Critic Peter Filichia Performs Personal History to Benefit Episcopal Actors' Guild

After 25 years as a professional critic, Peter Filichia has seen, heard, and written about it all. In a very personal celebration of his life in the theatre, Filichia will share his most interesting moments, including adventures with nice actors (Jerry Orbach), not-so-nice ones (Mary Tyler Moore), and being face to face with Ben Vereen after giving him a bad review. 

Filichia’s Personal History has been performed in cities across the country. Now, for one night only, he brings it to historic Guild Hall, with all the proceeds benefitting The Episcopal Actors' Guild's Emergency Aid and Relief Program. A wine and cheese reception will follow the performance. 

Filichia also will sell and sign his new book "Strippers, Showgirls, and Sharks: A Very Opinionated History of the Broadway Musicals That Did Not Win the Tony Award."

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­When: Monday, June 24 at 7:00 pm

Where: Guild Hall at The Little Church Around the Corner – 1 E. 29thSt. – New York, NY 10016 (between 5th Avenue and Madison –R/N @ 28th, 6 @ 28th)

Cost: Suggested: $10 (members) & $15 (non-members)

RSVP:(212) 685-2927 or matt@actorsguild.org

Info at www.actorsguild.org and www.facebook.com/actorsguild1923.

More on Peter Filichia:
Peter Filichia is the New York-based theater critic emeritus for The Newark (N.J.) Star Ledger newspaper and News 12 television station. He is also the author of "Let's Put on a Musical" (Back Stage Books, 2007), now in its third printing; "Broadway Musicals: The Biggest Hit of the Season/The Biggest Flop of the Season" (Applause Books, 2010); and "Broadway Musical MVPs 1960-2010: The Most Valuable Players of the Last 50 Seasons" (Applause Books, 2011), chosen one of Publishers Weekly’s Top 10 Performing Arts titles of 2011.

Peter has been a columnist for Playbill, Theater.com, Theatermania and Theater Week. He blogs weekly at MasterworksBroadway.com; and writes “Filichia Features” for Musical Theatre International’s Web site, The Marquee, and “Filichia on Friday” for Kritzerland Records’ Web site.

Before joining the Theatre World Awards in 1996 as host and head of the selection committee, Peter served four terms as president of the Drama Desk. He has served on an assessment panel for the National Endowment for the Arts, and is currently critic-in-residence for the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and the musical theater judge for the ASCAP Awards program.

Making My Broadway Debut Panel Hosted by Drama Desk

"MAKING MY BROADWAY DEBUT" PANEL

GATHERS BROADWAY STARS

CARRIE COON, SHALITA GRANT, RICHARD KIND, DEE NELSON,

JONNY ORSINI AND KEALA SETTLE

ON MONDAY, JUNE 17^TH at 6:30 PM

AT FORDHAM UNIVERSITY'S POPE AUDITORIUM

Quick Hit Theater Review: Far From Heaven

Far From Heaven
Book By Richard Greenberg
Music by Scott Frankel
Lyrics by Michael Korie
Musical Direction by Lawrence Yurman
Choreography by Alex Sanchez
Directed by Michael Greif

What's It All About?
Well, if you have seen the film written by Todd Hayes, you know. If you haven't it's about Cathy Whitaker (Kelli O'Hara), a 1950s housewife who has it all: corporate executive husband Frank (Steven Pasquale), two perfect kids (Jake Lucas and Juliana Rigoglioso), a country club best friend, Eleanor (the aways excellent Nancy Anderson), and a beautiful house in Hartford, CT (designed in framework by Allen Moyer and accented by projections designed by Peter Nigrini).

What more could the perfectly coiffed and outfitted (Catherine Zuber, costume design; David Brian Brown, wig and hair design) want? After all, her biggest concerns are planning a dinner party menu and making sure her overworked husband gets to their social engagements in time.

"Here Comes the school bus, tally ho!" she cheerfully sings as she sends the kids off with a smile before being interviewed by the Gazette's society reporter Mrs. Leacock (a delightful Mary Stout) who praises the model housewife for being kind to "negros" like her widowed landscaper Raymond Deagan (Isaiah Johnson) and his daughter, Sarah (Elainey Bass).

