Marathon Goes Gasping
by Jesse Schmitt
When I first attended a show at the Ensemble Studio Theatre more than 10 years ago I was dazzled at their wall of pictures of previous performers. One picture always caught my eye; a show at EST from 1986 starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Elias Koteas. The picture caught my eye not so much for her as, at the time, she was not nearly the superstar she is today (though, at the time, I was able to appreciate her performance in Steve Martin’s “LA Story”) No, it was for Mr. Koteas as he had starred as the renegade Casey Jones in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie from my youth.
Another thing that I noted was the creaky, slow, small elevator, the tepid cough from the air conditioning unit, the cramped seating arrangements, and that big pillar which runs right through their second floor theatre.
I guess that was what was always impressive about the Ensemble Studio Theatre; what had happened there before. Being an eternal optimist when I first arrived here, I imagined some young scribe gazing up to the wall in the future and seeing a photograph of a show of mine and listlessly imagining themselves as I did before.
Time and experience changes a lot of things, but the spaces at the Ensemble Studio Theatre are a bit like Time in a Bottle. The elevator is the same, the waiting area is the same, the air conditioning is still lukewarm, the seating is still the same, and the same pictures still hang on the wall. Though the inside may have been moved around and the paintjob appears to be fresh, I wonder about what’s new that’s going on at EST. When I found out that the historic 30th Anniversary of their popular “Marathon of One Act Plays” series was taking place, I quickly jumped on board and made my way to series C.
Let me take a step back and say that the outgrowth from EST is really quite amazing. To think not even of Ms. Jessica Parker and Mr. Koteas, the list of those who the entertainment media have been or are currently associated with the popular off Broadway venue is awe inspiring indeed: Sam Shepard, John Patrick Shanley, Jon Voight, Cassandra Medley, Billy Aaronson, Leslie Ayvazian, Lewis Black, Leslie Caputo, Danny DeVito, Richard Dreyfuss, Christopher Durang, Horton Foote, Amy Fox, Richard Greenberg, Romulus Linney, William H. Macy, David Mammet, David Margulies in addition to the late Wendy Wasserstein, Shel Silverstein, and of course the former artistic director Kurt Dempster, among countless others. So it is not that a great many talented people are not regulars at EST. In addition, two very excellent playwrights with whom I studied; Christopher Ceraso and Edward Allen Baker regularly have their work showcased at EST and they may even still be teaching through the theatre.
So needless to say, more than 10 years hence and my being quite cynical about the state of things in general, the bar was set quite high in my mind for the caliber of work I would be seeing at Series C of the EST Marathon. I had been to the Marathon in years past and one thing which I was always impressed with was the brevity I felt in seeing the plays. 5 one act plays, some as short as 10 minutes, showcased with talented actors, minimal staging, few scene changes, and important themes.
The first play of the evening, “Piscary” by Frank D. Gilroy, directed by Janet Zarish was a relationship play set around a Scrabble board. The “He” character, played with nervous abandon by Mark Alhadeff was having second thoughts about his marrying the “She” character, ably played by Diane Davis. He starts the play zoned in on his fish tank, feeling like they should call off the wedding which is set to go down in three weeks. She reacts with an unreal amount of calmness in the eyes of this reviewer who was just married within the year (that, or my new wife is quick to pull her punches; the truth, I’m sure, lie somewhere in between) Maybe Ms. Davis’ character is used to this crazy talk from Mr. Alhadeff which would be considered by some a role reversal for genders, but who’s keeping track?
The embattled couple get down to brass tacks when he declares that she is no good at Scrabble; that’s the reason he wants to call off the wedding. They decide to square off in a mano-e-mano game of winner-take-all Scrabble, the house, the stuff, the fish tank. He is confident, she is cool. When she opens up her verbose vocabulary and takes him to the ropes, he is despondent. The ending is something of a compromise and really speaks to the amount of marriages that are rushed into by late in life couples (ugh! Late 20’s!)
