The Crucible,” playing at the Hartford Stage Company through Sept. 25.

From the first moment, firmly and deftly directed by Long Wharf Theatre Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein, you are jolted into strangely familiar world that doesn’t let up in its inevitable conclusion.

Set in the 1600s, teenage girls, one who is the ringleader, dance in the woods naked and flirt with witchcraft. Realizing that the jig is up when they are discovered, they start accusing others for their improper behavior.

Abigail Williams, played by a fine Rachel Mewbron, is the conniving girl who had an affair with her former employer, John Proctor, a powerful and believable Michael Laurence. Abigail wants to replace his wife, Elizabeth, and is doing all she can to make that happen.

Revelations of truth mixed with fanciful imaginings of seeing people fly create a crazy atmosphere that culminates in at least 400 people, mostly women, in Salem, Mass. being accused of witchcraft and consorting with the devil. But they can all be free if they only admit their guilt and confess.

It seems like stuff of the past, but the essence of the societal insanity isn’t antiquated.

In fact, history is doomed to repeat itself, and mass hysteria in this crazy world constantly repeats itself over generations.

The McCarthy era of hysterical anti-communism, institutionalized slavery, ethnic cleansing, and the internment of the Japanese are only a few examples of government sanctioned insanity. But honestly and horrifically the list goes on and on.

Some of the characters in this sizable cast are dressed in dark 17th Century garb and frontier frocks, but others, such as the farmers, are wearing overalls and flannel, which actually works quite well, with costumes by Ilona Somogyi.

This unbelievable witch-hunt spun out of control is so potent because it really happened not only in Salem, Mass. but also in Connecticut.

In the display room adjacent to the Hartford Stage Company’s lobby, we learn that people were hung in this state on claims of witchcraft in the 1600s. The display is a fitting compendium to the play, so arrive early and read the actual commentary of the time.

What makes the characters so compelling and intriguing is that the bad guys aren’t all bad and the good guys have their flaws.

Tom Beckett is the Rev. Samuel Parris, who starts out as the self-interested and smarmy minister whose daughter won’t wake up after he discovers her and the girls dancing in the woods. He never becomes likeable, but does become slightly less odious and more human.

David Barlow is the Reverend Hale, who starts out wanting only facts, and then believes every fairytale he hears as gospel truth, as do most of the others. Anyone who disagrees is suspect. Only later does he see the horror of his own creation, but is powerless to stop it.

Sam Tsoutsouvas is the Deputy Governor Danforth, the ultimate authority at the height of male privilege, who knows the law but bullies the uneducated with his knowledge, and also gets swept up in the machinery of bureaucracy.

When Hale and others plead for clemency for people condemned to hang, Danforth says that he can’t stop now because others have already hung for the same crime.

Keira Keeley is convincing as Mary Warren, the teenager who is caught between wanting to tell the truth and being swept up in the mass hysteria.

Kate Forbes plays Elizabeth with complexity and understandable fear in the face of horror and an insane world.

There are brief moments of humor too, that help relieve the relentless horror of a world that has spun out of control.

My one complaint is the written statement on the backdrop in the second act that reads something like, “You are either with us, or with the terrorists.”

That kind of blatant statement of the obvious is unnecessary, overkill, and an insult to the intelligence of the audience.

Still, this is an important, disturbing, and moving morality tale that exposes the worst along with the best of what we can be.

4 Stars
Location: Hartford Stage Company, 50 Church St., Hartford.
Production: Written by Arthur Miller. Directed by Gordon Edelstein. Scenic design by Eugene Lee. Costume design by Ilona Somogyi. Lighting design by Michael Chybowski. Original music and sound design by John Gromada. Fight choreography by Craig Handel. Choreography by Sharon Jenkins.
Running time: 3 hours including one intermission.
Show Times: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., with matinee performances Sundays and selected Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2 p.m. through Oct. 6.
Tickets: $23- $69. Call 860-527-5151 or visit their website at hartfordstage.org.
ACTOR … CHARACTER
Michael Laurence … John Proctor
Kate Forbes … Elizabeth Proctor
Sam Tsoutsouvas … Deputy Gov. Danforth
David Barlow … Rev. Hale
Tom Beckett … Rev. Samuel Parris
Keira Keeley … Mary Warren
Rachel Mewbron … Abigail Williams
Annette Hunt … Rebecca Nurse
Ron Crawford … Giles Corey
Rebecka Jones … Ann Putnam, Sarah Good
Richmond Hoxie … Thomas Putnam

Photo: Michael Laurence and Kate Forbes as John and Elizabeth Proctor in "The Crucible." photo by T. Charles Erickson.

Wicked" better than ever at the Bushnell
4 Stars
Theater: The William H. Mortensen Hall at the Bushnell Memorial Center
Location: 166 Capitol Ave. Hartford
Production: Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Book by Winnie
Holzman. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire. Directed by Joe
Mantello. Musical staging by Wayne Cilento. Orchestration by William
David Brohn. Sets by Eugene Lee. Costumes by Susan Hilferty. Lighting
by Kenneth Posner. Sound by Tony Meola. Music direction by P. Jason
Yarcho.
Running time: 3 hours including a 15-minute intermission
Show Times: Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 6:30 p.m.,
Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., with matinee performances Saturday and
Sunday at 2 p.m., through Sunday, Sept. 11.
Tickets: From $59 to $1,013. Call 860-987-5900 or visit their website
at www.bushnell.org.
ACTOR ... CHARACTER
Dee Roscioli ... Elphaba
Amanda Jane Cooper ... Glinda
Colin Hanlon ... Fiyero
Kevin McMahon ... Wizard of Oz
Randy Danson ... Madame Morrible
Paul Slade Smith ... Dr. Dillamond
Stefanie Brown ... Nessarose
Justin Brill ... Boq
(SIG)
HARTFORD -"Wicked" is back and better than ever.
Perhaps one litmus test for a smash hit is the price that a ticket can
command. At $1,013 for a premium seat, "Wicked" is an unmitigated hit.
Another sign of the show’s undeniable success is that even at those
prices, it is sold out through the weekend at the Bushnell Center for
the Performing Art’s 2,800-seat Mortensen Hall. That is one popular
musical phenomenon.

