Newport Music Festival

Newport, Rhode Island

www.newportmusic.org

July 10-26, 2015

by Michael J. Moran

If you tell someone you’re going to the Newport Music Festival, they’re likelier to assume you mean the folk or jazz festival in August than their less famous classical music sibling in July. But as it celebrates its 47th season, this venerable event also offers far more programming than its two counterparts, with 66 concerts of music from the Romantic Era and beyond presented by more than 100 performers from 17 countries in 12 venues over almost three weeks.

Opening weekend featured a stunning Newport debut in the Breakers by Finnish-born Metropolitan Opera soprano Soile Isokoski. Her silken tone, clear enunciation (in five languages), and nuanced acting skill conveyed a vast range of emotion in music by Grieg, Wagner, Strauss, Sibelius, and Bernstein. From the sweet yearning of Grieg’s “Solveig’s Song” to the haunting depths of Wagner’s “In the Greenhouse” to the childish playfulness of Bernstein’s “My Name Is Barbara,” Isokoski communicated with total empathy and flawless technique. Finnish pianist Ilkka Paananen accompanied with warmth and flexibility.   

Another highlight of opening weekend was a blazing Newport debut in an all-Chopin recital by seventeen-year-old American pianist Eric Lu. Walking on stage at the Breakers, he looked like a modest teenager, but once his fingers hit the keyboard, his complete focus on the music was riveting. A selection of nocturnes and mazurkas, a waltz, and the Ballade #4 made an enticing first half, but the full cycle of Preludes, Op. 28, which followed intermission, showed off both the intimacy and the high drama of Lu’s playing. More surprising than his technical proficiency was the interpretive maturity of his performances. This is a pianist to watch. 

This weekend also presented the first installments in several series of concerts which will continue throughout the festival honoring Mozart, Sibelius, and Nielsen, both of whom were born 150 years ago. Festival veterans Eric Ruske and Thomas Hrynkiw impressed in an arrangement by Ruske for French horn and piano of Mozart’s fourth horn concerto, while Hrynkiw brought Nielsen’s rarely heard “Suite for Piano” to virtuosic life.

The beauty of the performance venues, including the Chinese Tea House and several mansions, and a stimulating mix of new and returning artists make the Newport Music Festival a uniquely rewarding attraction.

Bells Are Ringing

Berkshire Theatre Group

Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield, MA

www.berkshiretheatregroup.org

through July 26, 2015

by Shera Cohen

Ella Peterson, a lovely young woman who sits at her station in her big skirt and crinoline slip, is bored with her job as an operator at a small answering service agency. She is essentially a disembodied voice to the “real people” who make or receive phone calls. Ella adds meaning to her life and spice to others as she rather unintentionally puts herself in the middle of situations as an erstwhile match maker.

Back up. Crinoline? Answering service? Readers under age 40 may be clueless about 1950’s garb and the environs of “Bells Are Ringing.” Let’s just call this an historical musical penned and mounted by a who’s who in musical theatre; i.e. writers Comden and Green, composer Jule Styne, director Jerome Robbins, choreographer Bob Fosse. With such a resume, “Bells” can’t help but be a delight.

Photo By Michelle McGrady

Kate Baldwin (Ella) exudes the style of Lucille Ball -- somewhat daffy, optimistic, and wholesome. Everybody likes her. Especially the audience. This lady has a powerful soprano voice, able to hold those long end notes. Graham Rowat (client Jeffrey, who Ella has fallen for simply by the sound of his voice) is a singer first and foremost. His “I Met a Girl” is poignant. Duets “Long Before I Knew You” and “Just In Time” move the characters’ love story forward.

Kudos to director Ethan Heard and his set and lighting designer team who create an ever changing and colorful “Laugh In” type geometric spaces. While sets change often, yet seamlessly, these backdrop boxes splash lights and hues. “Bells” is a long musical with a lot of songs -- some not essential to the story. A recommendation would be to condense or cut a tune or two. “Hello, Hello There,” with it’s repetitious lyrics, false stops, and just plain silliness would be no loss.

At curtain call during this particular performance, the cast forgot to point to and credit the talented pit band (large by non-Broadway standards). Spotlight gives a tip of the hat.

“Bells” is a feel good show with a ridiculous plot (actually three) with humor at its foundation. This musical is “Just In Time” this summer.

