The Train Driver

Kirk Wendell Brown,
Peter DeLaurier

The Lantern Theater Company, located in St. Stephen’s Church at 10^th and Ludlow Streets, is presenting the Philadelphia Premiere of The Train Driver through May 4.  Based on true stories of  “’suicide by train” in South Africa, this drama explores the disturbing remnants of apartheid.  Peter DeLaurier, a long time and well honored favorite at the Lantern and other theatres as well, portrays Roelf Visagie, a white South African train driver. Unfortunately, a young black woman with a small child tied to her back has chosen to leap upon the tracks right in front of his train. With not enough time to stop, the ensuing damage not only pulverizes the woman and her child, but wrecks the life of the train driver as well. He seeks some sort of redemption while visiting Simon Hanabe, the Black Man who buries the unknown.  Portrayed by Kirk Wendell Brown, Simon tries to be a calming influence on Roelf.  Having survived  his job in the dangerous surroundings of the buriel grounds for many years, Brown very effectively displays an attitude of cautious wariness. He tries to help Roelf by offering him food and shelter in his shack in the graveyard, but Roelf continues to be tormented.  DeLaurier brings despair to a whole new level. His anguish is palpable. You will leave the theater asking yourself, “Where would I be without hope?”  .For more information or tickets for this powerful production, call 215-829-0395 or visit online at www.lanterntheater.org.

Down Past Passyunk

Vince Turati ,Nicky Grillo. Iggy Guerro

  InterAct Theatre Company, located at 2030 Sansom Streets, is producing the world premiere of A. Zell. Willams’ Down Past Passyunk   through January 27.  Williams has loosely based the central theme of his work on the controversial sign “This is America. When Ordering, Speak English.” which appeared in the window of Geno’s Steak’s and caused a national maelstrom. William Zielinski convincingly portrays an angry Nicky Grillo, third generation South Philly owner of Grillo’s Steaks. He is both unable to cope with the newly diversified neighborhood that has sprung up around him and unwilling to accept modern changes that his spit-fire daughter Sophia, passionately played by Alex Keiper, tries to bring into the business. Mild-mannered Iggy Guerro, portrayed by  Bobby Plasencia, is a new owner of a nearby steak shop and thinks there is plenty of room for both businesses .   Mired down by his stubbornness which even his best friend Vince, aptly played by William Rahill can’t dissuade, Nicky is trapped by his resistance to change.  Brian Cowden effectively plays a rookie cop on the beat.  Kittson O’Neill successfully portrays Tambrey Walker, an in-your-face Eye Witness News Reporter.  Alice York, as Emma, is a delight.  Kudos to the entire design team: Costume Designer Allison Roberts for her authenticity, Sound Designer Christopher Colucci for his special touches,  Lighting Designer Drew Billiau  for special effects, and Set Designer Ian Guzzone who, in effect, had to design multiple sets.  This is a must-see show for all those who remember the precipitating event.  It is also an important production for those who don’t remember but just enjoy good theatre,  for this piece is sure to earn a place in history. For more information or tickets, call 215-568-8079 or visit online at www.interacttheatre.org. .

Three Sisters

ensemble cast in dining room

The Arden Theatre Company, located at 40 N. 2^nd Street, will be presenting an adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters through April 20.  A star-studded ensemble cast plays the multitude of characters in Chekhov’s 4 Act play.  Acts  1 and 2 have the effect of a  play within a play with wide angle and close-up camera shots of the characters on stage being directed and filmed, then projected onto a large screen. This effect is not used after intermission.  Perhaps because of this, the second half of the play is easier to follow, or perhaps it is easier to follow because the characters have become more familiar. Chekhov writes three dimensional characters and the actors do a brilliant job of portraying them. Rebecca Gibel convincingly gives Natasha an acerbic tongue.  Luigi Sottile, as Andre, brother to the three Prozorov sisters, displays two personalities-one drunk and one sober. Sarah Sanford portrays the oldest sister Olga.  Usually stoic and straight-laced, she can display a venomous temper when crossed. Katherine Powell portrays the middle sister Masha who is unhappy but changes personality completely when she finds happiness. Younger sister Irina is portrayed by Mary Tuomanen.  Her character changes the least.  This is a play depicting great longing and unrealized dreams.  Discontent lives within almost every character;  each one wants something she does not have.   Returning to Moscow   and what was once a more aristocaratic life appears to be a panacea for the three sisters but somehow, it is always just a little bit out of reach . Marriages occur, marriagies fail, liasons are thwarted…is there no way out of this malaise?  Ask Scott Greer who plays the doctor.  He claims he’s forgotten everything he has ever known and he just doesn’t care anymore. Surely the play can’t end on such a dismal note.  It really doesn’t, but you’ll have to come see that for yourself. Much acclaimed scenic designer Eugene Lee has made excellent use of partitions on the stage, creating two rooms and steps leading on and off the stage as actor leave and enter with great frequency.  Three Sisters is an epic piece and one review can’t do it justice. You must come to the Arden and see for yourself what the creative team had done with this masterpiece. For more information or tickets, call 215-922-1122 or visit online at ardentheatre.org.  

