Christmas Trio...

by Susan Hussey

Gorilla Theatre

December 5, 2009

For most of us Christmas is the time of year when we get together with the ones we love. For others, it’s the time of year when we get together with family because their our family, not necessarily because we love them.

Christmas Trio is a three character play written by Susan Hussey, produced by the Gorilla Theatre. As always with the Gorilla Theatre, Christmas Trio is presented in an intimate and in-your-face setting to the forty seven audience members in attendance. This dialogue driven character piece will have you wondering about your own family as you feel closer of theirs.

Christmas Trio chronicles the story of a family torn apart by joblessness, infidelity, alcoholism, divorce and miscommunication. As the play begins we meet Barbara, who enjoys a cocktail on her 40th birthday. Barbara laments about her life without a partner and how it stems from her home life, which she invites us to as Christmas time rolls around. Barbara visits her mother Edna in Florida the year she doesn't visit her father, Barry, at home. We learn of the trials and tribulations of this dysfunctional family over the years and eerily find parallels.

Well constructed and executed, this character study is flawless in inviting us into their world. Meg Heimstead, Karel Wright and Jim Wicker seamlessly cascade their soliloquies together to gel divided stream of consciousness to a building story. With a simple set and little use of props, Christmas Trio is an excellent example of words over dazzle and fluff.

With all of the superb dialogue and character development, I found Christmas Trio very hard to follow. One minute Barbara is a forty year old working professional who enjoys a cocktail and a bratty teenager the next. As we dive deeper into the turmoil of the family, it seems to go nowhere and wander aimlessly. Jumping from Barbara’s Christmas’s at age eight, sixteen, seventeen then back to forty left me with no resolution. Possibly, this is to mimic real life where we go through life with many unanswered questions in our past. Although in a place of escapism, I don’t like being reminded of that fact. Don’t get me wrong, the acting was there, but it couldn’t save the lacking storyline. I unfortunately left the theatre blasé with more questions than going into it.

All in all, I found Christmas Trio wonderfully acted and a well executed production. Although, if you’re looking for a feel good family piece for the holiday season, I would not recommend it. After the brilliant success of The Woman in Black, I was disappointed with the show as the lights faded. The Gorilla Theatre is a great place for intimate local theatre. This was not their best show but it won’t take away anything from Gorilla Theatre's reputation of top tier performance quality.

Christmas Trio plays through December 20th at the Gorilla Theatre. For more information please click here. Tickets start at $20 depending on the night.

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Wonderland...

Ferguson Hall
David A. Straz Center for Performing Arts
Tampa, FL
December 4, 2009

When you meet someone for the first time, you are usually asked the same question. What’s your name, or the less polite who are you? On the surface they may seem interchangeable, yet for Alice, it took a trip to Wonderland to realize they can be mutually exclusive.

Wonderland is a new musical written and produced by a creative team assembled by the David A. Straz Center for Performing Arts (formerly TBPAC). Marketed as a modern retelling of Lewis Caroll’s classic novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Wonderland delivers as such with laughter, song and delight.

Set in modern Manhattan, Wonderland follows the story of up-and-coming author Alice Cornwinkle. We learn about Alice’s irreconcilable differences with husband Jack which lead their daughter Chloe to runaway from home. Chloe leaves a riddle within a first edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to find her. Alice takes an elevator “down the rabbit hole” into Wonderland to find the White Rabbit, the Caterpillar, the White Knight, the Cheshire Cat, and the Queen of Hearts. Chloe’s riddle states Alice must reach the eighth square through the eighth door and become Queen in order to find her again. Along the way, Alice learns about love, family, her new book’s title and who she is.

With a story with so many recognizable characters as Alice in Wonderland, precise casting is crucial. The caliber of acting was fantastic. With Julie Brooks as Chloe, Jose Llana as El Gato, Tommar Wilson as the Caterpillar, Nikki Snelson as the Mad Hatter, and Karen Mason as the Queen of Hearts, Wonderland is jam-packed with exhilarating performances. Fresh off of her run with In the Heights on Broadway, Janet Dacal delivers a superb performance as Alice. Dacal’s solid and believable portrayal of Alice leaves no question in casting decisions. Darren Ritchie’s stellar performance as Jack and the White Knight left me wanting more as the curtain fell at the end of the show. Bravo.

When I first heard that TBPAC was producing it’s own musical about Alice in Wonderland, I was skeptical. Although, when I read the list of actors contracted for the production I warmed up to the idea. By the end of the first act, I wondered why I questioned Wonderland in the first place.

Wonderland’s expert use of set changes, costumes, lights and song will surely entertain each audience during it's run. One note. The original book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is considered the epitome of literary nonsense. There are times when the entire company is dressed in the classic Alice attire, men and women alike. A two headed, three legged thing escorts Alice into Wonderland. I took these elements to follow the nonsensical tone of the book which allowed me to enjoy the show even more.

Wonderland is the first production of the Straz Center’s Broadway Genesis Project. The project is to produce and workshop productions poised for national tours and Broadway. With the exceptional production quality of Wonderland I would not be surprised to find it playing the Great White Way in no time. I applaud the Straz Center’s choice of Ferguson Hall. With 1,042 seats, you won’t have a bad seat with enough room to invite everyone you know. All in all, I endorse this production one hundred percent. I’m positive you’ll leave the theatre with questions just as I did, but wake up the next morning glad you saw it.



