Ring of Fire

 

Conceived by:  Richard Maltby, Jr.

Music and Lyrics by:  Johnny Cash

Company:  Lake Dillon Theatre Company

Venue:  Lake Dillon Theatre, 176 Lake Dillon Drive, Dillon CO 80435

Running Time:  1 hour 55 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission)

Date of Performance:  Friday, September 5, 2014

Ring of Fire is a Johnny Cash bio musical that appeals to a lot more folks than just those who were big fans of The Man In Black.  It also appeals to everyone who values a true piece of Americana.  Cash's music had, and still has, a nearly universal appeal, combining country music with rock influences, creating the brand new genre called Rockabilly.  In truth though, Cash conquered nearly every genre, from country to rock, from gospel to blues, and from folk to pop.

Ring of Fire is less a tribute to the man than to his music.  No actor/musician plays a Cash character per se; rather they all play his music and narrate important points in Cash's life story.  We hear about his dirt poor upbringing in Arkansas, his brother's death, his rocky start at Sun Records in Memphis, his breakup with his wife, his descent into drugs, and his love story with June.  These are all compelling moments, and the cast puts their hearts and souls into these peaks and valleys of the Cash legend.


Jessica Kahkoska
 

Ring of Fire tells those stories through Cash's music, so it takes an enormously talented cast to make this show work.  Lake Dillon Theatre Company's cast is exactly that:  enormously talented.  Each and every one of them is a true triple threat:  they sing, they play multiple instruments, and they act their hearts out.  Jessica Kahkoska is the only woman on stage, and she takes no back seat to her four male counterparts.  She can rock the music with all of them, and she can sing a sweet solo (Waiting on the Far Side Banks of Jordan) that can bring tears to your eyes.

Her four male castmates do a bang up job on every song they do, but especially on an acapella version of Memphis.  Director Chris Alleman and Music Director Cameron Kinnear turn them loose with some unusual but very effective percussion instruments.  It works very well; the music is reduced to a primal prison beat with stark lyrics.  The effect is both magical and unforgettable.



Ben Whitmore
 

Ben Whitmore appears in black in the second act, singing a soulful and penetrating The Man  In Black. The image is striking; Whitmore in a long black coat, playing his guitar, and sounding like the Man himself.  Cash, a Christian fundamentalist, wore black for the poor, the hungry, the prisoners, the soldiers who fight and die, and for those who can't or won't hear The Word.  Whitmore's performance is touching and poignant; Cash's lyrics are still as relevant today as when he first wrote it.

There's a lot of red meat here for Cash fans:  I Walk the Line, Folsom Prison Blues, Ring of Fire, Egg Sucking Dog (Keith Potts obviously loves this one), Hey Porter, Jackson, I've Been Everywhere, Sweet Bye and Bye, Cry, Cry, Cry, If I Were a Carpenter, and the very personal Five Feet High and Rising.  Each is a Cash classic; all are performed with an infectious energy fitting the Cash legacy.  There's also a decidedly politically incorrect tune here.  It's OK to cringe.  Cash displayed his outlaw persona in some of his music, and Delia's Gone is one of those.  It's a reminder that Cash knew the seamier side of life, and it's not a surprise that his music sometimes reflects questionable values.  (Or, perhaps Delia's Gone might just be a song with a sense of humor, like A Boy Named Sue.  In that case, I just don't see the humor.)
Music Director and Sound Designer Cameron Kinnear had a difficult task in the small space at Lake Dillon; he needed to keep the music loud enough to let the audience sense the power, but without blowing them out of their seats.  Kinnear made a decision to keep the music acoustic, as opposed to amplified.  In such a small space, it was a very wise choice.

Ring of Fire is a dynamite production, well worth the trip to Dillon (a 2.5 hour drive for us).  I have a couple of quibbles with it (actors at times seem only half lit, and a few of the songs seem to exceed the range of the cast), but that doesn't change the bottom line.  Ring of Fire is a toe tapping, knee slapping, sing along good time.  You WILL leave the theater wits a song in your heart.  Whether it's Jackson or Folsom Prison Blues, or one of Cash's many other hits, you will feel enlightened, entertained, and impressed by Johnny Cash and by the Lake Dillon Theatre Company's production.  Cash was a true American musical genius; he may be missed but he is not forgotten.

NOTES:

There is ample public parking on Lake Dillon Drive, including several handicapped spots in front of the theater.

This show closes on September 21, 2014.  This show is suitable for all ages.  Although they may not remember the music, kids very well may like this show anyway.


