Local Theatre Update
June 5th, 2009
CAN YOU ACT?
Seriously, how good is your acting?
I have a rule about never directly commenting to an actor what I think about his or her performance unless I truly and honestly think they were exceptional. Otherwise, I say nothing…or worse: “oh, what beautiful scenery, it must have been fun to do this production.” If I tell you I liked your acting (or singing or dancing), you can pretty much count that it was an honest opinion. If I say nothing, well then maybe your wife or girlfriend will lie to you.
Local, independent and community theatre really does run the range of amateur to professional and it often shows on stage. Audiences never fail to sense what works well on stage and eventually the caliber of a group is judged in large part by the quality of the acting.
For those of you out there who perhaps have acted with no training at all (I know who you are) or might be thinking of taking the plunge and actually learning something, summertime is a great time to hone your “acting” skills. Right now the city is buzzing with aspiring actors of all ages who come to the big city from all over the country to follow their acting dreams. How lucky are you that you can live and learn this craft as a real New Yorker right here in Manhattan? Nothing beats NYC when it comes to acting classes and believe it or not there’s still time to sign up for basic level acting courses all through out the city.
In midtown, right smack in the heart of the theatre district, the Roy Arias Studios and Theaters is offering a FREE acting class to anyone interested in honing their acting skills.
Taught by Roy Arias, an award winning actor and dancer, the course is offered either twice a week on weekdays or an extended class on Saturday mornings. Class sizes are often moderate and the opportunity for one-on-one training is a big part of the appeal. For those of you that would like to try your hand at learning what the art of real acting is all about, or perhaps might be looking to improve on any training you’ve already taken, this FREE Class opens the door to an affordable and flexible way to do something exciting and educational.
From there you can decide what direction to take with your acting and perhaps choose one of the many different acting and performance courses currently in development at the Roy Arias Studios. As it so happens, later in the month more courses will be offered and taught by some of the industry’s most respected professionals, coaches and instructors. These will include everything from the Meisner technique to physical theater, musical theater and more.
For information, link to their website, http://www.royariasstudios.com/ or call (212) 957-8358. They also offer FREE and discounted Dance classes. If you are a producer, maybe reach out to them about one of their venues or their rehearsal space.
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May 17th, 2009
TRUE WEST TO NEW YORK
This is not a review. LocalTheatreNY.com no longer reviews plays. But I have to share what happened to me last week.
I walked into a first floor flat with 24 other guests through a very real hallway on the ground floor of a very real small two story building on Avenue B and suddenly was transported to a very real apartment in a lazy desert town surrounded by howling coyotes, 100-degree days, crickets in the night and a world created by Sam Shepard in his critically acclaimedplay, True West. Guess what? Suddenly even that seemed very real.
I was no longer in New York City in the month of May. This was no set. The sink was real, the refrigerator was working and frigid and the pieces of toast in the toaster were quite fresh and hot when they popped. You could smell the toast burning. The actors were in your face!
What the Curious Frog Company (http://www.curiousfrog.org/) has done with this tale is nothing short of fascinating. Yes, what I am saying is that this is a play presented in a real, actual, working apartment. Real people actually live upstairs.
It happens almost nightly for the rest of the month of May (except Mondays) and you just have to go and experience this live space theatre.
This fresh approach to the theatre experience is actually not that new, and it is certainly not executed enough. As flies on a wall, watching this drama unfold just inches from our faces turned out to be really great fun.
Not familiar with Shepard’s True West? Well all I can say is that this play is not performed enough in New York and I am not sure why. It is a great story about two brothers, one a screenwriter about to cut a movie deal and the other a wayward, alcoholic con artist drifter with no real direction in life. As the story unfolds, the two brother’s lives are suddenly intertwined in an explosive manner that explores many themes and escalates into a destructive crescendo that in such an intimate space can only be described as controlled chaos. That this type of play is even attempted in such a cramped and limited space is daring, very daring.
