New England Dance Ensemble founder Barbara Mullen knows that if people do not know history, they are doomed to repeat it.
On Sunday, April 16, the New England Dance Ensemble (NEDE) performed A Child’s View of the Holocaust at Temple Beth Abraham in Nashua, NH. The show was free and a benefit for the nonprofit organization. The temple generously served lunch prior to the production. This ballet was 40 minutes with no intermission followed by a brief Q and A session and the show is currently streaming online. The audience was encouraged to pause in quiet reflection rather than applaud. Click here for more information.
A Child’s View of the Holocaust presented by New England Dance Ensemble Photo credit to NEDE
Barbara Mullen, NEDE’s Artistic Director, first produced A Child’s View of the Holocaust in 1990 and it has become an educational tool for thousands of audiences in its over 30 year history. Its purpose is to memorialize the youngest victims of the Holocaust to ensure society will never forget and these horrors will not ever be repeated. Few survived to tell their story, but relatives of a few of the victims were present in the audience on April 16.
Set in 1939, A Child’s View of the Holocaust is a depiction of how insidiously and methodically the new Nazi regime darkened the world and lured millions of victims. One million out of six million victims of the holocaust were children. It shows the progression of once innocent school children in braids and plaids as they wave at their friends shortly before a new and harrowing reality unfolds. The panic, the shame, the indignation, and the implied brutality are difficult to watch, but the discovery and final understanding is the most poignant piece in the production.
The Nazis, led by Anya Petravicz, snake like a menacing train. Stiff, militaristic, and linear, the dancers invade with expressions vacant and unyielding. Coordinated by ballet master Andrew Matte, the production has a wealth of physical engagement that implies violence, but is no less powerful.
Students in ‘A Child’s View of the Holocaust’ Photo credit to NEDE
A Child’s View of the Holocaust is a collaborative and stirring production delivered with careful grace, skill, and sensitivity by these young performers. However, Harrison Conellier as the Holocaust’s first victim and Ipeksu Yucel as a Jewish mother offer powerful performances in evocative surprise, anger, and anguish as they are forced into impossible decisions in this journey to find light in the depths of loss.
New England Dance Ensemble continues to offer this important production to different institutions for educational purposes. NEDE will next present The Lorax followed by The Nutcracker in the fall. Click here for more information.
The New Ohio Theatre presented its 7th annual NYC Indie Theatre Film Festival live and in person at New Ohio Theatre, 154 Christopher Street in NYC from February 16-19 and then virtually from February 20-26. The New York City Indie Film Theatre Festival offered a variety of films from shorts to features on a wide range of topics and some of the film selections contain mature themes. Click here for more information and to learn more about New Ohio Theatre.
Photo credit to New Ohio Theatre
The Sleepless Critic was knee deep in short films and tackled Dating Drama and Friendship Bonds shorts which focused on a variety of perspectives on relationships. Friendship Bonds explores the value and challenges of friendships in various circumstances. Click here for the Dating Drama short film review.
Shorts: Friendship Bonds ‘Andy and Kaliope’ Photo credit to New Ohio Theatre
Beautifully written and produced by Rachel Handler with stirring direction by Crystal Arnette and Catriona Rubenis-Stevens, Andy and Kaliopeis a touching short film starring Jai Ram Srinivansan in a sweet portrayal as Andy, a foster child whose big imagination is in a war with his darkest fears. Accompanied by Rachel Handler as warm and encouraging Jamie, Colin Buckingham as Cole, and an extraordinary gift, Andy must muster the courage to move forward. It is a wonderful short film about the power of hope.
Shorts: Friendship Bonds Two Women on A Bridge Photo credit to New Ohio Theatre
Exceptionally directed, written, and edited by Tom Bean, Two Women on a Bridge is a thought provoking journey over the Williamsburg Bridge in May 2020 in a captivating display of black and white cinematography. Starring Karen Maine and Suzanne Lenz to Michael Abiuso’s gentle score, Two Women on a Bridge delves into a fractured friendship and reflects on the overwhelming changes in the world while engaging and hypothetical popup endings instill light humor to some serious themes.
