Posts Tagged ‘bartlett sher’

“Mockingbird” Tells a Dynamic, Memorable Tale at the Fox

Posted in St Louis Theatre, USA Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , on March 3, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird
by Aaron Sorkin
Directed by Bartlett Sher
The Fox Theatre
February 28, 2023

Justin Mark, Richard Thomas, Melanie Moore, Steven Lee Johnson
Photo by Julieta Cervantes
To Kill a Mockingbird National Tour

The latest adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird highlights the works of two celebrated writers–Haper Lee, who wrote the classic novel, and playwright and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, who created the script for this new stage version. Directed by Bartlett Sher, this production shifts the focus slightly while still emphasizing the timeless themes of the novel. The touring production, currently on stage at the Fox, also boasts a strong, memorable cast and a remarkable technical presentation, along with fast-paced, dynamic staging to tell this classic story in a truly memorable way.

The novel is such a classic that it’s been assigned in school for generations, and many Americans have read it or at least seen the celebrated 1962 movie starring Gregory Peck, or one of the many productions of the previous stage version by Christopher Sergel. It’s a story many are familiar with, so a new adaptation was always going to be a challenge, even for the award-winning Sorkin. The resulting script is fast-moving and dynamic, changing the focus slightly to center in more on lawyer Atticus Finch (Richard Thomas) than his daughter, Scout (Melanie Moore), who is the protagonist of the novel, although Scout still has a prominent role here, narrating the show along with her brother, Jem (Justin Mark), and new friend, Dill (Steven Lee Johnson). The story is told in semi-linear fashion, alternating between the trial of Tom Robinson (Yaegel T. Welch)–a Black man who Atticus defends against a false rape charge–and events in the lives of the Finch family and the townspeople as the trial further exposes the ingrained racist system and culture of the old South, and Atticus himself is challenged by the family’s housekeeper Calpurnia (Jacqueline Williams). 

Calpurnia and Robinson are given a bit more focus here, as well, with Welch getting some compelling moments in the trial, and Williams making a strong impression in scenes with Atticus and the children. The children are played by adults here, which may seem like a strange choice, but it works, and all three performers are convincing, from the gutsy Moore as Scout; to the confrontational Mark as Jem; to the impulsive and verbose Johnson as Dill. There’s also strong support from David Manns as the sympathetic Judge Taylor, and a chilling turn from Joey Collins as the threatening, racist Bob Ewell, father of Robinson’s accuser, Mayella, who is played with a credible blend of fear, evasiveness, and anger by Arianna Gayle Stucki. Also notable are Jeff Still as the “town drunk”, and Robinson’s employer, Link Deas, and Mary Badham, who so memorably played Scout as a child in the film, who now has a brief but memorable role as Mrs. Henry Dubose, who is essentially the opposite of Scout–a cranky, critical, racist old woman who has a few confrontational run-ins with Scout and Jem. Thomas, as Atticus, is excellent, and believable as the noble lawyer as well as a man who is forced to confront his own flaws. It’s a very human portrayal, and his scenes with Moore, Mark, Johnson, and Williams are especially effective. There’s a fairly large ensemble here for a touring play, and everyone is strong, adding a cohesive energy to the production and its evocation of a specific place and historical era.

Technically, the show also impresses, with Miriam Buether’s versatile set moving smoothly between the Finch’s house and the courtroom, among other areas as needed. Ann Roth’s costumes are equally impressive, meticulously crafted with period detail and suiting the characters well and in keeping with the era, as is the hair and wig design by Campbell Young Associates. There’s also memorable, atmospheric lighting by Jennifer Tipton and proficient sound by Scott Lehrer.

Although there are needed moments of humor that are well-placed, To Kill a Mockingbird is an intense play, with important, serious subject matter dealing with issues of racism, along with abuse, bullying, and parental neglect. It also features some strong language, including frequent use of racial slurs, and suggestions and descriptions of abuse and assault. It’s a well-crafted drama featuring some truly remarkable performances, and to my mind, much more effective than the previous adaptation I have seen. Its a very human drama, speaking as much to today as it does to the time in which it is set. Like every adaptation of this book I’ve seen, it does streamline the story and leave some things out, but it does so with precision and insight. It makes me want to read the book again. It’s a remarkable adaptation, and a production that needs to be seen. 

