"The Thugs"

Photo credit:  Band of Toughs

Playwright:  Adam Bock

Venue:  We’re House Performing Arts Center, 5763 Arapahoe Avenue, Unit P, Boulder, CO

Company:  Band of Toughs

Date of Performance:  Friday, October 19, 2012

Running Time:  90 minutes (no intermission).

Work is a four letter word.  We trade time for money.  We are expected to please the boss, even if he or she is clueless.  We put up with it despite the drudgery and the constant friction between the “leadership” and the assorted misfits who pass for co-workers.  It almost doesn’t matter what the workplace is; we sell our time and talent to the highest bidder and then try to survive a toxic environment, one day at a time. 

“The Thugs” is a 90 minute visit with seven characters trapped in a modern “Myth of Sisyphus.”  It’s a little scary; I recognized many of the characters from my own work experience: 

·      The one who sucks up to the boss and snitches on the rest of us. 

·      The boss who is clueless. 

·      The slacker who pretends to work.

·      The one who whispers gossip, just to stir things up.

·      The co-worker who is a little crazy, takes credit for your work, and whines to the boss when he or she isn’t getting enough attention.

I know these people.  And chances are you do too.

Adam Bock’s script (he also authored one of my favorite new plays, "A Small Fire") tosses these “temp” worker stereotypes into a mind-numbing task:  reviewing class action documents at a law firm.  That task can suck the heart and soul out of any sane person. Mercedes (Colleen Mylott) and Elaine (Cynthia Ward) don’t start out with a particularly good grasp on their sanity.  The others start losing theirs as well as the focus turns from work to survival.

The performances here are spot on.  Colleen Mylott (Mercedes) is the perfect snitch.  She’s socially deficient, insecure, and on a never ending, but futile, search for acceptance.  Elaine (Cynthia Ward) is a perfect mix of pouty, provocative, and brief episodes of becoming slightly unhinged.  Laura Ann Samuelson (Daphne), the gum chewing slacker whose boyfriend knocks her around, is bound for tragedy.  Bart (Matt Madsen) is the crew’s gossiper, and he nails it. 

Fortunately, there is one temp who seems fairly normal.  Mary (Alana Eve Burman) tries unsuccessfully to bring the crazies back from the edge.  In one of the best scenes in the show, she takes a two minute vacation from the whole mess, putting on her headphones and dancing to the music in her head.  That two minute dance reminds us that we all need to escape the craziness from time to time, even if it’s just a brief respite. 

Director Rebecca Easton carefully paces the show by raising and lowering the lighting between scenes to demonstrate the passing of time.  Some of those scene changes resemble photographs; the characters are briefly seen posed in a realistic portrait.  The effect is quite extraordinary. 

Easton also makes creative use of the limitations of the warehouse space. The stairway needed to get backstage becomes an access to the rest of the world.  The banker boxes stored upstage provide seclusion for Joey to confront Daphne.  Easton injects abundant doses of reality into the entire performance; when the crew goes to lunch, they are eating real food at their desks and tables.

This production is a quirky, interesting venture into a working world we know.  It’s a place we go to every day, and escape from every night.  It doesn’t matter whether you work in a law office, a restaurant, a hospital, a school, or anywhere else.  You’ll see the same characters in every work place.  This play works because it holds up a mirror to our lives.

If you’re looking for interesting, edgy theater that will entertain you and perhaps enlighten you, check out “The Thugs.”  You will definitely enjoy the performances, the characters, and the tasks they have.  Heads up, though.  You may look at work differently on Monday morning when you punch in.

NOTES: 

This show runs through Saturday, November 3, 2012.  If you haven’t been to this venue before (or to the nearby Avery Brewery), leave a little early.  It’s in a complex of small businesses, set back from the street.  Be careful where you park; some of the available spaces are reserved for other businesses. 