If you enjoy theatre, you need to see this play. If you’ve seen this play, then you need to see this production’s version of the tale. Producer and executive director Reneé Racan Rodriguez has not only twisted the concept of theatre space in this production, she has beautifully broken quite a few barriers in terms of casting. As it turns out, another interesting aspect of this version is that the cast is Asian-American, a move that at first seems inconceivable but actually works beautifully.
My point?
Why do so many producers take the easy and obvious route? While everyone else is doing Annie and the millionth production of Arsenic and Old Lace, this group is pushing the boundaries not only in terms of play selection, but also space and casting. It is fresh and it is wonderful. It is just the thing we need at the local and independent level. Of course there is a place and time for the standard form of theatre, but I am delighted these folks can give us the other end of the spectrum too.
Actor Edward Chin-Lyn, the wayward brother Lee, is intense on stage and at moments very menacing. If he hits that typewriter hard enough with that golf club a shard just may go flying and dig into an audience member’s eye! But, of course, you’re safe. “Did being Asian have anything to do in approaching your character,” I later ask him. As expected, it didn’t. “What about those fight scenes? Did you ever feel like you were going tocrash withsomeone in the audience?” Again, they have it under control. For Chin-Lyn, as for director Isaac Byrne or for that matter actor Alvin Chan (who plays the screenwriter brother, Austin), this is a story to be told as is, regardless of ethnicity and with great emphasis on using the space they have. Again, this daring and brilliant. It works.
You have just a few more weeks to see this show. It runs every day of the week at 7:30 PM except Mondays through May 31 and seats are limited. Ticket information is www.curiousfrog.org. There are also special discounted nights so check the website for details (On Wednesdays bring a loaf of white toast and get in for a discounted price). Tell Renee Roger sent you. And then get back to me as to what you think!
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May 14th, 2009
Two weeks ago, I had the good fortune to attend an all day symposium and memorial celebration for playwright, actor, director Harold Pinter who passed away last year. 
The full day event, held at the CUNY Graduate Center was quite a treat...and best of all it was free of charge to the public. In addition to readings, discussions, rare audio and video recordings, screenings and the U.S. premiere of the documentary Working with Pinter, the event featured such well-known panelists and speakers as playwright John Guare, author Salman Rushdie and participants like Emily Mann, Henry Woolf and many others celebrating the work, politics and art of Harold Pinter.
One really big highlight of the event was the screening of . If you haven’t seen it, it is certainly worth logging on to the Nobel website and catching it there. The web address is: http://nobelprize.org/mediaplayer/index.php?id=620&view=7 Presented by the Martin E. Segal Theatre Center as part of the PEN World Voices Festival, this symposium is thekind of eventthat anyone serious about theatre should be attending. Visit the Martin E. Segal Center at http://www.thesegalcenter.org/ or go to PEN World Voices at http://www.pen.org/ for more information.
Back in our local theatre world, last week marked the opening of The Heights Players’ production of Showboat, directed by Tom Tyler. The musical is the season closer to the Heights 08/09 season. Tyler’s musicals are usually huge sellers for the Heights, so book your reservations by clicking on the Showboat image which will link you directly to their site. Otherwise you can call the Heights Players at 718-237-2752.
In Rockaway, Peggy Page directs Crimes of The Hearts, which closes this weekend. A shout-out goes to Dan Cardona who joined the cast of RTC’s upcoming Oklahoma as Ali Hakim, but jumped in a few weeks ago to perform in this production as a fill in (much to his delight!).
In Manhattan, an Asian American cast tackles Sam Sheppard’s True West.Curious Frog Company is one of those theatre groups that is aiming to bring a new twist to contemporary theatre and I look forward to seeing this production and writing more about it in the days to come. The group is doing press previews this week and opens Saturday, May 16th in Greenwich Village, playing through May 31. The site is: www.curiousfrog.org.
Keep sending the info on new groups and let’s get everyone on the site!
