Theater Review: Lucky Guy

Extra! Read All About It! One of the Pleasant Surprises of the Season
By Lauren Yarger
A film star in a Broadway show. That's not really news nowadays, when producers increasingly are relying on star power to sell seats on the Great White Way. Most of the time nominators are more than happy to throw award nominations at them too, whether the performances are worthy or not just so Broadway can seem glamorous.

Tom Hanks in Nora Ephron's Lucky Guy doesn't fall into this category, however, and the fine production is one of the pleasant surprises of the season.

I wasn't sure what to expect and not only because of the whole "movie-star-makes- his-Broadway debut" thing. The story of New York columnist Mike McAlary is full of gritty newspaper reporting, corruption, injustice and in his personal case, cancer. That's not the stuff of comedy, which I associate with the late Ephron, whose screenplays were vehicles for Hanks' movie fame ("Sleepless in Seattle," "You've Got Mail" are among her many titles.) And the last play I saw about him and his career, The Wood by Dan Klores, needed a good editor.

So enjoying solid performances (directed by George C. Wolfe) in a really good play that also found humor (yay, Nora!) and reunited Hanks with his old "Bosom Buddies" costar Peter Scolari as columnist Mike Daly, was a pleasant surprise indeed (I really liked that TV show). The play lets us relive some of the good old days of journalism, when reporters new how to do their job and did it well. It felt like a transfusion of printer's ink in the veins.

McAlary starts as a reporter under beloved editor John Cotter (a perfect Peter Gerety). His dream is to write a column in New York like his idol, Jimmy Breslin (back in the day, being allowed to write regular stories on a beat that included your opinion was the privilege of a few, who were given the title columnist. Today every news reporter and blogger without training thinks telling you their opinion is reporting the news.)

McAlary hangs out with other news cohorts at the Irish pub (where Cotter closes the place most nights) and is well liked. He's known for getting people to talk when they don't want to and soon is exposing police corruption and getting "the wood" -- the banner headline in a tabloid newspaper, so big the type had to be set in wood. The news world is rounded out by Hap Hairston (an engaging Courtney B. Vance), Jerry Nachman (Richard Masur), Bob Drury (Danny Mastrogiorgio), Jim Dwyer (Michael Gaston) and others, with a few of the actors playing dual roles.

The lone female, Louise Imerman, is played by Deirdre Lovejoy, who is a hoot as the foul-mouthed, tough-as-nails reporter trying to make it in the all-male newsroom world of the 1980s. The character probably seems so real because Ephron herself worked at a tabloid as a reporter. Lovejoy also plays Debby Krenck, McAlary's editor toward the end of his career.

Ephron uses all of the characters to help tell the story by having them step out of the action and address the audience directly. Enhancing the transition through time and spaces are really fabulous sets by designer David Rockwell. He emphasizes the black and white of the newspapers behind the action of the play.

McAlary gets his column -- and a lot of money as he switches writing for different papers over the years -- thanks to the negotiating skills of friend and lawyer Eddie Hayes (Christopher McDonald). His wife, Alice (a fine Maura Tierney), wishes he would spend more time with her and the kids at the large house they have been able to afford, but McAlary gets caught in the fast lane of success, until he crashes. Literally.

Recovering from serious injuries sustained in a car accident, he goes back to work too soon and makes a questionable decision about one story that damages his reputation. He can't quite find his stride again, and is discouraged in the face of a cancer diagnosis. Then he interviews a young Haitian immigrant, Abner Louima (Stephen Tyrone Williams), who was arrested and brutally sodomized by police. McAlary won the Pulitzer Prize for that story shortly before his death. Sadly, Ephron also died shortly after this play was written.

Take a trip into the old world of newspapers and into some really good theater for today. Hanks is very good and so is the play. And that's my opinion, as a journalist paid to tell you what I think about theater.

Lucky Guy plays at the Broadhurst Theatre, 235 west 44th St., NYC through June 16, For tickets and information: http://www.luckyguyplay.com.

Christians might also like to know:
-- Language
-- God's name taken in vain
-- Sexual dialogue

Theater Review: Kinky Boots

Billy Porter and The Angels (L-R: Kyle Post, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Joey Taranto, and Paul Canaan). Photo: Matthew Murphy

The Latest Film-to-Stage Musical is Kinky and Politically Correct Enough for Theater Community to Embrace It
By Lauren Yarger
Grammy-Award winner and pop star Cyndi Lauper (music and lyrics) and book writer Harvey Fierstein (Newsies, Hairspray, La Cage aux Folles) team to bring Broadway its latest film-to-stage incarnation, Kinky Boots, widely being called the "feel-good" musical of the year. I would call it the "politically correct" musical of the year, but more on that later.