A Day in Lenox. . .

. . .as A Theatre Novice Tackles a Shakespeare duo of Berkshire treats: Shakespeare & Company at the Mount

by Janice Webb

It was FABULOUS! My friend Pam and I had such a delightful day.

Does a torrential rainstorm stop the outdoor production of Shakespeare's"Hamlet"? Never.

Photo by David Dash

While interrupting Ophelia's speech, a short time afterward, the play went on. Somehow, the affect of nature made this theatre experience even more magical. Everyone (audience and actors) ran for cover in the Stables at the top of the field at the Mount. The actors took that opportunity, soaking wet, to introduce themselves; i.e. where they were from, what they had done, etc. Very intimate, very special, everyone dripping wet.

Pam and I arrived at the Mount about 10am, viewed the new and massive sculpture exhibit disbursed throughout the grounds, enjoyed the play, took the garden tour, had lunch with champagne on the Mount porch, did the house tour, had coffee and dessert and left about 5:30pm with a stop at the Outlets. A very special day.

So, my review of "Hamlet" from a novice's point of view. I'm telling the ending, a "no, no" in reviews, but I figure, it's "Hamlet," it's expected.

As I watched the body count pile up on the "Hamlet" stage, I thought back to this morning when I asked my son, the recent college graduate,  "What's the play about? " He said, I think someone dies and there is a skull speech. Oh boy, he got that right. 

Photo by Elizabeth Aspenlieder

Shakespeare is not something I quote often, but it a good deal came back to me with familiarity. The "To be or not to be" speech, the "Alas, Poor Yorick" skull speech, and the " What a piece of work is man"  speech that I always loved because the musical "Hair" put it to song. But, this was more than familiar words, this was alive, entertaining, intriguing. To see the play was worlds better than reading the play in Freshman English class. Shakespeare & Company actors revved up the story with energy and excitement, brought to life by very talented actors. These thespians' passion for the play was matched by their ability to make it understandable and enjoyable. The expressions, gestures, interaction made a dead language alive again. The actors were the catalyst changing something from black and white text to Technicolor reality.

Condensing the play to 90 minutes instead of four hours makes the experience even better. The characters are developed and defined early, the story line easier to follow. Some of the actors take on two or three roles, and are amazingly able to infuse each character with individuality. Luke Reed is magnificent as the lead, and Greg Boover a joy to watch as both Polonius and Horatio. 

The rolling hills and glens were backdrops of beauty, lending to the sparse stage. The costumes stood out rich and magnificent in the simple setting. Thunder rolled ominously through the open-aired theatre each time the King Ghost appeared, but this was not a sound effect, this was real. The timing was perfect, but the result was a downpour onto the actors holding true to character. The production was actually magnificent to watch, that is, until lighting appeared.

I wish everyone would see Shakespeare this vibrant and this alive so that they could truly appreciate the work.

Shakespeare & Company, Lenox, MA www.shakespeare.org

The Mount, Lenox, MA www.edithwharton.org

Interview with David Kane: Capitol Steps much forgotten pianist

Cranwell Resort, Lenox, MA

www.cranwell.com/capitol-steps-return-2015

through August 31, 2015

by Shera Cohen

In the Spotlight approached this article of the annual comings and goings of Capitol Steps (bringing DC to Lenox) with a Q&A to its accompanist. Sure, the singers/comedians get all of the laughs and applause. It's time that the pianist, the guy squished into the corner of the stage at Cranwell, receives credit for keeping this 90-minute show musically paced at near break-neck speed. Below is our conversation with David Kane.

Spotlight: Describe a typical performance. Is each night unique or the same? Is it fun?

Kane: It is generally fun -- it's a comedy show! Some aspects are similar as we tend to do the same show over a week. Variables include errors from the cast or myself (hopefully, not too many of those!), age/mood/size of the audience and the day of the week as well, but in all in all there is a general and agreeable consistency to the shows.

Spotlight: Do you have input in the show's preparation?

Kane: I have little input with the music selection -- which is a good thing since I'm a jazz musician at my core. I have occasionally made lyric suggestions that have been incorporated in the show, but generally speaking, most of the humor comes from our crack team of writers.

