Two More Octogenarians Going Strong

Cicely Tyson and Buzzy Pizzarelli

Last month, during intermission at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, there was a heated debate in the rear orchestra about the age of the show's star - Cicely Tyson. A gentleman unseen to me consulted his smart phone and confirmed to his companions that according to the Times, many incorrectly give Ms. Tyson's age as 79 but in fact she is 88.  At 88, Ms. Tyson graces the Broadway stage after some 30 years in Horton Foote's reflective play The Trip to Bountiful. Once her age was confirmed, I returned to my reverie, completely charmed by the fiery actress and thinking of my grandmother - a spirited nonagenarian herself.

The other night, I ducked into Broadway cabaret 54 Below on a school night to check out WBGO Jazz Series Sing! Sing! Sing!: The 75th Anniversary of Benny Goodman's Historic Carnegie Hall Concert. Between tunes made historic by Benny Goodman and "opa!" exclamations from a table of Greek tourists, the West Village couple seated beside me attempted to guess the age of rhythm guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli. I sat back sipping a cocktail, completely charmed by the legendary musician. 

Later, I looked up Mr. Pizzarelli's age, and learned that he is one year younger than Ms. Tyson.

Two more octogenarians -- showing no signs of slowing down and charming me to my core. 

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Octogenarians Going Strong on the New York City Stage

Three Off Broadway Musical Theater Experiences

Catching up with my neighbor the other day, we got on the topic of Broadway. She mentioned that her brother was visiting town and asked what's new and interesting. I mentioned Pippin, Matilda and Kinky Boots. By the end of our conversation, she was very intrigued by Pippin; so I suspect her brother may be seeing the circus style revival during his NYC visit. Reflecting on our conversation though, had my neighbor asked what's new and different, I wouldn't have mentioned the splashy Broadway musicals; I would have steered her Off Broadway to Here Lies Love, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, and maybe even Murder Ballad.

David Byrne's Here Lies Love is a disco musical about the rise and fall of Filipino Imelda Marcos. Set up like club, the audience (unless you opt for balcony seating which I wouldn't recommend because the floor is so much fun) observes and rotates around the musical action unfolding. Oh, and the audience can dance whenever; in fact, know that you will be engaged in line dancing. Absolutely brilliant and very entertaining! One of my all time top musical theater experiences. Now, if you don't have an aversion to loud disco music and are not repulsed by Imelda Marcos and her excess, right this minute, dance your way over to The Public and experience Here Lies Love before it closes on June 30th.  

When Dave Malloy's rock musical Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812  hit a few "top theater lists" last year after its Ars Nova run, I was intrigued. Ripped from a slice of War and Peace, the show supposedly "blends romance, cabaret, comedy and vodka." Now it's back and playing at Klub Kazino, a makeshift space in the meatpacking district. I can't wait to see it later this month!  

Finally, Julia Jordan and Juliana Nash's rock musical Murder Ballad is another show that is back after a run last year at MTC - now playing at the Union Square Theatre. Set up around a bar and pool table, the performers move around the theater (and amongst audience members who've purchase table seating) belting out rock tunes as they are caught up in a murderous love triangle. If you like your musical with a little downtown edge (and who doesn't like a little edge) and you can appreciate a bit of betrayal in your musical, then Murder Ballad may be for you. It plays through September. 

Thanks as always to Off Broadway. Keeping it relevant. Keeping it interesting. Keeping it musical

Need a Pick Me Up...Then Check Out "Old Hats"

 

These days, after crunching numbers all day, I usually need a pick me up by the middle of the week. Bill Irwin and David Shiner's slapstick and clowning around was just what the doctor ordered when I experienced their show Old Hats earlier this week. 

With a near perfect mark from Stagegrade and described as "ebullient" by the Times, I am not sure what took me so long to see this show at the Signature Theater. But I'm glad I I finally did because I smiled until my face almost hurt. 

Expect skits, live music, audience participation and lots of laughs. Now, sometimes audience participation at the theater can be just plain cheesy, but at Old Hats, this interaction provided some of the most hilarious moments of the evening, especially Cowboy Cinema, where members of the audience film an old western.  

