Tribes—Artists Rep.—SW Portland

Isolation/Identity/Acceptance

This intense play is written by Nina Raine and directed by Dámaso Rodriguez (Artist Rep.’s Artistic Director).  It is performing at their space at SW Alder St. & 16^th Ave. through March 1^st.  For more information, go to their site at www.artistsrep.org or call 503-241-1278.

Briefly, as defined in the dictionary, a Tribe is a group sharing common traits.  A family or clan can be considered a tribe.  A community, also, and a culture can be tribal.  Or a creed, or physical characteristics, or political ideology can fit into this rather broad category.  But, within all that, there is still another need—a personal identity…who am I, really…where do I belong…how do I want to be regarded.  Not easy questions to answer.

Billy (Stephen Drabicki) was born deaf but has an implant so he can speak.  He was not regarded as handicapped in any way because his autocratic father, Christopher (Michael Mendelson) and his novelist mother, Beth (Linda Alper) have chosen to treat him as part of their tribe, a speaking one.  His pot-head of a brother, Daniel (Joshua J. Weinstein), who also hears voices in his head, treats him as an equal.  His opera-singing sister, Ruth (Kayla Lian), also accepts him as part of their clan.

You’ve noticed the problem right away, of course, all of these descriptives of family members, opera…pot-head…writer…mental problems…deafness, also are sub-tribes, if you will, of the chief tribe, family.  So the dilemma still remains…where do I belong?   Although this family of intellects, albeit dysfunctional, do manage to reach some sort of a rocky compromise of existence, although by no means happy.  In short, they tolerate each other and that’s about it.

Everything might have stayed the same expect that Billy meets a girl, Sylvia (Amy Newman) who hears, but was born of deaf parents, so she signs.  Billy has never learned sign but he does lip read and hears, because of the implant, to some extent.  They both have one foot in both worlds.  It soon becomes apparent that Billy must decide which world he embraces.  And his family is going to face a similar dilemma, if they are to hold on to their “tribal” member.  To reveal more would be giving away discoveries an audience must experience.

Some absolutely essential questions are asked in this play and no easy answers forthcoming.  What it should spurn is some dialogue, in whatever form, for the viewers.  There have been plays/films about deafness, the ones that immediately come to my mind are the rock opera, Tommy, and the play/movie, Children of a Lesser God.  Again, no easy answers, just interesting perspectives.  It is said that Marlee Matlin, a deaf actress and Academy Award winner for the film, eventually got implants and began speaking in films.  Much of the deaf community shunned her after that.

My own personal experience happened as I was asked to voice actors in the NW Theatre of the Deaf’s, The Fantasticks.  Not knowing sign, I got a crash course in it, as I was to voice three parts in the show.  I made messy attempts to try and communicate in sign language with them, even going so far as writing a poem and then signing it to a girl in the production that I was a bit smitten with.  The one thing this experience taught me is that if you at least attempt, however clumsily, to communicate to others in their language, they appreciate it and will do their best to help you out.  A word to the wise, perhaps.

The cast is dynamic in presenting this play.  Mendelson, as the father of the tribe, could have easily been a one-dimensional character but, in his capable hands, you see all the colors of the rainbow.  Alper, too, as the mother, is a pro and although you see and understand her anger, you also see her vulnerable side.  Both true artists.  Weinstein, as one son and Lian, as the daughter, both are complex roles, having their moments of lucidity and frustration, and well played by these fine, young actors.

Newman, as the girlfriend, is a true joy to watch.  The journey she takes in her difficult path in life is admirable.  She does a fine job of allowing you to experience it with her.  And Drabicki, as the other son, gives a heart-breaking performance in a difficult role, wanting to be understood but not feeling he belongs, looking, as we all are, for his place in the world.  Well done.

Rodriguez has steered this emotional roller coaster from its intense peaks to its quieter valleys with a deft hand.  He obviously understands actors and speaks their language.  And he, and scenic designer, Tal Sanders, have created an intriguing visual world to help convey the feelings of the conventional world.  The music and colors created at the end of Act I brought a tear to my eye.

On final personal note, I consider myself in the Artist’s world, especially the performing arts.  When I get in discussions with other actors, directors, writers, the rest of the world takes a back seat to the passion I feel in those exchanges.  But I also must realize that others, having different interests and tribes they belong to, might get lost in these moments.  I have learned to be an active listener to others and must appreciate that it takes all kinds to build a world.

I recommend this play.  If you do choose to see it, please tell them Dennis sent you.