The second play, “In Between Songs” was written by the popular comedian Lewis Black and directed by Rebecca Nelson. Starring Jack Gilpin as Chaz, David Wohl as Ed, and Cecilia DeWolf as Grace, this play stands as a trippy retrospective on a life lived. At the outset, the indistinguishable characters are all sitting, listening to a Bob Dylan record; then the song stops. All the rest of the action of the play takes place before the music gets going again.
This play really seemed more like an homage to how good life is (particularly when fueled along with cannabis) and how good their life had been. They all feel “interconnected;” Grace hits the bowl, literally, of some Stove Top stuffing, like it was like warmth for hypothermia sufferer and that was the whole point, I imagine. That we all need things, sometimes for much longer or much greater than we are conscious of; and when we get these needs fulfilled, we have a very hard time letting go.
The third play in the series, “Flowers” was written by Jose Rivera and directed by Linsay Firman. Starring Raul Castillo as Beto and Flora Diaz as Lulu this play is a fantasy trip of the imagination of children. Beto and Lulu are brother and sister and Lulu, slight elder, is 12. She has begun sprouting acne and she feels this is a revelatory event that her video game playing brother should take note of.
One thing that these two did in the play which really got to me was they addressed the audience directly. One thing I learned in my studies as a playwright (especially my more advanced studies at EST) was that breaking down that fourth wall should only be of absolute necessity and should be used sparingly. Every time the other character left the stage, the one left would talk to the audience and fill us in on all the back-story. If you can’t tell the story in the present moment and if what is going on onstage isn’t interesting enough for us to be engaged, then you probably shouldn’t be telling said story.
This was, by-and-large, the case for “Flowers.” Lulu’s acne began sprouting branches and these branches began flowering. This idea was a little strange premise for a play that otherwise seemed so real.
It was after this play that the intermission took hold. It was almost 105 minutes in! I deciphered my other obligations for the evening (I had to be at work at 11PM) and bolted during intermission. I hastened to even write a half-baked review of this series, but apparently I had a lot to say.
I do hope for the reinvention of the Ensemble Studio Theatre; I imagine a day when I can return there and see challenging work from unknown playwrights and be satisfied that the time spent there was at least thought provoking. However I have to say that this latest go-round, with three tapped out old stoners, two kids with wild imaginations, and a bickering couple, pre-marriage, is nothing all that new.
Ensemble Studio Theatre
549 W 52nd St
New York, NY 10019
(212) 247-4982
www.ensemblestudiotheatre.org
Monday, June 23, 2008
No More Waiting: A New Musical Comedy
Musical Comedy With Legs and Arms Reaching
by Jesse Schmitt
There is definitely something to be said for a good ending.
In cinematic art, in television, in politics, in real life, and especially in the theatre, when there are unexpected, harmonious chords struck around the resolution to a situation, it is a gentle reminder of the true synthesis of life. Despite the fact that we’re all on this earth, searching, roving, digging, trolling, turning up the bottom feeding scum of said planet, in the hunt for that ever illusive intangible called “happiness,” or “fulfillment,” or whatever else; when there is a collective exhale of the crowd, when you can turn to your best friend of years and share an unspoken acknowledgement, when your pending doomsday ends up coming up roses of its own volition, there is that moment when the individual is reminded that the world does not always have to be such a predictably unfair or callously unfamiliar place.
So it is in the new show playing at The 13th Street Repertory Company (50 W 13th St. New York, NY – 212-675-6677) “No More Waiting,” which follows the lives of five waiter/actors as they seize opportunity when it is afforded them at the cabaret style venue where they serve. The talent for the evening has been stricken and the wait staff, through the coxing-cheerleading of one of their own, rises up and briefly overthrows the mantle of control for what the audience will see this night.
This is a show which may obscure some who are not at all familiar with the life of the New York City theatrical artist. While not too many passers by frequent the very local, Greenwich Village establishment (13th St. Rep is a destination, generally), the “in-talk” and some of the more subtle themes did not go unnoticed.