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During the last couple of weeks, I’ve been sitting in on some rehearsals for Ken Ludwig’s Shakespeare in Hollywood, opening this Friday, April 3rd in Brooklyn Heights at The Heights Players main stage.
The comedy, written by Ludwig back in 2003 was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company and premiered in Washington, D.C. at the Arena Stage, winning the Helen Hayes award for Best New Play of the Year. Remarkably, it has never made its way to New York until now...a very fortunate turn of luck for both the Heights Players as well as director Bernard Bosio, who is also making his own debut of sorts with his directorial debut at the Heights.
The New York premier of anything written by Ludwig is usually reason enough to justify picking up the phone and ordering tickets, but if rehearsals are any indication of how enjoyable this play will be, I can only imagine what will happen when live audiences start to appreciate the caliber of performances out on that stage!
Bosio, who is no stranger to comedic roles or comedic directing for that matter, has fashioned a tight, fast-paced production that is neat, seemingly simple and incredibly funny, utilizing the stage to maximum effect and doing great justice to Ludwig’s very funny and ingenious book. With each rehearsal, I’ve witnessed an evolution of sorts that while always interesting to observe from a production perspective, seems to get better with each rehearsal when enjoyed from the seats as an audience member. It is like hearing a joke over and over, but every single time some new twist has been added to the delivery that makes it fresh and funny all over again. I can’t wait to see what happens on opening night.(By the way, if you've never been to a Friday production at the Heights, do try and go. There's always a very enjoyable party afterwards where you can mingle with the cast and crew right there in the theater.)
The cast itself is really standout, which explains much. The mix of mostly newbies to the Heights along with some veterans really seems to work well. I am not going put pressure on any one actor, but I can tell you in all honesty that every single performance out there is catching my eye in a very good way...this is a collaborative effort and the perfect ensemble has come together to pull it off.
I’ve gotten to know some of these actors in the last few weeks and they are all delightful to talk to, really have an excellent work ethic and all demonstrate great talent and modesty. I just love this cast.
LocalTheatreNY.com highly recommends seeing this production. I won’t lie that some of these folks are my friends, but I also will not lie (even for a friend) when a show is not up to par. This production exceeds on many levels, starting with a book that is exceptional in so many ways to performances that are just equally priceless! Please on’t miss it. I'll be there helping backstage so I hope that if you do come, you look for me and introduce yourself.
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URGENT CASTING CALL! My good friend Freddy Kaminski, who is currently rehearsing with the Footlight Players on Arsenic and Old Lace, opening in May, has asked that I please let our readers know that they are making an emergency casting request for two actors to play the roles of Jonathan and Mortimer Brewster. If you are interested, please reach out immediately to director Nate Green at either: (516) 599-8342 or (516) 491-1179. The show goes up in May. Freddy, who is an exceptional friend and actor, worked with me in Rockaway when I directed him as Teddy in the same show. He is reprising this role and I assure you that you will have fun working with him!
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SPECIAL MESSAGE for Producers and Directors: As we continue to evolve and improve our site, I am really looking for folks out there to become more proactive in letting us know what is going on in local theatre not just in terms of auditions and productions opening, but also in helping feature new talent. I’ve asked for groups to send me information about their theatre companies so we can create a new directory and amazingly only a handful have responded. The more people know about you and the work you do, the better it is for backstage help and bigger audiences. So what gives? I have created a new page entitled “TELL US ABOUT YOUR GROUP” which lists the information I need to include your group free of charge in this new directory. Please visit it, fill out the questions and get it to me as soon as possible.
We are also creating profiles on directors, producers and other talent. Why not take advantage of that too. This particular profile can be done with a simple phone interview and I welcome you to email me about your interest or perhaps tell us about someone you think should be profiled. My email is RogerTCP@aol.com
Break a leg!
