A long-ago love story inspired this richly textured play with 1920s music. When Playwright Steven A. Butler Jr. was growing up, he heard family stories about how his great-great grandparents, Ruby Dyson and Ollie Tyson, fell in love in 1927. They met and settled in the small town of La Plata, Maryland, and began a family that now extends for generations.
Mandrill Solomon as William and Abiola Yetunde as Birdy. Photo courtesy of Restoration Stage.
Ollie and Ruby’s gifted great-great grandson has now imagined the world their love began in as a traveling circus. It’s an inspired idea. The owner of this circus is a white man. The townspeople the circus plays for are white. And all the circus performers and roustabouts are “Colored” (the word used throughout the script in its period sense). The result is not only a hugely satisfying saga bursting with heart, humor, and song. It is also a profound narrative metaphor for the black family’s struggle to survive under conditions of prejudice and exploitation not far removed from slavery.
The set is the interior of a worn and tattered tent. Swaths of burlap drape up to a pinnacle where there’d be a tent pole and descend to surround the playing area, which is strewn with straw. At one end is a high stage all set for live performance. Platforms suggesting straw bales make a secondary stage. Clusters of old-time wood tables and wicker chairs evoke transient living quarters, and an old Victrola lends the place a touch of home away from home. It all promises “backstage drama!” and “showtime!” and the show, engagingly shaped by Director Courtney Baker-Oliver, delivers both in equal measure.
Wonderful music arises during the dramatic action—ballads, torch songs, novelty show tunes, and more. (The delightful original songs are by Baker-Oliver, Butler, and Christopher John Burnett; the deft musical direction is by Burnett and Willie Ferguson.) In Act One, while we are being introduced to each of the thirteen characters, there’s more talk than singing; in Act Two, after we’ve met them, we are treated to more musical performances. The structure of the show draws us closer not only to the characters’ stories but to the meanings in the music.
And what moving stories they are. There are upwards of a dozen and they interweave and intersect throughout in ways that are by turns surprising, touching, shocking, and stirring, like a sprawling mini-epic.
Restoration Stage, which has produced this and other works by Butler (including his acclaimed Chocolate Covered Ants last season), has as its tagline “Restoring the black family—one story at a time,” which perfectly describes Butler’s present accomplishment. The first African American man to be named to the Arena Stage Playwrights’ program, Butler has just given American theater a masterpiece of empathy, entertainment, and uplift.
Miles Foley as Ollie Thomas. Photo courtesy of Restoration Stage.
As the play began, it took me a few moments to catch on to Butler’s genius in crafting and combining all his character-driven narratives. They just seemed to come fast on the heels of one another, each a fragment unto itself. But then I realized what a powerful tapestry of troubles and longings Butler was weaving, what a sensitively embellished depiction of a community connected in struggle, what an act of love it had been for him to tell of the origin of his forebears’ devotion within a larger family context. And by the end I was in awe.
Because so much of the pleasure in watching this work is discovering its manifold subplots, I’d be remiss if I gave them away. But I can preview a few of the couples stories, because as is typical in classic comedies, there’s a pleasing payoff at the end of joyful pairings off.
Butler casts his great-great-grandfather Ollie as ringmaster of the circus, which he once owned but sold to a white man, Benjamin Boswell. In Pat Martin’s performance Boswell now lords it over the troupe like P.T. Barnum channeling Simon Legree as a pimp. Miles Folley brings to the role of Ollie such a physical agility and adorably earnest charm that it’s no wonder he catches the eye of Butler’s great-great grandmother Ruby, and no wonder this vivacious chanteuse catches his. The character of Ruby emerged for me as the play’s most knockout role, and Ayanna Hardy’s performance in it is heartbreaking. By the time she belts the first solo in the show, “Darkies Never Dream,” she holds the audience in her arms.
Juxtaposed with the young lovers, Butler introduces an older married couple, nicknamed Pumpkin and Pickles, who have been on the road like seasoned vaudevillians. They do a musical-comedy routine in the second act with the cringeworthy title “Oh, You Coon,” and Corisa Myers as Pumpkin and Charles W. Harris Jr. as Pickles bring down the house. They also have an indelibly moving scene together during which they tell why they fell in love with each other, and who they are to each other.
There’s a late-arriving romance near the end involving two of the white characters, Boswell’s son Colby and Leonora, who comes from a well-to-do family in town. Colby’s complex connection to the other story lines is fascinating, and Robert Hamilton does a good job conveying it. Despite being upbraided by his abusive dad, he has no inclination to take it out on others, i.e. the showpeople whom he manages; instead he identifies with them as family. When we first meet Leonore she seems the embodiment of clueless white snobbery, and Suzanne Edgar plays it to the hilt. She delivers a terrific ballad in Act One, “By the Light of the Silvery Moon,” and in a twist goes useful-liberal at the end.
Besides the Ensemble’s opener, “Circus Theme,” there are three other musical numbers in the first act, each owned magnificently by one of the foregoing female singer-actors. The third is Pumpkin’s funny-sad “I’m a Little Blackbird Looking for a Bluebird.” And it’s Pumpkin who brings us back after intermission with a rousing rendition of “Good Trouble” full of risque insinuation.
The innuendos roll on with “I Ain’t Gonna Give You My Jellyroll,” sung sweetly by Abiola Yetunde as Birdie, a shy roustabout who has taken a liking to an older roustabout named William (a fine Mandrill Solomon).
Even in a play full of fascinating characters, the originality of Freda stands out. She sings a song called “Mr. America” wearing faux Native American garb. Actually she’s Mexican and longs to return to California but keeps up this phoney gig like a trouper believing it’ll help her get there one day. Sara Hernandez’s performance in this role is among the most poignant in the play.
Everyone in the circus ran away to join it at some point, and some of their backstories are wrenching. Ruby’s and Ollie’s certainly are. There’s a scene between them about their pasts that completely choked me up. So did Zola’s. Madam Zola, as she styles herself, is an exotic, a fortune teller, one of those characters so out of left field they might belong in another play—until their heart-stopping story is disclosed. Zola has another of the female solos, “You Can’t Tell the Difference After Dark” (more innuendo), and Brittany Timmons sells it for all she’s worth.
There’s a tragically sad story line about a character nicknamed Tumbler (well played by Obinna Nawachuk), a simpleton who performs as a primate, dressed like a cartoon monkey. He longs to see his grandmother again, and just as Freda endures the humiliation of acting like an Indian, he naively believes this sideshow job will reunite them.
There’s also a fourth white character, Daphne, who is Lenora’s high-society friend and like her a snob. Unlike Lenora, however, Daphne is visibly uncomfortable around the Colored characters, and Jenna Murphy’s performance keeps that aversion very credible.
Ayanna Hardy as Ruby Dyson. Photo courtesy of Restoration Stage.
There are few moments in Butler’s play that are not in some sense about race. One of the qualities of his writing that caught my attention early on is the fact that the four white characters in it are always white; they never become unraced or raceless as they would in a play—written by a white author, say—where nine characters are white and four are black. In such a case the black characters typically stay portrayed and perceived as black while the white characters are portrayed and perceived as “race-neutral generic human.” That never happens in The Very Last Days of the First Colored Circus—to the deep credit of the entire production.
Unusually, the costumes and properties are designed by the director and the playwright. Ollie’s ringmaster outfit is appealingly clownish and the women’s show-biz gowns are stunning. Lighting Designer Jerry M. Dale Jr. has turned the black box at Anacostia Playhouse into a most enjoyable tent show. The lovely choreography is by Raquis Petree. And Sound Designers Eric Wells and Aaron Gerald, besides subtly mic’ing the playing area, provide a few thunderous weather effects, playback of old records, and a vintage stand mic for the acts on stage.
Over and above the outstanding music, performances, and production values in Stephen A. Butler Jr.’s The Very Last Days of the First Colored Circus, there is its eloquent testimony to the resilience without which the black family in America could not have survived the African diaspora. To watch that dramatized in the fictional context of a traveling circus is to see the obstacles in an imaginative new way but also to appreciate again the persistence and virtuosity that, within the remembered bonds of African kinship, overcame, went forth, and multiplied.
R.I.P., Ruby Dyson and Ollie Tyson. A great-great grandson of yours just did you proud.
Running Time: Three hours 15 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.
Poignant. Sophisticated. Elevating. Witty. These are just some of the adjectives to describe Breast in Show, now appearing at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn. First conceived in 2009 by Executive Producer Eileen Mitchard, it is a show designed to reach people far and wide, to educate and empower audiences about breast cancer and its “warriors.” A musical about breast cancer? Morbid? Absolutely not. It is a tasteful production that will move you and amuse you all at once.
Left to right (top row) Matt Dewberry, Chris Rudy (bottom row) Ayanna Hardy, Megan Westman, Jennie Lutz, and Gracie Jones. Photo by Betty Adler.
Mitchard astutely brings on Playwright Lisa Hayes and Composer and Lyricist Joan Cushing to write the book and to compose the score and they deliver a heartfelt and humorous and poignant book and score. Hayes and Cushing use the true stories of patients to craft the new story of five breast cancer patients and their loved ones.