The world as Cathy perceives it comes crashing down, however, when she discovers that Frank has been putting in those late nights not at the office, but with another man. 1950s social mores don't allow for such deviant behavior and he goes to therapy to try to find a cure. Meanwhile, Cathy discovers the only friend she can be candid with is Raymond, but society frowns on a white woman and a black man spending time together too.
 
What are the Highlights?
A pleasing jazzy score with funny, clever lyrics with strong performances across the board from the excellently cast ensemble directed by Michael Greif (who directed one of last season's best musicals, Giant, at the Public and who teamed with Frankel and Korie on Grey Gardens). O'Hara, whose lovely soprano always is a treat to hear, is in fine voice here. "The only One," a duet by O'Hara and Johnson is a highlight among the songs, as is the opening number, "Autumn in Connecticut."

What are the Lowlights?
Characters other than Cathy are underdeveloped. We never quite develop enough of a relationship with Frank to understand his conflict. We don't know Raymond well enough either and the relationship between him and Cathy seems forced. There is a lot of good to work with here, though. I would love to see the show developed more, fine tuned and brought to a Broadway stage.

More information:
Far From Heaven has been extended Off Broadway at Playwrights Horizons, 416 West 42nd St., NYC, through July 7. Tickets and information: http://www.playwrightshorizons.org/.

Christians might also like to know:
-- Homosexuality
-- Homosexual activity
-- God's name taken in  vain
-- Sexually suggestive lyrics
-- Language

Vanya and Kinky Boots Take Top Tony Awards

The 2013 Tony Award winners (in red). For reviews, click the link under "2012-2013 Reviews" at right.

David Hyde Pierce, Sigourney Weaver, Kristine Nielsen, and Billy Magnussen. Photo: Carol Rosegg

Best Play

The Assembled Parties by Richard Greenberg

Lucky Guy by Nora Ephron

The Testament of Mary by Colm Toíbín

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang

Best Musical

Bring It On: The Musical

A Christmas Story, The Musical

Kinky Boots

Matilda The Musical

Best Revival of a Play

Golden Boy

Orphans

The Trip to Bountiful

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Best Revival of a Musical

Annie

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Pippin

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Best Book of a Musical

A Christmas Story, The Musical by Joseph Robinette

Kinky Boots by Harvey Fierstein

Matilda The Musical by Dennis Kelly

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella by Douglas Carter Beane

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

A Christmas Story, The Musical

Music and Lyrics: Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

Hands on a Hardbody

Music: Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green; Lyrics: Amanda Green

Kinky Boots

Music & Lyrics: Cyndi Lauper

Matilda The Musical

Music & Lyrics: Tim Minchin

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

Tom Hanks, Lucky Guy
Nathan Lane, The Nance
Tracy Letts, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
David Hyde Pierce, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Tom Sturridge, Orphans

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Laurie Metcalf, The Other Place
Amy Morton, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Kristine Nielsen, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Holland Taylor, Ann
Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

 

Bertie Carvel, Matilda The Musical
Santino Fontana, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Rob McClure, Chaplin
Billy Porter, Kinky Boots
Stark Sands, Kinky Boots

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Stephanie J. Block, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Carolee Carmello, Scandalous
Valisia LeKae, Motown The Musical
Patina Miller, Pippin
Laura Osnes, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Danny Burstein, Golden Boy
Richard Kind, The Big Knife
Billy Magnussen, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Tony Shalhoub, Golden Boy
Courtney B. Vance, Lucky Guy

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Carrie Coon, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Shalita Grant, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Judith Ivey, The Heiress
Judith Light, The Assembled Parties
Condola Rashad, The Trip to Bountiful

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Charl Brown, Motown The Musical
Keith Carradine, Hands on a Hardbody
Will Chase, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Gabriel Ebert, Matilda The Musical
Terrence Mann, Pippin

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Annaleigh Ashford, Kinky Boots
Victoria Clark, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Andrea Martin, Pippin
Keala Settle, Hands on a Hardbody
Lauren Ward, Matilda The Musical

Best Scenic Design of a Play

John Lee Beatty, The Nance
Santo Loquasto, The Assembled Parties
David Rockwell, Lucky Guy
Michael Yeargan, Golden Boy

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Rob Howell, Matilda The Musical
Anna Louizos, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Scott Pask, Pippin
David Rockwell, Kinky Boots

Best Costume Design of a Play

Soutra Gilmour, Cyrano de Bergerac
Ann Roth, The Nance
Albert Wolsky, The Heiress
Catherine Zuber, Golden Boy