Director:  Rebecca Easton  

Production Designer:  Andrew Metzroth

Sound Designer:  David Ortolano

Cast:

Diane:  Joan Bruemmer

Mary:  Alana Eve Burman

Chantal:  Gustine Fudickar

Joey:  Kevin Lowry

Bart:  Matt Madsen

Mercedes:  Colleen Mylott

Daphne:  Laura Ann Samuelson

Elaine:  Cynthia Ward

"The Giver"

Photo Credit:  Denver Center Theater Company.

Author:  Lois Lowry

Adapted for the stage by:  Eric Coble

Venue:  The Ricketson Theatre, 1101 13th Street (Denver Performing Arts Center), Denver, CO

Company:  Denver Center Theatre Company

Date of Performance:  Saturday, October 13, 2012

Running Time:  1 hour, 15 minutes (no intermission).

“Utopia is that which is in contraction with reality” 

Albert Camus, “Between Hell and Reason.”

“The Giver” gives us a view of an alternate reality, and that reality is someone’s version of Utopia.  It’s a perfect place.  All difficult decisions have been made years ago.  Correct decisions are imposed on the population, so no one has to suffer the consequences of his or her poor decisions.  Everyone is polite, happy, and without any substantial worries.

But this place is not really perfect.  Far from it.

Life here is programmed; there are no deviations.  Those who are deemed unsuitable for the community are “released.”  “Releasing” is a process for making certain that the unsuitable person will not create any disruption to the community.  Ever.

“The Giver” is taken from Lois Lowry’s successful (Newbery Medal, 1994) novel of the same name.  The plot poses an important question for the 12 year old protagonist:  should he stay in his home, where he will never know love, emotions, color, or freedom, or should he run away to pursue a fuller life?  It’s a great premise, and “The Giver” tells the story through its target audience:  children.

My mixed feelings about this production require a disclaimer:  what follows is personal opinion.  Your personal opinion may differ, and that’s fine.  Take my opinion for what it’s worth.  If it’s worth nothing to you, feel free to discard it.  Opinions are subjective, and mine is as valid (or as invalid) as any other.

I very much liked the performance.  The actors were all very capable, and the child actors were especially so.  The set was eye popping.  When the backdrop lit up, I literally sat up straight in my seat.  The technical effects were impressive; it snowed on stage.  The lighting was imaginative.  Director Christy Montour Larson is a gifted director who has had an outstanding 2012 (see, for example, “9 Circles” and “Red”), and “The Giver” has her personal touch.  This is, in every sense, a production of the quality we all expect from the Denver Center Theatre Company (DCTC).

 

That said, though, I have reservations.  Those reservations are principally related to the script, over which the DCTC has no control. 

I may be old fashioned, but dystopian works, be they novels or plays, are more appropriate, in my view, for adults than children.  It’s not that I have a problem with children being exposed to subjects that require critical thinking on complicated subjects.  Quite the contrary, children should be encouraged early on to think outside the box and to challenge the world they will inherit.

My principle problem is that “The Giver,” along with some other contemporary dystopian works (for example, “The HungerGames”), involve the torture and/or murder of children.  I realize that kids now see more violence on TV and in video games than I’ve probably seen in my lifetime, but that doesn’t comfort me.  “The Giver” includes “releasing” a newborn identical twin baby.  Perhaps that doesn’t disturb children, but it disturbed me.

The DCTC has designated “The Giver” as part of its Youth Series.  DCTC offered workshops and study guides to teachers to help them effectively present “The Giver” to their students.  That’s a great service to teachers, but whether it’s a great service to students is an open question for me. 

That’s quite enough of my reluctance to expose children to such unpleasant concepts. So here’s a final thought about this script.  I found the last scene of the play abrupt, unexplained by the script, and unsatisfying.  Since I don’t do spoilers, you’ll have to see or read “The Giver” yourself to understand my objection. 

If you are wondering if I can recommend “The Giver,” the answer is yes.  It’s a dynamite production of a script I’m not crazy about.  You may disagree with my view of the script.  If so, you will definitely like this excellent DCTC production.

NOTES: 

This show runs through Sunday, November 18, 2012. 