"Wicked," which opened on Broadway in 2005 and is still going strong
there, has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz of "Godspell" and
"Pippin" fame, while the book is written by the wonderful Winnie
Holzman of TV’s "thirtysomething" and "Once and Again," based on the
novel by Gregory Macquire.
It is a different take on L. Frank Baum’s beloved story, "The
Wonderful Wizard of Oz."
In "Wicked" Galinda, blonde, ambitious, and exceedingly popular, and
Elphaba, green, smart, and rejected, have yet to become Glinda the
Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the West, and are roommates at Shiz
University.

It’s hate at first sight, but eventually they learn to admire, care
for, and finally love each other. I have seen this production before
and always thought it was a love triangle between Galinda, Elphaba,
and the spoiled prince Fiyero.

This go round, however, it is evident that the real love story is
between the two very different witches.

On opening night Thursday the effervescently perky understudy Megan
Campanile played Galinda with confidence and didn’t miss a beat.
Dee Roscioli is stunning, powerful, and vulnerable as the
misunderstood, unnaturally, phosphorescently green and gifted Elphaba,
who is rejected by everyone because she isn’t normal.

They attend Shiz, where the only reason Elphaba is there is to
take care of her wheelchair-bound half sister, Nessarose, (Stefanie
Brown.) They have the same mom, but different dads. Nessarose’s dad is
the governor, while Elphaba’s her mother had an affair with mysterious
man who fed her mother a green elixir that made Elphaba green for
life.

Randy Danson is glamorously conniving as the University’s
headmistress, Madame Morrible. She has a glorious exotic accent and
makes the most of it.

The Wizard of Oz is up to his old tricks, requiring that Elphaba do
his bidding before he grants her wish to help the animals that are
loosing their ability to speak.
Paul Slade Smith is touching as the goat professor Dr. Dillamond.
But the Wizard is all show and Elphaba is crushed. Kevin McMahon has a
showman’s pizzazz as the Wizard of Oz.

Along comes a lazy but handsome prince Fiyero, (Colin Hanlon) who at
first falls for the blonde and beautiful Galinda, but then goes for
the brains and realizes that it is Elphaba who he adores.
The Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion, and the Tin Man all come into being
through very different circumstances than the original version, but
many of the locations, like the yellow brick road and the Emerald
City, remain.

In this version of the story, the Wicked Witch of the West gets some
extremely bad press. While she is trying to save the animals, those in
power convince the masses that Elphaba is evil.
It’s an interesting take on that classic tale, but the music and the
lyrics are really what packs the house.

The songs are first rate, with tunes such as "Popular," "Unlimited,""No One Mourns the Wicked," "Wonderful," "I’m Not That Girl," and "Defying Gravity."
At first it was a little difficult to hear the singers over the
orchestra, but they settled down quickly. However, Hanlon as Fiyero
rushed his lines and mumbled his words and was difficult to
understand.

The ensemble is just "fantabulous," with distinct personalities
assisted by many asymmetric, eccentric, and unique costumes, Dr.
Seuss-like hats and wacky and wonderful wigs. Costumes by Susan
Hilferty.

The bones of the set, with their nightmarish metal frame, remain the
same as the previous North American tour, but the lights seem brighter
and the Emerald City seems even more emerald. Set by Eugene Lee.
One of my complaints at opening nights at the Bushnell is that often
the spotlights would miss their intended spot, but thankfully that
wasn’t an issue on Thursday.

"Wicked" deserves all the accolades it receives and this fine
production more than lives up to the high expectations.

Nature and music together at Tanglewood

LENOX, Mass.-The Boston Symphony Orchestra’s retreat at theTanglewood Music Center in the pristine, bucolic Berkshires is a perfect getaway for a day, a weekend, or a longer visit.

And although performances by James Taylor, Steely Dan, and Garrison Keillor have already come and gone, there is still plenty of music toenjoy from renown artists such as cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman, conductor John Williams, pianist Andre Previn, and actor and narrator Morgan Freeman.

Benjamin Schwartz, BSO’s assistant artistic administrator, explained that there are two sides to the campus that occupies over 500 acres.

"Nature and music are the things that make it so special," Schwartzsaid, observing that "the lawn’s are meticulously maintained."

Now celebrating their 74th year at Tanglewood, the BSO performs in the Koussevitzky Music Shed, built in 1938, which seats about 5,100, and is open on three sides to allow patrons to enjoy the music from the lawn as well as inside the facility.

Free chamber concert performances are available in the stunning Seiji Ozawa Hall at 6 p.m. prior to the main performances and are a lovely way to start the evening before the 8:30 p.m. performances in theMusic Shed.

Ozawa Hall was built in 1994, with over 1,200 seats. It and was acoustically designed to have one wall open for those seated on the lawn to easily hear the music, Schwartz explained.

Schwartz recommended arriving early and enjoying the hour-long chamber concerts at 6 p.m. at the Florence Gould Auditorium in Ozawa Hall, leaving plenty of time to enjoy a picnic meal prior to the main event.

Lawn seating is available at both locations on a first-come-first-serve basis.

"It’s a leisurely, pleasant way to spend the evening," Schwartz said."It’s a real retreat that is peaceful and receptive."

