TLT's 'Barbara' full of debate, light on wit

Too wordy: ‘Major Barbara’ focuses on morality

DEAN LAPIN/ COURTESY OF TACOMA LITTLE THEATRE
John Munn, from left, Leischen C. Moore and Nicole Lockett star in Tacoma Little Theatre’s “Major Barbara.”

THE NEWS TRIBUNE
Published: 06/04/1012:05 am | Updated: 06/04/10 3:09 am


George Bernard Shaw’s “Major Barbara” at Tacoma Little Theatre is a difficult play to watch. It was written at a time, 1905, when theatrical traditions and audience expectations were much different than they are today. TLT has rigorously edited it to make it much shorter, but it still is a long three-act play, and there are parts that seem interminable.

Shaw was an urbane wit and philosopher and reputed to be something of a cynic and a misogynist. He is very wordy. His biting humor is buried in layers of long philosophical debate. Modern audiences almost have to be students of 19th century English literature to appreciate his wit.

“Major Barbara” is a comedy. It is funny, but not laugh-out-loud funny; it’s more the type of humor you realize was funny after you’ve thought about it. There were very few laughs from the sparse opening-night audience.

In an essay purportedly written to aid in understanding “Major Barbara,” Shaw wrote: “In the millionaire Undershaft I have represented a man who has become intellectually and spiritually as well as practically conscious of the irresistible natural truth which we all abhor and repudiate: to wit, that the greatest evil and the worst of crimes is poverty, and that our first duty – a duty to which every other consideration should be sacrificed – is not to be poor.”

That long sentence epitomizes the wit and style of this play.

The set by Erin Chanfrau, lighting by Jason Burg and direction by Scott Campbell are all excellent and unobtrusive, as is most of the acting, though I found many of the characters to be less than engaging. I like Betzy Miller as the haughty Lady Britomart. I love her walk – head high and shoulders back. I very much like Mike Slease as the pompous Andrew Undershaft. Slease’s proud stance and powerful rumbling voice makes him very believable as a self-made and self-important man who is used to being in charge. David Robertson and Syra Beth Puett, respectively, are very effective as two of the more animated characters on stage, the down-and-out Cockneys, Snobby Price and Rummy Mitchens, and Darrel Shepherd is excellent as another down-and-out character, Peter Shirley.

Most outstanding of all is John Munn in two very different roles: the giggling twerp Charles Lomax and the overbearing bully Bill Walker. Munn throws himself wholeheartedly into the roles and is not afraid to be ridiculous (Charles) or hateful (Bill). I love his lurching walk as Bill and his silly giggle and absurd wig as Charles.

The first scene is a somewhat boring discussion between Stephan Undershaft (Kody Bringman – fine acting despite not much meat to the role) and Lady Britomart.

The humor doesn’t come alive until Andrew and his daughters and their fiancées come on the scene (Leischen C. Moore as Sarah Undershaft, Nicole Lockett as Barbara Undershaft, Jonathan Paul Lee as Adolphus Cusins, and Munn as Charles).

All of act two is highly dramatic, but then it slows down in act three, which becomes a long philosophical debate about morality.

I wish they could have even more severely edited most of the first and last scenes and left just Act 2, but then there would not have been any story. ‘Major Barbara’

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sundays through June 13; actor benefit matinee June 12
Where: Tacoma Little Theatre, 210 N. I St., Tacoma
Tickets: $16-$24
Information: 253-272-2281, www.tacomalittletheatre.com

Neddy time

Annual fellowship competition nominees


Published in the Weekly Volcano, June 2, 2010

2010 Neddy nominees in painting: Margie Livingston, Joey Veltkamp, Ken Kelly and Matthew Offenbacher. Photo courtesy of joeyveltkamp.blogspot.com

It's Neddy time again. Every year I look forward to the Neddy show at Tacoma Art Museum, and every year I'm just a little bit disappointed. But along with the disappointment comes exhilaration because year after year the Neddy nominees seem to be split between some of the best artists in the Northwest and some of the most overrated.

Among past winners who have definitely deserved the honor and whose work I am always grateful for an opportunity to see are Michael Spafford, Juan Alonso, Joseph Park and Randy Hayes.

One of the things I'm most conflicted about is that they nominees and winners are nearly always Seattle artists. It's as if South Sound artists are not real artists but just provincial dilettantes and we should be grateful to TAM for giving us an opportunity to see these real big-city artists.

If we suspend our T-town xenophobia for a moment we can see that there's a lot of truth in the previous statement. Art thrives where there is a large community of artists who can stimulate and influence each other, and there's a lot more of that in Seattle than there is in Tacoma. On the other hand, there's a lot more pretentious crap up there too. The Neddy gives us a chance to see the hot up-and-coming artists, and maybe we have to take the bad with the good.