Directed and choreographed here by Jerry Mitchell, the musical tells the story of the Price and Son Shoe Company in Northampton, England, where Price (Stephen Bergers) grooms son Charlie (a very handsome and golden-voiced Stark Sands) to take over the business. Charlie doesn't share a passion for the family business, however, and moves to London with childhood sweetheart, Nicola (Celina Carvajal).

"May you never fail to point your shoes back home," Price says, giving his son his blessing to pursue his own dreams in the first of the show's "accept people for who they are and whatever they want to do" messages. This is in contrast to an earlier scene in which we are shown the devastation of a little boy (Marquise Neal, who hams it up), a contemporary of young Charlie (Sebastian Hedges Thomas) in the village, who shames his father (Eugene Barry Hill) by wanting to wear a pair of spiked red women's shoes. But more on that later....

When Price dies, Charlie returns home to try to save the shoe factory with the help of long-time manager George (Marcus Neville), perky shoebox stuffer Lauren (Annaleigh Ashford) and workers Trish (Jennifer Perry) and Don (Daniel Stewart Sherman) among others.

Orders for the boring line of men's shoes are being cancelled at an alarming rate, however, and the future of the factory is in peril. Charlie convinces his old friend and discount shoe salesman Harry (Andy Kelso) to take surplus inventory off his hands, but unless Price and Son can find an untapped niche market in the shoe world, and make a product that people actually want, like Lauren advises, the factory will have to close.

When Charlie is attacked in London's red light district one night, he finds inspiration thanks to Lola (Billy Porter), a drag queen who entertains with his backup "girls" known as the Angels (Paul Canaan, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Kyle Taylor Parker, Kyle Post, Charlie Sutton and Joey Taranto.) Porter, who at times sounded like he might be fighting voice strain, takes the role way over the top and almost sounds possessed when he tries to unnerve unenlightened characters by talking to them in a "sexy" voice.

It seems the entertainers keep breaking the heels of women's shoes, not designed to hold the weight of men, and Charlie thinks a new line of "kinky boots" designed specifically for transvestites might just be what the company needs to survive. He needs someone with first-hand knowledge of the product to design it, however, and convinces Lola to come back to Northampton with him.

Lola is reluctant to return to the small town with bad memories (that little boy with the red spiked heels was he). That's where bullies like his father who disowned him or Don who mocks his need to dress like a woman reside. Lola agrees to help his new friend, Charlie, however, who seems accepting and willing to listen.  There's a moving ballad for Porter, "I'm Not My Father's Son," but I wished Sand could have sung a duet on it instead of just listening. After all, Charlie had issues with his father too.

Soon a line of kinky, colorful boots that Lola describes as "two and a half feet of tubular sex" start moving off the assembly line and Charlie makes plans to launch them at a shoe show in Milan (Gregg Barnes designs the sparkling, tacky, kinky costumes and boots).

The factory that produced a "range of shoes for men," now produces a "range of shoes for a rage of men."

When Charlie suddenly doesn't seem all that accepting of Lola and becomes more and more demanding of his workers, he alienates everyone including greedy Nicola and Lauren, who has been trying to romantic feelings for her boss. Ashford's very funny turn when the realization and reluctance of her heart hits her is a highlight of the show and probably will bring her some award nominations. Charlie finally realizes the error of his ways when Don inexplicably sees the light and discovers how to accept people for who they are. Lola's dad comes around too.

So if you haven't figured it out yet, and if you don't catch it by the oft-repeated introduction uttered throughout the show, "Ladies and gentleman and those who have yet to decide....", the theme here is everyone, regardless of the sexual preferences, is OK and should be accepted for who they are. Almost everyone I have heard talk about the show refers to it as "the feel good show of the year."

I'd suggest that it's really the "politically correct" show of the year, beating out Douglas Carter Bean's social-justice-themed Cinderella. Here's why:

The music here is OK. It's Lauper's first Broadway show and while the tunes are pleasant and catchy, they're not outstanding by any means. I can't hum more than one now, even while looking at the song list and right after seeing the show. The lyrics are repetitive and very simple and I spent a good deal of the show guessing-- correctly about 90 percent of the time -- what the next line sung would be.

The book is flawed with a lot of holes to force the theme.

"If you want to be treated like a man, act like one," Charlie suddenly spits at Lola.

