Victoria and Frederick for President

by Amalia Queller

Seeing Victoria and Frederick for President was like taking a trip through a history textbook and focusing on Victoria Woodhull, Frederick Douglas and Ulysses S. Grant.

Through a modern talk show with host Damon Stevens V and a series of flashbacks, we learn the story of the Damon Stevens I, the first black reporter for the New York Herald. He follows the campaign of Victoria Woodhull and Frederick Douglas as they ran for President and Vice President in 1872, shortly after the Civil War. We watch as the characters make tough decisions about fighting for what is right and damning the consequences or taking the safer route and compromising.

Victoria Woodhull was a strong fighter in the suffrage movement. Not only was she a successful businesswoman, but she also had the guts to openly publish the Communist Manifesto. She was tired of the slow change that women like Susan B. Anthony advocated and storms on for a revolution by running for president at a time when women could not even vote.

Woodhull chose former slave Frederick Douglas as her Vice-Presidential nominee. Douglas took many risks and made many enemies as he campaigned for civil rights.

It is the courage and strength of Victoria and Frederick that brings to life this historic tale of a time when a woman or black president was nothing but a pipe dream. An interesting comparison to our recent presidential race, this play is one to catch.

https://www.mosonproductions.org/

M: An Adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth with Three Actors

by Grace Lisandrelli

M: An Adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth with Three Actors was simple, yet effective. Macbeth tells the story of the valiant Scottish title soldier who encounters three ghoulish women with incredible prophetic abilities. These women share their predictions with Macbeth, the most astounding of which involves Macbeth becoming King of Scotland. When Macbeth writes to his beloved wife about the prophecy, she devises a malevolent plan to murder the reigning King Duncan and presses her husband until he finally concedes to do the deed. The play follows Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s psychological breakdowns as they spiral further out of control to ensure that he remains King.

This particular edited version of Macbeth, clocking in at one hour and 15 minutes, has only three actors, which stems from the concept of the three ghoulish women. I applaud these three actors first and foremost for taking on the daunting task of playing multiple characters, especially since Macbeth has an unusual number of minor characters.

One very outstanding characteristic of the set was the omnipresence of standing puppets to represent the women. They were appealing to the eye as well a clever device to help the audience distinguish the women from the other characters. Another subtle yet notable feature of the play concerned the murder scenes. When a character was slain, the murderer would pull a long piece of red ribbon from the “wound” to symbolize blood. I thought it was an artful, almost poetic touch to such an intense storyline. The sound effects and lighting, simulating nature, gave the play a very earthy vibe, adding to the raw energy surrounding the production.

If you are a fan of Shakespeare, I wholeheartedly recommend this adaptation of Macbeth. I would even call it a “portable play” – a production that could easily travel to different locations, particularly high schools. I would envision this play being well received by other high school students.

http://rjmscenicdesign.googlepages.com/mtheplay

GirlPower: Voices of a Generation

by Sarah Schlesinger

GirlPower is the third in a series of shows consisting of short scenes and monologues, combining the casts and scripts from two previous GirlPower shows, in addition to new material. GirlPower was written and performed by young women in their teens and twenties who love the theater and who want to show society that they are truly empowered. The show revolves around what it means to be female; hardships, pain, troubles, puzzles, loves, and joys are all explored.

Individual monologues are powerful, scenes are comical and the poetry rings with truth. Subjects often considered taboo – sexual assault, alcohol abuse and sexual orientation – are spoken about without shame or fear of judgment. GirlPower explores what it really means to be a woman of this generation, beneath the facade that most wear. In one scene, it is said that if one wants a "perfect woman" they should "go buy a Barbie". Flaws, it is explained, are what makes each of us unique and beautiful as humans. The actors use the entire theater to make their points, going into the audience and speaking to them directly, and even bringing audience members on stage to dance.

GirlPower is a marvelous play that anyone can relate to, regardless of gender. Everyone should see this play. Men will gain a better understanding of the female perspective and women will realize that they are not alone, and that they all have GirlPower.

Fringe Performance Information

The Taming of the Shrew

By Chris Ramirez

To tame or not to tame…that is the question.

The FringeNYC production of The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare features two lovely women who live in the town of Padua with their very rich father, Senor Baptista. The older daughter, Katherine, is a mean, angry and violent girl; while the younger one, Bianca, is beautiful, sweet and gentle. When suitors come to request Bianca's hand in marriage, her father declares that before anyone can marry Bianca, Katherine must first be married. Thus…enter Petruchio, a man who tries to tame Katherine while his friend Lucentio woos young Bianca.

The set for this play was brilliant. It was quite simple with four big lawn chairs that doubled for many other things. The sound design was energetic and lively during scene changes with songs that ranged from artists like Pink to Michael Buble, garnering the attention of the audience throughout the play. The lighting was sparse yet effective, although some actors were unlit during scenes.

