2011-11-11 Follies in Chicago

Bill and I traveled to Chicago last weekend to see the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's production of Follies. It starred Brent Barrett as Ben, Caroline O'Connor as Phyllis, Robert Petkoff as Buddy, and Susan Moniz as Sally. The theatre is basically a three quarter round theatre. The orchestra was placed on the stage and became an integral part of the musical, much unlike other productions of Follies (not counting the concert versions of course.) The director Gary Griffin used all areas of the theatre including aisle leading away from the stage. I felt his staging was really excellent. He has directed on Broadway (the Color Purple and the Apple Tree) and is the resident director in Chicago.

We have seen Brent Barrett a few times. He has done Phantom on Broadway and in Vegas, Kiss Me Kate on Broadway and London, Chicago the Musical, and Annie Get Your Gun with Reba McIntyre. Years ago we saw Caroline O'connor in Mack and Mabel. She is from Australia and our friend Peter Eyres is a friend of hers. Robert Petkoff played Tateh in the revival of Ragtime on Broadway. And Susan Moniz is a Chicago actress who was very impressive as Sally. All of the performances were top notch. Caroline's version of Lucy and Jesse was danced the best I have ever seen it.

One of my main objections with the current Broadway revival is in the staging. The cast comes to the middle of the stage, sing their song, and then go off into the wings. This is supposed to be a party and in the Chicago production, they are directed to pretty much be a part of the action at most times. Gary Griffin uses waiters and some props to play up this fact, and it works extremely well. I do miss the glamour of the Broadway version in the costuming, however. And there are not as many ghosts of the Follies girls wandering around. All in all it was a very satisfying evening.

Bill and I waited after the show in the lobby and we were able to meet up with Caroline and Brent and chat with them briefly. I purchased a CD of Caroline's that she recorded in Australia. She had done the premier of the play "End of the Rainbow," a play that went to London and is due in New York next year. The album is based on the Judy Garland songs used in the show. She was kind enough to autograph the CD for me.

We spent three days total in Chicago. A highlight was touring the Art Institute of Chicago, to see the new modern wing, and catch up on the rest of the impressive collection. Across from the Institute is Millennium Park, which we had not seen since it had been completed. This park is beautifully landscaped and has the Millennium Stage as its focal point. The foliage was at its peak in Chicago, and it was such a beautiful clear day there, so I was able to take a lot of pictures of the wonderful skyline and Chicago's amazing architecture. I am looking forward to returning to Chicago soon.

2011-08-31 Recent Theatre

Bill and I decided to return to see Catch Me If You Can once more before it closed. Boy, am I glad we did. I think this show got short shrift from both the critics and the public. It was so much fun, and had such a great cast. Norbert Leo Butz was amazing as Carl Hanratty, and Aaron Tveit was sublime as Frank Abagnale, Jr. The entire cast was really into the show and it had jelled amazing well over the months since we had seen it. I loved this show and am sorry it is closing. Norbert was amazing once again in his signature number, "The Man Inside the Clues." A bravo performance from someone who claims they never had dance classes, and a real Tony award winner.

Next on the list is Death Takes a Holiday, a Maury Yeston musical. I have been a fan of Maury Yeston since I first heard Grand Hotel, Nine, and then Titanic. He also composed a wonderful song cycle called December Songs which Andrea Marcovicci recorded. I enjoyed Death Takes a Holiday. Not a great show, but extremely enjoyable. And what a cast: Rebecca Luker, Linda Balgord, Matt Cavenaught, Mara Davi, Jill Paice, Max Von Essen, Don Stephenson, and Kevin Earley. This is one of those shows where the original lead was replaced because of vocal issues. The original lead was Julian Ovenden, an actor from London. He was replaced by Kevin Earley, who I found to be completely captivating. Bill had seen Julian in a musical in London called Marguerite, which I did not see but have the cast CD of. I understand that he was amazing in the role of Death/Count Sirki, but I did love Kevin's interpretation of the role. Rebecca Luker had an amazing song called Losing Roberto. It was for me the highlight of the show. I really enjoyed this show and hope that it has a life after the Roundabout Theatre.

We finally saw Anything Goes with Sutton Foster at the Stephen Sondheim theatre. I loved this show. I have been fortunate for designing the set for two productions of Anything Goes in my career. I have seen the Patti Lupone version of the show at Lincoln Center, and I have listened to the many recordings for many years. So why did I love this production? One name! Sutton Foster! She was amazing. She performed the Kathleen Marshall dance routines without breaking a sweat. She has a great sense of humor, and is the consumate performer of our time in musical theatre as far as I'm concerned. But the entire cast was excellent, from Joel Grey to Laura Osnes (discovered on the tv casting of Grease), to Adam Godley, and finally Colin Donnell.
And what a treat to see John McMartin ( original cast of Follies 1971) and Kelly Bishop (from the original Chorus Line). Once again Kathleen Marshall shows that she is a consummate choreographer/director justly winning the Tony for choreographer. And the same can be said of Sutton Foster. She won the Tony Award for best actress in a musical. This is a wonderful production and should be seen.

