DC Theater Arts

Tag: Keith Waters

  • Review: ‘The Mistress Cycle’ at Creative Cauldron

    Review: ‘The Mistress Cycle’ at Creative Cauldron

    Creative Cauldron presents The Mistress Cycle, with Book and Lyrics by Beth Blatt and Music by Jenny Giering. Matt Conner directs a cast of five women in this ambitious musical that, while an interesting concept, falls short in its overall execution.

    With its small cast and modest scenic design, The Mistress Cycle is a logical choice for Creative Cauldron’s intimate black box theater. Emotion and nuance are conveyed through lighting, designed by Lynn Joslin. Joslin uses subdued hues and spotlighting to enhance the atmosphere, while Costume Designer Marge Jervis dresses the women as they lived. From a simple linen tunic to a heavy corseted dress, each character’s ensemble is unique and creatively crafted. All technical elements for this production are proficient, and provide a solid and sound foundation for this piece.

    The cast of The Mistress Cycle. Photograph by Keith Waters, Kx Photography.

    The musical’s premise revolves around the “other woman,” focusing on a mixture of historical and composite characters that span centuries and share different cultures, but carry the same label. Erica Clare begins the show as Tess, a 30-something Manhattanite who finds herself in a difficult situation. Abby Middleton plays Diane de Poitiers, mistress to King Henri ll during the 15th century, and Iyona Blake is LuLu White, a New Orleans Madame from the early 1900s. The cast is rounded out with Justine Icy Moral as Ching, a concubine from 12th-century China, and Julia Capizzi as Anaïs Nin, an essayist recognized as one of the forerunners of female erotica. The women serve as each other’s narrators as their stories unfold through song. The Mistress Cycle aims to delve deeper into the psyches of these women; to bring insight, empathy, and humanity to characters who are usually written off without much thought or care. While thrilling in concept, I believe this show harbors a lot of unfulfilled potential.

    for a different take on The Mistress Cycle, check out David Siegel’s “In the Moment” column here.

    Piero Bonamico directs the music for this production, and while the live music is played beautifully, the songs are too similar in nature. The result is the feeling that you are listening to one very long, very drawn out composition. The majority of the songs are heavy and slow, and full of melancholy melodies that range from bittersweet to desperate. Capizzi shows off powerful vocals in the nostalgic number “Your Eyes,” while Icy Moral is poignant and expressive in “An Offering,” where she turns fear and resentment into steely resolve. While both pieces are lovely, they mirror each other in range and tone—an unfortunate theme that trickles on throughout the song list. Performances suffer in a couple of instances as well; there were noticeable moments where singers struggled to hit their notes, and times when they fought to keep in time with the beat of the music, most noticeably in the numbers “Incandescent Trapeze” and “All Your Life.” A notable exception is “Divine,” a lively number sung by Blake, whose commanding stage presence makes her an easy audience favorite.

    While the overall performances are cohesive and well-done, the plot is thick and muddled, and it does feel like too much is attempted to be squeezed into too little an amount of time. I would almost prefer to further explore one or two character’s stories than to merely scratch the surface of several, which is what this experience feels like. Creative Cauldron’s The Mistress Cycle’s main downfall lies not in the creative team or cast, but in the material itself. It is my opinion that this musical should undergo several revisions before seeking another stage.

    Running Time: Approximately 90 minutes, without an intermission.

    The Mistress Cycle plays through October 29, 2017 at Creative Cauldon- 410 South Maple Avenue in Falls Church, VA. For tickets, call the box office at (703) 436-9948, or purchase them online.

     

     

  • In the Moment: ‘The Mistress Cycle’ at Creative Cauldron

    In the Moment: ‘The Mistress Cycle’ at Creative Cauldron

    Illuminating what has been in the shadows, or usually whispered about, Creative Cauldron has provided a delicately rendered musical about the harsh realities women have faced over the centuries when viewed as the “other” woman. Having its DC area premiere, the musical is The Mistress Cycle.

    From ancient Biblical times to the very present the “other” woman has been tagged with many a nasty term: Paramour. Concubine. Adulteress; and even Whore.  Some are called out by their names at the top of the production; including Delilah, Jezebel, and even Camilla Parker Bowles.

    What is unique about The Mistress Cycle; it presents a much different image of the “other” woman. It is from her point of view. And more, The Mistress Cycle is musical story-telling with a beginning, middle and end, as the opening song, “This is How it Starts,” makes clear.

    Cast he Mistress Cycle. Photograph credit Keith Water, Kx Photography.