The BSO, in its 130th season, spends eight weeks each summer in residence in Tanglewood, and while other major orchestras have retreats and temporary summer locations where they perform, only the BSO has a permanent location to come to each summer, he said, which is "something quite unique in the music world."

"No other orchestra has such an extensive venue," Schwartz said. In 2010 they had over 350,000 visitors to Tanglewood. Tanglewood visitorsAt under two hours from Manchester, it’s an easy day trip or weekend visit.

Harvey and Claudia Sniticker have been coming to Tanglewood since 1982 and spend six months of the year in Lenox and the other six months in Florida.

On a warm Saturday evening, July 23, they set up their folding lawnchairs under a tree and were reading a newspaper before the performance. They like to have dinner before arriving, they said, because there is less to carry.

"What’s not to love here," Claudia Sniticker asked. "There is plenty of room."

Eve Spett of Queens, New York has been attending events at Tanglewood since 1956 and enjoys getting out of the city and into the countryside in the summer.

"The atmosphere is very uplifting and there are very nice people here," Spett said. She was staying at a nearby bed and breakfast fort he weekend.Projection screens

Projection screens inside and on top of the Music Shed allow thosewith lawn seating to get up close and personal with the musicians asthey perform, while listening to the amplified music.

"The screens are fantastic," Frank Penglase of North Egremont, Mass. said. He and his wife, Hilary, were relaxing with a plate of green grapesand glasses of red wine before the performance. They have been coming to Tanglewood for about 17 years and attend every week in the summer.Earlier this year their children gave them a mobile wagon, that let’s them wheel in their chairs, tables, and coolers without difficulty,and easily collapse it into their car when they are done.

Harvey and Randye Sussman from Long Island, New York were happy and relaxed after spending 10 days at a local Inn.They attended on a tour of Tanglewood earlier in the day where they learned that the floor of the Music Shed is made from clay to prevent flooding when it rains.

They also learned that at the end of each summer season most of the 75 Steinway concert pianos are sold and new ones are brought in the following year.

Prior to the Music Shed concert Saturday, students performed in the Florence Gould Auditorium in Seiji Ozawa Hall, with selections including Irving Fine’s "Partita for Wind Quintet" along with "Five Songs, Opus 37" by Jean Sibelius, performed by soprano Clarissa Lyons and Matthew Gemmill on piano.

Saturday evening’s performance in the Music Shed featured "Rhapsodies" a contemporary piece by composer Steven Stucky, followed by JohannesBrahms’ "Violin Concerto in D," performed by violinist ArabellaSteinbacher, both conducted by Jaap van Zweden. After intermission, van Zweden conducted Ludwig van Beethoven’s"Symphony No. 7 in A."

Upcoming performances of "Tanglewood on Parade," an annual favorite, is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 2. The event will start with chamber music at Ozawa Hall at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m., with an 8 p.m. concert in the Music Shed with music by Richard Wagner, Ralph Vaughan Williams, along with Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s "1812 Overture" followed by fireworks.

In addition to their classical music offerings through Aug. 28 they will also hold the 2011 Festival of Contemporary Music from Aug. 3 to Aug. 7 and the Tanglewood Jazz Festival 2011 Sept. 2 to through Sept. 4. Individual tickets cost from $11 for lawn tickets to $102 for special concerts at the Music Shed.

For more information visit their website at:www.tanglewood.org

Photos by Jessica Hill

Norfolk Chamber Music Festival a mini-Tanglewood in the Northwest corner of Connecticut

NORFOLK-Nestled in the Northwest hills of Connecticut is the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival-truly one of the best kept secrets in New England.

This festival, overseen by the Yale School of Music, is in its 105th season. Only an hour’s drive from the Manchester area, it is like a mini-Tanglewood, without the traffic and the crowds.

In fact, it is the precursor to the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s summer series in Lenox, Mass.

Ellen Battell Stoeckel started it all with tea parties in her music room in the late 1800s, according to Paul Hawkshaw, director of the Yale Summer School of Music and the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival.

"She knew how to throw a tea party," Hawkshaw said. In her day Battell Stoeckel and her husband, Carl Stoeckel, son ofGustave Stoeckel, the first professor of music at Yale, brought many famous musicians to perform, including Fritz Kreisler, Jean Sibelius, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and even the Metropolitan Opera in their 35-room family home called Whitehouse. As the popularity of the performances grew, the family commissioned architect E. K. Rossiter to design the acoustically superior Music Shed, made out of redwood, which can seat 800.

Stoeckel left her entire 70-acre estate in a trust to Yale University,with the stipulation that they hold a summer music school for aspiring young musicians every year, something they have faithfully continued.

While there are cottages on the campus for faculty, all the studentsstay in homes of area residents."A great strength of the festival is the synergy between the studentsand the community," Hawkshaw said. The faculty performs concerts on Friday and Saturday nights, while free student concerts are given each Thursday night and Saturday morning.

The faculty and visiting artists enjoy the relaxed environment, Hawkshaw said, and although they don’t get paid an exorbitant sum, they get the luxury of rehearsing for a week before performances.

"A week’s rehearsal is a blessing you almost never get," Hawkshaw said. "They know when they come they will have lots of time to rehearse."

And just as at Tanglewood, guests can arrive early and enjoy a picnic on the expansive and well-maintained grounds of the estate. Also, for the first time this year, they will sell wine from The Land of Nod, a local winery.

Young artists audition to be able attend the highly competitive music program, Hawkshaw said, with 35 musicians participating this year from around the world, including England, Canada, Ukrainia, Russia, and Korea, as well as the United States.

Brittany Harrington, 23, from Texas plays bassoon and is participating with the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival as a fellow for the first time.

