Marc Savitt - Page 9

First Show

Favorite Show

Favorite Stories

• Review: THE PIANO LESSON at Shakespeare & Company - While somewhat rare, theatre has the ability to touch the very core of one’s soul and have a profound impact. A feeling that, once experienced, will not soon, if ever, be forgotten. It is difficult to express in words for those that have not. Suffice to say that as I write this piece, happily and enthusiastically urging anyone and everyone reading not to miss this rare and indeed superlative experience while you can - I am still overwhelmed and more than just a little verklempt. Over the eight years I have been covering regional productions for BroadwayWorld.com (a number in the hundreds) this production of THE PIANO LESSON is without doubt one of the overall finest. Simply stated it approaches flawless, a Broadway caliber production.
• Review: OUT OF CHARACTER at Berkshire Theatre Group -
• Review: NEXT TO NORMAL at Barrington Stage Company - While the use of the term perfect in the subheading is a bit of an eye wink or nod to one the musical numbers (“Perfect for You”) it is also well deserved. Earlier in this piece, I mentioned that I had seen NEXT TO NORMAL once before. I was “blown away” by the 2009 production by Chatham New York’s Mac-Hayden Theatre and applauded the bravery shown in mounting such an unconventional piece in a regional theatre. I wholeheartedly congratulate and echo that sentiment with respect to BSC and Artistic Director, Alan Paul on this production. I will also share that this production is complex to the level of a multi-faceted gemstone. This NEXT TO NORMAL works so well on so many levels that at the end of the production, I realized I had subliminally blocked a major element of the overall messaging that deals with some of the less pleasant aspects of my own family of origin story.
• BWW Review: FUN HOME at GhostLit Repertory Theatre Opens Minds and Touches Hearts -
• Review: IF I FORGET at Barrington Stage Company - The ensemble cast is very strong and extremely well balanced. So much so that at some point I stopped seeing individual performers engaged in their craft as actors and became totally engrossed in watching a family. While this may be somewhat attributable to my own personal connection to the subject matter as a member of the diaspora and secular Jewish community in suburban America, I think the Fischer family and its dynamics will feel familiar to most. In other words, you don't have to be Jewish to appreciate this powerful and moving play, but it won't hurt. Many audience members will likely see their own family members on the stage. IF I FORGET explores, deeply, a family and its history. It looks at the past, the present, and how the future might affect them, as well as the legacy they should / will leave.