Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Theater Review: Celebrity Autobiography

Mario Cantone. Photo: Joan Marcus
They Couldn't Make This Stuff Up if They Tried
By Lauren Yarger
Thoughts on having little guidos and guidettes by "Jersey Shore's" Snooki, Geraldo Rivera's reflections about a romantic encounter with Liza Minelli, Cher's obsession with M&Ms, the two sides of Ricky Martin and the eating habits of Neil Sedaka are just a few of the topics given a very comedic reading during Celebrity Autobiography: The Next Chapter playing at the Triad Theatre.

This second rendition of the show (the 2009 version took the Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience) created by Eugene Pack features all new readings from autobiographies penned by the stars. A rotating cast of celebrity readers offers excerpts from the books -- sometimes solo, sometimes ensemble -- with a little added dramatic interpretation for the lounge-style crowd tightly packed at small tables in the house. Some impersonations add to the fun, but this material is funny enough to stand on its own. The words are exactly what the celebrities have written in their books. A comedy writer couldn't make this stuff up if he tried and it was lots of fun watching comedy writing legend Alan Zweibel's incredulous expressions as he read out loud.

The company of performers for the Monday night shows has included Carol Kane, Dick Cavett, Sharon Gless, John Goodman, Debi Mazar, Rosie Perez, Harry Shearer, Jerry Springer, Jennifer Tilley, Fred Willard, Vanessa Williams, Rhea Perlman and a long list of others. The night I attended, the cast included producer Pack, Craig Bierko (Broadway's The Music Man; TV's "Necessary Roughness"), Mario Cantone ("Comedy Central," "Sex in the City"), Susie Essman ("Curb Your Enthusiasm"), Florence Henderson ("The Brady Bunch"), Dayle Reyfel (also a producer of the show) and three-time Emmy-Award winner Zweibel, who was one of the original writers for Saturday Night Live (most recently "Curb Your Enthusiasm").

Every reading earns guffaws, and you haven't really laughed, until you have heard Diana Ross describing her rained-out concert in Central Park. Also reducing the audience to tears were David Hasselhoff's recollections of the "difficulties" involved in his "Bay Watch" and Jekyl & Hyde roles. Henderson kept cracking up her castmates with a chest-hefting, southern-drawling Dolly Parton and Martone's channeling of Barbra Steisand's thoughts about baked kale brought down the house. (Martone also impersonated Minelli and others).

One highlight is a return of the "mashup" combining excerpts from the autobiographies of Elizabeth Taylor, Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. He said, she said has never been funnier.

The rambling thoughts, boring details and self-absorbed reflections might not make the best literary offerings, but they sure do make great comedy material.
The next show is scheduled for Nov. 21 at the Triad, 158 West 72nd St., NYC. Tickets range from $35 to $60 and are available by clicking here. There is a two-drink minimum, cash only. For more information, visit www.celebrityautobiography.com.
Christians also might like to know:
--Lord's name taken in vain
--Language
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Gracewell Prodiuctions

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Our reviews are professional reviews written without a religious bias. At the end of them, you can find a listing of language, content or theological issues that Christians might want to know about when deciding which shows to see.

** Mature indicates that the show has posted an advisory because of content. Usually this means I would recommend no one under the age of 16 attend.

Theater Critic Lauren Yarger

Theater Critic Lauren Yarger

My Bio

Lauren Yarger has written, directed and produced numerous shows and special events for both secular and Christian audiences. She co-wrote a Christian musical version of “A Christmas Carol” which played to sold-out audiences of over 3,000 in Vermont and was awarded the Vermont Bessie (theater and film awards) for “People’s Choice for Theatre.” She also has written two other dinner theaters, sketches for church services and devotions for Christian artists. Her play concept, "From Reel to Real: The Jennifer O'Neill Story" was presented as part of the League of professional Theatre Women's Julia's reading Room Series in New York. Shifting from reviewing to producing, Yarger owns Gracewell Productions, which produced the Table Reading Series at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, CT. She trained for three years in the Broadway League’s Producer Development Program, completed the Commercial Theater Institute's Producing Intensive and other training and produced a one-woman musical about Mary Magdalene that toured nationally and closed with an off-Broadway run. She was a Fellow at the National Critics Institute at the O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. She wrote reviews of Broadway and Off-Broadway theater (the only ones you can find in the US with an added Christian perspective) at http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com/.

She is editor of The Connecticut Arts Connection (http://ctarts.blogspot.com), an award-winning website featuring theater and arts news for the state. She was a contributing editor for BroadwayWorld.com. She previously served as theater reviewer for the Manchester Journal-Inquirer, Connecticut theater editor for CurtainUp.com and as Connecticut and New York reviewer for American Theater Web.

She is a Co-Founder of the Connecticut Chapter of the League of Professional Theatre Women. She is a former vice president and voting member of The Drama Desk.

She is a freelance writer and playwright (member Dramatists Guild of America). She is a member if the The Outer Critics Circle (producer of the annual awards ceremony) and a member of The League of Professional Theatre Women, serving as Co-Founder of the Connecticut Chapter. Yarger was a book reviewer for Publishers Weekly A former newspaper editor and graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Yarger also worked in arts management for the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and served for nine years as the Executive Director of Masterwork Productions, Inc. She lives with her husband in West Granby, CT. They have two adult children.

Copyright

All material is copyright 2008- 2024 by Lauren Yarger. Reviews and articles may not be reprinted without permission. Contact reflectionsinthelight@gmail.com

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Key to Content Notes:

God's name taken in vain -- means God or Jesus is used in dialogue without speaking directly to or about them.

Language -- means some curse words are used. "Minor" usually means the words are not too strong or that it only occurs once or twice throughout the show.

Strong Language -- means some of the more heavy duty curse words are used.

Nudity -- means a man or woman's backside, a man's lower front or a woman's front are revealed.

Scantily clad -- means actors' private areas are technically covered, but I can see a lot of them.

Sexual Language -- means the dialogue contains sexually explicit language but there's no action.

Sexual Activity -- means a man and woman are performing sexual acts.

Adultery -- Means a married man or woman is involved sexually with someone besides their spouse. If this is depicted with sexual acts on stage, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Sex Outside of Marriage -- means a man and woman are involved sexually without being married. If this is depicted sexually on stage, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Homosexuality -- means this is in the show, but not physically depicted.

Homosexual activity -- means two persons of the same sex are embracing/kissing. If they do more than that, the list would include "sexual activity" as well.

Cross Dresser -- Means someone is dressing as the opposite sex. If they do more than that on stage the listing would include the corresponding "sexual activity" and/or "homosexual activity" as well.

Cross Gender -- A man is playing a female part or a woman is playing a man's part.

Suggestive Dancing -- means dancing contains sexually suggestive moves.

Derogatory (category added Fall 2012) Language or circumstances where women or people of a certain race are referred to or treated in a negative and demeaning manner.

Other content matters such as torture, suicide, or rape will be noted, with details revealed only as necessary in the review itself.

The term "throughout" added to any of the above means it happens many times throughout the show.

Reviewing Policy

I receive free seats to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows made available to all voting members of the Outer Critics Circle. Journalistically, I provide an unbiased review and am under no obligation to make positive statements. Sometimes shows do not make tickets available to reviewers. If these are shows my readers want to know about I will purchase a ticket. If a personal friend is involved in a production, I'll let you know, but it won't influence a review. If I feel there is a conflict, I won't review their portion of the production.

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