2011-8-04 Zarkana

I have been  a fan of Cirque du Soleil for many years. At last count, I think I have seen 12 of their shows over the years. By far, the best were "O" in Vegas and The Beatles Love in Vegas. Totally different but unique in their own way. Cirque shows have an amazing ability to get the audience totally involved and captivated. Even in the mediocre shows such as Zumanity, there are things to love. I remember after seeing Zumanity in Vegas, we were in the elevator of the time share apts. at the MGM Grand and the audience participant from that night was in the elevator with us. He had pictures of him with the cast, and told us that the entire company was so nice to him. What a treat that would have been to have met the cast. He was a good sport and went along with everything they did to him that night. And to me, that's what Cirque shows are all about. The have a resonance about them that other circus shows lack. Their production values are amazing. You are totally entertained throughout the experience.

And such was the cast with Zarkana at Radio City. The plotline was ludicrous. They used a very good Canadian performer to represent Zarkana, but the story line made very little sense. The music was okay, but not overwhelming (where is Celine Dion when you need her!) But the circus acts were unbelievable. I have seen men flying through the air on ropes before, but not with a woman dangling below him! All the acts were excellent. The sets, lighting and techical brilliance sets this Cirque show apart from many others. It was truly a spectacle.

And the audience loved every minute of it. They even flew one of the clowns way out over the audience. I turned to Bill and said, sure they can fly the clown, but they can't fly the wicked witch of the west in "Wicked." Truly amazing.

If you haven't seen Zarkana, go see it. You will love it. I look forward to my next Cirque experience. And so should you!

2011-07-30 Pancake Hollow Primer by Laurence Carr

My friend Larry Carr just published a novel called Pancake Hollow Primer: a Hudson Valley Story. Larry is a prolific writer, dramatist and teacher. Bill and I love to visit Larry and his wife Kay in October each year on Pancake Hollow Road in Highland, New York. The area is very picturesque and we enjoy apple picking down the road at Wilklow Orchards. On our last visit, I took a few pictures around their wonderful home. Larry asked me to specifically take some photographs of an old red barn on their property. To my surprise, he asked if he could use one of the photos on the cover of his novel, to which I said yes. He has credited me on the back cover of the book for the cover photo. I love the way he wrapped the picture around the cover of the book. When I last saw him a week ago, he told me that the book is selling very well in the Hudson Valley and that it is in its third printing. The book was published at Codhill Press for any one interested. I am totally thrilled that one of my photographs is now in print on the cover of his book.

Happy Birthday, Jerry Herman!

Today is Jerry Herman's 80th birthday. I have been a fan of Jerry's music almost all of my life. I saw Carol Channing perform Hello Dolly on the last tour she did in 1995 in Houston, Texas. On that same tour in New York, I went to Tower Records and met most of the cast including Jerry Herman himself, again on his birthday when they presented him with a cake. I also met him on the street in New York after a Jerry Herman tribute at Town Hall. I have seen La Cage in all it's incarnations in New York.  I saw Mack and Mabel in Ohio and London. I saw Mame with Angela Lansbury in the last New York Production, and in Washington with Christine Baranski. I loved the Grand Tour with Joel Grey on Broadway. Saw A Day in Hollywood also in New York,. I even did a set design for Dear World, which is still one of my favorite scores.  I own all of his CD's of all of his shows. He writes amazing songs, and has the ability to capture the spirit of everything he writes. He is an American treasure. Happy Birthday, Jerry!

7/9/2011 The Adams Family

We finally saw the Addams Family musical last night. Both Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth are long gone, but Roger Rees and Brooke Shields are holding forth as Morticia and Gomez Addams. Rees is a standout. He is every bit the star of this show. His timing is impeccable and although he doesn't have a great singing voice, he is thoroughly convincing in the role. Brooke Shield comes back to Broadway after a few years and is quite adequate as Morticia. I 'm sure she will get better in the role as she goes on. The audience loved the show. It has many humorous moments in it, and has a good supporting cast in Adam Grupper, Heidi Blickenstaff (great performance), Brad Oscar (a second great performance), and Jackie Hoffman. The music is not that memorable, but serve the proceedings well. The set was great. And the puppetry of Basil Twist was a lot of fun. I can see why the show is still running because it has a real sense of humor and pays homage to Charles Addams. 