Many of the leaps the audience is asked to take with these performers are fantastical, exaggerated, or outrageous. For example, not that it hasn’t happened at cabaret style venues in the past, but the premise that the management of a dining/entertainment establishment would go off notice of what was going on at their business and five of their staff would go off the service floor for more than an hour is something of a cut at restaurant management of the world and not altogether likely. I’m sure I will get replies to my inbox, “this happens to me all the time!” – I’m just saying. Also the quickness with which Samantha (Jenny Paul), the Che Guevara of the group, is able to throw together costumes and such is a little far fetched. For that matter, their piano player was right in lock step with them, making the transition from non English speaking bus-boy to virtuoso musical theatre pianist at the drop of a hat (even thought they qualify the latter). However if you’re able to get beyond all that, you should have a good time.
This is a piece which operated in the “Kiss Me Kate” style of musical; the play-within-a-play thing has been done before, so it should not ring all that unfamiliar. There were moments when the narrative of the “story” and the “story-within-the-story” and the “story-within-the-story-within-the-story,” got a little fuzzy (thinking specifically about the elevator scenes) but, again, all that fell away in the end.
The musical begins with these five disaffected artists; drudging through their lives; feeling listless and needing something exciting to happen to them. This is not an uncommon theme in stories told ever, but it makes me wonder about expectation. It appears as though the subtext is “well, I’m doing this for now, but any moment from now my big break will come and I’ll be starring in a show at 13 St. Rep,” or something like that. The glossing over seems to be with the tough years that come before that and all the work that needs to be done after even your first successes.
Once the scenes got going, they reminded me often of a recurring vision of Patti LuPone to Peter Gallagher in the recent revival of “Noises Off” – “We’re putting on a show! We’re putting on a show!” There was bedlam after the waitering crew decides they are going to perform this night. The scenes switch often and while it’s going on, as an audience member, you aren’t really sure whether or not there is a running through line, but the viewer is brought into the fore at the plays end.
In terms of writing, many of the plays songs were cute. Many of the lyrics though, to this reviewer, seemed contrived. Lyric writing is not easy but there were occasions when I felt like the lyrics delivered took the easy way out. That said many of the actors seemed to take to their roles such that the character seemed to become the actor, so even though Chris Widney’s name is on the Book & Lyrics in the program, I’m not sure how much of a collaborative process this was or if and when the director took any creative liberties.
Brian C Curl as Robert took a very stylized approach to the character as well he should have. His performances were good; his timing was great, his delivery was funny, and he even did a little tap dancing for the room. But I might have made different directorial choices with him in instances where he operated outside the box. His performance shone when he was where he was most comfortable.
Dustin J. Harder was Steve and he was a riot. In general, he hit all the right notes in his portrayal of a perverted businessman and an aggressive go-getter who hides behind his own bravado. However his moment happened when he donned a mullet and became the leader of a rock and roll hair-band “Cujo” while at once trying to settle down to his suburban existence. The keystone moment for the lyricist in this show was right before the mullet comes off and the business suit goes on, the bandleader, singing about his wife/questioning his life: “She has an answer/Sometimes I hadn’t even asked a question/Have I ever made a right decision in my entire lifetime?” His pain was hilarious and his confusion was palpable.
Jeni Incontro as Jen was quite fetching. Unfortunately for her, she’ll probably be cast as the ingénue so long as she keeps her doe-like appearance; she should be vigilant against this, if she enjoys the ACT in acting. She had some moments in this show, whether it was her effortless Salsa dancing, her portrayal of the (eventually pregnant and bitter) love interest of Mr. Harder in the “Cujo” scene, or her turn as an older mother in a different scene where she was able to shine. Looking over her bio, she played Mae in Sam Shepard’s “Fool For Love,” which is a massive role in and of itself, so I have no doubt of her capacities.
