Newsies at Tacoma Musical Playhouse

Newsboys shut down New York City with song and dance

By Alec Clayton

Published in the Weekly Volcano, Sept. 27, 2018

The cast of Newsies, photo by Kat Dollarhide

Disney’s Newsies at Tacoma Musical Playhouse is a romping stomping look at the beginnings of the labor movement, based on the true story of an historic strike by newsboys that brought business to a standstill in New York in 1899. Newsies won Tony awards for Best Choreography (Christopher Gattelli) and Best Original Score (Alan Menken and Jack Feldman). Locally, choreographer Megan Hicks adapted the challenging dance numbers to fit on a smaller stage with 35-plus actors running, leaping, spinning and turning flips in a space where it would seem impossible to move without knocking fellow dancers flat on their backs — quite the choreographic feat, and they pulled it off.

Newsies is an exuberant, high-energy show with a huge cast but only a handful of lead characters, including the versatile and exciting Jake Atwood as Jack Kelly, leader of the striking news boys; Sam Bennett as his best friend Crutchie; Colin Briskey as Davey; 10-year-old Howy Howard as Les; Ashley Koon as the reporter Katherine, a not-so-surprising love interest; and Lakewood Playhouse Artistic Director John Munn as the autocratic Joseph Pulitzer. It’s a stellar cast.

In the past few years it has been my pleasure to review Atwood’s work in wide range of musicals from Footloose to Catch Me If You Can, to The Rocky Horror Show, and in each of these, different versions of his talent have been manifest. In theater circles there’s a phrase, “chewing the scenery,” that is usually a derogatory meaning to display excessive emotion. Atwood not only chews the scenery, he spits it out and makes the audience love it. He plays Jack as a wisecracking, streetwise tough guy with a sensitive core. He’s not only tough, he’s highly flawed and vulnerable.

Howard might be young, but he’s no novice to the stage. He was recently seen in Beauty and the Beast at TMP and has been in 14 of their youth camp shows. He holds his own and shines brightly among the adult actors.

Koon and Bennett each play their parts well and have voices that stand out. Bennett is particularly outstanding on the poignant “Letter from the Refuge” in the beginning of Act Two.

Munn is convincingly autocratic and powerful with terrific acting chops as Joseph Pulitzer the complex newspaper tycoon who championed labor until it came to his own paper.

Two giants of South Sound stagecraft, Blake York and Bruce Haasl, were responsible for the gorgeous set — a group of moveable industrial stairs and balconies with a backdrop that combined newspaper pages and graffiti, said backdrop beautifully lighted with changing colors by lighting designer Jacob Viramontes and lighting operator Demmarie McKay.

Few of the cast members are identified by name in the show, so I can’t credit all I would like to. I would like to point out Alex Domine as Race and Jessica Furnstahl, recently seen as Elle Woods in Broadway Olympia Productions’ Legally Blonde, for her energetic and expressive dancing.

Kudos to the whole cast and crew of Newsies. Special kudos for casting women as a good number of the news boys.

Newsies, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, through Oct. 7, Tacoma Musical Playhouse at The Narrows Theatre, 7116 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, $22-$31, 253.565.6867, http://www.tmp.org

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel in Tacoma

A once in a lifetime opportunity

By Alec Clayton

 

installation view of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel at the Tacoma Armory, photo by Gabi Clayton

Published in the Weekly Volcano, Sept. 27, 2018

The Broadway Center presents Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel in the Tacoma Armory. The late Renaissance master’s famous fresco on the Sistine ceiling and its accompanying “Last Judgement” painting on the back wall of the chapel have been photographically reproduced at the original size on special fabric that mimics the look and texture of the original frescos and can now be seen at Tacoma’s Armory.

The reproductions are mounted on large panels and suspended from the ceiling of the Armory. Nine of the panels, including the famous image of God touching the hand of Adam in the clouds, hang overhead on panels that are 18.8 x 15 feet. Ten 12.4 x 9-foot panels are hung on each side, and at the back are a group of panels, the largest of which is 12.4 by 19 feet. Like the original in Vatican City, the size and complexity are overwhelming. And there’s more. Hanging approximately 20 feet in front of the back wall is a somewhat smaller than original reproduction of Michelangelo’s “Last Judgement,” the powerful depiction of people being judged at the end of time and either sent up to heaven or cast down into hell.

The ceiling fresco tells the story of the creation of the heavens and earth; this is followed by the creation of Adam and Eve and the expulsion from the Garden of Eden; and finally, the story of Noah and the flood.

It took Michelangelo four years to complete the ceiling painting, 1508 to 1512. “The Last Judgement” was not painted until 25 years later. Originally its nearly 300 figures were naked, but at some point the Vatican had clothing added. Over the years, the frescos faded and cracked, and between 1980 and 1994 they were restored (it took a team of restorers 10 years longer to restore it than it took the single artist to paint it). On the back of the “Last Judgement” in the Armory hangs a reproduction of the fresco as it looked before the restoration.