Yaegel T. Welch, Stephen Elrod, Jacqueline Williams, Richard Thomas
Photo Julieta Cervantes
To Kill a Mockingbird National Tour

The national tour of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is running at the Fox Theatre until March 12. 2023

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New Staging of “Fiddler” at the Fox Brings New Life to a Classic

Posted in St Louis Theatre, USA Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , on February 2, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Fiddler On the Roof
Book by Joseph Stein, Music by Jerry Bock, Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Original Direction by Bartlett Sher
Original Choreography by Hofesh Shechter
Choreography Recreated by Christopher Evans
The Fox Theatre
January 29, 2019

Yehezkel Lazarov
Photo by Joan Marcus
Fiddler on the Roof North American Tour

This is Fiddler on the Roof, but not exactly as you may have seen it before. The national tour of Bartlett Sher’s most recent Broadway revival takes this time-honored classic and injects it with a fresh energy. It’s still the same show, essentially, but some staging changes and some especially strong performances highlight the strength of the material in a new and refreshing way, anchored by an especially strong leading performance and ensemble cast.

As beloved as Fiddler on the Roof is, one of the challenges to staging it is that, for most professional productions, the staging has strictly adhered to the original Jerome Robbins staging and choreography. As excellent as that is, if you see enough productions of the show, it can all seem too similar after a while. The most recent revival, while still using the Robbins staging and choreography as the basis, brought in a new choreographer, Hofesh Schechter, to change up some of the dances, and acclaimed director Bartlett Sher has added a simple but effective framing device to add an element of timeless transcendence to the story. These elements, along with an energetic, well-chosen cast, have brought a sense of vibrancy to this show that is especially refreshing. The story is the same, following Jewish milkman Tevye (Yehezkel Lazarov) and his family in 1905 Tsarist Russia, but now, everything seems more immediate somehow. The relationships between Tevye and his wife, Golde (Maite Uzal) and his daughters, and between his three oldest daughers Tzeitel (Mel Weyn), Hodel (Ruthy Froch), and Chava (Natalie Powers) and their suitors Motel (Jesse Weil), Perchik (Ryne Nardecchia), and Fyedka (Joshua Logan Alexander) seem even more authentic and credible. From classic solo moments like “If I Were a Rich Man” to big production numbers like “To Life”, “Tevye’s Dream”, and especially the entire wedding sequence, the energy is readily apparent, with new relationship dynamics subtly suggested, and with a great deal of energy and heart. Even the poignant ending is given a new sense of timelessness and hope without denying the inherent sadness of the situation.

There’s a great cast here, as well, led by the dynamic, charismatic performance of Lazarov as Tevye. With a strong voice and excellent stage presence, Lazarov brings all the energy, charm, likability and complexity of Tevye to the stage, leading the cast with a powerful performance. He’s well supported by a strong ensemble, as well, with standout performances from Uzal as Golde, Carol Beaugard as the determined matchmaker Yente, Jonathan Von Mering as the lonely butcher Lazar Wolf, and especially all three daughter-suitor combinations, with Weyn and Weil having particularly excellent chemistry. There’s a strong singing and dancing ensemble supporting the leads, as well, bringing the village of Anatevka to life in one memorable scene after another, from the opening “Tradition” to the closing “Anatevka”.

Technically, this production is stellar, as well. The set by Michael Yeargan is detailed and versatile, featuring well-realized settings like Tevye’s house against a more changeable background backed by an imposing brick wall. The costumes by Catherine Zuber are detailed and authentic, maintaining a classic Fiddler look with a few small changes here and there. There’s also truly stunning lighting by Donald Holder that sets and maintains the mood of the show especially well, along with excellent sound design by Scott Lehrer and Alexander Neumann.

One of the real strengths of director Bartlett Sher in his revivals is that he’s able to maintain the essence and spirit of a show while also bringing a new sense of immediacy and connection for modern audiences. He’s done that again, remarkably well, in this new Fiddler on the Roof. It’s still the same show, but there’s something extra there that’s especially rewarding. It’s on stage at the Fox now. Go see it if you can.

Cast of Fiddler on the Roof]
Photo by Joan Marcus
Fiddler on the Roof North American Tour

The North American Tour of Fiddler on the Roof is playing at the Fox Theatre until February 10, 2019

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A Focused, Impressively Staged “King and I” at the Fox

Posted in St Louis Theatre, USA Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , on December 1, 2017| Leave a Comment »

The King and I
Music by Richard Rodgers, Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Based Upon the Novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon
Directed by Bartlett Sher
Choreographed by Christopher Gatelli, Based on the Original Choreography by Jerome Robbins
The Fox Theatre
November 28, 2017

Jose Llana, Laura Michelle Kelly
Photo by Matthew Murphy

The King and I National Tour

My first reaction when the curtain opened on the national touring production of The King and I, currently playing at the Fox Theatre, was “wow!” Another example of director Bartlett Sher’s celebrated revivals of Broadway classics, this one is immediately impressive from a visual standpoint, even by marvelous coincidence looking like it was designed for the Fox. The visuals are certainly impressive, but what’s even more impressive is the strong cast and cohesive, thoughtful direction for which Sher is well-known.

