Karen MacDonald and Gordon Clapp in SpeakEasy Stage Company’s production of Pru Payne. Photo: Nile Scott Studios
“Pru Payne”— Written by Steven Drukman. Directed by Paul Daugneault. Presented by SpeakEasy Stage at Boston Center for the Arts, Calderwood Pavillion, 539 Tremont St., Boston, through Nov. 16.
By Shelley A. Sackett
Karen MacDonald, recently introduced as “the empress of Boston,” adds another gem to her tiara with her portrayal of Prudence Payne, a Dorothy Parker-esque reviewer whose sharp wit, acid tongue and encyclopedic familiarity with minutiae of all things cultural have earned her many awards. We are introduced to her as she and her son, Thomas (De’Lon Grant) sit in the Brook Hollow clinic anteroom, awaiting a consultation with a doctor. The television is blaring pablum. Pru regally grabs the remote, waves it like a magic wand. She tries to turn the television set off, but can’t. She retakes her seat, slumping in confused defeat. Thomas reminds her that there are other people in the room who may want to continue watching. “Re. Member,” Pru says, enunciating each letter as if it were a syllable unto itself.
Karen MacDonald and Gordon Clapp in the SpeakEasy Stage Company production of Pru Payne. Photo: Nile Scott Studios
Gordon Clapp, best known for his Emmy-winning role of Detective Greg Medavoy in the long-running TV series NYPD Blue, returns to the Boston stage for the second time this year, following up his acclaimed portrayal of poet Robert Frost (Robert Frost: This Verse Business) last spring. This time around, Clapp appears in Pru Payne, an unlikely love story set in a memory care unit by Pulitzer Prize nominee and Newton native Steven Drukman (“Another Fine Mess”). Clapp plays a retired custodian who falls in love with the title character, a contemporary Dorothy Parker type whose memory is failing. The cast includes Boston theater stalwarts Karen MacDonald, Marianna Bassham, Greg Maraio, and De’Lon Grant, and runs through November 16th at the Roberts Studio Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts.
Theater Mirror spoke with Clapp during the rehearsal process.
Cast of ‘Amadeus’ at the Gamm Theatre. Photos by Cat Laine
Reviewed by Tony Annicone
GAMM Theatre’s second show of their 40th season is “Amadeus” written by Peter Shaffer in 1979. It is loosely based on the lives of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, later adapted into a movie in 1984. “Amadeus” was inspired by “Mozart and Salieri,” a short play by Aleksandr Pushkin, which was later adapted into an opera by Rimsky-Korsakov under the same name. “Amadeus” tells the story of Salieri, an established yet second-rate composer in the eighteenth century who has given himself to God in hopes of achieving greatness. When musical genius Mozart arrives at the Austrian court with brilliance and bathroom humor, Salieri sets out to destroy the upstart who has fouled his dreams. Salieri rejects God and vows to do everything in his power to destroy Mozart. Director Tony Estrella casts this show splendidly, giving his cast keen insight into their characters, which the audience rewards with a spontaneous standing ovation.
“Nassim” — Written by Nassim Soleimanpour. Directed by Omar Elerian. A new guest performer for every show. Presented by The Huntington through October 27.
By Shelley A. Sackett
“White Rabbit, Red Rabbit,” Iranian Nassim Soleimanpour’s absurdist adventure, which sits on the boundary of comedy and drama and burst into London’s West End in 20212, changed my opinion about audience participation in theater. Not a big fan of the genre, I left the 2016 performance at New York City’s Westside Theatre a convert.
Cast of Lyric Stage’s ‘Urinetown. Photos by Nile Hawver
“Urinetown” – Music and Lyrics by Mark Hollmann. Book and Lyrics by Greg Kotis. Directed by Courtney O’Connor. Presented by The Lyric Stage Company of Boston, 140 Clarendon Street, Boston, through October 20.
By Michele Markarian
If I were to be perfectly honest – and somewhat lazy – this review would consist of only three words: See this show. But that wouldn’t be fair to the truly talented director, cast, and crew, so bear with me while I tell you why. It’s a hilarious script with a catchy score and pointed undertones that’s performed flawlessly in moments both tongue-in-cheek and sincere.
Cast of Wheelock Family Theatre’s ‘The Spongebob Musical’. Photos by Nile Scott Studios.
‘The Spongebob Musical” – Book by Kyle Jarrow. Conceived by Tina Landau. Arranged by Tom Kitt. Directed by Nick Vargas. Music Directed by Jon Goldberg. Choreographed by Joy Clark. Presented by Wheelock Family Theatre at 180 Riverway, Boston, MA 02215 from October 5th to October 27th.
By Helen Ganley
An iconic yellow pineapple sits on the bottom of the ocean, the calm surface masking the hilarity below. Within a world comprised of kelp, sea anemone, and delicious hamburgers, Wheelock Family Theatre’s production of The SpongeBob Musical is a must-see bubbly adventure.
