Ithaka—Artists Repertory—SW Portland

The Way Back Home

This world premiere drama is playing at Artist Repertory Theatre at their location at SW Alder St. & 16^th Ave.  It is written by Andrea Stolowitz and directed by Gemma Whelan.  It will be playing through June 30^th.  For further information, go to their website at www.artistsrep.org or call 503-241-1278.

Sometimes you have to make a long and tough journey to get home.  It is not a place, as much as it is a state of mind, a safe haven, the roots of who you are.  Ithaka is that ideal for Odysseus, after he has completed his journey through body and mind and soul.  Dorothy also had to go to Oz and back, just to discover how valuable Home was.  Ithaka is always just…out there…elusive…almost out of reach…the gold at the end of a rainbow.

Lanie (Dana Millican) is on such a journey.  A returning war vet, she is experiencing nightmares, hallucinations and flashbacks.  Her husband, Bill (Paul Angelo), tries to understand, but his expectations are unreal, as he wants everything back to normal, the way it was.  For Lainey, it will never be “the way it was” or, possibly, even “normal.” 

And when her cat, Pixie, is lost, it’s like living parts of the war all over again, with losing soldiers she cared about and was responsible for.  She snaps and decides to embark on that fateful journey, like Odysseus.  She and a mate, Evie (Danielle Purdy), decide to drive to the state line and ride the Desperado, a roller coaster they rode as kids.  It just might be her ticket to Ithaka, the safe place in her childhood.

But things don’t go so well there, as the screaming starts, and she is committed to a Psycho ward.  There she meets her caretaker, Jacob (Victor Mack), who really does understand what she going through.  After being released, she decides to go back home and, along the way, meets her cat, who gives her some very good advice about letting go.  She also visits the mother of one of the soldiers that was killed, E. M. (Valerie Stevens), and exposes the guilt that she has been feeling for making decisions in which other people were killed.

The play ends on a hopeful note.  The journey is never really over but steps have been taken to restore a certain type of sanity to her world.  “The world is too much with us,” a poet once said.  Another writer expounded, that a journey begins with a step, putting one foot in front of the other then continuing that process.  For Lainey, she has taken a giant, first step.

Stolowitz’s play is a microcosm of the world of returning vets.  It wisely concentrates on just one person and her personal journey, but expanded, it would represent them all.  Survivor’s guilt, taking responsibility for one’s actions, choices being made and trying to find one’s place in the “normal” world, are all addressed here.  The character of Odysseus at the opening, I think, is unnecessary and the fact that we never see the husband again, after the first scenes, seems incongruous. 

But the addition of the cat and her conversation with it, is pure genius.  It is an inventive piece and gently, even humorously, brings in the thoughts of choices being made by all concerned, and how one must let the dead go, so that they can continue their journey, too, as we, ours.

The set (Tal Sanders), albeit simple, is also quite inventive.  The story takes place in a bedroom, a kitchen, a hospital room, a car, a living room, a battlefield, and roller coaster.  And yet it is changed from one to the other is a few seconds. And Whelan’s direction keeps the action flowing and she seems to have a keen understanding of the story.

Millican is super as the main character.  She has a naturalistic style which makes it appear that she is not even acting.  And she jumps from one emotion to other in a split second.  Purdy is equally as good as both the cat and Evie.  Two distinct characters and she is believable as both.  She, too, has a natural talent and is very watchable.

Mack is powerful in his scene as the caregiver.  His monologue on how the war affected him is quite riveting.  Angelo, as the husband, is good, as he sincerely conveys his frustration in trying to help but seems to be just making it worse.  And, Stevens as the mother of a dead war vet, has some touching moments.

I recommend this play but, be warned, it has some rough language and is concerned with adult subject matters.  If you do choose to go, tell them Dennis sent you.

Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls—Theatre Vertigo—SE Portland

An Endless Dream

This production is written by Naomi Ilzuka and directed by Jen Wineman.  It will be playing at their space at 3430 SE Belmont St. until June 8^th.  For further information go to their website at www.theatrevertigo.org

Have you ever had one of those dreams, which had all sorts of odd things going on, and people in them that you really don’t know, but think you do, and it all makes perfect sense, until you wake up.  Now picture a dream like that, only you don’t wake up.  It just keeps going on and changing and you try to make sense out of it but you can’t.  That is generally the flavor of this show.

There is no plot, as such, but just characters weaving their way through an undefined universe.  There is Will (Joel Harmon) wandering aimlessly through life trying to find love and is eaten by some animals, but suddenly morphs into a gay stockbroker, Richard, filthy rich and also looking for love and meaning in life.  Then there is Will’s former girlfriend, Vivian (Brooke Calcagno) who get dumped by him and finds love eventually with Wendy (Beth Thompson), a very verbose actress, who will sleep with anyone of either sex.

But before Vivian finds her mate, she takes over as a teacher at a school in the Big Apple and then moves to Alaska to grow plants and, oh, yes, she has a child named Billy (Tom Mounsey) who grows at an alarming rate.  And Will’s new girlfriend (before he gets eaten), Joy (Zoe Rudman), also looks for love in all the wrong places.  And Myrna (Britt Harris), a teacher, abandon’s her vocation and decides to become Santa Claus.

Meanwhile, Peter (Mario Calcagno), a fussy pet store (with no mammals) employee becomes disillusioned with his job and becomes an airline clerk and then a lifeguard and then finally, a lizard.  And Jason (R. David Wyllie), a surfer dude, also moves to Alaska.  Martin (Tyler Ryan), his dog, ends up by being hit by a car and is transformed into a human, who moves to Alaska, too.  And Derek (also Tom Mounsey) Jason’s ex-roommate (and responsible for his dog’s demise) is a writer and just might be the author of this whole dream (he’s also eaten by a snake, as are others).

I hope that cleared up the plot for everyone.  No.  Join the club.  So, ignore the plot and look at what’s left.  The thread or connecting element seems to be evolution.  And there is a model for this type of play.  Albee has his Seascape, Caryl Churchill’s, Cloud 9, Wilder’s The Skin of our Teeth and, of course, Rhinoceros.  All dealing with, from whence we came, lizards/dinosaurs/the Sea/other mammals, and to where we may be evolving, to our roots, from whence we began.

This may not be enough fodder to hold your attention but it does make for some thought-provoking discussions.  And a play is meant to be visual and the mechanics of the set changes are quite intriguing (designer, Ryan Nicolai).  And the direction by Wineman keeps the play moving at a quick pace.  But, although the script may leave a lot to be desired in the traditional sense, the actors are a pure delight.

Almost the entire cast is made up of the Theatre Vertigo ensemble.  And the ease in which they relate to each other onstage makes it obvious they are in tune with each other.  Every one of them is good.  My favorites were Harmon as Richard, who had wealth but it was meaningless without love and direction.  His character also had the best advice for humankind, “Talk less and be nicer to each other.”  And also loved Calcagno as Peter.  His insecurity with his prospects of and in Life was hilarious.  And so, he may have accepted the “changing” with open arms, or paws.

The writer should have taken some of her own advice, as Richard says, “a little meaning is a good thing.”  Whatever conclusions are drawn here are totally up to the viewer.  If you are looking for a traditional play, this is not it.  But if you want to see some very good actors having the time of their life, welcome.  If you do go, please tell them Dennis sent you.

A side note, this is the last production in this space by Theatre Vertigo.  Next season they move to the Shoebox Theatre at 2110 SE 10^th Ave.  Likewise, Profile Theatre will be performing out of the Artist’s Rep space next season.  Support them in any way you can, as they both are worthy companies.

Fuddy Meers—Serendipity Players—downtown Vancouver

The Funhouse of Life

The dark comedy is written by David Lindsay-Abaire and directed by Tony Broom and Joni Moore.  It plays through June 8^th at the theatre’s location at 500 Washington St.  For further information, check out their website at www.serendipityplayers.org

Depending on the individual, Life can be seen from many different angles or perspectives.  It’s like, in this case, looking through a prism or kaleidoscope, where everything appears distorted or jumbled.  And dysfunctional families can appear to be pretty normal, considering the basis for comparison.  In other words, if normal is crazy, in this world, then what is crazy.  An interesting premise and the core of this story.

