The Best of All Possible Weekends

I have been remiss in my duties and for that, my most devoted reader, I apologize. In my last blog I promised a write-up of my then upcoming whirlwind weekend of theatre, and that weekend has come and gone with no write-up. But, a whirlwind weekend it was!

I'll start off with NYU Steinhardt's new production of the enigma known as Leonard Bernstein's Candide. It is known as "Leonard Bernstein's Candide" because his score for the musical (first billed as a "comic operetta") is the only element that has remained in the several productions that have felt the hands of Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker, Felicia Bernstein, John LaTouche, Richard Wilbur, Hugh Wheeler, Stephen Sondheim, Hal Prince, John Caird and Lonny Price. The only other name that seems to come with every production is that of the novella's original author, Voltaire, and even he disappears sometimes. We can add to that list of names William Wesbrooks, who directed the production I saw down on West 4th Street at the Frederick Loewe Theatre.

This production, as Lonny Price's recent concert production did, forsook the trappings of time and place with the addition of more modern-day elements in production and costuming (including a sling-shot in the opening scene). However, where Price's production mixed the old with the new in an odd no-man's-land, Wesbrooks made it clear that his production took place in the here and now. While this goes along with Voltaire's original intent of current social satire, one wonders how strong the similarities truly are if we need to be shown them (and it brings to mind Lillian Hellman's blatant use of the Spanish Inquisition to represent the House UnAmerican Activities Committee in her original 1956 production).

Still, the productionproved a rousing one with many stand-out performances. Starting with that glorious Overture marvelously conducted by Michael Ricciardone and played by an onstage orchestra of 32 pieces (oh, that NYU might loan some of its musicians to the Roundabout Theatre Company) the evening proved to be one of extremely high energy. Crystal Mosser's manic performance of the other most-famous piece of music in the show, "Glitter and Be Gay" received one of the longest ovations I've had the pleasure of participating in.

The problems of Candide often lie in the second act once the characters and complications have been established, yet more misfortune must befall our hero before the conclusion. This production, I'm sorry to say, was unable to escape these problems. Starting off with a somewhat misplaced "Paris Waltz" (here labeled as "The Governor's Waltz") the second act of this show ran into more confusion than is perhaps necessary for Candide (including a new scene set in Cuba, credited to a dead Hugh Wheeler).

However, as with most productions of Candide (including Hal Prince's opera house production, the war-horse that this new production is based on) it is the performances and the music that carry the show. Marvin Avila was beautifully stylized with a voice that bathed the audience in innocence as the title character. Ms. Mosser's Cunegonde was a refreshing change from the mostly doe-eyed ingenues I've seen play the role, giving her bi-polar nature a much richer form with heavy accent of the depressive side. (Though, given the modern setting of the show, one wonders why Dr. Pangloss didn't give her a Prozac and tell her to shut up.) And to Dr. Pangloss. Paul Sandberg gave a fine performance as both Dr. Voltaire (of the realism camp) and Dr. Pangloss (of the optimism camp--this production omitted, as many do, the third philosopher Martin of the pessimism camp). The finest performance of the evening, however, belonged to Katharine Heaton as Cunegonde's faithful servant, the one-buttocked Old Lady. Ms. Heaton has a rich mezzo voice and spot-on comic timing. One rarely finds the combination of a well-trained opera singer and a true comedienne, and we often settle for one or the other with this role.

All-in-all, a very enjoyable evening at the theatre, and I cried--as I do--during the finale, "Make Our Garden Grow." It should be noted that the children sitting with the family next to me also seemed to enjoy themselves immensely. Bravo, NYU.

On to the other evening of theatre (actually going in reverse order). Are there seriously those of you who read this blog who have yet to attend a Five Flights show? Get on their mailing list, because you are missing delightful and insightful new theatre.

The newest installment from this exciting company derived from the idea that it is impossible to utilize super-heroes in live theatre. The effects ("woosh," "crunch," and "blammo," for example) are too necessary and only work on the page or the screen. So, Will Lacker set out to create a super hero drama in which the "boom"s and the "blast"s happen off-stage, while the drama unfolds onstage.

The result was The Custodian, the story of a janitor who--tired of cleaning up after super heroes--takes matters into his own hands. Eryck Tait is the title character who offers a surprisingly honest arc from beginning to end, surprising only considering the zany antics going on around him. His roommate Remy (Nick Hepsoe) plays video games all day and night, girlfriend (ex-girlfriend?) Wanda (Carlyn Kautz) is shacking up with Remy's childhood buddy Fing (Adam Delia) and there's a hostage super hero sidekick (Steve Yates) in his living room.

Early on, the play seems to take place in Manhattan as we know it. The trials and tribulations of the characters are familiar to us. The only things that seem out of place are the earthquakes (we'll later find out that those are caused by The Incredible Hulk). However, Lacker quickly employs the use of The Professor (Kacy Rice), a British know-it-all who pops up to explain the more archaic details of the story, to push the play from quirky to out-right ridiculous. Ms. Rice also appeared as a TV news anchor and a radio DJ, offering glimpses of life outside the apartment. (In other news, Ms. Rice's 21st birthday happened to land on the night of the performance I attended. Happy Birthday, Kacy!)