Pre or post show dining suggestion:

The Dillon Dam Brewery, 100 Little Dam Street, Dillon, is a large local pub and brewhouse.  You can get a variety of Dam Good Beers, on draft, of course.  Burgers and traditional pub fare is available, as well as a kids menu (not always available in brewpubs).  I recommend the spinach salad and the Dam Straight Lager.  Kind of a healthy meal with lots of hops...

Tickets HERE.

Photo Credits:  Lake Dillon Theatre Company

Creative Team:

Director:  Christopher Alleman

Musical Director:  Cameron Kinnear

Scenic Design:  Benjamin Whitmore

Lighting Design:  Jacob Welch

Sound Design:  Cameron Kinnear

Costume Design:  Michelle B. Hathaway


Cast/Musicians:

Jessica Kahkoska

Kevin Alan

John Hays

Keith Potts
Benjamin Whitmore

A Steady Rain

Playwright:  Keith Huff

Company:  The Edge Theater Company

Venue:  The Edge Theater, 1560 Teller Street, Lakewood CO, 80214.

Running Time:  1 hour 50 minutes (includes 10 minute intermission).

Date of Performance:  Sunday, August 31, 2014

Powerful, dark, and provocative, A Steady Rain is a sort of "good cop"/"bad cop" show, except that neither cop is really a "good cop."  One has sins of commission, the other has sins of omission.  They both suffer from a serious flaw:  they are human beings who happen to be cops.

Keith Huff's script is a taut drama, telling the stories of Denny and Joey, two cops who are not just partners, but childhood friends who grew up in the gritty Chicago neighborhood they now patrol with a badge and a gun.  It's a tough place to be a cop.  There are constant reminders that evil really exists in the dark corners of the human soul.

Huff tells his story through Denny and Joey, but they are not the only characters.  They're just the characters we actually see.  We have to imagine the others.  A pimp.  A hooker.  Denny's wife.  Denny's son.  They all play major roles without ever appearing on the stage.  Even so, we feel like we know them.

The Edge puts Denny and Joey on a dimly lit stage with two stools.  In the background, there is what looks like a darkened alley blocked with a chain link fence.  The entire room evokes the brick walls of tenement buildings that surround the audience.  Set designers Remiglio S. Velez Jr., Erika Kae have created a space that immerses the audience in those mean streets that Denny and Joey go to every day..."to serve and protect."  The stools, however, are the only set pieces these actors need to tell the story.  The rest of the set is strictly background, used for setting the dark mood of ghetto justice.

Kyle Boisvert's sound design provides the constant sound track of steadily falling rain.  It rains...and rains...and rains...as if "something let loose."  Boisvert creates a three dimensional rain; the raindrops seem to be coming from every part of the room.

Kevin Taylor's lighting design keeps the actors lit in an otherwise dark environment.  The story is dark, the stage is predominantly dark, but the actors are constantly lit to extraordinary effect. 

Denny (Rick Yaconis) & Joey (Scott Bellot)

 Rick Yaconis is Denny, the "bad cop" who has created a parallel reality where corruption and violence are legitimate tools for keeping the peace.  His prime directive is protecting the good people from the evil ones, whatever that takes.  When he's brought under scrutiny by others, he "can't see the logic."  He is, in every sense, a renegade cop, answering only to himself.  Yaconis has the attitude and the moral emptiness down; his Denny is human, and he is fatally flawed.  His sins are the ones of commission; he desperately defends his family from the evil that he himself provoked.

Scott Bellot (Joey) is sympathetic and sensitive; the complete opposite of Yaconis' Denny.  Bellot is convincingly conflicted about both Denny's corruption and Denny's wife.  Bellot has a gift of understatement.  He comes off as a guy who knows right from wrong, but who doesn't always know what to react to what is "wrong."  The result is that his sins of omission are sometimes as damaging as Dennys' sins of commission.

Terry Dodd's direction has a personal edge to it; his father was a police officer.  He does his father justice here, bringing an "edge" to the cast and the entire production.  There's not a false note in anything Dodd has done with A Steady Rain.  His connection to a real police officer, who was also his father and probably his hero, is a valuable asset he uses to his advantage.

Scott Bellott (Joey)

As one would expect, The Edge Theater has put on a compelling production of A Steady Rain.  Despite a few fumbled lines, one cannot help but be shocked and moved by A Steady Rain.  It's a punch in the gut.  Those seeking moral clarity will be left clutching at straws; A Steady Rain offers no such clarity.  Rather, it offers us a harsh, brutal reality where morality is a luxury that cannot be exercised without first having security.  

