I am going to say right off the bat that I have a very intimate relationship with Elmer Rice’s play, The Adding Machine.  Having played Mrs. Zero myself, and having been nominated for a National acting scholarship because of that performance (/ shameless self promotion) I feel not only an intimate bond with the character, but with the show as a whole, and I was extremely enthusiastic about seeing this production of Joshua Schmidt and Jason Loewith’s musical adaptation of the play.  Perhaps it is my little extra knowledge of the show, perhaps it is my tiny, itty bitty personal bias, or perhaps it is Speakeasy Stage Company’s proven dedication of pushing the limits of quality and affordability, but this production is truly one of the finest I have seen in Boston in the last five years.  It would absolutely be a sin to miss it.

The vocal performances of the cast, and their seamless unity integrated with the unique stage design and carefully constructed costume and lightscape to completely consume the audience and pull them into a dark world that, while dated, seems strangely and uncomfortably familiar.  From the first light hitting the menacing number-scrawled scrim, to the last painful note, the audience is enveloped in a surreal world of hopeless repetition- a theme which plays out over and over again throughout the piece- in content, music, and staging, and yet, it never feels boring.  I was completely enraptured.

Adding Machine A Musical is a very familiar story about a man trapped in a life he doesn’t want to live, a slave to predictability and habit. So repetitive is his life and the lives of those around him, that he isn’t even given a name beyond Mr. Zero.  After one desperate moment, a violent act rips him out of that life and we watch as Zero try to cope with quickly changing circumstance, through life, death, and beyond.  Zero’s few relationships, with his wife, his coworkers and fellow prisoners are also examined in their own mismanaged, micro-repetitive way.  Left with many opportunities for redemption in both life and death, we watch as Zero continues to make the wrong, easy choices out of habit and fear.  This familiar tale is both comforting and disturbing when faced with our own life choices.

A cast full of Speakeasy Stage Company veterans completely embodies this solemn world.  It would be impossible to list them in order of importance because each one was perfectly fit to their role.  The four lead players, as I will call them for the purposes of this review, Mr. Zero, Mrs. Zero, Dasiy Devore, and Shrdlu, were expertly supported by a completely committed and professional “chorus”.  Sean McGuirk was ominous and foreboding as the Boss and his otherworldly counterpart, The Fixer.  Leigh Barrett played an impeccable Mrs. One, confidently walking the line between blending into the scene and standing out.  Her voice was true, clear, and exceedingly pleasant to listen to.  Cheryl McMahon and Bob De Vivo as Mrs. Two and Mr. One respectively, cast an eerie and melodic tone into the choral music, and had tremendous stage presence.  David Krinitt as Mr. Two could not have been more perfectly cast in the role.  His physicality, costuming and makeup were expertly crafted to compliment his wonderful vocal tone and easy movement.  He was my favorite “chorus” personality.

Brendan McNab was a powerhouse of hopelessness as Mr. Zero.  His voice was superb, his movement, intentioned.  His impassioned soliloquy, “Zero’s Confession” left me breathless.  It took a tremendous talent to play such a demanding role with such an air of nonchalance.  Amelia Broome blew me away as Mrs. Zero.  Knowing most of her lines by heart, I felt I was extra critical of her movement and intentions, and she was beyond even my already high expectations for her (having been brought to tears at her portrayal of Margaret in The Light on the Piazza).  She was especially excellent in her grating yet somehow sad aria “Something to Be Proud Of” which opens the show.  Liz Hayes as Daisy Devore was wonderful.  Far from your typical ingénue, Hayes plays Daisy with grit and frustration.  Her vocal work, especially her accent was not what I expected and was a great surprise.  Her unusual beauty was exactly what I would have pictured, and her melodic voice was a great contrast and compliment to the role.  John Bambery gave a heartrending and touching performance as Shrdlu, arguably the only compassionate and soulful character in the piece.  Bambery has a strong and clear voice that I loved listening to.  This stellar cast was expertly directed by Paul Melone and Steven Bergman, and choreography by David Connolly was strong and diverse.