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Gregg Barnes, Kinky Boots
Rob Howell, Matilda The Musical
Dominique Lemieux, Pippin
William Ivey Long, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer, Lucky Guy
Donald Holder, Golden Boy
Jennifer Tipton, The Testament of Mary
Japhy Weideman, The Nance

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Kenneth Posner, Kinky Boots
Kenneth Posner, Pippin
Kenneth Posner, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Hugh Vanstone, Matilda The Musical

Best Sound Design of a Play

John Gromada, The Trip to Bountiful
Mel Mercier, The Testament of Mary
Leon Rothenberg, The Nance
Peter John Still and Marc Salzberg, Golden Boy

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Jonathan Deans & Garth Helm, Pippin
Peter Hylenski, Motown The Musical
John Shivers, Kinky Boots
Nevin Steinberg, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Best Direction of a Play

Pam MacKinnon, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Nicholas Martin, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Bartlett Sher, Golden Boy
George C. Wolfe, Lucky Guy

Best Direction of a Musical

Scott Ellis, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Jerry Mitchell, Kinky Boots
Diane Paulus, Pippin
Matthew Warchus, Matilda The Musical

Best Choreography

Andy Blankenbuehler, Bring It On: The Musical
Peter Darling, Matilda The Musical
Jerry Mitchell, Kinky Boots
Chet Walker, Pippin

Best Orchestrations

Chris Nightingale, Matilda The Musical
Stephen Oremus, Kinky Boots
Ethan Popp & Bryan Crook, Motown The Musical

Danny Troob, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella 

Special Tony Award® for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre:
Bernard Gersten , Paul Libin and Ming Cho Lee

Regional Theatre Award
The Huntington Theatre Company, Boston

Isabelle Stevenson Award
Larry Kramer

Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre:
NYC Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg; Career Transition For Dancers; William Craver; Peter Lawrence; The Lost Colony ; The four actresses who created the title role of Matilda The Musical on Broadway - Sophia Gennusa, Oona Laurence, Bailey Ryon and Milly Shapiro.

 

 

My Predictions for the Tonys

Billy Porter and The Angels (L-R: Kyle Post, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Joey Taranto, and Paul Canaan) in Kinky Boots. Photo: Matthew Murphy

By Lauren Yarger
The Tony's will be announced tomorrow night at a star-studded event at Radio City Music Hall (watch on CBS beginning at 8 pm).
Some categories are slam dunks (Andrea Martin, for example). Others are neck-and-neck. The toughest competition will be between Kinky Boots and Matilda (I think Kinky Boots will prevail).

Here are my predictions. Happy Tonys! Check back MOnday for a full list of the winners.

Best Play

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang

Best Musical

Kinky Boots

Best Revival of a Play

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Best Revival of a Musical

Pippin

Best Book of a Musical

Kinky Boots by Harvey Fierstein

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

Kinky Boots Music & Lyrics: Cyndi Lauper

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

Tom Hanks, Lucky Guy

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

Billy Porter, Kinky Boots

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Laura Osnes, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Richard Kind, The Big Knife

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Judith Light, The Assembled Parties

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Terrence Mann, Pippin

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Andrea Martin, Pippin

Best Scenic Design of a Play

John Lee Beatty, The Nance

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Rob Howell, Matilda The Musical

Best Costume Design of a Play

Ann Roth, The Nance

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Dominique Lemieux, Pippin

Best Direction of a Play

Nicholas Martin, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

Best Direction of a Musical

Diane Paulus, Pippin

Best Choreography

Chet Walker, Pippin

Quick Hit Theater Review: The Caucasian Chalk Circle

Christopher Lloyd and Elizabeth A. Davis. Photo: Joan Marcus

The Caucasian Chalk Circle
By Bertolt Brecht
Transated by James and Tania Stern
Lyrics by W.H.Auden
Original Music by Duncan Sheik
Directed by Brian Kulick
Classic Stage Company

What's It All About?
Christoher Lloyd, a prolific stage actor, but probably more well know for the "Back to the Future" and  "Addams Family" films and TV's "Taxi," heads a good ensemble bringing to life Brecht's final play within a play about a young peasant girl who adopts a baby of noble birth, set here in the time following the fall of Lenin (literally-- his statue gets pulled down in the opening scene.) Lloyd is the storyteller as we see young Grusha (Elizabeth A. Davis) decide to care for the infant boy abandoned by his mother, the wife of the fallen governor (Mary Testa), as she makes an exit during the political upheval. Over time, Grusha keeps the boy (portrayed by a couple of creepy dolls) safe and loves him like her own, despite giving up her own chance at happiness with soldier Simon (Alex Hurt) and marrying an unpleasant man, Yussup (Jason Babinsky). The boy's high-born birth mother returns to claim him, resulting in a tug of war that requires a Solomon-like solution from judge Azdak (Lloyd).