7/2/2011 The Cherry Orchard in HD

Zoe Wannamaker

We attended a screening of Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard broadcast live from the Olivier Theatre in London on Thurs., June 30 at BAM Cinema. This is the latest production that they have broadcast (somewhat) live in that it is recorded at a live performance of the shows. Previously we have seen London Assurance, Fela, and A Disappearing Number. Cherry Orchard starred the wonderful Zoe Wannamaker, who we have had the privilege of seeing in London in His Girl Friday and Battle Royale, and in New York in Awake and Sing! Her performance was marvelous in all of these productions.
If you have not seen one of the high definition broadcasts presented by the National Theatre Live, it is a wonderful experience. They film the productions immaculately, provide the best of England's actors and actresses, and give us a chance to see shows that may not come here.
The next production is in Sept. and it is called The Two Guvnors. It looks to be very funny. This is a modern day take-off of the Italian writer Goldoni's play called The Servant of Two Masters. We did a production of the play when I was at Akron University, and had great fun with it. Look for the National Theatre Live showings, I don't think you will be disappointed.

6/27/2011 Getting My Act Together

Gretchen Cryer (top) Nancy Ford (bottom)

We attended the two production of I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road/Still Getting My Act Together last night at York Theatre. Getting My Act Together was one of the first shows I saw in New York when it was performed on Bleeker Street at Circle in the Square downtown starring Gretchen Cryer, who wrote the show with Nancy Ford. I was so impressed with Gretchen's performance that I waited for her to come out and greeted her. Thirty years later York revived Getting My Act Together starring Jenn Colella this time. I liked her performance, but Bill was not taken with it. In Still Getting My Act Together, Gretchen came out as the same character 30 years later, and we discover what she had been going through in those 30 years. I really enjoyed the show. It needs a little cutting here and there, but it was a lot of fun.

While waiting for Still Getting to take our seats, I spotted Karen Ziemba. I attended Akron University in the theatre department when Karen was dancing with the Ohio Ballet. I have seen most of Karen's shows here in New York and have been a fan of hers. I went over to her and told her that I was at Akron U at the same time that she was there, and she may have seen the set and lighting I did for Dames at Sea. She was extremely gracious and mentioned that she had just completed a workshop for a musical written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (two of my favorite lyricists and composers) and Susan Stroman the choreographer. The plotline was about Degas and the ballerinas he painted. She said it was a wonderful experience. I then congratulated her on all her success. In the theatre, she was sitting across from me, and when a joke was made about moving back to Ohio, she glanced over at me and smiled. We both knew that we would never do that in a million years!

So it turned out to be an interesting evening, finally getting to say hello to Karen after all these years, and seeing Gretchen Cryer perform again on stage.

6/15/2011 Follies to Broadway

I am totally thrilled that the announcement was made today that the Kennedy Center production of Follies is going to move to the Minskoff Theatre in New York. I loved this production and look forward to seeing it a second time. One can only hope that Bernadette Peters,  Jan Maxwell, Danny Burstein, and Ron Raines repeat their roles. It appears that Linda Lavin will be out of the show. No word on Elaine Paige or others that may be recast. I was hoping that this would happen since I felt this was the most satisfying production of the show that I have seen.

(The photo collage is a compilation of photos from the Kennedy Center production from their website.)

6/15/2011 Javier Colon

I just saw the most amazing performance I have seen in a long time. Javier Colon on The Voice just stole the whole show with his rendition of Angel. If he doesn't win the whole thing I will be very surprised. All I can say is WOW!

And the winner is ... Javier Colon. (posted after the results of the shows finale!)  Yet another prediction that was right on!

6/15/2011 Tony Awards Recap

I predicted that The Book of Morman would win for best musical. I'm not sure that it should have won for best music however. There were so many good musicals on Broadway this year. I loved Sister Act, Catch Me If You Can, and The Scottboro Boys. I really loved Patina Miller's performance in Sister Act, but haven't seen Sutton Foster's performance in Anything Goes yet. Sutton's performance on the Tony's was really good, as was Patina's.  I also thought that Tony Sheldon was fabulous in Priscilla, but also liked Norbert Leo Butz's performance in Catch Me If You Can. It's a little difficult  to choose because Tony is a friend of our friend Peter Eyres from Sydney. We had a chance to meet Tony after the show in the bowels of the Palace Theatre. Talk about an experience. Tony was extremely nice and it was such a pleasure meeting him. I thought the Tony Award show was really a lot of fun. Neil Patrick Harris was a wonderful host and has an amazing ability to ad lib, or at least to rap without much practice. His last number was priceless. As was the opening number about how Broadway is no longer just for gay men! And then there is War Horse. I loved it more in New York than I did in London. This is a wonderful, heartwrenching play, and must be seen. I am glad it received the awards it got. They were deserved. It's a shame the Scottsboro Boys did not get more recognition. It is a exciting, passionate show with many amazing performances. They're supposed to do a tour, and if they do and it comes to your town, down miss it. I have to say, this was a wonderful year for Broadway. Even the musical shows that didn't make it had some great music, sets, and performers. And the variety of plays are some of the best we've seen in years.  I think the awards were pretty just, and pretty close to what I would have voted on.