I was so taken with the production and I implore everyone to see it.  See it before it’s gone because you will be missing out on something really unique and special.  Thank you to the cast and crew for allowing me to relive a little part of my past in a very special way.

Brendan McNab and Liz Hayes as Mr. Zero and Daisy Devore (Photo: Mark L. Saperstein)

If you’re looking for one-of-a-kind theatrical experiences, the American Repertory Theatre is always happy to oblige.  I have had the pleasure of dozens of evenings at A.R.T.’s Loeb Drama Center, but never have I attended a production as epic as Elevator Repair Service’s Gatz.  This gargantuan six-hour piece is more than a word-for-word reading of one of America’s most beloved novels; it is a reexamination of what modern theatre can be for an audience.  Throughout the evening, the entire text of “The Great Gatsby” is read from cover to cover and no alternate or supplementary text is added. The company takes its time in allowing the story to develop organically. In four distinct acts, the audience is swept with a wave of nostalgia for the days when theatre was a whole day commitment and intermissions are long enough to have dinner and regroup.  From start to finish, Gatz is the longest theatrical performance I have ever seen, and Elevator Repair Service must be commended for their engaging, glamorous, treatment of Salinger’s greatest work.

Elevator Repair Service is a theater ensemble that builds original shows around a broad range of subject matter including literary, dramatic, and cinematic forms.  In Gatz, Scott Shepherd takes on the enormous responsibility of lead player.  Framed in the context of a cheap and grimy office, Shepherd picks up a copy of “The Great Gatsby” and starts to read it aloud to pass the time.  At first the distinction is clear- Shepherd is reading the book as anyone might, in simple monotone; he is a colorless drone in a dreary office.  But somehow, seamlessly, Shepherd becomes Nick, the novel’s protagonist.  Shepherd’s coworkers step up to assume the other characters in the story, first in pantomime, but then in earnest and to much delight of the audience.  The duality of office worker and novel character is like a fun mystery game.  Gary Wilmes is the first to join Shepherd in his indulgence as Tom.  He is charismatic and lecherous, bonding his “office persona” swiftly into his character treatment.  Wilmes re-imagines the character of Tom for Gatz.  Less the bumbling oafish man who cannot control his temper, and more an American “Joe” trying to do right in his life- it was actually a refreshing look at the character, and mirrored Jim Fletcher’s unique take on Gatsby- a less confident, more unfortunate reading of the novel’s namesake.  In fact, all the characters take on more realistic interpretations of the novel’s big and impassioned characters.  Jordan (Susie Sokol) is more vulnerable, less self-assured than I imagined her to be, Daisy (Victoria Vazquez) is a little less ruthless.  I appreciate how Elevator Repair Service breathed “human” life into the characters.  (I also noticed the actors playing Gatsby and Henry Gatz, his father, have the same last name- I am not sure if this is coincidence or if they are in fact father and son, but it is really fantastic to imagine that they are- it ads even more layers to their on-stage relationship!)

My only criticism of this production is that the rich universe created in the first half of the reading doesn’t quite manifest itself as well in the second half. I believe the audience is meant to understand that as Shepherd embodies the character of Nick more and more completely, the vestiges of the office fade away leaving him completely immersed in Gatsby’s world.  Unfortunately, this didn’t work for me as well as I might have hoped.  I kept waiting for small reminders that this space was still an office, that the book was still an escape from the reality of a stolid existence, but they never came. If fact, towards the end of the play the audience was being addressed directly as if we had been there all the time despite the fact that the fourth wall remained fairly in-tact for the earlier part of the show.  I would have loved to see the office metaphor being taken further into the second part of the play because there is something so satisfying about the combination of the novelist’s voice and the actor’s treatment existing right up against one another.  I missed it towards the end.