So what is the Neddy? From the TAM Web site: "The Neddy Artist Fellowship was established in 1996 as memorial to Robert E. (Ned) Behnke (1948 - 1989) to recognize his contributions to the Northwest artistic community. The two $15,000 Fellowships are awarded annually to Northwest artists who demonstrate artistic excellence, innovation, unique vision, and a passionate commitment to their art and community."

This year's nominees in painting are Ken Kelly, Margie Livingston, Matthew Offenbacher and Joey Veltkamp. The nominees for glass are Sabrina Knowles and Jenny Pohlman, Dante Marioni, Richard Marquis and Marvin Oliver. Offenbacher and Veltkamp are probably the most well-known of the painters, while Marioni is the glass artist most Tacomans are likely to be familiar with.

The exhibition will begin with a free opening celebration Saturday, June 5, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., to be followed by a party at Hotel Murano, where you can enjoy a cocktail, mingle with the artists and admire the hotel's art collection.

Wednesday, June 9, at 10:30 a.m. there will be a talk by curator Rock Hushka and a tour of the exhibition.

Watch for my review in this column next week.
Neddy Artist Fellows 2010

June 5-Aug. 22, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. third Thursday, $8-$9, opening celebration June 5, 6:30-9 p.m.
Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma
253.272.4258]

Foundation Award

My friend Lisa Kinoshita was just named winner of The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation’s Third Annual “Foundation of Art Award.”

Way to go, Lisa!

A committee of local art professionals nominated 9 visual artists currently living in Pierce County for the award. The other nominees included Neil Andersson, Victoria Bjorklund, Kyle Dillehay, Jeremy Gregory, Lance Kagey, Dan Parker, James Porter and Toot Reid.

An on-line gallery is available at www.gtcf.org/artgallery showcasing images of each nominee’s artwork, as well as professional background information for each artist.

The previous two winners include Chris Sharp in 2008 and Jeremy Mangan in 2009. I recently reviewed Mangan's show at Fulcrum Gallery.

The annual program was established by the Community Foundation to honor professional artists living and working in Pierce County.

Lisa is the founder and owner of Mineral, a metals studio and art gallery in Tacoma

What to see in NYC

This is from my good friend and fellow theater critic Bev Sykes.

So you're going to New York and you're going to see some shows. You decide while you're there that you'll see one of the one-person shows playing in town. You check out the New York Drama Desk nominees for Best Solo performance and you have to decide.

- Do you see Carrie Fisher, daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, Princess Leia, author of Postcards from the Edge, telling the stories of her life, a show that has been praised to the skies by everyone.

- Do you see veteran actor Theodore Bikel -- the Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, countless TV productions, beloved performer.

- Do you see Anna Deavere Smith - The West Wing, The Practice, Nurse Jackie, winner of two Drama Desk awards for outstanding solo performance.

or do you see Jim Brochu, a name you either have never heard before or may only have heard from mentions here in this journal.

Well, if you're going to take the word of the voters for the Drama Desk Award you'll choose Jim Brochu in Zero Hour.

And read "Award winning Zero Hour Moves to Actors Temple" on www.broadway.com

Musical overflows with verve

Simply sublime: Centerstage hits show out of the park


Published in The News Tribune, May 28, 2010

Top: Lavon Hardison, Stacie Calkins, Ashanti Cole, Bill Bland, Jesse Smith
Bottom: Bill Bland and Jesse Smith
Photos by Michelle Smith/Courtesy of Centerstage


A signature song in “Ain’t Misbehavin’” is “The Joint is Jumpin’. ” Nothing better describes what’s going on at Centerstage’s Knutzen Family Theatre during the run of this wonderful tribute to Fats Waller.

This production has everything you could possibly want in a musical – everything, that is, except for a storyline. It’s not a play; it’s a musical revue. There is no plot, but it does create a vivid picture of life in Harlem’s clubs and theaters during the Harlem Renaissance.

In the 1920s and ’30s, highbrows and lowbrows, black and white, came together to swill booze and dance to the music of stride piano players and big bands that were just beginning to develop the music later to be known as swing. It was a highly charged era. African Americans were steeped in blues, jazz and gospel – all expressed with supercharged music that was rowdy, raunchy, humorous and often heart-breaking.

This is the third time I’ve reviewed this show, and I’ve loved it every time. This time, I sat in the front row in a theater where the stage is not raised, meaning the singers and dancers were five feet away from me. On the hilarious “Your Feets Too Big,” Bill Bland picked me out and sang right to me, no more than three feet from my face. Nothing compares to that kind of intimate entertainment.

The ensemble cast for this production is marvelous. Most of them are well known for their many performances on South Sound stages.