6/11/2011 Judy's Birthday

Yesterday was Judy Garland's 89th birthday. Along with my friends Andrea, Armand, and John, we took a drive from NY to Ferncliff to visit her grave site. Andrea, John and I had done this 14 years ago on Judy's 75th birthday. Andrea has visited her site almost every year since then. There were a few bouquets of flowers there, but for a while we were the only ones there. We later found another Judy fan named Carol, who is a regular visitor there. Carol knows Ferncliff quite well and directed us to the sections where Ed Sullivan, Sigmund Romberg, Joan Crawford, Max Gordon (who produced My Sister Eileen), and Jerome Kern are laid to rest. Harold Arlen is also buried there, but outside of the mausoleum. It was a beautiful day and I took great joy in paying homage to one of America's greatest stars.

6/11/2011 Follies at Kennedy Center

Last weekend we journeyed to Washington to see the latest incarnation of Follies by Stephen Sondheim. This is my favorite musical and I have seen the past three major productions: Encores, Broadway Revival, and Papermill production. By far, up to this point I really liked the Encores production, the others I had problems with the casting. The Kennedy Center production was the most satisfying overall. From the set and lighting designs, to the exquisite costumes, to the wonderful casting, this production worked on all levels for me. Bernadette is a revelation, as she usually is. Jan Maxwell was a marvelous Phyllis. Ron Raines sang Ben beautifully, but I felt that because of his stature, his was a little miscast. Danny Burstein blew me away as Buddy! He sang and danced the role amazingly well. What a couple of years he has had, first as Billis in South Pacific and then his role in Women on the Verge. I had a chance to greet him after the show and congratulate him on his performance. He was very gracious. The other cast members were also memorable including Linda Lavin, Terry White, Elaine Elias, and Elaine Paige. Our friend David got Elaine's biography signed for us, and gave us a copy of Everything Was Possible (the book about the making of the original show in 1971) that was signed by Ted Chapin.  My only complaints were Regine's performance was pretty weak, and the ghosts of showgirls that were constantly present, got in the way of the action in a couple of scenes. Eric Schaeffer did an impressive job in directing Follies and we can only hope that producers will bring this $7 million dollar production to Broadway.

On this same trip we also saw the Cuban National Ballet perform Don Quixote at the Kennedy Center. I enjoyed the performance, but did not get to see their prima ballerina since she danced the show the night before. We journeyed to the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Va. to see the latest incarnation of Side by Side by Sondheim. It was a disappointment to me, except for the performance of  Nancy Anderson. We recently saw her in both productions of Yank (at Gallery Players in Brooklyn and York Theatre in Manhattan.) The other production was at the Studio Theatre. The play was Venus in Fur by David Ives. When this play was done in New York, Nina Arianda did the lead role and went on to do Born Yesterday and gain a Tony nomination. The cast at Studio was excellent and I enjoyed the give and take of the play very much.

We did see one major art exhibit also. It was the Gaughin exhibit at the National Gallery of Art. Most of the art works were from his time spent in Polynesia. I was impressed that not only was he a great artist, but a sculptor doing work in wood and ceramic. I am glad we saw the exhibit.

The other interesting event that happened while we were in Washington involves our friend David Tannous. Bill had met David about a year ago when he attended Giant at Signature Theatre for the second time. David was sitting next to Bill and they started talking. David is like us, he is an avid theatre goer. But he knows not only theatre, but art and all other aspects of the performing arts. He has become our liaison to the theatre scene in Washington. A local group decided to sponsor once a year an award to go to a deserving audience member in the D.C. area. David was nominated by two different theatre groups and won. We are very pleased for him, and since we do travel to Washington on somewhat of a regular basis, are glad to have made friends with him. He keeps us well informed about the Washington scene. Congratulations, David.

5/28/2011 Sister Act and Lucky Guy

We went to see Lucky Guy Thursday night at the Little Schubert theatre on 42nd Street. It stars Varla Jean Merman and Leslie Jordan. This is a musical about a young man who writes a song Lucky Guy foa contest in a local Nashville radio station and wins the contest. He comes to Nashville to record his song, but is greeted by Big Al, a shyster used card salesman played by Leslie Jordan (from Will and Grace). Varla Jean plays an over the top washed up country singing star. Leslie plays his usual schtick but has such a great fun way of eating up the scenery. But Marla Jean is fabulous as the diva. This seems to be a vanity production since it is written, produced and directed by Willard Beckham. I understand that the show is going to close this weekend. The music was not great, but it was a lot of fun. There seems to be a curse on the Little Schubert theatre. It is a nicely appointed theatre, but shows don't seem to have a very long run there.

Unfortunately, this show closed two days after we saw it. There was an article written in the New York Times about the financial loss to the producers a couple of days later.

