'Onegin' at the Boston Ballet

Onegin is a three act ballet by John Cranko and is based on the novel by Alexander Pushkin. It features music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (who created the opera Eugene Onegin), arranged and orchestrated by K.H. Stolze who selected the music for the ballet from Tchaikovsky’s vast repertoire. This dramatic story fuses love and tragedy in Imperial Russia. Most of the scenery and costumes, courtesy of the Dutch National Ballet, were in muted, natural tones. Onegin adorns black throughout the ballet, in what I suspect was a purposeful decision, which makes his mysterious, harsh and brooding character more distinctive than those around him.

Patrick Yocum and Ashley Ellis in John Cranko's Onegin; photo by Gene Schiavone, courtesy of Boston Ballet

The story follows young Tatiana, her sister Olga, Lensky (Olga’s fiancé) and Onegin, the love interest of Tatiana, who fails to reciprocate her feelings until it is too late. Ashley Ellis as Olga was superb and danced with perfect musicality; breathing with the music as she danced her pas de deux with Patrick Yocum who danced as Lensky, her fiancé. Her facial expressions were sweet and natural and she believably portrayed a girl in love every moment she was with Yocum. Yocum was believable for the most part as Lensky though his facial expressions seemed forced at times. His shining moment came in act two, before his duel with Onegin, in a solo performance that was emotionally charged and powerful. Lasha Khozashvili wonderfully danced and acted the part of Onegin. He was clearly conflicted while in the company of Tatiana, danced by Petra Conti. Their connection during their pas de deux was enchanting both in act one and in act three. They danced beautifully together. Emotions and tensions were high in their pas de deux in act three, taking place years later, where Tatiana received audience applause for staying strong and committed to her husband, Prince Gremin. Khozashvili had many wonderfully acted moments including his mean-spirited fight with Tatiana and flirtatious moments with Olga. The pas de deux in act three between Tatiana and Prince Gremin, danced by Bo Busby, was graceful and fluid.

The corps de ballet was fantastic throughout and received thunderous applause early in act one as the male dancers guided their leaping partners across the stage. The party scene in act two was lively and enjoyable to watch as was the ball in act three. The nurse, portrayed by Sarah Wroth, added a much needed dose of humor and lightheartedness to the story.

This exquisitely executed production of Onegin plays at the Boston Opera House until March 6^th. Tickets and information can be found by visiting bostonballet.org. 

Petra Conti and Lasha Khozashvili in John Cranko's Onegin; photo by Gene Schiavone, courtesy of Boston Ballet

Review of Carrie: The Musical at UNH

Carrie: The Musical is based on the Stephen King novel and classic horror movie. While both the novel and the movie highlighted the paranormal, this version produced by the Mask and Dagger Dramatic Society at University of New Hampshire was designed to focus more on the bullying facets while downplaying the paranormal. Subsequently, the technical aspects surrounding the paranormal events were weak and left the audience underwhelmed. 

This bare bones production featured a number of strong ensemble pieces including the opening number which had the cast coming out from the audience. Unfortunately, they later retreated to their seats in the audience where more than one broke character whilst they also used that space to change their clothes, as if the rest of the audience couldn’t see them, detracting from the scene occurring on stage. The special lighting on Sue during her interrogation scenes should have been placed more on her face rather than above/behind her especially considering, in one of her lines, she requests that the light be removed from her face because she couldn’t see. It is here that I look to the creative team and suggest that they pay more detailed attention to lines in the script that specify lighting or scenic aspects.

The three piece band was located off stage behind the scenes yet many of the female singers were drowned out by the band on their solos unlike the male vocalists who were strong throughout. Projection in the small black box theatre space should not have been a problem. Nevertheless, several of the performers struggled with their pitch, projection and diction throughout the performance.

Thankfully two of the lead characters were perfectly cast and acted as the glue that held the production together. Sue, played by Teghan Kelly, and Tommy, played by Taylor Morrow, were on point with their characters and vocals throughout the production. They had a believable and well developed connection that culminated in their duet in Act 2 that was heartfelt and beautifully sung. Marrow’s voice was also showcased in his short solo number in Act 1: “Dreamer in Disguise”.  Kelly, who almost never (if ever) left the stage in the two hour production, was in character and engaged with each scene as they played out; even those she was not directly in. Her voice was vibrant and commanding each time she sang and she clearly embodied her complex character. 