Bringing the words and music to life are Director Kathryn Chase Bryer, Musical Director Deborah Jocobson (on keyboards with Dana Gardner on Reeds), Choreographer Ilona Kessel and their ideal cast. The director and her team make unique use of the intimate Arts Barn stage. Their staging and choreography is meticulous and genteel. I particularly enjoyed the choreography and movement in the opening number “Breast in Show,” where all cast members were moving together yet apart -each in their own realm, yet totally in sync.
Playing 16 different characters throughout the show, the ensemble of six veteran actors is superb. Megan Westman, as Nurse Desiree, is caring and cheerful, and always the eternal optimist. Jennie Lutz, as the grandmother is fun and bawdy, singing “I am in Love with My Oncologist.” Playing the male patient, something more common than most realize, is Chris Rudy. Rudy is sympathetic and entertaining, quipping along with his fellow patients, keeping their moods high. He is joined by Gracie Jones, Darren McDonnell and Ayanna Hardy in one of the most gripping songs of the evening, “Normal.”It’s a song about two couples and their desire to feel normal again after the surgery, and the delivery is stunningly beautiful, filled with gorgeous harmonies.
Ayanna Hardy plays the strong willed attorney, Wendy. The only ensemble member not wearing a shade of pink, she refuses to yield to her diagnosis. Her breakdown in the song “Pink” sent shivers up my spine. By the end of the show she has fully embraced her diagnosis and her fight, and the transformation of this “warrior” is joy to watch.
Gracie Jones ( Chelsea) sitting sings the song “A Nurse Named Desiree.” Megan Westman (Desiree) is standing. Photo by Betty Adler.
Darren McDonnell is touching as Wendy’s supportive and encouraging husband. His short monologues about his struggle caring for his wife are affecting and heartwarming. McDonnell then effortlessly transforms into the jovial Freddy, a friend of Nurse Desiree who helps to heal Breast Cancer patients by supplying glamorous wigs and prostheses . His rendition of “Freddy’s Prosthesis Emporium” is one of the scene stealing moments of the evening.
One of the most powerful performances of the evening comes from actress Gracie Jones. She plays multiple roles, but her portrayal of the young single mother Chelsea is remarkable. From her demure introduction to the group of cancer patients in the ‘Chemo Café,’ to the subtle interaction with her therapist regarding her “bad dreams” and her future is spot on. He heart-wrenching rendition of “A Nurse Named Desiree” is incredible – so real, so raw.
Breast in Show is a little gem waiting for you this month at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn. Shows like Breast in Show do not come often, so don’t miss it.
Running time: 90 minutes, with no intermission.
Breast in Showplays through September 27, 2014 at The Gaithersburg Arts Barn -311 Kent Square Road, in Gaithersburg, MD. Tickets range from $20 to $25. For tickets and information call (301) 258-6394, or visit the Gaithersburg website, or purchase your tickets at the door.
Schedule of Performances: Friday, Sept. 12th at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13th at 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14th at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19th at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20th at 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21th at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26th at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27th at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27th at 8 p.m.
The Friday, September 19th 8 PM performance will be sign interpreted.
“At last. A show that has taken the Capital Fringe Festival 2014 theme to heart: Move Me.
Breast in Show, conceived and produced by Eileen Mitchard, is arguably the best titled and best marketed show in this season’s lineup. (Collecting Fringe buttons? Patrons get their own pink Breast in Show button to proudly pin to their chests.) It’s also likely the most aptly named, as it shall prove prophetic when it comes time to clinch the Best of Fringe.
A musical about cancer, you ask? Or as it’s billed: the musical that ‘puts humor in the tumor.’
When the six veteran thespians first hit their marks in various pink-splotched costumes to belt a brassy opener, you gotta wonder: To whom is this targeted? The Pink Ladies gang? Is this some twisted evolution of the candy-stripe crew come to cheer the sick with one-liners about a codified, institutionalized disease?
…“Every 69 seconds, someone dies of cancer.” In the race for the cure, there are 2.5 million victors of every stripe. The show speaks for each of them and to those yet undiagnosed, as well as those who love them. Turns out it’s a show for the masses — and not just the metastasized kind.
We appreciate the irony of how a fight for survival interrupts “life.” And discover a new definition for “the 1%.”
Then full onset of the drip, drip, drip. We submit to Director Kathryn Chase Bryer’s well-managed care through some difficult themes. One minute we’re laughing at a scene set in the Chemo Café, where nurse Desiree (Megan Westman) is serving prescription cocktails to patients dancing with IV poles (delightful choreography by Illona Kessell). The next, the audience is wiping eyes in unison and blubbering with nasal drip like a Greek chorus. Or filled with queasy suspense wondering who among them, and us, will beat the odds. Or railing with anger, along with the people onstage we’ve come to love: Wendy (Ayanna Hardy), a tough-as-nails lawyer whose lack of pink in her wardrobe at first belies denial; her husband (Matt Dewberry), who god-love-him is the first to push our visceral buttons; Chelsea (Gracie Jones), a 29-year-old for whom the disease runs in the family; a saucy, seasoned gal (Jennie Lutz) with the hots for her oncologist; the aforementioned dutiful nurse, who is also stricken; and a young father (Chris Rudy), who must endure the taunts of suffering a “lady’s cancer” not only from his buddies but from his daughter’s playground bullies.
All six impeccable actors play multiple roles. Suffice to say, they are top-flight talent ranging from New York stages to major local marquees (Signature Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, KenCen). Pros all, who turn trenchant prose to poetry. It was Maya Angelou who said: “Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with shades of deeper meaning.”
As channeled through Dewberry and Jones especially, playwright Lisa Hayes’ words will slay you. Jones simply works magic. Playing a 29-year-old mother of two who is stricken with breast cancer, Gracie Jones manages to flash all of life’s fragrance before our eyes. And that synesthesia reference (cross-linking of the senses — in this case, sight and smell) is intended. This is an actress whose work is like watching a flower burst open in time-lapse motion. She actually plays multiple roles in Breast in Show — a cancer patient, the wife of a cancer patient and someone who has lost a loved one to cancer. In each case, she recruits every muscle to tell a different story from a fresh perspective.
At the Chemo Cafe, while undergoing chemo treatment and struggling to stay warm under a blanket, Gracie Jones sings a torch song tribute to her nurse, Desiree: ‘A Nurse Named Desiree.” It is the show’s defining moment.
The way Gracie Jones walks, sits, flips her hair or tweaks her tone belies a polished actress who takes time to craft, from flesh and fiber, rich and resonating characters. She juggles a crone’s wisdom with a child’s rawness, because she can play old or young convincingly. Truly a breathtaking performance, and one that will connect with everyone in the audience, as if she’s speaking just to you.
Dewberry, who doubles as Freddy, the proprietor of Freddy’s Prosthetic Emporium, is also immensely gifted, from gut-wrenching drama to burlesque — and if you had any doubts that cancer is natural fodder for musical theater, imagine the joy of the wig and makeup folks whose calling it is to bring out the best in their subjects. So, too, with Freddy’s ebullient makeover dance.
And how refreshing to witness singers whose vocal powers can forgo those Britney Spears-esque lavalier mics. Their singing wells up from within — they sing because they can’t express themselves any other way. What’s beautiful is we get so wrapped up in it, we forget we’re being manipulated. And that, my friends, is theater.
Above all, hats off to composer/lyricist Joan Cushing. Along with Chase Bryer’s direction, I cannot summon enough praise for Cushing’s creations. There is Hardy’s sucker-punch soliloquy, “Pink,” in which she vomits (not literally) vitriol over her circumstance (“I feel shitty” is a great counterpoint to Sondheim’s lyrics in I Feel Pretty); the exploration of relationships in “Toxic People,” led by the sympathetic, kinetic Rudy; Jones’ climactic “A Nurse Named Desiree”; and the melancholic ensemble anthem, “Time.” (I’m improvising on titles.) Let’s put it this way: The percentage of Fringe shows surviving this first round of treatment is slim, but Breast in Show definitely has a positive prognosis.
Musical Director Deborah Jacobson handily supports the actors with piano accompaniment that bounces and bellows. On reeds and horns, Dana Gardner helps one imagine how this will sound fully orchestrated when it translates to larger stages. Oh, yes, this is merely Stage 2.
If I had any criticism it would be the set design: all that pink glitter and the three gigantic breast cancer awareness ribbon cutouts serving as costume racks seem like overkill; the show sparkles enough on its own. Perhaps the idea is to hit you over the head with it, the way the Big C pummels its prey. But Zac Gilbert’s lighting design helps tone it down, and Frank Labovitz’s costume palette (pinks, grays, blues and browns, and black-and-white for the central couple) is inspired in its coordination.
I welcome a second opinion, but mark my words, Breast in Show deserves 5 stars. It will move you. Time is running out. Get a move on.”
Running Time: 90 minutes.
Breast in Showplays tonight September 12, 2014 through September 27, 2014 at The Gaithersburg Arts Barn -311 Kent Square Road, in Gaithersburg, MD. Tickets range from $20 to $25. This show contains mature themes and is appropriate for those 13 and older. For tickets and information call (301) 258-6394, or visit the Gaithersburg website, or purchase your tickets at the door.