5/23/2011 The Best is Yet to Come and War Horse

I saw War Horse at Lincoln Center on Friday night. This is the second time I have seen the show, having seen it on the West End in London. This was Bill's third time to see it, since he also saw it at the National Theatre in its original run. All I can say is wow! We had seats in the second row, just off center. The production is very impressive. Those actors who portray the horses (puppets) are amazing. They bring the horses to life. You reach a point where you forget there are three or four people operating them. Seth Numrich, who plays Albert, the young man who loves his horse, is remarkable.  The cast is extremely good, with the exception of Albert's father, who I felt was a little too over the top. The production values are very impressive, including the lighting and special effects. This is a show that should be seen, and I'm sure it will win the Tony for Best Play.

On Saturday afternoon, we ventured to 59th Street to the 59th Street theatres to see The Best is Yet to Come, a musical review of Cy Coleman's songs to various lyricists.  What a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. The show has an amazing group of performers, starting with Billy Stritch leading the orchestra and performing a couple of songs. The remaining singers, David Burnham, Sally Mayes, Howard McGillan, Rachel York and Lilias White all have amazing Broadway credentials. And they don't disappoint. The show lasts a brief 80 minutes and could have gone on for hours. Cy Coleman is one of the most revered composers on Broadway, and wrote with many great lyricists. If I have any criticism, it is that David Zippel, one of his many collaborators, put too many of his songs into the mix. And they weren't the best of the songs. They relegated I'm Nothing Without You from City of Angels to a group number and didn't do the entire song. They also didn't perfom the amazing song My Friend, which was a standout in the show The Life. But the performances were amazing, and when Lilias White is on, she is spectacular. Her version of the anthem from The Life - The Oldest Profession - brought down the house, and rightly so, just like it did when she did it on Broadway and won the Tony Award for it. I think they have plans to move this show. I would love to see it go to Broadway, be expanded to two full acts, and also give it some dialogue to let us know about the remarkable career of Cy Coleman and his collaborators. Go see it, you will not be disappointed.

5/18/2011 Wonderland

Went to see Wonderland last Saturday before it closed on Sunday. A new actress, Morgan James was playing the lead that night. I must say that I enjoyed her performance almost better than Janet Dacal's performance which I had seen in previews. Bill tells me that when a show closes that it is a tradition that the understudy goes on for a performance. I had never heard this before. I think this is an extremely generous proposition, unlike the Eve Harrington situation in All About Eve.

I heard that on Sunday's performance that Darren Ritchie, the male lead proposed to Janet Dacal at the curtain call. How nice is that!

I am and have been a fan of Frank Wildhorn's shows for a long time. I feel that the critics are extremely harsh on him. I find that he writes very melodic melodies and although some of the lyricists that he works with don't always come up to his caliber, he will someday write a musical that people will take notice of. He has been extremely successful in Europe and I hope that we will see some of those shows being done in the U.S. at some point in time. At the preview of Wonderland, I approached Frank and had a nice chat with him. Back in 1995, I met him several times (mostly through his relationship with Linda Eder), and was a regular fan of his musical Jekyll and Hyde. I saw the Houston initial production, the pre-Broadway tour in New Haven and Baltimore, and on Broadway at least 5 times. I wish him continued success.

Gary

5/9/2011 The Book of Mormon

Last night we saw The Book of Mormon. All I can say is that I laughed throughout the entire musical. I found it to be extremely entertaining, very funny, full of clever inside jokes, and extremely musical. The entire cast was excellent, the sets clever, the costumes right on, and the music clever although derivative (which is part of the essense of the show.) Nothing here is sacred. After all this is written by the writer of South Park, and the musicians who gave us Avenue Q. What a combination. Both lead actors have been nominated for a Tony. They were both excellent, but my guess is that they will cancel each other out, and Tony Sheldon from Priscilla or Norbert Leo Butz from Catch Me If You Can will walk away with the best actor in a musical trophy. This show will not play in the hinterlands. It has too large a cast, and the subject matter will offend most of the rest of the country. So go see it in New York. You may not have another chance.

4/23/2011 Recent Theatre

Last night I saw "Million Dollar Quartet" on Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre. Most of the original cast is long gone, but the present cast is quite good. I especially liked Jared Mason who plays Jerry Lee Lewis and Christopher Ryan Grant (understudy) as Johnny Cash. The story is based on a night in 1956 when Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins all show up at Sun Record studios and jam. The session was taped by Sam Phillips and is available on compact disc. The show was a short 1 hr. 40 minutes, but you get a large smattering of the hits of the time by these 4 recording stars. I found the show to be enjoyable but not very profound. It was directed by Eric Schaeffer from the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia. On our last trip to Washington, we had the pleasure of meeting Eric at Extra Virgin Restaurant in Shirlington where Signature is located. This show is now playing in London also.