Police officers are routinely asked to sacrifice their own personal safety for the safety of the community.  Being a cop is more similar to being a soldier than any other profession that comes to mind.  Soldiers are expected to be wounded and sometimes killed in performing their duties; the same can be said for police officers.

However, unlike in the military, we do not permit police officers the "luxury" of a free fire zone, where it's kill or be killed.  There can be no "collateral damage" for a police officer.  They deal with the criminals, the trouble makers, the insane, and the truly evil elements of society daily.  We expect them to use deadly force as a last resort, and we are quick to condemn those officers who don't understand that expectation.

It is an unlikely coincidence that A Steady Rain at the Edge Theater opened shortly after Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson, Missouri.  The parallels are striking, from the accusations of racism to a dead victim, killed by a police officer.

Once all the facts are available, we'll have a better understanding of why an unarmed African American teenager was shot dead on the streets of Ferguson this summer.  If deadly force was not the last resort, there will be one less police officer on the streets of Ferguson.  Sadly, that is also the result of the unjustified use of deadly force in A Steady Rain.

Denny and Joey are human beings put into a virtually impossible situation; they must "serve and protect" in circumstances that threaten their lives and those of their families.  Given the difficult choices that must be made, there will certainly be mistakes.  Those mistakes will always have tragic consequences. 

A Steady Rain is engaging, provocative theater.  You may have a more sympathetic view of your police department after you see it.  Or, you may have a less sympathetic view.  

Whichever side you come down on, you will have a better understanding of the police profession, and the men and women who serve in it.  Any play that increases our understanding of those who protect and serve is doubtless a play well worth seeing.  A Steady Rain IS that play, and I recommend it to all who care about their security, their safety, their family, and the moral codes we share.  (I think that should be all of us.)

NOTES:  

A Steady Rain contains strong language and intense scenes.  No one under 16 is admitted without parental consent.

There is ample street parking around the theater.  If needed, there are extra spaces on the cross streets and in the shopping areas nearby.

This show closes on September 28, 2014. 

Pre or post show dining suggestion:  

The Yard House, 14500 W. Colfax in Lakewood, has a terrific menu, a rocking happy hour (3:00-6:00 PM, 10:00 PM to close), and the biggest selection of craft/draft beers you'll find anywhere.  With more than 100 beers on tap, you're sure to find one to suit your tastes.  It's located at the east end of the Colorado Mills Shopping Center.  It's about a 15 minute drive between the restaurant and the theater, weather and traffic conditions permitting.   

Photo Credits:  The Edge Theater Company

Tickets HERE.

Director:  Terry Dodd

Scenic Design:  Remiglio S. Velez Jr., Erika Kae

Lighting Design:  Kevin Taylor

Sound Design:  Kyle Boisvert

Fight Choreographer:  Scott Bellot

Costume Design:  Caroline Smith

Cast:

Denny:  Rick Yaconis

Joey:  Scott Bellott

Bug

Playwright:  Tracy Letts

Company:  Equinox Theatre Company

Venue:  Bug Theatre, 3654 Navajo Street, Denver CO 80211

Running Time:  2 hours (includes 15 minute intermission)

Date of Performance:  Friday, August 29, 2014 (Opening Night Performance)

Bug is the kind of story we are all familiar with, at least in theory.  We know these characters exist, even if we've never personally encountered them.  And if we have encountered them, we probably made sure it was a one time event.  They are not the kind of folks with whom one has strong social connections.  

You may see them on street corners, panhandling for change.  You may see them gathering at homeless shelters or soup kitchens.  They are real people.  People on a downward spiral, unemployed, probably unemployable, and often with some level of mental illness.  

Tracy Letts gives us these destitute, desperate, lonely, and doomed characters, not to preach to us, but simply to make us look at them.  It's like watching a train wreck in slow motion.  Don't even try to look away.  You can't.

Jennifer Bass (Agnes) and Luke Sorge (Peter)

Agnes (Jennifer Bass) is living in a flea bag motel room, getting high with her best friend RC (Lisa Young), and trying to evade her abusive ex husband Jerry (Luke Terry), who just got out of the slammer.  She has lingering depression from losing her son Lloyd, and she has no plan to change a single thing in her life.  

As if that weren't enough challenge for Agnes, she becomes emotionally involved with Peter (Luke Sorge), an AWOL military veteran with some very strange ideas.  Neither Agnes nor Peter are looking for a relationship, but both are lonely, desperate people, thrown together in a bottomless swamp of drugs, alcohol, and bizarre conspiracy theories.  Stuff happens, and that's not always a good thing.

Without engaging in spoilers, I think it fair to say that this story does not end well.