Director:  Christie Montour-Larson

Scenic Designer:  Robert Mark Morgan

Cast:

Father:  Timothy McCracken

Mother:  Diana Dresser

Lily:  Aliza Fassett/Amelia Modesitt

Jonas:  Jackson Garske/Alastair Hennessy

Asher:  Gabe Koskinen-Sansone/Evan Sullivan

Fiona:  Brynn Gauthier/Isabel Sabbah

Chief Elder:  Billie McBride

The Giver:  Philip Pleasants

Voice of Speaker:  Hilary Blair

"Visiting Mr. Green"

Playwright:  Jeff Baron

Venue:  Cherry Creek Theatre, 2414 East 3^rd Avenue, Denver, CO

Date of Performance:  Saturday, October 13, 2012

Running Time:  2 hours, 20 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).

“Visiting Mr. Green” throws two unlikely characters together into a situation neither expects or enjoys.  Mr. Green, (Joey Wishnia) a retired dry cleaner, and Ross Gardiner (Cajardo Lindsey), a 29 year old corporate type, meet when Gardiner “almost” hits Green with his car as he crosses a street in New York City.  Gardiner’s community service sentence is to visit and assist Green once a week for six months.  The sentence apparently is meant to punish both of them.

Joey Wishnia

It turns out that both Green and Gardiner have hidden issues with their family relationships.  And therein lies the appeal and message of “Visiting Mr. Green.”  Chances are pretty good that we all have family relationship issues. “Visiting Mr. Green” holds up a mirror to the audience, provoking some soul searching about who we have loved, who we have lost, and whether we can ever recover from the broken relationships. 

Joey Wishnia must have a couple of rooms full of acting awards.  His resume includes work on several continents, and acting in no less than nineteen of Shakespeare’s plays.  As Mr. Green, he is a cranky curmudgeon who recently lost his wife of 59 years.  He’s abrasive but approachable, self centered but compassionate.  Wishnia plays the role to the hilt, bringing a frisky playfulness to the character.

Cajardo Lindsey

Cajardo Lindsey (as Ross Gardiner) has his hands full with Wishnia’s Mr. Green.  Lindsey brings his own impressive resume to the Cherry Creek Theater (CCT) stage, and measures up extremely well with his older, experienced co-star.  There may well come a time when Lindsey’s resume will rival Wishnia’s.

The talent these two accomplished actors bring to the CCT stage make “Visiting Mr. Green” a powerful adventure.

A great theater experience does not always require the elaborate sets, special effects, and resources of a Broadway extravaganza.  A simple set, a thoughtful script, and a talented cast and crew can provide the necessary ingredients for an unforgettable evening of theater.  And that is exactly what you get here.

As CCT founder Mark Rossman pointed out before the show, audiences at Shakespeare’s original productions had no chairs.  Everyone stood through the whole performance.  It had to be pretty uncomfortable, but who among us wouldn’t have loved to see Shakespeare at the Globe…with or without comfortable seating?

The good news is that you won’t have to stand to see “Visiting Mr. Green” at CCT.  In fact, the chairs are quite comfortable.  That said, though, you will be watching the performance in what is normally a sales venue for exotic rugs. The lighting is minimal, as is the set.  There are no special effects, no curtains, and no microphones.  Nevertheless, in this unlikely minimal setting, theater magic happens.

Like Shakespeare at the Globe in 1599, Joey Wishnia and Cajardo Lindsey show us the power and the substance of theater done well.

NOTES: 

This show runs through Sunday, October 28, 2012.  Parking is limited, and seating is general admission.  Arrive early enough to walk from nearby Cherry Creek Mall parking areas.

Producer/Director:  Pat Payne  

Set Designer:  Richard Pegg

Cast:

Mr. Green:  Joey Wishnia

Ross Gardiner:  Cajardo Lindsey

"Avenue Q"

Princeton.  Photo Credit:  Boulder's Dinner Theatre

Music/Lyrics:  Robert Lopez & Jeff Marx

Book:  Jeff Whitty

Venue:  Boulder’s Dinner Theatre, 5501 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder, CO

Company:  Boulder’s Dinner Theatre, 5501 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder, CO

Date of Performance:  Thursday, October 4, 2012

Running Time:  2 hours (includes 20 minute intermission).