Perhaps the most fascinating thing about Sher’s revivals is that they are at once faithful to the source material and also updated, to a degree, in terms of focus. Sher seems to try his best at not re-inventing classics, but rather presenting them in ways that make them more immediate and accessible for modern audiences, which makes sense since a lot of these well-known shows have become somewhat (or sometimes very) dated in terms of their perspective. In the revivals, though, the source material has been updated more in terms of subtext and characterization than in the actual script. That’s the case with The King and I, particularly. The story is the familiar one–of English schoolteacher Anna Leonowens (Laura Michelle Kelly), who travels to Bangkok in the 1860s to teach the many children of the King of Siam (Jose Llana). The relationship of Anna and the King is a complex one, starting with suspicion and even animosity and then growing into a respectful friendship with hints of something more, but not a romance in the conventional sense. There are also poignant subplots involving secret lovers Tuptim (Q Lim) and Lun Tha (Kavin Panmeechao), who want to be together but can’t because she’s been given as a “present” to the King; and also the struggles of Crown Prince Chulalongkorn (Anthony Chan) to learn about the responsibilities and burdens of leadership as he prepares to someday become King. The story is all here, as are the familiar classic songs such as “Getting to Know You”, “Hello, Young Lovers”, “We Kiss in a Shadow”, and “Shall We Dance”. The script is the same, as well, but under Sher’s direction, the focus has been shifted somewhat, making the show appear more critical of the concept of colonialism and “westernization” than previous productions. The central figure is Anna, as always, and her sparring with the King is a highlight of the production, but this production also draws a lot more focus on the King’s court, particularly his head wife Lady Thiang (Joan Almedilla) and his chief official Kralahome (Brian Rivera) than previous productions I have seen. It’s an intriguing, compelling, and thoroughly cohesive production that brings a lot of insight to the source material that may not have been as apparent in earlier productions.

Casting-wise, as far as I can remember, this is the first time I’ve seen the same performers play the same roles in two entirely different productions of the same show. Both Kelly and Almedilla played these roles in the Muny’s excellent production in 2012, but now under Sher’s direction, both excel in this newer vision of the show. In fact, I would say these two are the stand-out performers here, from Kelly’s sure, steely but almost understated determination and strong vocals as Anna to Almedilla’s brilliantly measured, authoritative and also beautifully sung turn as Lady Thiang. Llana is also excellent as the King, coming across as more youthful than other performances of this role that I have seen, and displaying a strong presence and combative, affectionate chemistry with Kelly’s Anna. Lim is also impressive, especially vocally, as Tuptim, and Chan is especially convincing in his portrayal of Prince Chulalongkorn, as is Rivera as Kralahome. It’s a strong cast all-around, with an especially impressive ensemble and strong dancing in various moments, especially in the “Small House of Uncle Thomas” ballet sequence.

Visually, the show is stunning, and it fits very well into the ornate Fox Theatre. Even before the curtain opens, the color scheme and design elements look almost like they were designed for this venue. Then, the curtain does open, and the audience is transported to 19th Century Bangkok, vividly realized by Michael Yeargan’s detailed sets and Donald Holders truly dazzling, emotive lighting. There are also superb period-specific costumes by Catherine Zuber and wig and hair designs by Tom Watson, helping to further transport the audience to a different time and place. The staging is at once “big” and “small” in the sense that it’s expansive but also presented at an accessible scale, bringing the audience into the story with a degree of somewhat stylized realism.

The King and I at the Fox is a memorable presentation of the celebrated Lincoln Center revival directed by one of Broadway’s most lauded directors. Although there are still some dated elements, this production is presented with a sense of immediacy and even cultural critique that I hadn’t seen before in performances of this show. It’s a truly memorable production, with a great cast. It’s worth checking out while it’s in town.

Joan Almedilla
Photo by Matthew Murphy
The King and I National Tour

The national tour of The King and I is running at the Fox Theatre until December 10, 2017.