The Equinox cast is strong and up to the challenge of the deep dive Letts has written for them.  Jennifer Bass, in her Denver acting debut, is a sassy, smart, but totally vulnerable Agnes.  Her descent into madness is both convincing and scary; Bass makes the implausible believable and the inevitable tragic.  

Lisa Young (RC) bounces about, probably the happiest of the sorry lot of characters on the stage.  She has an infectious smile and a mischievous manner that make her instantly likable.  She is the single beacon of sanity in the script, which explains why Agnes ends up kicking her out of the motel room.  

Cast, L-R:  Lisa Young (RC), Luke Terry (Jerry), Jennifer Bass (Agnes), and Luke Sorge (Peter)

It is, though, Peter (Luke Sorge) who is the center of our attention.  Sorge is a compelling, capable actor who makes Bug a powerful theater experience.  When we meet Peter in the first act, he is a likable but introverted loner.  Sorge is flawless as the shy guy who doesn't want to impose on anyone, and he is extremely scary as he loses his mind before our eyes. One never doubts his tailspin from passably and possibly normal to raving, homicidal lunatic. It is a frightening but amazing transition to watch, as Sorge sinks into a black hole of insanity and takes Agnes with him.  This is not a role for just any actor; it requires a full range of emotions and the ability to go off the deep end on cue.  Sorge has those qualities in abundance.  There were several times during his performance when I heard audible gasps from the audience. Those gasps, in my view, are a striking barometer of audience engagement, and it was obvious that Sorge's performance had connected deeply with everyone in the room. 

The backstage crew is always critical, but for Bug, the makeup artist (Jessamyn Geesaman) and the fight choreographer (Luke Allen Terry) are nearly as important as the actors.  Geesaman's makeup is bold and gruesome. Terry's fight choreography is spot on.  Without giving away much of the story, I will simply recommend that the audience take notice of how realistic the knife fight is in the second act.  

Co-directors Deb Flomberg and Patrick Brownson have demanded a great deal from their cast and crew. It is only when we reach down inside ourselves that we learn what we can really accomplish. Flomberg & Brownson demanded excellence. They got it. 

For all it's troubling, gruesome subject matter, I think Bug is well worth the considerable commitment it asks of it's audience.  This is a trip to the side of town we avoid. We know where it is, and we may even know some of the faces of its citizens.  But we drive by, and we look the other way. We don't want to see the reality of the desperate people who live there.  Tracy Letts forces us to look. 

Whether you consider people like Peter and Agnes to be responsible for their own bad decisions, or whether you consider them to be victims of a broken system, you will have a very difficult time rationalizing the consequences. You may be repulsed by the story, but I guarantee that you will not be able to look away from it.  And I guarantee that you will remember this play for a long time. 

Jennifer Bass (Agnes) and Luke Sorge (Peter)

NOTES:  

Disclaimer:  the first paragraph of this review is personal; I've had little exposure to the problems of Agnes, RC, and Peter.  To the extent my personal experience is due to being white, middle class, and from a semi privileged childhood, my experience is not universal.  For that, I am very thankful.  Your experience may vary substantially.  

There is a public parking lot at the northwest corner of Navajo and 37th Avenue, a very short walk to and from the theater.  There are several art galleries in the neighborhood, so if you arrive early, consider browsing.  To find the theater, take Federal or Pecos to 38th Avenue, and go east.  Turn south on Navajo.

This show closes on September 20, 2014.  

This show includes adult language, adult situations, and partial nudity.  There is drug use and violence.  Leave the kids, including teenagers, at home.  Adults should consider the subject matter also; be prepared for a powerful but disturbing evening.

Pre or post show dining suggestion:  

We dined with friends before the show at Rodizio's Grill, 1801 Wynkoop Street, Denver, 80202. It's a Brazilian steakhouse with an extensive soups, sides, and salad bar.  Gaucho servers bring the meats to your table skewered on a sword, and slice off as much or as little as you like.  Meats include Brazilian tri tip, garlic sirloin, and glazed ham and pineapple. It's a tad pricey; the prix fixe full meal is $34.99, plus drinks and dessert.  

Rodizio's is about a 15 minute drive to theater in good traffic and weather, so plan accordingly. Parking is sparse.  The restaurant is next door to the newly remodeled Union Station. Stop by and check it out if you haven't been there yet.

