The Happiest Song Plays Last

Staged reading

In conjunction with its production of Water By the Spoonful, The Arden Theatre Company, located at 40 N. 2^nd Street, conducted a staged reading of the first and third plays in the trilogy written by the very talented playwright Quiara Algria Hudes. The first one, A soldier’s Fugue, was set prior to the events occurring in Water By the Spoonful.  The Happiest Song Plays Last follows two of the major characters after the death of a family member.  As the staged reading occurred on a Monday night, the theatre was “dark.” but Water…..is still in production.  It is very appropriate that the reading occurs on this set as characters can be set apart with their chairs and script stands on two different levels, delineating Philadelphia and Jordan.  This was very helpful to the audience    Armando Batista who plays Elliot in Water…. and Maia De Santi who plays his cousin Yaz read those parts in the reading. Yaz speaks from her old neighborhood in North Philadelphia. Elliot is adding his soldier's expertise to a movie role in Jordon. An appreciative audience also enjoyed the reading of Rasha Zamamiri who portrayed Shar, an actress on the set in Jordon with Elliot.  Damien Wallace gave an incredible performance as a slow-witted person that Yaz had adopted.  Hudes’ third play in her trilogy is currently playing in NYC at the Second Stage Theatre where Water By the Spoonful played before it.  Hopefully the Arden will be able to bring it to Philadelphia sometime in the near future.  Be sure to watch out for it.

The Lady from the Sea

The Stranger & Ellida

EgoPo Classic Theatre Company is producing The Lady from the Sea as the second in its three- part series of Ibsen’s works this year.  It can be seen at the Christ Church Neighborhood House on American Street through March 2. Genevieve Perrier, a much acclaimed Philadelphia actress, portrays Ellida, the mysterious woman from the sea.  Her passions for the sea and a young sailor she knew in her youth are strong, yet not easily identifiable. Finding herself in a marriage with a domineering man and unnamed yearnings of fulfillment, Ellida comes to a crossroads when she once again meets the strange sailor from her past.  Ed Swidey gives a fine performance as Ellida’s husband. As a doctor he professes to know what is best for her but she obviously has little input into their lives together. Ensemble members Ross Beschler as Arholm, K.O.DelMarcelle as Bolette, Lee Minora as Hilde and Kevin Chick as Lyngstrand are an excellent addition to the cast and add some levity to the piece.  Set Designer Dan Soule and Lighting Designer Matt Sharp have made a delightful set which is intermittingly behind the curtains.  This show is having a short run so don’t hesitate to call 267-273-1414 for tickets or visit online at www.egopo.org. 

Julius Caesar

Jered McLenigan as Marc Antony

The Lantern Theater Company, located in St. Stephen’s Church at 10th and Ludlow Streets, is presenting The Tragedy of Julius Caesar though March 16.  The Lantern Theater has received many commendations for their annual Shakespeare presentations and it has not been without merit. No theatre company produces a better Shakespeare production than the Lantern. That having been said, some liberties have been taken with this creation.  Instead of being set in Rome, the work is set in feudal Japan.  The reason for this is explained in the program.  Artistic director Charles McMahon states, “ For me, the story could take place anywhere and at any time….The parallels between the Zen tradition of the Japanese warrior class and the stoicism of the Romans are striking…calling into question the rights of the ruler against the rights of his people.” The ensemble cast reads as a who’s who of Philadelphia actors, many of them Barrymore award-winners or nominees for awards for previous work. Bradley K. Wrenn, Matt Tallman, Kittson O’Neill, Forrest McClendon, Joe Guzman, Mary Lee Bednarek, Adam Altman all make their presence felt on the stage.  And when U.R, as Brutus, is angry, you can feel his anger. Although not the title character, Jered McLenigan, portraying Marc Antony steals the show.  His oration, his sarcasm, his plotting, his fighting, his sorrow…there's no moment when he is on the stage that he isn’t spot on. For all of you who love Shakespeare and for those of you who have just heard about Lantern’s reputation, come see this not oft produced work. For more information or tickets,  call 215-829-0395 or visit online at www.lanterntheater.org

True West

Brian Osborne & Jeb Keager

Theatre Exile is presenting Sam Shepard’s True West at Play and Player’s Theatre, 1714 Delancey Streets through February 23.  Sam Shepard is known for his dark comedy and while some might question the abundance of this production's comic moments, no one can deny that it is dark. Jeb Kreager portrays Austin, an ivy-league educated screenwriter and Brian Osborne plays his n’er-do-well brother Lee. Sad, tragic, even horrific are words which come to mind before comic.  When Austin is house-sitting to take care of his mother’s plants while she is on vacation, his long-lost brother Lee arrives.  Although leery of his brother at first, Austin does everything he can to win his favor. Jeb Kreager’s acting consistently portrays the laid-back brother who lets very little ruffle him.  Brian Osborne’s character is very much of a hot-head and his actions become more convincing as the play progresses.  E. Ashley Izard portrays the boy’s mom and if Shepard wanted her to be a vapid character, she has nailed it.  If you are a fan of Sam Shepard’s work, you should see this production while it is still in town.  For more information or tickets, call 215-690-4065 or visit online at www.theatreexile.org. 

