Huntington Theatre’s Ambitious ‘Teenage Dick’ Challenges Our Assumptions

December 10, 2021 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Louis Reyes McWilliams, Shannon DeVido, Emily Townley, Portland Thomas, Gregg Mozgala in ‘Teenage Dick’, at The Huntington Calderwood/BCA. Photos: Teresa Castracane

‘Teenage Dick’ – Written by Mike Lew; Directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel; Scenic Design by Wilson Chin; Sound Design by Palmer Hefferan; Lighting Design by Amith Chandrashaker; Choreography by Jennifer Weber; Fight Choreography by Robb Hunter. Presented by The Huntington Theatre Company at The Calderwood Pavillion, 527 Tremont St., Boston through January 2, 2022.

by Shelley A. Sackett

From the moment he walks onto the bare stage and addresses the audience in the first of many private monologues, it’s clear 17-year-old Roseland High School junior Richard Gloucester (Gregg Mozgala) has an angle beyond just establishing a connection with the audience. What that angle is is less clear, and will shape-shift with dizzying speed during the next 70 minutes until the audience is left in a delicious murky space of questioning almost everything they thought they knew about both Richard and themselves.

The Hope and Despair of ‘Witch’

October 23, 2021October 26, 2021 michaelhobanLeave a comment

*Javier David Padi*lla, *Nick Sulfaro, Barzin Akhavan, and Gina Fonseca in Huntington Theatre’s ‘Witch’*

by Michele Markarian

“Witch” – Written by Jen Silverman. Directed by Rebecca Bradshaw. Presented by the Huntington Theatre Company, Calderwood Pavilion, Boston Center for the Arts, through November 14^h.

Jen Silverman is my new favorite playwright. Their voice is unique, yet the way their plays are layered with deeper meaning and intent underneath some very smart, very funny dialogue is reminiscent of Edward Albee. Witch, aided by a strong cast, lively direction and excellent production values is no exception.

“I’m not arguing for the end of the world – but then again, maybe I am”, Elizabeth Sawyer (Lyndsay Allyn Cox) tells us in her opening monologue. Elizabeth is a lonely, friendless woman, who has, for reasons unbeknownst to her, been labeled a “witch” by the local villagers. In the same village, a devil named Scratch (Michael Underhill) is granting townspeople wishes in exchange for their souls. Two surrender easily – Cuddy (Nick Sulfaro), the effeminate son of local bigwig Sir Arthur Banks (Barzin Akhavan) and Frank Thorney (Javier David Padilla), an ambitious farmer’s son whose easy masculinity has compelled Sir Arthur to take him under his wing. Frank Thorney possesses a secret childhood girlfriend, Winifred (Gina Fonseca), who has sacrificed her dignity to work as a maid in Sir Arthur’s home to be near her beloved. She is in love with Frank, Cuddy is in love with Frank, and Frank is in love with himself.

“Hurricane Diane” Blows Into Boston

September 3, 2021September 3, 2021 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Kris Sidberry, Jennifer Bubriski, Esme Allen, and Marianna Bassham in Huntington’s “Hurricane Diane”

“Hurricane Diane” – Written by Madeleine George. Directed by Jenny Koons. Presented by the Huntington Theatre Company at the Calderwood Pavilion, Boston Center for the Arts, through September 26^th.

by Michele Markarian

“I have returned and it begins”, is the first line uttered in Madeleine George’s play “Hurricane Diane” by the character of Dionysius (Rami Margron). A cheer erupted from the masked, packed house at the Calderwood, where live theater has returned after a nearly 550 day absence. Dionysius has been hiding out as Diane, and living on a lesbian separatist community of sustainability outside of Burlington, Vermont. Dionysius has returned because he knows we’ve been doing bad things to the environment. Seeking a quorum of four women, he disguises himself as Diane, a landscaper, to seduce housewives from a suburban cul-de-sac of New Jersey in the hopes that they’ll embrace permaculture and restore the earth to its former wilderness.