At the Tacoma Armory, viewers can see the paintings from up close, and there is signage explaining what each of the images are and giving insight into the history of the chapel and of the artist, including Michelangelo’s clashes with Pope Julius II.

The exhibition will be in Tacoma for only three weeks. Admission is limited to 1.5 hours with specified admission times: Sat.-Sun. noon–1:30 p.m., 1:45–3:15 p.m., 3:30–5 p.m., 5:15–6:45 p.m., 7–8:30 p.m., Wed.-Fri., 1–2:30 p.m., 2:45–4:15 p.m., 4:30-6 p.m., and 6–7:45 p.m.

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, through Oct. 14, $12-$24, admission is for 1.5 hours, Tacoma Armory, 1001 S. Yakima Ave., Tacoma

by Alec Clayton

Syra Beth Puett as Eleanor the Queen in The Lion in Winter, photo by Dean Lapin

Tacoma Youth Theatre presents a special performance of My Husband Liked Beverly Better, the engaging one-woman show written and performed by Syra Beth Puett that premiered in 2017 at Lakewood Playhouse. In the performance, Puett sits in a comfortable chair and chats with the audience in a most personal and revealing manner about her life both inside, and outside the theater. This intimate show spans more than 50 years in Syra Beth's life on and off stage in opera and dramatic and musical stage performances.

A Southerner by birth, transformed to a Pacific Northwesterner, Syra Beth has performed in Germany, Poland, South Korea, and in six states, and began her Tacoma acting career in 1979. In more recent years, she has been seen as Eleanor the Queen inThe Lion in Winter at Lakewood Playhouse, as the loveable Ethel Thayer in On Golden Pond at Tacoma Little Theatre and as Miss Daisy in Driving Miss Daisy at Dukesbay Productions.

I was privileged to see her in My Husband Liked Beverly Better at Lakewood Playhouse and was totally captivated.

One performance only

Sunday, Oct. 14 2 p.m.

Tacoma Youth Theatre

924-B Broadway, Tacoma

253-677-0531

My Husband Liked Beverly Better

Sept. 19 - Sorry to report that this show has been cancelled. I've heard reports that is might be rescheduled at another venue. I'll re-post with updated info when I can.

by Alec Clayton

Syra Beth Puett as Eleanor the Queen in The Lion in Winter, photo by Dean Lapin

There will be a special performance of My Husband Liked Beverly Better, the engaging one-woman show written and performed by Syra Beth Puett that premiered in 2017 at Lakewood Playhouse. In the performance, Puett sits in a comfortable chair and chats with the audience in a most personal and revealing manner about her life both inside, and outside the theater. This intimate show spans more than 50 years in Syra Beth's life on and off stage in opera and dramatic and musical stage performances.

A Southerner by birth, transformed to a Pacific Northwesterner, Syra Beth has performed in Germany, Poland, South Korea, and in six states, and began her Tacoma acting career in 1979. In more recent years, she has been seen as Eleanor the Queen in The Lion in Winter at Lakewood Playhouse, as the loveable Ethel Thayer in On Golden Pond at Tacoma Little Theatre and as Miss Daisy in Driving Miss Daisy at Dukesbay Productions.

I was privileged to see her in My Husband Liked Beverly Better at Lakewood Playhouse and was totally captivated.

My Husband Liked Beverly Better

Saturday, Sept. 22, 2-3:30 p.m.

The Spire, 710 S Anderson St off 6th Avenue

Review: Brighton Beach Memoirs

by Alec Clayton  

Published in The News Tribune, Sept. 14, 2018

Pamela Roza as Kate (seated) and Brynne Garman as Blanche, photo courtesy Lakewood Playhouse

It is coincidental that Neil Simon’s “Brighton Beach Memoirs” opened at Lakewood Playhouse two weeks after Simon’s death, which adds an extra touch of poignancy to this realistic comic-drama, the first in a trio of autobiographical plays by Simon.

Ably directed by John Olive, Lakewood Playhouse’s first artistic director, the striking thing about “Brighton Beach Memoirs” is how down-to-earth and believable it is. Yes, it is peppered with Simon’s celebrated wit, but much more than that, it is relatable to everyone.

Fifteen-year-old Eugene (Drew Bates), clearly a Simon avatar, already knows he’s going to be a writer when he grows up, but before he can become a writer he has to do two things: play for the New York Yankees and see a naked woman.

Every character in the play is complex and multi-layered, and they clearly love one another even as they struggle and bicker. The actors display a grasp of their characters as real people in family situations.

from left: Andrew Box Burden as Stanley and Drew Bates as Eugene, photo courtesy Lakewood Playhouse

The comic highlights are when Eugene asks big brother Stanley (Andrew Fox Burden) to explain all about puberty and what girls look like without their clothes – and what about that dream he had last night. And as funny as Eugene’s coming-of-age scenes are, the clash between sisters Blanche (Brynne Garman) and Kate (Pamela Roza) are equally intense. One of the most satisfying scenes in the play is when Kate finally allows herself to confront her sister with resentments stretching back to childhood. And we admire and empathize with the father, Jack (W. Scott Pinkston), as he tries his hardest to be the glue that holds this volatile family together despite his own problems.

