Review: ‘I, Snowflake’ by Anthem Theatre Company (Boston, MA)

As part of their “Cabinet of Curiosities” festival, Theatre On Fire and Charlestown Working Theater bring Anthem Theatre Company’s newest play ‘I, Snowflake’ to the stage. It is described as a post-election reaction play, a commedia tragi-farce for the world we now live in. Devised by Anthem Theatre Company, it was conceived, written and directed by Anthem’s Artistic Director Bryn Boice. This play was created out of the results of the ‘Snowflake Questionnaire’ sent out by the theatre company in November of 2016 following the election.

Cast of 'I, Snowflake'. Courtesy Anthem Theatre Company

Scenically minimalistic, the words spoken by the cast are the focus of the play; which allows them to more fully resonate with audience members. The intimate space allowed the audience to become engrossed in the stories being told. Using various theatrical elements including simple movement, music, singing and mime the all-female cast shared the concerns, fears, thoughts and feelings of the many people around the country who participated in the survey. Creatively written and directed by Bryn Boice, the play flowed seamlessly from one subject to the next. Each scene focused on a different issue including the Supreme Court, reproductive rights, violent crime, divided families and more. They were welded together by a recurring theme: the feeling of déjá vu.   

The ensemble includes Leighsa Burgin, Olivia Caputo, Siobhan Carroll, Katie Finkelstein, Caitlyn Jones, Erica Jade Simpson, Sharon Squires, Sylvia Sword and Maryanne Truax. Julee Antonellis, featured as Snowflake, performed almost entirely in mime. Her facial expressions, physicality and interactions with the ensemble were superb. Overall, the cast was wonderfully in-tune with one another, actively listening and reacting to the words spoken by their fellow actors. Their lines, spoken one right after the other or overlapping, kept the pace of the play brisk and the audience engaged. Additionally, with each line they spoke, the actors were believable and seemed to really feel and believe what they were saying. ©

While this interesting and socially relevant new work has completed their three performances, “The Cabinet of Curiosities” festival runs until May 27^th. For more information on these companies and their upcoming productions visit www.anthemtheatre.org, www.charlestownworkingtheater.org and www.theatreonfire.org.

Boston Ballet’s latest triple bill production “Robbins/The Concert” delights audiences (Boston, MA)

Boston Ballet’s latest triple bill production includes a Boston Ballet premiere, a world premiere, and an audience favorite. Each ballet features uniquely beautiful choreography and wonderfully showcases the talented dancers of the company. Conducting the Boston Ballet orchestra, who did a marvelous job with each musical variation, was guest conductor David Briskin.

John Lam and Lia Cirio in George Balanchine's Stravinsky Violin Concerto © The George Balanchine Trust;

photo by Igor Burlak Photography, courtesy Boston Ballet

Opening the production is the Boston Ballet premiere of the “Stravinsky Violin Concerto” which first premiered at the New York State Theater in 1972. It features the music of Igor Stravinsky with choreography by George Balanchine. It is being produced through a special arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and in accordance with the Balanchine Style® and Balanchine Technique® Service standards as established and provided by the Trust. The ballet included four segments: an opening and a closing with the full cast of dancers, while featuring two couples dancing a pas de deux in the middle two sections. Toccata, the first part, was upbeat with lively dancing by the company. Aria I was beautifully danced by Lia Cirio and John Lam. They had a fantastic partnering connection and were captivating to watch. Aria II highlighted very nice technique from partners Lasha Khozashvili and Seo Hye Han. Capriccio was fantastically flirty and fun. This enjoyable ballet was a great start to the evening.   

Boston Ballet in Jorma Elo's Creatures of Egmont; photo by Igor Burlak Photography, courtesy Boston Ballet

The second piece is a world premiere entitled “Creatures of Egmont” by Boston Ballet resident choreographer Jorma Elo. It features twelve dancers, six men and six women, who are constantly moving. Dancing in this ballet on opening night were, Lia Cirio with Lasha Khozashvili, Misa Kuranaga with Paulo Arrais, Dusty Button with Sabi Varga, Seo Hye Han with Junxiong Zhao, Maria Baranova with Patrick Yocum and Addie Tapp with Drew Nelson. This ballet is physically challenging for the dancers and includes many lifts and flipping of partners, in addition to a myriad of jumps and turns. Each pair of dancers were superbly matched and danced beautifully together. Elo masterfully matched his choreography with the various musical pieces he selected for this ballet. The choreography often featured angular lines paired with both smooth and sharp movement. The dancers all displayed impeccable musicality, technique and understanding of the choreography. Their lines and extensions were exquisite. The overall artistry of this ballet and the dancers within it was outstanding to watch.  

