Robert Barossi - Page 6

Summer is the time when theatrical offerings often turn to lighter fare. Smaller, more serious dramas and tragedies give way to big, boisterous musicals filled with colors and costumes and eye-popping spectacle. Of course, there are countless toe-tapping show tunes to go along with all the family-friendly fun and frivolity. This summer, there is no better way to kick off your summer theater viewing than a stop in Warwick for Ocean State Theatre Company's production of Always...Patsy Cline.

As the summer arrives, and many theater companies either end their season or switch to lighter, summer-friendly fare, one can look back and reflect on the theatrical offerings of the past year. There have without doubt been many weighty, dark, serious and thought-provoking plays on our area stages during fall and winter. Trinity Rep adds its own heavyweight into the final rounds of the season with their production of Sam Shepard's A Lie of the Mind. Like much of Trinity's fiftieth season has been, it's a show that is uneven and, arguably, an underwhelming experience in the final analysis. Like many of the other recent similar theatrical offerings, it is also a show that is at times unquestionably riveting and spellbinding.

Since the earliest shows produced by The Wilbury Group, the company has grown by leaps and bounds, becoming a force in the Rhode Island theater scene. They've established themselves a fine young professional theater company and arrive now at the end of a theatrical season they can and should be proud of. On the other hand, their final show of this season seems to be a bit of a step backwards. Or, perhaps, a missed opportunity, as their production of the classic musical Cabaret is surprisingly and disappointingly safe and rather dull.

The two shows currently playing at 2nd Story Theater in Warren, RI were not originally scheduled as part of this year's season. They are both replacement shows, chosen by Artistic Director Ed Shea, who is quoted as saying that he wanted audiences to "have fun" and leave the theater "feeling joyful." Though I haven't seen the show playing in the DownStage space, Shea has certainly achieved that goal with the UpStage production, Becky's New Car, a play that, regardless of some faults, provides an evening of undeniable entertainment.

Recently, Yankee Magazine, in their Editors' Choice Best of New England 2014 issue, awarded the title of "Best Intimate Theatre" to Rhode Island's own Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre. The Gamm's home in Pawtucket is intimate, there's no argument about that, a perfectly sized and perfectly utilized theatrical space. Proximity with the audience can at times be a risky bet, a chance for a company to live or die by the sword of theater that is very up close and personal. In the case of the Gamm, it is a bet they always win. Just one example is this season's final play, Blackbird, which again showcases how the space's intimacy can and does make great theater even more powerful and impactful.

It's difficult to argue with anyone who says that Providence Performing Arts Center has had a spectacular season. You'd be hard pressed to find such an impressive collection of musical productions brought together during a single season anywhere. Of course, this is just what organizations like PPAC do, they put together impressive seasons filled with stunning theatrical spectacles, from newer shows, like Once and Ghost: The Musical, to all-time Broadway favorites like Phantom of the Opera and Man of La Mancha. The season ends on another high note with one last smash hit Broadway musical, both critically acclaimed and a fan-favorite, The Book of Mormon.

Lately, it seems as if there's been something in the air in the Rhode Island theatre scene. Or maybe something in the drinking water. Something rather dark. There are a number of plays that have just ended, are running currently, or are about to open, which deal with very dark, disturbing or depressing themes and images. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, of course. And no rhyme or reason for why it's so pervasive right now, it's mere coincidence. Still, there's a lot of dark out there right now and it's nice to mix things up with lighter fare, perhaps something along the lines of the delightful production of Picasso at the Lapin Agile, presented by Counter-Productions Theatre Company, which just closed at Ninety-Five Empire.

It's not every rock band or musical act that could successfully create musical based on its many widely varying songs. There has to be a certain uniformity, power and resonance to the music, all of the music, carrying through many songs, rather than just one or two 'greatest hits.' And they have to be songs that can be strung together to create a cohesive whole that works as a musical with a plot, story, characters, etc. If there's any proof that it can be done, and done smashingly well, it's found in We Will Rock You, the 'rock theatrical' created through the combination of British writer Ben Elton and the music of Queen.

David Rabe's Hurlyburly, currently presented by Epic Theatre Company at Theatre 82 in Cranston, explores some well-known territory. It's Los Angeles in the 1980s. We're in the apartment of a couple of wanna-be Hollywood players. Vulgar, crude, rough-around-the edges guys who are trying to make it big, or at least make it, in Hollywood. They don't seem to have much real ambition though, or much actual talent, intelligence or qualifications when it comes to achieving their dreams, such as they are. All they actually do is sit around all day and night, drinking, doing drugs and having sex. These are not the bright and shiny celebrity filmmakers of Hollywood. They are the underbelly of the city, and Rabe peels back the surface and exposes all of their nastiness, not to mention their loneliness, paranoia, insecurity, greed and misery.