Wonderland is currently playing at the David A. Straz Center for Performing Arts’ Ferguson Hall. See this production now while it’s still at ground zero. For more information and tickets please click here. Tickets start at $38.50.

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RENT...

No Play Like This Play...

RENT

by Jonathan Larson
Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre
Orlando, FL
December 1, 2009


What can I say that hasn’t already been said about this masterpiece. If you are reading this review and haven’t seen RENT, drop whatever it is you’re doing and get in line!

Written and composed by Jonathan Larson, RENT is a rock musical update of Giacomo Puccini’s beloved opera La Boheme. Larson enjoyed a glimpse of success during the eighties and early nineties. Larson notable productions include Superbia, a rock retelling of George Orwell’s book 1984, and the small and intimate "rock monologue" which later became known as tick, tick…BOOM! In 1994, Jonathan Larson produced the first incarnation of RENT at the New York Theatre Workshop for a short three week run. After a lukewarm response, Larson reworked a couple songs and dialogue into the production we know and love today. In late 1995, again with the help of the New York Theatre Workshop, Larson was able to see his life’s work before his eyes. Sadly, on the night of the first preview, Jonathan Larson was found dead in is apartment due to a misdiagnosed aortic aneurysm. Instead of packing in the production, the cast crew decided to continue Larson's message of living for the moment. After a short run off-Broadway, the cast moved to the Nederlander Theatre on Broadway for what became a remarkable twelve year run. RENT closed in late 2008 one of the most respected and successful american musicals of all time.

In 2005, after nine years of success on Broadway, RENT was produced into a feature film. Personally, I find the film to be easily digestible for the non-theatre type, yet anyone who wants to feel the power and emotion of how it was intended to be seen should put on their Sunday best and catch a show.


For the 2009 North American tour of RENT, audiences are once again graced by original cast members Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp reprising their roles of roommates Roger Davis and Mark Cohen. Roger, an HIV positive musician who hopes to find his one great song and Mark, a bleeding heart filmmaker, echo Jonathan Larson’s sentiment of continuing their art in the face of harsh conditions. From the opening monologue through the blistering finale, RENT will keep you on the edge of your seat as you fall in love with the characters and learn how they live their lives trying to create with issues looming over each of them.

My only complaint about this production would have to be the acoustics of the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre. Time and time again during the show I found myself struggling to hear some of the lyrics and dialogue. Granted, when the company sang together it was great. Special kudos and adoration goes out to Lexi Lawson with her portrayal of Mimi and Justin Johnston as Angel.

With songs “Light My Candle”, “Another Day”, “Will I”, “La Vie Boheme”, and the timeless “Seasons of Love” the cast of RENT will take you on a ride of love, loss, self-fulfillment and friendship. I wholeheartedly recommend this production to theatre goers and the curious alike. With the absence of over the top dance numbers, jazz squares, and set changes, the power of Larson’s message will overshadow it’s lack of “traditional” Broadway theatrics. With the cast’s cascading vocal arrangement in the finale earnestly stating “no day but today”, I guarantee you'll be on your feet joining the ovation.

RENT is currently playing at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre in Orlando, FL. Located next to the Amway Arena, a stone's throw from I-4, the Bob Carr PAC is a short drive for a great show. For ticket information please click here. Tickets start at $34.00.

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Bad Dates...

Stageworks Theatre
Shimberg Playhouse, Straz Center
November 22, 2009

Have you ever had a date that you couldn’t wait to tell your friend about. Whether it was great or a complete disaster, you have to tell them something. In the fast paced, need our information now type of society, one could go on many dates, blog about it and have a vast following waiting patiently to offer their two cents. This wasn’t a Perez Hilton type event, but 130 people listening to someone talk about a handful of dates, and mob fronts, for ninety minutes wasn’t such a bad date to me.

‘Bad Dates’ is a one woman comedy-drama written by Theresa Rebeck. The story centers around a restaurant running, single mother who has decided to give dating another chance. The show is currently being produced by the Stageworks Theatre Company at the intimate Shimberg Playhouse. Set in a studio apartment in Manhattan, we listen to Haley Walker lament of her trials and tribulations not only as her audience, but her confidants.

‘Bad Dates’ is a wonderfully scripted monologue involving what happens before and after a series of bad encounters, not just possible suitors. We begin meeting Haley as a mid-to-late thirties single mother trying on different shoes and dresses in preparation for a date. We learn Haley has accumulated around six hundred pairs of designer shoes and can’t fit into many of them. Haley comes and goes from dates detailing what the men wore, what they talked about and even some sexual orientations. Haley has also brought herself into the dirty underbelly of organized crime as she rose from lowly server to restaurant manager of a laundering front. We ride Haley’s roller coaster of emotion for ninety minutes as she sings from the mountain top after a great date and drinks in low places after her string of bad ones. Haley receives a phone call one night that changes everything she thinks about herself, her daughter, and even someone she never thought twice about.