The ridiculous nature of the play and the honesty with which it was presented was truly a new great feat hurdled by the Five Flights Theater Company. And, true to Lacker's intent, there was only one special effect in the show (it could either be described as a "splat" or a "sploosh," or perhaps a combination thereof).

The best of all possible weekends spent with the best of all possible shows.

I Get a Tap Out of Wallkill HS

I have another whirlwind weekend of theatre coming up, and I’ll be sure to be back here with information on what’s certain to be an entertaining and thought provoking couple of shows (including NYU Steinhart’s production of the Leonard Bernstein classic Candide and a new play by bourgeoning pioneers Five Flights Theatre Company). Still, I’d be remiss if I left out the show I saw last weekend at Wallkill High School in upstate New York.

Now, I don’t have any real connection to Wallkill or its students. I’m not from the town, I didn’t attend or work at the school and I did not know anyone in their production of Cole Porter’s Anything Goes. Well, that last part isn’t completely true: my brother, Paul, was the choreographer for this production, which is what brought me to Wallkill in the first place. But I did not feel any real responsibility to the players or staff going in.

Coming out, however, I had a huge grin on my face, the kind that comes from eating something really sticky and sweet or from seeing pure shameless musical comedy. For those of you who don’t know, Anything Goes is one of those pre-Oklahoma musicals that seldom pretends to have much of a plot, and even more seldom that the songs have anything to do with the plot (as a matter of fact, the only plot driven song in the show—an ode to Public Enemy #1—is hardly a minute long). It’s a vehicle for big voices, show-stopping numbers, great comic timing and tapping. Lots and lots of tapping.

To see these young performers dancing their feet off you’d never guess that all but a small handful had never taken a tap lesson before. Perhaps this is nothing more than a vain testament to the talent of the choreographer, my brother. But I truly think that there is little that could have gotten those kids tapping as they were (four of the girls did wings!) if the students themselves did not have the talent to learn and perfect those steps in the few months’ time they had to rehearse.

I must commend director Liz Bailey on her crisp and sophisticated staging of show, and for her educationally sound and experience-savvy policy of employing understudies for all of the major roles. The night I attended, the actress playing Reno Sweeney was too ill to perform. Elise Macur, her understudy, went on at the very last minute (I get the impression she was still zipping up as the overture played) and gave a solid performance in a demanding role made famous by the likes of Ethel Merman and Patti LuPone.

Additional kudos is owed to John Dunigan as Moonface Martin, Public Enemy #13, who managed to steal almost every scene he was in from everyone except for Abe Bliden who managed to hold his own in the role of Sir Evelyn Oakley. Crooners Sara Lobdell and Tyler Keeno, in the roles of the lovers hope Harcourt and Billy Crocker, leant just the right amount of gravity to their renditions of Porter favorites “It’s De-Lovely” and “All Through the Night.”

Good job, Wallkill HS. You’re the top!

Five Flights Does it Again

So, did you hear that Andy and Allison got married?

The Five Flights Theater Company, who last brought us an in-depth examination of the art of growing up with their debut Don’t Step on the Cracks, have chosen for the subject of their newest play another age-old institution: marriage.

The new show is called You Are Cordially Invited to the Wedding of Andrew Pepperidge and Allison Short and everyone is present for the wedding: Allison’s brother and sister, Josh (Jake Bartush) and Emma (Kacy Rice), Andy’s best high school friends Nick (Adam Delia) and Ben (Nick Hepsoe), Nick’s girlfriend Julia (Sara Lukasiewicz), Ben’s ex-girlfriend Audrey (Carlyn Kautz), old friends Chris-who-is-now-Narhari (Will Lacker) and Liz (Laurel Casillo), and college buddies Casey (Eruck Tait) and party-planner Beth (Claire McGinley). The event is directed by Alli Taylor and stage managed by Adam Chanler-Berat, both founding members of the Five Flights Theater Company. When everyone gathers for the wedding, the old values clash with the new ideals, and some of the old friends clash with the old.

In comparison, You Are Cordially Invited to the Wedding of Andrew Pepperidge and Allison Short may seem like a complete opposite from their last show, but there are themes that have carried over. Cordially Invited also tackles the subject of growing up and dealing with the twists life can send you, but this time through the lens of one couple of friends tying the knot.

A note in the program states, “No matter how mature you think you've gotten, you're never quite ready for the first time one of your friends tells you they're about to get married.” This is the sentiment that rings true for the majority of the characters in the play. It would seem that no one is truly ready for Andy and Allison to get married, so how do those gathered at the reception deal with it? This is often shown through monologues (beautifully lit by Marymount Manhattan College senior Lisa Hufnagel) during which character toast the bride and groom. Each character has a different opinion on their friends’ nuptials and how they take it out on themselves and each other makes for compelling and honest drama. The more we see ourselves in each of the characters, the more we can laugh and cry at the events of the evening.