Hypothetical question:  Assume you’re a producer of Broadway musicals.  Someone wants to pitch an idea to you.  It’s a contemporary musical, using puppets, and it’s described as “Sesame Street Meets South Park.”  It’s got everything:  music, humor, satire, sarcasm, gay puppets, monsters, racism, and it asks the musical question:  “What Do You Do With a B.A. in English?”  (The irony of asking that question in Boulder was not lost on the audience.)

Oh.  It also has puppets doing naughty things.

So…as a producer, do you green light this project and invest millions of dollars in it?  No…of course you wouldn’t.  Neither would I. 

And we would both be wrong. 

“Avenue Q” won the Tony Awards “Triple Crown” (Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book) in 2004.  And as Boulder’s Dinner Theatre amply demonstrates, “Avenue Q” deserves the awards, recognition, and praise that have been heaped on it since its debut.

The plot is Sesame Street simple.  Princeton (Brett Ambler) is an unemployed twenty something college graduate lost in the city and looking for his “Purpose.”  Boy puppet Princeton meets girl puppet Kate Monster (Ellen Kaye).  Girl puppet falls in love with boy puppet.  You can probably see where this is going, but revealing more would spoil the fun. 

The entire production is first rate from start to finish.  The two-story set is both impressive and functional.  The lights, sound, and live music are seamless.  And the stars of the show, the puppets, are colorful, creative, and in their own way, beautiful. 

But the not so secret ingredient here is the cast that Director Scott Beyette has put on the BDT stage.  Actors in “Avenue Q” do not just deliver their lines.  They perform as if they are the puppets, bringing their characters alive through a hand held prop.  It’s amazing to watch; the cast here totally blurs the line between puppet and actor.  They become one presence with two parts. 

BDT Avenue Q Cast.  Photo Credit:  Boulder's Dinner Theatre

This is a very strong ensemble; there is no weak link.  They bring the right mix of playfulness (“It Sucks to Be Me,” “My Girlfriend Lives in Canada,” “I’m Not Wearing Underwear Today”) and emotion (“A Mix Tape,” “It’s a Fine, Fine Line”) to the music.  They are high energy, talented actors, and the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.  They are truly a pleasure to watch on the BDT stage.

Neal Dunfee’s live musicians are hidden behind the set; they are heard but not seen.  That’s a shame, because they are pitch perfect. 

“Avenue Q” is not exactly a conventional Broadway musical.  It’s NOT “The Sound of Music.”  It delves into some sensitive subjects (“If You Were Gay,” “The Internet is for Porn”), and it offends nearly everybody (“Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist”).  “Avenue Q” is a risky offering for Boulder’s Dinner Theatre.  Producing Artistic Director Michael Duran deserves a great deal of credit for bringing it to the BDT stage. 

I probably wouldn’t have invested in the original concept.  That would explain why I’m neither a Broadway producer nor wealthy beyond my wildest dreams.  I would have totally missed the boat on a genuine hit show.  

“Avenue Q” may not be for everybody, but for Boulder’s Dinner Theatre company, this production is an artistic triumph.  For the rest of us, it is a rare and special treat.  If you don’t have tickets, get them.  Now. 

NOTES: 

This show runs through Saturday, November 3, 2012.  This production includes adult themes and adult language.  Not recommended for children. 

For those who prefer family friendly fare, Boulder’s Dinner Theatre has often brought you great theater, such as “Cinderella.” 

Families will also be pleased with upcoming productions of “The Gift,” and “The Differentest School of All.”  Both productions are part of Boulder’s Dinner Theatre “Kids Kabaret” program.) 

If “Avenue Q” is not for you, book the family for any of the “Kids Kabaret” programs, or “42^nd Street” (opens November 9, 2012) or “The Wizard of Oz” (Summer 2013).