Tuesdays With Morrie

Morrie and Mitch

Bristol Riverside Theatre, located at 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, Pa, is presenting Tuesdays With Morrie through February 16.  Based on the best-selling book by Mitch Albom, this memoir relates the time Albom spent with his much beloved former college professor after he was diagnosed with ALS.  Mitch, played by Danny Vaccaro, is an ambitious, talented self-serving, sports journalist whose work takes him all over the world to cover every major sporting event for print, radio and TV. It is no small wonder that he forgets a promise made to a favorite college professor to “stay in touch.”  Richards Easley plays that college professor, Morrie Schwartz, otherwise known as "coach."  When Mitch sees Morrie interviewed on Ted Koppel because of his ALS, he feels a twinge of guilt and flies to visit him.  Morrie is delighted and doesn’t let Mitch leave without extracting a promise from him to visit the following Tuesday.  The months of Tuesdays allow the actors to develop their characters.  Mitch is no longer a one-dimensional individual by the end of the play. Despite his illness, Morrie  never stops being a teacher. He tells Mitch, “You have to learn how to die in order to learn how to live.”  His portrayal of someone with Lou Gehrig’s disease is superb. His gradual loss of physicality is incredible.  For more information or tickets to see this wonderful production, call 215-785-0100 or visit brtstage.org.

Tribes

The Philadelphia Theatre Company, located in the Suzanne Roberts Theatre at Broad and Lombard Streets, is presenting Nina Raine’s award winning drama, Tribes through February 23.  Set in London, Tribes was commissioned for London’s Royal Court Theatre where it won an award and was nominated for several other awards for Best New Play. It received similar acclaim when it played on Broadway. It is captivating Philadelphia audiences as well.  The very talented ensemble cast takes on the persona of a quirky family.  Jacob Judd portrays the boisterous, eccentric father who believes everyone should share the same traits; thus he raised his deaf son to lip-read rather than sign.  Tad Cooley portrays Billy.  Having been born deaf is not the only trait that makes him different from the rest of his family.  Despite being “handicapped”, he is the only character with a sense of normalcy.  Alex  Hoeffler portrays Billy’s brother Daniel. The voices that occur in his head make him rather disturbed.  His sister Ruth, played by Robin Abramson is very fragile and his mother Beth, a struggling author portrayed by Laurie Klatscher, has a difficult time in keeping peace in the family.  Nina Raine has smacked the audience into the center of the conflict that arises for the deaf.  Is it more beneficial to learn to sign or to lip read?  Billy has  been raised in a hearing household; yet when all the bickering and subtleties of conversation fly around the room in rapid sequence, he is at a loss to catch it all and his questions are dismissed.  When he meets Sylvia, someone who is losing her hearing, a whole new world opens up to him.  The final result will have you sniveling. This work gives great insight into the world of the deaf and the hearing impaired.  It is not something that should be missed but don’t go without a tissue.  For more information or tickets, call 215-984-0420 or visit online at PhiladelphiaTheatreCompany.org.

Water By The Spoonful

chat room for recovering narcotic addicts

The Arden Theatre, located at 40 N 2^nd Street, is presenting Water By The Spoonful, the middle play of Quiara Algria Hudes’ trilogy, through March 16 on its Arcadia Stage.  It is easy to get lost in the beginning of the show as the emphasis shifts from two cousins to unrelated people logging in and out of a chat room.  By the end of the first act a common thread appears leading to an “aha” moment. Such a moment is not necessary to appreciate the brilliance with which Hudes tells her tale. While the piece is set in Philadelphia, Puerto Rico, Japan and California, the primary setting is cyber-space.in a chat room for recovering narcotics abusers.  Very real emotional ties are forged and bonds formed amongst those who regularly support each other online. It is when the physical world and the cyber world come head-to-head that apple carts are upset. Water By the Spoonful is a very powerful work and each member of the ensemble cast gives a commanding performance.  The set is stark but allows actors’ movement throughout the entire stage area and encourages audiences to use their imagination when envisioning the different scenes.  This was a 2012 Pulitzer Prize winning play.  Don’t miss an opportunity to see it. A reading of the first work in the trilogy, Eliot, A Soldier's Fugue, will be held on Monday February 24 and a reading of the final part of the trilogy, The Happiest Song Plays Last will be read at the Arden on Monday, March 10.  For more information or tickets, call 215-922-1122 or visit online at www.ardentheatre.org.