Shorts: Friendship Bonds ‘Eyeballs’ Photo credit to New Ohio Theatre
In a quirky but realistic zoom scenario, a group of students are brought together by a group school project in Eyeballs. Written by Molly Powers Gallagher and starring as Nadine, Ola Pater as Cara, and Zack Palomo as Dev, the small zoom group convincingly conveys the nervousness and the hesitation to share ideas and connect. Directed and edited by Robert Thaxton Stevenson, stay put for this cute comedy’s end credit scene.
Shorts: Friendship Bonds ‘Lindsay, Lindsey, Lyndsay’ Photo credit to New Ohio Theatre
Lindsay, Lindsey, Lyndsey is not an exaggeration, but a tale of three different Lindsays. Lindsay’s fabulous new house. However, things are not quite as they seem. Dan Kuan Peeples, Cameron Cronin, and Daphne Overbeck deal with jealously, unrequited love, and a renewed sense of belonging as they reminisce over old times. Though some of the themes are a bit repetitive, this dramedy examines the complications of long term friendships and what keeps them going through it all.
Shorts: Friendship Bonds ‘The One They Wanted’ Photo credit to New Ohio Theatre
Directed by Catrina Rubenis-Stevens and written by Bryan Harlow, The One they Wanted is an absorbing and important short film about the challenges veterans face from within after they come home. It is a beautiful and poignant look at a pair of brother and sister veterans who share in their internal battles as sister Gabi faces difficulty in daily activities. Margo Serrano as Gabi embodies the veiled emptiness and depression over recent events while Writer Bryan Harlow also stars as Gabi’s nurturing brother Patrick as they attempt to find connection in their shared experiences. It is a genuine and affective short film not to be missed.
Shorts: Friendship Bonds ‘Scene Study’ Photo credit New Ohio Theatre
Scene Study is a sly short film about mixed signals. Written and directed with a few twists and turns by Trace Pope, Russell Sperberg as shy Cal and Joshua Ciccel as charismatic Ryan rehearse a scene study together when something unexpected happens. Director Trace Pope does a remarkable job in this brief time frame to create a light, unpredictable drama that keeps the viewer guessing till the very end.
Remarkably directed by Bandar Albuliwi, Sakrə Fīs (Sacrifice) is a riveting Iranian story about Azaheh, impressively depicted by Tiffany Ariany and Johnny Ferdosi as playful and fascinating Aadan who find themselves in a suspenseful and life threatening situation during a football game. Enhanced by Joe Aguirresarobe’s gripping cinematography and Nima Fakhrara’s affective score, Ariany and Ferdosi’s natural and sweet chemistry and the dangers of daily life in present Iran is what makes this increasingly tense and unpredictable tale such an engrossing and heartrending journey.
Shorts: Friendship Bonds ‘The Bottom’ Photo credit New Ohio Theatre
Do the ends justify the means? A man, at his most vulnerable, is being forced into a mysterious lake at gunpoint. Hostility and tension reach its boiling point in this eerie confrontation between James Kautz as Jude and Alex Grubbs as John before the plot thickens. With harrowing direction by Morgan O’Sullivan and James Kautz and fueled by Adam Bloch’s haunting sound effects, The Bottom is an dark, deeply psychological look at the affect of toxic relationships and may cause more than a chill.
Shorts: Friendship Bonds ‘We (Don’t) Know How to Live Photo credit New Ohio Theatre
On a lighter note, We (Don’t) Know How to Live is a comical and somewhat liberating look at life when reaching a milestone birthday. Four friends unite for Claire’s 30th birthday party, but Claire receives some distressing news before she arrives which may ruin the whole thing. Jayne McLendon as Betty, Hilary Wirachowsky as Claire, Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah as Darcy and Gordon Harper as Daniel all give off some Friends vibes as they reflect upon the direction of their lives. Reflectively written by Jayne McLendon, Hilary Wirachowsky, and Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah, the festive and inviting setting keeps the mood light as the group tackles relatable and age appropriate musings.