Becoming Dr. Ruth—Triangle Productions!—NE Portland

Memories…

This true story of Karola Siegal, aka Dr. Ruth, is personified by Wendy Westerwelle, written by Martin St. Germain and directed and designed by Donald Horn (co-founder and Artistic Director of Triangle).  It is playing at 1785 NE Sandy Blvd. through February 28^th.  For more information, go to their site at www.trianglepro.org or call 503-239-5919.

My memories of Dr. Ruth, when I was a young man, are this very funny, little, Jewish lady on talk shows who talked humorously, but very frankly, about sex.  But my impression now, after seeing this show, is that she is so much more, oh, my goodness, so very much more!  What I may have known about her then, could have filled a thimble.  What I glean about her now, could create a wardrobe!

It is unfortunate that Ms. Westerwelle, the kooky, spiky, white-haired lady, could not have been onstage for the show last night.  Instead she was replaced by this talky, mature lady with a German accent,  chatting about her kids and husbands and such painful memories of childhood.  And, oh yes, about how great having sex was…er, my mistake, making love, she called it, because the really great thing about this act was the fact that Love was involved.  I agree with that.  It’s too bad that so many young people today don’t seem to make that same connection.  Anyway, sadly, no Wendy in sight.

In brief, Ms. Siegal was born in Germany almost 90 years ago.  Her parents were whisk off to concentration camps and, as time passed, was swallowed up by them because of a very evil man called Hitler.  She survived and was part of the kinder-transport, which sent Jewish children off to a few other countries, 300 to Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and many more to Britain (the U.S. didn’t accept any).  She was sent to the Swiss, and she and her mates were treated like servants and made to do all the manual labor.  But a couple of good things came from this, her respect for learning/education and her first love, Walter.

She also met the first of her three husbands in Israel, David.  But, according to her, they were just too young at the time to make it work and he wanted to stay.  Her second, was Dan, a French Jew and they had her first of two children, Miriam., but they too divorced.  In time she immigrated to America and eventually went to school to become a teacher.  She found her calling in teaching sex education and even did a call-in radio, talk-show, answering questions from listeners seeking advice.  She also met her “true love” in Fred and had the second of her two children, Joe.  She has written books, board games and been involved with television to espouse her feelings on sex and love as “…a part of who we are.”

She is now living in New York City in an apartment, teaching at Columbia University and as busy as ever.  It is only hoped that she will get a chance to see this show, as she would be much pleased.  The above is only a thumb-nail sketch of her story.  The true joy of it is, the imparting of her wit and wisdom, as seen through her memories, and presented onstage.  Some memories, as she explains, are simply too painful to talk about.  But memories are also our past and make us who we are today.

Her sharing is like giving us permission to expose ourselves as well.  In her case, as well as millions of others, it is in not forgetting what happened to a race of people over 70 years ago.  It is about never again falling into that pit that is called Intolerance.  It is about Freedom and giving even the smallest voice a way to be heard.  It is about not judging others because of differences in color, creed or culture.  And it is about honoring our Past, truly Living in the Present and preparing the Future for a better Life for all.  It is, in Becoming…the best we can be!

Anne Frank had said in her diary, despite all the horrors she witnessed, that she still believed that people were still basically good at heart.  “Out of the mouth of babes…”  Such courage…such wisdom…and such a waste of a young life.  Anne may not have survived but her words did.  Karola did survive with the same courage and wisdom…and hope.
Westerwelle has so successfully morphed in Dr. Ruth that she not only was becoming her but became her.  Somewhere inside Westerwelle (and Horn, the director) she is chuckling and willing to say bye-bye to Wendy for a spell.  And Horn has been relentless, I’m sure, in getting it right and giving us a true look at what are two icons of our good Earth can impart.
And his set is a wonderland of precious memories of hers in which you can sense her devotion to her Past.  Dr. Ruth may be a tribute to her profession but we have our own guru of talent here in Portland, who is a tribute to her calling as well.  Merged, they are an unbeatable combination.  May they both Live Long and Prosper!

I recommend this show.  If you do choose to see it, please tell them Dennis send you.

Crimes of the Heart—Battle Ground Drama Club—Battle Ground, WA

“Three Weird Sisters”

This dark comedy by Beth Henley is directed by Stephan “Cash” Henry and is playing at The Lair at Battle Ground High School, 300 W. Main St., through February 14^th.  For more information, please contact Henry at henry.stephan@battlegroundps.org or, for tickets, go to www.payments@battlegroundps.org

What first may be in order, is to explain the term “dark comedy.”  In short, this means finding humor in what would otherwise be a tragic story.  You’d think there would be no humor in a man getting shot by his wife; an “old maid” trying to find love; an affair between old flames, one married; an affair between a teen and a married woman; or a young man with a personal vendetta to settle, et. al.  Well, in this story, they all have a dramatically comic twist, thus, the term, a “dark comedy.”