"It’s phenomenal," Harrington said, adding that she has attended many other summer music programs but really loves the rigor of the schedule withthe serenity of the landscape.

"It’s sort of laid back, but they take care of you," Harrington said-freeing them to focus on nothing but their music.

Emily Westell, 26, of Calgary, Canada, plays the violin and is attending for her second summer.

"We get coaching every day," Westell said. Westell hopes eventually to perform for a living as well as teach at auniversity, while Harrington said she just wants to perform whenever and wherever she can.

"I love to play," Harrington said.

Peter Heller and Barbara Glasser work at Tanglewood Music Festival as ushers, but Friday night they were enjoying the Norfolk Chamber MusicFestival as patrons.

"It’s heavenly," Heller said, adding that the Music Shed is equivalent to Seigi Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood."The acoustics are wonderful," Heller said.

He especially enjoys the tradition at the end of intermission of bringing the audience back into the hall with a brass ensemble fanfare, which they did Friday.

From 1 until 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 31 they will hold their Family Day at the festival, starting with the Norfolk Fellows’ performance for the children, followed by a free ice cream social and children’s games in the Music Shed, sponsored by the Battell Arts Foundation. After the ice cream social the United States Coast Guard Band, conducted by Commander Kenneth W. Megan, will perform in the Music Shed at 4 p.m., all for free.

Tickets for the visiting artists and faculty performances on Fridays and Saturdays are $15 to $50 and $15 to $30 for youths age 18 to 25.

The Young Artists’ Performance Series held Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings, as well as the New Music Recitals are free. Children under 18 years old can attend all the events for free.

For more information visit their website at:www.norfolkmusic.org

Photos by Jessica Hill

Acadia National Park in Maine a true national treasure

MT. DESERT ISLAND, MAINE -From the heights of Cadillac Mountain, to the aqua blues of Sand Beach, with camping, hiking, biking, kayaking, rock climbing and more, Acadia National Park surely must be the vacationland capitol of Maine.

Founded in 1901 by President Woodrow Wilson, the 6,000 acres of parkland was at first called Sieur de Monts National Monument when in 1919 the United States Congress changed its designation to a national park, the first established east of the Mississippi River.

The only trouble with visiting Acadia National Park on the gorgeous, if somewhat misnamed, Mt. Desert Island is that there is too much to see with too little time to explore it all, even in a week.

Thanks to the efforts of many volunteers over 100 years ago, withmajor funding from John D. Rockefeller Jr., Waldron Bates, and one of the park’s founders, George B. Dorr, 125 miles of hiking trails of varying degrees of difficulty were constructed.

Flat, easy trails such as Wonderland, Jordan Nature Trail, and the Bar Harbor Shore Path are available, along with steep-grade rigorous climbs for the more adventurous, including the Acadia Mountain Trail with views of the Somes Sound, and the Cadillac South Ridge Trail.

The aptly name Perpendicular Trail and Precipice Trail have such steep inclines that iron rungs and ladders have been provided along some portions of the trails. They also have 45 miles of carriage roads for biking and hiking over 17 hand-hewn stone bridges.

To fully experience the romance of abygone era, horse draw carriage rides are available. For those less athletically inclined there are plenty of scenic roads for vehicles to traverse, with many turnouts along the way, including the 3.5 mile Park Loop Road that leads to the top of CadillacMountain, which at 1,532 feet is the highest peak along the Eastern seaboard.

For part of the year this mountaintop is the first point in the United States that the sunrise is visible. French explorer Samuel Champlain claimed the island in 1604 and named it "Isle des Monts Deserts" or Desert Island, while Cadillac Mountain was named after explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac.

Cadillac Mountain along with the other mountains on the island all derive their distinct barren appearance from glaciers that scraped and polished the distinctive pink granite surfaces over the eons, leaving few trees and little soil behind.

Access to the whole park costs $20 per week in the high season, and passes are available at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center, at the start ofPark Loop Road-a perfect place to get acclimated to all the park has to offer.

Since it’s about a seven hour drive from Connecticut, finding a placeto stay overnight on Mount Desert Island is a must.Fortunately there are a plethora of motels, hotels, cottages, bed and breakfast inns, and campgrounds to choose from on the island, with a place for every budget, but do call ahead, particularly in the summer.

In addition to the numerous privately owned and operated campgrounds, the United States Park Service runs two on the island, Blackwoods and Seawall, which are definitely the cheapest way to go at $20 per night for tent sites. Reservations and information are available at:www.nps.gov/acad

Seawall and Blackwoods campgrounds offer campsites for tents and recreational vehicles, which include clean, well-lighted central bathrooms, but keep in mind that there is no electricity, hot water, or showers provided.

While you can always have an "Out of Africa" experience and wash your hair in a basin with water heated on your camp stove, fortunately coin-operatedshowers are available at two locations on the island. Relying on pay-per-use showers for the week gives one a whole new appreciation of indoor plumbing.

As fun as tent camping can be, keep in mind that mosquitoes love it too, so be sure to bring massive quantities of bug spray, which you will practically bathe in religiously. And not only are their mosquitoes to contend with, but there are also stinging horseflies and blood-sucking deer flies that are so large they should probably be regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Campfires are allowed at designated areas within each campsite, weather permitting, and strangely, firewood costs less the closer you get to the park.

The opposite is true for lobster, however. Even though this is a banner year for lobster and an army of lobster pot buoys bob on the waters surrounding the island, lobster is no bargain, at about $12 a pound on the island, while lobster rolls start at $13.

A must-see is the historic Jordan Pond House, located along the scenic Park Loop Road that overlooks the comically named Bubble Mountains and Bubble Pond, where they serve lunch, tea, and dinner. They offer entrees, but are best known for their popovers. An order of two with strawberry jam, and butter with a beverage cost$11-Not cheap, but worth it. They serve them one at a time to assure that they are piping hot when they arrive at the table.

