Company One

REVIEW:  Natural and supernatural lessons in Company One’s ‘Haunted’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

What more could be haunting this haunted house?

Spiritually stuck in the Y2K era and in an often vacant house for the past 20 years, two indigenous brother ghosts long to rise to the great beyond and reunite with Creator and their ancestors.  However, something more is haunting this house beyond the antics they use to chase prospective home buyers away.   Using dance as escapism and as a way to cope, Bradley Lewis depicts an over the top Ash who never had the chance to grow up while older brother Aaron, portrayed with reticence by Chingwe Padraig Sullivan, carries a lot that he cannot move beyond as well.

Bradley Lewis, Katherine Callaway, Evan Turissini, Tanya Avendaño Stockler (Photo by Ken Yotsukura Photography)

Written, directed and choreographed by Tara Moses, Company One presents thought provoking horror comedy Haunted continuing live and in person in Rabb Hall at the Boston Public Library through Saturday, February 15.  The show runs approximately two hours with one 15 minute intermission and tickets are available at a pay what you can basis.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

Chingwe Padraig Sullivan, Katherine Callaway, Bradley Lewis (Photo by Ken Yotsukura Photography)

Y2K reigns supreme as two brothers are culturally frozen in time having never moved beyond Ash’s adoration of Britney Spears or Aaron rocking out to Creed since their deaths in 2003.  However, Danielle Delafuente’s scenic design reflects how frequently time marches on as books, furniture and portraits change as the brothers imagine and fret over an all too predictable future.   A nice touch is the ice film on the windows to indicate paranormal activity.  However, the brothers often play music and can make the living see things, yet it is a wonder why the living do not acknowledge when Ash plays one song after another.  Is the living so steeped in their world that they cannot hear or see what is playing on a boom box?

Elmer Martinez’s symbolic lighting and Aubrey Dube’s foreboding sound design builds intensity and keeps the lines of communication going embodying this unknown entity through flashing pink and purple lights, ominous chimes and illuminated images on the walls.

Evan Turissini (Photo by Ken Yotsukura Photography)

With the exception of the two brothers and JāQuan Malik Jones as Vincent, the remaining cast members portray a number of unlikable stereotypes.  From a righteous Quaker to a scholarly intellectual historian, Evan Turissini often portrays these shallow characters with a mix of dark humor and audacity while Katherine Callaway and Tanya Avendaño Stockler become increasingly more manipulative with each newcomer.  The ghosts often make assumptions everyone acts a certain way perhaps in fear of being disappointed.  It might have been more intriguing if Vincent and the brothers saw more than one side of these characters. 

Chingwe Padraig Sullivan, Katherine Callaway, Evan Turissini, Tanya Avendaño Stockler, Bradley Lewis (Photo by Ken Yotsukura Photography)

On the flip side, JāQuan Malik Jones delivers an impressive performance as level headed Vincent whose actions are anything but predictable.  Lewis as Ash and Sullivan as Aaron  share a likable rapport as paranormal brothers whose bickering and conflicts often stem from too much time together, but they also share a mutual respect partly due to this supernatural bonding time.

Chingwe Padraig Sullivan, JāQuan Malik Jones, Bradley Lewis (Photo by Ken Yotsukura Photography)

Haunted has some inconsistencies and may have benefited by a shorter run time, but offers a lot of educational insights into man’s connection to the land, indigenous culture, the Land Back movement, and how one can learn more and contribute to change.

Company One presents thought provoking horror comedy Haunted continuing live and in person in Rabb Hall at the Boston Public Library through Saturday, February 15.  The show runs approximately two hours with one 15 minute intermission and all tickets are available at a pay what you can basis.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW:  Company One’s tech savvy ‘Morning Noon and Night’ makes room for what is important

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

What has the world come to and what has come of us?

It is a prevalent and thought provoking theme as Company One continues Kirsten Greenidge’s tech savvy comedy Morning Noon and Night, part of Company One’s 25th season, live and in person at Boston Center for the Arts in Boston, Massachusetts through May 25.  The show is approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes with no intermission and has some adult language.  Tickets are available on a pay what you can basis.  Click here for more information and for tickets.  