Director/Choreographer:  Scott Beyette  

Costume Design:  Linda Morken

Music Conductor:  Neal Dunfee

Cast:

Princeton/Rod:  Brett Ambler

Kate Monster/Lucy the Slut:  Ellen Kaye

Trekkie Monster/Nicky/Boy Bad Idea Bear:  Seth Caikowski

Gary Coleman:  Ashlie-Amber Harris

Brian:  Scott Beyette/Brian Jackson

Christmas Eve:  MariJune Scott

Mrs. Thistletwat/Girl Bad Idea Bear:  Tracy Warren

"The Play About The Baby"

Playwright:  Edward Albee

Venue:  Germinal Stage Denver, 2450 West 44th Avenue, Denver, CO

Company:  Germinal Stage Denver

Date of Performance:  Sunday, August 12, 2012

Running Time:  1 hour, 50 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).

Ed Baierlein ("The Man") and Deborah Persoff ("The Woman") in "The Play About The Baby" (Westword)

  

Here’s what you need to know about Germinal Stage Denver’s “The Play About the Baby”:

·      It’s disturbing.

·      It’s confusing.

·      It will challenge you.

·      It’s brilliant.

Albee’s script is the textbook definition of “theater of the absurd.”  Things are not what they seem; in fact, they may well be quite the opposite.  Words are just words; they are vague, ambiguous, and sometimes meaningless.  The characters find themselves in an improbably, in fact, unbelievable situation.  Logic is lost.  The crisis is severe, but it cannot be resolved on this stage.  The absence of a resolution is frustrating, but Albee was never interested in giving us solutions.

This script would be a disaster in the hands of a lesser playwright.  For Albee, though, “The Play About the Baby” is a playground for words and ideas that ricochet loudly off the walls as the audience tries to fathom what they are seeing.  If your head is spinning ten minutes into the first act, you are having the correct Albee experience.  If the first ten minutes (or any ten minutes) of the play make perfect sense to you, you’ve probably seen this play multiple times.  Comprehension may come with the repetition…but I doubt it.

Albee uses the illogical events on stage to confront the audience with important questions.  Foremost among those important questions is “what is real?”  How do we know if something is real or imagined? 

Albee asks us whether it matters.  Is an imaginary crisis any more or less urgent than an actual crisis?  And if that crisis is imaginary, is there no value or lesson that can be taken from it?

If the script is challenging (and it obviously is), the cast here is more than equal to the task.  Deborah Persoff never has a bad day onstage, and “Baby” is no exception.  Watch her carefully in the first act, as she becomes increasingly drunk before your eyes.  I started to wonder if it was real vodka in the decanter…she was THAT good.

Deborah Persoff/Ed Baierlein

Ed Baierlein brings exactly the proper balance of deadpan delivery and philosophical guidance to his character.  “If you haven’t had the wound of a broken heart, how can you know if you’re alive?” he asks the Boy and the Girl.  Being young and innocent, they haven’t had that experience.  And given the circumstances, the question of whether they are alive is a very pertinent one.  Baierlein makes them ask the question but gives them no hope of answering it.

Cole Cribari and Kelsey Kaisershot

The Boy (Cole Cribari) and the Girl (Kelsey Kaisershot) struggle with a rapidly disintegrating reality.  Their characters run the gamut of emotions.   We see the Boy and the Girl display their lust, passion, fear, anger, sadness, anxiety, guilt, and shame.  The display of a rainbow of emotions is extraordinary, and a joy to watch.

 

Director Tad Baierlein, to his credit, brought a wise sensitivity to the nudity here.  He stages two completely naked actors so that they are entirely visible to every seat in the house, but the action is so fleeting as to avoid the audience gawking at the sight.  In a theater that puts every seat within 30 feet of the stage, he deftly manages the shock of naked bodies without making either the actors or the audience overly uncomfortable.

As the play ends, we still don’t know what is real.  What happened to the Baby?  Where is the Baby?  Is there a Baby?  Was there ever a Baby?  Does any of it matter? 

