Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
#1Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 2:58pm
......Mi corazón reposa junto a la fuente fría...(Sueño por Federico García Lorca)
E15 
Spain
New Play
Lucille Lortel Theater
1 hour & 45 mins (with 1 intermision)
11/17 2 pm matinee
Tix Price : $23.00 (thru TDF) + $3.00 =$26.00
INTRO :
Perception is the process of acquiring, interpreting, selecting, and organizing sensory information. On Act 1 Barbara sees the Conquistador as El Tigre.. a violent conqueror that seeks glory and blood. On Act Two Barbara sees the Conquistador as Pepe now.. the Spanish shepherd from the mountains of Spain.
Sometimes we perceived things based on our current & past experiences. Some people may find one thing appealing and others appalling. We tend to believe on things that were not real and we pretend that there is such a place that exists ...a place where we long to be... where no one can hurt us.
That place is the subject of the play by Jim Knable that just folded last week at the Lucille Lortel Theater. Barbara (Annabella Sciorra) was dumped by her husband for a blonde slut with a boob job. In despair.. she started buying books about Spain. One day.. a conquistador named El Tigre (Michael Aronov) appeared on her living room. That conquistador served as her therapist (in a way) as a result she was empowered by this experience with her "imaginary" Conquistador, that when her husband came back to her with the tale that he got dumped now by the same blonde with a boob job. She violently stabbed him with the Conquistador's sword.
Act 2 - Fast forward now to the interogation room where Barbara escape her crime by escaping reality again thru the beautiful mountains of Spain.. where he met the Conquistador..who turn out to be Pepe..nothing but just a simple Spanish peasant, who has never been out of Spain... To cut the story short.... she made love with him.. At the end - the scenery changed back to her living room ..where all of this is just a plain fantasy to Barbara. The play ended with her friend Diversion (Veanne Cox) asking her as what is she going to do with her life now? (Back to Reality now) she answered.. I will finally book my trip to Spain this time... and her friend asked her again.. but you dont even know how to speak Spanish...she answered...I'll learn.... lights out...
2 Things I DID NOT about the Play (out of 10)
Let me start by saying before I went to the show. I have read so many negative reviews about the show. I even considered not going to the play and just waste my $26.00 tix.
1. Some jokes were pretty lame and boring.
2. They could have cut same parts in ACT 2.
7 Things I LIKE about the play (out of 10)
Inspite of all the negative reviews .. I decided to wake up at 630 am to take the bus and still go to NYC.. Actually to my suprise .. I ended up not only liking the play but LOVING IT ! and I will tell you why?
1. The Story- I know ..its a drag.. but there's something about the play-that I love.
About our frustrations in life.. people that has done us wrong..that we just wanted to kill them & thinking that they definitely deserved it 
,our monotonous daily routine, our dead-end jobs...I think it all boils down to that one place....a place where we can escape REALITY and pretend that we are someone else, empowered and we can do everything and get away with it-- the power of our imagination... or worst.... dellusions!
2. The Scenery.. I am a very visual person. When I went inside the Lucille Lortel Theater (actually this was my 1st time) All I see is this onstage.. a guilded golden frame (center) couch and a cofee table.
I did not realized that there were will be change of scenery in ACT 2- Interogation Room ( the wall of living room is divided into two parts, cut into the center of the guilded frame) as the two wall folded and turn -its doubles as the interogation room. Now the guilded frame is a one way-miror ... then it opens up to the golden mountain of Spain landscape (literally-gold)
3. The Symbolical meaning of things in the play for me..
a. the violent conquistador- represents Barbara's inner anger & what she wants to be..powerful, vengeful and famous.
b. the simple Pepe-for me.. this is what she really wants after she realized that she does not really want revenge or anger consuming her nor fame.. El Tigre turn out to be just a simple Spanish peasant.. I guess all she really wanted is a simple life..not a complicated one.
c. the guilded golden frame-represents our imagination & on worst cases ..dellusion..when the guilded frame opens up- our world of imagination kicks in to escape reality.
3. Lisa Kron- after I saw her on WELL. I love her and became her instant fan. She is hilarious as ANCIENT (Mayan priest and she doubles as some male characters in the play)
4. Veanne Cox- She is just great specially her flamenco dance on ACT 2.
5. Anabella Sciorra & Michael Aronov (who originated the role of Dennis in Huntington's world premiere of MAURITUS and also won the Elliot Award for Best Actor here in Boston) I like both of them too but my favorites are Kron & Cox and I was so happy that I met the entire cast afterwards. 
6. the title of play SPAIN ... without giving TMI- on How that one word is very special to most Filipinos (like me) . It represents to me of a special place I dream that I will visit someday (when I get all stressed out at work or frustrated in my life). Its funny that i dont think of this place when I am content or happy . It only comes to me when I am down. I can relate to the main character that's why I love the play..
7. Ending of the play.. when she said.. I'll learn! for me that's moving on with our lives..leaving behind our fantasy and dellusions of grand things to come...