Left to right (top row) Matt Dewberry, Chris Rudy (bottom row) Ayanna Hardy, Megan Westman, Jennie Lutz, and Gracie Jones.
Schedule of Performances: Friday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14 at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21 at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27 at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27 at 8 p.m.
The Friday, September 19 performance will be sign interpreted.
Here are our final Scene Stealers for this year’s Capital Fringe Festival.
And we are handing out 4 special honors to performances and productions that moved and entertained us that we will never forget.
Congrats to all our Scene Stealers and our honorees and to everyone who made the 2014 Capital Fringe Festival such a huge success!
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Haely Jardas and Henry LaGue in the fight scene in TAME.
Haely Jardas and Henry M. LaGue.
“There are lots of scenes in TAME. “with sky-high stakes that cut right to the most uncomfortable and intriguing of situations,” as Andrew Baughman wrote in his 5-star review of Jonelle Walker’s brilliant new play. But there’s one that’s a pivotal knockout: the scene in which a young clergyman-in-training named Patrick Vacus (Henry LaGue) tames—literally breaks the spirit of—a morose and impertinent wannabe poet named Cathryn (Haely Jardas). Cat, as she wants to be called, has dropped out of college and returned home, where her welcome was already worn out. Her parents have had it with her. They haven’t a clue about the enormous sadness beneath her sullenness. They enlist a fresh-faced boy-next-door preacher in hopes he will exorcise her demons. They haven’t a clue about his vicious capacity for violence.
Left alone with Cat, Patrick strikes her, then hits her more. The culminating scene in which Patrick pummels Cat into submission could not be more shocking and disturbing. And as well staged by Fight Choreographer Stephen Michael as it is, it would not have worked without Jardas’s and LaGue’s pinnacle performances. Because they have etched each of their characters up to that point with such precision, when their character arcs collide—as they do in this show-topping scene—we are left breathless. At the same time are left relieved to realize that two gifted actors have brought the craft and forged the trust needed to make this high-stakes scene the utter gut punch that it is.”–John Stoltenberg and endorsed by Andrew L. Baughman.
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Gracie Jones, as Chelsea, singing “A Nurse Named Desiree” in Breast in Show
Gracie Jones ( Chelsea) sitting sings the song “A Nurse Named Desiree.” Megan Westman (Desiree) is standing. Photo by Betty Adler.
“At the Chemo Cafe, while undergoing chemo treatment and struggling to stay warm under a blanket, Gracie Jones sings a torch song tribute to her nurse, Desiree: ‘A Nurse Named Desiree.” It is the show’s defining moment.
The way Gracie Jones walks, sits, flips her hair or tweaks her tone belies a polished actress who takes time to craft, from flesh and fiber, rich and resonating characters. She juggles a crone’s wisdom with a child’s rawness, because she can play old or young convincingly. Truly a breathtaking performance, and one that will connect with everyone in the audience, as if she’s speaking just to you.”-Terry Byrne.
Chipi (Lorena Sabogal), Bombon (Laura Quiroga), and Kiki (Cecilia De Feo).
“In Tango, Cabaret, Love!, veteran dancer Laura Quiroga proves it takes only one to tango. There is a sobering moment in this flirty, frilly and at times frivolous cabaret that she dons a man’s hat, grabs a dinner jacket and performs a serious tango, solo. Profound, philosophical and a show-stopper.” -Terry Byrne
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SPECIAL AWARDS FROM THE STAFF OF DCMETROTHEATERARTS
PERFORMANCES WE WON’T SOON FORGET:
We honor these two performances that we can’t stop talking about.
We tip our hats to Valerie Holt and Robert Michael Oliver!
“[Valerie] Holt has been acting in local productions since she was young and played the Little Girl in Tantallon Community Players’ production of Ragtime. Her experience shows and she brings a freshness and energy to the stage in the somewhat underdeveloped storyline of the mutual attraction between her character, a strong union supporter at the plant, and Runyon Law who is known as the Sage of Blackwell. Holt has a great stage presence with an expressive face that delights.”-Kim Moeller
Michael Robert Oliver in “Song of Myself: The Walt Whitman Project.’ Photo courtesy of performingknowlegeproject.com
It’s got to be tough to do a solo show, opening night at 9 p.m. on a sultry summer night, but remarkable, energetic, and seemingly tirelessRobert Michael Oliverpulled it off without a noticeable drop of sweat. He is tour-de-force in Song of Myself: The Whitman Project…
“I celebrate myself,” Oliver declares in his opening monologue. He then went on to recite – or perhaps a better description would be “absorb” – the words of Walt Whitman. “I lean and loaf at my ease, observing a spear of summer grass,” continues the robust actor, at times a cross between Burl Ives and Oscar Wilde. At first he romps about the makeshift stage, stopping a moment to ponder a blade of grass, then Oliver falls to the floor with a roar, laughing aloud, perhaps, at Whitman’s egotistical poem.” -Carolyn Kelemen
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AND THE SHOW THAT HAD US ALL CHEERING AND SMILING AND THE ONE WE WANT TO SEE AGAIN AND AGAIN…
DCMetroTheaterArts’ Bestest of the 2014 Capital Fringe Show: ‘You, or Whatever You Can Get.’
“Every summer, there is a fringe show that everyone is talking about, well after the festival has ended. The people who saw the show talk about how wonderful it was, and the people who didn’t get their tickets in time talk about how they cannot believe they missed it. I believe that You, or Whatever I Can Get is that show for the 2014 festival. In short, You, or Whatever I Can Get is poignant, hilariously funny, and moving all at the same time. With references to Space Jam and Applebee’s worked into the script, what’s not to love? The creative team has created characters you can’t help but love, and their flaws/idiosyncrasies somehow make them even more loveable. This cast exemplifies strength, their chemistry with one another onstage is magnetic, their trust in one another is apparent from the first number, and they elevate each other’s performances to a level that transcends the festival.” –Rick Westerkamp
Left to right (top row) Matt Dewberry, Chris Rudy (bottom row) Ayanna Hardy, Megan Westman, Jennie Lutz, and Gracie Jones.
“All six impeccable actors play multiple roles. Suffice to say, they are top-flight talent ranging from New York stages to major local marquees (Signature Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, KenCen). Pros all, who turn trenchant prose to poetry. It was Maya Angelou who said: “Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with shades of deeper meaning…And how refreshing to witness singers whose vocal powers can forgo those Britney Spears-esque lavalier mics. Their singing wells up from within — they sing because they can’t express themselves any other way. What’s beautiful is we get so wrapped up in it, we forget we’re being manipulated. And that, my friends, is theater.”-Terry Byrne
LINKS
DCMetroTheaterArts’ Reviews of all the shows in The 2014 Capital Fringe Festival and 65 Show Preview Articles.
At last. A show that has taken the Capital Fringe Festival 2014 theme to heart: Move Me.
Breast in Show, conceived and produced by Eileen Mitchard, is arguably the best titled and best marketed show in this season’s lineup. (Collecting Fringe buttons? Patrons get their own pink Breast in Show button to proudly pin to their chests.) It’s also likely the most aptly named, as it shall prove prophetic when it comes time to clinch the Best of Fringe.
A musical about cancer, you ask? Or as it’s billed: the musical that ‘puts humor in the tumor.’
When the six veteran thespians first hit their marks in various pink-splotched costumes to belt a brassy opener, you gotta wonder: To whom is this targeted? The Pink Ladies gang? Is this some twisted evolution of the candy-stripe crew come to cheer the sick with one-liners about a codified, institutionalized disease?
Granted, many breasts and breast forms had gathered on opening night; possibly 90% of the audience had a vested interest, even if they held things close to their vests.
It takes no time for the drugs to take effect, though. You’re all in as soon as what I’ll dub the “Blah Aria” begins (the program did not include a song list). This is pure-cut medicinal theater, where starkly drawn characters like cards in a deck get tossed at the audience who then must calculate the odds. “Every 69 seconds, someone dies of cancer.” In the race for the cure, there are 2.5 million victors of every stripe. The show speaks for each of them and to those yet undiagnosed, as well as those who love them. Turns out it’s a show for the masses — and not just the metastasized kind.
We appreciate the irony of how a fight for survival interrupts “life.” And discover a new definition for “the 1%.”
Then full onset of the drip, drip, drip. We submit to Director Kathryn Chase Bryer’s well-managed care through some difficult themes. One minute we’re laughing at a scene set in the Chemo Café, where nurse Desiree (Megan Westman) is serving prescription cocktails to patients dancing with IV poles (delightful choreography by Illona Kessell). The next, the audience is wiping eyes in unison and blubbering with nasal drip like a Greek chorus. Or filled with queasy suspense wondering who among them, and us, will beat the odds. Or railing with anger, along with the people onstage we’ve come to love: Wendy (Ayanna Hardy), a tough-as-nails lawyer whose lack of pink in her wardrobe at first belies denial; her husband (Matt Dewberry), who god-love-him is the first to push our visceral buttons; Chelsea (Gracie Jones), a 29-year-old for whom the disease runs in the family; a saucy, seasoned gal (Jennie Lutz) with the hots for her oncologist; the aforementioned dutiful nurse, who is also stricken; and a young father (Chris Rudy), who must endure the taunts of suffering a “lady’s cancer” not only from his buddies but from his daughter’s playground bullies.