Germinal Stage Denver is truly a local gem.  From the recent “A Streetcar Named Desire” to the French classic “The Misanthrope” and now to “The Play About the Baby,” GSD provides the audience with works that are important at a time when most theaters are focused on what’s popular and profitable.  For years, GSD has been the go to stage for theater that matters. 

It’s easy to give audiences what they want.  Germinal Stage Denver gives us what we need. 

NOTE: 

This show runs through Sunday, August 26, 2012.  This production includes adult themes and adult language, as well as nudity.  Not recommended for children.

Director:  Tad Baierlein  

Costume Design:  Sallie Diamond

Production Manager:  Lauren Meyer

Cast:

Man:  Ed Baierlein

Woman:  Deborah Persoff

Girl:  Kelsey Kaisershot

Boy:  Cole Cribari

Photo Credits:  Westword and Germinal Stage Denver.

Comic Con Con Comedy

Photo Credit:  Theater Company of Lafayette

Playwrights:

CP Stancich  (scene changes and “Comic Con Finale”)

Clyde James Aragón (“Gila Monster Man to the Rescue!”)

Madge Montgomery  (“American Way”)

Emily Golden (“Bombicon”)

Erich Toll (“Hero Sandwich”)

Karen Goodwin (“The Bat Who 

Loved Me”)

Sheri Flannery Verrilli (“Joisey?!! SURE!”)

Ryan Armstrong (“The Adventures of Super Duck and Team Apocalypse”)

Audrey Gab (“Light Speed Dating”)

Brett Hursey (“Kung-Foolery”)

David Vardeman (“Weird Saga”)

Michael D. O’Hara (“To Boldly Go”)

David Golden (“Rhaptonstall Lives!!!”)

Venue:  Mary Miller Theater, 300 East Simpson Street, Lafayette, CO

Company:  Theater Company of Lafayette, Lafayette CO

Date of Performance:  Thursday, August 9, 2012

Running Time:  2 hours, 25 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).

It could have been Halloween in August at the Mary Miller Theater.  Super Heroes, Wonder Vixens, “Bull Steer,” Lois Lane, Princess Leia, Catwoman, Retractor, Soap Woman, Termite Boy, Jersey Devil…well, I think you get the idea. 

“Comic Con Con Comedy” (CCCC for short) is the result of The Theater Company of Lafayette (TCL) writing competition.  TCL puts out an annual request for scripts based on a specific theme.  CCCC was developed from more than 240 sketches submitted by playwrights from all over the country.  The basic requirements were that the sketches must deal with a Comic Convention theme and run for 2-8 minutes each.  Each of the 13 sketches and 7 scene changes are stand-alone performances, unrelated to what came before and what comes after.  That is a creative twist with both benefits and risks.

 

I have to admit that I’m not a comic book fan, nor am I likely to show up in a Darth Vader costume at any event, anywhere,  but CCCC forced me to look differently at those who are comic book convention fans.

The show opens with a scene change (I know…that would seem unnecessary).  We meet the “Gaffer,” who, one could say, sets a sufficiently goofy tone for all that follows. 

“Gila Monster Man to the Rescue!” follows the Gaffer, and if you don’t have flashbacks to the “Star Wars” cantina scene, I’m guessing you never saw the film.  And the comparison to a science fiction classic is meant as a compliment.  The assorted characters (“Gila Monster Man,” E-Ray Beam Girl,” “Giant Eyeball” guy, “Incredible Flying Grub”) on the stage are nearly as creative, crazy, and scary as the ones created by George Lucas, and they’re definitely funnier. 

Photo Credit:  Jeremy Papasso/ColoradoDaily.com

CCCC succeeds, sometimes with goofy stories and characters, and other times with solid, poignant moments.  For example, “Hero Sandwich” needs little humor to make a serious point.  Erik Wilkins’s alter ego is “Bull Steer,” a caped crusader with the big “BS” on his chest.  As he admits to Lois (Heather Kaskinen), he’s not really a Super Hero, he just plays one at conventions.  Kaskinen, who plays her role with equal parts of confusion and fascination, asks BS what he does in real life.  When he admits he’s “just a teacher”, she’s impressed.  Who are the real Super Heroes in our midst?  Teachers, it turns out, are on the list, and rightly so.  Wilkins and Kaskinen make “Hero Sandwich” one of the high points in CCCC.