As we look through these distorted, funny mirrors (“fuddy meers”) of a funhouse we meet Claire (Alicia Marie Turvin), a patient in her own home, with a type of amnesia that allows you the skills of how to function but, by the next day, your memories of who you are, will have disappeared.  Her husband, Richard (Tory Mitchell), attempts to help her by creating a memory album or log of her past, conveniently eliminating certain aspects of it for her own good.

Read more at SW WA Stage & Theater Arts Review, http://swwastar.blogspot.com/.

Crooked—CoHo Productions—NW Portland

Exploring Boundaries . . .

Crooked is written by Catherine Trieschmann and directed by Philip Cuomo.  It is playing at their location at 2257 NW Raleigh St. in NW Portland until June 8^th.  For further information go to www.cohoproductions.org

We all go through the angst, anxiety, and anticipation in our teens of life after childhood.  Who will we be, or want to be?  It is a time of trial and error in searching for our sexual identity, moral compass, intellectual stimuli, causes and careers, and happiness.  The toughest part of this journey may be our teens, as we are constantly pushing the envelope, testing our boundaries and breaking out of the little boxes we have been placed in by parents.  It is not an easy time for teens, or their parents.

Laney (Kayla Lian) is just such a girl.  She is newly fatherless, as her mother, Elsie (Maureen Porter), has had him committed to an institution, as he, among other things, had physically threatened his daughter.  At the beginning, Elsie is out of a job and learning to deal with being a single Mom.  She also has a rather abrasive sense of humor, “I joke, therefore, I cope,” she says.

Laney is a fledgling writer and is constantly expounding her very short stories to her Mom, as she has no other friends having been just transplanted to a new town in the South from one in the North.  Also, she has a spastic muscle in her shoulder, which makes her appear to have a hump and so, like most teens who don’t appear or act “normal,” is ostracized by her peers at school.

But, like most “misfits” (I was one, too), they tend to band together and form their own tribe.  And so Laney meets Maribel (Meghan Chambers), who is the daughter of an Evangelist preacher.  Her opening phrase to everyone seems to be, “Do you know Jesus?”  Also she is definitely unschooled in the “ways of the world.”  And so, an unlikely friendship develops, in which Laney will educate her in the finer points of her sex education and Maribel will “introduce” her to Jesus.

Obviously this will not go well with Mom, who foresees a different path for her daughter.  “Religion keeps women from realizing their full potential,” spouts Elsie.  Laney lives in a world of fiction; Maribel in a world of faith; and Elsie in a world of frustration.  Laney floats about the world; Maribel seeks the unseen world; and Elsie has to deal with the real world.  These lives do conflict and, thus, we have a not-so-uncommon story of finding a balance that will satisfy everyone.

Ms. Trieschmann script has the ring of authenticity to it.  It is a powerful and realistic story of the struggle for identity and sanity, not only of teens, but parents as well.  It is an emotional roller-coaster with no one person being the heroine or villain.  They are all just very human and very identifiable in the natural world.  Mr. Cuomo has brought out all the little nuances of the characters with his cast.  They are all in character throughout, even in scene changes, and they move like they would in the un-staged world, especially Laney and Maribel.  I loved they way they sit, climb over furniture, even eating, that captures the flavor of Youth.

I would argue that there are teen actors that could have handled these roles and should have been given the chance (as I have worked with these types of young people many times).  But, that being said, these two youthful adults are terrific and convincing.

Ms. Lian, as Laney, is perfect for the role.  Her voice, movement, expressions and rhythm are totally in sync with the character.  Ms. Chambers is, likewise, equally good, giving us a character not only somewhat backward and fanatical, but also sympathetic, as well.  And, Ms. Porter, as the Mom, could have been the villain of the piece, but because of her skill as an actress, we came off understanding her plight and even siding with her at times.  This trio of talent is a complement to fine acting!