In Summary: Actually I have never been to Lucille Lortel Theater and I have never been to the Village (I mean- Christopher St) since 2000. I think after they moved all the gay activities in Chelsea and now in Hell's Kitchen. It was a whole new experience for me to strolled down again on Christopher Street . I walked into some of the stores. (that were still there) I actually love knick-knacks. I bought a "I LOVE NY" magnet (for the first time- considering I go to NYC all the time) I went to a coffee house, sat down and surfed the internet.. There were not a lot of people in Christopher St..not crowded..unlike Times Square...As I walked inside the Lucille Lortel Theater.. I looked at all those posters at the wall . I looked at it -one by one - all the shows' poster that played in the theater like BOYS IN THE BAND, WIT and so on. I felt a certain connection from the past. It was a LAID BACK experience from my usual fast-phase Broadway Escapade at Times Square. I hate to say this... but if there's one good thing that came out of this strike for me is I learn how to appreciate Off-Broadway more and learn how to slow things down when I go to NYC and just feel the experience of the moment and savor at the time being.. not rush on how many Broadway shows I need to see..I guess .. like Barbara... I really dont want a conquistador with all its glory-I just want a simple Pepe !
jota/estrella
Grado: 7/2-Me gusta
The Lucille Lortel Theater
THE PLAYWRIGHT'S SIDEWALK
The Playbill
THE CAST:
Michael Aronov/VeanneCox/Eric Jensen/Lisa Kron & Annabella Sciorra 
Production Photos
(from NYTimes)
Anabella Sciorra (as Barbara ) & Michael Aronov (as El Comquistador) 
Lisa Kron (as Ancient) 
Stage Door Pictures
Michael Aronov (as the Conquistador/El Tigre/Pepe) 
the beautiful - Veanne Cox 
Ms. Anabella Sciorra & Me 
My favorite- Lisa Kron 
My Autograph Playbill 
MORE INFO ON :
Hispanic Influence on Filipino Culture
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispanic_culture_in_the_Philippines
Jim Knable : The Playwright
https://www.mcctheater.com/Interview.htm
Updated On: 11/19/07 at 02:58 PM
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#2re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 3:10pm
I wish I were more interested in the show...having skimmed pieces of the script earlier in the year, I could tell it wasn't for me.
Thanks for your write-up, though. I always do love your itemized analyses.
Great photos, by the way. Looks like they've fixed up the theater exterior since I was there last.
#2re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 3:26pm
^^ Thanks Yankee !
BTW- I was not able to see MASKED at 4 pm due to the time constraint in between shows, but I am going back to the Village again next week for GONE MISSING (at the Barrow Street Theater- that's in the Village too? ) since I wont be able to see my scheduled shows THE LITTLE MERMAID on 11/25 and AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY on 11/24 (my second try for buying tickets- I wonder if I will ever see this show ? )
So My Off-Broadway Saga continues.......
J*
Updated On: 11/19/07 at 03:26 PM
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#3re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 3:26pm
Um, just so you're clear, WIT never played at the Lucille Lortel Theatre -- MCC which produced SPAIN also produced WIT, which played at the Union Square Theater. And the production of BOYS IN THE BAND that played at the Lortel was not the famous landmark groundbreaking one from the 60s (that played at Theatre Four in the West 50s), but the undistinguished, short-lived (it ran just over two months) revival of the show that ran about 10 years ago.
Mind you, the Lortel does certainly have a legendary history -- as Theatre de Lys (its former name) it was one of the first major off-Broadway houses in the 1950s and, among many others, hosted a very famous production of THREEPENNY OPERA starring Lotte Lenya, Bea Arthur, et al, that still holds the distinction of being the only off-Broadway show to ever win Tony Awards (they changed the rules after THREEPENNY nabbed two back in 1954)
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
#4re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 3:33pm
^^^Thanks for the correction, Margo.
So why are they putting all those posters on Lucille Lortel? I assume that the painting on the balcony's lobby is Lucille Lortel? I only got 15 minutes (during intermission) to look at all those posters one by one ..so I might have missed some vital info.
and why is the balcony closed?
J*
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#5re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 3:36pm'Cause MCC knows they can't sell out the place?
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#6re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 3:43pmTHANK GOD you posted that picture of the EXIT SIGN in the LUCILLE LORTEL LOBBY! I was afraid I was going to DIE without seeing it again. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#7re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 3:47pm
MCC has an exclusive lease on the Lortel as its temporary home, so I guess they wanted to put up a few posters of some of their more successful productions (WIT won the Pulitzer). Any yes, that painting is of Lucille Lortel who was a very important and famous producer, artistic director, philanthropist and nurturer of talent in the New York theatre scene (especially off-Broadway) for many many decades. That was her home theatre (it was named after her after her death a few years ago) and one of Off--Broadway's most prestigious awards is given out in her name annually.