It’s not difficult to play Comic Conventions for laughs; the humor almost writes itself.  What’s difficult for the playwrights is to add substance to the humor.  Like “Hero Sandwich,” the “Light Speed Dating” episode gets some easy laughs, but makes a point in the process. Rachel Ricca does an eye popping belly dance that will forever change how I remember “Star Wars.”  But it’s not the sexy Leia who gets the date; it’s Mary (Lisa Morse-Moore) who has a special appeal.  She’s a normal person, and in the crazy CCCC alternate reality, a normal person stands out…in a good way.  It’s the moments of substance that elevate CCCC above just being a comedy; it’s also a sensitive look at those who have the courage to dress up in their fantasies.

Given that the 13 playwrights did not collaborate at all, CCCC can also seem somewhat disconnected at times.  Kirsten Jorgensen-Smith and Lisa Lowrey deliver two of the best performances in the production with “Weird Saga.”  It’s funny, it’s provocative, and it’s convincing.  If any of the sketches could be expanded into a full script, I’d vote for “Weird Saga.”  But it just didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the script. 

“American Way” was another disconnect for me.  I know just enough Spanish to get a little bit of the dialog in both languages, but I didn’t get enough humor or substance from either version to link up “American Way” with the theme. 

Saving the best for last, the “Comic Con Finale” features the only music in the show.  It brings 28 actors (I think that may be everybody in the company) onto a very small stage for a rousing mash-up of the Beatles “Oh Blah Di Oh Blah Da.”  Not only is it a toe tapping, finger snapping, sing along end to the show, but it also gives Abby Read a chance to cut loose.  It’s not easy to stand out on a stage with 27 other performers, but Abby makes it look easy.  She’s fun, she’s goofy, and you won’t be able to take your eyes off her.  The finale is a great ending to an evening filled with fun, laughs, and Abby dancing “like no one’s watching.”

“Comic Con Con Comedy” is on a very short run; two weekends and its gone.  If you like innovative, creative and risky ventures, make sure you get a ticket.  You’ll be supporting live theater and new talent.  And trust me.  You don’t have to be a comic book fan to have a great time.

NOTE: 

This show runs through Sunday, August 19, 2012.  Appropriate for all ages.  Get in the spirit of the show; wear your favorite Super Hero costume.  You might even win a prize.

Directors:  Brainard Starling, Kirsten Jorgensen Smith, Madge Montgomery, Vonalda Utterback, Brian Miller.  

Set Design/Construction:  Chris Pash

Costume Design:  Julie Vance

Lighting Design:  Brian Miller

Keyboards:  Howard Lee Smith

Cast:

Glenn Spitz, Erik Wilkins, Abby Read, Mitchell Dow, Pam Bennett, Rachel Cohen-Birzer, Tania Guzman, Doug Hawkins, Kirsten Jorgensen Smith, Heather Kaskinen, Fayth Krause, Dorothy Lee, Lisa Lowrey, Lisa Morse-Moore, Susanne Neswadi, Rachel Ricca, Artemus Samarzia-Martin, Fred Sandal, Richard Walter Sotelo, Brainard Starling, Vonalda Utterback, Ash Vanscoyic, Seth Whitehair-Hardyway.

"Spring Awakening"

Sources:  based on the play by Frank Wedekind (“Spring Awakening:  A Children’s Tragedy”).  Book/lyrics by Steven Sater.  Music by Duncan Sheik.

Venue:  Aurora Fox Main Stage, 9900 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora, CO

Company:  Ignite Theatre (a program of LucentPerforming Arts), Denver CO

Date of Performance:  Sunday, August 5, 2012

Running Time:  2 hours, 20 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission).