I recommend this play but it does involve adult subject matter, so might not be acceptable to some people.  If you do go, please tell them Dennis sent you.

Cloud Nine—Rose Center for the Arts—Longview, WA

Identity Crisis

This comedy-drama is written by Caryl Churchill and directed by Donald A. Correll is playing at Lower Columbia College at their Center Stage location through June 7^th.

This play is labeled as “a hilarious look at sex and gender.”  I found it neither funny, nor a serious, nor comedic look, at sexual identity (especially Act I).  There is no story as such in the first Act.  It takes place in the 1880’s of South Africa when the British ruled it.  It is a scenario (and possibly comment) on the repressed society during the Victorian Age in Act I.

It is, then, a story of relationships.  Now let’s see if I can keep this straight.  In the first Act, Clive (Nathan Clark) and Betty (a male, played by Robert Loren) are married…but Clive is having an affair with Mrs. Saunders (Wendy Howard-Benhem), a widowed neighbor…meanwhile Uncle Harry (Timothy R. Laughlin), who has been out in the wild too long, is having secret dalliances with Clive’s young son, Edward (a female, played by Shae Coleman), as well as Betty, Clive’s wife, but eventually marries the governess, Ellen (Susan Foytack), who also has a thing for Betty…and Betty’s mother, Maud (Diane Krane) doesn’t seem to like anyone…and a black tribesman (played by a white male, Dante Huffines), a servant, seems to have the hots for everyone.  There, I think I’ve covered everyone.  Confused?, join the crowd. 

Read more at SW WA Stage & Theater Arts Review, http://swwastar.blogspot.com/.

The People’s Republic of Portland—Portland Center Stage—downtown Portland

The White Butterfly Affect

This one-woman, world premiere, comedy is written and performed by Lauren Weedman.  It is directed by Rose Riordan and is playing at their location at 128 SW 11^th Ave. through June 16^th.  For further information go to www.pcs.org or call 503-445-3700.

Talk about your storms in Texas.  Well, last night, we had a whirlwind from LA blow into Portland.  Her name is Lauren Weedman.  And she devastated PCS’s Ellyn Bye performance space.  And, so what happens when an unmovable, unpredictable, urban force from “down there” meets an equally stubborn force from “up here?”  Simple answer, Chaos (but in a good way)!

Lauren expounds on her visit to Portland, hitting the highlights and the lowlifes.  Her short stay includes the coffee house culture; the Kennedy school and Geek trivia night (sampling bong in a bottle); an encounter group right out of the 60’s/70’s (if you remember that era, you weren’t there); rapturous adventures in a black church with its oh, so charismatic, minister; helpful townies; strip clubs; teenagers’ views on themselves and life; the Pearl and its relationship with animals (yea!) and kids (boo!); the PDX Zoo; rain (seemingly a NW exclusive invention); the Farmer’s Market; Laurie Joe’s parties (yikes!); and her family.

She seems quite candid about her family, too.  Leo, is her young son, the “career-killer,” she calls him.  And then, there’s Jeff, her husband, who spends part of the time in Alaska, salmon-fishing.  She talks about the three stages of separating as they both have sometimes separate agendas.  1.) They fight before they proceed in other directions; 2.) feeling freedom, as she can just be herself; 3.) and, after a short while, she misses him like crazy.  Go figure.

Her rapid-fire style of delivery is a cross between the Road Runner and Pee Wee Herman on speed.  And her style of writing/performing is somewhere around David Mamet and his unfinished sentences and interrupted speeches, and Virginia Woolf’s, with her stream-of-consciousness approach.  Often, she might not relate a complete thought but you always know what she means.  Now, that’s an Art.

Her observations are so intrinsic, instinctive and intriguing that you are drawn to her views on subjects.  Not because she is right or preaching but because she provokes thought.  And isn’t that a sound bases for learning?  In her little corner of the universe rests, perhaps, a microcosm of us all.  And maybe we should proclaim that land, The People’s Republic of…Lauren.