Why, when  he previously he has seemed accepting of Lola? Only so he can promote the theme of acceptance by having a change of heart.

Why does Don suddenly see the light (so much so that the buy dons a pair of the kinky boots) simply because Lola shows him kindness after a ridiculous boxing-match scene? Only so he can promote the theme of acceptance by having a change of heart. (The boxing scene makes hokey choreography on conveyor belts at the factory set designed by David Rockwell seem not so bad in comparison) 

Why does Lola's father sit through a performance by Lola in drag and then suddenly embrace him after having refused to see him, even in the face of his own impending death? Only so he can promote the theme of acceptance.

I usually admire Harvey Fierstein's writing skills a lot. Some of the book issues here might have been inherited from the movie written by Geoff Deane, Tim Firth and based on a true story. Haven't seen it, so can't be sure. I also don't object to a message that all people are entitled to respect. What I do take issue with is that flawed production will be lauded simply because it has a politically correct message.

The musical I saw that had so-so music, weak lyrics and sketchy book was Scandalous. That one was laughed off the stage after only 29 performances with critics hotly criticizing Kathie Lee Gifford's ability as a book and lyrics writer. But Scandalous is about evangelist Aimee Semper McPherson -- and Christianity isn't among the politically correct themes embraced by the New York Theater Community. I heard critics say outright that they didn't want to review the show because they disagreed with the Foursquare Church's stance on same-sex marriage. If they did attend, it was unlikely that they would love a musical produced by the church, featuring its founder and written by a person who professes faith.

Another musical with a faith theme, Hands on a Hardbody, doing about 60 percent of its seating capacity over at the Brooks Atkinson, has posted an early closing notice as well after getting a lukewarm reception from critics and theatergoers. As a person of faith, I enjoyed the message of that show -- another film-to-stage piece based on a true story. As a critic, I can tell you that book and some of the music was flawed and it also isn't one of the best shows ever to hit a Broadway stage. When it closes Saturday, it will have had a run of just 28 reguar performances.

To me, these three musicals, Scandalous, Hands on a Hardbody and Kink Boots are all pretty much in the same ballpark in terms of production structure and quality. But which of these three shows is being hailed as "the feel-good musical" of the year and being embraced by theatergoers? The one with the politically correct message, selling out over at the Hirschfeld Theatre, of course.

Kinky Boots is at the Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 West 45th St., NYC. Tickets: http://kinkybootsthemusical.com/.

Christians might also like to know:
-- Cross dressing, obviously.

New Victory Offers Family-Friendly Fragile

In Fragile, a word-free work of puppet theater, an inquisitive, Chaplin-like fellow embarks on a journey carrying a suitcase filled with magical surprises. Bunraku and shadow puppetry combine with a playful and enchanting score of original music to provide a poetic narrative for each vignette in the story.

Inspired by the Italian animation series, “La Linea” (The Line, 1975-84) by Osvaldo Cavandoli, Fragile makes its US premiere in Studio 3A/B at the New 42nd Street Studios, 229 West 42nd St., NYC from April 25 – May 12.

Part two of a series aimed at young children who are discovering the magic of theater for the very first time, Fragile is a creation by Le Clan des Songes from Toulouse, France. Under the leadership of theater director and puppeteer Marina Montefusco, Le Clan des Songes has developed 11 productions that use puppetry and animated forms to create memorable and dreamlike imagery. The shows Colère Polaire, Louve Ronde, Souvenir d’un Pantin and Cargo, among others, have toured throughout France and to numerous festivals worldwide.

Fragile is part of Ricochet – Arts for All Ages!, a petite festival of performances from France for young audiences and their families. For tickets and information: http://www.newvictory.org/.

For Lo Bianco, La Guardia is a Labor of Love

Tony LoBianco as Fiorello LaGuardia. Photos: courtesy John Capo Public Relations

The Lines Between Actor/Character and Past/Present Blur
By Lauren Yarger

When Tony Lo Bianco takes the stage as La Guardia, he’s not just playing a role. He is becoming an incarnation of Fiorello H. La Guardia, beloved three-term mayor of New York.

Lo Bianco first started portraying the political figure who cleaned up corruption in city hall during his terms from 1934 to 1945 when playwright Paul Shyre approached him to portray La Guardia in the early development stages of Hizzoner. Lo Bianco listened to recordings, watched footage and worked on duplicating the mayor's voice, movement, style and spirit (if you don't remember that, you weren't paying attention in history class when you studied Tammany Hall.)