The New Ohio Theatre presented its 7th annual NYC Indie Theatre Film Festival live and in person at New Ohio Theatre, 154 Christopher Street in NYC from February 16-19 and then virtually from February 20-26. Click here for more information and to learn more about New Ohio Theatre.
Since the pandemic started, loneliness has increased exponentially. People have been scrambling to find a fulfilling form of communication since quarantine took effect in 2020 and any miscommunication or absence of a loved one quickly became fear and worry of their well being. Even today, people are still struggling with how best to communicate and see each other in person without the fear of illness. For Aimee and Victoria at the start of the pandemic, communication had to come more from the heart than from the head as they celebrate their anniversary apart.
Natasha Ofili as Aimee and Stephanie Noguras as Victoria Photo courtesy of Olivia Long/Aimee Victoria
Directed aptly by Chrystee Pharris and written by Hannah Harmison and Mikail Chowdhury, Aimee Victoria is a short film created entirely remotely during the pandemic in 2020. The film is approximately 10 minutes long. Click here for more information and how to view this film.
Aimee Victoria explores how Natasha Ofili as Aimee and Stephanie Nogueras as Victoria, a deaf couple, cope with being separated by the pandemic on their first anniversary. As many have difficulty communicating their feelings under the best of circumstances, Aimee and Victoria tackle this obstacle in a sweet depiction of love beyond boundaries.
Stephanie Nogueras as Victoria Photo courtesy of Olivia Long/Aimee Victoria
Through the film’s isolating setting and circumstances, Pharris navigates panic, depression, and struggle in these characters as they readjust to this new way of living. For example, Aimee struggles just to get out of bed at a loss for what is next as so many have felt in the past couple of years.
Natasha Ofili as Aimee Photo courtesy of Olivia Long/Aimee Victoria
Aimee Victoria transcends not only the journey of these two people, but the significance of love beyond any obstacles and expressing to anyone, whether friend, family, or significant other, what is truly important. Finding a way to carry that love with them no matter where they are.
Aimee Victoria is available now on streaming platforms and in theatres. Click here for more information on how to view this short film.
A spontaneous escape, an evil queen, finding inspiration and discovering super strength is just the tip of the iceberg for New York City’s Indie Theatre Film Festival’s Coming of Age Shorts Screening. These shorts explore overcoming troubles, fears, and heartache in remarkable ways including a sense of humor as demonstrated in Dianne Diep’s Cloud Gazing. Peals of laughter can remedy almost any situation.
The New York City Indie Theatre Film Festival continues streaming through Sunday, February 20. Click here for more information and how to stream a variety of dynamic films including animation and documentary works.
Photo credit to the NYC Indie Film Festival
In the face of chaos, there is strength. Overcoming is such a prevalent theme in these coming of age shorts and none quite faces it like Jonah Beres as Sam Wheeler in Balloon, a boy who is relentlessly bullied at school. Who can Sam really turn to? Beres’s sympathetic eyes and careful demeanor resemble a young Dane DeHaan. DeHaan has a knack for portraying characters with pent up emotion just on the brink of letting go. Directors Jeremy Merrifield and Dave Testa capture a captivating burst of emotions and the awkwardness of childhood through nature, at home, and symbolically in a popping balloon.
Jonah Beres as Sam Wheeler ‘Balloon’ Photo credit to NYC Indie Theatre Film Festival
Directed and produced by Dianne Diep, Cloud Gazing is a lighthearted take upon a common rite of passage in New York City. It is the epitome of looking at the bright side as Dianne Diep as Mia makes the best of her latest apartment in the Big City. The silly and imaginative dialogue, cinematography, and the peals of laughter from Shannon Whelan as Dylan and Dianne Diep as Mia could leave the most serious heart uplifted. Click here for more on Cloud Gazing and Dianne Diep can also be seen in upcoming Mia: Unraveling Series.