Boston Ballet in Jorma Elo's Creatures of Egmont; photo by Igor Burlak Photography, courtesy Boston Ballet

Jerome Robbins’ “The Concert (Or, The Perils of Everybody)” was a playful, fun, and humorous ballet to end the production. Robbins’ choreography blends nicely with the music by Frederic Chopin and together they delightfully bring a collection of characters and their story to life.  Kathleen Breen Combes, Lasha Khozashvili and Dusty Button led the company with wonderful character roles. Each dancer’s character was specific and clearly portrayed to the audience through their acting and dancing. One standout section was when a group of ballerinas danced with numerous intentional and often comical mistakes. Being able to pull off intentional mistakes while staying in character is much more complicated than it may seem. It takes a lot of talent, technique, focus and teamwork. Their pristine musical timing and perfect facial expressions during this section made their dancing even more enjoyable. The audience clearly enjoyed this ballet as noted by their constant chuckles and by their giving it a hearty standing ovation. ©

Kathleen Breen Combes in Jerome Robbins' The Concert (Or, The Perils of Everybody);

photo by Igor Burlak Photography, courtesy Boston Ballet

This triple bill production is perfect for the dance enthusiast and runs about 2 hours including two intermissions. “Robbins/The Concert” performs at the Boston Opera House (539 Washington St, Boston, MA) through May 27^th rotating with Boston Ballet’s production of “The Sleeping Beauty”. Tickets and more information can be found at www.bostonballet.org or by calling the Box Office at 617-695-6955.

World Premiere of ‘My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend’ at Merrimack Repertory Theatre (Lowell, Ma)

Charissa Bertels in "My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend". Photo by Meghan Moore.

Closing out the season at Merrimack Repertory Theatre is the world premiere production of ‘My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend’ conceived and performed by Charissa Bertels, with book and lyrics by Christian Duhamel, and music and lyrics by Edward Bell. It’s the story of an actress, Charissa, and her much older companion, Milton, from whom she learns so much.  Its message is one of acceptance, personal growth, and the power of honest human connections and relationships. The detailed and creative lighting design by Brian J. Lilienthal paired nicely with the scenic design by Neil Patel. Additionally, it was wonderfully connected to the music and script, accenting and highlighting many moments throughout. Directed by Sean Daniels and with music directed by Kevin David Thomas, this one-woman-show features a variety of musical numbers, including up-tempos and ballads, each showcasing Bertels’ impeccable vocal abilities.

It didn’t take long for Bertels’ presence and fantastic, comedic story telling ability to enthrall the audience. Over the next 90 minutes the audience was in the palm of her hand, laughing at the witty one-liners, getting choked up during the more emotional scenes and songs, and thoroughly enjoying every minute of it. Her portrayal of Milton, his characteristics and voice, and her facial expressions and reactions as Charissa to his blunt and often times amusing comments were perfectly timed. With every song she displayed believable sincerity. Her powerful and incredible vocal range was highlighted in each song making it difficult to choose a favorite number. “What a View”, early in the show, was performed with genuine excitement and thrill. Just as “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend” and “Together With You” were lighthearted and fun, “The Love Left Behind” and “Our Time” were tenderly moving and tear-jerking.

Within seconds of singing her final note in “What Counts” the audience leapt to their feet with robust applause and cheers giving Bertels a long-lasting standing ovation that was entirely well deserved. This touching and humorous musical is bound to not only tug at your heartstrings, but make you laugh and send you out of the theatre smiling. This new musical is a must see this May and Charissa Bertels’ performance is not to be missed! ©  

Charissa Bertels in "My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend". Photo by Meghan Moore.

Running around 90 minutes with no intermission, “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend” plays at Merrimack Repertory Theatre, located at 50 East Merrimack Street Lowell, MA, with performances Wednesday through Sunday until May 21^st, 2017.  Tickets range from $70-$26 with discounts available for groups, students, seniors, Lowell residents, and military service members. To purchase tickets or find more information visit www.mrt.org or call 978-654-4678.

Review: ‘Gabriel’ at Stoneham Theatre (Stoneham, MA)

Cast of 'Gabriel'. Photo courtesy Nile Hawver/Nile Scott Shots

This captivating play written by Moira Buffini, takes place during WWII on German occupied Guernsey Island. It tells the story of 10-year-old Estelle, her family and a young man with amnesia who washes up on their shore. When they decide to save his life and shelter him in their home, their own lives are endangered. While this drama is dark and often intense, there are numerous moments of humor that lighten the heavy mood. Director Weylin Symes made creative use of the set with his staging. The detailed living space with a small second floor room above it was designed by Matthew Lazure and was nicely lit by lighting designer Jeffrey E. Salzberg.  