After years of rewrites and out-of-town trials, the show ran on Broadway in 1984 and in Moscow before Shyre’s death. Shyre challenged his friend to continue on with the research, and as he did (revising the play into La Guardia in 2008), Lo Bianco found that the events La Guardia had faced during his time in public service “parallel our world problems today.”
 

Lo Bianco now has written The Little Flower,  (Fiorello means "little flower" in Italian), a one-man show that has received good reviews in New York and Washington, DC. He gets to play the mayor again, this time with a passionate hope that audiences will learn from history. 

“Í can’t tell where La Guardia ends and Lo Bianco begins any more,” he joked, but he’s serious about anting us to learn from past mistakes, “I strongly believe in this,” he said. 

In a recent performance of The Little Flower presented by MNA Productions, Inc. at New York’s DiCapo Opera Theatre, I noted no fewer than nine issues that La Guardia dealt with that could have been ripped from today’s headlines:

• Affordable health care
• Courts deciding issues, rather than popular vote
• The need for a simplified tax code
• Rising gasoline prices
• Greedy corporations
• Union contracts protecting incompetent teachers
• Enemies using Democracy against us
• Size of the military
• Unemployment and underemployment

"We just don’t learn," Lo Bianco said.

In La Guardia’s day unemployment was seen as a temporary assist (with a maximum of 16 weeks,) Now, “it’s a lifestyle,” he complained, with recipients able to claim for up to at least 26 weeks in most states before extensions. This needs to stop, Lo Bianco said, particularly as people have discovered that it is more lucrative to stay on unemployment, welfare, food stamps and other forms of government assistance than to find a job. And the truth about the situation isn’t getting reported in the news, he said. Elections are won because voters think candidates provide those benefits (or refuse to provide freebies) and common sense isn’t found on the front page, he said. 

Some major news networks (with the exception of FOX, he said) refuse to investigate situations that don’t sync with their politically correct or liberal points of view, he charged. Recent examples he gave included coverage of Black Panther intimidation of voters, election results showing unlikely 100-percent support for one candidate and the lack of investigation into terror attacks on the US Embassay in Benghazi. 

“I don’t know what hope we have if the news (media) doesn’t report,” he said.

He takes his message (and the play) to college campuses and high schools. Groups can use the event as a fundraiser (if you are interested, contact John Capo Public Relations at info@johncapopr.com.) 

The play, written and directed by Lo Bianco, spans the mayor’s 12 years as mayor as well as other public service that included a stint as Republican representative from New York’s 14^th Congressional District and his service during World War I. There also are glimpses into his personal life and two marriages. The actor so becomes the character, that at one point during the performance I attended, a woman became so moved by one of La Guardia’s election-stop speeches, that stood up and applauded as he spoke.
 

Not surprising, given Lo Bianco’s distinguished acting career. He won the Obie for Best Actor for Yanks-3, Detroit 0, Top of the Seventh and was nominated for a Tony Award for his portrayal of Eddie in  the 1983 Broadway production of A View from the Bridge (for which he won the Outer Critics Circle Award). He’s known to movie buffs for roles in “The French Connection” (Sal Boca), “Honeymoon Killers” (Ray Hernandez), “Bloodbrothers," "F.I.S.T.,” "City Heat,” "Nixon,”  "The Juror,“ "Kill the Irishman. He also played Quintillus in the 1977 TV mini-series "Jesus of Nazareth."

Lo Bianco, co-founder of the  Triangle Theater in New York, also is remembered for his role in the groundbreaking 1970s TV series “Police Story” and for his portrayal of Rocky Marciano in the films "Marciano and “Rocky Marciano” – another case of LoBianco’s life connecting with his character. The actor is a former Golden Gloves boxer. 

Becoming La Guardia in The Little Flower has become almost something sacred, for Lo Bianco, however. The actor gets the same “feeling of awe” playing La Guardia as the spiritual experiences he has as a child in church and entering some of the great churches of Europe, he said. 

Clearly the play is a labor of love with serving the public its motivation. Both La Guardia and Lo Bianco agree: “On Judgment Day, it’s not what you did, but what you didn’t do.

Quick Hit Theater Review: Bethany

Tobias Segal and America Ferrera. Photo: Carol Rosegg

Bethany
By Laura Marks
Directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch
The Women’s Project

What’s It All About?
Crystal (America Ferrera) stumbles upon  Gary (Tobias Sega), squatting in a suburban home awaiting foreclosure when she breaks in with the same idea -- to live there instead of in her car. Gary's not all there mentally, but becomes Crystal's co-conspirator in making it look like he home is her own. she has to convince social worker Toni (Myra Lucretia Taylor) that she's found a stable home. She also has to keep on the good side of her boss, Shannon (Emily Ackerman) and keep her from discovering she's homeless after her divorce. Her goal in life is to regain custody of her daughter, Bethany, who was taken from her when she was forced to seek help at a homeless shelter following her divorce. A contemporary look at some issues facing real people today.