The ensemble is spectacular.  The huge amount of preparation for Gatz is nothing short of a miracle.  Shepherd has committed the entire book to memory, and the rest of the ensemble have taken their characters to heart in a deep way not often reached in modern theatre.  The six hours flew by, I could not believe it.  The only thing more intimidating than being an actor in a show of that length has to be being an audience member!  But it just isn’t an issue with this production.  If the length of the piece is a fear keeping you from attending, I implore you to forget about it and buy tickets.  You will be amazed at how quickly the time goes.  I suggest you take advantage of one of the A.R.T.’s dining options, or run across the street to The Upper Crust for a slice, because the break goes by quickly and the excellent A.R.T. staff is diligent about keeping the show running on time.

Shepherd reads. Photo: Mark Barton

William Shakespeare would have rolled over in his grave if he had heard last night’s performance of Best Of Both Worlds at the A.R.T.- but only to get his ear closer to the magnificent sound! In the true spirit of the long dead king of writers, Randy Weiner, Diedre Murray and Diane Paulus have re-imagined The Winter’s Tale for a modern era- touching the audience like never before.  Mellow jazz, smooth R & B, passionate gospel and playful hip-hop combine and intertwine to imbue a centuries old story with new spirit.

Gone is the familiar, painful to follow text and predictable action.  The cast fills the stage with color and sound and vitality to rival the flashiest of Broadway shows.  Just as King Chamberlin’s Men would have, the company of players of Best of Both Worlds, arrive on a bare set- in a purple Cadillac no less- and instantly transform it into their playing space. Cleavant Derricks, as our narrator, sets the scene for the audience, and his tongue is planted firmly in his cheek as he introduces two R&B “Kings”, Ezekiel (Gregg Baker) and Maurice (Darius de Haas) whose pride and stubbornness lead to extremely dramatic circumstances for Ezekiel’s beloved wife Serena (Jeannette Bayardelle), his children Mamillius (Sebastien Lucien) and Rain (Brianna Horne), and the entire kingdom of lives they touch along the way.  It is Shakespeare undone and redone again (you should see the exit pursued by a bear!)

The axiom and essence of The Winters Tale live on in this neoteric, musical treatment.  Baker as Ezekiel is mesmerizing.  It is almost impossible to take your eyes off of him when he’s singing.  With a voice that floats to the very top row of seats, his emotions are palpable- from rage to anguish. De Hass is the perfect counterpoint as Maurice, his voice so warm and supple that there was not one person breathing in the entire auditorium when he hit his high notes.  All this vocal power was matched by Bayardelle’s Serena and Mary Bond Davis’ portrayal of Violetta, Queen Mother of Ezekiel.  Bayardelle garnered the loudest applause of the night after her heart-rending plea for mercy at the end of act one.  She was as beautiful and ethereal as any queen I could conjure.  Davis as Violetta had the vocal power to rival the entire ensemble, and as the company’s matriarch she filled her roll with a grace and dignity that has been unmatched by any single female I have seen perform this season.  A strong ensemble of players round out the rest of the extraordinary cast.  Nikkieli DeMone’s powerful celebration of love in the second act was a crowd pleaser, and Horne and Lawrence Stallings (as Tariq) deliver a sensational ballad- but the real show stopper came from Lucien, whose solo tribute to his mother is so beautiful that it brought the audience to tears.  He was sophisticated and mature enough to hold his own in a cast of exceptional talent.

I was so moved to be a part of this night of theatre.  Looking around the packed house, their was an even more pronounced rainbow of faces in the crowd- and that is an exciting feeling for someone who sees an average of three shows a week, often with the same, stuffy, blue-haired set.  I felt privileged to get to share this event with a crowd that isn’t necessarily your typical A.R.T. patron.  The feeling in the air was arresting- a current of excitement that revived and rejuvenated the entire audience.  The night flew by- and there was no need for the company to illicit a standing ovation at the curtain, the audience was already standing, clapping, shouting, and in some cases, singing along.  It just felt good.  The A.R.T. has made its name by offering us unconventional theatrical productions, and Best of Both Worlds is more than just a feather in the A.R.T cap, it’s a crowning jewel. Bravo, Bravo!