On Thursday night, we attended an evening devoted to Stephen Schwartz at City Opera entitled "Defying Gravity." It starred Kristin Chenowith, Raul Esparza, Victor Garber, and Anne Hampton Calloway. I really have a problem with the David Koch theatre at Lincoln Center. The sound system for these types of productions is pretty awful. You would think with the technology out there, that the sound would be much better. We saw a tribute to Leonard Bernstein there a while back and experienced the same problems. The evening was very short, only about an hour and a half, but there were some fun moments. Kristin sang "Lion Tamer" from Magic Show, Victor Garber reprised his movie role from Godspell, Anne sang "Meadowlark" from Baker's Wife, and Kristin and Raul did "Defying Gravity" from Wicked. Stephen came out at the end to do a couple of songs, which for me was the highlight of the evening. I have been a fan of his shows since I saw Godspell in Cleveland back in the early 70's. It's a shame that if you're honoring someone like Stephen Schwartz, that you don't bring in Patty Lupone to sing "Meadowlark," or Idina Menzel to reprise her role as the wicked witch of the West. Someday I expect to see a mega concert honoring Stephen Schwartz. This was not it!

4/16/2011 Jerusalem: the Play

Last night we attended a production of "Jerusalem" on Broadway starring Mark Rylance. This was a very interesting play because it dealt with ancestors who owned land, which the lead character felt entitled to occupying, albeit legally or not. It also dealt with the younger generations and their rebellion from their parents as well as the drug culture in not only our history, but English history as well. I was not very taken with the play itself, but I could not take my eyes off Mark Rylance. This man has performed in La Bete and now Jerusalem, both imported from England to America. Both performances are Tony worthy and I would not be surprised if he doesn't get nods for both productions. If you want a tour de force performance, see this play. There is some graphic violence which I am not in favor of, but it does help convey the spirit of the piece. I don't know if the play will take the Tony, but Mark's performance should be acknowledged.
Gary

4/15/2011 Conde Nast

Playa Vik

In the May 2011 issue of Conde Nast Traveler, there is an article about the Best New hotels in the world. Our friends Fatima, Jeff and Bernd stayed in two of those mentioned on our last trip to Uruguay & Argentina. In Uruguay, it is Playa Vik in Jose Ignacio, and in Buenos Aires it is the Algodon Mansion. I have always said that Fatima is the best source for any restaurant or hotel to stay in, and she proves me right again. The other place that is mentioned is in Punta del Este, Uruguay. The hotel is the Fasano Las Piedras, and this is the place that our new friend Amalia took us to for dinner in Uruguay!

4/9/2011 Recent Theatre

4/9/2011
Bill and I have enjoyed a few theatre productions recently. First is the Transport Group's production of Michael John LaChiusa's Hello Again. The musical was performed in a large open space on Mercer Street above Canal Street. Based on La Ronde by Schnitzler, the musical explores the relationships from one couple to another. LaChiusa takes liberties with time frames, but this production emphasizes the sexual content of the material by placing the action on low tables with steps leading up to them around the room. There is also a central platform. The cast uses every bit of space for their gyrations, especially on the tables which the audience is sitting around. The action becomes a little embarrassing to the audience especially when the fake sex acts are being performed on the table you're sitting at. But the cast was highly entertaining with broadway stars such as Alan Campbell, Bob Stillman, and Max von Essen among the actors. The music is typical of LaChiusa, considered one of the best of the up and coming musical theatre composers. His music is somewhat of an acquired taste, somewhat discordant at times, and at others, very melodic. This musical was first produced at Lincoln Center and is rarely seen. We were glad that we saw it, not having seen it at Lincoln Center.

This past week we saw Driving Miss Daisy on Broadway with Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones. We were impressed with the production and especially the acting. It was a pleasure watching Vanessa. She was in total command of the stage, and Mr. Jones gave a very subdued but effective performance. Boyd Gaines was also excellent as Daisy's son. The production closes this week.

Last week we finally saw Spiderman the musical. We had tickets from before, but changed them due to the continuing postponement of the opening night. We decided to see it before they institute the changes in the show. With all the hype and the press, we were not disappointed in the technical elements of the show. The flying sequences were amazing, and the set and lighting were top notch. Unfortunately, the music was pretty bad. There were only two halfway decent songs in the show. The cast was good, with the lead Peter being played by an understudy from England, Matthew James Thomas. He was actually pretty good. The second act was pretty awful. We can see why they are changing the show. This was Julie Taymor's concept and unfortunately the whole business with Arachne just didn't work for me. Hopefully, the new people helming the show will improve the show. Because of the technical aspects of this show, it would be hard to duplicate it in most theatres, and I'm sure that future productions will be done in arenas or permanent homes. It is that technical. It'll be interesting to see if it gets off the ground, so to speak!