The director, Brooke Snow, explained in the production sheet that “Carrie: The Musical” is “really a story about the effects that bullying can have on someone’s life”.  While they did downplay the paranormal, they did not downplay the "religious fanaticism" of the mother.  The mother, played well by Rachel Noland, was a strong religious fanatic whose warped knowledge of Christianity offered her justification for abusing her daughter.  Carrie was played by Sam Trottier who effectively showed Carrie as a mousey, naïve girl but missed the mark when expressing an enraged, out of control victim getting her revenge in the prom scene. The caring and sympathetic gym teacher was played competently by Hadley Withington, though her costume and hair style did not differentiate her as older and more mature than the students she reprimanded.

In the book and the movie, Carrie’s demonic paranormal powers are a direct response to her mother’s controlling, irrational, extreme view of religion.  In my opinion, the two extremes go hand in hand.  To lessen the focus on Carrie’s paranormal abilities, which culminate in the terrifying and deadly prom scene, risks giving the musical an uneven feel.  The way the power was presented at the prom was underwhelming and anticlimactic.  The room went dark when the bucket of blood was to be spilt over Carrie and the lights returned to find her wet with a very light colored liquid that did not resemble blood at all.  It was then literally difficult to watch Carrie’s rage unfold with the addition of the strobe lighting which did not enhance the scene as was perhaps intended. 

Mask & Dagger’s goal as stated in their production sheet is “to use these works of theatre to provoke thought, test ideas, and broaden perspectives on the UNH campus”.  To that end, with this performance as a public service piece, they have met their goals.

Review "Tinker to Evers to Chance" at Merrimack Repertory Theatre (Lowell, MA)

Tinker to Evers to Chance by Mat Smart and directed by Sean Daniels is a captivating story about love, loss and baseball, but most of all hope. The hope felt by a diehard Cubs fan in 2003 when she believes that this will be the year the baseball team will finally make it to the World Series and win for the first time since 1908. The hope felt by a daughter wishing for her mother to come home. The hope of a caretaker praying that he didn’t cross the line and longing to make things right. While this play explored a variety of emotions, time periods and connected characters, the most prominent piece that tied it all together was hope.

In the fall of 2003, Lauren, played by Emily Kitchens, travels to her mother’s home in Chicago from her home in New York City so the two of them can attend a pivotal playoff game of their beloved Chicago Cubs. She arrives at the apartment, with a view of Wrigley field, to find not her mother, but her mother’s personal care assistant RJ, played by James Craven. They soon discover Nessa, Lauren’s mother, has disappeared without a trace and they have no idea why she left or where she went. The only clues they find are those in a play she has written about Johnny Evers, the Cubs’ second baseman. Over the next six months Lauren forms a bond with RJ keeping him in the loop on discoveries she makes in regards to her mother’s disappearance. Even when it’s clear to them that Nessa is never coming home, Lauren never gives up hope that her mother will one day return to her.

The cast of two portray multiple characters throughout the play including Nessa (Lauren’s mother), Florence (Nessa’s Grandmother), Johnny Evers, and Mrs. Spoor (Johnny Evers’ Nurse). Using various costume pieces the two actors transform to portray the other characters over a 97-year time span. Both Kitchens and Craven are dynamic actors who bring life in colorful, emotional, and at times amusing ways to the variety of characters they play. One of my favorites was Craven’s dainty portrayal of Florence as she meets Johnny Evers in 1906 while working in a drugstore on the South Side of Chicago. Donned in a white apron his mannerisms and vocals wonderfully portrayed the young Florence who Evers gave his baseball jersey to. Evers, in this scene, was played by Kitchens who later portrayed him again after his stroke. Kitchens’ portrayal of Evers in both scenes was interesting to watch, but my favorite character she portrayed was Nessa in a scene where she meets Evers (played here by Craven) for the first time and he signs the jersey he had given to her grandmother many years earlier. This scene was poignant and very well done by both actors. 

This play draws the audience in from the beginning and is able to keep their attention throughout. One noteworthy sequence occurred when neither actor was on stage and all the audience heard for a few minutes was an audio recording of the 2003 NLCS Game 6: the Cubs against the Marlins. It was a well done addition to the play that brought to life the baseball theme and how important it and this particular game was in the lives of Lauren and Nessa.

Emily Kitchens & James Craven (Photo Credit: MRT)

While this play was not my favorite of MRT’s season, its’ message of hope and never giving up on someone or something, is one that has stayed with me. Tinker to Evers to Chance plays at Merrimack Repertory Theatre (Lowell, MA) until March 6^th with performances Wednesdays through Sundays. Tickets range from $60- $23 and can be purchased online at www.mrt.org or by calling 978-654-4678.