Jeannette Bayardelle and Sebastian Lucien. Photo: Marcus Stern.

A marriage proposal. Photo: Marcus Stern.

F.U.D.G.E. stands for Friends United Developing Genuine Entertainment, and by simply walking into the Arsenal Center For The Arts to attend The F.U.D.G.E. Theatre Company’s recent production of The Wedding Singer, it isn’t hard to see why the acronym rings true.  My companion and I were greeted by a warm and gracious staff that was friendly with one another and with most of the guests.  We were shown to our seats, and you could feel the positive and happy energy emanating from the crowd.

I have had the great pleasure of attending each and every F.U.D.G.E. production since the company’s inception, and watching the company grow from a spastic group of college students to a well-organized crew of sophisticated adults has been a real treat.  I was truly looking forward to attending this summer’s musical, on the heels of their spring production of Neil Simon’s Fools. The stage was simply dressed with clean lines and techno-brite colors.  The band, which was placed live on stage, had an excellent balance, never overpowering the actors and actresses, which I consider a great feat in such an intimate space.
From the first note of the opening number, there was no question in my mind that the ensemble was going to steal the show.  With dance moves that would rival a professional production (expertly choreographed by Trevor Efinger), the eight person ensemble, made up almost exclusively by F.U.D.G.E. regulars, was vibrant, quirky, and full of life.  The principles really had to stay on their toes in order to win the audience’s attention away from a motley crew of 80’s dancers, waitresses, downtrodden wedding guests, and hysterical 80’s artist impersonators (Christopher Smith as Tina Turner was possibly the highlight of the entire production, not to mention Kacee Staiti as Cyndi Lauper and Tom Rimer as Mr. T).  The ensemble transformed themselves dozens of times and never entered the stage looking the least bit winded or rushed.  Each fabulous 80’s inspired costume (the work of Kaitlyn MacPherson) brought back a whirl of nostalgia and the spot-on execution of each ensemble member made it even more acute.

While the strong ensemble work clearly topped the chart for me, the principle players also gave solid, entertaining performances.  Chris Bott, who headlined the production as Robbie Hart, evoked the spirit of Adam Sandler while still making Robbie his own.  Kira Cowan as Julia Sullivan absolutely bloomed in the second act, where her solo in the “If I Told You Reprise” was the most beautiful of the night.  Samuel Moscoso seems to be born to play the role of Glen Guglia, his smooth style and voice adding a level of authenticity he never reached in last season’s production of bare.  I enjoyed every moment he was on stage.  Paige Maclean gave a cameo as Linda that was both terrifying and strangely delightful- it is hard to imagine that someone who only lived one year in the 80’s could capture such a full picture of the debauchery and exhibitionism that defined the decade. Newcomers Katie Presig and Justin Colombo had great chemistry as Holly and Sammy, and were full-body committed to their performance.  Presig’s New Jersey accent was spot on (and her earrings were a trip).  A special shout out must also be given to Sara Brodsky, who played Rosie, Robbie’s grandmother, with style.  Her rap and dance in the second act, “Move That Thang” got the most laughs of the night, and her wide-eyed sweetness was the perfect touch.
While some moments in the show lacked the vocal finesse that I have come to expect from a F.U.D.G.E. production, the movement never looked crowded, and that is quite a feat considering that the cast of seventeen were sometimes all on the stage together.

All in all I considered the show to be solidly entertaining. Acting was fairly good, overall, with the cast doing their job of moving the piece along at a break-neck pace.  And though the content of the show was light-hearted, the commitment level of the majority of the performers to live inside their “world” no matter how far-fetched, was clearly illustrated.

I look forward to the upcoming F.U.D.G.E. season, filled with new works, as they begin their residence at the Arsenal Center.  Hopefully, Director, Joe DeMita, will feature some of this brilliant ensemble in more prominent positions in the season to come, I would really like to see some of them come out of the background.  Bravo, F.U.D.G.E., thanks for giving me a fun, light, summer-vacation musical to end your season- it was just what the doctor ordered.

An 80’s style happy ending.