I was impressed by the fluidity of the writing. For those of you unfamiliar with the Five Flights Theater Company, let me take this opportunity to explain. Five Flights is made up of twelve company members, all recent or upcoming graduates of Marymount Manhattan College. In their last endeavor, they came together on a theme, separated to write scenes and sketches, then came back together to create a show. With Cordially Invited, the company members worked together creating characters around the performers and collaborating on the script.

The product is an organic theatre piece that is marked with the sensibilities of not one playwright, but several. And yet, there’s no feel of “too many cooks” with their work. The multiple perspectives add up to make a final product that is thoughtful and very real, especially for those of us who have friends who are recently engaged or married.

Cordially Invited is a work in progress. It is listed as such in the program. And it definitely is. There is room for improvement. There are scenes that could be tighter, exposition that could be clearer and a few general tweaks to be made. But the show has obviously gone through a lot of work already. The original script, so I’ve been told, clocked in at three and a half hours. The current production came down at just over an hour.

Five Flights has definitely developed a sense of honesty and a style that easily makes them one of the most exciting things to happen to New York theatre in recent years. They’re hardly the first to try to make theatre that speaks to a generation, but they’re doing the best that I’ve seen in a while. Sorry for the superlatives, but it’s true. As company member Jake Bartush put it, “It’s about growing up and coming to terms with our lack of understanding.”

Where Don’t Step on the Cracks got Five Flights noticed for doing brave, new theatre, Cordially Invited solidifies them as a voice in the theatre that will be around for some time. Look forward to their upcoming show coming this September.


You Are Cordially Invited to the Wedding of Andrew Pepperidge and Allison Short is no longer running.

Five Flights Finds Complexity in Simplicity

The Cast of Don't Step on the Cracks
Photo by Bert Berat

To say that Five Flights Theater Company’s new production of Don’t Step on the Cracks is “simply wonderful” would be to do the company a grave disservice. Though the play is mostly inspired by children’s books and poems, there is nothing simplistic about it.

Created entirely by the members of the newly formed Five Flights Theater Company, Don’t Step on the Cracks is about growing up and looking back. The very talented cast, made up entirely of Marymount students and alumni, takes us through a series of skits examining the moment when you realize it’s time to grow up.

From the very start, the introduction to the show—expertly written and choreographed by Eryck Tait—mixes the worlds of youth and adulthood together, weaving original lines from the play with familiar verses from Shel Silverstein poems to accentuate the shift into maturity. It sets up the events to come as we watch our own childhoods mature in the characters and themes presented during the show.

The characters and situations are familiar—bits of our childhood shown back to us under the lens of experience. Will Lacker exposes the “truth” behind Puff the Magic Dragon’s relationship with Jackie Paper. Sara Lukasiewicz navigates the everyday life of Amelia Bedelia, who takes things too literally. Jake Bartush, Eryck Tait, and Adam Delia take us on a journey in a flying shoe with Ickle Me, Pickle Me and Tickle Me, too. Other sketches give examples of moments in the lives of twenty-somethings faced with real grown-up problems.

At its core, Don’t Step on the Cracks analyzes loss. Loss of innocence, but also loss of friends, family, pets, even childhood idols. In the incredibly poignant “Goodnight, Moon” (written and performed by Jake Bartush) a high school student comes to terms with the suicide of a classmate, and the realization that “he was simply the first one to succeed.”

This production is actually a re-mounting of their premiere production, which played at Center Stage on West 21st Street last July. I was lucky enough to catch both productions, and am happy to say that this show has only gotten stronger. Most noticeably stronger are Sara Lukasiewicz’s “Amelia” monologues, written and directed by Five Flights Stage Manager Alli Taylor. Ms. Lukasiewicz’s sense of innocence in these pieces brings adult issues to light through the lens of youth in a refreshing opposition to the rest of the show.

It is no secret that I have worked with the majority of the people in this company in the past and am a vocal fan of their work. I may seem biased in this instance. Still, the reception to the performance I was at and the sold out three-performance run at Center Stage speaks for itself.

I think a lot of the success can be credited to the unique nature of the company itself. Formed in a five-flight walk-up (hence the name) they started as a bunch of theatre artists with an idea for a show. The sketches were written, some were handed off to directors, all were assigned to actors, rehearsed and put back together again to create the show. “It’s the only form of communism I’ve seen that works,” company member Claire McGinley commented.

For me, the heart of the show and of the company can be summed up in one line from a piece by Ms. McGinley. In the final scene of the play, Eryck Tait turns to Laurel Casillo and says, “You know we can’t live forever.” She responds: “But I’ve always wanted to try.” This is a company that—if I may make a prediction—will be around for a long time and will produce important pieces of new theatre. I hate to gush, but I mean it when I say I highly anticipate great new works to come out of Five Flights in the future.

Still, I think that Don’t Step on the Cracks may just turn out to be Five Flights’ staple. Its resonance hits a place that we all need to go to every now and then, and I won’t be surprised to see this show pop up in new productions, just when we need it most. You’ll be certain to find me there every time.


Don't Step on the Cracks is no longer running.