    Full of sharp renderings under the incisive, reverent, and precise direction of Creative Cauldron resident director Matt Conner, five actors quietly, insightfully light up the intimate Cay Wiant Black Box Theater at the Creative Cauldron.

    First produced about a decade ago in the Chicago area, the 16-song The Mistress Cycle has book and lyrics by Jonathan Larson Grants recipients Beth Blatt and music by Jenny Giering. Both are likely unknown to many DC area audiences. This smoothly flowing production of a non-traditional musical should change that.

    for a different take on The Mistress Cycle, check out Julia L. Exline’s review here

    Of The Mistress Cycle’s five characters, several are historical in nature and the others fictional representation of women’s life experiences. Conner has cast veterans and newcomers alike for The Mistress Cycle. Separately, and as an ensemble, their voices are terrific. They bring a quiet storm of emotion befitting each of the characters depicted. There are no weeping victims.

    The cast includes Signature and Creative Cauldron veteran Iyona Blake. She plays Lulu White, a turn-of-the-century “Madame” who wants to have a better life. She loses her heart and her savings to a man who said he loved her and promised her the world, but didn’t deliver either. Blake is a solid life force in the production whether singing or delivering dialogue full of intense verve. When she sings about her life and that of other women (“Divine”), she is a vivacious presence. Then as the man she loves damages her, she becomes a woman of melancholy, hoping for survival from her humiliation (“Mercy, Mercy”).

    Justine Icy Moral. Photograph credit Edward Poetry.

    Local veteran Justine Icy Moral plays Ching, an innocent 14-year-old who is sold to become a concubine by her own family. The time is 12th century China. Moral is so very expressive and affecting as she delivers her wretched story in dialogue and song. When she sings about her place in life, “One In a Line” it is one of the high-points of the evening. Moral gives a rendition that is moving, desperate, and fierce.

    New to the Creative Cauldron, Abby Middleton portrays the historical figure, Diane de Poitiers, the mistress of a real-life 20-years-younger Henri II of France in the 16th century. In love with King Henri, de Poitiers finds herself having to keep Henri’s wife, the Queen, alive through Scarlet Fever. As a consort to the King that is all she can do. Middleton delivers “I Had You” as her love letter to her situation with sweet dignity.

    Erica Clare, another Creative Cauldron newcomer, has credits with Signature and Toby’s to name a several venues. Clare plays Tess, a character of the “now.” She is a struggling 30-something Manhattan “hoping-to-make-it” photographer. The character of Tess has the most bite in her musical numbers. Singing the wry lyrics in “Death by a Thousand Cuts” (“To David, who said I was a dyke when I wouldn’t sleep with him on the first date/ To Damon, who said, ‘Why not? Life’s short,’ then gave me a disease when I slept with him on the first date”), her eyes radiate confusion, hurt, pain, and being pissed off. (And for me, the recent revelations of even more male abusive behavior toward women came quickly to my mind — though as The Mistress Cycle depicts, this has been a truth for many, many centuries)

    Julia Capizzi, another newcomer to Creative Cauldron, portrays the famed, historic 20th century figure, Anais Nin. Reading from Nin’s famed diaries about her exploits using sensuality as a weapon, Capizzi gives off soft sparks. But, when she offers up a musical tribute to her dying father called “Papa,” well, it is truly an unexpected lesson in how a father can mold a child, for better or worse.

    The creative team for The Mistress Cycle includes Piero Bonamico as Musical Director. His piano style drives each musical vignette, lifting each lyric into the intimate space without overwhelming the singer or the audience. Margie Jervis is the Scenic and Costume Designer. Her set uses the intimate Creative Cauldron space to advantage, including a central set piece, a riser that becomes a bed. Her costume designs for each character work seamlessly, befitting well time, place, and temperament. The black leathers of the character Tess and the loose fitting cotton and flowing silk garments for the character Ching were striking. Lynn Joslin’s lighting design does well showcasing each of the actors in soft palette of pinks and stronger deep reds when warranted by the songs.

    The Mistress Cycle is a fine, well-recommended musical. It is story-telling about heartbreak, desperation, and the will to survive on an intimate scale. It also fits well with the Creative Cauldron’s Bold New Works series of musicals such as The Turn of the Screw (2015), Monsters of the Villa Diodati (2016), and Kaleidoscope (2017), each centering on women’s stories and journeys through musical theater.