Sometimes when an actor is given the reigns of a big time role, say Hamlet, the expectations are through the roof. The production can rise or fall depending on the caliber of the portrayal. Though, every now and again, an amazing actor is given the opportunity to put an entire show on their back and let it rise and fall with them, literally. Jessica Rothert’s performance was a phenomenal journey of eternal optimism and innocuous desperation at the same time. Speaking for nearly ninety minutes straight, Rothert as able to create characters such as the daughter Vera, her brother BJ, Eileen, Emily, “Bug Guy”, “Gay Law Professor” and mob boss, all with only her voice and clever playwriting.
Rothert’s Haley was so engaging of the audience, there were times when she would ask simple rhetorical questions, and I had to stop myself from answering. Bravo.

With a simple bedroom setting, a litany of designer shoes, dresser and closet, Stageworks’ fantastic use of minimalism produces maximum effect. I found Jessica Rothert’s performance extremely engaging, even being on stage by herself. This show is primed to be a surprise hit here in Tampa. With shows like In the Heights, Wicked, and Wonderland at the Straz Center, audiences looking for an intimate production they can relate to up close and personal, look no further.

‘Bad Dates’ is currently playing through December 6th at the Shimberg Playhouse at the David A. Straz Center for Performing Arts. This show had it’s first two performances sold out before they opened. By the time this show reaches it’s final week tickets will surely be hard to come by.
Tickets start at $24.50 and can be purchased by clicking here or calling the Straz Center at 813.229.STAR.

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Music of the Post - anberlin

Lucia di Lammermoor...

Lucia di Lammermoor

by Gaetano Donizetti

Carol Morsani Hall

November 20, 2009

Hey, Does anyone want to come to a show where it takes place in Scotland, sung in Italian by a group full of Americans? You mean it’s slow, beautiful music with a gripping storyline that can hold up to today’s lax standards? Where do I sign up. Anyone who thinks the opera is a place where old people listen to classical music, think again.

Opera Tampa, the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for Performing Arts resident opera company, is currently presenting a production of Donizetti’s ‘Lucia di Lammermoor.’ As the first show of Opera Tampa’s 15th anniversary season, I applaud Opera Tampa’s choice. A nearly sold out Carol Morsani Hall sat in complete silence from beginning to end as the story came and went right before our eyes.

‘Lucia’ is a timeless tale of star crossed lovers torn between feuding families. Sound familiar? Luckily with Romeo and Juliet being required reading in every high school in America, everyone has a sense of how this may end up. We begin with Enrico lamenting of his depleting wealth. We next meet Lucia herself as she meets with her secret love Edgardo near a fountain outside of their castle. They profess love to one another before God and the heavens, yet to no one else. When Enrico catches wind of his sister’s love from their mortal enemy, he connivingly forges a letter of infidelity from Edgardo. This sets in motion the remainder of our story. Lucia denies Edgardo’s unfaithfulness only to be “confirmed” by the priest of their castle. Forced into an arranged marriage to help their family, Lucia is to be wed to Arturo. The thought of sacrifice for the sake of her family drives Lucia into a madness that leaves the town feeling only pity, even after a horrific incident between her and her new husband.

Walking into the theatre I knew I was in for a wild ride. Some of the things I was pleasantly pleased with was the exclusive use of scrim and top notch lighting. One would think walking into Morsani Hall would equal piano staircases and balconies galore. Quite the opposite. With the exception of one chair, one casket, and a table to behold an altar, there are no props on stage. Opera Tampa’s use of lighting to create a scene out of nothing was thoughtful. My absolute favorite lighting trick of the evening was when Lucia asked for forgiveness on a blank stage. The ensemble on stage parted and turned to face up stage. The stage now resembled a church, complete with the ensemble placed in their pews and Lucia seemingly walking down the aisle. Excellent use of lights and an unadorned stage. Bravo.
In a musical sense, the enharmonic syncopation of voice and instrument was honed to perfection. The exchange between Lucia and a flute that imitated a bird I believe was a shining moment in an otherwise bizarre juxtaposition of beautiful music and harsh reality on stage. I also thoroughly enjoyed the cascading vocal arrangement between men and women, sopranos and tenors, voice and instrument.
A couple other nice points of note would be the costume choice which is right out of nineteenth century European nobility. Kudos.
The opening scene with the entire ensemble is even complete with full sized greyhounds. Nice.

Unfortunately, as the sun rises, it also falls. Just as I enjoyed just about everything about ‘Lucia’, my one and only complaint would have to the English translation projection screen placed above the stage. Don’t fret, I’m not the type to say that if you don’t know Italian you shouldn’t go to the opera. But I will say that for those of us who don’t speak Italian, please be sure that what you’re projecting on our native tongue lines up with what the singers are saying. And if anyone is singing, please project something. I can’t go ten minutes without anything projected above. I still got what was going on, I only feel I missed way too much in translation thanks to a lazy projectionist.


All in all I found ‘Lucia’ to be a great change of pace to a regular theatre going experience. If you have a sweet tooth for classical music and knack to a compelling story, look no further than Opera Tampa’s production of ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’. Another interesting tidbit of information is Opera Tampa’s maestro Anton Coppola. I’ve never experienced a standing ovation before a show. With a resume like Coppola, I now understand why. ‘Lucia’ plays again Sunday November 22 at 2pm. Tickets start at $29.50.