What are the Highlights?
America Ferrera (TV's Ugly Betty) gives a brilliant performance of a complex character. Crystal shows astonishing compassion toward Gary, frustrating complacency about what she has to do to secure Charlie as a customer and shrewd insight and people manipulation skills when dealing with Toni and Charlie's wife, Patricia (Kristin Griffith).The meaty part comes thanks to an interesting script that packs a lot into 90 minutes. It is contemporary, eye opening, sad, truthful, depressing and moving. Performances are strong across the board, with special notice going to Taylor for keeping the "mean" social worker likable instead.

What are the Lowlights?
None.

More information:
The play was presented at the Women’s Project at Stage II at NY City Center. http://www.womensproject.org/home.htm. It has closed.

Women’s Project Theater was founded in 1978 by Julia Miles to address the significant under-representation of women in the American theater, and has since built a tremendous legacy. Although even today women playwrights and directors severely lack parity in pay and opportunity, the extraordinary women artists who have broken through the glass ceiling have all crossed the threshold at WP, including Eve Ensler, Lynn Nottage, Maria Irene Fornes, Suzan-Lori Parks, Diane Paulus, Sarah Ruhl, Paula Vogel, and Anna Deavere Smith, among the many. Throughout its 35-year history, Women’s Project Theater has produced and/or developed over 600 plays and published 11 anthologies of plays.

Christians might also like to know:
-- God’s name taken in vain
-- Language

Quick Hit Theater Review: The Other Place

The Other Place

By Sharr White

Starring Laurie Metcalf, Daniel Stern, Zoe Perry and John Schiappa

Directed by Joe Mantello

Manhattan Theatre Club 

What’s It All About?

The Broadway transfer of Metcalf’s riveting performance as Juliana, a neurologist and expert in the subject of dementia, who is losing her own mind. For the Off-Broadway review, click here. John Schiappa reprises his role as "The Man" known as Richard. Daniel Stern plays Juliana's husband, Ian, and Zoe Perry takes on the role of Laure Juliana's estranged daughter.

What are the Highlights?

Metcalf gives a moving and deeply layered portrayal of Juliana, who on the one hand is the ultimate professional and on the other a paranoid, jealous and insecure wife and mother.

Lighting and set (Justin Townsend, lighting design; Eugene Lee and Edward Pierce, scenic deign) help express the moods.

A brisk production at one hour and 10 minutes. 

What are the Lowlights?

None.

More information:

The play was presented on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in special arrangement with MCC Theater and has closed. (Off-Broadway the play was presented at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.)
 

Christians might also like to know:

-- Language

-- God’s name taken in vain

-- Sexual dialogue

Quick Hit Theater Review: Picnic

Reed Birney and Elizabeth Marvel. Photo:Joan Marcus

Picnic

By William Inge

Directed by Sam Gold

Roundabout Theatre Company 

What’s It All About?

On the surface, preparations for a abor Day picnic in a smal Kansas town; Below the surface, relationships and sexual longng. When headturning drifter Hal Carter (Sebatian Stan) blows into town, the women suddely have something to talk about. Especially taken with him is beautiful Madge Owens (Maggie Grace), who ends up having to decide whether to folow him when he's forced out of town, or staybehind with boring, but steadier beau Alan Seymour (Ben Rappaport), the choice of her mother, Flo (Mare Winningham) and secret interest of mousy sister, Millie (Madeline Martin).

What are the Highlights?

Anytime Ellen Burstyn is on a New York stage, it’s a treat. She stands out here as older Helen Potts, who'se not oblivious to Hal's good looks. She lights up the stage whenever she’s on it. It’s also fun to see Mare Winningham, though her role doesn’t begin to tap her abilities. Elizabeth Marvel adds some much needed humor as neighbor Rosemary, who begs her boyfriend, Hward (Reed Burney) to make her an honest woman by mrrying her. It's a simpler time.

What are the Lowlights?

The 1953 play, presented in three acts, is probably too “old school” to keep us entertained today. The women have little to do except sit around hoping to find a man. 

More information:

Roundabout presented in a limited engagement on Broadway at the American Airlines Theatre.  

Christians might also like to know:

-- God’s name taken in vain