Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Review: Not Man Apart's PARADISE LOST is a Visceral World
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| Jones Talmadge (Satan), Anne-Marie Talmadge (Michael), Alex Garland (Beelzebub), Kendall Johnson (Raphael), Elisa Rosin (Gabriel), Moses Norton (Belial), and Janine Montag (Moloch). All photos by Anthony Roldan |
The purpose of all theatre - regardless of its individual form, style, or manner of presentation - is communication. It must be able to reach an audience before it can even begin to challenge them, or change them, or even simply make them feel something. If it does not, it will have failed in its all-important task, for without that two-way bond, the artists on stage end up performing in a vacuum and the audience quickly loses interest.
There’s not a chance in hell that an audience member could fail to be engaged in Not Man Apart Physical Theatre Ensemble’s latest new work, Paradise Lost: Reclaiming Destiny. The company has found a tantalizing niche with its athletically rich dance, movement & sensory exploration of stories that literally leap off the stage into the stratosphere. This latest production pushes that unique concept to new heights as it invokes the mighty forces of good and evil in a struggle of epic proportions.
The piece runs 65 minutes in length and is adapted and handsomely directed by NMA’s co-artistic director & longtime company member Jones (Welsh) Talmadge. It is performed without dialogue, but combines dance, movement, music, aerial acrobatics, and interactive video projections, to create a theatrical world that never stops moving. The visual design by J-Walt Adamczyk (who also plays Father God) is dazzling, with psychedelic images that morph and mature like a living breathing character, all generated by cast members on stage.
Based on John Milton’s classic poetic narrative about Satan’s banishment from Heaven, and his subsequent role in Adam and Eve’s fall from grace, it is a visceral interpretation of the story that has, at its heart, a modernistic point of view. As gender roles today come sharply under scrutiny, this version of the story honors Milton’s underlying themes but does so by making fresh decisions in the way it carries out its story.
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| Leslie Charles Roy Jr. (Adam) and Alina Bolshakova (Eve) |
For example, here it is Adam (Leslie Charles Roy Jr.) who is tempted by Satan and eats of the forbidden fruit, then convinces Eve (Alina Bolshakova) to do the same. This simple reversal is a bold choice and one that encapsulates Paradise Lost’s message by disrupting what is expected in order to break open the possibilities of what lies beyond.
Another way the production disrupts the predictable is by inserting a fantasy sequence ripped from the era of Leave it to Beaver, but with a twist. A stereotypical 1950’s husband and wife are having dinner in their happy sitcom kitchen but the scene turns sinister when daddy doesn’t like his meal and his terrified spouse ends up the victim of domestic abuse. That the characters are played by fallen angels Sin (Laura Covelli) and Death (James Bane) makes it even more macabre, as does their behavior’s resulting effect on Adam and Eve.
The cast is a ridiculously talented group of artists who make the rigorous physical aspects of the play appear effortless. Whether engaged in forceful battle scenes or moments of abject peace and beauty, each one burrows into the story from his or her point of view and contributes to an emotional journey that elicits great rewards.
None are more seductively wrought than Satan himself, powerfully played by Talmadge in a striking performance precariously balanced on the edge. If you watch the effect he has on every other character on stage, you’ll come away with an even deeper understanding of how connected we all really are. You’ll also see how nothing is as black and white as it seems. He may be a brute but there is beauty in his torturous descent into hell, which is choreographed as a muscular display of aerial gymnastics with the artist suspended from chains while a cataclysmic panorama erupts behind him. It is both ugly and devastatingly gorgeous at the same time.
The original score by Bernie Sirelson, Alysia Michelle James and Elisa Rosin is a blend of techno pop, rock, and electronic music that ranges from the majestic to the subtle, with a few angelic vocals thrown in for good measure.
Sound, lighting, and costume design (created by Niki Amato, John E.D. Bass, and Ashphord Jacoway, respectively) further enhance the multi-dimensional quality of the play as all the separate elements coalesce into a single pulsing heartbeat.