    The Mistress Cycle may be a decade old and just making it to the DC area, but the lyrics of “Are You Me,” sung by the entire ensemble had many in the audience lean forward in order to not miss a word: “You’re broke, he’s loaded; you’re lonely, he’s sweet as the day is long.” Such an age old siren refrain. Thank you to Creative Cauldron for spotting this musical and bringing a full production to the DC area.  If you are unfamiliar with Creative Cauldron or the Northern Virginia area as one of your regular theater haunts, take a ride and explore.

    Running time: 90 minutes, with no intermission.

    The Mistress Cycle plays through October 29, 2017, at Creative Cauldron – 410 South Maple Avenue, in Falls Church, VA. For tickets, call the box office at (571) 239-5288, or purchase them online.

  • Meet the Cast of ‘The World Goes ‘Round’ at Creative Cauldron: Part 2: Carli Smith

    Meet the Cast of ‘The World Goes ‘Round’ at Creative Cauldron: Part 2: Carli Smith

    In a series of interviews with the cast of The World Goes ‘Round at Creative Cauldron, meet Carli Smith.

    Joel: Tell our readers where they may have seen you perform on our local stages in the past year.

    Carli Smith.
    Carli Smith.

    Carli: They may have seen me in Milburn Stone Theatre’s Tarzan the Stage Musical (Jane), DCT’s 9 to 5 (Doralee), and in Charm City Players’ Legally Blonde the Musical (Elle Woods).

    Have you ever appeared in another production of The World Goes ‘Round? 

    This is my first time!

    How would you describe a John Kander and Fred Ebb song? What did you learn about Kander and Ebb and their music that you didn’t know before you were cast in this production? 

    Every Kander and Ebb song tells its own wonderfully unique and beautiful story. They all carry so much meaning, even out of context of the shows they were originally written for. I’ve learned that each song’s title is usually the opposite of what the song actually means. Not only are the melodies catchy and lovely, the lyrics are very relevant and relatable.

    What song is your favorite in the show that you sing and why?

    Definitely “Cabaret”..Of course, everyone has heard the song, but it has been masterfully rearranged for this production. While it seemed as though it would have been our most challenging song as a cast, it eventually turned into a delightful song to sing, and I think it’s a great treat for the audience.

    What song that someone else sings is your favorite and why? 

    This is tough, but I’m going to have to say Katie’s “My Coloring Book.” This song is so beautiful and I think every audience member can somehow relate to it. Plus Katie executes it perfectly.

    What was the best advice and suggestions that your director and music director gave you on performing your solo and songs? 

    Oh gosh. Where do I start?! Matt and Steve both provided me with a wealth of valuable feedback. I think the best, though is just to remember to let the music speak for itself, and to stop trying so hard. We’ve been so fortunate to be provided with some of the best music ever written, and that is a true gift.

    What were some of the challenges and joys you had in rehearsals? 

    A definite challenge was learning this entire show in less than three weeks. The musical arrangements proved to be tricky, especially those including intricate 5-part harmonies. However, it has been an absolute pleasure to work with such an incredibly talented, fun and caring cast and production staff.

    Carolyn Burke, Jordan DeBona, Harv Lester, Katie McManus, and Carli Smith. Photo by Keith Waters, Kx Photography.

    Carolyn Burke, Jordan DeBona, Harv Lester, Katie McManus, and Carli Smith. Photo by Keith Waters, Kx Photography.

    How does the performance space at Creative Cauldron contribute to the production? 

    The performance Space at Creative Cauldron is unique as it is so intimate. The audience really is on the same level as the actors, and I think that is such a cool experience for both the performers and the audience. We are all on this journey together.

    What do you want audiences to take with them after seeing The World Goes ‘Round? 

    I hope they’ll hear some songs they haven’t heard before; or at least hear them in a different way that they haven’t been exposed to. I also want them to fully experience the magic of Kander and Ebb’s music. Each song has the ability to take people back to specific moments in their lives, recreating feelings of love, joy, happiness, and even heartbreak.

    For those readers and theatregoers who have never heard of or visited Creative Cauldron tell then about it and what makes Creative Cauldron so special to you. 

    Creative Cauldron is a welcoming art space that provides high quality entertainment. This is my first theatre experience in the DC area, and from the moment I walked in I felt at home. I think that’s something almost every artist and audience member feels when they visit Creative Cauldron.

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    The World Goes ‘Round plays through October 25, 2015 at Creative Cauldron – 410 South Maple Avenue, Suite 116, in Falls Church, VA. For tickets, call (703) 436 – 9948, or purchase them online.

    Here are directions.

    LINKS:

    Meet the Cast of ‘The World Goes ‘Round’ at Creative Cauldron: Part 1: Carolyn Burke.