The cast overall was strong in their characters. Thomas Derrah was cunning, ferocious, and sadistic as German Officer Von Pfunz, giving one of the strongest performances in the show. Josephine Moshiri Elwood, as Lillian, was sympathetic as a young Jewish girl hiding her true beliefs so that she doesn’t get sent to a concentration camp. Lake, played by Cheryl McMahon, was realistic and practical, only wanting what is best for the family. As Estelle, Marissa Simeqi, though innocent and naïve of the world she lived in and its complexity, was compassionate without reserve and a feisty protector of her family. Georgia Lyman, as Jeanne Becquet, dynamically portrayed her complex character as one who must make difficult choices to protect those she loves. She was often the one to break tension with a humorous or sarcastic line which she timed perfectly. Alexander Molina, as Gabriel the young amnesiac saved by Lillian and Estelle, was completely believable and secure in his character. His sincere confusion about who he is and what had happened to him was heartbreaking.

While the cast had good chemistry and seemed to work well with each other, there were a number of instances when they were not actively listening to one another and thus some line flubs occurred. This also may have impacted their accents as well, as those went in and out during the performance. People’s lives are at stake in the story line of this play and yet the pacing seemed to lack a sense of urgency and the tempo, at times, was slow. Increasing the sense of urgency and pacing of the production would have heightened the emotional stakes of the characters and made their portrayals more believable. That being said, I did enjoy the silent acting moments by the actors when they were not directly involved or present in the scene or conversation. It added realism and depth to the production. Unfortunately, the play ended just after the climax leaving many questions unanswered.

Overall, ‘Gabriel’ was an interesting play with admirable performances by the cast and the audience seemed to really enjoy the production despite some hiccups. © Running close to two and a half hours including intermission, ‘Gabriel’ performs at Stoneham Theatre, 395 Main St. Stoneham, until May 14^th. Tickets range $50- $55 Adults, $45-$50 Seniors and $20 Students (with valid ID). For tickets or more information visit www.stonehamtheatre.org or call the box office at 781-279-2200.

Review: The Sleeping Beauty by Boston Ballet (Boston, MA)

Paulo Arrais & Misa Kuranaga. Photo courtesy Liza Voll & Boston Ballet.

Boston Ballet’s production of Marius Petipa’s ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ first premiered in 2005 and is once again enchanting audiences with its classic story, familiar music and sensational dancing. The ballet features majestic music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky with choreography by Marius Petipa and additional choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton. It tells the story of Princess Aurora who was cursed as an infant by the Fairy Carabosse. Thanks to the Lilac Fairy, Aurora will not die from this curse, but will instead fall into a deep sleep to only be awakened by a Prince’s kiss. After one hundred years in slumber and with help from the Lilac Fairy, Aurora is found by Prince Desire, who wakes her with a kiss thus breaking the spell. 

The costume and scenic design for this production are by David Walker, with lighting by John Cuff. The detailed backdrops of the set were natural in their color and blended nicely with the more muted tones of the costumes during the Prologue. This allowed for the brighter and richer tones of the King, Queen and Fairies’ costumes to really stand out. The lighting nicely amplified these differences making it clear to the audience who was who in the Royal Court, and in the case of Carabosse and her creatures, who was not welcome.

From the start of the overture Tchaikovsky’s music, played by the Boston Ballet orchestra and wonderfully conducted by Jonathan McPhee, was magical and hushed the chatty audience right away. The prologue featured smooth and flowing movement from the Fairies, their Cavaliers and Lilac Fairy Attendants. Each Fairy demonstrated their unique personality within their solos even though their tempos and dancing varied. Some were sharp, some were bouncy, while others were smooth and delicate. One of the highlights of the Prologue was the incomparable Dusty Button as the Lilac Fairy. She was perfectly in-sync with the music, with each accented note precisely in time with her dancing. She was absolutely stunning. Shortly after her, Carabosse’s creatures, all wearing malicious looking masks, creepily danced around the stage. When they rolled Carabosse, played by Erica Cornejo, on stage in her dark and eerie coach, the moment was both amazing and terrifying. Act one featured a beautiful garland dance by the company to the familiar tune of “Once Upon a Dream”.

Misa Kuranaga, as Aurora, was dazzling, receiving applause after many complex sequences including extended balancing on pointe, boundless leaps and supreme turns. Her facial expressions matched her sixteen year-old character precisely and she danced with joyful gracefulness. While Kuranaga was fantastic throughout, her dancing became stronger over the duration of the ballet. She fully engages her back when using her arms, showing masterful awareness of the body and how movement, no matter how slight, is connected and impacts the rest of the body.  She maintains full control of her movement, lifting her extensions higher and breathing through her transitions, making them just as important as the complex choreography they intertwine.

