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REVIEW: Creativity underway in ‘Tick, Tick…BOOM!’ at Umbrella Arts Center

Posted on November 12 by The Sleepless Critic

Jon feels he is nearing the end of an era…his 30^th birthday.

Creatively directed and choreographed by Ilyse Robbins with lively music direction by Jordan Oczkowski, Umbrella Arts Stage Company continues Jonathan Larson’s ambitious musical Tick, Tick…BOOM! Live and in person at Umbrella Arts in Concord, Massachusetts through Sunday, November 23. This introspective and humorous musical journey runs 90 minutes with no intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Once a 2004 Off-Broadway musical, Tick, Tick…BOOM! was translated into a 2021 award-winning Netflix film adaptation directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda and scored an Academy award-nomination for Andrew Garfield before taking the stage at numerous theater companies worldwide. While creatively runs wild in the Netflix film, the Umbrella Arts musical is where you find the spark.

Anthony Pires Jr.* Vanessa Calantropo and Johnny Shea* in Umbrella Arts Stage Company’s ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ Photo by Jim Sabitus

Set in January 1990, Tick, Tick…BOOM! Is a fascinating semi-autobiographical rock musical about Jonathan Larson, a struggling writer and composer living in New York City years before he created his hit rock musical, RENT. A writer writes about what one knows and so much of this story offers glimpses into Larson’s inspiration for that wildly-successful musical.

However, this is about the struggle and this musical is brimming with it. The painstaking work of creativity and all that could go wrong illuminates Tick, Tick…BOOM! as Larson struggles to keep it all together to achieve what at times seems impossible, especially in New York City. Tick, Tick…BOOM! is not only about Jonathan Larson’s frantic life, but it is also an ode to the artist and the struggle to live that extraordinarily competitive dream while just skirting out and skimming by trying to get a chance.

Johnny Shea* in Umbrella Arts Stage Company’s ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ Photo by Jim Sabitus

Erik Diaz’s barebones set symbolically offers a different approach to this production featuring dual level scaffolding (also featured in Rent) a weathered apartment balcony, staircase and a NYC skyline. It may symbolically stand as a work in progress much like this particular period in Jon’s life. However, Johnny Shea who delivers Jon’s detailed narration stretches the imagination to conjure up each setting such as a stainless steel kitchen, butcher block table, vast views and a luminous city skyline in a purple mist, part of Ben Rush’s warm and atmospheric lighting.

Anthony Pires Jr.* and Johnny Shea* and Vanessa Calantropo in Umbrella Arts Stage Company’s ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ Photo by Jim Sabitus

At its creative center is likable narrator and lead Johnny Shea who is instantly earnest, introspective and charming as the frenetic Larson on the eve of Larson’s 30^th birthday. The unconventional, imaginative, and quick-thinking Larson divides his time between writing, composing and working at the Moondance Diner. However, music and writing naturally pours out of Larson’s soul and he is often consumed by it at the expense of everything else.

For forward-thinking Larson, turning 30 is a looming chasm that soaks up every ounce of his time until that odious deadline demonstrated in the urgent and memorable number, 30/90. Shea as Larson considers turning thirty as the end of youth, but it is certainly not too old to accomplish remarkable things. Perhaps Larson always felt like he was running out of time.

This often lighthearted musical features a dynamic, infectious, and multi-dimensional soundtrack about living in your 20s in New York City and how life evolves. RENT’s influence is unmistakably evident in the catchy and humorous number featuring Anthony Pires Jr. as Michael and Shea in No More which also reflects the strong camaraderie between best friends Michael and Jon. It is also easy to recognize the roots that will develop Larson’s future work in Shea’s tender number Why.

Anthony Pires Jr.* and Johnny Shea* in Umbrella Arts Stage Company’s ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ Photo by Jim Sabitus

Inside the Moondance Diner, Sunday features beautiful harmonies and clever quips. Vanessa Calantropo as Susan and Shea as Jon deliver a flirty duet with Green Green Dress. Therapy is a fantastic and humorous number about the miscommunication of love and the chipper and lighthearted Sugar is great fun. Johnny Can’t Decide harmoniously and pensively depicts the agonizing struggle living in the uncertainty of your dream or being practical which is a prevalent theme throughout the production.