With Paradise Lost, Not Man Apart continues its evolution as a company while passionately exploring the connections between humanity and art, actor and audience, individual and the world. Making theatre relevant with such sophistication is a special kind of brilliance. More, please.
PARADISE LOST: RECLAIMING DESTINY
March 10 - April 2, 2017
Not Man Apart Physical Theatre Ensemble
Greenway Court Theatre
544 N. Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
www.notmanapart.com
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| Alex Garland (Beelzebub), Moses Norton (Belial), Kendall Johnson (Raphael), Joseph Baca (Abdiel), and Elisa Rosin (Gabriel) |
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| J-Walt Adamczyk (Father God), Zach Davidson (Son of God), and Marguerite French (Mother God) |
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| Elisa Rosin (Gabriel), Anne-Marie Talmadge (Michael), Alex Garland (Beelzebub), Kendall Johnson (Raphael), Moses Norton (Belial), Janine Montag (Moloch), Jones Talmadge (Satan), and Joseph Baca (Abdiel) |
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Labels: greenway court, not man apart
Friday, August 15, 2014
Musical News for Friday, August 15, 2014
The cast will feature Ashley Ruth Jones as Psyche, Michael Starr as Eros, Laura L. Thomas as Aphrodite along with Benai Boyd, Mathew Domenic D;Amico, Katie Kitani, Philip Dean Lightstone, Cindy Sciacca, Nakia Secrest, Neil Taffe, Derrian Tolden, Grace Yoo and Cynthia Zitter. The design team includes Stephen Gifford (set design), E.B. Brooks (costume design), Tim Swiss (lighting design), Cricket S. Myers (sound design), and Michael O’Hara (props design). Aerial director is Whitney Kirk and aerial consulting is by Nathalie Gaulthier. Greenway Court Theatre, 544 N. Fairfax Ave. in Hollywood. Tickets: (323) 655.7679 x100 or www.psycherockopera.com.
“I had the true honor (and the great fun) of directing Diahann Carroll here at the Playhouse in our production of BLUE,” said Sheldon Epps. “She has become a good friend and a great supporter of my work here. Diahann has been a great trailblazer and pioneer in our field, opening many doors in the entertainment industry. One could say that the Diversity Project itself is in the grand tradition of her achievements.” For more information about the Wells Fargo Theatrical Diversity Program, or to become a Patron of the 2014 Diversity Celebration, contact Julia Fitzgibbons by phone at (626) 204-7383 or via email at jfitzgibbons@pasadenaplayhouse.org.
I was looking at the ceiling and then I saw the sky, a one-night only performance comes to the Ford. An earthquake romance. A genre-defying song play. With a score by leading contemporary composer John Adams and a libretto by the late poet June Jordan, I was looking at the ceiling and then I saw the sky was written as an homage to the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Now, 20 years later, the Los Angeles County Arts Commission presents the Southern California premiere, performed by Long Beach Opera. LBO artistic director Andreas Mitisek conducts a concert staging at the Ford Amphitheatre on Aug. 23 at8 pm as part of the Ford’s Zev Yaroslavsky Signature Series.
The cast will include Cedric Berry as Dewain, a reformed gang leader; Bernard Holcomb as David, a Baptist minister; Zeffin Quinn Hollis as Mike, a cop who is also a community activist; Andrew Nguyen as Rick, a Vietnamese-American Legal Aid defense attorney; Lindsay Patterson as Leila, an African-American graduate student working as a family planning counselor in an abortion clinic; Zipporah Peddle as Tiffany, a TV crime-as-news reporter; and Holly Sedillos as Consuela, an undocumented immigrant mother of two from El Salvador. Tickets are $100, $80 and $60 (reserved seating), with a VIP package available for $125 that includes premium seating, a choice of wine or beer, and on-site parking. A $5 discount is available with advance purchase by Aug. 16. For more information and to purchase tickets go to www.FordTheatres.org or call (323) 461-3673 (323 GO 1-FORD).