Photo credit to NYC Indie Theatre Film Festival
Profound life advice is hard to come by. For example, ‘Life is better than a movie…buy cookies and cream’ is a notable and memorable quote from Tom’s Bench. Directed by Richard H. Pluim, it’s a heartwarming short film taking place on a special Astoria Park bench in New York. Most notable is the soothing and fitting Simon and Garfunkel-style closing song Come and Go by the Timber Choir.
Adam Patterson and Kyle Stockburger on ‘Tom’s Bench’ Photo credit to NYC Indie Theatre Film Festival
Starting a new day holds new meaning for an unhappy wife in Expectations directed by Vic Dominguez. It is also directed, written, and starring Kaitlin Gould. This short would benefit with a longer screen time because Gould’s actions only bring up more questions.
Photo credit to NYC Indie Theatre Film Festival
Overcoming has several meanings for a discouraged artist longing for inspiration and she may find it in a most unconventional way in You and I written directed and produced by Yiqing Zhao. It is a quirky, colorful, and sweet film about overcoming doubt for the dream in your heart.
To the sounds of Gymnopedie No 1, Fair is a stinging, deeply relatable, and inventive short film infusing fairy tale with stark reality as a woman, portrayed by Marissa Molnar, must overcome her current circumstances. It is a clever and fascinating piece that has moments of charm and humor in its brief time frame.
Marissa Molnar is ‘Fair’ Photo credit to NYC Indie Theatre Film Festival
School life isn’t easy for Angella Cao as Jessa in Pippi, a nod to the famous children’s book character, Pippi Longstocking. Most notable is the moving and poignant interactions between the adorable Cao and Karoline Xu as her mom.
Angella Cao as Jessa in ‘Pippi’ Photo credit to NYC Indie Theatre Film Festival
A woman is on a mysterious voyage in Goat. This short film has beautiful cinematography and its share of odd humor. Ben Lewis as Simon is an especially intriguing character.
The New York City Indie Theatre Film Festival continues streaming through Sunday, February 20. Click here for more information and how to stream a variety of films.
College students Mary Hewitt (Andie Lerner) and Harold Kruger (Eric Bermudez) decide to meet upstairs at a house party in a small town in Pennsylvania. At first glance one can form a few assumptions about this scenario, but Get it Together’s clever dialogue and building tension only keeps the viewer guessing on what could possibly be next in its approximately 45 minute timeframe.
Written and directed by Michael Quinn, Get it Together is a drama film in the New York City Indie Theatre Film Festival (NYCITFF) which continues streaming online through Sunday, February 20. This film contains some mature themes. Click here for more information and how to get access to a wide range of short and full length films in a variety of genres.
From having fun to sharing secrets to betrayal to creepy and back again, Mary and Harold have a bit of a history. Deep thinking Scarlett and secretive Horan have peculiar and evolving chemistry and it is interesting to see the way the tone of the film changes at the drop of a hat.
The push and pull of the dialogue constantly ambushes expectations. Are these two people adversaries, acquaintances, friends, lovers? Each carefully selected line of dialogue will leave the viewer constantly guessing about what these two mean to each other. It is an encounter that will possibly simmer in your mind long after the film is over.
Get it Together, part of the New York City Indie Theatre Film Festival (NYCTIFF) continues streaming online through Sunday, February 20. Click here for more information and how to get access to a wide range of short and full length films in a variety of genres.
Though at times he has traveled under the radar from stage to screen aside from his turn as our friendly neighborhood Spiderman, Andrew Garfield has most deservedly been on the map lately. Though he was sadly overlooked by the Academy as the emotional center of David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin’s 2010 acclaimed drama, The Social Network, Garfield has finally scored an Academy Award-nomination for the musical hit,tick tick…BOOM!available on Netflix. Garfield has a knack for dynamic performances and though everyone is looking at Jessica Chastain as Tammy Faye Bakker in The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Garfield also brought a wealth of humor, quirkiness, and manipulative prowess to his portrayal of TV Evangelist Jim Bakker.