All six impeccable actors play multiple roles. Suffice to say, they are top-flight talent ranging from New York stages to major local marquees (Signature Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, KenCen). Pros all, who turn trenchant prose to poetry. It was Maya Angelou who said: “Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with shades of deeper meaning.”
As channeled through Dewberry and Jones especially, playwright Lisa Hayes’ words will slay you. Jones simply works magic. Playing a 29-year-old mother of two who is stricken with breast cancer, Gracie Jones manages to flash all of life’s fragrance before our eyes. And that synesthesia reference (cross-linking of the senses — in this case, sight and smell) is intended. This is an actress whose work is like watching a flower burst open in time-lapse motion. She actually plays multiple roles in Breast in Show — a cancer patient, the wife of a cancer patient and someone who has lost a loved one to cancer. In each case, she recruits every muscle to tell a different story from a fresh perspective.
At the Chemo Cafe, while undergoing chemo treatment and struggling to stay warm under a blanket, Gracie Jones sings a torch song tribute to her nurse, Desiree: ‘A Nurse Named Desiree.” It is the show’s defining moment.
The way Gracie Jones walks, sits, flips her hair or tweaks her tone belies a polished actress who takes time to craft, from flesh and fiber, rich and resonating characters. She juggles a crone’s wisdom with a child’s rawness, because she can play old or young convincingly. Truly a breathtaking performance, and one that will connect with everyone in the audience, as if she’s speaking just to you.
Dewberry, who doubles as Freddy, the proprietor of Freddy’s Prosthetic Emporium, is also immensely gifted, from gut-wrenching drama to burlesque — and if you had any doubts that cancer is natural fodder for musical theater, imagine the joy of the wig and makeup folks whose calling it is to bring out the best in their subjects. So, too, with Freddy’s ebullient makeover dance.
And how refreshing to witness singers whose vocal powers can forgo those Britney Spears-esque lavalier mics. Their singing wells up from within — they sing because they can’t express themselves any other way. What’s beautiful is we get so wrapped up in it, we forget we’re being manipulated. And that, my friends, is theater.
Above all, hats off to composer/lyricist Joan Cushing. Along with Chase Bryer’s direction, I cannot summon enough praise for Cushing’s creations. There is Hardy’s sucker-punch soliloquy, “Pink,” in which she vomits (not literally) vitriol over her circumstance (“I feel shitty” is a great counterpoint to Sondheim’s lyrics in I Feel Pretty); the exploration of relationships in “Toxic People,” led by the sympathetic, kinetic Rudy; Jones’ climactic “A Nurse Named Desiree”; and the melancholic ensemble anthem, “Time.” (I’m improvising on titles.) Let’s put it this way: The percentage of Fringe shows surviving this first round of treatment is slim, but Breast in Show definitely has a positive prognosis.
Musical Director Deborah Jacobson handily supports the actors with piano accompaniment that bounces and bellows. On reeds and horns, Dana Gardner helps one imagine how this will sound fully orchestrated when it translates to larger stages. Oh, yes, this is merely Stage 2.
If I had any criticism it would be the set design: all that pink glitter and the three gigantic breast cancer awareness ribbon cutouts serving as costume racks seem like overkill; the show sparkles enough on its own. Perhaps the idea is to hit you over the head with it, the way the Big C pummels its prey. But Zac Gilbert’s lighting design helps tone it down, and Frank Labovitz’s costume palette (pinks, grays, blues and browns, and black-and-white for the central couple) is inspired in its coordination.
Some of Chris Baine’s sound effects are funny, perhaps not as intended, and there’s some questionable product placement: Coca-Cola is allegedly a big supporter of the cause, although BPAs in its cans have been linked to, yes, cancer, not to mention its link to a host of other American-prone conditions. Applause for Properties Designer Daniel Mori for NOT using a Mac as the laptop prop — lately, that icon seems to carry its own baggage.
Another nit: Although Lutz performed it riotously, the song “My Oncologist” echoes too clearly “Who’s Crazy/My Pharmacologist and I” from the Tony-winning Next to Normal. Still, the lyrics are clever: “He’s aggressive with my disease … impressive with all those degrees … I love the way he treats me.” Then there’s that song “Normal.” Hmmm. Perhaps it serves as a tribute.
I welcome a second opinion, but mark my words, Breast in Show deserves 5 stars. It will move you. Time is running out. Get a move on.
Running Time: 90 minutes
Breast in Show plays through July 27, 2014 at Mountain – at Mount Vernon United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001. For information and to purchase tickets, visit the production’s Capital Fringe page.
LINKS
Capital Fringe 2014 Preview: Meet the Cast of ‘Breast in Show’: Part 1: Gracie Jones.
Capital Fringe 2014 Preview: Meet the Cast of ‘Breast in Show’: Part 2: Jennie Lutz.
In Part 3 of a series of interviews with the cast of Breast in Show, meet Matt Dewberry
How did you get involved in the show?
Matt Dewberry.
Matt: I had worked with Kate Bryer previously at Imagination Stage (most recently last summer when she directed me in Peter and Wendy).I got a call from her earlier this summer asking if I might be interested in working on the show with her for Fringe. I’ve always enjoyed our collaborations and knew this one would be a lot of fun. It sounded like an exciting show about an important topic, not to mention I’d get to work with some very talented artists, so I jumped at the chance.
Why did you want to get involved in the show?
As I mentioned before, I’d worked with Kate previously and had a great time, so I was excited for the opportunity to play again. I’d also just done a show at Adventure Theatre written by Joan Cushing (Miss Nelson is Missing). Her music is so much fun to sing and I had a blast working on that production so I knew that this one wouldn’t disappoint either. Then I found out who the rest of the cast and creative team were and who could turn down the opportunity to work with such an amazingly talented group of people. All of those things, combined with the fact that the show is so incredibly beautiful and well written made it a no brainer. The topic of breast cancer is one that affects each and every one of us and to be able to discuss the subject so candidly and do it with such humor and insight was thrilling to me. I think it is an important show that people will really respond to, and I’m honored to be a part of that.
Introduce us to your character and how you relate to him.
Because of the way that the show is structured, we all play several different characters. My two main characters are Tim and Freddy, and they couldn’t be more different, which makes it a blast. Tim is Wendy’s husband. Wendy is a hot shot lawyer working endless hours to become partner at her firm and who has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. This is a devastating blow to their relationship and the two spend the show finding ways to support each other and to do whatever they have to do to get their lives back to a state of normal.
Wendy has always been the strong one, so Tim has to find the strength to step up and be the husband and father that his family needs during this trying time. Freddie is the long time best friend of Desiree, the nurse at the Chemo Café. He is the flamboyant, over the top proprietor of Freddy’s Prosthesis Emporium, a specialty wig shop for patients in the middle of their battle with cancer. He has a heart as big as his wig collection and is always willing to go over and above to make sure his clients feel comfortable and at ease in their new wigs, or “cranial prosthesis” as he calls them. A one man traveling show, things are never dull when Freddy is in the room.
Why is this show so important to you? And why should local theatres come and see and support the show?
Like almost everyone, I’ve been personally touched by breast cancer. My grandmother went through two separate battles with the disease and came out victorious both times. I’ve also had an aunt, a best friend’s mother, and other close family friends who have had to go through treatment, some having more success than others. It’s a topic that we all have some connection to and that we think we know a lot about, which isn’t necessarily the case. Being able to tell the stories of these courageous people on the stage through music with such candor and humor was really exciting for me. I think it is a show that everyone should see because it brings to light the amazing stories of these breast cancer warriors, it gives us an up close look at how this disease affects each and every one of us, it educates us on the disease itself, and, most importantly, it leaves us with its incredible message of hope
What is the most moving scene for you in the show and why?
There are a many beautiful moments throughout the course of the play, but there are a couple that really stick with me after every rehearsal. The first one is a song called “Normal” in which two of the couples, Wendy/Tim and Donna/Pete, discuss how their lives have been affected by the cancer, how they’ve changed so drastically, and how all they want in the world is for the chance to get their lives back to a place where everything is normal.The song is heartbreakingly beautiful and accurately depicts that very real struggle that these couples are going through in this literal fight for their lives. The other moment in the show that gets me every time is a song called “Desiree.” It occurs late in the show during a chemo treatment with one of our main patients, Chelsea. She sings a song about Desiree, her nurse who has become one of her best friends over the years and who is always there for her, no matter what. It is a very simple song, but the moment is beautiful and haunting, and I love listening to Gracie sing it.
What are your big songs in the show and what do we learn about your character when you are singing the song/songs.
I have 3 big songs in the show. My favorite is “Freddie’s Prosthesis Emporium.” It comes later in the show when my character Freddie comes for a visit to the Chemo Café with the goal of finding a wig for Wendy. She is resistant to having to admit that she needs my help, so with a little song and dance, and some gentle urging from the other patients in the café, I convince Wendy to try on a wig and make herself feel better. The number is a lot of fun and we get to see the lighter side of these characters for a few minutes.