The title, “Spring Awakening” sounds inviting; one thinks of the first sights, sounds, and smells when winter melts away, the world is reborn.  However, that’s not what this play is about.  There is no melting away of winter, no rebirth, no blossoms, no sense of renewal.  Instead, the “Spring Awakening” is a dark dose of reality about the transition from teen to adult.

The original work was titled “Spring Awakening:  A Children’s Tragedy.”  Yes…tragedy.  This is NOT a festive romp in the park.  It’s a rock musical.  And it is definitely a tragedy…and a poignant one at that.

The original Spring Awakening/Tragedy was written by Frank Wedekind in 1891.  That makes this story 121 years old this year.  Despite the gap of more than a century, this Ignite Theatre production is fresh, crisp, alive, and highly relevant to those teens currently “coming of age.” 

The themes here include sex education (“Please mother…talk to me…”), teen pregnancy, teen suicide, and abortion.  All are relevant today, and, in fact, are still the source of many real life tragedies every day.

Jack Thomas

Brooke Singer

The young lovers in the cast (played by Brooke Singer and Jack Thomas) are not just convincing--their chemistry onstage is very real.  They awkwardly fumble through their first sexual encounter with a combustible passion that “ignites” the stage.  Singer and Thomas bring emotion to their roles, and superb voices to their music. 

Director Amy Osatkinski is creative; she put a lot of actors on the stage, including a number who were more often spectators than performers.  The chorus/Adults/”Chairs” of Rock sat on benches at each side of the stage while the others performed.  It was a bit disorienting at first, but as the play develops, you realize that these performers/onlookers are dressed in contemporary clothes.  The effect is to bring both the 19^th and 21^st century characters together on the stage.  They are literally connected, occupying the same space.  The clothes may be different, but the issues, the problems, the crises are the same.  And the mix of 19^th century actors and 21^st century spectators on the same stage works. 

If I have any quibble with the production, it’s the sound.  It is, at times, frustrating.  While the mix of instruments and voices seemed appropriate (the band did not drown out the singing), there were times when the lyrics were muffled, muted, or otherwise unintelligible.  It could be a problem with the microphone levels, but more likely it is a result of the poor acoustics in a World War II era Quonset hut.  Whatever the cause, it was a bit of a distraction.

“Spring Awakening” is a dynamic, powerful musical tragedy of substance, well staged by Ignite Theatre.  It’s an ambitious, sensitive, and powerful production.  You will spend a couple of hours reliving the problems we all have becoming adults.  It may, in fact, force you to confront unpleasant memories of your own childhood. 

Any play that makes us look at our hopes, our dream, our fears and our failures is a very good one indeed.  “Spring Awakening” is that kind of play.

NOTE: 

This show runs through Sunday, August 26, 2012.  It has adult themes, adult language, and nudity.  Although it deals with teens coming of age, it is probably appropriate only for mature teens over 15. 

Ignite Theatre is dedicating its performances of “Spring Awakening” to the victims of the July 20 tragedy in Aurora.  The performance I saw was dedicated to Jesse Childress.   Ignite Theatre will be making donations to "Giving First" for victims of the theater shootings.  You can do the same here. 

Rest in Peace, Mr. Childress, and thanks, Ignite Theatre, for recognizing the tremendous loss to the Aurora community at the Century 16 Theater that day.

Director:  Amy Osatkinski

Set Design/Construction:  Mike Uhlenkamp

Costume Design:  Laura High and Jennie Patten

Choreography:  Cameron Turner

Musical Direction:  Blake Nawa’a

Cast:

Andy Anderson (“Adult Males”)

Valerie Igoe (“Thea”)

Suzanne Nepi (“Adult Females”)

Brooke Singer (“Wendla”)

Jack Thomas (“Melchior”)

Chris Russell (“Moritz”)

All photos courtesy of Ignite Theatre and Lucent Performing Arts. 

Photography:  Poshtography by Simone, Official Photographer for Ignite Theatre.