Tickets HERE

Photo Credits: Equinox Theatre Company

Creative Team:

Directors:  Deb Flomberg & Patrick Brownson

Scenic Design/Lighting:  Colin Roybal

Sound Design:  Deb Flomberg

Fight Choreography:  Luke Allen Terry

Makeup/Effects:  Jessamyn Geesaman

Costumer:  Kristi Siedow-Thompson

Cast:

Peter:  Luke Sorge

Agnes:  Jennifer Bass

RC:  Lisa Young

Jerry:  Luke Terry

Dr. Sweet:  Jim Landis

Dead Man's Cell Phone

Playwright:  Sarah Ruhl

Company:  Theater Company of Lafayette

Venue:  Mary Miller Theatre, 300 E. Simpson Street, Lafayette CO, 80026.

Running Time:  2 hours (includes 10 minute intermission).

Date of Performance:  Saturday, August 23, 2014

Dead Man's Cell Phone opens in a cafe, where the daily specials are on the white board:  Lobster Bisque and lentil soup.  We see Gordon from the back, and Jean, at another table, facing us, working at some task.  They are total strangers to each other.  The silence is interrupted by Gordon's ringing cell phone.  Gordon ignores it, Jean is annoyed by it.  The ringing phone is intrusive, disruptive, and persistent.  Jean finally gets up and confronts Gordon about it.

Despite Jean's complaints about his ringing cell phone, Gordon is unresponsive.  That's because Gordon is dead, sitting straight up in his chair at the cafe.  Dead, but not forgotten; his cell phone rings incessantly.

We are all pretty much like Pavlov's dog with ringing phones...they MUST be answered.  So Jean takes Gordon's phone, and answers it.  She never met Gordon, so she can't help the caller much, other than to say he's not able to come to the phone.  So she takes a message.  

Ruhl's script has Jean adopting an imaginary, if brief, relationship with Gordon, permitting her to answer Gordon's cell phone every time it rings.  Each time she answers, she pretends to know Gordon, trying to help the caller deal with Gordon's persistent unavailability.  The script has several messages for us, not the least of which deals with our technological connection to, and our technological disconnection from, other people.

It turns out that Gordon was a complicated guy; his business was not just questionable...it was illegal.  He had wife, a brother, a mother, and a mistress.  Of course, that business and those relationships made some problems for Jean nearly every time she pretended to know Gordon.  Some hilarity ensues, but the this is a comedy where the message is superior to the medium.

Theater Company of Lafayette (TCL) embraces Dead Man's Cell Phone with a great deal of enthusiasm and energy; the production is fast paced and seamless.  Director Vonalda Utterback has a team of four stage hands who quickly move numerous set pieces between scenes in a what seems like a choreographed dance.  Utterback makes great use of a small space, as well as a tiny backstage area.

This is TCL's first production using their updated, state of the art LED lighting system.  Lighting designer Brian Miller put the new lights through their paces, using minimal lighting for the scene changes, and lighting each scene appropriately for a church, a cafe, or a home.

Fight choreographer Stephanie Roscoe brings realism and some hard knocks to Jean (Erica Young) and Carlotta's (Krystal Jakosky) knock down, drag out melee.  The set design (Pam Bennett, Chris Pash) is functional and minimal.  Bennett and Pash have created a set that cleverly maximizes the limited flexibility of a stage that has some serious limitations.

It is the performances, though, that will stick with the audience.  They are uniformly serious, fun, passionate, and emotional.  Gordon (Dean Espitallier) is a dead guy with no lines whatsoever in the first act, but he comes out alone at the start of the second act and knocks it out of the park.  We get a full explanation/rationalization of his "business," and some insight into his demise.  Espitallier is a confident, articulate, and fairly likeable Gordon, considering his substantial moral conflicts.  

Erica Young (Jean) & Dean Espitallier (Gordon)

Erica Young is the naive but persistent Jean.  Young appeared in The Other Place last year, and here again shows her full range of acting skills.  She's devoted to a dead man's cell phone, inserting herself into his life after he stopped living.  Young makes this somewhat unlikely premise credible; she's sufficiently neurotic, compulsive, and innocent to sell the story.   

Jay Miller (Dwight) is Gordon's under loved little brother with a justified inferiority complex.  Miller squints and grins, starved for attention, as he tries to compete with his dead brother.  Miller is a comedy lightning rod; he can get a laugh just by changing the expression on his face.

Katherine Myers (Hermia) & Erica Young (Jean).

There are no slackers in this cast.  Katherine Myers (Hermia) delivers one of the best inebriated scenes in recent memory.  Madge Montgomery (Mrs. Gottlieb) is perfect as Gordon and Dwight's mother, equally loving Gordon and ignoring Dwight. Krystal Jakosky (Carlotta) is scheming, sexy, and tough as nails.