I smile now just thinking about it. 
 
I was equally if not moreso charmed by adorable quirky music director Nellie McKay. Thanks to Ms. Mckay, intermission was actually enjoyable. She delighted those who remained in the Irene Diamond with her ukulele and interesting historical facts about May 15th.  After seeing Ms, Mckay, I immediately added her name to my list of must follow musicians and can't wait to see her again. So glad to see she is performing at JALC and Summerstage next month.  

Needless to say, I enjoyed Old Hats tremendously. If you are not coulrophobic and need a good laugh (like I did earlier this week), head quickly over to Signature and check out Old Hats before it closes on June 9th . 

Reality Check...The Business of Broadway is Tough and Not Diverse

Skim through Backstage's The 25 Most Powerful People on Broadway and note NO racial diversity; thank goodness for the few women who appear on the list.  

First up (of course) are the men who run the Broadway theaters. Then there are several  directors and producers. Finally, there are a couple of journalists and casting directors.

We...I get the picture; we...I understand who runs Broadway.
   
So, don't be surprise by Keli Goff's article Black Producers Still Rare on Broadway when you learn that there is only one African American duo who hands on produce Broadway shows - Stephen Byrd and Alia Jones. And they only joined the Broadway party in recent years.

And don't be surprise when you check out Alisa Solomon's The Not-So-Bountiful Trip to Broadway and learn that the number of black directors working on Broadway in last decade can be counted on one hand.  By the way, congrats to Debbie Allen, Kenny Leon, Marion McClinton, Charles Randolph-Wright, and George C. Wolfe. 

As a black woman who is a devoted fan of the theater, I keep coming back to this topic of diversity. But the reality is that the $11 billion business of Broadway is a tough one; most shows will never recoup their initial investment. And Broadway is not very diverse. Not behind the scenes. Not on stage (even though this appears to be getting better in recent years). And not in the audience.

And simply put...that's that!

Related Posts
Diversity in the Theater - Part I
Diversity in the Theater - Part II
Diversity in the Theater - Part III
Diversity in the Theater - Part IV
David Henry Hwang Continues the Conversation
 
   

Theater Stories From Around the Web

Why Straight Plays Can't Make It on Broadway [WSJ]

Broadway Shows Beloved By Tourists, Women And Geeks [Gothamist]

Showstopping: why Broadway audiences applaud too often [Guardian]

Want to Applaud a Broadway Show? Don't Get Up. Really [NYT]

Theatergoer Vomits Onto Audience From Balcony At Broadway's Grace [Gothamist]
 
An Open Letter To The Owner Of The Cell Phone That Went Off During The Final Moments Of Death Of A Salesman [Gothamist] 

Theaters Vexed by the Text [WSJ]

From No Home to Back Home on Broadway [NYT]

The World's Most Memorable Theaters [Huff]

Stalked by the Philharmonic: When Fundraising Goes Too Far [NY Observer]

Women in the theatre: why do so few make it to the top?  [Guardian]

Theater's Expiring Subscription Model [WSJ]

How Broadway Has Changed [Huffington]

Originally Published - 11/29/2012
Updated - 5/12/2013 

Random Happenings - April 2013

SEC investigates Rebecca musical and sets rules for companies to use social media networks. Tom Hanks tears up on opening night of play by beloved friend Nora Ephron. Film critic Roger Ebert fades. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof fails to recoup. Iron lady Margaret Thatcher dies. Spidy settlement finally reached. Terror strikes Boston marathon; subsequent manhunt kills one suspect and captures other. Playwright Richard Greenberg changes Boston reference in The Assembled Parties. Deadly explosion at Texas fertilizer plant. Disgraced takes home the Pulitzer. Ricin laced letters scare Washington DC. Gun control debate continues. First openly gay NBA player emerges. Tony nominations announced and Kinky Boots comes out on top with most nominations...