The distinctive rocky terrain that make for dramatic and picturesque cliffs and rocky coastlines allow for few sand beaches. One of the most beautiful is the small and popular Sand Beach located in the park along the Park Loop Road. On sunny summer days the beach draws large crowds, while a few intrepid souls even brave the icy 50-degree Atlantic waters.

Because of the unique geology along the Northeastern seafloor with it’s close proximity to the Bay of Fundy, the island has some of the most extreme tides in the world, changing up to 12 feet every 12 hours.

Nature and artifice strike a perfect balance in the vibrant, dynamic, and endlessly dramatic Acadia National Park-truly a national treasure that everyone should visit.

"Show Boat" shines at the Goodspeed

EAST HADDAM — Take a trip down the Mississippi River in Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern’s “Show Boat,” playing at the Goodspeed Opera House.

This classic American musical follows the show business life of a family over 40 years, as they travel up and down the Mississippi on a show boat, performing at stops along the way, and then on to the big city of Chicago.

It is full of songs, but the best has got to be the iconic “Ol’ Man River” sung by the fantastic David Aron Damane, who plays Joe.

Damane has a soulful, rich, and warm voice that one could listen to all day. He is great no matter what he sings, including the funny and sweet “I Still Suits Me,” a duet with his woman, Queenie, played by the feisty Andrea Frierson.

Lenny Wolpe plays Cap’n Andy Hawks, and does a swell job as the affable master of ceremonies and the henpecked husband to his hard-hearted wife, Parthy Ann Hawks, played by Karen Murphy. Porthy has some of the funniest lines in the show, delivered with a deadpan expression, and is an excellent foil to Wolpe’s Cap’n Andy.

They have a show to produce, but it turns out that leading lady, Julie LaVerne, is half black and is married to a white man, something illegal at that time. She leaves, and Andy and Parthy’s daughter, Magnolia Hawks, steps into the spotlight.

Lesli Margherita plays the sad and troubled Julie LaVerne, who can’t seem to get a break and loves Magnolia like a little sister. She sings another terrific tune in the show, “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man,” with Magolia, Queenie, Joe, and the ensemble.

Magnolia has fallen in love at first sight with a gambling man, Gaylord Ravenal, and next thing you know they are married and have a baby girl.

Ben Davis, who has a strong and clear voice, is charming as the wayfaring gambler who falls in love with Magnolia, played by Sarah Uriarte Berry. Berry has a gorgeous, lyrical voice and lights up the stage whenever she appears.

The rest of the show follows the fortunes of the couple, from their attempts at a new life in Chicago to Magnolia’s return to the show boat life, and their touching reunion at the end.

Danny Gardner as Frank Schultz and Jennifer Knox as Ellie May Chipley are the comic relief, doing a dance number in the second act that is right out of the old vaudeville circuit.

The beginning of Act II drags a bit. It has been reworked from the original by director Rob Ruggiero, to make it more of a personal story, better suited to the rather cramped stage at the Goodspeed, but it feels awkward and takes a long time to move along.

It instantly improves whenever Damane and the other black performers are on the stage.

There is an inspired conception of a boat by set designer Michael Schweikardt. It has plenty of stairs and an expandable second floor that makes the most of the small stage, with stellar direction by Goodspeed regular Ruggiero.

The costumes with their bustles and corsets for the women and the suits for the men are, as usual, solid and colorful, although Julie’s light blue dress looks oddly ill fitting and strangely thick. Costumes by Amy Clark.

Sometimes orchestras can overpower the singers, but in this show all the vocalists can be clearly and distinctly heard throughout, thanks to the controlled musical direction by Michael O’Flaherty.

“Show Boat” is proving such a success that due to popular demand it has been extended through Sept. 17.

The Goodspeed Opera House is a delight to visit any time of year, but it really comes to life in the summer. While there are a number of fine restaurants nearby, including the Gelston House Restaurant and Inn, on Wednesday evening some were enjoying their dinners on picnic tables next to the Opera House on the banks of the Connecticut River before the show — a simply elegant way to spend a summer night.

Three ½ Stars

(one star is poor, two is fair, three is good, and four is excellent)

Location: Goodspeed Opera House, 6 Main Street, East Haddam

Production: Music by Jerome Kern. Book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Based on the novel by Edna Ferber. Directed by Rob Ruggiero. Musical direction by Michael O’Flaherty. Choreography by Noah Racey.

Scenic design by Michael Schweikardt. Costume design by Amy Clark. Lighting design by John Lasiter. Sound by Jay Hilton.

Running time: 2 ½ hours, plus one 15-minute intermission

Show Times: Wednesdays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. (select performances at 2 p.m., Sept. 13, 14, 15, and 17); Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. with Saturday matinees at 3 p.m.; and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m., with Sunday Sept. 17 performances at 2 and 6:30 p.m.

Tickets: Starting at $27. Call the box office at 860-873-8668 or visit their website at www.goodspeed.org

ACTOR…CHARACTER

Sarah Uriarte Berry … Magnolia

Ben Davis … Gaylord Ravenal

Andrea Frierson … Queenie

Karen Murphy … Parthy

Lenny Wolpe … Cap’n Andy

Danny Gardner … Frank

Jennifer Knox … Ellie

David Aron Damane … Joe

Lesli Margherita … Julie

Madeleine Berry … Kim

Photo left: David Aron Damane as Joe sings "Ol' Man River" in "Show Boat" at Goodspeed Opera House. Photo by Diane Sobolewski.