With rich vocal arrangement and orchestrations by Stephen Oremus, this intimate onstage band can impressively jam and the musical’s small and mighty cast interacts with the band while delivering rich and powerful harmonies along this uninterrupted musical journey. With the exception of Shea as Jon, Anthony Pires Jr. as Michael and Vanessa Calantropo as Susan smoothly and humorously capture many other roles as Jon allows his story to unfold. Calantropo especially stands out for the soaring number, Come to Your Senses.

Anthony Pires Jr.* Johnny Shea* and Vanessa Calantropo in Umbrella Arts Stage Company’s ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ Photo by Jim Sabitus

Tick, tick BOOM! explores the little victories, the larger victories, and the gut-wrenching defeats in Larson’s personal and professional world. However, what is genuinely important becomes poignantly clear and what truly inspires his work changes as the musical progresses.

Umbrella Arts Stage Company continues Jonathan Larson’s ambitious musical Tick, Tick…BOOM live and in person through Sunday, November 23 at Umbrella Arts Center in Concord, Massachusetts. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Art in its luster in Boutcher Theatre’s multi-textured ‘Red’

Posted on September 5, 2024 by The Sleepless Critic

Prepare to explore art from all angles.

There’s a moment in Boutcher Theatre’s Red that brings to mind a scene in the popular film, The Devil Wears Prada where Miranda Priestly is teaching her assistant a harsh yet valuable lesson about fashion. Meryl Streep’s Priestly, who is loosely adapted from real life legendary and longstanding Vogue editor Anna Wintour, is tough and in some scenes intolerable, but her expert eye for fashion cannot be denied, even as she is hurling curt remarks and antagonistic slights. In the scene, Priestly describes Anne Hathaway’s Andi’s blue sweater as not just blue nor lapis or turquoise, but cerulean representing an artistic and particular style of fashion.

During an intense scene in Red which focuses on real life abstract impressionist and tough mentor Mark Rothko, Rothko, portrayed charismatically by Dan Kelly, is teaching his assistant, Chloe Olwell as Ken, about embracing art. After Ken describes Rothko’s painting as red, Rothko urges Ken to ‘think more’ after an impassioned speech in which he suggests infusing magenta, crimson, burgundy, maroon and scarlet! Rothko is rigid, arrogant, and mysterious, but knows art. He urges Ken not to just see a painting, but to feel it, love it, and have it wash over you.

Chloe Olwell and Dan Kelly in Boutcher Theatre’s ‘Red ‘ Photo by Bradley Boutcher

Directed insightfully by Bradley Boutcher, Boutcher Theatre presents John Logan’s Red live and in person continuing at the Peabody Black Box Theatre in Peabody, Massachusetts through September 8. The show delves into some adult themes including trauma. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Littered with open art supplies, splattered paint and half done canvases, Boutcher’s red hued scenic design with some pieces from Jessica Algard, creates an authentically sprawling and lived in studio including a cozy couch and a vintage record player playing mostly classical music and occasionally setting the mood within the scene especially notable when the studio is bathed in a haunting blue light. With a mix of formal and paint splotched casual attire, Boutcher’s symbolic costume design with some pieces from Maureen Festa, demonstrates each character’s unique style while also blending into Algard’s scattered and colorful setting.

Red is somewhat of an evolution as Rothko shares his artistic vision with his assistant who admires his work. Rothko candidly shares endless stories on art, literature, and his journey to becoming a successful artist occasionally breaking the fourth wall. He is currently working on an elaborate mural project for a hefty paycheck to be created for a ritzy New York City hotel. Olwell’s Ken is much more than meets the eye when at first attempting to make a good impression wearing professional attire that Rothko barely notices.

Smoking real cigarettes, drinking, and on little sleep in a windowless room, Dan Kelly engagingly infuses a mix of pessimism, rueful, and heady enthusiasm into Rothko and Olwell is a thoughtful, practical and a force not to be underestimated. They share a mentor and assistant relationship and at times worthy adversaries, but as subjects become more personal, there is almost a romantic spark to their increasingly incendiary exchanges as both begin to realize the complexity within each other’s artistic minds to unexpected results.

Logan’s script offers interesting, imaginative and relatable angles in which to appreciate and experience art. At one point, Kelly as Rothko muses, ‘Art is a risky act setting it out in the world.’ What does it really mean to be an artist and what is truly important setting your vision out into the world? The answer may bring new insight into your experience with art as well.