On some occasions, perhaps many, a great idea or concept almost effortlessly becomes a great play, movie, television show, etc. It's just the right combination of elements, brought together in exactly the right way, creating a perfect storm kind of event. On the other hand, there are many times when a great concept, a great idea, does not translate into a great finished product. Such is the case with Trinity Repertory Company's production of the brand new play Veronica Meadows, written by Trinity company member Stephen Thorne

When Anne Frank wrote in her diary, she was not just expressing her honest and true feelings about her daily observations and experiences. She was recording for posterity a harrowing tale of how a group of people tried against all odds to survive one of the most terrible times in history. Anne's family and friends hid in an attic for just over two years while the Nazis occupied the Netherlands. While living in constant fear of being discovered and captured, Anne and the others did all they could to attempt a normal existence and hold on to some semblance of optimism and hope. Ocean State Theatre Company's production perfectly creates those moments of hope while at the same time truthfully revealing how these people's resilience and courage were tested every day.

There's no denying it, it's been an awful winter. There are likely a number of scientific studies to back up that fact. It's been cold and grey and dismal for quite a while and the snow and ice are just now, at the end of March, starting to vanish completely. What better way is there to shrug off this dreary gray season than a bright, exuberant and riotously funny comic farce, live on stage? Have no fear, 2nd Story Theatre has exactly what you need with their current production of Le Dindon, by the master of French farce, Georges Feydeau.

When adapting movies into Broadway musicals, it certainly helps to start with a movie that revolves around singing and dancing. Or, at least, a movie that includes some kind of singing or dancing as a major part of the story or plot. That way, adding more singing and dancing should at least have a solid, logical starting point. It would seem, then, that the movie Flashdance is a perfect choice. It's right there in the title. The whole movie revolves around…wait for it…dance! Unfortunately, the Broadway touring production that is visiting PPAC takes a promising start and turns it into a long, bloated and mostly boring slog through two hours at the theater.

As an art form, theater is many things. It is entertaining. It is inspiring. It is thought-provoking. It can also be disturbing, challenging, provocative and divisive. Some might argue that this is exactly what theater should be and is meant to be. Something that elicits powerful emotions, both positive and negative, from an audience. Something that causes them to discuss, engage, and even argue with each other over what it all means. Love it or hate it, it's power to grab the audience and make them face a difficult reality cannot and will not be denied. This is exactly the kind of theater The Wilbury Group has created with their production of Sarah Kane's Blasted.

An arguably wise person once told me there are four major issues that can potentially ruin any relationship. They are, 'money, religion, sex and family.' Hard to argue with that. For the moment, let's take out three and just focus on one of those issues: religion. It's a topic that can be thorny at best and downright destructive at worst. It can lead people to violent extremes but also guide them to extreme peace and tranquility. And it's the issue at the heart of a funny, moving and thought-provoking play called A Bright New Boise, currently playing in the Downstage space at 2nd Story Theatre in Warren.

At one end of the theatrical spectrum are the big fantasies and storybook epics full of spectacle and wonder. aT the other, the small, intimate, realistic slice-of-life kind of plays. The latter are the plays that take us deep into the world of people just like us, real, breathing human beings with lives very similar to our own. It is this kind of play that Epic Theatre is bringing to the black box at Artists Exchange with their latest production, Amy Herzog's The Great God Pan.

Some would say that it's the journey that's most important, rather than the destination. Others will argue that it's the destination that matters, no matter how one arrives there. In theater, plays are often concerned with a character's journey, where they have been, where they are headed, why they're going in that direction and, finally, where they actually end up. The current production of A Streetcar Named Desire, jointly presented by Psych Drama Company and Rhode Island Shakespeare Company, is an example of what happens when the journey is secondary, even ignored, and how that can diminish a play's power.

There are many excellent reasons why Man of La Mancha has been one of Broadway's most beloved and enduring musicals. Many of the show's songs are gorgeous and stunning, especially 'The Impossible Dream,' which has become a standard and taken on a life of its own, beyond the confines of the musical. A number of important and universal themes also run through the play, including religion vs. science, the power of imagination, the power of faith, and how believing in something can change us and change our lives. Unfortunately, many of those reasons, from the power of the music to the deeply human themes are absent in this lackluster and lifeless touring production. It's hard to say exactly why or how, but it's undeniable that something is missing. The electricity, the energy, the human connections are completely missing in this production where every line is a rote line reading and every song is robbed of any kind of emotional depth or connection.

As the calendar turns to February, the weather is, for the moment remarkably mild. Spring, though, is far off and cold, dreary days are still to come. It's the perfect time to sit in a cozy theater and have your spirits lifted watching a hysterical play that fills you with the warmth of joyfulness and fun. Ocean State Theatre Company has exactly what you need with their production of Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor.

It seems that since the dawn of the new millennium, there has been an incredible surge in the appearance of new 'jukebox musicals.' This genre is comprised of shows made up of previously recorded and released songs, usually by a single band or artist, or connected to a specific theme. While there were a few of these in the late 1900's, the genre took off once the clock turned to 2000. Now, theaters are filled with them, showcasing the music of anyone from Billy Joel to Queen to Janis Joplin and Bob Dylan. After seeing the touring production of the jukebox musical Rock of Ages at Providence Performing Arts Center, it's hard to imagine that anything in the genre is as exciting, fun and perfectly pieced together as this spectacular musical combination of the glam-band hits of the late 1980s.