Benjamin Mirman as Elliot was a very engaging character also. Mr. Mirman is still a little wet behind the ears as is evidenced from his sophomore year in college entry onto his bio, not that it translated in his performance. He is blessed with a certain Linus like quality which will always keep him employed so long as Charlie Brown is getting work. I thought the staging of his arc was good in that they kept the Elliot character restrained until the very end and his very sweet “Take A Chance” song, which was unquestionably the highlight of the show.
And of course Ms. Paul as Samantha. Her role was really underused, to effect; there was a moment towards the very end of the play when I realized I hadn’t seen her in a great many minutes. There was a reason for that and the beauty of live theatre shone through in her final moments onstage.
Mark T. Evans was the pianist as well as Vasily the busboy at the very beginning and Shannon O’Neil was the Voice From Beyond which gets these thespians rolling on their rollicking musical theatre journey.
The cast of “No More Waiting” may have a little more waiting while they earn their stripes but you have a few more days to head over to The 13th St. Rep and see these struggling waiter/actors reach for it.
“No More Waiting” plays at
13th St. Repertory Theatre
50 W 13th St.
New York, NY (b/w 5th & 6th Ave)
212-675-6677
http://www.13thstreetrep.org/
http://www.theatermania.com/
Running time is 90 minutes.
“No More Waiting” is performed without an intermission.
Music by David Christian Azarow
Book & Lyrics by Chris Widney
Directed by Samantha Saltzman
by Jesse Schmitt
There is definitely something to be said for a good ending.
In cinematic art, in television, in politics, in real life, and especially in the theatre, when there are unexpected, harmonious chords struck around the resolution to a situation, it is a gentle reminder of the true synthesis of life. Despite the fact that we’re all on this earth, searching, roving, digging, trolling, turning up the bottom feeding scum of said planet, in the hunt for that ever illusive intangible called “happiness,” or “fulfillment,” or whatever else; when there is a collective exhale of the crowd, when you can turn to your best friend of years and share an unspoken acknowledgement, when your pending doomsday ends up coming up roses of its own volition, there is that moment when the individual is reminded that the world does not always have to be such a predictably unfair or callously unfamiliar place.
So it is in the new show playing at The 13th Street Repertory Company (50 W 13th St. New York, NY – 212-675-6677) “No More Waiting,” which follows the lives of five waiter/actors as they seize opportunity when it is afforded them at the cabaret style venue where they serve. The talent for the evening has been stricken and the wait staff, through the coxing-cheerleading of one of their own, rises up and briefly overthrows the mantle of control for what the audience will see this night.
This is a show which may obscure some who are not at all familiar with the life of the New York City theatrical artist. While not too many passers by frequent the very local, Greenwich Village establishment (13th St. Rep is a destination, generally), the “in-talk” and some of the more subtle themes did not go unnoticed.
Many of the leaps the audience is asked to take with these performers are fantastical, exaggerated, or outrageous. For example, not that it hasn’t happened at cabaret style venues in the past, but the premise that the management of a dining/entertainment establishment would go off notice of what was going on at their business and five of their staff would go off the service floor for more than an hour is something of a cut at restaurant management of the world and not altogether likely. I’m sure I will get replies to my inbox, “this happens to me all the time!” – I’m just saying. Also the quickness with which Samantha (Jenny Paul), the Che Guevara of the group, is able to throw together costumes and such is a little far fetched. For that matter, their piano player was right in lock step with them, making the transition from non English speaking bus-boy to virtuoso musical theatre pianist at the drop of a hat (even thought they qualify the latter). However if you’re able to get beyond all that, you should have a good time.
This is a piece which operated in the “Kiss Me Kate” style of musical; the play-within-a-play thing has been done before, so it should not ring all that unfamiliar. There were moments when the narrative of the “story” and the “story-within-the-story” and the “story-within-the-story-within-the-story,” got a little fuzzy (thinking specifically about the elevator scenes) but, again, all that fell away in the end.
