Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on DONNIE DARKO (the play) in Cambridge, MA.
Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on DONNIE DARKO (the play) in Cambridge, MA.
#1Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on DONNIE DARKO (the play) in Cambridge, MA.
Posted: 11/11/07 at 11:53am
to Rick...
E14 
Donnie Darko
New Play
Zero Arrow Theater (Cambridge, MA)
American Repertory Theater Company
11/10/07 2 pm matinee
1 hour & 20 minutes without intermission
Tix Price -$39.00
So what do you do if you live in Boston, there's a strike in NYC and you cant see Broadway shows like the play- August: Osage County. You can hop on the the Red Line and go to Cambridge (Harvard T Stop) and see the new play..Donnie Darko- and that's what I just did over this weekend.
Based on the cult 2001 movie by Richard Kelly and produced by the newly Charlie's Angel's (then) Drew Barrymore. It was a story of a trouble teenager who sleepwalks named Donald Darko, who lived in VA. During the time of the 1988 presidential election campaign. Donnie has an imaginary friend named Frank, dressed in man sized rabbit costume. Frank told Donnie that the world will end in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes and 12 minutes.
WARNING : Contains spoilers below and would be better understood if you see the movie version.
***** 2 Things I LIKE about the play (out of 10)
1. The Sets.. I thought given the task of bringing the whole movie to stage was a pretty hard challenge and I thought Matt McArdon (Senic Designer) did a fantastic job of re-imagining the film and interpreting it on the big stage of Zero Arrow Theater. I specially love spinning thing that looks like a russian roulette.. with a 3 dimensional doll house and an toy airplane that's located on the upper part of Stage Left that keeps spining as you entered the dark theater - all you see is this.
Here's the Scenic Design: (coming from Audience's View)
Right Side of Stage:
(from left) Donnie's Room, Donnie's House Living Room (below) Grandma's Death's Street, Classroom's Blackboard (Center) and Upper Center is a Window (for Airplane Scene and Frank's Apparition Scenes) 
Center is the CLASSROOM's Blackboard 
LEFT Side (Upper Part)
Cinema Scene d/b as the Classroom's Chairs 
LEFT SIDE (lower part)
Dr. Lilian's Thurman's Office 
2. Karen MacDonald (as Kitty Farmer, the gym teacher) and Thomas Derrah (as Jim Cunninham)- I thought this was the only two decent actors in the entire play..acting
wise. Karen is very funny and Thomas is on the spot with the character as the inspirational speaker but an evil child pornographer (which was portrayed by Patrick Swayze in the movie version)
*******5 Things I DON'T LIKE about the play (out of 10)
1. Some Actors :
a. Dan MacCabe- right age for the character of Donnie, but somehow he doesnt have that teenage angst in his character. very talented but totally miscast for the role (that Jake Gylenhaal beautifully portrayed in the movie)
b. Flora Diaz (as Gretchen Ross) - totally unconvincing as a teenager with a dark past. she is very dull onstage.
c. Paula Langton ( as Rose Darko- Donnie's mom) -very unsympathetic & very bland.
d. Mara Sidmore ( as Dr. Lilian Thurman) totally miscast for the role and lifeless onstage.
e. Sarah Jorge Leon (as Karen Pomeroy - the English Lit. teacher that Drew Barrymore portrayed in the movie version)- very lifeless too, character not even developed onstage...just poor acting-IMO.
2. Cherita Chen's character- (just my opinion) being portrayed by a Causasian actress, instead of an Asian -American actress. I am ALL for color-blind casting .. but somehow they lose that feeling of alienation (refering to being a non-white in all white suburbs ) that Cherita (the chinese girl in the movie version) was experiencing as a teenager . They also remove the line in the movie...
"Why dont you go back to China, B*tch! ...I felt like they lose that inner alienation feeling of a teenage minority. They also removed that part of after Cherita's AVE MARIA dance that she was sitting outside the auditorium and when Drew Barrymore's character got fired from the HS- she went outside and yelled..F*CK then she noticed that Cherita's sitting alone in the bench.. I think they totally dont understand Cherita's character at all.