Once an Off-Broadway play, tick, tick…BOOM’s film adaptation is available now on Netflix and directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The film is currently Oscar-nominated for Best Actor for Andrew Garfield and Best Film Editing and Garfield has a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
As Lin-Manuel Miranda was once a struggling writer himself, it is not surprising he is the director of the Academy Award-nominated musical tick, tick…BOOM!, a fascinating semi-autobiographical story about Jonathan Larson, a struggling writer 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 film 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 writer and the struggle to live that extraordinarily competitive dream while just skirting out and skimming by trying to get a chance.
At its center is narrator and lead Andrew Garfield who brings a driving intensity and delivers an electrifying performance as the frenetic Larson on the eve of Larson’s 30th birthday. The unconventional, deeply creative, and quick-thinking Larson divides his time between writing and working at the Moondance Diner. Look for Lin-Manuel Miranda as a short order cook. 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 as he demonstrates in the catchy and memorable number, 30/90. Thirty is not old, but maybe Larson always felt like he was running out of time.
The musical features a dynamic, infectious, and multi-dimensional soundtrack about living in your 20s in New York City and how life changes. RENT’s influence is unmistakably evident in the lighthearted and humorous numbers, Boho Days and No More. It is also easy to recognize the roots that will develop Larson’s future work. Inside the Moondance Diner, Sunday features beautiful harmonies that include some of Broadway’s biggest stars. Therapy is a fantastic and humorous number about the miscommunication of love. The rap-infused Play Game depicts the struggle between living out the uncertainty of your dream or entering the corporate world which is a prevalent theme throughout the film.
tick, tick BOOM! explores the little victories, the bigger victories, and the gut-wrenching defeats in Larson’s personal and professional world. However, what is genuinely important becomes painfully clear and what truly inspires his work changes as the film progresses.
tick, tick BOOM! is currently streaming on Netflix. Click here for more information on RENT’s 25th Anniversary Farewell Tour.
As Atlantic Ocean waves lap along the shore, renowned vocalists Chabrelle D. Williams, Brianna J. Robinson, Maggie Finnegan, Vera Savage, and Hannah Ludwig provide an intense and inspired a cappella chorus for an idyllic beachside cottage as a bride, what appears to be the mother of the bride, and bridesmaids prepare for a beautiful wedding. A wedding can stir up a myriad of powerful emotions from bitter sweet to pure joy as a couple starts a new life together and in a way, leaves the former one behind. Filled with rich traditions, rituals, and cultural customs, the days leading up to a wedding can provide life’s most unforgettable moments.
JUST BEFORE HER WEDDING CEREMONY BEGINS, MILICA (VICTORIA L. AWKWARD) SHARES A GRATEFUL MOMENT WITH LENA (JACKIE DAVIS) IN “SVADBA.” Photo courtesy of Boston Lyric Opera
(L.-R.) VICTORIA L. AWKWARD AS MILICA AND JACKIE DAVIS AS LENA IN “SVADBA.” Photo courtesy Boston Lyric Opera
Svadba, which is Serbian for ‘wedding,’ contains all the anticipation and beauty of the days building up to the big day. It is a pivotal time in a couple’s life, especially these times when family and friends gathering can be a hesitant and tricky venture. The glow of the bride-to-be is resplendent in Victoria Awkward as Milica, the loving stares of love and pride shine in Jackie Davis’s eyes as Lena and the beautiful bridesmaids excitedly bonding create a dreamy and ethereal presence in this picturesque setting.
What also makes Svadba so alluring is the intimacy among the group. From Victoria Awkward as bride Milica and Jackie Davis as Lena’s first encounter, it is easy to see the precious nature of a mother and daughter relationship, though the film does not specify the connection between them. Davis treats Awkward delicately, taking her hand and getting her ready while presenting to her family and cultural customs and heirlooms leading up to this big day. The sunlight peers into the cottage, illuminating the treasure trove of precious objects. There is a quiet outpouring of love between the two of them as Davis prepares Awkward for the future.