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Labels: ford amphitheatre, greenway court, pasadena playhouse
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Musical News for Thursday, January 9, 2014
Set in James Joyce’s Dublin, on the night of the Feast of Epiphany (January 6) 1904, Richard Nelson and Shaun Davey’s musical adaptation of THE DEAD is a hauntingly tender and emotionally complex story of an annual gathering of old friends and family. On the 30th anniversary of the Morkan’s annual holiday festivities, two aging sisters -- Aunt Kate and Aunt Julia -- and their niece Mary Jane host an evening filled with food, stories, memories and music. Principal among the guests is Gabriel, the Aunt’s nephew. Amidst the portrait of revelry and hospitality, with the snow falling all over Ireland, Gabriel is confronted by an unexpected revelation from his wife which leads him to a quiet yet shattering epiphany of his own.
The cast features Devon Armstrong, Charlotte Chanler, Kendra Chell, Martha Demson, Bruce Dickinson, Kiley Eberhardt, John LeMay, Nicola Hersh, Jacque Lynn Colton, Bruce Dickinson, Richard Knolla, Rob Nagle, Mary Linda Phillips, Beth Robbins, Judith Scarpone, and Melissa Sullivan, and Musicians Dean Mora (piano), Eden Livingood (violin), Kelly De Sarla (flute), Jennifer Richardson (cello). For tickets, please call (323) 882-6912 or visit www.openfist.org or www.greenwayarts.org.
CABARET/CONCERTS: MISCAST: Right Singer, Wrong Song is back on January 27th at Sterling’s Upstairs at the Federal featuring three new singers and all new songs, including selections from West Side Story, Mamma Mia, A Chorus Line and at long last…Grease 2! MISCAT stars Mandy Kaplan, Will Collyer, Lori Alan, Erin Torpey, Tom Metz III, JP Karliak, Jennifer Hall, Justin Michael Wilcox, Ewan Chung, Chris Carlisle, and Kathryn Lounsbery. Dinner and drinks at 6:30 pm (no minimum); Showtime 8:00 pm. For reservations call (818) 754-8700. Click Here for more information.
The Valley Performing Arts Center at California State University, Northridge will present an eclectic mix of classical, legendary Broadway and emerging talent as it starts its spring 2014 season with hallmark performances such as It’s Showtime, Folks! Celebrating Sixty Years of Bob Fosse, Chita Rivera: A Legendary Celebration and the first-ever high school San Fernando Valley musical theater showcase. For more information go to www.valleyperformingartscenter.org
BENEFIT: Theatre of NOTE is proud to announce the 19th Annual Hollywood Performance Marathon, on Saturday, January 18 beginning at 3pm and continuing until dawn, at Theatre of NOTE, 1517 N. Cahuenga Blvd. (just North of Sunset) in Hollywood. NOTE’s Hollywood Performance Marathon celebrates its nineteenth year with over 50 performers who will donate their time and talent to benefit Theatre of NOTE. This highly anticipated local tradition is an all-day-all-night extravaganza of eclectic performances, including comedy, pancake juggling, poetry, puppets, performance art, dance, music, monologues and much more!
Included on the roster of incredibly diverse and exciting performances will be NOTE’s own Kirsten Vangsness, Tom Lenk, Bill Brochtrup, Taylor Negron, John Fleck, Two Headed Dog, Ten West, Scot Nery, and many more. (All acts are subject to change) Tickets are $20 and no reservations are necessary. First come first serve seating. For more information, visit www.theatreofnote.com.