Spotlight: Do you feel a bit left out of the "action" and humor, literally being on the sidelines at your piano?

Kane: Nope. I have my hands full at the keyboard as most of the time I'm emulating a band, trying to remember each performer's key and following the idiosyncratic tendencies of each performer. I'm content to leave jokes to the professionals.

Spotlight: How did you get this gig?

Kane: I had myself recently carbon-dated and concluded that I have been with the Steps for 18 years or so. I was foolishly recommended by one of our other pianists, who should have known better, Lenny Williams. The rest is history.

Spotlight: Besides Steps, what else would we read on your resume? 

Kane: I trained as a classical performer/composer and as a jazz saxophonist though I know better than to play saxophone now. I've worked in a wide variety of situations from symphony orchestras to Greek wedding bands, and I even recorded a Zydeco album years ago. I love all music and have been fortunate to play a little bit of just about everything.

Spotlight: Do you ever get so caught up in the audience's laughter that you laugh miss a beat?

Kane: Humor tends to lose its impact with repetition, so while I will know the upcoming punchlines, I find it useful to identify with the audience's enjoyment and that makes it more fun for me. It's like seeing a funny movie with a friend that you've already seen before -- you feed off of their reactions.

Spotlight: Do you think you would ever want to be one of the comedians/singers?

Kane: No way! Sometimes I imagine I could up there and be funny but, truth be told, the thought terrifies me. In very rare instances there will be a mismatch between our show and an audience where they're not enjoying the humor as much as they could be. It is at those times I'm happy to be cowering behind the relative safety of my piano.

Spotlight: Are there any onstage or backstage anecdotes you would like to talk about?

Kane: Sharing life on the road with a bunch of comedians for 18 years has surely generated an impressive pile of anecdotes over the years. It would be difficult to single out one or two. Rather than leave you empty-handed, I will relate one of my worst moments on stage. During a show many years ago, during intermission, our leader needed to substitute a different song than had been listed. He asked my if I remembered the song "Women's Room Line," a song we used to do all the time but hadn't done in a while. I said, "I don't think I remember it well enough" as the song had some complexities which eluded my recall at that moment. Unfortunately, the backstage environment was noisy at that moment and he thought I said, "I remember it well enough." This led to an uncomfortable moment when the singer, one of our pluckier performers, came out and started singing "Women's Room Line" to my utter shock and horror. Since she had already started singing I was forced to try and play the song which at that point, I remembered approximately 10% of. This led to a bizarre rendition where I played the wrong chord, she tried to adjust to my chord which led to me playing even worse chords, and so on. Somehow, we got to the end of the song and the audience dutifully applauded despite the fact that from their perspective, they had just listened to the equivalent of an Arnold Schoenberg atonal song with oddly satirical lyrics. After the show, our leader said, "We shall never speak of this again." I'm hoping that with the passage of the years, finally the truth can be told without me losing my job. This is certainly a much more palatable anecdote than the time when I got sick onstage in full view of the audience at the Chicago Field Museum. I will not speak of this again.

Luna Gale

New Century Theatre, Northampton, MA

www.newcenturytheatre.org

through July 25, 2015

by Konrad Rogowski

New Century Theatre's production of "Luna Gale" is engaging because of a strong script, strong acting, and a title character, who the audience never actually gets to see.

The Rebecca Gilman play, directed by Gina Kaufmann, is a firestorm of planning and plotting by a group of adults, each with his or her own best intended solution, as to who should be the guardian of baby Luna Gale, the daughter of two young, inexperienced, and addicted parents. Enter the social worker, the grandmother, the pastor, and the child protection administrator, each with not only a plan to 'save' Luna, but each with an agenda that taints those best intentions, and raises the suspicions of the others vying for the infant.

The cast does a fine job making their characters credible as motivated, yet flawed, individuals who in some instances teeter on the edge of moral and/or ethical failure. Of particular note are the performances of Cate Damon and Sue Dziura as the social worker and grandmother, respectively. The action and plotting are quick, and nicely helped in their pace by Daniel D. Rist's multiple site set, that moves from office to home and on to a waiting room or nursery. "Luna Gale" is one of those plays that is worth seeing because it mandates that its audience think and evaluate, oftentimes in an uneasy manner. What really is best for baby Luna Gale?