BRIDESMAIDS ZORA (SARAH PACHECO, L.) AND DANICA (JAY BREEN) PICK ROSEHIPS IN “SVADBA.” Photo courtesy of Boston Lyric OperaLENA (JACKIE DAVIS) STIRS THE BEGINNINGS OF A ROSEHIP JAM AS THE WOMEN LOOK ON IN “SVADBA.” Photo courtesy of Boston Lyric Opera
Costume designer Albulena’s Borovci’s dynamic costumes vary from traditional and intriguing to unconventional with fantasy and flair. Sparkling, translucent, and understated gowns adorn bridesmaids Sasha Peterson as Maid of Honor Ljubica, Emily Jerant-Hendrickson, Sarah Pacheco as Zora, and Jay Breen as Danica. The pale green and coral complements the serene beachside landscape while a bride’s vivid daydream unleashes brighter and bolder attire.
JAY BREEN (AS DANICA, L.) AND VICTORIA L. AWKWARD (AS MILICA, IN WHITE) DANCE AS OTHER BRIDESMAID’S LOOK ON IN “SVADBA.” Photo courtesy of Boston Lyric Opera
Much of this opera symbolizes togetherness, the progression of growing up and finding where a woman fits in the world from the bride’s whirlwind feelings to family and friends perspectives. The choreography at times feels so intense that the dancers look like they are being taken over by the chorus’s powerful vocal harmony. From spontaneous frolicking to wild and intense dance rituals set to heavenly, trilling, and rhythmic vocals that narrate, navigate, and reveal the complicated feelings when one weds, Svadba is a spirited snapshot to this tumultuous and extraordinary rite of passage and a beautiful celebration of the future.
MILICA (VICTORIA L. AWKWARD, CENTER) AND HER BRIDESMAIDS RETURN TO THE COTTAGE AFTER GATHERING DECORATIVE FLORA IN “SVADBA.” Photo courtesy of Boston Lyric Opera
Boston Lyric Opera presents in collaboration with Opera Philadelphia Channel, Svadba streaming now on Operabox.tv. The film is just under an hour. Click here for streaming access and more information.
Not even Easter Sunday can stop a scandal in the Sicilian countryside.
Featuring distinct, eye-popping costumes, a glorious Opera Chorus led Brett Hodgdon, and a full orchestra, Boston Lyric Opera (BLO) opened their season on a grand scale with the renowned one act Italian libretto, Cavalleria Rusticana for just two performances on October 1 and 3. Boston Lyric Opera was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd anticipating BLO’s return to a live venue for 18 months. Delivered on a concert scale, Cavalleria Rusticana was presented under Leader Bank Pavilion’s open air tent in the Seaport District in Boston, Massachusetts. It ran for 1 hour and 10 minutes with no intermission.
JAVIER ARREY AS ALFIO WITH DANCERS VICTORIA L. AWKWARD, MICHAYLA KELLY, AND MARISSA MOLINAR
Photo by Liza Voll/Boston Lyric Opera
Loyalty, love, honor, and faith are tested among this group of passionate players. Led by Music Director David Angus, the seemingly joyous overture delivers an exciting rush woven into a sense of foreboding, hinting at turmoil among still waters on the holiest of days, Easter Sunday. Introducing the libretto is an interactive and unparalleled performance of Pagliacci’s Prologue by Javier Arrey. Taking a reflective, humorous, and philosophical tone addressing the audience over what they are about to see, Cavalleria Rusticana becomes a passionate and cautionary tale, pleading about the affects of love and the human spirit.
Julia Noulin-Merat’s standalone set pieces, including overturned chairs piled high in pale pink as well as bright yellow chairs lining the stage, pop as does Gail Astrid Buckley’s distinct, vivid costumes with blooming flowers set against the orchestral backdrop depicting the emergence of a Sicilian spring.