Cast of Ogunquit’s ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’. Photos by Nile Scott Studios
‘My Best Friend’s Wedding.’ – Based on the TriStar Pictures Film. Book by Ron Bass and Jonathan Harvey. Music & Lyrics by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Directed and Choreographed by Kathleen Marshall. Music Direction by Andrew David Sotomayor. Scenic & Costume Design by Colin Richmond. Lighting Design by Rich Latta. Sound Design by Kevin Heard. Wig/Hair & Makeup Design by Roxanne De Luna. At Ogunquit Playhouse, Ogunquit ME through October 27th.
By Linda Chin
Don’t know what to do with yourself on Wednesdays through Sundays in October? After you wake up, put on your makeup, and say a little prayer, grab a good friend, bestie, or if you have a gay best friend – and head up the great big freeway (I-95) to the Ogunquit Playhouse to see the world premiere of the new rom-com musical My Best Friend’s Wedding.
Matthew Zahnzinger and Julius P. Williams in Moonbox Production’s “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” Photos by Molly Shoemaker
by Michele Markarian
“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”. Music and Lyrics by David Yazbek. Book by Jeffrey Lane. Directed by Allison Olivia Choat. Presented by Moonbox Productions, One Arrow Street, Cambridge, through Oct. 20.
There’s a lot to love – and a ton of talent – in Moonbox Productions’ “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” a musical tale of three con artists looking to grift off of the well-to-do in the fictional town of Beaumont sur Mer on the French Riviera. Based on the 1988 film with Steve Martin, Michael Caine and Glenne Hedley (actually a remake of a film from 1964 called “Bedtime Story”), “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” was made into a Broadway musical that opened in 2005 and starred John Lithgow, Norbert Leo Butz and Sherie Rene Scott. Having enjoyed the 1988 film and the Broadway musical, I went to see the Moonbox production with high expectations. With strong direction, an excellent cast, and a wonderful ensemble of singers and dancers, it did not disappoint.
Bill Mootos as Howard Beale in Umbrella Arts’ ‘Network’. Photos by Jim Sabitus
‘Network’ – Based on the screenplay by Paddy Chayefsky. Adapted for the Stage by Lee Hall. Directed by Ashley Kelly Tata. Scenic Designer, Afsoon Pajoufar; Lighting & Projections Designer, Seif Allah Salotto-Cristobal; Audio Designer, Aubrey Dube; Costume Designer, Nancy Leary. Presented by Umbrella Arts Center, Main Stage Theater40 Stow St, Concord, MA, through November 3
by Mike Hoban
It’s always a challenge to bring an iconic movie to the stage, even more so when its signature line, “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!” is one of the most recognizable in film history (#19 on the list of America’s Greatest Movie Quotes according to the American Film Institute). It’s also a lot of pressure to put on an actor, but as the network news anchor turned crazed prophet Howard Beale, Bill Mootos delivers, and he does so without mimicking the brilliantly maniacal performance of Peter Finch (who played Beale in the film). Instead, his portrayal of Beale is more of a world-weary “grand old man of the news” gone mad, and it works beautifully – without losing any of the intensity of the character.
The cast of “Titanic The Musical” at North Shore Music Theatre. Photos: David Costa Photography
Reviewed by Tony Annicone
The sixth show of North Shore Music Theatre’s 69th Season is “Titanic, the Musical” with a book and story by Peter Stone, who also wrote “1776” and music and lyrics by Maury Yeston, who also did the same for “Nine” and “Grand Hotel”. This is an epic musical about the 1912 sinking of the legendary ocean liner in the world, Titanic, when it ran into an iceberg. The show is a stirring and emotion-packed production based on the real people aboard this ship. It focuses on the passengers’ hopes, dreams, and aspirations for their future, who each boarded with solid and personal ambitions of their own. All of them were unaware of the terrible fate that awaited them. These passengers were the Third-Class immigrants who dreamed of a better life in America and were not treated very well by the snobbish upper classes; the Second Class imagined that they too could join the lifestyles of the rich and famous with varying success, while the millionaire men of the First Class anticipated their legacies lasting forever. It can also be seen as a cautionary tale of human greed that still exists today. The politics between Captain Edward Smith, the shipbuilder Thomas Andrews, and the overbearing chairman of the White Star Line Board, J. Bruce Ismay, who pressured Captain Smith to accelerate the speed of the maiden voyage to impress news headlines to help him out financially with his business. Ismay did not give a hoot about the passengers’ safety. He was a scummy businessman. In Act 1, we meet the multitude of characters on the ship with many joyous and hopeful moments, while in Act 2, the passengers who escape face their shattered dreams while going to the lifeboats while the doomed ones must make peace with their farewells to each other. The most heartbreaking farewell occurs between Isidor and Ida Straus who owned Macy’s Department Store. The love and devotion between these two people who have been married for 40 years is displayed in their beautiful and poignant duet “Still” which rips your heart out before this magnificent, breathtaking musical comes to a close. The audience leaped to their feet in a spontaneous standing ovation with cheers and tears streaming down their face as it was a well-deserved reward.