The musical begins with these five disaffected artists; drudging through their lives; feeling listless and needing something exciting to happen to them. This is not an uncommon theme in stories told ever, but it makes me wonder about expectation. It appears as though the subtext is “well, I’m doing this for now, but any moment from now my big break will come and I’ll be starring in a show at 13 St. Rep,” or something like that. The glossing over seems to be with the tough years that come before that and all the work that needs to be done after even your first successes.
Once the scenes got going, they reminded me often of a recurring vision of Patti LuPone to Peter Gallagher in the recent revival of “Noises Off” – “We’re putting on a show! We’re putting on a show!” There was bedlam after the waitering crew decides they are going to perform this night. The scenes switch often and while it’s going on, as an audience member, you aren’t really sure whether or not there is a running through line, but the viewer is brought into the fore at the plays end.
In terms of writing, many of the plays songs were cute. Many of the lyrics though, to this reviewer, seemed contrived. Lyric writing is not easy but there were occasions when I felt like the lyrics delivered took the easy way out. That said many of the actors seemed to take to their roles such that the character seemed to become the actor, so even though Chris Widney’s name is on the Book & Lyrics in the program, I’m not sure how much of a collaborative process this was or if and when the director took any creative liberties.
Brian C Curl as Robert took a very stylized approach to the character as well he should have. His performances were good; his timing was great, his delivery was funny, and he even did a little tap dancing for the room. But I might have made different directorial choices with him in instances where he operated outside the box. His performance shone when he was where he was most comfortable.
Dustin J. Harder was Steve and he was a riot. In general, he hit all the right notes in his portrayal of a perverted businessman and an aggressive go-getter who hides behind his own bravado. However his moment happened when he donned a mullet and became the leader of a rock and roll hair-band “Cujo” while at once trying to settle down to his suburban existence. The keystone moment for the lyricist in this show was right before the mullet comes off and the business suit goes on, the bandleader, singing about his wife/questioning his life: “She has an answer/Sometimes I hadn’t even asked a question/Have I ever made a right decision in my entire lifetime?” His pain was hilarious and his confusion was palpable.
Jeni Incontro as Jen was quite fetching. Unfortunately for her, she’ll probably be cast as the ingénue so long as she keeps her doe-like appearance; she should be vigilant against this, if she enjoys the ACT in acting. She had some moments in this show, whether it was her effortless Salsa dancing, her portrayal of the (eventually pregnant and bitter) love interest of Mr. Harder in the “Cujo” scene, or her turn as an older mother in a different scene where she was able to shine. Looking over her bio, she played Mae in Sam Shepard’s “Fool For Love,” which is a massive role in and of itself, so I have no doubt of her capacities.
Benjamin Mirman as Elliot was a very engaging character also. Mr. Mirman is still a little wet behind the ears as is evidenced from his sophomore year in college entry onto his bio, not that it translated in his performance. He is blessed with a certain Linus like quality which will always keep him employed so long as Charlie Brown is getting work. I thought the staging of his arc was good in that they kept the Elliot character restrained until the very end and his very sweet “Take A Chance” song, which was unquestionably the highlight of the show.
And of course Ms. Paul as Samantha. Her role was really underused, to effect; there was a moment towards the very end of the play when I realized I hadn’t seen her in a great many minutes. There was a reason for that and the beauty of live theatre shone through in her final moments onstage.
Mark T. Evans was the pianist as well as Vasily the busboy at the very beginning and Shannon O’Neil was the Voice From Beyond which gets these thespians rolling on their rollicking musical theatre journey.
The cast of “No More Waiting” may have a little more waiting while they earn their stripes but you have a few more days to head over to The 13th St. Rep and see these struggling waiter/actors reach for it.
“No More Waiting” plays at
13th St. Repertory Theatre
50 W 13th St.
New York, NY (b/w 5th & 6th Ave)
212-675-6677
http://www.13thstreetrep.org/
http://www.theatermania.com/
Running time is 90 minutes.
“No More Waiting” is performed without an intermission.
Music by David Christian Azarow
Book & Lyrics by Chris Widney
Directed by Samantha Saltzman
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