CHELSEA BASLER AS LOLA WITH DANCER MICHAYLA KELLY
Photo by Liza Voll/Boston Lyric Opera
It is easy to get invested in these headstrong characters and Cavalleria Rusticana hits the ground running steeped in a complex love affair as the sacredness of Easter surrounds them, emphasized by ethereal dancers Victoria Awkward, Michayla Kelly, and Marissa Molinar and the swelling of the Boston Lyric Chorus’s powerful and spiritual lyrics.
Michelle Johnson as conflicted Santuzza leads this magnificent cast, delivering a splendid, heartrending performance. Filled with sorrow and longing, Johnson’s tremendous vocals and her searing confrontation with Turiddo, portrayed with a charismatic yet manipulative mystique by Adam Diegel, show Johnson is a force to be reckoned with. Chelsea Basler depicts alluring and complicated Lola with infuriating and masterful charm and the heart of the show lies with loyal and compassionate Nina Yoshida Nelsen as Mamma Lucia who observes it all much like the audience, with bated breath.
MICHELLE JOHNSON AS SANTUZZA AND NINA YOSHIDA NELSEN AS MAMMA LUCIA Photo by Liza Voll
ADAM DIEGEL AS TURRIDU WITH NINA YOSHIDA NELSEN AS MAMMA LUCIA Photo by Liza Voll
The show is delivered entirely in Italian and with subtitles at significant parts of the production. However, for someone who does not know Italian and with a production so captivating, it is difficult having to forego not knowing every single word spoken from this enthralling cast.
Cavallaria Rusticana takes place in 1900’s Sicily and yet this opera is as timeless as any contemporary story told today and a perfect choice to open Boston Lyric Opera’s new season which includes virtual and live and in-person performances including jazz-themed opera Championand Svadba through operabox.tv. Click here for more information and a closer look at BLO’s new season.
The power of music is in full force in Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s (MRT) production of Alison Gregory’sWild Horses streaming on demand through Sunday, October 17. Merrimack Repertory Theatre previously offered the production in person from September 15 through October 3 at Western Avenue Studios in Lowell, Massachusetts. The show contains mature language and some adult themes. Click here for more information and tickets to this virtual performance.
Leenya Rideout and Rafael Molina during filming at Unitas Community Center, Lowell. Photo: Kathy Wittman
Directed with heart and humor by Courtney Sale, Wild Horses delves into the life of the mother of a teenage daughter, portrayed with a blend of lively charm and excitable nervousness by Leenya Rideout, as she gets wrapped up recalling her story of a special California summer during her 13th year in the 70s while onstage at an open mic night. Rideout evokes a sense of adventure during this musically-fueled Moth Radio Hour featuring lyrics from 70s greats Rolling Stones, Heart, Van Morrison, America, and more.
Having delivered a likable performance in the 2020 indie film, Love, Repeat, Rideout further showcases her dynamic range in this meatier Wild Horses role with a humorous, heartfelt and sometimes raunchy performance. See what Sleepless Critic had to say about Rideout in Love, Repeathere.
Leenya Rideout performing “Wild Horses” at Western Avenue Studios.
With a love for music almost as much as horses, Rideout sings, strums an acoustic guitar, and proves an energetic and engaging storyteller sharing her experiences from a studious perfectionist to a teenager not afraid to break a few rules with the encouragement from her daring friends. With no shortage of excitement, scandal, humor, and heartache, Rideout’s onstage demeanor switches from responsible mother in need of a night out to wide eyed, youthful innocent with all the angst that goes with it. She blends what she remembers with her current wisdom, dwelling in the sacredness of youth. Ranging from teenage pranks to rites of passage, Rideout recalls these stories with wistfulness and passion, interacting with the audience like old friends.