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

Masha and Vanya and Sonia

The Philadelphia Theatre Company, housed in the Suzanne Roberts Theatre at Broad and Lombard Streets is producing the 2013 Tony Award winning play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike through April 20.  Playwright Christopher Durang acquired names from Chekhov and carefully interwove some of Chekhov's most common themes such as illness, disillusionment, lack of communication and the importance of the cosmos into an extremely funny comedy. Members of this incredibly talented ensemble cast of Kraig Swartz as Vanya, Deidre Madigan as Sonia, Grace Gonglewski as Masha, Alec Shaw as Spike, Kianne Muschett as Cassandra and Clare O’Malley as Nina have won multiple Barrymore Awards and have been seen on Broadway and TV as well. Laughter abounds throughout the show as the characters deliver humorous lines with straight faces, but you can hear a pin drip during Vanya’s rant in the second act.  Lighting designer Dennis Parichy and set designer David Gordon have done a phenomenal job with the set - a country home in pastoral Bucks County with trees aplenty and blue skies peering through the skylights.  This is a play with many messages, but perhaps the most important one is to come see it and enjoy yourself, for you surely will delight in this performance.  For more information or tickets, call 215-985-0420 or visit online at PhiladelphiaTheatreCompany.org.  

Laughter on the 23rd Floor

The Writers' Room

The Bristol Riverside Theatre, located at 120 Radcliffe Street, is presenting Neil Simon’s Laughter on the 23^rd Floor through April 13. Based on his experiences writing for Sid Caesar with Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, and Sid Caesar himself, Simon’s comedy is set in the writers’ room for the fictional comic, Max Prince. Jason Silverman does an excellent job of portraying Lucas, an alias for Neil Simon. He serves as the narrator as well as the newest addition to the comedian’s cadre of writers.  Crazy antics and comic lines are delivered by the entire first-rate ensemble cast which also includes Bruce Graham, Carl N. Wallnau, Megan McDermott, Benjamin Lloyd, David Edwards, Kenneth Boys and K.O. DelMarcelle. This production gives us a rare opportunity to see what happens behind the scenes of a successful comedic series and what transpires  when the star and his writing family and the studio “bigwigs” don’t see eye to eye.  Although some of the gag lines are a bit dated, they are true to the time period and come spinning across the stage at such a rapid pace that you scarcely have time to notice.   This piece evokes a bit of nostalgia for those who remember “The Show of Shows” and straightforward fun for those who don’t.  For more information or tickets, call 215-785-0100 or visit online at brtstage.org.  

Arsenic And Old Lace

The Walnut Street Theatre, located at 825 Walnut Street, is presenting Arsenic and Old Lace through April 27^th on its mainstage.  Mary Martello and Jane Ridley give us a delightful portrayal  of two sweet, kind, and generous little old neighborhood ladies in Brooklyn. But one must not forget that this is a farce.  The Brewster women are truly charming but more than a little crazy, as are two of their nephews. Jonathon Brewster, played by Dan Olmstead, has escaped from a prison for the criminally insane and compellingly has no intention of hiding his mean streak, while his brother Teddy, portrayed by Ben Dibble, is convinced that he is President Theodore Roosevelt .working on the Panama Canal.  What sane person would want to get involved with this family?  Neighbor Elaine Harper, portrayed by Jennie Eisenhower, has fallen in love with the third brother, Mortimer,played by Damon Bonetti. While Mortimer shares her feelings, he tries to discourage her because he is afraid his family’s genetics might catch up with him. As a good farce should be, this production is a labyrinth of twists and turns before reaching its ending and produces many laughs along the way. The set is magnificent. Kudos to the entire design staff for a job well done: Scenic designer Robert Klingelhoefer, lighting designer Shon Causer, costume designer Colleen Grady and sound designer Jacob Mishler have produced a brilliant mansion parlor and staircase, with many egresses. The lighting and sound add to the tension that builds and the costumes add to the hilarity. Arsenic and Old Lace is not a new show but this production is very well done. If you have never seen it before, you must see it now.  If you have seen it in the past, come and refresh your memory and laugh anew at the antics on Walnut’s mainstage. For more information or tickets, phone 215-574-3550, 800-982-2787 or visit online at www.walnutstreettheatre.org. 

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.