Another one of my songs is “Normal.” It occurs near the top of the show and gives us a look into the lives of two of the couples in the show and the strain that living with breast cancer has put on their marriage. It’s a beautiful quartet where we get to see that each of these characters is really angry and searching for answers but that we all realize that we are lucky to have our partners to lean on through the difficult times, and that our love for each other is ultimately what’s going to pull us through this.
One of my last songs is called “Blah Blah Blah.” I don’t want to give to much away, but it’s a pretty hysterical operatic patter song sung by three doctors. I have a lot of fun with that one.
The cast of ‘Breast in Shows’: Left to right: Ayanna Hardy, Megan Westman, Jennie Lutz, Gracie Jones, and Chris Rudy. Not Pictured: Matt Dewberry.
What do you want theatregoers to take with them after seeing Breast in Show?
I think the biggest thing that I’d want an audience to take away with them after seeing Breast in Show is a feeling of hope. Breast cancer is a terrifying, horrible, traumatic, physically and emotionally taxing experience that no one should have to deal with. But the reality is that unfortunately, most of us will be affected by it in one way or another in our lives. Our playwright and our producer both told us that all of the people that they interviewed when they were creating Breast in Show emphasized the importance of being able to have a sense of humor and laugh, to not get too bogged down in all of the bad that you couldn’t see the good. I think that Breast in Show does a beautiful job of being truthful to the struggle that patients go through while not forgetting the hope and the humor that give them strength to wake up every day and keep fighting. I hope it is that feeling that audiences will hold on to as they leave the theatre.
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Mountain – at Mount Vernon United Methodist Church 900 Massachusetts Av., NW, Washington DC 20001 (9th and Massachusetts)
Metro: Mt. Vernon Sq./Convention Center ( yellow and green lines) We are cool! We have air-conditioning!
In Part 2 of a series of interviews with the cast of Breast in Show, meet Jennie Lutz.
Joel: How did you get involved in the show?
Jennie: I was asked to join the show by the director, Kate Bryer.
Why did you want to get involved in the show?
JennieLutz.
First off, I really enjoy working with Kate Bryer… plus, it’s hard to say no to her. Secondly, I have an appreciation for theatre that exists for a purpose. While our show is highly entertaining, I know it says something important and real.
Tell us about your character and how you relate to her.
I play a few roles in the show, but my main character is Shirley. She is a vibrant and sassy middle aged woman who is in treatment for breast cancer. While we do not have the same life experiences, she and I are similar in our mother-hen qualities. We like to be prepared, to be helpful, and to look out for others. Also like Shirley, family is what matters most to me.
Why is this show so important to you? And why should local theatres come and see and support the show?
Not only is this show funny and entertaining, it is a therapeutic way for anyone who may be dealing with illness or grief. I am a firm believer in the transformative power of theatre and this show is a prime example of how art chances lives. Personally, I lost my Aunt and Grandmother to the disease. I was very young at the time, but their absence affected our family deeply as a whole. This show is not just about the “C” word. It’s about the people who are affected and how they cope. Whether it be through humor, tears, or fighting back, people deal with illness in their own way. This show tells those stories.
What is the most moving scene for you in the show and why?
Without spoiling anything, I can say the end of the show hits me hardest. And not because of what you may guess. But because of the true heart that comes out of the words and lyrics. It’s really quite powerful.
What is your ‘big number’ in the show and what do we learn about your character when you are singing the song?
As Shirley, I get a great comedic turn in “My Oncologist.” It’s a big brassy number that involves a little romance between my character and her hunky doctor. It’s fantastic to see that even though Shirley is battling cancer, she can still have a good time (wink wink).
What do you want theatregoers to take with them after seeing Breast in Show?
Whether they laugh, cry, or sing along, I’m hoping that audience members will connect with the characters we are playing. Since the characters are based on interviews with real people, that’s what means the most and what really matters. Real people are dealing with this disease and real people are telling their stories.
The cast of ‘Breast in Shows’: Left to right: Ayanna Hardy, Megan Westman, Jennie Lutz, Gracie Jones, and Chris Rudy. Not Pictured: Matt Dewberry.
Mountain – at Mount Vernon United Methodist Church 900 Massachusetts Av., NW, Washington DC 20001 (9th and Massachusetts)
Metro: Mt. Vernon Sq./Convention Center ( yellow and green lines) We are cool! We have air-conditioning!
Typically when I review a show, I bring a friend whose feet reach the ground while sitting in the audience. However, for this particular performance, I decided to take a different route. When I attended Imagination Stage’s production of Mouse on the Move, aimed for ages one through five, I brought my two-year-old sister, and for the first time ever, I witnessed her sit still for a full hour. She was entranced throughout the entire performance and watching the show through her eyes made for an incredible experience.
Mouse on the Move tells the story of two mice, Amelia Mouse (Jenny Donovan) and Nellie Mouse (Ayanna Hardy), and their quest to travel to the moon for an endless supply of cheese. The story was simple, but cleverly used colorful props and small set pieces to entice the children. My sister was immediately hooked when she noticed Amelia and Nellie’s beautiful costumes consisting of ruffles and different shades of gray and brown.
(L to R:) Jasmin Danielle Johnson (Amelia) and Julia Krebs Patterson (Nellie) in Imagination Stage’s January 2012 production of ‘Mouse on the Move.’ Photo by Blake Echols.
When we walked into the Christopher and Dana Reeve Studio Theater, we were immediately drawn into the action. Ushers with mouse ears and the actors themselves brought us over to a large circular rug that acted as the stage. We were all asked to sit on a “button” on the rug, and not only did this create an interesting “theater-in-the-round” sensation, but by eliminating the barrier between the audience and actors, the kids could feel more involved with the story. The actors, or mice, handed out suitcases to the children full of items that would help move the story forward, such as a bell and a scarf. At numerous points throughout the play, kids were asked to use one of the items in their suitcase to help the mice complete their journey, which served as a fantastic method to keep the kids active in a helpful manner. For example, whenever the children noticed the moon appear on stage, they were asked to ring their bells in order to get the attention of the mice.
The audience participation however did not stop there. The actors often used the audience participation as a way to subtly teach important lessons as well. One of my favorite moments was when Amelia and Nellie made their way outside and entered a forest. Huge flowers were brought out, and each child was asked to hold one. When there were not quite enough flowers for each child in the audience, Donovan and Hardy asked the remaining children to lift their arms and act as the grass swaying in the wind. Even when they ran out of real set pieces, all of the children were still provided with an opportunity to create the setting together, which helped draw them into the magical world. Judging by my sister’s huge smile and laughter, created a fun way for the children to move around while still aiding the story.
The interesting part for me however, was the method in which the actors collected the flowers. The asked questions like “Where is blue?”, and the child with the blue flower would hand it over. Typically, there were pairs of matching flowers and when the actor obtained both of them, she would say “Same,” which taught a lesson of color. At the end of the collection, the actors were left with one blue flower, and one orange flower. Rather than having the color lesson stop there, they collected both flowers, and said “different,” but in the same excited tone of voice as they had used for “same” earlier. Though subtle, the use of tone helped convey the message that it is perfectly acceptable to be different, and you can still help build in a story in a positive manner.
Most parents know that forcing a child to sit still for an extended period of time can only lead to negative consequences. Imagination Stage foresaw this, and provided outlets. In addition to small movements, such as creating the grass and flowers swaying in the wind, the children were also asked to come on the stage at multiple points throughout the production. For example, when it began to snow on the stage, the children were asked to get up and play in the snow with the actors. My sister had a blast, and her smile only grew when the adults in the audience were all handed “snow balls” to toss at the playing children. All of the kids seemed to adore having a snow ball fight with their parents, and after the brief break for activity, they were all ready to settle back into their seats, and see what amazing stage of the journey came next.
The clever use of props at times impressed me at numerous points throughout the play. The actors reused certain props at different points to create large set pieces. For example, when we were officially introduced to Amelia and Nellie, they were sleeping under a flower printed blanket. However, during their journey, that blanket turned into a scarf used in a snowstorm, and even became the wings of an airplane that the mice built in order to reach the moon.
The language was simple and at times a little silly, which is expected for a show made for young children. Donovan and Hardy performed beautifully. Donovan’s excited and curious character played off Hardy’s shy but fun character brilliantly. They both worked together to keep the children engaged throughout the entire production, but their amusement and passion for the play kept adults like me interested as well. They successfully drew us into the magical world of the play, and made me believe their desperation to reach the moon because of their intense hunger for cheese.
Mouse on the Move was a blast from start to finish. Typically an uproar of applause at the end of a performances provides proof of success, but I would say my sister’s silence for a full hour creates a similar form of evidence. If you are looking for a fun-filled morning take the kids and make your way over to Imagination Stage.
Running Time: One hour, with no intermission.
Mouse on the Move plays every weekend in July at Imagination Stage – 4908 Auburn Avenue in Bethesda, MD. For more information and tickets, please go online.
Adventure Theatre MTC presents the world premiere of Big Nate, The Musical, based on the comic strip and books by Lincoln Peirce, with Book by Jason Loewith, Lyrics by Christopher Youstra and Jason Loewith, and Music by Christopher Youstra. Michael Baron directs this fun-filled production, recommended for ages 5+.