 

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“Bridges” at the Fox Looks, Sounds Great, But the Story is Lacking

Posted in St Louis Theatre, USA Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , on April 9, 2016| Leave a Comment »

The Bridges of Madison County
Book by Marsha Norman, Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Based the Novel by Robert James Waller
Original Direction by Bartlett Sher, Direction Recreated by Tyne Rafaeli
The Fox Theatre
April 5, 2016

Elizabeth Stanley, Andrew Samonsky Photo by Matthew Murphy The Bridges of Madison County National Tour

Elizabeth Stanley, Andrew Samonsky
Photo by Matthew Murphy
The Bridges of Madison County National Tour

The Bridges of Madison County was one of those books that everyone seemed to be reading in the early 1990’s. It has since become a well-known film, and now it’s a musical, featuring a score by one of the most celebrated modern composers, Jason Robert Brown. And the score is gorgeous, as are the production values. Unfortunately, despite a good cast, the story isn’t quite as gorgeous.

Although this was a best-selling book and a popular movie, I haven’t read the book and this version is the first adaptation I’ve seen. It tells the story of a lonely Italian woman, Francesca (Elizabeth Stanley) who married an American soldier after World War II and moved with him to his farm in Iowa. After years of living with Bud (Cullen R. Titmas) and raising their now-teenage children Carolyn (Caitlin Houlahan) and Michael (John Campione), Francesca is bored with farm life and misses Italy. When Bud and the kids take a trip to a state fair to show off Carolyn’s prize steer, Francesca stays home, where she soon meets traveling photographer Robert Kincaid (Andrew Samonsky), who has been sent by National Geographic  to take pictures of the area’s famous covered bridges. He stops at Francesca’s to ask for directions to the last bridge, and the two are soon intrigued by one another, as Robert has recently traveled to Francesca’s hometown of Naples and his more worldly, less conventional outlook on life intrigues her. They begin an affair, despite the frequent calls from Bud and Francesca’s neighbor and friend Marge (Mary Callanan) to check up on her.

This affair is apparently supposed to be life-changing for both Francesca and Robert, but the way it’s presented in this musical, I don’t really buy it. Everything moves too quickly and isn’t given the proper resonance. I keep finding myself sympathizing with the nice-but-boring Bud, and with his and Francesca’s kids, who have no clue what’s going on back home while they have their own “adventures” at the fair that don’t have much bearing on the rest of the story. The music is gorgeous, representing a variety of styles from a more classical sound to country and folk, and there are some stand-out songs, some with clever settings like Marge standing in for a radio singer singing “Get Closer” as Robert and Francesca dance. There’s also the haunting “Who You Are and Who We Want to Be” and Robert’s memorable “It All Fades Away”, but despite the beautiful music, the story around the songs reads as kind of shallow, with the connection between Francesca and Robert seeming little more than superficial, and the story’s continuation after the key events making the supposedly torrid affair seem kind of pointless.

The show looks great, as well. With a positively stunning set design by Michael Yeargan, adapted for the tour by Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams and beautifully realized lighting by Donald Holder and Michael Jones, the atmosphere of the sweeping farmlands of Iowa is well-embodied. There’s also excellent, well-suited costume design by Catherine Zuber that captures the style of the time period.

The cast for this show is also excellent, led by a top-notch performance by Stanley as the disillusioned Francesca. Her presence and strong voice help to make her character relatable despite the lack of chemistry with Samonsky’s nice-looking but somewhat bland Robert. The real stand-outs in this cast are the supporting performers, especially Callanan as the nosy but supportive neighbor Marge, and David Hess as her affable, loving husband Charlie. Houlahan and Campione are also excellent as Francesca’s children, the nervous but determined Carolyn and the initially rebellious but well-meaning Michael. Titmas is also fine in the somewhat flatly written role of Bud, and there’s a strong ensemble that fills out the cast, representing townspeople and various people from Francesca’s and Robert’s personal history.

The Bridges of Madison County is  a good-looking, great sounding show, but I wish it was more than that. It’s set up as a great love story but it doesn’t come across that way, especially with the lack of chemistry between the leads and the sense that most of the subplots are merely window-dressing for the unconvincing main event. I haven’t read the book so I don’t know if the story is better told in novel form, but here it’s all kind of thin. Still, it’s Jason Robert Brown, so the music is wonderful, and the songs are well-sung.  There’s enough here for a reasonably interesting story, but I wish there had been more of a point to it all.

Elizabeth Stanley, Andrew Samonsky Photo by Matthew Murphy The Bridges of Madison County National Tour

Elizabeth Stanley, Andrew Samonsky
Photo by Matthew Murphy
The Bridges of Madison County National Tour

The national tour of The Bridges of Madison County plays at the Fox Theatre until April 17, 2016.

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