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Labels: greenway court, sterling's, theatre of note, valley performing arts center
Sunday, January 6, 2013
What's Happening Around Town for January 6, 2013
Jason Alexander Directs New Musical Revue
When You're In Love, The Whole World Is Jewish will have its world premiere at the Greenway Court Theatre Feb. 2 -March 10. Directed by Seinfeld’s Jason Alexander, the comedy/musical revue celebrates the love of comedy and of cherished childhood memories. Based on several ground-breaking comedy albums, the material has never been seen live until now. Producers Danny Gold and Billy Riback decided to mount the show for one simple reason: “We were both weaned on classic comedy,” said Riback, “and the albums “You Don’t Have To Be Jewish,” and “When You’re In Love, The Whole World Is Jewish,” were gut-bustingly funny way back then, and because of the timeless nature of the comedy, part character study, part self-effacing lampooning, but always sweet-natured and good-hearted, they remain just as hilarious today.” The Greenway Court Theatre is located at 544 N. Fairfax Avenue, next to Fairfax High School. Free Parking is available in the lot adjacent to the theatre. Click Here for tickets and more information or call (323) 656-7679 x 100.
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Tony® and Olivier Award winner Lea Salonga will appear in concert at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts January 19 at 8pm. Salonga burst onto the international theater scene as the title character in Miss Saigon. The star-making turn began a Broadway streak that would include Flower Drum Song and Les Misérables. Lea is known to a younger generation as the singing voice of both Jasmine in Disney's Aladdin and Mulan in Disney's Mulan. Click Here for tickets.
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Once Upon a Time returns tonight with the original episode "The Cricket Game,” 8/7c on NBC.
Set your DVRs for the return of SMASH Tuesday February 5. Bombshell returns to New York in hopes of landing a theater for its Broadway debut, but a new scandal puts its fate in jeopardy. The 2-hour event airs at 9/8c.
GLEE returns Thursday, January 24 on FOX with its "Sadie Hawkins" episode. Ashley Fink is back as Lauren Zizes.
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Labels: glee, greenway court, once upon a time, segerstrom center, smash
Friday, October 28, 2011
A Shining Love Letter: I LOVE LUCY Live on Stage
It was TV magic when CBS began airing black & white episodes of the I Love Lucy® show in the early 1950s. The lovable redhead known as Lucy Ricardo instantly won the hearts of millions of viewers who tuned in weekly to see her latest antics. Who can forget images of Lucy filming the Vitameatavegamin commercial, stomping grapes, working in the chocolate factory with Ethel, or doing her mirror routine with Harpo Marx?
Now a new adaptation of the show, I Love Lucy® Live on Stage, has come to the Greenway Court Theatre by co-adapters Rick Sparks, who also directs the production, and comedy writer Kim Flagg. It recreates the television taping of two episodes of the iconic series, The Benefit, and Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined, by a quartet of actors who seek not to mimic the original performances but instead honor the essence of The Ricardos and their next door neighbors, Fred and Ethel Mertz.
Sirena Irwin plays Lucy Ricardo and her resemblance to the famous redhead will certainly make you do a double take, styled to perfection as she is with Lucy’s signature red poodle hairstyle and knockout 50’s wardrobe. Credit for the outstanding vintage look of the show goes to Shon LeBlanc and Byron J. Batista for the costume and wig/makeup design, respectively. Irwin pouts and schemes her way through the scenes in typical “Lucy” fashion playing to her charming, and ever-tolerant husband Ricky (Bill Mendieta), who has his own comedic moments and time for plenty of the Cuban bandleader’s signature vocals – “Babalu” included.
Lucy’s sidekick Ethel (a terrific Lisa Joffrey), may have played second fiddle throughout the run of the show, but here she and husband Fred (Bill Chott) get to show off some of their own vaudevillian song and dance skills in “The Varsity Drag” sequence. Both capture the fine points of their characters beautifully.
As with any television show there are some hilarious commercial inserts by notable products of the day; Brylcream, Chevrolet and a dancing Alka Seltzer tablet among them, and musical numbers by The Crystal Tones – think “Glow Worm” in gorgeous six-part harmony. Those beautiful musical arrangements are brought to you courtesy of musical director Wayne Moore, who also leads the Ricky Ricardo Orchestra “live” at the Tropicana and highlighted by Cricket S. Myers' sound design.
Thanks to a top-notch ensemble the show actually begins outside the theatre as costumed cast members interact with the audience while waiting for the doors to open. One excited woman (Amy Tolsky) is just so gosh darned happy to be here that her infectious energy transfers to everyone around her.