What are the Highlights?
Music by Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening) and Lyrics by W.H. Auden? I'm in.
Davis (who was nominated for her turn in Once) gets to play the violin a little and there's some nice humor. When Grusha and Yussup get married an apologetic player (Tom Riis Farrel) tells us that "Due to the extravagant short sightedness of Artistic Management there are not enough members of the cast to make for a proper wedding party. We must to have wedding guests for the wedding. We promise not to accost you, touch you, or make you say any lines whatsoever." Volunteers from the audience then are clad in Anita Yavich's costumes and placed on the Russian-motif set designed by Tony Straiges so the wedding can take place. The friend who attended with me volunteered and now gets to say, with complete honesty at parties, that he has appeared on stage with Christopher Lloyd and Mary Testa....

What are the Lowlights?
Well, I'm not a big Brecht fan. It kind of wanders, especially in the second act, and I'd like to cut about a half an hour at least from the two-and-a-half-hour run time (there is an intermission). And the whole chalk-circle story of a wise judge deciding who a child's "real" mother is gets a better telling in its original form in the book of Solomon -- or even as the old tale from Confucius.
Kind of wish Lloyd had more humor to work with and that the oh-so-talented Testa had more to sing.

More Information:
The Caucasian Chalk Circle has been extended Off-Broadway through June 23 at Classic Stage Company, 136 East 13th Street.  Performances are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7 pm; Thursdays and Fridays at 8 pm; Saturdays at 3 pm and 8 pm; and Sundays at 3 pm. Tickets start at $60 for Tuesday through Thursday performances and $65 for Friday through Sunday performances. More info: www.classicstage.org.

Christians might also like to know:
-- Lord's name taken in vain
-- Language
-- Sexually suggestive dialogue and actions

Quick Hit Theater Review: Murder Ballad

Murder Ballad
Conceived by and with Book and Lyrics by Julia Jordan
Music and Lyrics by Juliana Nash
Choreography by Doug Varone
Directed by Trip Cullman
Union Square Theatre

What's It All About?
A love triangle gone wrong, cleverly set in a bar. The action takes place behind and on top of the bar, set up in between two sections of seats facing it. Actors also venture up into the seats under the direction of Trip Cullman. The story is told by a singer/narrator (Rebecca Naomi Jones). When Sara (Caissie Levy) and badboy Tom (Will Swenson) break off their hot and heavy relationship, she turns to steady Phd. Michael (John Ellison Conlee) and despite her self loathing and distrust of people, she fins something "normal" in him and they settle down and have a child. Sara has it all, but feels trapped. She starts to think about Tom and they reunite leading to tragic consequences.

What are the Highlights?
Really great concept (we're seeing more and more of this inclusive theater) with super good music and direction. The bar is functional. You can purchase refreshments there prior to the show, then enjoy them during. The lyrics are exceptional and drive the rock opera where all of the voices blend perfectly. We know someone will die -- the title is Murder Ballad, after all, but we're not really sure who or how. One plot point, that I won't divulge in the interest of not spoiling it for you, was an irritation to me throughout the show until the very end when the answer revealed sheer genius in the libretto. The music contains chords and notes that convey the emotions of the characters. I felt exhausted at the the end of the 90 minutes with no intermission -- but in a good way.

What are the Lowlights?
Sometimes it is hard to hear all of the words due to volume. Because the lyrics are so crucial, it's hard to follow the action unless you pay strict attention.

More information:
This very good musical from Jonathan Larson winner Nash played a sold-out engagement at Manhattan Theatre Club before making this Off-Broadway transfer to the Union Square Theatre, 100 East 17^th St., NYC. The strictly limited nine-week engagement runs through Sept. 29.

Christians might also like to know:
-- Language
--Sexual moves
-- God's name taken in vain