Talisa Friedman as Cherita Chen 
3. Dynamics & Flow of the Play. The movie is almost 2 hours (115 mins) while the play is only 1 hour and 20 minutes without intermission (80 minutes) by trimming the play, they loose some vital parts of the movie. The play jumped from one scene to another and Donnie's blocking onstage tremendouly suffers bec. he was literally running from one set to another (example his bedroom which is located at the far right to Dr. Lilian's office which is on the far right) and can be destructing & irrittating at some level.
The movie is confusing enough, specially the ending and I think the play really suffered from that. Most people who have not seen the movie seem utterly confused at the ending when Donny was being taken by the ambulance--DEAD. From the scene of Halloween party, the accidental death of Gretchen being run by Frank's car, shooting of Frank , opening of the worm hole and the final scene with Gary Jules' version of Mad World song being played---It seems like audience who seen the movie and audience who did not seen the movie were both lost.
4. Roberta Sparrow's costume (Grandma Dead) is long white gown with white wig.. I thought she was Gandalf (from Lord of the Rings) though I am happy she was played by an authentic old lady -Greta Merchant (and a local theater legend here in Boston)
though no.. speaking part at all... which is totally expected as in the movie. 
5. Some changes from the movie which I think It was vital.
a. Music - like Tear for Fears' Head Over Heels and Duran Duran's Notorious was not included in the play, which they used other music
I thought the Duran Duran's Notorious number was one of the highlight of the movie, its so cute with some 80's moves like the running man. They stage version used some hip hop song with lyrics that goes.. Give me a B.. shake your ass..
The chreography was really bad and I think they missed the whole point of the movie again. That scene was being played with the scene where Donnie is burning Jim Cunningham's house to the ground-which I think was an excellent contrast.
ART's interpretation of the Sparkle Motion Dancers. 
b. There was a talk back after the 2 matinee- I should have ask this : Why was Donnie's sister school changed from Harvard to Yale.. I was told afterwards..that it was as changed bec. students from Harvard University (who was literally across the street) was laughing during previews..everytime..she mentions... I wish I get into Harvard !
c. The feeling of late 80's .. they removed any reference to the 1988 Presidential Election, though they mentioned voting for Michael Dukakis which everyone in the audience is laughing for obvoius reason ( Dukakis is a former governor of Massachusetts ..LOL ! )
e. Worm hole effect & that "thing" coming out from their chest was not done, which I am not suprise ..though I supsect that Russian Roulette spinning with a doll house and an toy plane (in the begining) might represents...the worm hole.
In Summary : I truly admire Cambridge's ART passion & effort for experimental theater. Some of their past productions are truly innovative and artistic like THE ONION CELLAR featuring The Dresden Dolls and BRITTANICUS while others are just plain misfires like THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (all characters being potrayed by only two actors) This cult movie is one of those movie that you just love for being what it is... There are soo many questions left unanswered after the movie..What's Frank connection to Roberta Sparrow? (Grandma Death) Did Roberta Sparrow received Frank's letter to her at the end? and so many more.. and these are reasons why the movie had such a cult following...There are so many unanswered questions.. and another question which I am dying to ask in that Talk Back session was..Why did ART decided to adapt this to a play? but someone beat me to it.. They answered.. Its is bec. we love the movie so much...which left me more confused as it is..... They should have LEFT this movie alone!
J*
Score : 2/5 - DID NOT LIKE IT 
****
Zero Arrow Theater
Production Photos
(from ART)
The Program 
Donnie Darko-the play is playing at ART's Zero Arrow Theater in Cambridge, MA till November 18, 2007.
Click here for tickets information:
https://www.amrep.org/darko/index.html#tickets
For info on the MOVIE synopis & more:
Click here for Amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com/Donnie-Darko-Widescreen-Jake-Gyllenhaal/dp/B00005V3Z4/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/102-9014610-3944913?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1194798519&sr=8-2 
Scenes from Donnie Darko- the movie
Video of Mad World by Gary Jules (theme of the movie)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR91Rj1ZN1M
I love the song soo much, very haunting...
(original version of this song performed by Tears for Fears)
Movie Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wqVHjK2bQs
Updated On: 11/12/07 at 11:53 AM
#2re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on DONNIE DARKO (the play) in Cambridge, MA.