The subtitle for Dead Man's Cell Phone is "a beguiling comedy."  There are some laughs here, but as I mentioned above, the messages are the real substance.  The message that hit home for me is an important one:  we all leave loose ends when our time is up.  Gordon had no advanced warning, and he frankly left a huge mess for others when he died.  In my personal experience, even with ample warning, we will ALL leave loose ends when we die.  

If you understand that your time is insufficient for all you need to do, you will be compelled to make the best possible use of the time you have.  To me, that is the central message of Dead Man's Cell Phone.  

Dead Man's Cell Phone is entertaining and enlightening.  What more could one ask for?  This is a fine production of an interesting script, done with skill and enthusiasm.  If you haven't seen it, you have until September 6 to get a ticket and get to the Mary Miller Theater.

NOTES:  

This show has adult content and adult language.  Use your discretion if you're thinking of bringing teenagers.  

The lobster bisque in the cafe gave me a flashback to an old, but often controversial TV show:  Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.  There's an episode about death by chicken soup.

There is ample street parking on Simpson Street and on the cross streets in the neighborhood. 

There are no restaurants in the area, but the Odd13 Brewing Company is across the street from the theater.  They do not serve food, but have regular food truck service outside the brewery.

This show closes on September 6, 2014. 

Pre or post show dining suggestion:  

Since there are no restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the theater, we stopped by The Rex, 817 Main Street in Louisville.  The restaurant is located in one of the oldest buildings (1908) in Louisville, and it was formerly used as a movie theater.  The interior is decorated with a wide array of movie posters.

It's about a 15 minute drive from the Rex to the theater, depending on traffic and weather.  The Rex has rooftop dining (recommended in good weather.  The Rex burgers (highly recommended) are among the best in Colorado.  

Photo Credits:  Theater Company of Lafayette

Director:  Vonalda Utterback

Scenic Design:  Pam Bennett, Chris Pash

Lighting Design:  Brian Miller

Sound Design:  Tina Cich

Fight Choreographer:  Stephanie Roscoe

Costume Design:  Kim deJager

Cast:

Jean:  Erica Young

Gordon:  Dean Espitallier

Mrs. Gottlieb:  Madge Montgomery

Hermia:  Katherine Myers

Dwight:  Jay Miller

Carlotta/Stranger:  Krystal Jakosky

Ensemble:  Joe Illingworth

Art

Playwright:  Yasmina Reza, translated from the French by Christopher Hampton

Company:  Springs Ensemble Theatre

Venue:  Springs Ensemble Theatre, 1903 E. Cache la Poudre Street, Colorado Springs CO, 80909.

Running Time:  90 minutes (no intermission).

Date of Performance:  Saturday, August 16, 2014

Art.  

A single word describes Yasmina Reza's cultural/relationship drama.  The title Art  is a metaphor for the minimalist style of abstract paintings, but instead of a solid "color field", Reza gives us a simple, single "word field" that tells us everything we need to know about the play.  

Can a four by five foot canvas, with only a simple, white color field, really be art?  Can there be a message or meaning in what appears to be a blank canvas? 

Mark Rothko, Abstract Expressionist, thought so, at least if the color field is Red. Serge (Emory John Collinson) agrees.

Untitled (Red).  Mark Rothko, (1956).

Serge is a dermatologist who has just purchased a blank, white, abstract "masterpiece" for 200,000 French francs, the equivalent of about $40,000 US dollars at the time the play was written.  He shows the white canvas to his friend Marc (Aaron Jennejahn), who immediately deems it a "piece of white shit."  The ensuing scenes follow the conflict, first about whether a white canvas can be art, but ultimately about whether friendships can survive conflicts  over artistic values.

Reza's script is at turns funny, profound, and highly emotional.  Art is about ideas, relationships, and conflict.  It is provocative.  It is weighty.  It is complicated.  And it is as richly rewarding for its point about abstract art as it is for its point about friendships.

Springs Ensemble Theatre (SET) brings Art to life on a tiny stage with black leather furniture.  In the black box of the room, the white canvas is underscored by the straight, clean lines of the black chair and love seat.  Director/Scenic Designer Sarah Shaver gives us a set that immediately reinforces the white color field theme of the script.  

Cast, L-R:  Emory John Collinson (Serge), Matt Racliffe (Yvan), Aaron Jennejahn (Marc).

Emory John Collinson as Serge is appealing but pompous; he considers himself superior to those like Marc who don't appreciate modernism.  Collinson skillfully shows us Serge with a super sized ego, eager to criticize others for what are arguably his own worst faults.  He considers Marc to be smug and arrogant; perhaps Serge has no mirrors in his apartment.  Collinson's performance is filled with intriguing facial gestures that punctuate his lines.