For more information, please contact the David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts by clicking here or calling 813.229.STAR

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Music of the Post - radiohead

Going to Print...

onstageTampa is going to print first of December 2009! The South Tampa Community News will be featuring a monthly column about all things theatre.

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Music of the Post - anberlin

Shows Coming Up...

Looking for Something Interesting in the Next Couple Weeks?

The performing arts community of Tampa Bay is putting on some fantastic productions very soon and if you haven’t heard of them, now is your chance to see these limited engagement shows.

First,

Opera Tampa, the resident opera company of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center is pleased to present a production of the 1836 classic “Lucia di Lammermoor” by Gaetano Donizetti. The beautifully scripted opera will immerse you to rivalry between the Ravenswood and Ashton families as well as the forced marriage of Arturo and Lucia, despite Edgardo her true love. A moving and poignant tale of greed, double crossing and Lucia’s plight to madness and murder.
There are only two shows of this amazing show. Be sure to get your tickets before they sell out.

Note: This show is presented in Italian with English translation projected above the stage.

Tickets: $29.50-89.50
Carol Morsani Hall
TBPAC
November 20 & 22
www.operatampa.org
813.229.STAR

Next,

We have “Bad Dates”, a hilarious one woman show written by Teresa Rebeck presented by Stageworks Theatre. An intimate look at Haley Walker, a single mother and restaurateur who gives dating a chance again in modern day Manhattan. Stageworks has claimed this show to be a happy meeting between Sex and the City and the Tracy Ullman show. This show has potential of being wildly funny and entertaining. Being presented at the Shimberg Playhouse, “Bad Dates” will be right in your face, as if you were on a first date.

Tickets: $24.50
Shimberg Playhouse, TBPAC
Presented by Stageworks Theatre
November 20-December 3
www.stageworkstheatre.org
813.229.STAR

Lastly,

Highly anticipated and local produced, “Wonderland”, a modern retelling of Alice in Wonderland will be playing Ferguson Hall at the Performing Arts Center. Please note, “Wonderland’s” world premiere will be during it’s run. After the show closes January 3, it will be playing at Houston’s Alley Theatre. See this show while it’s at ground zero.

Tickets: 38.50-67.50
Ferguson Hall, TBPAC
November 24-January 3
www.tbpac.org
www.wonderlandthemusical.org
813.229.STAR

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The Woman in Black...

The Gorilla Theatre
Tampa, FL
November 8, 2009

When we travel to new places like New York City or Chicago, sometimes the best place to get a real sense of the city is where you never thought possible. “Where should I grab some lunch” you may ask a friend, and what do they always say? “Go to the smallest hole in the wall joint and get in line because they know what’s up.” In a sense of local theatre here in the Tampa area I would have to tip my hat to the Gorilla Theatre. Tucked away in the shadows of Raymond James stadium and Steinbrenner Field, the Gorilla Theatre quietly is making strides to provide high quality entertainment in an intimate and up close setting.

“The Woman in Black” is a chilling tale that follows the rehearsal of an actor and a writer who recount a couple nights at the Estate of a reclusive woman. Arthur Kipps (Christopher Rutherford) enlists the assistance of actor (Glenn Gover) to tell a ghost story. Although not one for ghost stories, Kipps decides to tell the only one he knows, a true account. Bright eyed and bushy tailed, Kipps arrives at the house to sort through papers to find the house may have more than meets the eye.

Brilliantly scripted and performed, Christopher Rutherford and Glenn Gover execute a fantastic production.


Glenn Gover ability to change characters on a dime is a testament to quality acting. I counted roughly eight different characters for Gover over the course of the play. For as much as Gover changes his character, you would think you would get lost along the way. Thanks in part to slight costume changes and chameleon like transition, Gover’s character changes are believable and uncompromising.


Christopher Rutherford’s fiery passion on stage was palpable. His ability to look as if he’s about to cry in one scene to seem like nothing had ever phased him within seconds is proof positive to the caliber of actor the Gorilla Theatre entrusts with their productions.

I was blown away by the quality of production the Gorilla Theatre presented. To be brutally honest, when I only saw two actors listed on the playbill I raised a questioned eyebrow. I was a little lost to begin with. I had a hard time following which actor was playing what role, up until they made it to the woman’s house. I applaud their use of space. Using prosceniums as doors, a rolling trunk as a train and a horse drawn carriage. Very imaginative. The Woman in Black kept bringing herself into the scene at key moments to further drive our protagonist out of his mind.
The brilliant use of lights and sounds was as precise as I’ve seen in quite some time. Some examples:
Kipps searches the house for light, he reaches into the air and pulls a light switch. As if the light were there, the stage illuminates. Great timing.
One scene where the sun was setting stage left and the moon was in full array stage right. Phenomenal lighting techniques.
Fantastic use of scrim. The scrim was painted with a woman’s face. One scene all goes dark and all we see are the eyes of the woman watching over Kipps as he sleeps. Another scene, the scrim shows the woman in a rocking chair in a study of sorts.
Amazing uses of sounds: horses trotting, trains, street corners and a carnival. This wonderful stimulation helped suspend our disbelief further to fall into the story.