Leenya Rideout during filming at Unitas Community Center, Lowell. Photo: Kathy Wittman
Costume designer A. Lee Viliesis has Rideout ready to rock in an animal print scarf, Fender T Shirt, and ripped jeans and accompanied by guitarist Rafael Molina, she slips right into this adolescent spirit longing to be wild and free. All that is necessary is a little courage.
Here’s to the ‘freedom takers’ with Merrimack Repertory’s production of Wild Horses continues streaming through Sunday, October 17. Click here for more information and to get a closer look on MRT’s new season.
Comic great Robin Williams once said, “I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up all alone. It’s not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people that make you feel all alone.” Williams suffered from depression, but his ability to feel the lows and to make people laugh perhaps contributed to his gift on a deeper level. Getting the laugh is greater when the pain in which it is earned is also felt, achieving connection. Perhaps this is why there is also an in-house psychiatrist at The Laugh Factory in Los Angeles, California.
Theatre Kapow captured isolation and resilience in a play centered around a group of people clinging for hope in A.J. Ditty’s resonating play, The Boyg based partially on the life of Per Krohg. Art and isolation are key elements and are heavily weighed as each character attempts to connect with each other in their own distinct way.
Dan Daly’s set and cast Photo credit Matt Lomanno Photography
Celebrating its first indoor production in over a year, Theatre Kapow presented A.J. Ditty’s The Boyg in Derry, New Hampshire in September, toured in Charlestown, Massachusetts as October started, and the show is now available online through October 10. Click here for tickets and more information.
Before continuing, it is important to note that A.J. Ditty’s The Boyg, named after Ibsen’s classic play Peer Gynt’s groundbreaking literary monster, does not make the play a prerequisite to appreciate this production, but a companion piece. The show is part play within a play and for those who know Peer Gynt, having read Ibsen’s work may promote a richer understanding, but does not affect the universal appeal of this show.
There is a phantom presence lingering over The Boyg, a sense of tension and dread that builds throughout the production and is rarely addressed until it is unavoidable. It hides in games, questions, plays, and pleasant conversation and perhaps glimpsed in a pause or a worried glance. Enhanced by Tayva Young’s mood-induced lighting and versatile sound designed by Jake Hudgins, it is an element as real as any of the characters in this production.
Sabrina Schlegel-Mejia as Mikhail and Rebecca Tucker as Per in ‘The Boyg’ Photo credit Matt Lomanno Photography
Set inside a Norwegian concentration camp during World War II, each character has every reason to try to forget their present circumstances, but struggle within the inevitability of their situation. Duty, work which is often self defeating, and art seem only to hold more than a moment’s distraction.
R to L: Lisa Boyett as Old Man and Sabrina Schlegel-Mejia as Mikhail Photo credit Matt Lomanno Photography
The cast displays good timing and chemistry even as characters who often struggle to understand each other in their mutual pain. As barracks leader Odd Nansen, portrayed ardently by Carey Cahoon, Odd seems the most willing to give into whatever is necessary to keep up morale while Professor Francis Bull depicted by Molly Kane Parker, prefers to escape into literature and theatre to cope with the present.
Rebecca Tucker delivers an intriguing and heartfelt performance as secretive, complex, and anguished Per Krohg who struggles with what it takes to survive. Tucker’s cat-and-mouse conversations with Nicholas Wilder as harsh and manipulative Captain Denzer and Sabrina Sehlegel-Megia’s earnest portrayal of rebellious and mysterious Mikhail Hjorthson’s haunting recollections of past experiences are particular highlights.
R to Left: Rachael Chapin Longo as Robert and Rebecca Tucker as Per Photo courtesy of Matt Lomanno Photography
What does it take to peel back life’s meaning where there is no other choice? Reflecting on art and culture while staring into the face of mortality, isn’t life better with connection over dread?
Directed contemplatively by Matt Cahoon, Theatre Kapow timely production of A.J. Ditty’s The Boyg streaming through October 10. Click here for more on The Boyg and Theatre Kapow’s new season, Return.