There was a not very good movie made of this years ago with an A-list cast but it was ruined by trying to show everything the play only suggested, thereby robbing the audience of their chance to use their imagination (something sorely missing in movies of even today).  This story takes place in a small town in Mississippi in the mid-1970’s.
And people that have lived in small towns know there is no such thing as secrets, as everybody knows everything about anyone, or so they think.  And what they don’t know, they make up.  Consider, Steel Magnolias or To Kill A Mockingbird, as reference points. And so we follow a few hours in the lives of the Magrath sisters, who have lived here since birth.
Lenny, (Brandi Renyolds-Meyer), Ms. “plain-Jane,” is the eldest and would be considered an old maid (except there was this one night when she didn’t come home until the next day, from a date with Charlie).  And there is the middle sister, Meg (Cassidy MacAdam), the pretty one, a singer/star, who had been gallivanting all over the world, looking for love and success, only to find (like Dorothy did) that there is really “no place like home.”  And then there is Babe (Desiree Roy), the “crazy one,” who is as unpredictable as she is lovable.  Together they might be viewed, as the Bard would say, as the “three weird sisters.”

We also experience their next door neighbor, and their cousin, Chick (Madeline Hansen), the town gossip, and a thorn in everybody’s side.  Of the males, there is Doc (Cody Bronkhorst), who was the white knight for Meg some years ago and still secretly carries a torch for her.  And Barnette (Skyler Denfeld) a young lawyer, eager to make his mark, defending Babe on a charge of attempted murder to her husband, but also a bit smitten with this quirky young lady.  But, be advised, all is not as it seems, but to explain more, would be giving away some discoveries left to the viewing audience.

Henry has done a remarkable job, as he always does, of getting teenagers to search deep for all the little nuances that make up these characters and then project that for an audience.  This is not an easy play to perform (having directed a production myself many years ago) as the roles and subject matter are fairly complex and extracting the humor from such a dramatic setting is not an easy task.  But Henry has done it well, and with a cast of young people, only makes it more admirable.

The three sisters, who are the heart of the story, are, as my friend, also a theatre person, remarked that they are as good as any seasoned cast she’d seen.  I agree.  Those three young ladies, Renyolds-Meyer, MacAdam and Roy, are excellent.  They all accomplish what all actors strive for, to be so believable that you think they are that way in real life.  They did that for me, which is not an easy task, considering all the years I have been in the biz.  They all have careers in this field (as do past students of his, Sarah Russell and Sky Ring), I believe, if they wanted, as they certainly have the acting chops for it.  I look forward to
seeing them in other productions.

The set (Sundance Wilson Henry) is quite good, seems authentic for the 70’s, and allows for the actors plenty of performing space.  My only suggestion is that they might put more stuff in the fridge and cupboards because, when the actors open them, they look pretty bare, except for the props being used. And, if this family has been there for years, they would have accumulated plenty items to fill all the little nooks and crannies.

Also, the acoustics, being a cavernous space, are not great.  At times, when the actors hit a higher register or are speaking quickly, lines can get lost.  It is not volume, it is clarity.  Not the actors fault, just the space but careful diction would improve it during those moments.  And it would help if the audience was closer to the stage.  There are several feet of gap between the audience and the actual stage which, if chairs were set up to fill it, would give the audience more of an intimate feeling of the show.

This group, I’m sure, could use some funding for their Drama Club, to continue to produce the very good plays they do.  So if you can help, I’m sure they would appreciate it.  I recommend this production.  If you do go, please tell them Dennis sent you.

Threesome—Portland Center Stage—Pearl District

Revealing One’s Identity

This world premiere of a comedy-drama by Yussef El Guindi is directed by Chris Coleman (PCS’s Artistic Director).  It plays at their space at 128 NW 11^th Ave. through March 8^th.  For more information, please go to their site at www.pcs.org or call 503-445-3700.

This is a very complex subject, as it deals with identity, gender, and sexuality, among other things.  It must be the year for such subjects, as Theatre Vertigo and Post 5 both have plays also dealing with these issues.  In this case it also deals with nationality and culture, specifically Egyptian and Muslim upbringing.  It deals with issues of who one is and how they were brought up.

Boys, from my own perspective, when growing up, were expected to excel in Sports; be fanatical about cars (and all things mechanical); treat women as necessary sexual objects, not other human beings; be an avid hunter and fisherman; be pro-military and fire arms; hangout with the guys; be the main breadwinner; and never show weakness or appear to be sentimental.