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Local Theatre Update
March 14th, 2009
Last night we had the good fortune to catch Ron Hellman’s Outrageous Fortune Company’s production of Our Lady of 121st Street by Stephen Adly Guirgis. This young, high energy cast was nothing short of 
powerful in bringing to life Guirgis’ book with little more than great performances, effective sound design and practically no sets at all.
I’ve seen twodifferent productionsat Outrageous Fortune Company and have not been disappointed. There are two performances of Our Lady left: one tonight and one on Sunday. Grab a few friends and carpool it to the newly revamped Queens Theater in the Park before you miss it. They had a really good turnout yesterday but deserve a full house! Tell producer Ron Hellman we sent you.
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Out on Fort Tilden, the Rockaway Theatre Company is creating some noticeable buzz on Facebook with their production of David Auburn’s Proof, directed by Frank Caiati and Susan Corning. I am planning on seeing the last performance tonight to see what the buzz is all about for myself. Too bad RTC decided to do a short run on this show, it looks like a winner from what we’ve been hearing.If you go, look for me and say hello...I love matching faces with names.
Keep an eye out for All in The Timing which opened last night at Theatre Time in Whitestone and for Mel Brook’s The Producers which makes it New York area debut March 20th in Brooklyn at Poly Prep (Jeff Samaha / Rifge Chorale). We hope to get to those too.
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AUDITIONS!
Big, big, big buzz is going around concerning the Parkside Players audition for Sondheim’s COMPANY, tomorrow Sunday, March 15th and on Monday March 16th. The musical is Directed by Ray Bonétt. This group, by the way, is always searching for fresh talent. The group which is profiled on LocalTheatreNY.com is situated in a great neighborhood and easily accessible. If you live anywhere nearby and want to get involved, what a better time than now to head out there! Link here for more information.
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February 9, 2009
CommunityTheaterNY.com Now LocaltheatreNY.com
Welcome to our new site!
This idea that change is good and inevitable is something I’ve just adopted and applied to our site! Don’t blame the recent presidential election. I’ve always been a believer in change, especially when it is for the better. I hope that in changing the name from CommunityTheaterNY.com to LocalTheatreNY.com I’ve accomplished just that.
The idea as I state in our “This is Local Theatre” page explains my theory. I hope you take the time to read it and let me know what you think.
The next few months promise to be busy ones. My good friend Bernard Bosio is directing (and auditioning this week) for a play that I don’t believe has played in New York at all (if you happen to know, tell us). The play is Shakespeare in Hollywood by Ken Ludwig. Hit the button on the left for more information on auditions and start the year off by coming down to the Heights Players in Brooklyn Heights to audition. I plan to be there to lend my support during auditions. If you see me, say hello! Then give Bernie the best audition of your life…or feel free to volunteer backstage.
In Rockaway, my good friends are auditioning for Crimes of the Heart next Sunday, February 15th. Maybe you’d like to give them a try. Susan Jasper, the groups head honcho/ producer/ jack of all trades would love to have you come down, as would the show’s director Peggy Page. If you are lucky enough to get cast, you may just find yourself enjoying the oncoming Spring weather surrounded by the fresh, salty sea air of Breezy Point. They didn't get much time to annopunce this audition so it ups your chances of getting cast if you go down and try out!
Or head down to Poly Prep Academy in Bay Ridge next month and catch one of the first productions ever in local theater of Mel Brook’s Hit Musical, The Producers. Jeff Samaha and Company (Ridge Chorale) currently are in rehearsals for this much anticipated production and are sure to deliver a great show. In my personal opinion this is one of the funniest musicals ever written!
All in all, things are about to get as busy as ever and I want you to use this site to make the most of it. Check in once in a while and don’t forget to tell your friends about LocalTheatreNY.com.
To receive our regular newsletters and announcement, go to the sign in form on the right side of this website and send me a note. And when you do start to get those blasts, pass them along…the more the merrier.
Talk to you soon!
Roger Gonzalez,
Editor & Publisher