Ms. Riordan does an amazing job of breaking up the speeches just enough, with lighting effects, music and video clips, that it doesn’t overwhelm us completely.  The show can’t be summarized in the traditional sense, as it has to be seen to be fully appreciated.  It is not a belly-laugh type of comedy but more of a humorist’s approach to life, like Twain or Cosby or Will Rogers.  And may we all experience the white butterfly affect once in our lives.  What does it mean?  Sorry, no spoiler here, you’ll have to see the show.

I recommend this show.  If you do go, please tell them Dennis sent you.

A Year With Frog & Toad—Oregon Children’s Theatre—Newmark Theatre—downtown Portland

A Froggy Day!

This musical production, from the children’s books by Arnold Lobel, is adapted to the stage by Willie Reale and music by Robert Reale.  It is directed by Dani Baldwin (OCT’s Educational Director) and will play through June 2^nd at the Newmark Theatre at 1111 SW Broadway.  For further information go to www.octc.org or call 503-228-9571

This is simply, as stated, a year in the life of two friends, Frog (Joshua Stenseth) & Toad (James Sharinghousen).  In their lives, which seems pretty routine, they make cookies together, rake leaves for each other, go swimming, get lost in the woods, tell scary stories, go sledding, have spats, and enjoy Christmas.  Joining them in their escapades’ are squirrels, moles, birds, a turtle and a mouse.  A carefree life, brought exuberantly to the forefront with some super songs, lively dances, colorful costumes, imaginative sets and props, and a very animated cast!

The style of the music and songs harkens back to the 1920’s vaudeville era.  It waxes nostalgic with the black bottom, vamping, soft shoe, ragtime, et. al. from that period.  It is a marvelous choice to relate this tale.  And the songs enhance the story, revealing character traits, feelings, and are part of the storytelling make-up of the production, as well. 

For instance, Toad is a `fraidy cat and lacks confidence.  His friend, Frog, on the other hand, is extremely confident and will brave almost any adventure.  Together, they are like Holmes and Watson, each making up a part of a whole.  And, an important lesson in friendship, they accept each other, unconditionally. 

These two actors are exceptional in bringing the characters to life.  Mr. Sharinghousen (Toad) is a joy to watch.  Last Fall he was director of OCT’s Dracula and was/is in Triangle’s Avenue Q.  And Mr. Stenseth (Frog) is his equal, giving the pitter to his patter.  I couldn’t imagine anyone else in these roles.  They are the heart of the show and it beats explosively to life in their capable hands.

And if you think that’s good, “you ain’t heard nuthin’ yet.”  The supporting cast equals them at every turn.  Haley Ward (also exceptional in OCT’s Duck For President) shines again in her dual roles as Lady Bird and Mouse.  Rebecca Teran is exciting to watch, especially as Turtle, and adds power to every number she’s in.  Hannah Lauren Wilson and Gracie Jacobson are wonderful as they introduce the acts and become an entertaining show themselves.

But specials kudos must go to Eric Little, especially as Snail, who almost steals the show.  His attempts at speed in his movement are hilarious and his number I’m Coming Out of my Shell is a showstopper.  Also his Letter interludes are special, too.  Other grand numbers are Getta Loada Toad (Turtle & Mouse) and the dancing of the two leads in Leaves….  But all the numbers work and are delightful to watch.

Special recognition must go to the Choreographer, Sara Mishler Martins, who livens up an already living show with those terrific period dances.  And Musical Director, Jeffery Childs, who understands this era and it’s reflected in the production.  Wonderful, adaptable set by Tal Sanders, especially the umbrellas on the snow snow-scape.  And lovely, colorful and expressive costumes by Sarah Gahagan.

But, the Queen of the Ball, is Dani!  She brilliantly holds it all together, blending expertly the dance, music, tech. and acting into one cohesive whole.  Nothing goes awry in her expert hands.  And, having experience teaching young people, it certainly shows, as she gets the most from this cast.

I highly recommend this show, as it will transport you back to another era in music/dance and expose the best in talent of the Young.  If you do go, please tell them Dennis sent you.