Schanaya Barrows, Sydney Jackson, Aislinn Brophy (Photography by Ken Yotsukura)

Innovatively directed by Summer L. Williams, Company One Kirsten Greenidge’s Morning Noon and Night with Boston University’s College of Fine Arts unveils a world where children are mesmerized by their phones and selfies and time is measured a bit differently referring to pre-Covid days as ‘from before’ and a long time ago is at least ‘two phones ago’.

Set in Post 2020 pandemic and 2020’s endemic  with a dose of virtual reality,  Morning, Noon and Night explores loss, grief, fear, frustration, uncertainty, and a journey toward healing from economic turmoil after the pandemic has turned the world upside down.  This production also delves into escalating technology and consumerism in daily life where phone addicted children believe most of what they read on the internet, have increased social anxiety and angst, and the dangers of allowing technology to run your life and solve your problems.

Sydney Jackson, Kaili Y. Turner (Photography by Ken Yotsukura)

If this sounds like a lot, Morning, Noon, and Night tries to do a lot and at times is a bit uneven in its storytelling getting weighed down by its own ambitions.  However, it is a touching and comedic piece that cuts through it all to reveal what is most important. It has a slick presentation blending Audrey Dube’s zippy sound design with Maria Servellón ‘s lustrous projections that  impressively portray the immaculate and too-good-to-be-true nature of the internet as well as beautiful memories.  It’s pristine, sparkling and deceptively perfect featuring colorful imagery likened to scrolling through a phone.  Amazon boxes, stacked CD’s and clothes strewn on the floor is part of Justin Lahue’s scattered and contemporary scenic design and the reality of Mia’s cluttered household.

Kaili Y. Turner, Eliza Fichter (Photography by Ken Yotsukura)

 Kaili Y. Turner delivers a memorable performance as overwhelmed and stern Mia who is planning a birthday party for her estranged daughter, Alex.  Sydney Jackson depicts Mia’s excitable, anxious, and somewhat bossy daughter, Dailyn and Alex’s sister who is alarmed by the state of the world depicted on the internet.  Turner and Jackson make a relatable and comical mother and daughter duo as Dailyn pushes all the boundaries.  Both want Alex’s party to be perfect in their own way, and when Alexandria King as upbeat, orderly and mysterious Miss Candace unexpectedly shows up at Mia’s doorstep, life as they know it is about to change.

Greenidge’s clever dialogue lets the tech lingo fly especially from Dailyn and supportive friends Schanaya Barrows as sunny perfectionist Chloe and Aislinn Brophy as Nat as they navigate their way through school and family issues.  Eliza Fichter as energetic and meticulous Heather delivers some candid moments of hesitancy that anyone can relate to in this 2020 endemic world.

Kaili Y. Turner, Alexandria King, Eliza Fichter, Sydney Jackson (Photography by Annielly Camargo)

However, Alexandria King is wonderful as impeccably dressed and never flummoxed Miss Candace, particularly sharing physical comedic prowess with Turner as Mia.  They share an interesting dynamic and their interactions are evenly fun and intense.  King’s bright eyes, clipped laugh and powerful presence is fascinating to watch and Miss Candace’s outlook on life is one we can all take a lesson from.

Innovatively directed by Summer L. Williams, Company One continues Kirsten Greenidge’s tech savvy comedy of Morning Noon and Night, part of Company One’s 25th season, live and in person at Boston Center for the Arts in Boston, Massachusetts through May 25.  The show is approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes with no intermission and has some adult language.  Tickets are available on a pay what you can basis.  Click here for more information and for tickets.  

REVIEW:   Company One’s ‘The Boy Who Kissed the Sky’ a heartfelt tale that rocks the cosmos

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Music lifts, transports, comforts, brings people together, and provides its own therapy to the happy and the hurt.  Though the Boy, depicted with earnest and imaginative optimism by Errol Service Jr., is not aware of it yet, a force much bigger than him is going to lead the way to his destiny. 