Huntington Brings Second City’s Hilarious ‘She the People’ to BCA

February 21, 2020 michaelhobanLeave a comment

‘She the People’ – Written by Carisa Barreca, Alex Bellisle, Marla Caceres, Katie Caussin, Carly Heffernan, Maria Randazzo, Rashawn Nadine Scott, Tien Tran, Kimberly Michelle Vaughn, and Lauren Walker. Resident Director/Choreographer; Carisa Barreca, Original Director/Head Writer; Carley Hefferman, Music by Mary Mahoney; Music Director & Sound Design; Jacob Shuda. Presented by Huntington Theatre Company, Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, 527 Tremont Street, Boston through March 8

by Leslie Rosenberg

In the immortal words of Cyndi Lauper, “Girls just want to have fun.” And that’s precisely what the touring company of the Second City delivers with their production, She the People: Girlfriends’ Guide to Sisters Doing It for Themselves, now playing at the BCA through March 8^th. It’s a show I found alternately overwhelming, hysterical, infuriating, and at times, just plain silly. Warnings are given, realities are faced – but the lessons are made easier through the imaginative comedy, song and dance.

Huntington’s ‘Sweat’ – The Dark Side of American Dream

February 8, 2020February 11, 2020 michaelhobanLeave a comment

*Cast of the Huntington Theatre Company’s ‘Sweat’ – Photos: T. Charles Erickson*

By Julie-Anne Whitney

Sweat – Written by Lynn Nottage; Directed by Kimberly Senior; Scenic Design by Cameron Anderson; Costume Design by Junghyun Georgia Lee; Lighting Design by D.M. Wood; Original Music and Sound Design by Pornchanok Kanchanabanca; fight choreography by Ted Hewlett; stage managed by Emily F. McMullen. Produced by the Huntington Theatre Company at 264 Huntington Avenue through March 1, 2020.

In 2011, intrigued by the news that Reading, Pennsylvania (population 88,000) was named the poorest city per capita in America, playwright Lynn Nottage went to Berks County in search of a story. Throughout the next two years, she interviewed dozens of factory employees, business owners, social workers, members of law enforcement, and government officials. These interviews inspired Nottage to write her Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, Sweat, which offers a transparent, unflinching view of what can happen to communities when powerful corporations prioritize profits over people.

Huntington’s ‘Quixote Nuevo’ an Uneven Updating of Cervantes Classic

November 29, 2019November 30, 2019 michaelhobanLeave a comment

*(Emilio Delgado as Don Quixote in the Huntington Theatre Company and Alley Theatre production of ‘Quixote Nuevo’ . Photo Credit: T Charles Erickson)*

By Mike Hoban

Written by Octavio Solis, Directed by KJ Sanchez; Scenic Design, Takeshi Kata; Costume Design, Rachel Anne Healy; Lighting Design, Brian J. Lilienthal; Composer & Sound Design, David R Molina; Co-Composer, Eduardo Robledo; Music Director, Jesse Sanchez. Presented by the Huntington Theatre Company, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston through December 8

Quixote Nuevo, playwright Octavio Solis’ clever re-imagining of the Cervantes’ classic Don Quixote, now being staged at the Huntington Theatre, might well be described as giving a contemporary twist to a traditional “estofado” (stew). Taking many of the main ingredients from the original, Solis adds dashes of subject matter that give the story a more modern flavor, beefs up the comedy quotient, and in the process produces a palatable new offering, but one that may not be to every theatergoer’s taste. Equal parts comedy, love story, and social commentary, Quixote Nuevo is often wildly imaginative, but the items in the new recipe may not complement each other well enough to conjure up a classic new dish.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Alive and Well at the Huntington Theatre

October 7, 2019October 8, 2019 michaelhoban1 Comment

Will LeBow (Player), Jeremy Webb (Guildenstern), and Alex Hurt (Rosencrantz) in the Huntington Theatre Company’s production of Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. Photo: T Charles Erickson

By Michele Markarian

“Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead” – Written by Tom Stoppard. Directed by Peter DuBois. Scenic Design by Wilson Chin; Sound Design and Original Music by Obadiah Eaves; Costume Design by Ilona Somogyi; Lighting Design by David Lander; Projection Design by Zachary Borovay. Presented by Huntington Theatre Company, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston through October 20.