Photo Right: Ben Davis as Gaylord Ravenal and Sarah Uriarte Berry as Magnolia Hawks in Goodspeed Musical's "Show Boat." Photo by Diane Sobolewski.

Lyrical, elegant “Lar Lubovitch Dance Company” enchants at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival

BECKET, Mass. — Immerse yourself in a total experience of dance, food, and history, in a bucolic setting at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival this summer.
In March, President Barack Obama honored the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival with a National Medal of Arts, the highest arts award given by the United States Government. Named a National Historic Landmark in 2003, Jacob’s Pillow is the first dance performing organization that has received this honor, and the accolades are well deserved.
Each week different guest artists perform, and this week the magical, lyrical Lar Lubovitch Dance Company graces the stage at the Ted Shawn Theatre through Sunday.
For those who saw the Robert Altman film “The Company” it was Lubovitch who choreographed its highlight, with the charming, graceful dance to “My Funny Valentine,” by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. Lubovitch’s signature style is smooth, graceful, and endlessly pleasing.
The 10 gifted dancers performed for an energetic two hours Wednesday. The first was an ensemble performance called “North Star,” originally choreographed by Lubovitch in 1978. It feels just as fresh and timeless today, with the whole company, plus solo performances by Jenna Fakoury and Reid Bartelme, with various quartets, trios, and duets interwoven throughout.
Fakoury performs an amazing, robotic, herky-jerky like solo under a bright spot light that is as shocking as it is riveting to watch, and even gets her massive curling hair into the action, with hyper-kinetic body contortions at frenetic pace.
The prerecorded music of “North Star” is composed by the fabulous Philip Glass, and has a dream-like, ethereal quality that is transformative and mesmerizing.
The dancers are all wearing similar navy tunics and navy tights that make them look identical at first, until time subtly unveils their unique characteristics and personalities. Costumes by Clovis Ruffin.
Next Katarzyna Skarpetowska in white and Brian McGinnis in blue perform a elegiac, graceful, and romantic “Duet From Meadow” from 1999 by Lubovitch, set to music composed by Gavin Bryars called “Incipit Vita Nova” with costumes by Ann Howard.
Following the brief intermission the dancers return all in black for Lubovitch’s 2010 “The Legend of Ten,” set to Johannes Brahms’ “Quintet for Piano and Strings in F Minor, Opus 34” movements I and IV.
After the second intermission they dance to “Coltrane’s Favorite Things” performed by the John Coltrane’s Quartet’s live rendition, with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.
It is a tribute to Lubovitch’s seamless, distinctive choreography that despite the various composers, his own sensual, flowing, and elegant style remains consistent throughout.
Arrive early to the event or pop in during intermission to the free display in the airy Blake Barn of photographs by Annie Leibowitz whose mother was a dancer and who photographed dancers Mark Morris and the inimitable Mikhail Baryshnikov and others at Jacob’s Pillow.
Some patrons arrived well before the opening performance Wednesday to enjoy their own homemade picnics, while others grabbed a burger and beverage at the Pillow Pub.
If you really want to experience a special evening, however, make reservations for the al fresco Café at Jacob’s Pillow offering a select menu, which changes periodically. Jacob’s Pillow serves locally grown products from Berkshire and Hudson Valley farms.
The performances for Lubovitch have only limited seating available through Sunday, but fortunately there are other troupes through the end of August that are coming to Jacob’s Pillow, including the LDP/Laboratory Dance Project, from South Korea; Big Dance Theater; 3e Etage: Soloists and Dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet; and the Mark Morris Dance Group.
Expand your horizons and discover what makes Jacob’s Pillow such a life-affirming, remarkable place.

LAR LUBOVITCH DANCE COMPANY
Four Stars
Theater: Ted Shawn Theatre
Location: 358 George Carter Road, Becket, Mass.
Production: Artistic director and choreographer Lar Lubovitch. Executive director Ricard J. Caples. Lighting director Jack Mehler. Production stage manager Maxine Glorsky. Company manager Leticia D. Baratta. Costumer Naomi Luppescu.
Running time: About 2 hours with two 10-minute intermissions.
Show Times: Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. through July 24.
Tickets: $59.50 to $64.50. For more information call their box office at 413-243-0745, or visit their website at www.jacobspillow.org.
DANCERS
Jonathan E. Alsberry
Reid Bartelme
Nichole Corea
Attila Joey Csici
Rory Hohenstein
Jenna Fakhoury
Jason McDole
Brian McGinnis
Laura Rutledge
Katarzyna Skarpetowska

The elegant, lyrical “Lar Lubovitch Dance Company” mesmerizing at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival

BECKET, Mass.-Immerse yourself in a total experience of dance, food, and history, in a bucolic setting at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival.

Each week different guest artists perform and this week the magical, lyrical Lar Lubovitch Dance Company graces the stage at the Ted Shawn Theatre through Sunday.

For those who saw the Robert Altman film “The Company” Lubovitch choreographed the charming, graceful dance to “My Funny Valentine.” His style is smooth, graceful, and endlessly pleasing.

The 10 gifted dancers performed some old and newer works for an energetic two hours. The first was an ensemble performance called “North Star,” originally choreographed by Lubovitch in 1978. It feels just as fresh and timeless today, with the whole company, plus solo performances by Jenna Fakoury and Reid Bartelme, and quartets interwoven throughout.

Fakoury performs an amazing, robotic, herky-jerky like solo under a bright spot light that is as shocking as it is riveting to watch, and even gets her massive curling hair into the action, with kinesthetic body contortions at an almost inhuman rapid speed.

The prerecorded music of “North Star” is composed by the fabulous Philip Glass, and has a dream-like, ethereal quality that is transformative and mesmerizing.

