Roy Berko - Page 43

This is the time of year that theatres are looking for productions to attract large audiences in order to bring some extra money into the coffers. BECK, for a number of years did BEAUTY AND THE BEAST for their holiday show. This year they opened the classic ANNIE.

There is an air of an impending explosion about to happen in Amy Herzog's 4000 MILES, now on stage at Dobama Theatre. Interesting, though the artillery never goes off, the 90-minute play captivates and absolutely holds attention.

Don't just hunker down during Cleveland's upcoming season of discontent and snow, support the local theatres. BTW…tickets or gift cards to local theatres make great holiday presents!

It's that time of year. Local theatres are staging all sorts of holiday fare. Tiny Tims, Scrooges, elfs and Santas are traipsing their way across the boards. And true to form, THE NUTCRACKER is marching and dancing.

What does an airheaded, "good" girl from Beaverton Jesuit High School do when she wants to be a Dallas Cowgirl professional football team cheerleader, and she gets accepted, but doesn't have the money to get from Oklahoma to the big city? She and her cheerleading friends, of course, turn to prostitution. That, at least is the premise of the classic porn flick DEBBIE DOES DALLAS, as well as the musical based on that flick. The latter is now on stage at Blank Canvas.

Ensemble's Stagewright's concept is an excellent means for local playwrights to try out their writing skills, get constructive feedback, and hopefully get their works staged. Congratulations to Jonathan Wilhelm for developing the often delightful MIRACLE & WONDER. Though it needs some refinements, and a more clearly directed concept, it is both entertaining and thought provoking and a change from the usual holiday theatre fare.

Every once in a while a reviewer has the opportunity to not only see an enthralling dance performance, but to experience it from the inside. I accomplished both when I not only saw Inlet Dance's recent evening of dance, but sat in on a rehearsal.

This is the 14th season of GROUNDWORKS, the Cleveland area small dance company which has proven to be a local treasure since its inception. In its short history the company has commissioned 19 premieres by nationally and internationally acclaimed choreographers, as well as 26 new works by its founder and Artistic Director, David Shimotakahara, and 8 by former dancer and now Artistic Associate Amy Miller. Its highlight feature is the high level of discipline, purposefulness, and precision instilled by Shimotakahara.

Though the message, due to the abstract nature of the concept of Rapture and religious differences, might turn off some viewers, Dobama's A BRIGHT NEW BOISE, featuring superb acting and focused directing, is a production well worth seeing!

CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Programs' THE MISANTHROPE is a delightful production of a historic classic.

THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED continues the recent trend of area theatres to probe into the gay phenomenon. Though it is somewhat dated due to changing attitudes towards gays in the arts, it still makes for an interesting theatrical experience.

Sunday the Cleveland Browns won. Later that day and carrying over to Monday, the city was abuzz. No, the team hadn't won the Super Bowl, the Browns had been victorious in the first game in their last eleven attempts.

THE COLOR PURPLE, which is an appropriate selection for Karamu's mission, gets a good, but somewhat flawed production, filled with some wonderful singing and acting.

Every era has its controversies. Since theatre represents the era from which it comes, here in the United States, attitudes about the women's movement were presented by feminist plays. The Black movement found African American writers sending forth their messages. Today, with the Gay rights movement in full swing, it is only logical that some of that community's issues reach the forefront.

Will Rogers was a great American humorist and philosopher. His understated humor is sage wisdom, but does not make for compelling theatre, in spite of a nice presentation by Neil Thackaberry at Actors' Summit.

NEXT FALL continues the Blank Canvas's streak of well conceived productions of challenging scripts. Though viewers may have to set aside their own individual beliefs in order to buy into the play's ending, this is an overall positive theatrical experience and very well worth seeing.

GLT's THE WINTER'S TALE is a disappointment. This is a difficult script to produce due to the many emotional and psychological levels which require a clear staging philosophy. Due to the lack of focused directing by Jesse Berger, the production never sets a clear course and leaves so much of Shakespeare's brilliance untapped.

Each night during the 2011 Broadway revival of THE NORMAL HEART, Larry Kramer, the author of the script, stood outside the theatre to distribute a letter to members of the audience.

Antonio Brown, whose work was the centerpiece of EXPLORE DISCOVER (9/22/12) has great potential as a choreographer. Though it might be incumbent upon a local reviewer to extol his work, it would not be a service to him or his audience. Brown is just developing a style and dance philosophy that will take years and maturity to polish, and needs honest evaluation to help him on his path. Verb should be praised for giving the young man a chance to ply his creativity and give him a chance to experiment.