    Meet the Cast of ‘The World Goes ‘Round’ at Creative Cauldron: Part 2: Carli Smith.

  • Interview with Frank D. Shutts II on Directing ‘In the Heights’ at The Little Theatre of Alexandria July 25th-August 15th

    Interview with Frank D. Shutts II on Directing ‘In the Heights’ at The Little Theatre of Alexandria July 25th-August 15th

    I sat down and asked veteran Director Frank Shutts his thoughts, visions, and hopes for LTA’s summer production of the 2008 Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights which opens on July 25th and plays through August 15th at The Little Theatre of Alexandria.

    Joel: Why did you want to direct In the Heights and bring it to LTA?

    Director Frank Shutts.
    Director Frank Shutts. Photo by Keith Waters.

    Frank: “I have waited five years to share this breakthrough musical with the DMV audience! In the Heights first came to my attention in 2010 when I saw the original production on Broadway. I was so taken by it that I called home afterwards to discuss it but was so overwhelmed that I had to hang up and call back later. This is definitely one show that you will talk about when it is over and not just throw the program in the back seat of the car and drive home unmoved!

    What is the show about?

    It is the story of a tight-knit community in northern Manhattan where the George Washington Bridge connects New Jersey and New York, commonly called Washington Heights. It is a neighborhood of transplanted and first- and second-generation immigrants trying to keep their own traditions while pursuing the American dream. It is Fiddler on a Roof and West Side Story for today’s audience in today’s vernacular and today’s sounds.

    Creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, composer of the pre-opening box office record-breaking Hamilton (now in previews on Broadway) and writer Quiara Alegría Hudes give In the Heights its authenticity. From rap/hip-hop to Latin salsa to Broadway ballad, from standard English to the few Spanglish words and phrases peppered throughout, this is not your grandmother’s musical. And yet it is….

    Abuela—Spanish for grandmother—Claudia, whose mother tore them from Cuba in hopes of finding work in New York, is one the main characters in the show. She is the voice of tradition; she is home for the lost souls who are trying to find themselves: Usnavi, a young bodega owner; Nina, a struggling freshman in college; and for others who are struggling to form their new identity.

    How did you cast the show and where did you find your cast?

    I was very lucky to be able to cast this show. No area community theater has the upper hand when casting Hispanic roles, especially LTA. I aggressively pursued all possibilities of reaching the talent we needed, primarily college-age and middle-age Latino singers/actors.

    The cast of LTA's 'In the Heights.' Photo by Keith Waters.
    The cast of LTA’s ‘In the Heights.’ Photo by Keith Waters.

    I contacted the musical theater departments of local universities, Latin fraternities and sororities, social media (like DCMetroTheaterArts) and relied on word-of-mouth to get the audition announcements out. Thankfully, we were able to cast the show correctly in regards to age and ethnicity requirements! It didn’t hurt that this show is a favorite among Latino performing arts groups.

    https://youtu.be/ZDkRLXugO24

    I hope those unfamiliar with this show will take a chance and see what tomorrow’s musicals can be, should be, and must be. Lin-Manuel Miranda is already changing its definition!”

    IntheHeightsDCMetroHorizontalAd-728x90

    In the Heights plays from July 25-August 15, 2015 at The Little Theatre of Alexandria- 600 Wolfe Street, in Alexandria, VA. For tickets, call the box office at (703) 683-0496, or purchase them online.

  • ‘Hemispheric Dysfunctionalism & the Cortical Titanic’ at Capital Fringe by Cyle Durkee


    I scarcely know where to begin.

    Hemispheric Dysfunctionalism & the Cortical Titanic moves through the treacherous waters of involved philosophical musings like the Titanic maneuvered through the north Atlantic (this thought is not going where you think it is {wait for it}).

    Scott Sedar, Patrick Joy, Keith Waters, Megan Dominy, Bethany Michel, Keith Irby, Darius Tyrus Epps, Jefferson Farber, Ian LeValley, Philip L. McLeod, and Misty Demory. Photo by C. Stanley Photography.

    Smoothly at first, the show sails along with some theatrical beauty (Ian LeValley is quite intense and precise as the Captain {his last minutes of life are played at the start of the show}), musical intrigue (Katharina Acosta and Rachel Rollins sang some lovely harmonies {though the actual words were lost at times [and this is show where that’s very dangerous]}), and light philosophy (keep waiting).