All in all, this was a polished production that was on point. Simply put. A tech heavy show executed to perfection. As great as the acting was in this show, I have to send my adoration to the technical crew. Their use of light and sound intertwined seamlessly with dialogue and stage direction is second to none thus far. I’m looking forward to Gorilla’s “Christmas Trio” playing in December, and you should be too.

For more information on the Gorilla Theatre and future productions, please contact them at 813.354.0550 or www.gorillatheatre.com

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The Legend of Sleepy Hollow...

Local high school "Plant" their feet firmly in Sleepy Hollow.

H.B. Plant High School Drama Department

Plant H.S. Auditorium

November 7, 2009

The apparition of the Headless Horseman rides again in Palma Ceia. The Henry B. Plant High School drama department put on a splendidly pleasant production of Washington Irving’s classic tale “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”. This limited engagement show was a heart warming example why performing arts should not be cut from our public schools.

This particular stage adaptation was written by author/playwright Christopher Cook of the High Voltage Theatre Company, Columbia, SC. Plant High School is also the first to produce the Legend outside of the aforementioned company. In attendance for Thursday and Friday’s performance were Christopher Cook himself and the show’s director Joey Vasquez. “It’s meant a lot to have them down here and it’s meant a tremendous amount for the kids,” as Mr. Traver puts it.

Our classic story takes place round about All Hollow’s Eve in “the year of our Lord 1795”. The quaint town of Sleepy Hollow is joined by teacher Ichabod Crane. With fresh ears for old stories, the town tells Crane tales of a beheaded soldier who rides at night in search of his head. Crane, being the superstitious type, believes every word and begins to fret when he is all alone out by a tree where the Hessian soldier is believed to ride. Crane’s stay in Sleepy Hollow is not all ghosts and goblins though. He develops an adoration for Katrina, to much the dismay of her father and her other suitor, the broad shouldered and headstrong Abraham Van Brun.

A story with most of it’s well being thrust upon the shoulders of one character, I applaud Mr. Traver’s wise choice of selecting David Patterson for Ichabod Crane. I was blown away by Patterson’s portrayal of Crane as he took the stage and demanded the ears of his students and the audience members simultaneously. A tricky feat of drama is breaking the fourth wall and talking to the audience as if we are in on stage. Patterson’s transition from speaking to his handful of students to soliloquy with the curtain down was seamless and well executed.

I thoroughly enjoyed the smooth delivery and superb diction of Luis Sierra’s Crayon and Andrew Kamen’s Knickerbocker. Sierra and Kamen’s characters help the drive the story along as they expertly entered from the proscenium to provide direct narration during scene changes and such. With the decline of “scholarly” words in our everyday vernacular, it was warming to hear students at that level speak so eloquently as if it were actually the late 1700’s. Bravo.

In speaking with a handful of actors before the show, I learned this was Anthony Boullusa’s first endeavor into drama. As I watched his take on the rugged Abraham Van Brun, I couldn’t tell. Granted, I did pick up on when he fumbled over a line, yet I also noticed his ability to snap back and continue the scene. Keep up the good work.

Playing the role of Katrina Van Tassel was the jubilant Mary Krantz. Her ability to tug on the heartstrings of both Crane and Van Brun is palpable. Even without a microphone, I could hear all her lines with distinction and power. My hat’s off to you.

I thought the production was an exciting and exhilarating performance complete with ghost stories, sword fighting, love won and love lost. The majority of the exchanges between actors were clear and precise. Unfortunately, being seated in the peanut gallery, I had a hard time hearing a handful of lines. Kudos to the choreography of the show. It’s not easy to make a fake sword duel seem real. Boullusa and Patterson present a dazzling confrontation to bring the first act to a nail biting close. At the Van Tassel house in the second act, a high energy impromptu dance sequence helps break the dialogue heavy show. The ending, complete with the crawling undead, brings Ichabod Crane’s fears to a reality as he encounters the Headless Horseman face to face.

All in all, this was an excellent performance of rich dialogue, classic dramatic themes and the beauty of live theatre, entertainment. Sadly, the limited engagement of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” ended last night to applauding crowds and smiling faces in the lobby. I can safely say the show was a success and look forward to Plant’s production of Thorton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize winning play, “The Skin of Our Teeth”, in March of 2010.

I would like to give a big thanks to Sandy Kamen of the Plant “Drama Mamas” for her correspondence and hospitality. Teryle Traver for his dedication to enriching the lives of young people with the power of drama. A special thanks goes out to David Patterson, Anthony Boullusa, Mary Krantz and Chloe Lind for their time before the show for an interview. Last but certainly not least, the rest of the cast of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” for their diligence to present a polished and well spoken play.

For more information on future Plant High School drama functions, please email plantdramaclub@aol.com for more information.

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Notes from Night of the Living Dead...

After a wonderful evening at the Shimberg Playhouse and Night of the Living Dead, director Chris Holcom and actress Kari Goetz were kind enough to share a few minutes to answer a couple questions for onstageTAMPA.