Errol Service Jr. in ‘The Boy Who Kissed the Sky’ Photo by Erin-Crowley

Directed inventively by Summer L Williams with funky musical direction by David Freeman Coleman, joyfully choreographed by Victoria Lynn Awkward and loosely based on legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix’s life, Company One presents Idris Goodwin’s celestial and groovy The Boy Who Kissed the Sky live and in person at the Strand Theatre in Dorchester, Massachusetts and now streaming through Saturday, August 12.  This far out production is 70 minutes with no intermission and pay what you can tickets are available.  Part of what makes Company One’s The Boy Who Kissed the Sky special is its commitment to the community and social change by partnering with a number of community organizations including Project Bread, Zumix, and Boston Music Project through this production.  Click here for more information and tickets.

Adriana Alvarez, Errol Service Jr. and Martinez Napoleon in ‘The Boy Who Kissed the Sky’ Photo by Erin Crowley

In many ways, musician Jimi Hendrix was deemed ahead of his time.  Part biography, part musical and part fantastic trip through time, the cosmos, and through hardship, The Boy Who Kissed the Sky envisions possibly how Hendrix got there.  It is noteworthy that Service’s boy is never referred to as Hendrix and can be translated into any dreamer’s potential.

 This production boasts a wealth of various projections by Rasean Davonte Johnson including traffic and misty rain as well as kinetic water colored special effects and cosmic imagery.  Through all of the pizzazz and psychedelic special effects lies an inspirational tale built for any dreamer attempting to overcome challenging circumstances.  Set in Jimi Hendrix’s hometown of Seattle, Washington, It also delivers a strong message about the value of hard work, keeping an eye on the prize, and believing in one’s boundless potential.

The cast of ‘The Boy Who Kissed The Sky’ Photo by Erin Crowley

The Boy Who Kissed the Sky’s energetic cast is lead by Errol Service Jr. referred to only as The Boy.  Much of the cast plays more than one role.   Service’s Boy is amiable, sympathetic, imaginative and inquisitive as he waits for his mother, depicted warmly by Yasmeen Dunkin.  Cedric Lilly is enigmatic and forthright as the boy’s veteran father, Mel and Keira “Kee” Prusmack delivers a humorous yet kindhearted performance as Mrs. Newton, the boy’s nosy neighbor.

L-R Martinez Napoleon and Errol-Service Jr. in ‘The Boy Who Kissed the Sky’ Photo by Erin Crowley

However, grooving through time and space backed by some of Hendrix’s music history and influences is Martinez Napoleon who soars as J. Sonic.  With excellent vocals, mystical charisma, and an easy rapport with Service Jr, Napoleon sweeps through the production with a smooth yet caring demeanor as Martinez attempts to demonstrate that the boy, using a broom as a guitar, is more powerful than the boy ever thought possible.

The cast of ‘The Boy Who Kissed The Sky’ Photo by Erin Crowley

Backed by Eugene H Russell IV and Divinity Roxx’s uplifting rock n roll and blues-inspired score especially for numbers A Feeling Without A Name and Way Back,  The Boy Who Kissed the Sky is a musical celebration elevated by Jimi Hendrix’s iconic fashion sense and Danielle Dominique Sumi’s dramatic and galactic 60s-inspired costume design.  An epic and renowned onstage band trio jams high above the production’s stage alongside a gigantic moon and Wooden Kiwi Productions constructed the rock n roll set equipped with giant wooden amplifiers and stereo speakers under Danielle DeLaFuente’s scenic vision.

Idris Goodwin’s ‘The Boy Who Kissed the Sky’ is appropriate for all ages and a wonderful production to anyone could use a little inspiration.

Directed inventively by Summer L Williams with funky musical direction by David Freeman Coleman, joyfully choreographed by Victoria Lynn Awkward, and loosely based on legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix’s life, Company One presents Idris Goodwin’s celestial and groovy The Boy Who Kissed the Sky live and in person at the Strand Theatre in Dorchester, Massachusetts and now streaming through Saturday, August 12.  This far out production is 70 minutes with no intermission and pay what you can tickets are available.  Click here for more information and tickets.