The dancers are all wearing similar navy tunics and navy tights that make them look identical at first, until time subtly unveils their unique characteristics and personalities. Costumes by Clovis Ruffin.

After a brief pause Katarzyna Skarpetowska in white and Brian McGinnis in blue perform a elegiac, graceful, and romantic “Duet From Meadow” from 1999 by Lubovich, set to music composed by Gavin Bryars called “Incipit Vita Nova” with costumes by Ann Howard.

After the brief intermission the dancers return all in black for Lubovitch’s 2010 “The Legend of Ten,” set to Johannes Brahms’ “Quintet for Piano and Strings in F Minor, Opus 34” movements I and IV.

After the second intermission is “Coltrane’s Favorite Things” with music by the John Coltrane’s Quartet Live Rendition with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.

It is a tribute to Lubovitch’s seamless, distinctive choreography that despite the various composers, his own sensual, flowing, and elegant style remains consistent throughout.

Come early to the event and visit the free display in the airy Blake Barn of photographs by Annie Leibowitz whose mother was a dancer and who photographed dancers Mark Morris and the inimitable Mikhail Baryshnikov and others at Jacob’s Pillow. Other dancers and icons in the exhibition include photographs of Michael Jackson, Robin Williams, Gregory Hines, Rudolf Nureyev, and even Arnold Scwarzenegger back in his weight-lifting, pre-scandal days.

Some came well before the opening performance Wednesday to enjoy their own homemade picnics, while others grabbed a burger and beverage at the Jacob’s Pillow Pub.

If you really want to make it a special evening, however, make reservations for the al fresco Jacob’s Pillow Café that offers a brief menu which changes periodically and includes chilled gazpacho soup with lump crab, Boston bibb salad with green goddess dressing, and entrees including lamb with risotto and vegetables, and chicken, vegetable, and chilled salmon dishes.

In addition to ice cream, the dessert selection offers a cheesecake, rich red velvet cake, and a white chocolate, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate mousse with raspberry sauce and whipped cream.

The performances for the Lar Lubovich Dance Company are almost sold out through Sunday, with limited seating available, but fortunately there are other troupes through the end of August that are coming to Jacob’s Pillow, either at the Ted Shawn Theatre or the Doris Duke Theatre. They include the LDP/Laboratory Dance Project, from South Korea; Big Dance Theater; 3e Etage: Solists and Dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet; Jonah Bkaer, a former member of the Merce Cunnigham Dance Company; the Mark Morris Dance Group; and others.

In March, President Barack Obama honored the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival with a National Medal of Arts, the highest arts award given by the United States Government. Named a National Historic Landmark in 2003, Jacob’s Pillow is the first dance performing organization that has received this honor, and it is well deserved.

Expand your horizons and discover what makes Jacob’s Pillow such a life-affirming, remarkable place.

4 Stars

Theater: Ted Shawn Theatre

Location: 358 George Carter Road, Becket, Mass.

Production: Artistic director and choreographer Lar Lubovitch. Executive director Ricard J. Caples. Lighting director Jack Mehler. Production stage manager Maxine Glorsky. Company manager Leticia D. Baratta. Costumer Naomi Luppescu.

Running time: About 2 hours with two 10-minute intermissions.

Show Times: Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. through July 24.

Tickets: $59.50 to $64.50. For more information call their box office at 413-243-0745, or visit their website at jacobspillow.org.

DANCERS

Jonathan E. Alsberry

Reid Bartelme

Nichole Corea

Attila Joey Csici

Rory Hohenstein

Jenna Fakhoury

Jason McDole

Brian McGinnis

Laura Rutledge

Katarzyna Skarpetowska

Photos: Todd Rosenberg

“Menopause the Musical” feel-good show of the summer at Long Wharf

NEW HAVEN — Get ready to cry tears of laughter in the side-splitting, hilarious “Menopause, the Musical” celebrating it’s 10th year in production and playing at Long Wharf Theatre through Aug. 7.
Who would have thought that night sweats, mood swings, relationships, wrinkles, and weight gain would all be topics that are ripe for comedy, here with songs such as The Beach Boys “Good Vibrations,” which takes on a whole new meaning and practically bring down the house.
This musical, with books and lyrics by Jeanie Linders, uses familiar older tunes by groups including The Bee Gees, The Beach Boys, and Sonny and Cher and parodies them with lyrics fitting for women going through that change of life.
The Bee Gees “Night Fever” is now “Night Sweats,” and “Stayin’ Alive” is “Stayin’ Awake” about insomnia and the list goes on, complete with disco ball and appropriate choreography created by Patty Bender.
Even Irving Berlin has a song in the show, where “Heat Wave” is mashed into “Hot Flash.”
The show features four women, each with a different background, who all meet at a department store lingerie sale.