Posted: 11/11/07 at 2:14pm
#2re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on DONNIE DARKO (the play) in Cambridge, MA.
Posted: 11/11/07 at 5:10pmThank you J*!
....but the world goes 'round
#3re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on DONNIE DARKO (the play) in Cambridge, MA.
Posted: 11/12/07 at 9:48am
^^ Youre welcome, Taz 
BTW: Here's some reviews and articles about the play from local newspapers & stations here:
Boston Phoenix by Carolyn Clay (audio review)
https://thephoenix.com/article_ektid50644.aspx
Boston Globe by Joel Brown
https://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2007/10/26/demon_rabbits_sacrifice_and_the_end_of_the_world/
The Patriot Ledger by Constance Gorfinkle
https://ledger.southofboston.com/articles/2007/11/02/life/life06.txt
WBUR.org (Boston's National Public Radio Souce) by Andrea Shea
https://www.wbur.org/news/2007/71892_20071031.asp
Bostonist by Victoria Welch
https://bostonist.com/2007/10/27/preview_donnie.php
Updated On: 11/12/07 at 09:48 AM
#4re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on DONNIE DARKO (the play) in Cambridge, MA.
Posted: 11/12/07 at 10:52am
I saw the matinee of Donnie Darko yesterday so I just wanted to chime in some of my thoughts. I've seen the movie once, about three years ago and I'm glad that I did. I would have been far more confused if I hadn't seen it, and there were still things that confused me when I was at the show yesterday.
I think the show was very well acted, with a couple of notable exceptions. The guy playing Donnie was quite good, but he did lack the angst that the character deserves. The guy playing Jim Cunningham didn't work for me. I'm not sure what it was, but something about his performance left me cold. I thought that the psychiatrist was terrific. Along with the overly Christin teacher, and the guy playing Frank (who I understood better in the play than in the movie), she was one of the few spot on characterizations in the show. The woman playing the English teacher was terrible. She was too young for the role (she looked younger than one or two of the students), was hard to hear, and brought nothing to the character. The other two high points of the show were the set and the sound design. The set really made use of the vast amount of space and the sound design really added to the feel of the play and enhanced the emotion of the scenes.
The lighting design on the other hand was painfully bad. The light was at one setting (in terms of brightness) for basically the whole show and it was purely functional. There were also dim lights that were constantly on over the audience. It was distracting and did not actually provide any light for the set. It (dimly) lit the region of the stage where the action was occurring. This show in particular is one where there could have been some really great effects to highlight Donnie's mood and the action. I was not a fan of the direction that caused Donnie to run from scene to scene, it seemed that the director blocked one scene and then realized that the next scene was across the stage and Donnie needed to get there quickly. The only flaw to me in the set design was that the psychiatrist's office was on the stage left side of the stage against the wall. It was blocked by the edge of the risers that the audience sat on. That piece should have been moved about five feet to the right and there should have been a wall installed to keep that part of the stage from feeling empty.
One last note about the performance. The house management was terrible. The show started at about 2:10 (which is perfectly fine) but people were coming in until about 2:30. The only path into the theatre forces people to walk directly in front of the playing space. The ushers did not have flashlights, so there were constant complaints from the people being seated late that they could not see and there was a lot of light bleeding in when the door to the lobby was opened (something that could have been fixed with a single black curtain in front of the door). It was incredibly distracting (and of course it seemed that all of the late seating was in my section).
Overall, an interesting piece of theatre, but not something that really needed to be turned into a play, especially with the casting and directing choices that were made.
#5re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on DONNIE DARKO (the play) in Cambridge, MA.
Posted: 11/12/07 at 1:37pm
^^ I agree with some of your assements regarding the play.
I seen the movie twice. One before I watch the play and the other after the play. I think the main problem lies with the book. I have noticed that the playwright seems like he just copy and paste some of the dialogues in the movie and call it a play.
That's why... A lot of people seems to be confused with the main plot of the play, which lead to the main problem which is lack of character development in the play. You cant really relate or feel sympathy for the characters. It seems like the playwright only uses dialogue that was memorable from the movie to please the fan base.
and I agree .. they should have not adapted this into a play.