Stacie Calkins recently was seen in “Rent” at Tacoma Musical Theatre and was a knockout as Effie White in “Dreamgirls” at Tacoma Little Theatre and as Sarah in “Ragtime” at TMP. Ashanti Cole has performed at Intiman, Village Theatre and the 5th Avenue Theatre, and was in “The Colored Museum” at TLT.

LaVon Hardison is renowned for her roles in the “Stardust” series and summer rock shows at Olympia’s Harlequin Productions, as well as for her dramatic performance in “Intimate Apparel” at Harlequin. Jesse Smith recently was seen in “Rent” at TMP.

Only the fifth cast member, Bland, is not a veteran of South Sound stages, but he definitely is a veteran actor. He comes from Pittsburgh, where he recently performed as Othello for Untamed Shakespeare, and he has performed in five national and international road shows including “Ain’t Misbehavin’.”

Bland has a wonderfully mischievous smile and a powerful baritone voice. No matter where he is on the stage, you feel like he’s singing just to you. All three of the women are terrific singers, and they also dance and strut with great verve. Calkins’ voice shakes the rafters, and Hardison easily slips in and out of styles from bluesy and sultry to scat singing. Cole also has great range and throws herself into the dance moves. Smith is a fresh young face, almost too young for the part, but he brings great energy and style. On the “The Viper Drag,” also known as the reefer song, he personifies evil, yet with an underlying sweetness.

Of course, the songs are legendary, and include showstoppers such as the title song and “Loungin’ at the Waldorf” (featuring Bland and the ensemble), Smith’s rendition of the aforementioned reefer song, and the hilarious “The Ladies Who Sing With the Band” in which the women take turns soloing as bad singers and prove it takes a really great singer to sing badly well. And then there is the totally different “Black and Blue,” an operatic, highly stylized blues dirge. It is breathtaking.

Not only is the music great, but the whole production is beautifully staged with effective set and lighting by Craig Wollam, and direction by David Duvall, who also plays a mean piano, with backup from Larry Leggett on bass and Troy Lund on drums.

I cannot recommend this show enough. Get there early and grab a seat down front. ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ ’

When: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through June 6

Where: Knutzen Family Theatre, 3200 S.W. Dash Point Road, Federal Way

Tickets: $10 to $25 depending on age; group discounts available

Information: 253-661-1444, www.centerstagetheatre.com

Read more: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/05/28/1203960/musical-overflows-with-verve.html#ixzz0pEwcdWRu

Build to Suit

New paintings by Jeremy Mangan at Fulcrum

Published in the Weekly Volcano, May 27, 2010
Pictured: "Life on the Cornice" by Jerey Mangan

Would you like to see why Jeremy Mangan won the 2009 Foundation of Art Award from The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation? A peek at his show at Fulcrum Gallery might provide a good clue.

Mangan’s paintings are inventive, thought provoking, humorous, technically marvelous and beautifully composed. What more can you ask of a painting? A painting can’t feed the hungry of stop war or heal a broken heart, but it can remind us that the world we live in is not all humdrum and ugly. That’s what Mangan’s paintings do.

Technical skill in painting has never been at the top of my list of criteria for judging art, but it doesn’t hurt. Mangan’s photo-surrealist paintings look like photographs. The only clue that these are paintings and not photographs is that the subjects do not exist in the real world and that brushstrokes can be seen only in the long, thin shadows of the stilt-like poles upon which the houses rest in a few of his paintings and in the fast-moving clouds in a single painting called "Collapsed Shed." In this painting an old farm shed isolated in a brown field has fallen in on itself. There is a rusted tin roof and spread out from it on the ground like pick-up sticks are the multicolored boards that formerly made up the side walls of the shed. The sky overhead is clear and blue with a few fleecy clouds and what looks like big brushstrokes with a clear gel across the clouds, which creates the impression of fast movement. This is a marvelous little painting that in its simplicity lifts the viewer out of the ordinary and transports him to a magical world that looks like the world we live in but is one step removed.

The shed and the multicolored boards are Mangan trademarks. One or the other, or both, show up in all of his paintings. “Strongly influenced by building practices of the early American West… my current work focuses on barn or shed-like constructions, often elevated and supported by stilts,” Mangan writes in a gallery statement. “I hope these images allude to the strength, usefulness, and beauty, but also the hubris, precariousness, and ridiculousness, of human ambition.”

All of his buildings look like they’re very old and made of wood. Some have old grey wood slats and the others have slats of red, yellow, blue, green and white.

"Mt. St. Helens" pictures a panoramic view of the mountain with its collapsed dome covered with a construction of pyramid-shaped wooden structure with the many-colored planks. Mangan writes on the label, “Clearly Mt. St. Helens needed a cap, and clearly it needed to be colorful.”