I'd guess the balcony is closed because they likely want to limit the number of seats for union expense purposes. The union minimums off-Broadway depend on the number of seats a given theater has -- you have to pay Equity actors and union musicians, stagehands et al different rates depending on whether the theater has 100-199 (100 is the smallest number for Off-Broadway), 200-299, 300-399, or 400-499 (499 is the highest number you can have and pay off-Broadway rates). The Lortel has exactly 299 seats without that balcony and as a result can pay its union personnel a lower rate than they would if they had so much as one more seat. That's probably why the balcony is closed.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Updated On: 11/19/07 at 03:47 PM
#8re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 5:55pm
The Lucille Lortel Theater also plays children shows? is that right? but not produced by MCC? so MCC is not a year round tenant to the theater?
BTW- What does MCC stands for? I cant find it on their website (About Us) or its just MCC?
http://www.mcctheater.com/index.htm
J*
Updated On: 11/19/07 at 05:55 PM
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#9re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 6:12pm
The Lortel is an independent off-Broadway theater that has hosted all sorts of shows in the past. I can remember Theatreworks (a big national children's theater company) booking the theater last year for a production of Great Expectations, but that's the only childen's theater show I remember recently.
MCC (which stands for Manhattan Class Company) has been around for about 20 years and is run by Robert LuPone (Patti's brother who was Tony-nominated for creating the role of Zach in A CHORUS LINE) and Bernard Telsey, the casting agent and its devoted to staging new plays, usually three per year. Playwright Neil LaBute is a frequent contributor.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#10re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 6:48pm
Unfortunately, LaBute hasn't produced a play on par with his older works in quite some time. "Dark House," was especially disappointing.
I had high hopes for The Black Suits, after doing some scut work with them last summer, but they've since dropped that from their season schedule.
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#11re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 6:53pmThe latest LaBute play "reasons to be pretty" debuts at MCC this summer, replacing "The Black Suits."
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#12re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 6:58pmAnother self-serving LaBute play.
#13re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 8:50pm
Well. Their next play is Grace by Mick Gordon and AC Grayling
with Philip Goodwin, Oscar Isaac, K.K. Moggie, Lynn Redgrave
directed by Joseph Hardy. Does anyone know what is this play all about?
******
Speaking of Neil LaBute..SpeakEasy in Boston premiered his play,The Fat Pig last Summer. So how was it in NYC? I think I saw a poster of this at Lucille Lortel which stars Keri Rusell, Jeremy Piven and Andrew McCathy- wow ! whata cast !
J*
Updated On: 11/19/07 at 08:50 PM
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#14re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 9:04pmDidn't see it, but it's his typical "I hate women," play, only this time it was "I hate women, especially fat ones."
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#15re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 9:06pm
I actually found it to be one of LaBute's better plays of the last several years. And, in performance at least, it didn't come across as an "I hate women" play. In fact, the men's misogyny made them come off as the jerks, while you felt nothing but sympathy for the female protagonist (who was outstanding).
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Updated On: 11/19/07 at 09:06 PM
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#16re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 9:15pm
I think part of LaBute's problem is that he just SH*Ts out plays, many of which don't seem to be Dramaturged very well. That problem was evident in "Dark House" which suffered from, among other things, a shockingly predictable plot that went nowhere and said nothing. LaBute is usually good for at least one "life lesson." "Dark House" had none, and you could see his twist coming twelve miles away.
I'm a huge fan of "Shape of Things" (the "I hate people who change themselves" play) and Fat Pig, and thought This is How it Goes (the "Racists are people, too" play), was a very compelling read.
Perhaps I have too high standards for him, since I classify "Shape" as one of the most provocative and interesting plays of the past 10 years.
Updated On: 11/19/07 at 09:15 PM
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#17re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 9:24pmI agree he's too prolific for his own good and too hit or miss -- more miss than hit. I also enjoyed "The Shape of Things" along with "Fat Pig" and "The Distance from Here." I was unimpressed with "Wrecks" "Some Girls" and "In a Dark Dark House."
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#18re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 9:28pm
I didn't see the twist coming in Some Girls, though the thing that kept me interested was thinking about how unisex the female names were.
Wrecks I didn't see, but skimmed through the published text. Title pretty much says it all.
#19re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/19/07 at 9:29pm
Well thank you for the review Jaystar. I probably would have liked it. I loved that Mayan Costume but then I liked most of The Fountain so what can I say? Ah Spain! It seemed like a good representation of how, especially for us older Women, we follow a path expected of us because it looked good at the time but maybe it wasn't so great after all.
The great thing about Middle Age for me has been the time to explore other places and see what else I can accomplish with this life I have left.
People were always telling me I must see Greece or Rome. I'm a homebody of sorts. Canada for me was my refuge and I did enjoy my trip. For me because of the War, Canada was always preached to us as our escape from all the fighting. These were civilized people. So really just walking the streets, talking to the locals was a comfort to me and I found some hope that my Country will someday come to it's senses and find peace once again.
So how can I not like this story? If only it was warmer in NY. Ah well...
#20re: Jaystarr's 10/10 Report on SPAIN (with stage door pics)
Posted: 11/20/07 at 8:04am
^^^ Youre welcome..TKT2Ride.. I am sure you would have liked it too.
Too bad .. its closed now.
J*
Updated On: 11/20/07 at 08:04 AM