“What do you think happens to them?” teased my theater companion at the first intermission of Tom Stoppard’s very funny, very imaginative fill-in-the-blanks back story of Shakespeare’s Hamlet’s university friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. At the risk of sounding obtuse, even though I have seen and read “Hamlet” many times, the writing, acting and direction in “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” at the Huntington Theatre are so in the moment that I was, for a moment, not sure.

‘The Purists’ Strikes a Chord at the Huntington

September 14, 2019September 16, 2019 michaelhobanLeave a comment

(John Scurti, Morocco Omari, and J. Bernard Calloway in ‘The Purists at the Huntington Theatre. Photo Credit: T Charles Erickson)

by Michele Markarian

“The Purists” – Written by Dan McCabe. Directed by Billy Porter. Presented by Huntington Theatre Company at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, 527 Tremont Street, Boston through October 6.

There are some casts so talented that they manage to salvage a mediocre script. There are some scripts so compelling that they manage to salvage a mediocre cast. A timely play about friendship, division and tolerance, “The Purists” is both exquisitely well-written and exceptionally well cast.

‘The Lightning Thief” at Huntington a Fierce and Funny Entertainment

July 20, 2019 michaelhobanLeave a comment

(Kristin Stokes, Chris McCarrell, and Izzy Figueroa in the Huntington Theatre Company’s production of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical)

by Michele Markarian

‘The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical’ – Book by Joe Tracz. Music and Lyrics by Rob Rokicki. Adapted from the book “The Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan. Directed by Stephen Brackett. At the Huntington Theatre Company, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston, through July 28^th.

When my son was in middle school, every kid was reading the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, beginning with The Lightning Thief. I never read it myself, having little interest in ‘tween literature. My expectations were low coming to see this show; my grown-up companion’s even lower, as he thought I had told him we were seeing a musical about Percy Faith. Much to our surprise and delight, The Lightning Thief is an absolute blast of a ride from beginning to end. In addition to the lively score and clever book, the extremely talented and likeable cast of seven makes this an unforgettable theatrical experience.

Huntington’s ‘Yerma’ an Absorbing Tale of Obsession

June 18, 2019July 1, 2019 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Ernie Pruneda (Victor), Nadine Malouf (Yerma) and Christian Barillas (Juan) in the Huntington Theatre Company’s production of Yerma playing at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA. © Photos: T. Charles Erickson

by Mike Hoban

‘Yerma’ – Conceived by Melinda Lopez and Melia Bensussen, Adapted and Translated by Melinda Lopez, based on the play by Federico Garcia Lorca. Directed by Melia Bensussen; Scenic Design by Cameron Anderson; Costume Design by Olivera Gajic; Lighting Design by Brian J. Lilienthal; Sound Design by Brendan F. Doyle & Mark Bennett; Original Music by Mark Bennett; Music Direction by Jesse Sanchez; Choreography by Misha Shields. Presented by the Huntington Theatre Company at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont Street, Boston through June 30

Right from the outset of Yerma, the absorbing and surrealistic adaptation/translation of Federico Garcia Lorca’s 1934 work by Boston playwright Melinda Lopez, there are subtle hints that, despite appearances, there may be trouble on the horizon for the marriage of the title character and her husband Juan. But that foreshadowing is unlikely to prepare us for the path that this strange and poetic story will take, as it morphs into an unsettling tale of obsession and eventually, madness. The Huntington Theatre Company is presenting this world premiere play with music at the Boston Center for the Arts’ Calderwood Pavilion through June 30th.