"Trojan Horse" is a wall-size picture of the famous wooden horse on wheels, but the horse's body is made of old farm buildings with grey wood and little windows. His tail is made of many colored ribbons.

These two paintings are the show-stoppers because of their size, but I think the smaller paintings are better. For example:

"General Sense of Well Being" is magical, mystical and restful.

"Life on the Cornice" stands out as different from all the others because of its use of radical balance and vast expanses of white as the house is perched in the upper right corner of the painting, high on the edge of a cliff that drops into nothing. These are terrific little paintings and more impactful than the more bombastic horse and mountain.

Another thing I like about Mangan, which is indicated in his artist statement, is his awareness of the tension “inherent in the illusion of three-dimensional space on a two dimensional plane.” Not enough artists are aware of this.

Gallery owner Oliver Doriss says Mangan is going places, and this may be our last chance to see his work in Tacoma. (Although I suspect some of his paintings may show up in future shows at Tacoma Art Museum.)

There will be an artist’s talk Thursday, June 17 from 6-9 p.m.

[Fulcrum Gallery, noon to 6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and by appointment, through June 10, 1308 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma, 253.250.0520]

The sun comes out for ‘Annie'

optimism abounds: Cast delivers larger-than-life moments in Capital Playhouse’s tale of redheaded dynamo

Photo: GLENN RAIHA/ COURTESY OF CAPITAL PLAYHOUSE
Jennifer Seifter plays Lily, Patrick Wigren is Rooster and Jennie May Donnell stars as Mrs. Hannigan in “Annie” at Capital Playhouse.

The News Tribune/The Olympian, May 21, 2010


Twelve-year-old McKenna Orme lights up the stage as the sweeter-than-honey orphan Annie.

This is Orme’s first appearance on the Capital Playhouse stage – or any other stage other than a recent school production of “Annie” – but far from her first outing as a dancer.

She has taken dance since she was 2, and has performed in numerous ballets with Dance Ensemble Northwest.

It’s not surprising she is comfortable dancing, but she seems equally at ease singing, with a big voice that made me imagine what Ethel Merman might have sounded like when she was 12.

Based on the comic strip “Little Orphan Annie,” the musical tells the story of an orphan girl during the Great Depression who is invited to spend the Christmas holiday in the home of the richest man in the world, Daddy Warbucks (played by Jeff Kingsbury).

Warbucks doesn’t have a clue about the real world, but he does have a huge heart. Not so Annie’s nemesis, Mrs. Hannigan (Jennie May Donnell), the orphanage matron who is as mean and selfish as Annie is sweet and Warbucks is rich. There are no subtleties in the play.

Kingsbury actually downplays Warbucks, which works quite well. He comes across sincere and as a natural father to Annie, even though Warbucks knows nothing about fathering. Kingsbury’s singing in this role also is toned down – it contains none of the bombast one might expect in a role such as this.

By downplaying the larger-than-life Daddy Warbucks, Kingsbury provides a contrast that lets the truly larger-than-life characters shine – Donnell as Mrs. Hannigan and Patrick Wigren as the sleazy con man, Rooster.

I can’t praise Donnell and Wigren enough. If the play were nothing but a few snippets of their scenes, I would pay to see it.

Because of her many previous outstanding appearances at Capital Playhouse, we’ve come to expect nothing but the best from Donnell. She is a professional actor who studied in New York and has appeared on stage in New York and London, and in the national touring company of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park with George.” South Sound theatergoers will remember her as Mrs. Lovett in “Sweeney Todd” and Desiree Armfeldt in “A Little Night Music.” And now as Mrs. Hannigan, she epitomizes evil.

She twitches all over, from a jerky walk to an eye that keeps blinking. She is wonderfully bad to her core.

Wigren has appeared recently in the ensemble casts of both “Joseph and the Amazing Dreamcoat” and “Rent,” and in larger roles in other area theaters, but this might well be his breakout role.

He steps out of an ensemble part to electrify the audience as Rooster – and when I say steps out, I mean it literally. Tall and skinny, he takes a huge step onto the stage, plops his foot on Mrs. Hannigan’s desk and crows. Wigren’s movements and facial expressions are hilarious, and his singing is powerful. His song and dance on “Easy Street” with Mrs. Hannigan and Lily (Jennifer Seifter) is the rocking comical high point of the play.

As usual, set designer Bruce Haasl and lighting designer Matt Lawrence have done superb jobs. When the set is taken down, Haasl’s backdrop paintings should be shown in a museum or art gallery. ‘Annie’

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays, through May 30; added matinee at 2 p.m. May 22
Where: Capital Playhouse, 612 E. Fourth Ave., Olympia
Tickets: $31-$37 adults, $26-$32 for ages 60 and older and ages 16 and younger
Information: 360-943-2744, www.capitalplayhouse.com