THE BREAKUP NOTEBOOK at Revision Theatre

Revision Theatre Presents: The Break Up Notebook
By Erin Leigh Peck

About an hour and a half outside New York City in the ocean side town of Asbury park lies the Revision theatre, a non-profit regional housed in an historic carousel house that was once part of Asbury's Palace Amusement Park. The carousel is gone and in its place is a fully-developed theatre-in-the-round where Revision is currently running its fourth season. "Dedicated to producing invigorating theatre with a fresh new perspective", the company offers both original and revival productions, with the current season leaning towards edgier fare. This year Revision presented productions of "Spring Awakening" and "Xanadu", and its December holiday-themed show for families is well balanced with a Halloween production of "Little Shop of Horrors".

But the real excitement of good regional theatre comes from the risk artistic directors take when they produce original works, and that is exactly what is happening at Revision now through September 25th. "The Break Up Notebook", directed by Peter Schneider has a modern, urban-styled book by Patricia Cotter and a rock-theatre score by Lori Scarlett and David Manning. Staring Beth Malone and Jamison Stern (pictured left), "The Break Up Notebook" shares a year in the life of the newly heartbroken with cutting humor, clever dialogue and infectious musical numbers. The almost all-female cast (Stern is the only male) play a multitude of characters who support Malone's journey of healing, and self-discovery.

The story is universal but it's told in a world that is young, urban and gay. The plot, as well as the jokes, are timely and at times political yet at its heart, "The Break Up Notebook" is a story anyone can relate to, and that's what attracted producer Angelo Fraboni to the material.

"I was drawn to the piece do to it having a universal theme that everyone can relate to, heart break," says Fraboni. "Everyone has dealt with it at one point or another. It is told with humor with a fun musical score and very witty book. It was very human. It had an all women writing team which I found refreshing, as well."

Set against a backdrop of a town in the midst of revitalization, this story of a woman on the verge of improvement fits well in its surroundings. Asbury Park's boardwalk, once virtually abandoned, now boasts a healthy collection of restaurants, shops and clubs all well-marketed on an impressively designed website: www.apboardwalk.com/. It makes for a nice excursion out of the city and an opportunity to check out a new show in development at an exciting , young, regional theatre company.

THE BREAK UP NOTEBOOK:
ReVision Theatre, Carousel House, 700 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park
Now through Sept. 25.
Wednesdays to Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m. ?
Call (732) 455-3059 or visit revisiontheatre.org.

 

 

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