It is a wonderful story masterfully performed, with the largest and most elaborate set ever erected at the 80-year-old Lakewood Playhouse (designed by Olive).

Bates is a student at Auburn Riverside High School. For such a young man, he plays his part with the confidence and ability of a seasoned actor – nuanced, intense and funny. Burden, whose only previous acting experience has been in high school plays, also performs like an experienced professional. He captures the look and the voice and the gestures of what audiences have come to expect of a young man from a neighborhood in Brooklyn.

The three adults in the play, Garman, Roza and Pinkston, bring years of acting experience to the stage, and they handle their parts well. That leaves the other two younger actors, Kate-Lynn Siemers as Laurie and Andrea Gordon as Nora. Both of them capture the looks and movements of their characters, but each of them needs to project better. It was difficult to hear them on opening night.

“Brighton Beach Memoirs” at Lakewood Playhouse is a fitting tribute to the late Neil Simon. It is three-hours long, and the theater warns that the sexual discussions between the brothers might not be suitable for younger audience members.

WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, through Sept. 30

WHERE: Lakewood Playhouse, 5729 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd., Lakewood TICKETS: $20-$26

INFORMATION: (253) 588-0042, https://www.lakewoodplayhouse.org/ 

Olympia’s fall theater scene

Christopher Valcho as Mark Rothko and John Tuttle as Ken in Red at Olympia Little Theatre, photo by Jim Patrick.

From a loveable bear to a loveable transvestite

By Alec Clayton

Published in the Weekly Volcano, Sept. 6, 2018

I know it’s the oldest cliché in the book, but Olympia’s fall theater scene has something for everyone, from mystery to comedy to children’s fare to musicals, and various mixtures of all that.

Harlequin Productions’ season runs later than other theaters, meaning as the fall season opens everywhere else, they are still running the last show in their 2018 season with a continuation of Ruthless, through Sept. 15, followed by Dry Powder Oct. 4-27, and finally the 2018-2019 season opens with Stardust Christmas Groove, the 24^th installment in the Stardust series of Christmas musicals, Nov. 29.

Ruthless is a wonderful campy musical about a young girl who is willing to kill to be a star. A parody of such shows about show business as Gypsy, in this one it is the kid, not the stage mother, who is ruthless. But then everything changes and we discover people are not who they seem to be. Directed by Aaron Lamb and starring Charlotte Darling, Aubrey Thomas and Gregory Conn, Ruthless is the funniest musical you’re likely to see this year.

Olympia Family Theater starts their season with the delightful children’s show Corduroy. Follow the popular bear on his delightfully destructive chase through every section of the department store in search of his missing button. OFT says, “Will the night watchperson find him and return him to his shelf before he can find his important button? Will Lisa ever convince her mother to let her give the bear a home? This enduring story stirs up the stage with a bustling rumpus of action and a tender tale of true friendship.” Adapted for the Stage by Barry Kornhauser and directed by Jon Tallman, Corduroy opens Sept. 28.

From light hearted and silly to the most intense of dramas, we go to Red at Olympia Little Theatre. This two-man show is the story of the great Abstract Expressionist painter Mark Rothko as he takes on the biggest challenge of his life, a group of large paintings for the Four Seasons restaurant in New York. In bad health and wracked with self-doubt, Rothko (Christopher Valcho) is locked in a battle over his artistic visions with his assistant, Ken (John Tuttle). Red is directed by Jim Patrick. It opens Sept. 20.

Following Red will be Clockwork, a wacky comedy musical directed by Robert McConkey, Oct. 26-Nov. 11.

Finally we come to the next offering from Olympia’s newest theater company, Broadway Olympia Productions: the one, the only, The Rocky Horror Show. Join innocent and naïve Brad and Janet as they stumble into the castle of Dr. Frank ’N’ Furter, an alien, transvestite scientist with a manic genius and insatiable libido. It’s an evening or horror, sci-fi and rock and roll.

Ruthless!, 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, through Sept. 15, State Theater, 202 4^th Ave. E., Olympia, $42 general. $38 senior/military, $25 student/youth, 360.786.0151, http://www.harlequinproductions.org/

Corduroy, 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 28 to Oct. 21, with one Thursday show Oct. 4 at 7 p.m., $19 adults, $16, Olympia Family Theater, 612 4th Ave E, Olympia, http://olyft.org/tickets, 360.570.1638.

Red, 7:25 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 1:55 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20-30, $9-$15, Olympia Little Theatre, 1925 Miller Ave NE, Olympia, 360.786.9484, http://olympialittletheater.org

The Rocky Horror Show, 8 p.m., Oct. 31 to Nov. 4, 2 p.m. matinee and midnight show Nov. 3, $20, The Capitol Theater, 206 5th Ave SE, https://www.broadwayolympia.com/.