The other recent show we saw was Priscilla the Musical. Both Bill and I had seen this in London and loved the show. It is a fun fest. The set, costumes and music are all over the top, and the audience went crazy the night we saw it. The critics hated it, but I feel that, like Mama Mia, it is somewhat critic proof. Through our friend Peter Eyres (from Australia), we were able to meet Tony Sheldon, who plays Bernadette, the transsexual in the show. He has been with the show since it's start in Australia, taking it to London, Toronto, and now to New York. He is a very nice person, and totally different from the character he plays on stage. He told us that this was his dream to play New York. We're hoping that he gets a Tony nomination for his performance. Great fun, go see it!

Wonderland is the new Frank Wildhorn musical on Broadway, based on Alice in Wonderland. It was first done in Florida and Texas before it came to New York. I enjoyed the show, but Bill not so much. The music is very pop oriented and I think that a couple of the songs could have a life of their own. Linda Eder does one of the songs on her new album, in which she collaborates once again with Frank (they were previously married). Karen Mason is good as the Red Queen, and Janet Dacall as Alice was wonderful. Bill felt the show was to derivative of other musicals of this type. It'll be interesting to see how the critics review the show, they have not been kind to Frank in the past. I had a chance at intermission to say hello to Frank. I had not seen him since the Jekyll and Hyde/Scarlet Pimpernel/Civil War days. I complimented him on his great success with shows in Europe. They seem to get him more than Americans do.

Other recent shows we saw were Good People with Frances McDormand at Manhattan Theatre Club; Other Desert Cities with Stockard Channing, Linda Lavin, and Stacy Keach at Lincoln Center; and The People in the Picture, with Donna Murphy at Roundabout Studio 54. Thumbs up on the first two, but not too impressed with The People in the Picture.

Today we are seeing Company at Avery Fisher Hall with Neil Patrick Harris and Patti Lupone. The reviews have been very good. Company is one of my favorite Stephen Sondheim shows and one I have seen numerous times. I did a production of it in Akron, Ohio at Weathervane Playhouse in the early seventies, designing the set and playing in the orchestra. I expect this will be a great production, and there is talk that it is being filmed.

4/8/2011 Trip to Argentina & Uruguay

This is my first blog. I have many friends that have suggested that I start this because of my travels, my interests in theatre, and also my love of photography. I am fortunate that I have a wonderful partner, Bill, who I share many of these adventures with. We both enjoy theatre and traveling, and wherever we go, we thoroughly enjoy many aspects of the places we choose to visit.

Our last major trip was to Buenos Aires and Uruguay in February for a two week trip. We traveled with our friends Fatima and Jeff, Bernd, and Phi and Jim. Our first stop was in Buenos Aires for two days. We have traveled there before so the city was not new to us. We stayed at the Ayres de Recoleta hotel but there other hotel near the Cemetery in Recoleta.  We did however return to San Telmo on Sunday for the flea market at the central square. We visited Daniel Fulco, an artist who makes 3 dimensional pictures of scenes in and around San Telmo.  We have four major pieces of his work, and three smaller ones. We then headed to La Boca and wandered around the streets of the historic port. In a previous trip to La Boca, we found a small courtyard where one of the most famous artists of Argentina (Benito Quinquela Martin) from the turn of the Century lived. A great many of his paintings are in the local museum named in his honor, which we visited again. Our friend Cortney joined Phil, Jim, Bill and I on this afternoon. That evening we joined Bernd, Fatima and Jeff at a local restaurant named Juana M. for a wonderful dinner. This was our second time there, having enjoyed the restaurant on a previous trip.

The next day we flew to Mendoza from Buenos Aires. During this trip we had to fly back and forth to B.A. because there are no direct flights between most of the destinations. We traveled on Aerolinas Argentinas for most of these flights. The airline was a disaster. Almost every flight we took was late, and Fatima, Jeff, and Bernd were denied access to a flight that they had booked and paid for on one of the legs.

In Mendoza, Phil, Jim, Bill and I stayed in a little town called Chacras De Campo in a bed and breakfast called Casa Glebinias. It was a small compound with a main house, and four guest cottages. The grounds and property was really beautiful, and the proprietors were really amazing. Fatima, Jeff and Bernd stayed in the city of Mendoza.

The next day we all met at Luigi Bosca winery, about 2 miles from where we were staying. This is a boutique winery, and Bernd had arranged for a tour through a friend. Valentina was our hostess and she gave us a great private tour of the winery. We then had a wine tasting of the Luigi Bosca wines which was amazing.
From there, we traveled another 10 or so miles to the Cavas Wine Lodge for lunch. This is a beautiful lodge right in the middle of a vineyard. There are personal lodges that you can stay in. The meal was excellent.