    The introduction of the characters as they enter the ship (each character on the ship seems to be a representation of one aspect of the Captain’s personality/psyche) is quite stately and well-played (keep waiting) And then we get to the first diatribe. Cue scraping sound of iceberg against hull (still not going where you think it is {oh…here’s what you’ve been waiting for}) as the ideas presented start to scrape open your brain (leaving your mind exposed and ready for the massive amount of data you are about to be presented with).

    OMG!!! If you like to learn, if you have a brain in your head, if you like a piece of art that moves through heart, soul, and mind (mind is forgotten in most cases as many plays spoon feed you every single idea that you could possibly need to flesh out the themes of the play without giving you a chance to use your imagination at all), then this is a show that you should jump at.

    Now, the caveat: Don’t go to this play expecting to understand all of it (or even most of it). The playwright (Michael Merino) is smarter than you (and he proves it in every scene). He does not pull any punches. It is catch as catch can in this race to fill you with an entirely new way of identifying yourself in reference to your surroundings, history, molecular makeup, and social entanglements. You will catch pieces here and there and put them together as an individual. You will be presented with an extraordinary amount of information, but no agenda. You must decide how to use what you are given.

    Again, OMG!! What a delight that I am trusted to make my own decisions about what to do with the information given to me.

    The performances are quite lovely, but for me there were a few standouts. Bethany Michel is hilarious (and that is seriously needed in a play this dense). She presents graduate level ideas with a flair and an ease that made you feel totally comfortable absorbing them. Misty Demory’s seemingly backward society lady becomes draconic in her ability to rend the arguments of her card partners to petty inanities as she discusses what would truly liberate women. And Jefferson Farber is a joy to watch as he skewers the other characters with pointed commentary.

    The major issue that I have with the show is that the diction of the singers was, unfortunately, not good and because I couldn’t understand what they were singing – it took away from my enjoyment of the show and my ability to understand all of it.

    I am still thinking about the concepts presented and whether I agree or disagree with them. That’s what I love about a good show. It has the ability to keep me thinking and feeling long after I’ve left the theater.

    Hemispheric Dysfunctionalism & the Cortical Titanic has done its job very well. It’s a piece of art that affected me intensely and actually altered my view of some small piece of the world. Take this journey!

    Darius Tyrus Epps, Jefferson Farber, Scott Sedar, Patrick  Joy, Keith Irby and  Megan Dominy. Photo by C. Stanley Photography.

    Hemispheric Dysfunctionalism & the Cortical Titanic is playing through October 28, 2012 at The Shop at Fort Fringe – 607 NY Avenue, NW, in Washington, DC. For tickets, purchase them online.

    LINK

    Shawn Nelson’s preview of Hemispheric Dysfunctionalism & the Cortical Titanic.

  • Coming to The Capital Fringe Festival: ‘Rolling By’ by A. R. Lange

    It’s a parlor game we’ve all played – what if I were stranded on a desert island? What if I could start over, free of obligations, debt, and consequences? Rolling By starts when an exploding cruise ship gives four restless twenty-somethings the chance to turn “what if” into “why not?” This is the kind of play you want to see on a hot July night in our nation’s capital. Silly and straightforward, it gives you an excuse to indulge in thoughts of running away to a tropical paradise.

    Rather than focus on the strife of ship wreck survival, Rolling By considers what happens when four strangers find themselves stranded in a lifeboat in the Caribbean. They circle in on one question: what if being rescued isn’t the best possible outcome? Can they resist the temptation to strike out on their own, completely escaping their past mistakes and future obligations? Each of the characters in this show brings different demons and ideas to the table as they try to agree on a course of action. Rolling By aims to provide an hour of nautical hilarity—philosophical takeaway optional.

    The story takes place entirely in the confines of a lifeboat and the motion of the ocean is simulated by a rolling backdrop powered by an off-stage cyclist. If you are new to the Fringe Festival, Rolling By provides the perfect entry-level combination of amateur theater with a familiar format. If the Fringe scene is well known to you, you may appreciate the change of pace in this simple, one-set show.

    Fringe alum Keith Waters joins Sadie Jonath, Nick Morgan, and Allison Aguilar for their maiden performance on a Fringe stage. The production is lead by first-time Fringers Brett Rudder and Alethea Lange, who are thrilled to present you with this dark comedy, a play with a plot.

    The cast of 'Rolling By' by A.R. Lange: Nick Morgan, Sadie Jonath, Allison Aguilar, and Keith Waters.

    Venue: Mountain – at Mount Vernon United Methodist Church – 900 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, in Washington, DC.

    Click on the following performances to purchase tickets, or go to Rolling By’s Fringe Show Page.