Girls were taught to be homemakers, cooking, sewing, cleaning & raising children; played with dolls; were taught to wear dresses and put on make-up; could be involved with artistic endeavors; and had to be taken care of by the males.  Of course these roles varied from culture to culture.  In my case, I never fit into the above male expectations as women were almost always my best friends.  And, odd as it may seem, I’m also heterosexual.  Go figure.

The title of the play, Threesome, seems a bit misleading, as it’s really not about a ménage-de-trois, but about exploring, in some depth, the responsibilities involved in a relationship, and how to keep love alive without losing your own identity as a male or female.  In this case, the three people involved are Leila (Alia Attallah), a novelist, Rashid (Dominic Rains), a photographer and her lover, and Doug (Quinn Franzen), a book designer.

They meet hesitantly, for reasons unclear, to see if a three-way, sexual encounter will be another step in their relationship.  It becomes clear early on, though, these personalities have totally different expectations as to what is expected.  Is this “revenge” sex by Leila because she suspects her boyfriend has had liaisons with other women?  Is Doug looking for love and acceptance from strangers, something he never experienced during childhood?  Is Rashid really willing to go the distance to please his girlfriend?  All good questions explored in a semi-comic way in the first act.

But, by the second act, things turn very intense and dramatic during a photography session for Leila’s book.  It is an encounter that will have them all questioning who they are and what is the meaning of love, relationships, upbringing and the nature of revealing reality and exploring personal fantasies.  The author really leaves no stone unturned in this searing drama and the nature of this beast we call Human.

Coleman has been daring in allowing these important questions to see the light of day.  It is not an easy story to watch and should create some fascinating dialogues long after it is over.  And it is very frank and unrelenting in its portrayals, even allowing full nudity onstage.  Kudos to the author, El Guindi, Coleman, the director, and an absolutely amazing cast in presenting such sensitive and searching material to an audience.  Artists already bare their souls onstage when performing a show and this one bravely goes the extra mile, thoroughly crashing that “fourth wall” and letting the splinters fall where they may.

All the actors are just fine and I applaud them for courage in presenting this challenging work.  They go to the depths of their beings, as well as the characters’, to give us a “bloody, but unbowed” portrait of the human condition.  Attallah, in  particular, gives a gut-wrenching performance, as a very conflicted but brave woman, who bares all to let us see insights into a very real persona.  Rains and Franzen are equally compelling in exploring the male viewpoints of this very sensitive and elusive subject of identity.

As you might have guessed, this is not for everyone.  But, I recommend it.  If you do choose to go, please tell them Dennis sent you.

Dead Man’s Cell Phone—Profile Theatre—SW Portland

Body Parts

This dark comedy by Sarah Ruhl is being performed at Artist Rep.’s space at SW Alder St. & 16^th Ave.  It is directed by Adriana Baer (Profile’s Artistic Director) and plays through February 15^th.  For more information, go to their site at www.profiletheatre.org or call 503-242-0080.

If you want to know what I really think about this new electronic age, I could get on a soap box for hours, pointing out the dangers of the many mechanized mediums we entrust ourselves to.  But what Ruhl does in this play expounds on that, and is much more poetic and darkly comic and, in the end, moving, than anything I could have come up with.

Imagine yourself almost alone in a diner, like Jean (Dana Millican) in this play, trying to concentrate on writing, when an annoying cell phone continually and annoyingly rings.  And the customer, Gordon (Don Kenneth Mason), is unwilling (or, in this case, unable) to answer it.  What happens if you answer that Cell…what can of worms will that open?  In this case Ruhl expands that issue to the nth degree, even crossing over into the existential at times, but always with a dark, poetic humor.  It’s as if her characters want to shout, I am here but nobody notices.

After Jean discovers that Gordon is dead, she takes it upon herself to answer his calls, failing to inform them that he has died.  In fact, her life seems so insignificant to her, that she decides to insert herself into his life, making up stories about him and when, she finally admits to others of his passing, she boldly informs them of messages he had for them, without really knowing anything about these acquaintances of his or his business.

She presents herself as a co-worker of his and thus meets his overbearing mother (Patricia Hunter), his shy brother, Dwight (Mason, again) and Gordon’s eccentric wife, Hermia (Dana Green).  This family gives a new meaning to the word “dysfunctional.”  She also meets up with his mistress, a vixen named, Carlotta (Green, again).  And, not really knowing of the true nature of his business, meets up with a Russian agent (also, Green) and discovers more vital clues as to who Gordon really was.