Aaron Jennejahn is marvelous as Marc, matching Collinson's self-righteous pomposity at every turn.  Jennejahn is a perfect foil for Serge, challenging his world view and his sincerity with relentless retorts.

Matt Radcliffe (Yvan) is the peacemaker for Serge and Marc, although trying to make that peace is a fool's errand.  Rather than resolving problems between Serge and Marc, Yvan becomes the target of their anger.  Radcliffe is wonderful; he brings a sense of both innocence and impotence to the conflict.  When he becomes agitated, Radcliffe is at the top of his game.  His anger, his confusion, his frustration, and his impatience all boil over.  After all his attempts to resolve the conflict, he finally takes Marc's side about the white canvas.  Radcliffe's conversion from arbitrator to advocate is priceless.

If I have any quibble with Art, it's that the French terms used in the script were passable, but not very authentic.  A dialect coach for the actors would have been a wise addition to the crew.

SET has put together a fine production of an excellent script.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see it until near the end of the run.  It's too late to buy a ticket, but that doesn't change my recommendation.  Art is an engaging, provocative, and immensely rewarding experience; I highly recommend it, even though that recommendation is too late.

NOTES:  

This show is suitable for teens and up.  That said, though, the subject matter may not appeal to younger teens.  The concepts and relationship issues are beyond the life experiences of some adults; younger teens may not relate well to the subjects. 

SET has ample parking; if the lot is full at the front of the theater, there is an empty school parking lot across the street.  There are no restaurants or bars in the area, so plan accordingly.

This show closes on August 17, 2014. 

Pre or post show dining suggestion:  

Since there are no restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the theater, we stopped by the Colorado Mountain Brewery (CMB), 1110 Interquest Parkway, Colorado Springs.  CMB was recently visited by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, who announced that "Meatloaf Wellington has taken over Colorado!!"  I can't confirm that; nobody at our table ordered the meatloaf.  

It's about a 15 minute drive from the CMB to the theater, depending on traffic and weather.  CMB has ample patio dining, with a marvelous view of the front range and the Air Force Academy (AFA).  Try the pulled pork sandwich (yummy).  One of the local brews, 7258 Blond Ale, is named for the altitude at the AFA.  According to our waitress, the CMB founders were affiliated with the AFA...thus the location of the restaurant and the name "7258" Blonde Ale.

Photo Credits:  Springs Ensemble Theater, Jess Weaver

Director:  Sarah S. Shaver

Scenic Design:  Sarah S. Shaver

Lighting Design/Stage Manager:  Jenny Maloney

Sound Design:  David Plambeck

Fight Choreographer:  Max Ferguson

Costume Design:  Emory John Collinson

Cast:

Serge:  Emory John Collinson

Yvan:  Matt Radcliffe

Marc:  Aaron Jennejahn

Sylvia

Playwright:  A. R. Gurney

Company:  Ashton & Abster Productions

Venue:  Avenue Theatre, 401 17th Avenue, Denver CO, 80203.

Running Time:  2 hour, 15 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).

Date of Performance:  Friday, August 15, 2014 (Opening Night)

John Ashton (Greg) at The Avenue Theater

Whether your pet is a dog, a cat, or some other creature, you've almost certainly wondered at some point "what is he/she thinking?"  Of course, you'll never know.    And that mystery is a large part of the power of Sylvia.

Sylvia, you see, is a stray dog that Greg (John Ashton) finds one day in a park.  He's charmed, seduced, and he falls in love with "Sylvia" (it's the only ID he can find on her tags).  Greg brings her home, naively miscalculating how much disruption she will bring to his life.

A. R. Gurney's script gives Sylvia (Amie MacKenzie) a voice.  She speaks to us, giving us an insight to what our own dogs/pets might say.  Fair warning: Sylvia can toss out some F bombs, along with her canine insights.  That said, Gurney gives Sylvia a charming personality,and a total devotion to her master, Greg.  

Greg's wife, Kate (Abby Apple Boes) is disinterested in Sylvia (or any other dog, for that matter), to the point of open hostility.  Therein lies the conflict in Sylvia; Greg ultimately has to choose which female he wants in his life.  He cannot have both Kate and Sylvia.  

The script requires one to accept that Greg has an unhealthy but deep platonic love for his dog.  At some point (and Greg is WAY beyond this point), it becomes a mental health problem.  Greg's behavior is extreme, even for dog lovers.  You will want to accept this unlikely premise, because the payoff is worth it.  Sylvia's charm easily overcomes Greg's insanity. and we all benefit from Sylvia's insights and playfulness.