Act two introduces us to Prince Desire on a hunting expedition in the woods one hundred years after Carabosse’s spell put Aurora to sleep. As Prince Desire, Paulo Arrais was strong and confident in his dancing all while portraying his character’s longing for fulfillment and true love. Kuranaga glowed as Prince Desire’s vision of Aurora. Their partnering was confident and fluid. They truly brought the fairytale magic to life on stage and were entirely mesmerizing. Act three concludes the story with the celebration of the marriage of Princess Aurora and Prince Desire. Their pas de deux was breathtaking to watch and it exemplified their characters’ happiness and love. Arrais once again demonstrated impeccable skill and artistry as he leapt across the stage in a lengthy sequence and completed it with ease as if it took no effort at all.

Boston Ballet in Marius Petipa's 'The Sleeping Beauty'; photo by Liza Voll, courtesy Boston Ballet

Other highlights of act three include Ji Young Chae as Princess Florine and Junxiong Zhao as Blue Bird. She was dainty, but strong with pristine balances, exquisite extensions and exuberant facial expressions. His high flying jumps were energetic and well executed. Their musicality and partnering was fantastic. They were wonderful to watch. The White Cat and Puss’N Boots, danced by Rie Ichikawa and Lawrence Rines, were amusingly delightful to watch. Their cheeky interactions and bouncy “pas de chat”, meaning “step of the cat”, made them an audience favorite for sure. ©   

Though this production runs about 2 hours and 45 minutes including two intermissions, the classic love story and beautiful dancing by the company make this a ballet for the whole family. ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ performs at the Boston Opera House (539 Washington St, Boston, MA) through May 27^th. Tickets and more information can be found at www.bostonballet.org or by calling the Box Office at 617-695-6955.

‘Paradise’ presented by Underground Railway Theater at Central Square Theater (Boston, MA)

Caitlin Nasema Cassidy & Barlow Adamson in 'Paradise'. Courtesy Central Square Theater

Now on stage at Central Square Theater, presented by Underground Railway Theater, is the world premiere of Laura Maria Censabella’s Paradise. Directed by Shana Gozansky, it features two talented actors portraying compelling and complex characters. Barlow Adamson plays Dr. Guy Royston, a high school biology teacher who wants nothing more than to be back experimenting in the college labs he was blacklisted from. Caitlin Nasema Cassidy plays Yasmeen al-Hamadi, a Muslim-American high school senior from the Bronx, who is intent on getting a full scholarship to Columbia with the hopes of pursuing a career in science. Guided by Dr. Royston, Yasmeen works on a neurobiological experiment to investigate adolescent romantic love. While working together to complete her experiment their beliefs clash, not only about science, but about religion, family, responsibility and obligation and subsequently their lives are transformed.

The classroom set design by Jenna McFarland Lord allowed the audience, who sat on three sides of the stage area, to be very close to the interactions between the characters. The detailed lighting design by Karen Perlow subtly added depth to the scenes, while the sound design by Nathan Leigh kept the changes lively from one scene to the next.

Tensions are high from the start as Yasmeen desperately tries to salvage her 4.0 grade point average after failing her last science test. Cassidy’s portrayal of Yasmeen was very intense. Her mentality, attitude and overall portrayal were all familiarly reminiscent of smart, dedicated students working towards scholarships and an Ivy League school. But her path towards a career as a scientist is compounded by her religious beliefs and obligations and her family responsibility.  Contrarily, Adamson’s portrayal of Dr. Royston made him seem more lackadaisical at the start. But once he started working on the experiment with Yasmeen, his joyous passion for science began to show. Each actor carries on an accent during the production, Adamson’s is Virginian while Cassidy’s is Bronx, New York. While each seemed comfortable in their accent, Cassidy’s faded in and out during the performance. The duo displayed a wonderful teacher-student and mentoring relationship. Additionally, they had strong conversational and comedic timing throughout.  While the script at times dived deep into scientific jargon, the actors grasp of the language and their execution of it made it easier to understand.

Highlights of act two include Dr. Royston’s scientific juju dance in the first scene. The audience found Adamson’s dancing around the stage very amusing. Another highlight was when Yasmeen (Cassidy) sang a section of the Quran for Dr. Royston. The audience was just as raptured with her voice as he was. It was a one of the most beautiful moments in the production.

Though the story line and performances were interesting to watch, a two-person play that runs over two hours with intermission may be a bit long to sit through. © Paradise runs until May 7^th, tickets and more information can be found at centralsquaretheater.org. Tickets may also be purchased by calling 617-576-9278 x1 or by visiting the Central Square Theater box office. Ticket prices begin at $20, Seniors save $5, Students with valid University I.D. are $20 and Under 18 are $15. There are also group discounts.