We then drove further south to Catena Zapata winery. On the way there, the skies opened up and there was cloudburst. The area is very dry, almost desert like, and the original natives had built canals to bring the water down from the Andes to this area to make it more fertile. The climate is perfect for growing grapes and the wine producing region is extensive here. We were not as impressed with Catena as we were with Luigi Bosca.

That night we drove into Mendoza to the Escorihuela Winery to eat at the 1884 restaurant. The chef is Francis Mallman who is one of the premier chefs in Argentina. We discovered later in the trip that he also has a couple of restaurants in Uruguay (Phil and Jim dined at one) as well. He prepares food on outdoor grills and in ceramic ovens. I enjoyed the meal here, but the others weren't as keen on the restaurant.

The following day, we drove into Mendoza and met Bernd, Fatima and Jeff and walked around the city. We ate early at a very nice Italian restaurant.

We were then on to Uruguay, which meant flying back to B.A. and on to Punta del Este. This is where Fatima, Jeff and Bernd had to fly to Montevideo and then drive to Jose Ignacio. They were extremely upset with Aerolinas Argentinas because of the mix up with their tickets. But we all arrived in Jose Ignacio to have a wonderful late dinner at Marissmo, which was walking distant from our hotel, the Arenas de Jose Ignacio. The restaurant was outside under canopies and the food was really good.

The day after we were invited to Amalia Rebredo's home for a tour of her garden and for a delightful lunch out of doors. Jim and Amalia had been blogging each other for about a year, and she was gracious enough to invite us to her house for a tour of her beautiful gardens. She lives on a hilltop overlooking the ocean and has designed all of the gardens that surround her home. Later that day she took us to another home with amazing gardens, and at night to Las Piedras for dinner. Las Piedras is near Punta del Este and sits again on top of a mountain. It is stunning. The restaurant and grounds were stunning. We were very fortunate to meet Amalia and enjoy her hospitality.

Next day was taken visiting the town of Jose Ignacio. In the evening Fatima, Jeff and Bernd invited us over for drinks at their hotel, Playa Vik. This is a very contemporary hotel where each suite is designed with a different design. It is stunning with an amazing infinity pool and view of the ocean. We then went to La Huella for dinner. (This is another restaurant that Anthony Bourdain visited on his tv show when he visited Uruguay.

Next on the trip was flying back to B.A. and then on to Iguazu Falls. Once again airline problems, but finally arrived there late the next day. We stayed at the Loi Suites hotel, which was located in the midst of a rain forest about 15 miles from the falls. The grounds are immaculate and bridges connect the different buildings on the property which sits right on the river.

Next 2 days were spent at the falls. They are spectacular and worth the trip. On the first day, we got there late in the afternoon and walked the upper falls to the Devil's Throat, which is one of the most amazing views you could imagine. You literally stand there at the precipice of that part of the falls. The second day we took the Jungle boat trip which takes you to the base of the falls. You get totally soaked and get a real close up of a section of the Falls. A once in a lifetime trip to the Falls. We were very sad to hear that about a month later there was a boat accident in which the boat flipped over and two Americans died. We ate in Puerto Iguazu the first night and at the hotel the second. The Loi Suites were extremely nice.

It was then back to B.A. for two days. Bill and I decided to see the musical Dracula and discovered a wonderful Spanish restaurant Las Robles near the Theatre. It was interesting seeing a Spanish language production by the Argentinian version of Boublil and Schonberg. This was the 20th anniversary production of this musical and the audience loved it!

The final day I had to do some CD/DVD shopping so Cortney and I went off ourselves to do this. We went by the Congress building which I had never seen. We also saw this amazing building that looked like a Windmill near the Congress. The building had been a restaurant for many years, and was in a state of disrepair, but was still beautiful. Cortney took me to a hat store where they make straw hats and showed me pictures in the window of a hat that had been designed for Liza Minnelli. On our way back to the hotel, Cortney stopped an older gentlemen wearing a lovely straw hat and asked him where he had gotten it. It turned out that the hat had been purchased in the same store. Talk about a coincidence. That night all eight of us went to Tequi restaurant in Palermo Viejo. We had read great reviews of this restaurant. The food was great, the wine was great, but the service was terrible. What a disappointment for our last night.

The last day in B.A., Cortney, Phil, Jim, Bill and I went to lunch near our hotels in Recoleta. Since Phil and Jim had not been to the cometary, the rest of us showed them Evita's grave and the rest of the cometary.
We then flew back to NY on TAM (Brazilian Airlines), which was much better than Argentinas Aerolinas.

There were many more experiences on our trip, but these were the highlights of the trip. On retrospect we were in a desert, in a rain forest, at a beach, in the foothills of the Andes, and in a major world city, all in one trip. We are looking forward to our next major trip which will be in Feb. of 2012. On that trip we are planning to go to South Africa to do Johannesburg, Capetown, the wine district and a safari!