This Ashton/Abster Production is a reprise of Sylvia from some years ago, reuniting the original cast for a new romp through the non-stop laughs in Gurney's script.  They are all intimately familiar with their roles, which they attack with relish and respect simultaneously.  It's a marvelous script, and the cast knows how to make it sing...and bark.

Amie MacKenzie (Sylvia).

Although they struggled somewhat with their vocals for Cole Porter's Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye, the cast is uniformly excellent.  Amie MacKenzie's role as Sylvia is very physical; she spends a great deal of her stage time on her hands and knees.  MacKenzie never seems to tire of crawling on the stage, all while accurately demonstrating the mannerisms of every dog I have ever known.  To say that she is a convincing actress in Sylvia doesn't do her justice; it's better to say that she is a convincing dog.  Anyone who has any doubts about MacKenzie's ability to portray a dog need only watch her reaction to cats.

John Ashton is marvelous as Greg; his emotional commitment to both the females in his life is never in doubt, and when he finally makes his choice between them, the tears in his eyes are real.  Abby Apple Boes is strong as well, making Kate a loving but frustrated wife who forces a confrontation with Greg but then makes a difficult transition seem plausible.  

Tupper Callum (Tom/Phyllis/Leslie)

It is Tupper Callum, though, who steals the spotlight every time he is on stage as Tom, as Phyllis, and as Leslie. He masterfully plays all three roles, one male, one female, and one of undefined gender, and triumphs with all three.  Callum is fetching in drag as Phyllis, and casually androgynous as Leslie.  He brings a delicious mix of comedic mischief and dramatic seriousness to each of his peculiar characters.  

Pamela Clifton's direction is fast paced and focused.  She added some nice touches, such as the garbage can in the park.  Clifton uses it to deposit a large bag of dog poop with a thud, drawing audible "ewwws" from the audience.

As Sylvia says to Greg, "I'm a mystery."  She's right.  We can never know what our pets are thinking.  Sylvia lets us explore that mysterious gap between people and their pets, and the result is intriguing.

Sylvia has been produced multiple times in the last few years in Denver.  If you've seen it before, you should see it again.  This cast is recreating their original roles, bringing their experience and a huge amount of talent to the Avenue Theater stage.  If you've never seen Sylvia, now is the time to buy a ticket.  Whether you're a dog lover, a cat lover, or never had a pet, you'll be charmed by getting inside Sylvia's head.  This is a laugh out loud show with something for everyone.  

It's a no-brainer to recommend Sylvia.  I simply need to tell you this:  the house was nearly full for opening night, and the audience gave the cast a long, enthusiastic and well earned standing ovation.  

Buy a ticket.  You'll be charmed, entertained, exhilarated, and delighted by Sylvia.    And you too will be on your feet hooting, hollering, and clapping as the actors take their bows.

Cast, L-R:  Abby Apple Boes (Kate), John Ashton (Greg), Tupper Callum (Tom/Phyllis/Leslie), Amie MacKenzie (Sylvia).  And I think that might be Bob in front...

NOTES:  

This show is suitable for teens and up; the sometimes crude language may not be appropriate for younger children.  

The Avenue Theater is in one of the most densely populated parts of Denver.  Street parking is your only option, so allow sufficient time to circle the block a few times.  There are a number of restaurants and bars within 2-3 blocks of the theater.

Lucky

FULL DISCLOSURE:  I am now a part owner of a couple of dogs (my wife Roxie has two long haired daschunds).  They're both charming, but Lucky is one of the most intelligent creatures I have ever met.  I have no way of knowing what she's thinking, but I do know that she is ALWAYS thinking.  I wish she could talk, like Sylvia.  I know we could have some VERY interesting conversations.

This show closes on September 6, 2014. 

Pre or post show dining suggestion:  

It's only 3 blocks away at 700 E 17th Avenue, but it's a world apart from your standard comfort food.  Hamburger Mary's is gay, fun (the menu lists appetizers under the category of "Foreplay"), and delicious.  All, including heterosexuals, are welcome.  We had the Cilantro Lime Shrimp Salad and the fish and chips; both are delicious.  Oh...and by some coincidence, our waitress' name was "Mary."  Really.  

Tickets HERE.

Photo Credits:  Avenue Theater

Director:  Pamela Clifton

Scenic Design:  Patrick Gerace

Lighting Design:  Seth Allison

Costume Design:  Those Who Wear Them

Cast:

Sylvia:  Amie MacKenzie

Greg:  John Ashton

Kate:  Abby Apple Boes

Tom/Phyllis/Leslie:  Tupper Cullum