It’s kind of a “Sex and the City” meets middle age, set to music.
One is a professional gal who tries to keep cool even when she can’t remember what she was thinking about, played by the dynamic Fredena J.
Williams who does an amazing turn among other songs as Tina Turner singing “What’s Love Got To Do With It?”
They all have terrific voices, by Williams has a soulful sound that should make her a singing star in her own right. She is simply stunning.
Lisa Fox plays a soap opera star whose ingenue days are well behind
her, and hears through the rumor mill that her days on the T.V. show
are numbered, singing, “I’ve Heard It Through The Grapevine.”
“I’ve heard it through the grapevine, not much longer is the job mine…” she sings.
Margot Moreland plays the Earth Mother who is hanging onto her sanity by trying to meditate rather than medicate when the heat turns up. She says that night sweats never keep her up at night, because she never sleeps.
Carolynne Warren is amazing as the naïve Iowa Housewife visiting New York City for the first time while her undertaker husband is at a convention.
She says, “I’ve gotten a lot more pushy, when I’m not crying.” She goes from uninformed to liberated by the end of the 90-minute performance.
Warren does a hysterically funny silent bit with a piece of lingerie that tests the durability of Lycra and makes her a comic star in her own right. She also does a mean air-drum when the four become an air-band.
The set is an Art Nouveau backdrop with four golden doors and two curtained side entrances that function alternately as bathrooms and dressing rooms at the department store. Set design by Bud Clark.
The costumes, designed by Sue Hill, are flattering and attractive and distinguish each character as a unique individual.
The music sounds good enough to be live, but must be pre-recorded, which is quite an achievement, with original music direction and orchestration by C.T. Hollis and original score and arrangements by Alan J. Plado.
At the end of the show the four ask all the women who have gone through menopause to join them on stage, which is not necessary and ends the show on an unfinished note. As generous as the actors are, they should just take their bows and end it cleanly.
There were a few men in the packed house Sunday and they appeared to be having at least as much fun as the women in the audience.
This fabulous show is touring North America through November, but this is their only Connecticut stop, so do what you can, and bring your husbands, sisters, and daughters too, to this uproarious, outrageous, feel-good show of the summer season.

3 ½ Stars
Location: 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven
Production: Books and lyrics by Jeanie Linders. Supervising director
Seth Greenleaf. Choreography supervisor Daria Melendez. Costume design
by Sue Hill. Set design by Bud Clark. Lighting design and national
production manager Ryan Patridge. Choreography created by Patty
Bender.
Running time: 90 minutes with no intermission.
Show Times: Tuesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday
matinees at 2 p.m. through Aug. 7.
Tickets: $51.50. For more information call their box office at
203-787-4282, or visit their Website at www.longwharf.org
ACTOR…CHARACTER
Margot Moreland … Earth Mother
Carolynne Warren … Iowa Housewife
Lisa Fox … Soap Star
Fredena J. Williams … Professional Woman
Kimberly Ann Harris … Professional Woman (July 29-31)

"Chicago" at Playhouse on Park a snazzy, dazzling musical
WEST HARTFORD — Murder and mayhem set to jazzy numbers is what you’ll get at the dynamic, lively production of “Chicago” at the Playhouse on Park running through July 24.
Although this long-lived show is currently running on Broadway, there’s no reason to travel all the way to the Big Apple to enjoy this sexy blockbuster musical, because there is a super production right here in Connecticut.
The plot, based on a true story, follows the fortunes of murderesses Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart.
They killed their lovers and are enjoying their time on the cover of the newspapers, trying to leverage their notoriety into successful vaudeville careers in Chicago during the 1920s.
They both have the same sleazy big-time lawyer, Billy Flynn, played by Doug LeBelle.
The show has a cabaret sensibility, with everyone in black, and the gals in revealing, tight-fitting lingerie.
Directed by Darlene Zoller, who also does the choreography, this show lives up to all that “razzle-dazzle” of Bob Fosse jazz dance numbers.
The fabulous, fit ensemble of women and men sing and dance their hearts out and deliver a powerful one-two punch.
The band, lead by Colin Britt, is alone worth the price of admission.
Even with the drums behind a sound screen though, they are too loud in the beginning and overpower the singers, who are miked.
It would be great if they would crank up the volume on the miked singers so they could be heard over the band. Towards the end of the show the singers could be better heard at a recent Thursday night
show.
These songs, with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, are classics, including the snazzy opener “All That Jazz” sung by the fine Elise Murphy who plays the street-wise Velma.
Bethany Fitzgerald is everything she needs to be as the murderess Roxie who has grand ambitions to be a star. She’s married to a simple, lovable looser who doesn’t have much going for him named Amos.
Rick Fountain Jr. plays the sad-sack Amos who sings that terrific number “Mr. Cellphane” and lives up to his sorry lot.
Keisha Gilles makes her presence known in a big way as Matron “Mama” Morton when she belts out her entrance song, “When You’re Good To Mama.”
Thao Nguyen plays the sympathetic reporter Mary Sunshine with a gorgeous operatic voice, but really needs to articulate more, because the words are incomprehensible.
The set is simple but functional with a two-tiered platform, all in black. Set design by stage manager Rick Bell.
Rape, murder, and mayhem actually appear like fun pastimes at this deliciously dark and energetic production of “Chicago.”

3 ½ Stars
Theater: Playhouse on Park
Location: 244 Park Road, West Hartford
Production: Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse. Music by John Kander.
Lyrics by Fred Ebb. Directed and choreographed by Darlene Zoller.
Music direction by Colin Britt. Production stage manager and set
design by Ryan Bell. Lighting design by Tim Hache. Costume design by
Erin Kacmarcik.
Running time: 2 hours plus a 15-minute intermission
Show Times: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. through July 24.
Tickets: $22.50-$32.50. Call the box office at 860-523-5900 ext. 10,
or visit their website at www.playhouseonpark.org
ACTOR…CHARACTER
Elise Murphy … Velma Kelly
Bethany Fitzgerald … Roxie Hart
Rick Fountain Jr. … Amos Hart
Doug LeBelle … Billy Flynn
Keisha Gilles … Matron “Mama” Morton
Thao Nguyen … Mary Sunshine
Erica Misenti … Liz
Hannah Kaplan … Annie
Carolyn Cumming … June
Lindsay Adkins … Hunyak
Laura Helm … Mona
Ramona Piretti … Go-To-Hell Kitty
Michael O’Brien … Fred Casely
Joseph Fierberg …. Harry, Martin Harrison
Tim Hache … Doctor, The jury
William Macke … Sgt. Fogarty, Aaron, The Judge
Spencer Pond …Bailiff, Court Clerk