Chris Holcom, Director

Night of the Living Dead

(photo courtesy of jobsitetheater.org)

onstageTampa: “How long have you been associated with the Jobsite Theater?”

Chris Holcom: “About Eleven years now, well about ten years.”

onstageTampa: “What led you to direct this project?”

Chris Holcom: “I‘ve been a zombie fanatic pretty much all my life, and when we found an actual stage version of this play, we thought it would be something fun to do and everybody seemed to agree that I would be the right person to direct it.”

onstageTampa: “What kind of response have you personally heard about the show?”

Chris Holcom: “So far I‘ve had people basically saying that they‘ve been having a lot of fun and I can‘t ask for a better endorsement than that.”

onstageTampa: “Well the production is a success, you’ve had sold out shows and lines waiting outside. Has everything worked as well as you’ve hoped? Are there some things you didn’t plan on that kind of fell into place that we saw in the show?”

Chris Holcom: “Well there‘s always little happy accidents that happen in every show and sometimes you find those accidents are probably a little bit better than what you originally intended, so like going along with that beyond that there are always minor technical things. I mean a show that is as tech heavy as this one is you‘re always going to have little problems here but we try to plan for those contingencies and deal with them.”

onstageTampa: “Now if an audience member, whom you‘ve never met before were to tell a friend about Night of the Living Dead and Jobsite Theater, what do you hope they would say?”

Chris Holcom: “That it‘s a fun evening of theatre. It‘s not exactly what you would expect. You know it‘s funny, it‘s got thrills, it‘s got chills and it‘s just a good night out.”

onstageTampa: “So what‘s the next Chris Holcom project, acting or directing?”

Chris Holcom: “Acting. I actually acting in boom! Kari Goetz who is playing Barbara in this show is directing me in boom! in March. So that‘s a another kind of apocalyptic tale it‘s kind of funny I get to direct her in one and she gets to direct me in one.”

onstageTampa: “Any Thanks or Plugs?”

Chris Holcom: “Thank you to my phenomenal cast and crew. Really if I didn‘t have those people none of this would be possible. And actually a very special thanks go out to George Romero and Tom Savini for making such evocative films.”

Kari Goetz, Barbara

Night of the Living Dead

(photo courtesy of jobsitetheater.org)

onstageTampa: “How long have you been associated with Jobsite Theater?”

Kari Goetz: “This is my eighth season.”

onstageTampa: “Hoping to stay here for a while?”

Kari Goetz: “Yeah, I‘ve been here for eight years. I don‘t intend on going anywhere else.”

onstageTampa: “What drew you to this project?”

Kari Goetz: “I am a huge fan of the zombie films and this has been Chris' pet project for a really long time. So when we got the green light this year, I made a point to go after Barbara.”

onstageTampa: “So you went after the role of Barbara, it wasn‘t just handed to you, awesome.”

Kari Goetz: “Every role you gotta earn at Jobsite.”

onstageTampa: “What do you hope someone will take away from the show?"

Kari Goetz: “Oh I just hope they have a hell of a good time. I don‘t think we‘re trying to make any strong social statements or anything like that. It‘s zombies, it‘s fun. It‘s scary and it‘s extended that Halloween feeling a little bit longer.”

onstageTampa: “So what‘s next for Kari?”

Kari Goetz: “Kari takes a nice break for a while, and then I go into directing boom! in February and will open in March.”

onstageTampa: “Any thanks or Plugs?”
Kari Goetz: “Thanks or plugs, thanks for everybody in Jobsite. Plugs, keep coming out to see Night of the Living Dead.”

Many thanks go out to Chris Holcom and Kari Goetz for their time. Also a big thanks to Jobsite Theater for their wonderful hospitality.

Music of the post -further seems forever

Night of the Living Dead...

…Not All Gore and Violence.

Jobsite Theater

TBPAC Shimberg Playhouse

November 5, 2009

Jobsite Theater, the resident theatre company of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, is producing a stage version of George Romero’s evocative and groundbreaking film, “Night of the Living Dead”. Directed by Jobsite veteran Chris Holcom, the gifted and dedicated cast of “Night of the Living Dead” will take you on a journey of the frailty of humanity, banding together against impending death and lastly the reason we keep going to the theatre, entertainment. “Night of the Living Dead” takes place on a evening in rural Pennsylvania where a myriad of zombies have risen from their graves to feed on the living any which way they can.

(photo credit: Dave Pritchard, c/o jobsitetheater.org)

Our story begins with Johnny and Barbara, who travel from Pittsburgh to our remote area to place a flowery wreath at their father’s headstone. Their sibling banter is sharply interrupted by our first encounter with the undead. Barbara runs for her life as Johnny’s future is unclear. Barbara runs through the night until she comes across a seemingly abandoned house. She takes solace in her new found sanctuary until our protagonist Ben shows up. They exchange stories of what they have just encountered and confide to each other they will make it out alive, no matter the cost. Ben and Barbara come to find other survivors in the cellar. Harry and Helen Cooper do their best to keep their daughter Karen alive after she was bitten by “one of them”. Also alive in the cellar are the young couple from town, Tom and Judy. They argue the best way to combat their certain death. Whether they lock themselves in the cellar or give themselves a fighting chance on the ground floor you’ll have to get to the Shimberg Playhouse to see how it unfolds.