From left to right: Shayna Blass (Jenny), Tim Rogan (Artur), David Little (Teddy), Sam Ludwig (Nate Wright), Joshua Dick (Francis), Angela Miller (Gina), Ayanna Hardy (Mrs. Godfrey). Photo by Bruce Douglas.
Production elements were presented with quite a challenge with this project: to bring a 2-dimensional world to the stage realistically, while honoring its comic-strip roots. Set Designer Misha Kachman uses a rotating set; one side being a brightly colored classroom and the other, a garage-band set-up. A large screen is used in place of a chalkboard in the classroom, and projection bubbles commonly seen in a comic strip (like “Zing!”and “Bonk!”) are used throughout, accompanied by effects by Sound Designer Kenny Neal. Lighting Designer Jason Arnold uses color to highlight emotion, and since he is tracking the emotions of a preteen, the effect is such that a sensory-sensitive show is scheduled! Costumer Chelsey Schuller uses normal teacher/student clothing, but a nod to the comic world is seen throughout the show with cardboard-like add-ons, including sketched faces used as masks and angel wings attached to a character’s shoulders. The adaptation of the comic strip to the stage is both creative and respectful.
Nate Wright (Sam Ludwig) is a self-proclaimed artistic genius who is destined for greatness – and is also the mischievous “King of Detention.” He and his friends sing about his life in the lively introductory song “Big Nate.” The usual 6th grader, Nate has a couple of good friends and band mates Joshua Dick (Francis) and David Little (Teddy), a sworn nemesis (Angela Miller as the class kiss-up Gina), and a crush (Shayna Blass (Jenny). When the school has a “Battle of the Bands,” Nate is confident that his band “Enslave The Mollusk” has the competition in the bag…until he learns that if a student has twenty-five or more detentions, then they are disqualified…and Nate already has twenty-two. In the song, “From ‘F’ to ‘A’” his friends give him pointers on how to better his behavior. If that wasn’t enough of a worry, Nate discovers that Jenny has joined Gina’s rivalry band alongside the handsome and skilled Artur (Tim Rogan). Will Nate make it through a week without detentions?
Calvin and the Galvinators at the Battle of the Bands. Photo by Bruce Douglas.
The ensemble for this production is great! Sam Ludwig spends the majority of the show onstage front and center as an energetic preteen, and the stamina one must have to achieve this feat is admirable. Ayanna Hardy is hilarious as Mrs. Godfrey, Nate’s loathsome teacher who walks with a hulking lurch, making you nod in agreement when Nate refers to her as “Godzilla.” Tim Rogan shows range in a variety of roles, most noticeably delivering a broken Russian accent with skill as Artur. The actors work well together and are able to bounce off of each other easily, making it seem like they really are a genuine group of friends just having a good time.
With lively performances and catchy songs that the kids will love (“Love is a Four Letter Word” will be stuck in your head!) Big Nate, The Musical is a fun time for the entire family! Run and buy tickets!
Running Time: One hour and 15 minutes, without an intermission.
Big Nate, The Musicalplays through June 2nd, 2013 at Adventure Theatre MTC – 7300 MacArthur Boulevard, in Glen Echo Park, in Glen Echo, MD. For tickets, call 301.634.2270 or order them online.
Adventure Theatre MTC presents the world premiere of Three Little Birds, a Reggae Children’s Musical based on the story by Cedella Marley, with music and lyrics by her father, musical legend Bob Marley. Director Nick Olcott leads this ambitious and fun production alongside Musical Director Darius Smith. This story was adapted for the stage by Michael J. Bobbitt, with additional music and lyrics by John L. Cornelius, ll.
Ayanna Hardy, Tara Yates- Reeves and Brittany Williams. Photo by Michael Horan.
The set, designed by Jos B Musumeci, is an explosion of bright colors! Palm trees and puffy white clouds are painted onto the background, and large sheets of corrugated metal that are creatively cut and colored frame a large circular platform. The focal point of the set is the face of a stunning sun – beautiful enough as a solid piece, but revealed to in fact be a puppet that can be manipulated to smile, frown, wink, and playfully stick a tongue out. Keeping with the bright theme, Lighting Designer Brian S. Allard uses bright shades, including a buttery sunshine and a soft flicker that mimics a television screen. Sound Designer Neil McFadden uses different bird songs and rhythmic steel drums to help create a relaxed island atmosphere.
But the hands-down best production element of this show are the costumes, designed by Kendra Rai. You name it, and it’s probably in there; flowy skirts, patterned head wraps, dreadlocks and beanies, tie-dye prints and sandals…I could go on for a while, and those are just the casual characters! The real “wow” factor are the bird costumes, with multitudes of feathers and flamboyantly cut, brightly-colored suits. Bird Heads, co-designed by Anna St. Germain and constructed by Josh Kelly, are beyond simple costumes; they’re works of art.
The story centers around a shy, cautious boy named Ziggy (Jobari Parker-Namdar) who, to the dismay of his friends and family, would watch TV with his pet Doctor Bird (David Little) than explore everything the Jamaican island has to offer. He worries about storms, mongoose, and evil spirits, and would rather stay safely inside and follow the weather reports. His mother Cedella (Ayanna Hardy) and energetic friend Nansi (Brittany N. Williams) prod him into a song and dance number, with him wearing a “kill me now” expression through the whole thing. Ziggy sings about his fears with the song “So Much Trouble in the World,” to which his mother responds, “life is full of danger, but also adventure.”
David Little, Tara Yates-Reeves, Jobari Parker-Namdar and Ayanna Hardy. Photo by Michael Horan.
Danger indeed looms, in the form of Duppy (S. Lewis Feemster), who lurks nearby whenever Ziggy leaves the house. Duppy is a soul collector, sporting waves of hair woven from his victim’s locks, and has his heart set on Ziggy’s dreadlocks; “More hair, more power, more souls!” Nansi is a clever trickster, and manages to lure Ziggy out from behind the TV screen and into the heart of the diverse Jamaican culture. Together, they explore new feelings in the song, “Is This Love?” and learn about the history of Jamaica with the song “One Love,” lead by Doctor Bird, who tells them about his long line of bird ancestors from different time periods and cultures. This proved to be my favorite number of the show, as the costumes of his ancestors are fantastic, and the melding of history, tradition, and love into what is now Jamaica is shown in a highly entertaining way. However, as they are out and about, Duppy schemes in the shadows. Will evil catch up to them on their adventure?
Bob Marley’s music and songs are performed in a way that are lively and fun, with the universal message being one of love, joy, and celebration. The ensemble is made up of a bevy of talent, and the dialect, movements, and choreography (by Michael J Bobbit) are entirely authentic.
Brittanny N Williams pours a manic amount of energy into her character, S Lewis Feemster has the evil slouch and chuckle down to a science and Jobari Parker-Namdar’s transition from neurotic to embracive is seamles, and they are all great singers. Nick Olcott’s direction is solid and successful.
Bright, joyful, and the perfect way to introduce your child to the popular Reggae culture, Three Little Birds is an absolute must-see!
Running Time: 60 minutes, without an intermission.
Three Little Birds plays through at April 14,, 2013 at Adventure Theatre – 7300 MacArthur Boulevard , in Glen Echo Park, in Glen Echo, MD. For tickets, call the box office at (301) 634-2270, or order them online.
As Big, The Musical-TYA concludes its run this weekend at Adventure Theatre-MTC, I had a chance to interview the five talented young members of the cast: Brendan DeBonis, Marley McKay,Maya Brettell, Emma Sophie Moore, and Talia Brenner.
Brendan DeBonis.
Brendan: My name is Brendan DeBonis and I am 13 years old. I was Friedrich in Olney Theatre’s The Sound of Music last year and Child Actor in Liberty Smith at Ford’s Theatre the year before. I was Lieutenant Brannigan in Musical Theater Center’s Guys and Dolls and the Mayor of Munchkinland in The Wizard of Oz at MTC. I’ve also done several summer camp shows with Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts and am in their Young Columbians ensemble.
Emma: I’m Emma Sophie Moore – 13 years old. Before Big, I’ve been various roles in The Washington Ballet’s The Nutcracker for 6 years and a Junior Card (in red pointe shoes and a square tutu!) in Septime Webre’s Alice in Wonderland earlier this year. I performed in Arena Stage’s Community Engagement show and their summer camp productions. I played the Sergeant in Pirates of Penzance at my school last year.
Marley: Hi, I’m Marley McKay, I’m 14, and from Reston, Virginia! I haven’t done as much theatre work as I have TV and film but it’s very exciting. I’ve been in The Music Man at Atlas Theater as Winthrop, and also in A Christmas Carol at Ford’s Theatre which was an honor, being Young Scrooge and other roles. And now I’m doing Big, The Musical, at Adventure Theatre-MTC, Beyond theater, this week I was in a new History Channel show called Men Who Built America. And my biggest film role was working with Peter Jackson, I was Nate in The Lovely Bones. I have worked since age 3, and theater is the most fun. A director came to see Big last night, as a way to audition me, and I just got the main role in a short movie about the scary Bunnyman story in Virginia.