Kinship

Williamstown Theater Festival, Williamstown, MA

www.wtfestival.org

through July 25, 2015

by Jarice Hanson

In "Kinship," author Carey Perloff has mined the mythological story of Phedre to tell a contemporary story of passion, obsession, and power in a compellingly contemporary way. Noted director Jo Bonney sets the tale on a stark stage with minimal furniture, well used to illustrate the dark and light of emotion and impulse, intensified by Philip Rosenberg’s lighting and an edgy techno sound-track designed by Fitz Patton.

On opening night there were some rough moments in the performances, but the talented cast has the intelligence and humor to reach into the core of what makes this show compelling. Cynthia Nixon, as “She,” is the energetic newspaper editor who seems to have it all—a loving family and the type of success promised to women -- but seldom realized.  Penny Fuller, her close friend, provides friendship and guidance despite the age difference in the duel archetype of “Friend/Mother.” Into the picture comes Chris Lowell as “He,” the Mother’s son, and what emerges is an unfolding of multiple themes that walk the tightrope of impulse, honesty, and self-deception. 

"Kinship" is very much a contemporary play about women in the world today, and it relies on the undercurrents of sexual attraction and power, particularly well communicated by Nixon. Author Perloff gives the actors beautifully crafted sections of dialog, but there are moments of staccato verbiage that fall flat and self-referential language that has characters saying “I hate theatre” while drawn into their own dramas is a device that may amuse some, but was unsuccessful for this reviewer. With time, these actors will find the way to incorporate some of the intentionally clipped language so that it is woven more fully into the fabric of the play. "Kinship" is an intelligent piece with humor and impact.  The timelessness of Greek tragedy reminds us that desire often overrules good judgment, and this play may well become a milestone marking the evolution of strong women in contemporary theatre.

La Cage aux Folles

Goodspeed, East Haddam, Conn.

www.goodspeed.org

through Sept. 10, 2015

By Bernadette Johnson

Glitter, glamour, and glitz! The perfect setting for Goodspeed’s phenomenal production of “La Cage aux Folles.”

James Lloyd Reynolds and Jamison Stern are Georges, a cabaret owner, and his partner, Albin, taken aback by “their” son’s revelation that he is to marry “a girl”— not only a girl, but also one whose father is an ultraconservative politico. Change is imperative in order to impress the future in-laws. Not only must the home be sanitized, but also all appearance of personal impropriety must be eradicated.

Photo by Diane Sobolewski

Stern is, without a doubt, totally and convincingly the outlandish diva, whether applying “A Little More Mascara,” entertaining on the “La Cage” stage as female-impersonator Zaza, interacting with the audience or engaging in high drama as the inimitable Albin. Even a simple line such as “I deboned a chicken” draws whoops and cheers, and his John Wayne imitation is as side-splitting as his “I Am What I Am” declaration, the show’s signature anthem, is heartrending.

Reynolds provides the perfect counterpart as the down-to-earth “homosexual plain” to Stern’s outrageous transvestite. His “Song on the Sand” and “Look Over There” are at once romantic and sensitive.

As the couple’s butler/maid Jacob, a wannabe performer, and flamboyant homosexual, Cedric Leiba, Jr. is a standout. Appearing in increasingly outlandish costumes, striking farcical poses and delivering over-the--top commentaries, Leiba is a definite crowd-pleaser.

Other standouts include Conor Ryan as Jean-Michel, the “prodigal” son. His “With Anne on My Arm” with Leiba and Jean-Michel’s intended, Anne (Kristen Martin), is sentimental and heart-warming. And Mark Zimmerman is inflammatory and moralistic as Anne’s father, Edouard Dindon.

Kudos are called for all-around. Michael Schweikardt’s luxuriant sets and Michael McDonald’s glittering costumes provide the backdrop for the Cagelles, transvestite performers who defy you to define their sex, which proves quite the challenge thanks to Mark Adam Rampmeyer’s makeovers. “You’ll find it tough guessing our gender,” is an understatement. No fair peeking at the playbill.

Choreographer Ralph Perkins hits a high note with the ensemble’s gilded birdcage number, a flight of fancy in green and gold plumage by McDonald.

This production is flawlessly delightful, as Goodspeed’s patrons have come to expect, and they showed their appreciation with a rousing standing ovation.