There were many great performances I truly enjoyed Henry Dwyer, who had great enthusiasm in his role of Petruchio and Violeta Picayo, complete with crazy moments of hitting and screaming in the guise of Katherine. Some of the other actors were hard to understand at times, particularly one who was trying to speed through his lines, creating a difficult time for the audience.

The theatre was quite hot (as always during the Fringe), but I was amazed at how the actors performed with bright lights and exotic costumes…it was a sauna for them to say the least. I am very glad I went to see this performance of The Taming of the Shrew as I am a huge fan of Shakespeare and I highly recommend this play to teenagers and families.

http://www.shrewnyc.com/

A Time to Dance

By Olympia Zipitas

A Time to Dance is a play about Elizabeth Polk, a half-Catholic half-Jewish girl living in Vienna during WWII. She tells her story of how she used dance therapy to get through the tough times in her life.

Growing up as the middle child, Elizabeth is overshadowed by her older sisters’ beauty and talent and her younger sisters’ youth. The play starts off in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, then jumps back in time to when she was first born. We see Elizabeth grow up, get married and survive WWII.

Many times the play became messy with fumbled lines and accents. It dragged on, but was occasionally revived with a corny joke or a slight bounce of excitement.

Despite these issues, the ending was heartwarming. Elizabeth returns to Vienna to visit her old babysitter, Marie. She sees for the first time that it wasn’t the perfect husband that she needed, or lots of money, but the love from someone who cared for her from the start.

http://atimetodance.homestead.com/

VOTE!

by Sabrina KhanVOTE!, a new musical, is about a student council election that makes the candidates question and define ethics in a rather quirky manner, all the while representing and paralleling the American democratic system that shook the nation in 2008. Starring Baily Hanks, of Broadway's Legally Blonde: The Musical, the production has an excellent cast and crew.

Muffin, the captain of the cheerleading squad (played by Hanks), Mark, the smartest kid in school, and Nikki, the timid do-gooder, are all running for student council president in the most intense election yet at Green Valley High School. The campaigns are built upon lies, corruption, mudslinging and allusions to politicians who behaved in a similar nature. Meanwhile, each candidate discovers what he or she really means to achieve – a true identity, not just the face on the fliers.

The actors were truly wonderful and their performances even better. The music sounds a lot like the best of Broadway, but unlike them, the plot of VOTE! lacks real substance – not much to think about. Though there are no profound statement, there are moments of political commentary that inspire a little laughter.

Just like High School Musical and Legally Blonde, VOTE! is sure to entertain teens interested in a good time.

Crossings

By Brenda Grande

Crossings is a performance based on real interviews from immigrants. The stories are about the experiences that each immigrant faced when he or she came to the United States. Every actor plays their part extremely well and makes their stories come to life. Some actors even play multiple parts.

The play begins with so much energy. The nine actors are spread out on the stage and sitting down with the audience when the lights go off. All of a sudden you hear screaming, laughing, singing and music all at the same time. The lights come up to reveal a game show where the winner gets a green card. This part of the play is hysterical and fun to watch.

After the game show, we hear the stories of the characters. You start to feel the pain, happiness, fear and ambition of the characters as they struggle to come to the United States. Each person had a different reason for coming here. Almost all of the characters did not speak English when they first came to the United States and had to face a lot of difficulties.

One of the actors who stood out to me was Mi Sun Choi. She cried, screamed and was not afraid to look weird. Her character, a Korean woman, gave up everything so that she could come to the United States.

These stories are true and are important to be heard because this country is made up of immigrants. As someone with immigrant parents, I think it is important for everyone to understand why so many people try to come to the United States.

I was very impressed with Crossings and I recommend this show to everyone. This is a must-see show!

http://www.stagesonthesound.com/

FringeTastic 2009!

Have you heard of FringeNYC?

Over 200 performance arts companies (big and small) are presenting work around the city for two weeks. Ploggers are spending every waking moment seeing and writing about these shows just so YOU know what to go see.

Keep checking back to see what we've seen - and what we recommend!

And check out these $5 tickets to 20 of the FringeNYC shows through High5!

TDF on Facebook

Join Theatre Development Fund on Facebook

West Side Story

By Amy Leon

Are you…loyal?

Set in New York in the 1950s, West Side Story is a beautiful tale about the for­bidden love between a white gang member, Tony, and the sister of the leader of the rival Puerto Rican gang, Maria. The story follows the progression of Tony and Maria’s love and how their actions affect their families and communities.

The dancing is phenom­enal; every movement onstage captivates the eye and ex­presses true talent. Not all the singing can compare to the elaborate dancing, but was still very enjoyable.