Once inside, Aaron Henderson’s set design lit by Jeremy Pivnick welcomes you into the studio and Mark Christopher Tracy takes charge as the host of the show. Audience warm-up is an art and he’s got it down to a T. A few of the other character highlights include Ed Martin’s wildly entertaining turn as Lucy’s eye doctor, Greg Franklin as Broadway producer William Parker, and Tom Christensen as Lucy’s swingin’ jitterbug instructor King Katt Walsh, though it truly is a team effort and everyone in the cast has his or her chance to shine.
I Love Lucy® Live on Stage pays the highest compliment to its namesake sitcom by remaining true to the innocence of the original. In doing so, we the audience have the opportunity to experience a bit of what it was like in those early days when landing a joke was the loftiest of goals and wholesome entertainment was what the country craved. Fresh, lovely, and full of life, Sparks and company have truly created a shining love letter to the one and only first lady of comedy.
I Love Lucy® Live on Stage runs through December 30 at the Greenway Court Theatre. Click Here for tickets and more information.
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The original episodes of The Benefit and Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined were written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll Jr. I Love Lucy® Live on Stage is brought to you by S. Kahn Presents and the Millrock Company. Executive producers are David George and Steve Kahn. Hyra George and Kim Flagg are producers.
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Labels: greenway court
Monday, August 29, 2011
I Love Lucy® Live on Stage
The world premiere of I Love Lucy® Live on Stage, a musical comedy tribute to one of the most popular television shows, opens at the Greenway Court Theatre on October 1. Travel back to the 1950s and the Desilu Studios where Rick Sparks directs the “filming” of two episodes of the iconic and beloved sitcom, complete with a television studio host and vintage-style live musical commercials. In addition to the classic comedy that takes place in Lucy and Ricky Ricardo’s New York apartment, musical director Wayne Moore conducts The Ricky Ricardo Orchestra live from the “Tropicana Nightclub.
Sirena Irwin stars as Lucy Ricardo; Bill Mendieta is Ricky Ricardo; Bill Chott plays Fred Mertz; and Lisa Joffrey is Ethel Mertz. Also featured in the cast, playing multiple roles, are Noel Britton, Tom Christensen, Steven Connor, Gregory Franklin, Ed Martin, Denise Moses, Cindy Sciacca, Amy Tolsky, Gina Torrecilla and Mark Christopher Tracy.
“There will never be another television character like Lucy Ricardo,” acknowledges Sparks. “We recognize that there was only one original cast, so we’re not going to attempt any impersonation of their immense talents. Our plan is to honor and celebrate this iconic show, and that experience will begin the moment audiences step onto the sidewalk in front of the theater.”
I Love Lucy® Live on Stage is staged and directed by Rick Sparks. The stage adaptation and additional new material are by Kim Flagg and Rick Sparks. Set design is by Aaron Henderson; lighting design is by Jeremy Pivnick; sound design is by Cricket S. Myers; costume design is by Shon LeBlanc; wigs and hair are by Byron Batista; and the production stage manager is Justine Baldwin. I Love Lucy® Live on Stage is presented by S. Kahn Presents and Millrock Company.
Rick Sparks (Director, Co-Adaptor) is the winner of 16 Los Angeles theater awards. He most recently directed the Ovation-recommended Daddy at the Hudson Mainstage and Trio at Lounge 2.
Kim Flagg (Co-Adaptor) is currently writing on ABC’s new 2011 fall comedy Last Man Standing. Kim was a writer and story editor for the Tim Allen series Home Improvement and has collaborated with Allen for fifteen years as his ghostwriter, head comedy writer, speechwriter and creative design director, developing and writing a wide array of material for his stand-up comedy, award show appearances, comedy concerts, public engagements, hosting events, and talk show appearances.
I Love Lucy® Live on Stage opens on October 1 and continues through December 30. The Greenway Court Theatre is located at 544 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036.
Click Here for tickets and more information or call 800-595-4TIX (800-595-4849).
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Labels: greenway court