Whenever you come to local community theatre, your range of acting experience on stage is kind of a wildcard. Is this a room full of Julliard graduates? Far from it. But I’d be lying if I wasn’t enthralled in my seat by the power of the performances on stage. The beauty of the Shimberg Playhouse is being pleasantly seated ten feet away from the actors to really get a sense of facial expressions and small nuances. I found the zombie work as great as it could have been. It is very hard to step outside of yourself and act the way a zombie does in front of a paying crowd. Sitting in the front row and watching a zombie take a bite out of a fake leg to find fake blood on my shoes was a nice touch. Good work whichever zombie that was. That’s dedication.

(photo credit: Dave Pritchard, c/o jobsitetheater.org)

Kari Goetz’s performance of Barbara was a roller coaster of emotion. I tried to put myself in the thought of losing a brother that way. How would have I acted? Probably much like Goetz’s Barbara. Staring off to space and refusing to believe the truth is about as real life as I can imagine. Great Job Kari.

Matthew Lunsford’s character Johnny was short yet endearing. Helping set up the naivety of the scene, Lunsford change from teasing sibling to protective brother was succinct and sweet.

The roles of Harry and Helen Cooper were played by Alvin Jenkins and Caroline Jett respectively. I don’t know if I was convinced with Jenkins’ Harry or maybe it wasn’t his best night. I knew I was watching an actor. Alvin, I thought you hit all your lines clearly and directly but it didn’t my knock my socks off. Jett’s role of Helen was believable at best. Karen Cooper, played by Molly Jacobson, was one of the shining moments toward the end of the show. Even though she never says a word outside of inaudible groans, Jacobson’s take on Karen Cooper could not have been any better.

The young couple from town Tom and Judy were played by Kyle Porter and Betty-Jane Parks. Porter’s Tom was both scripted and cast well as the buffer and peacekeeper of the bunch. Delivering dialogue clearly and passionately, I applaud Kyle for his portrayal of Tom. I wish I could say the same for Betty-Jane Parks. The lines were few and far between for Parks’ Judy. The last exchange between Tom and Judy felt like a drama class where a lesser student is paired with a shining star for "balance". I didn’t buy her empathy or the Hollywood kiss on the forehead. Better luck tomorrow night.

Rounding out our main cast is the extremely talented Dayton Sinkia harboring the role Ben. I sat mesmerized by Sinkia’s superb diction and incendiary performance as he embodied the de facto leader. Sinkia enters from the door and demands the respect of everyone on stage as well as everyone in the audience as he forcefully controls the situation. Next time I enter the theatre and find Sinkia’s name attached somewhere, I’m surely nudging my neighbor to take notice.

I found the production as a whole to be wildly entertaining and thought provoking at the same time. The idea of being surrounded by lifeless flesh eating zombies that keep coming will put your life into perspective. “How you would react in a similar situation?” I kept asking myself. Would I try to fight for my life like Ben? Lock myself in the cellar and pray for greener pastures like Harry Cooper? Would I sit helpless and catatonic like Barbara? Who knows until you’re in their shoes. Unfortunately, I’ve been sworn to secrecy by the director himself not to divulge the ending of the play. But I guess I can safely say you’ll walk back to your car glad you went to the theatre that night.

All in all, as director Chris Holcom put it, it’s just a fun night out at the theatre. There are moments where you’re uncontrollable laughter is quickly silenced by the severity of the scene. There are also twists, turns and of course, flesh eating zombies. I walked in thinking I was going to see a blood and guts type of low budget horror film, but I must say the overtly gruesome scenes are kept to a minimum. I think for the sake of making the necessary scenes more powerful, the choice was done wisely. Again I have been sworn to secrecy about the ending of the play. If you get a chance to see this before the show closes, I'm sure you'll be in line the next night for another performance. It’s that entertaining.

The show runs through November 15th at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center’s Shimberg Playhouse.

Get your tickets now!

813.299.STAR

www.jobsitetheater.org

Music of the Post - hit the lights

This Week in Theatre...

...in Tampa that is.

This is a fantastic week ahead. Many plays and musicals to be seen.

First Up?

Jobsite Theater, the resident theatre company of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center is producing a timely and popular horror classic that is garnering rave reviews and sold out shows as if they planned it that way. I'm very excited to be in attendance this Thursday evening. I plan on sitting back and enjoying the show, interviewing the director Chris Holcom and a featured performer. Look for the full review sometime Friday or Saturday.

This show is running through November 15th and is selling tickets faster than I am typing. Get yours now!

Tickets: $24.50

Jobsite Theater

TBPAC Shimberg Playhouse

1010 N W C MacInnes PL

Tampa, FL 33602

813.299.STAR

www.jobsitetheater.org

Secondly,

The Henry B. Plant High School Drama Department is putting on a production of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The story of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman will be produced for a limited engagement this weekend only. To my delighted surprise, Christopher Cook, playwright of the adaptation of the classic Washington Irving short story will be in attendance at all of the performances. To be apart of the first production outside of Columbia, SC and support local students choosing to spend their time performing, please contact Sandy Kamen at 813.468.0812 or plantdramaclub@aol.com.