Needless to say, I can’t reveal too much more without giving away secrets to the plot.  But, suffice to say, a person needs love and to love, in order to go forward in life.  This will become clear as the story unfolds.  An added clever level to the production of this play, are the three actors who do the set changes (Jonathan Hernandez, Shawna Holt and Jake Turner).  They do it with stylized movement, like dance, and become a part of the play. Whether in the script, or an invention of the very talented director, Baer, it is a welcome change to the normally, pretty pedestrian, mechanics of such operations.

This production is a surreal, almost dreamlike presentation, having one foot on the ground, perhaps, but another ensconced lovingly in a world of its own.  Baer is responsible, I’m sure, for having such a keen insight into Ruhl’s world and knowing how to present it.  And her cast seems to be spot on in their interpretations of this rather bizarre space in time.

Millican, as I’ve noted before in reviews of shows she’s in, is always a pleasure to watch.  She keeps you guessing all the time as to her motives and decisions as to what her character does.  An original creation.  Mason is good in the dual roles, letting us see an ordinary man in some extraordinary circumstances.  Hunter is a gem, playing the autocratic head of the family with delicious glee.  And Green, in the three roles she plays, is astounding.  All three are totally different portrayals and, if I wouldn’t have known they were all the same person, I would have thought they were different actors.  A real tribute to her talent.

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

The Jungle Book—NW Children’s Theatre—NW Portland

The Undulating Veldt
This dance-musical version of Kipling’s book is adapted, directed and choreographed by Sarah Jane Hardy (NWCT’s Artistic Director) and Anita Menon.  It is playing at their space at 1819 NW Everett St. through March 1^st.  For more information, go to their site at www.nwcts.org or call 503-222-2190.

Kipling may not have easily recognized his story in this artistic interpretation, nor would Disney, creator of the very good animated musical of it.  But, that being said, I think they would have enjoyed it, nevertheless, as I did.  The costuming (designer, Mary Rochon), dance and music (Composer, Archana Mungara) are almost entirely East Indian in theme and style.  The animals represented, bear, panther, snake, wolves, monkeys, tiger, et. al. look as if they may have stepped out of storybook from India.

Experiencing this, I was reminded of other journeys that the young may have taken in the path to adulthood:  King Arthur, as a boy (Wart), being tutored by the wizard, Merlin, and being transformed into various animals in order to see other perspectives of life; or, The Lion King, as Simba grows to be an adult; or, The Life of Pi, as an Indian boy overcomes adversity; and maybe even the current CoHo production of The Snowstorm, in which classical music is the catalyst for a young child’s view of life.

All these elements boil down to the transformation of a child, a boy named, Mowgli (Avish Menon), a man-cub, abandoned at birth and raised by the animals of the jungle.  Chief among them are his tutors, a feisty panther named, Bagheera (Brianna Rouse) and a blustering bear called, Baloo (Zero Feeney).  He is allowed to stay because the leader of the pack, a clever wolf, Akela (Kate Mura), has taken pity on him.

But Mowgli is more interested in playing with the monkeys than learning lessons.  And there are two dangers that face him.  The first is that he is a human and can make fire, which is a threat to the creatures of the jungle.  And the second is that a vicious tiger, Shere Khan (Kevin-Michael Moore), has claimed him for his own, a tasty meal.

An encounter will occur that will upset the balance of power of the Council Rock; his tutors, along with a mesmerizing snake, Kaa (Kate Kelly), and his alluring friend, Rann (Alisha Menon), will all battle for his safety and the fate of the forest.  How this all comes out, you will have to discover for yourselves.

The charm of this production really lies with the amazing dancers and dances, as well as the captivating music.  It is a tale told mostly through stylized movement; interpretive dance (chorographers, Hardy and Menon), including ballet, Bollywood, Indian folk dancing, hip-hop, rock, et. al.;  very colorful and inventive costumes (Rochon); and some extraordinary musical numbers from the composer, Mungara.  If you enjoy going to musical and dance concerts, you will really enjoy this.

The chorus of dancers are the key to the success of this production.  Kelly (Raa) and Menon (Rann) stand out as having some very beautiful moments in this regard.  And Menon (Mowgli) has the right look and feel for the role, as well as some good acting chops.  And special kudos for Anjali’s Indian Classical Dance Troupe www.anjalidance.com  All in all, a worthwhile time at the theatre.

One issue to be aware of, the parking situations in this part of town are terrible.  The theatre only has a very small parking lot and the rest of the area is street parking only.  Although no meters (for now) the signs are very confusing and contradictory as to when and where you can park and for how long.  It would be nice if a nearby business, church, or school, that did not operate on the weekends, would allow parking for them.  Anyway, bottom line, allow yourself being there a couple of hours ahead of time (just like the airport, although no searches).

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