Maya: My name is Maya Brettell. I am 15 years old. Last year, I was at The Studio Theatre in The Big Meal, at Synetic Theatre in Macbeth, at Synetic again for the teen company production of Romeo & Juliet, and at Toby’s Dinner Theatre’s production as the lead in Annie. My start came at the Little Theatre of Alexandria as a boy in their production of Scrooge the Musical five years ago this month. I fell in love with being onstage immediately. They were really good to me and even added a spotlight moment where I played a toy doll with a dance solo. I remember being so excited about it!
That show started it all and I have been lucky enough to appear in back-to-back shows since then. There were several community theatre shows among my favorite roles including Amaryllis in The Music Man and Tinkerbell in Peter Pan at Mount Vernon Children’s Theatre, Baby June in LTA’s Gypsy, and then the streak of shows as Annie. I played Annie three times starting at the children’s theatre level, next appearing at Rockville Musical Theatre (RMT), and then at Toby’s. The experience at RMT was amazing and a real turning point in my career. They took me under their wing while I really matured as a musical theatre actor that summer. Thanks to everyone involved with that show, I received a 2012 WATCH nomination as a lead actress in a musical and our show was nominated for musical of the year. It gave me the confidence to go after this dream and look at me now – Adventure Theatre-MTC!
Talia: My name is Talia Brenner, and I’m 15. I’ve appeared in these productions: The Music Man (Ensemble), Washington Savoyards at the Atlas, Sunday in the Park with George (Louise), Kensington Arts Theatre Mainstage Once on This Island (Little Ti Moune), Kensington Arts Theatre 2nd Stage Godspell (Gilmer), Kensington Arts Theatre 2nd Stage School House Rock Live! (Interplanet Janet), Potomac Theatre Company The Velveteen Rabbit (The Child), Elden Street Players Annie! (Molly), Laurel Mill Playhouse Gypsy (Newsboy), Walt Whitman High School Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog (Groupie), Walt Whitman High School The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Charlie Bradley), and Montgomery Playhouse The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Gladys Herdman).
Who are you playing in Big, The Musical -TYA and what do you like the most about your character?
Brendan: I play Josh’s best friend, Billy. I like that he’s the funny sidekick character.
Emma Sophie Moore.
Emma: I am in the Ensemble. I love my role because I’m in the show almost the entire time, but as different characters in different costumes. My personality gets to shine through when I’m acting like the put-upon teenager. Other times, I get to act like a kid in a toy store or as “young Susan” as she’s reminiscing. I think these are all different aspects of me.
Marley: I am so lucky to be Little Josh. ITS THE BEST ROLE I’VE EVER PLAYED!!! What I like about Little Josh is I can just express myself and take a little piece of me and incorporate it into him. I also like my Jersey Kid role because I get to roll around in Heelys (shoes with wheels in them).
Maya: I play Young Susan and different ensemble characters. The best thing about playing a number of characters in this show is that you get to wear a lot of fun costumes. The excitement of the show energizes me as a dancer. My characters pretty much dance their way through the show.
Talia: I play Cynthia Benson, as well as other roles. Cynthia is a fun role because she is such a caricature of a middle school “popular girl,” although she’s never too mean.
Why did you want to play your character?
Brendan: I was happy to get the role of Billy because I get to sing and be funny and I get to create a little of the personality of the character.
Emma: This part allows me to do everything I love to do: sing, dance and act! There is a lot of dancing for our role and I really enjoy putting it all together. I aspire to be a triple threat!
Marley McKay.
Marley: Well, I never knew I was going to be playing a Jersey Kid but I knew I wanted to be Little Josh for sure! I loved the movie, and after I saw it I knew I wanted to have the role of Little Josh so bad. I even gave up a different role in a play for Capital Fringe just to be in Big. I’ve never done a musical set in modern time and I think I just really wanted to play a character that was more like me.
Maya: I remember coming to see shows at Adventure Theatre when I was younger and thinking how it would be great to be one of the actors. This was the first time that I heard about kids being able to audition for the roles at Adventure. Plus, I had watched the movie Big before and ever since had wanted to dance on the light-up piano. It’s also funny to do this show because my mom and dad remember Big being in the movie theatre when they were teenagers. I like to tease them about it being so long ago.
Talia: I’ve never had the chance to play a middle school “it” girl before, (or be one, for that matter!) She’s nowhere near as perfect as Little Josh thinks she is, and I think this can teach middle schoolers that popularity is most definitely not everything.
What did you perform at your audition and how long after you auditioned did you find out you had the role? Where were you when you found out?
Brendan: The first song I sang at the audition was “Santa Fe” from Newsies. Then I accompanied myself on guitar and sang an original song I wrote called “Heading Away.” For the callback, we had to sing songs from BIG and do a scene from the show. The callback was on a Sunday and they called that night to offer me the role. I was cleaning out fish tanks with my dad when I got the call.
Emma: My first audition was in February last year and I sang “Simple Joys of Maidenhood”. It was only the second musical audition I had ever done and the accompanist stopped playing less than halfway-through. I then discovered its not a good idea to give the accompanist 5 sharps to sightread. I was called back and we were given some 4-part harmonies to sing. And we were taught a crazy dance at the callback.
In June, there was ANOTHER callback with more 4-part harmonies and fun dancing. I was actually sick with a chest cold at the last callback so I sang the boy’s part. It was a really fun audition – I knew I really wanted the part! I was at a violin lesson when I found out I got it!
Marley: I performed “Gary, Indiana,” from my Winthrop role, and I also think they had me sing “Happy Birthday.” Well, I auditioned once, got a callback and then I had another call back 3 months after. It was a long process but I wa so so excited when I found out I got the part. My dad told me at my house after I got home, and I flipped out.
Maya Brettell.
Maya: Well, I was 14 at the time and knew these characters were probably younger than me so that made it easier to pick an audition song. For the first look, I sang “My Favorite Things.” At the callback in February, we were asked to sing, “Coffee Black” from the show and to be prepared to dance. After the audition, I felt pretty good about it but wasn’t sure if I was the right size and sound since there were so many different types of kids there. In March, an email came with the offer. I read the email and just screamed! I was excited so it was hard to wait through the summer in anticipation of the first rehearsal.
Talia: I sang "Nothing," from A Chorus Line, and "A Change in Me" from Beauty and the Beast at my audition for BIG. I found out I had the role at the callback the next day!
Which character in the show (that you or someone else is playing) is most like the real you?
Brendan: I think the character I play is most like me because he’s pretty much a laid-back tween kid who likes music. We’re different because he’s really confident and seems to have a handle on everything and I definitely do not.
Emma: I already mentioned above how the different parts of my character are like me. Other than that, maybe I’m most like Billy. I’m optimistic and a good friend, but I’m better at algebra than Billy is.
Marley: I think Little Josh for sure. He has common sense, and uses things to his advantage. But when something good or bad happens his emotions show just like me.
Maya: That’s hard to say. It could be Big Josh (Greg) or Susan (Janine) as they try to figure out who they are in a crazy world. I can relate to both of them coming from different ends of the spectrum of child to adult. They are looking for that happy place in the middle where you keep the child’s zest for life but still live up to what the world expects of you as an adult. It could be that my life for the past year has been at that crossroads where I’m lucky enough to be living my dream and working in theatre but still have one foot in the teenage world with my friends and high school.
Talia Brenner.
Talia: Probably Billy; he’s very close with his friends, and he supports Josh throughout the story. In real life, my friends and I always try to be there for each other, despite our separate busy lives.
Tell me about the songs you sing in the show.
Brendan: My first two main songs are basically musical pep talks. I sing “Talk to Her” when I’m trying to convince Little Josh to talk to his crush, Cynthia. I sing “Big Boy Now” to Big Josh when I take him to NYC and I’m trying to convince him that, in a lot of ways, it’s good to be big. My favorite song that I do is a rap called “It’s Time.” I’m pretty much talking to myself and the audience about how mad I am at Josh for ignoring me and not coming home. I also sing in some ensemble numbers both onstage and offstage. For one of the ensemble numbers, I’m a big, red robot.
Emma: All the songs I sing are really bright and fun, except the nightmare scene – it’s dark and fun!!
Marley: In the beginning of the show I sing “Cynthia Benson.” Its a song about Little Josh loving the girl he doesn’t have the guts to talk to. I also do “I Want to Know.” In that song, basically Little Josh wants to know what love feels like.
Maya: I’m lucky to be singing in most of the songs as part of the ensemble. One of my favorite moments is when my character as a Jersey girl is in the opening number. It’s the rush of “here we go with the show” that makes me slide into that happy-go-lucky character.
Talia: I sing in all the big ensemble numbers: “Can’t Wait,” “Time of Your Life,” “Fun,” “Cross the Line,” “Coffee, Black,” etc. I don’t sing in “Talk to Her,” but I do have lines. In that number, Billy is coaching Little Josh in managing a successful conversation with his crush, Cynthia.Unfortunately for Josh, she is more interested in texting and her older boyfriend, Derek.
What is your favorite song in the show that you do not sing?
Brendan: I think it would probably be “This Isn’t Me” which Big Josh sings when he wakes up as a man. I like it because the way Greg sings it makes the scene really funny.
Emma: “Dancing All The Time.” When Susan is singing about her 12-year old self and I’m dancing with her, it sounds like me – confident and free. I see the song as warning to my future self to never lose those traits.