J*
Updated On: 11/12/07 at 01:37 PM
#6re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on DONNIE DARKO (the play) in Cambridge, MA.
Posted: 11/12/07 at 1:43pm
I totally agree. I did think that the ending was well staged from
*SPOILER!!!!*
The point just before Gretchen is hit by the car until Donnie's funeral.
#7re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on DONNIE DARKO (the play) in Cambridge, MA.
Posted: 11/12/07 at 4:17pm
I didn't realize one of my friends at my school is in this production! Haha.
Thanks for the review and pictures.
~Steven
#8re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on DONNIE DARKO (the play) in Cambridge, MA.
Posted: 11/12/07 at 5:44pmGrandma Dead's Street??
<-- Gwen Stewart, SOLoist at the last show of RENT
Cages or wings? Which do you prefer? Ask the birds. Fear or love, baby? Don't say the answer Actions speak louder than words. (Tick, Tick... BOOM!)
Cages or wings? Which do you prefer? Ask the birds. Fear or love, baby? Don't say the answer Actions speak louder than words. (Tick, Tick... BOOM!)
#9re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on DONNIE DARKO (the play) in Cambridge, MA.
Posted: 11/12/07 at 5:52pm
I just call it .. Grandma Dead's Street (Roberta Sparrow) - that's the street that she usually cross everyday (slowly) to check her mail. That door is her house (supposedly)
That hill (covered by green plastic turf) serves as that crossing street & golf course in the play. Sorry if I did not elaborate it that much..
J*
Updated On: 11/12/07 at 05:52 PM
#10re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on DONNIE DARKO (the play) in Cambridge, MA.
Posted: 11/12/07 at 6:07pm
no i know, its just funny because her name is Grandma Death not Grandma Dead
<-- Gwen Stewart, SOLoist at the last show of RENT
Cages or wings? Which do you prefer? Ask the birds. Fear or love, baby? Don't say the answer Actions speak louder than words. (Tick, Tick... BOOM!)
Cages or wings? Which do you prefer? Ask the birds. Fear or love, baby? Don't say the answer Actions speak louder than words. (Tick, Tick... BOOM!)
#11re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on DONNIE DARKO (the play) in Cambridge, MA.
Posted: 11/12/07 at 7:47pm
Yup. youre right.. Grandma Death
Oops ..my bad ! You know what's funny .. when I was typing this part..
when Donny was being taken by the ambulance--DEAD. From the scene of Halloween party, the accidental death of Gretchen being run by Frank's car, shooting of Frank , opening of the worm hole and the final scene
I originally typed DEATH instead of DEAD .. I guess I interchanged it , huh? Its good I caught it earlier and changed it but I guess I miss that Grandma DEAD- now I will keep it that way.. It's funny ..Grandma DEAD- I like it ! 
Thanks for the correction...
J*
Updated On: 11/12/07 at 07:47 PM
#12re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on DONNIE DARKO (the play) in Cambridge, MA.
Posted: 11/13/07 at 4:40am
Thanks for the pictures and reviews everyone. I really was having a tough time seeing this as a Play but still it intrigued me too.
It some very heavy scenes and maybe with someone who can transform it by capturing it's moments, it would work as a Play. We really like the Movie. It just threw so much at you most of the time you are just whoa! Where did that plot angle come from? Kind of reminds me of music video for Teen Spirit by Nirvana. All this stuff going on and you feel like you walk right through it or around it in sheer wonder of it all. Surreal I guess is what I am trying to describe.
We love Frank. He is one messed up bunny rabbit. That look of his though is just weird but I like it for its strangeness.
Too bad they couldn't find someone as great as Jake G. and the Actress who played Gretchen. They could have been great roles to play. I thought this was one of Drew's better roles. She really surprised me though she seemed to look young for the part. I still liked her and of course Patrick Swayze in a role that was creepily convincing.
#13re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on DONNIE DARKO (the play) in Cambridge, MA.
Posted: 11/13/07 at 7:23amI can not even begin to tell you how much I love this movie. A play of it? Doesn't sound too great, though.
"They're eating her and then they're going to eat me. OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!" -Troll 2