Earlier Broadway produc­tions and the movie did not contain much Spanish, but Lin-Manuel Miranda (from In the Heights) translated por­tions of the dialogue and a few songs for this revival, chang­ing the entire dynamic of the show. It made sense - wouldn't recent immigrants from Puerto Rico speak some Spanish? You should know that if you expecting to hear "I Feel Pretty," you will be getting "Siento Hermosa" instead.

West Side Story is an all time favorite and I gladly welcome it back to Broadway!

HOW TO SEE THE SHOW: $26.50 lottery rush beginning 2 ½ hours before the show • The Palace Theatre, 1564 Broadway. Visit www.broadwaywestsidestory.com for more information.

Hair

By Torffick Abdul

Are you…free?

Hair is a musical about a group of young hippies living in New York City during the 1960s. The story intertwines the lives of Claude, a hippie seeking his rightful place in the world, and his friends and family. On the streets of New York, this group of hip­pies fight for civil rights at home and for an end to the Vietnam War overseas. Inside themselves, they struggle to find a balance between identity, the hippie lifestyle and the responsibility to one’s family and one’s country.

Hair is a great way to experience history while listening to a catchy mix of rock and roll. I recommend this musical to everyone — though, there is a scene con­taining nudity that might not be appropriate for all ages.

I left the theatre with a newfound respect of the hip­pie culture. After seeing Hair, all I wanted to do was grow my hair out, sing and shake my head frantically! Who knew a musical named after the elongated silky strands growing from the human scalp could be so inspira­tional?

HOW TO SEE THE SHOW: $25 lottery rush beginning 2 ½ hours before the show & $25 standing room tickets when performance is sold out • Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 W. 45th St. Visit www.hairbroadway.com for more information.

Coraline

By Nat Marcus

Are you…brave?

Coraline is a musical based on the children’s book of the same name. Although I never read that book, I still found this show entertaining.

Nine-year-old Coraline and her parents have just moved into a new apartment building full of quirky and puzzling residents. Coraline spends her time exploring the mysterious yard and creaky buildings, but nothing peaks her interest. One day she finds a door that leads her to an alternate reality and the life that she has always dreamed of: meals are delicious, toys can talk and nothing is ever boring. How­ever, Coraline soon realizes that this perfect life might be too good to be true and she might be trapped in this other world forever.

Jayne Houdyshell, at age 56, does an excellent job of portraying a nine-year-old. Her mannerisms and physicality perfectly reflect the mindset of a young antsy girl.

I would recommend Coraline to anyone in the mood for something different. It’s full of excellent performances, amusing music and an enthralling and unnerving story.

HOW TO SEE THE SHOW: $15 student rush • Lucille Lortel Theatre, 121 Christopher St. Visit www.mcctheater.org for more information.

Next to Normal

By Mariana Quinn-Makwaia

Are you…understanding?

Next to Normal is a musical about a not-quite-normal family trying to hold itself together. Diana, a stay-at-home mom struggling with bipolar disorder, attempts to juggle the chemicals in her brain with her reality at home. Her husband, Dan, works hard to pretend that everything is fine. Their seventeen-year-old son, Gabe, is very close to Diana, while their sixteen-year-old straight-A-student daughter, Natalie, feels ignored. At times, it is difficult to determine the differ­ence between reality and what is happening inside of Diana’s head.

While Next to Normal has hilari­ous moments, it does not shy away from bringing up truths. Diana’s struggle with mental illness and Dan’s attempts to save their marriage were so emotional that I choked up a few times.

Natalie’s rollercoaster into drugs and depression was simplified a bit too much, almost to the point of being cliché. Perhaps if she had been the main character, she would have seemed less like a health teacher’s imper­sonation of a teen.

Next to Normal is deep, genuine and comedic. If you are a fan of rock musicals (hint, hint, Spring Awakening), don’t miss this show!

HOW TO SEE THE SHOW: $25.00 general rush • Booth Theatre, 222 W. 45th St. • Visit www.nexttonormal.com for more information.

Avenue Q

By Claire Pienaar

What do you get when you combine a story that takes place on the wrong side of the tracks, a (literally) colorful cast of characters and some very crude and immature humor?

Nope, not Adult Swim. I’m talking about Avenue Q, a musical collaboration of puppets and humans and monsters alike.

Though it was initially confusing to distinguish between humans and puppets, the puppets soon had enough life to be actors on their own. The human puppeteers handled their inanimate counterparts very well, while showing identical expressions in their own faces and body language. Some characters did not wield puppets and instead interacted with the puppets as they would with each other.

Most of the performance was composed of comedy, a type that rings with honesty and lets people make light of their own moral flaws (maybe everyone is a little bit racist…sometimes…) Parts of the play were meant to cause the audience discomfort, including the gratuitous puppet sex scene, and Rod the Republican’s tune about his “girlfriend that lives in Canada”. However, the use of puppets is what made all of the near-blasphemy in the musical more acceptable.