AND “Stars.” The song is so funny and beautiful at the same time – Josh and Susan are singing about two completely different things, from two different perspectives, and they don’t really know it but the audience does.
Marley: “Stars,” because of the lighting and the tune is so catchy!
Maya: My favorite song that I don’t sing is “Big Boys.” I like it because Billy (Brandon) and Big Josh (Greg) are singing about how much fun you can have when you are big. I hum along backstage but mostly I just love hearing them sing it together. I also like to hear Billy’s mom (Kate) and Susan (Janine) sing their solos. So awesome!
Talia: I’d have to say my favorite is Billy’s song “Big Boys.” Maya, Emma Sophie, and I sing along backstage, but no one can sing it like Brendan can!
Have you ever felt ‘small’ and wished you were ‘bigger’? When and why?
Brendan: There was this time, a week before my 12th birthday, when I was at Go-cart tracks and I was about to get into a car on a faster track and the guy working there asked me how old I was. I told him that I was 11, which I still was at the time, and he told me that the track was for 12 and older. I was a week away from turning 12 and am even tall for my age. I tried to explain that to him but he still wouldn’t let me drive on the track without someone else in the car.
Emma: I’ve always been petite – I am only now allowed to sit in the front seat of the car – but otherwise, I love being a kid! I’m the baby of my family by eleven years and it has never worked against me. I know that I’ll have plenty of time to be grown up later.
Marley: YES. I’m 5’2”! I’ve always wanted to be tall. Legend says tall people get more ladies. :)
Maya: When I was four years old there was a Nutcracker audition at my dance studio. I wanted badly to be Clara but the only option for the little girls like me was to be a mouse. It turned out that I liked the mouse dance but I still wished that I was bigger and in Clara’s pretty costume rather than my itchy mouse hood.
Talia: I’m young for my grade, so all of my friends broke 5 feet before me, turned 13 and became teenagers before me, etc. Now they’re all getting their driver’s permits before me!
You get to be onstage with some talented adults – Larry Munsey, Ayanna Hardy, Kate Fisher, Calvin McCullough, Greg Maheu, and Janine
Sunday. Has working with them and watching them perform taught you some valuable lessons about acting, singing, and performing on the stage?
Brendan: It’s been a great experience to work with all of them. They are all awesome performers and they’re really nice people. Also, watching Greg taught me that it’s possible to do about 20 costume changes in an hour and still stay in character.
Emma: Definitely! They have shown me how important it is to have fun on stage and enjoy what you’re doing – the audience has fun with you. Their professionalism and dedication encourages me to continue to train in the theater!
Marley: Yes. They’ve taught me to be more natural and add more natural pauses etc. when I’m acting.
Maya: I remember when the adults started rehearsals, about a week after the young actors had been at work. They started singing and just blew me away with the quality and control of their voices. There is something special about each of their talents and it’s helpful to watch how they do things like warm-up or develop their characters. I paid special attention to how they came in prepared for rehearsals, and regardless of whatever else is happening they turn out the same quality performance every time. I am lucky to have good friendships with all the actors, and appreciate how much the adults have shared with me when talking about theatre as a career I know it’s a small theatre world with most of us knowing people in common or having worked at the same theaters. It was really funny to learn that I had worked with Greg for a whole month before my brother came to one of our shows and told me that he had worked with Greg in A Christmas Carol at Ford’s Theatre last year. I really hope the small theatre world brings the cast and crew together again because I will miss my Big family!
Talia: Absolutely! It’s been amazing to work with actors who have performed in such large-scale production. This show is unique in that everyone plays multiple roles. Watching the adults in the cast onstage has taught me so much about character acting.
What have you learned about yourselves as actors performing in this production?
Brendan: I realize that I sometimes tend to rush lines. The director and musical director were very particular about enunciating and slowing down lines, so that was really helpful. Now I am much more aware of my pacing.
Emma: My love for all of it – the singing, dancing and acting – has grown! We had 3 or 4 weeks of really long rehearsals – school all day and rehearse as many hours into the evening. As tired as we all were physically, I didn’t want it to be over each day. We’ve also learned how to be very flexible – with actors being out at the last minute with an injury or illness, we all learned to adapt in real-time. And stuff happens – like a technical glitch during opening night with all of the reviewers in the audience. The world didn’t end.
Marley McKay (Young Josh) and Kate Fisher (Josh’s Mom). Photo by Bruce Douglas.
Marley: I’ve learned that when things get tough, I still fight through it.
Maya: This is the most dancing that I’ve ever done in a show. I’ve learned about the stamina that it takes to dance and sing throughout a show.
Talia: This is the longest run of any show I’ve been in, and I was worried that I would not have the stamina and attention required for so many shows. But I’ve learned that every performance is different in some way.
What advice and suggestions did Director and Choreographer Michael Bobbitt give you about working together as a team and about performing your role?
Brendan: With performing, he helped by reminding us to enunciate and speak clearly. Also, he let us bring some of our own ideas and personality to our characters, which really helped me to connect to the character. He has a really fun attitude which rubs off on everyone, so we all got along and everyone seemed to have fun working together.
Emma: We all really liked each other and bonded during the first week of rehearsals so working as a team came naturally to us. ‘Mr. Michael’ (I like to call him that) told us to really bring out our sassy teenage-attitude. As you can imagine, that wasn’t very hard either.
Marley: Mainly Michael got us excited and made us want to just do our best.
Maya: Michael made sure we understood how important it was to support each other. In the very beginning, Michael said how happy he was to have the kids be a part of the show and that he was all about having fun or it just wasn’t worth doing. I think we were all pretty nervous the first night of rehearsal and didn’t really believe him about the fun part. But in rehearsal, we did laugh almost as much as we worked. That really helped us to not feel awkward and to reach out to each other. After long rehearsals of singing and dancing we always left feeling good about ourselves. Michael pushed us to keep going over our scenes together whenever we had a free moment. His enthusiasm motivated us to work hard. For me, the best part was working with Michael as a choreographer. He knows where he is going with the choreography but still takes the time to experiment and include the performer’s ideas. It’s hard to answer this question with something concrete because Michael just naturally creates that perfect environment. We were jazzed to be there, motivated to give our best, and we felt valued for our individual skills but even more for what the cast could deliver together.
Talia: Michael made a point of showing the kids in the cast all the stages of the production, from costume sketches to set-building to lighting and sound design. There’s always a level of education in his directing.
Where will you be performing on the stage next after Big, The Musical-TYA closes?
Brendan: I have no theater plans yet, but in the meantime I’m lining up a few places, like restaurants, to perform in (guitar and singing) and I’ll be looking for open mic nights too. I just finished recording 14 of my original songs on Garage Band to put on my first CD.
Emma: I’m looking at some community theater shows right now, and my upcoming school musical, Seussical, the Musical, Jr. Any ideas are welcome!
Marley: I’ll be performing at the art of school. I’m not going to be doing any musicals this year so I can focus more on school and my grades.
Maya: I am happy to say that I am staying right here at Adventure Theatre. I will play Mary Ingalls in The Little House On The Prairie Christmas. We open on November 17th, so come and see us!
Talia: I’m excited to audition for my high school drama this winter, and for a teen production of Spring Awakening at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer!
Why will children and their parents love Big, The Musical -TYA?
Brendan: Pretty much anyone can relate to this show. It’s funny and appealing to all ages and the music is really good.
Emma: The show has a lot of FUN and action for kids – but it also has story and lyrics that will appeal to parents and older kids in a different way. Its fun to see different groups laughing at different things. Also, it has a healthy message about not growing up too fast, and being careful what you wish for…both really good advice.
Marley: Because it’s fun! Michael put so much effort and fun things in, that it’s enjoyable for both adults and kids. There are also adult and kid humor, so it’s a good time for everyone.
Maya: The show is high energy with dancing, upbeat songs, colorful costumes and characters. Kids like that they have something to watch every minute. They think it’s pretty funny to see the adults playing with the toys. The adults laugh at a lot of the dialogue. There are some amazing singers in this show and sometimes you hear the adults say, “wow,’ like they didn’t expect it. Some of my adult friends have told me that they were close to tears at the end. I can’t tell you how it ends but it’s enough to say that Josh and Billy are still best friends!
Talia: It’s a big, fun musical based on a classic movie. The story is fast-paced and packed with singing and dancing, so it appeals to every age. But at the same time, Big, the Musical ultimately teaches an important lesson about friendship, family, and growing up.
Cast of ‘Big, The Musical-TYA.’ Photo by Bruce Douglas.
Big, the Musical-TYA plays through October 28, 2012 at Adventure Theatre/MTC – 7300 MacArthur Blvd, in Glen Echo, MD (in Glen Echo Park). Purchase tickets by calling (301) 634-2270, or order them online.
Unusually, the costumes and properties are designed by the director and the playwright. Ollie’s ringmaster outfit is appealingly clownish and the women’s show-biz gowns are stunning. Lighting Designer Jerry M. Dale Jr. has turned the black box at Anacostia Playhouse into a most enjoyable tent show. The lovely choreography is by Raquis Petree. And Sound Designers Eric Wells and Aaron Gerald, besides subtly mic’ing the playing area, provide a few thunderous weather effects, playback of old records, and a vintage stand mic for the acts on stage.