Thomas Bradshaw's "Lecture on the Blues" at the Whitney Museum

Look, someone is walking out the room offended! Oh, there must be a performance of Thomas Bradshaw material nearby. And that is exactly what happened yesterday on the final day of the Blues for Smoke exhibit at the Whitney Museum.

Let me take a step back. 

Imagine my surprise on Saturday morning when I perused the list of performances accompanying the Blues for Smoke exhibit at the Whitney Museum. The controversial playwright Thomas Bradshaw would be presenting a new 40 minute work - Lecture on the Blues - created just for the exhibit and featuring actors Jeff Biehl and Frank Harts. Excerpts from Amiri Baraka's Dutchman would also be presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. 

How the heck did the Whitney team up with Mr. Bradshaw, I wondered. Not wanting to miss the exhibit, I purchased a museum ticket and with some hesitation reserved a spot in Mr. Bradshaw's "lecture."

I will spare readers the asinine details (email me if you want them) but Mr. Biehl (as a white lecturer) recites material from the character Clay in Mr. Baraka's 1964 Obie award winning work, channels Jimi Hendrix, has sex with an actress planted in the audience while Mr. Harts (playing a black Whitney security guard) watches and masturbates nearby. At the back of the second floor gallery, Mr. Bradshaw stands, chuckling and completely amused by the audience's reaction.

Many in the audience filled with youthful faces appeared to be rather amused by the shenanigans. I however walked away from the "lecture" not quite sure if Mr. Bradshaw complemented the Blues for Smoke exhibit or merely mocked it.

Perhaps those youthful faces (strangely, some resembled Bats) got something that I did not...

Related Posts:
Where is the Art in Merely Shocking the Audience? 

WSJ Article - The Falling Apart of the Theater Subscription Model

From Ms. X, an artistic director of an undisclosed theater company in Terry Teachout's WSJ article - Theater's Expiring Subscription Model: 

Then the subscription model fell apart, for a lot of reasons. Some subscribers got too busy, or too old, to commit in advance to five shows on specific dates. Some of them couldn't afford to buy all five in one pop anymore. And young people never have gotten in the habit of subscribing to anything. On demand, that's their motto. Anyway, it all added up to the same thing: We had to start selling individual shows instead of a package. When that happened, everything changed. Instead of trusting us to give them something good, people started playing it safe, and we had to play safe with them. We didn't have any choice. The last time I tried putting on a classical revival, our single-ticket sales dropped by nearly half. And we've had to start using name actors as often as we can. Doesn't matter what the show is: It's the star that sells, not the play. 

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Theater Stories From Around the Web

"Kinky Boots" at Lord & Taylor

Theater-loving fashionistas may want to head over to Lord & Taylor to check out fashions inspired by the new Broadway musical Kinky Boots. Tomorrow at 12:30PM, cast members will be performing at the 5th avenue location, and if you spend $300 on fragrance, you might be able to score a free pair of tickets to see the show (while supplies last of course). Enjoy!
 

 

"Who's Your Daddy?" And I Don't Mean Those "Annie" Posters Around Town

 

Uganda forced me to live in the present - apathy was no longer an option - and everything seemed possible again...Johnny O'Callaghan

The year is 2006. Actor Johnny O'Callaghan has just walked in on his lover in a compromising position with twins. He later runs into a colleague who is going to Uganda of all places to shoot a documentary about kids in an orphanage. Still devastated from his breakup, down on his luck, and not really caring whether he lives or dies, Johnny decides to tag along with his colleague to Uganda. And you know what...his life changes forever.

Now, if you can't score tickets to the splashy Broadway musical The Book of Mormon and want to experience a Uganda story...this time from an Irish actor's perspective, then you may want to head a mile or so south of the theater district to the cozy studio at the Irish Repertory Theatre in Chelsea to experience Johnny O'Callaghan's inspiring nine-month adventure to adopt a little African boy in Who's Your Daddy?

In 80 riveting minutes, Johnny O'Callaghan will remind you that offshore adoption is not reserved just for Hollywood celebrities superstars; even us single folks can make a difference. But better yet, he will inspire you to persevere even when others tell you that what you want is impossible.