Avenue Q has been running since 2003 and has been very popular among our generation. Since many teenagers in New York City have already seen the musical, bits of humor and lessons from the musical have influenced our culture. Never having seen the show before, I sat through it once and recognized almost half of the jokes as ones my friends have been telling me about for years.

Avenue Q is wonderful for teenagers and adults alike. The continuous humor and brutal honesty will keep you laughing and cringing throughout the entire show!

Ruined

By Sabrina Khan

Lynn Nottage’s Ruined is an intense and sexually charged drama that draws the audience to the stage. Ruined tells the heroic tale of Mama Nadi and the young women she harbors in the war ridden Democratic Republic of Congo. While several factions of militia and rebel forces tear the villages apart and destroy the lives of its inhabitants, Mama Nadi discovers a way to remain safe—by consorting with these very factions.


Set in a quaint village bar, the play begins in a rather lighthearted manner. Mama Nadi is busy cleaning when she is visited by the “Professor,” a salesman who brings her supplies such as lipstick and condoms. They discuss business in a humorous tone, but the mood shifts when The Professor offers Mama Nadi some additional cargo—Sophie and Salima, two homeless young women. It turns out that Mama Nadi provides more services than just food and drink. Her innocent pub is actually a brothel that serves all of the men fighting in the war. We soon meet Josephine, the most popular prostitute, who helps Mama Nadi run the business.

Mama Nadi makes no distinction between those she welcomes, as long as they follow her one rule of not bringing loaded weapons into the bar. At first it seems that Mama Nadi is safe from conflict because she shows no loyalty to either side, but her flexibility makes her even more vulnerable.


Sophie, Salima, and Josephine tell their stories throughout the play. Each story about their ruin is more heartbreaking than the last and moves the audience to sympathize with these women who must sell their bodies to the very men who stole them from their homes. Sophie, the most physically scarred of these women, is exempt from the usual brothel duties and takes on singing and bookkeeping to pay for her room and board. Her singing is the only soothing aspect of Ruined, the music of which exemplifies the essence of the struggle of the citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ruined pays homage to the women who have no voice of their own. It is as suspenseful as it is moving and will not disappoint.

How to see the show: New York City Center, Stage I, 131 W. 55th St. Visit www.mtc-nyc.org for schedule and more information.

Award Season

by Christa Tandana

Every spring many organizations honor specific shows with awards.

You may have heard of THE TONY AWARDS, an annual awards ceremony for the best of Broadway’s current season, presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League. Awards include Best Play, Best Musical, Best Performance, Best Lighting Design and many more.

Other awards include the Drama Desk Awards, Lucille Lortel Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards, Drama League Awards, Equity Awards, Obie Awards and more. Some are specifically for Broadway productions, some just for Off-Broadway, and some for both.

So, why would anyone want to win a TONY or other award? Well, just like a movie gains popularity for winning awards, so does a play or musical. Even receiving a nomination gives a show publicity as well as public recognition from people outside of the world of theatre. For example, In the Heights, set in Washington Heights with a largely Hispanic cast, won four TONY AWARDS (including Best Musical) as well as receiving nine other nominations. People who previously were not interested in the show all of a sudden realized that this wasn’t a show to miss!

What shows do YOU think should win awards? Let us know in the comments!

33 Variations

By Amalia Queller

After a 46 year hiatus from the stage, Jane Fonda makes an outstanding comeback in Moisés Kaufman’s new Broadway play 33 Variations. Ms. Fonda plays Dr. Katherine Brandt, a mother and musicologist who embarks on a journey to discover the mystery behind Beethoven’s obsession with “a grain of sand” waltz by Diabelli. While on this journey, Katherine discovers the love that exists between mother and daughter as well as friends and lovers.

While struggling with the acceptance of her terminal diagnosis, Katherine and her daughter Clara are finally able to understand each other. As their relationship is reborn, Clara is able to grow on her own and allow someone else into her life. Katherine travels to Austria in order to see into the mind of Beethoven. The audience is able to watch Beethoven struggle with composing as Katherine questions why the maestro would take on such a trivial piece of music.

When the two worlds collide, the real connection between Beethoven and this simple waltz is apparent – it is not until Katherine is truly able to comprehend the simplicity and beauty of the work that she is finally able to truly understand her daughter.

33 Variations has dynamic energy and passion. Katherine and Clara as an example of any mother and daughter who just can’t seem to break through to each other. This play exceeds its potential with strong actors and even stronger writing. It transcends age, gender and style and brings classical music into a forum where even hip-hop obsessed teens can appreciate the sheer beauty of the works.

How to see the show: $30 student rush tickets with ID • Eugene O'Neill Theatre, 230 W. 49th St. Visit www.33variations.com for schedule and more info.