Tickets $5 Available at the Door

November 5,6,7 at 7pm

Henry B. Plant High School

2415 S. Himes Ave.

Tampa, FL 33629

813.468.0812

Last But Not Least,

The Gorilla Theatre will be putting on a production of the "spine chilling" "The Woman in Black". The beauty of the Gorilla is it's intimate setting. The forty seven seat auditorium makes up for what it lacks in size with exceptional substance and atmosphere. After speaking with the managing director of the Gorilla, I'm told the tickets are selling very fast. Also, check out the Gorilla Theatre's Gorilla pass that gets you into six shows and a glass of champagne of your choice at each for only ninety dollars!

Tickets $20-25 depending on night. Student and Senior ticket prices available.

Gorilla Theatre

4419 N. Hubert Ave

Tampa, FL 33614

813.879.2914

www.gorillatheatre.com

Don't forget to follow us on twitter. Thanks again for supporting the performing arts in Tampa, FL.

Music of the Post - kanye west

In The Heights...

Everybody's Got a Job...

...Everybody's Got a Dream.

by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center

Tampa, FL

November 1, 2009

As the first stop of the inaugural “In The Heights” North American Tour, Tampa was treated to the first taste of the masterful synergy of hip-hop, classic Broadway and salsa Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In The Heights” combines. From its humble beginnings as an eighty minute one-act musical written by a Wesleyan University sophomore to the full length Broadway smash hit it is today, “In The Heights” will both give you a glimpse into three days in Washington Heights, NY and yourself.

From the opening monologue to the thunderous finale, the energy and passion of the show will dazzle even the blasé theatergoer. With it’s mixture of hip-hop, high energy dance numbers and poignant story lines, In the Heights takes you into the lives of a handful of residents all with jobs and dreams just like everyone else. The music with it’s sometimes simple piano ballads to it’s hip shaking salsa has just the right amount of balance to satisfy the audience old and new.

The moment Usnavi, Kyle Beltran, steps on stage to shoo away the graffiti artist, he demands your ears as he fills you in on how life is like in the heights (pun intended). Running a mom-and-pop bodega with his witty cousin Sonny, Usnavi brews coffee and sells lottery tickets all while dreaming of going back home to the Dominican Republic.

Next door to Usnavi’s bodega, the Rosario’s do their best to keep their gypsy cab business afloat amidst gentrification and their well-to-do daughter, Nina, who just returned home from her first year at Stanford University. The first one in her area to go to college, Nina returns to break the news she couldn’t make the grades and took a “leave of absence” from school. Benny, the only African-American in the neighborhood, works for Nina’s parents’ company. On the day of her return, Benny becomes the new dispatcher for the company and talks Nina into helping his Spanish. They becomes close despite her father’s wishes.

On the other side of Usnavi’s bodega sits the neighborhood salon run by Daniela, with the help of Carla and Vanessa. As the center of neighborhood gossip, the salon houses rumors of “who’s dating who” which adds comedic value. Speaking of comedic, Shaun Taylor-Corbett’s portrayal of Usnavi’s cousin Sonny kept the audience, as well as myself, laughing every time he took the stage.

As we learn more about each of the characters, tensions flare between Benny and Nina’s father, Nina’s parents Kevin and Camila, Sonny and Usnavi, and Usnavi with the neighborhood after his bodega is vandalized. Although, the healing power of love and family overshadow the former as they always do. Benny and Nina contemplate how they can make things work despite everything between them. Kevin and Camila put their marriage to the test as they try to do what’s best for their daughter Nina, even if it means giving up everything they’ve worked for. Usnavi and Vanessa’s will they, won’t they relationship rings true for many as one is in love and the other is only reciprocated after it is too late.

I felt Beltran’s performance of Usnavi was a little too energetic at first. I can’t say if it was nerves or if he was extremely excited to be on stage, but it was a little distracting to see him jumping around stage and trying to rap a complex storyline. Although, after the opening song, he settled into the subsequent story lines. Arielle Jacobs’ flawless performance of Nina warms our hearts as I’ve heard myself say many of the things she laments regarding school, who she is and where she wants to go. At first, Rogelio Douglas, Jr.’s performance of Benny was lackluster and unconvincing up until he took the microphone for “Benny’s Dispatch” and silenced any doubts I might of had for Benny. Kudos. Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer’s portrayal of Vanessa left me breathless as she belted her desire to ride away on the elevator train, coupled with her dancing in four inch heels, bravo Yvette, bravo.

All in all, this was a polished production that glorifies love, family, ambition and most importantly, the meaning of being home. Sadly, last night was the final performance for In The Heights in Tampa. This production will be on tour through next August in various cities around the country. It is also currently playing at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway if you get a chance to make it up there. If theatre was placed on this earth as an essence to move the soul, In The Heights surely did a number on me. I look forward to March 9th, when "In The Heights” returns to Florida, but this time in Orlando. Get you’re your tickets as soon as possible, because after the buzz this show is generating, you’ll want to be first in line.

www.intheheightsthemusical.com

Music of the Post - under0ath