Patricia Richardson and Tony Carlin; Photo: Greg Mooney
Whether it was opening night jitters or the actors were just presenting a formal rehearsal, I couldn’t say. But I can predict this: the production of “Apples & Oranges” premiering at the Alliance Theatre should put a lot more work into it if it plans on running in New York.
Adapted from Vanity Fair writer Marie Brenner’s memoir “Apples & Oranges” about her estranged relationship with her brother and sole sibling, Carl Brenner (Tony Carlin), this two-person play becomes a series of short scenes between the two. Marie, a successful writer for Vanity Fair, and Carl, a prolific and successful apple farmer, have been estranged their whole lives. After being diagnosed with cancer and having no living parents, he tries to reconnect with Marie, who lives on the other side of the country. They meet and bicker everywhere: on the phone, at restaurants, in apple orchards, in China, and in automobiles as they forever try to connect but rarely do.
The play moves along swiftly but leaves out some of the important history in the book: namely, that this sibling estrangement goes back two generations when their grandparents came to the United States, when her father’s siblings became estranged from one another, and when his sister was disinherited by their parents. It also leaves out that Marie and Carl mark the third generation of Brenner trail blazers who left their heritage and moved far away from their families. That information, which includes a great grandfather who was a farmer, and an aunt, a writer in the early 1900s who moved to Mexico and New York, brings insight into the family history. These details (and lots more juicy tales) bring Brenner’s page-turner memoir full circle. The lack of them makes this a series of short scenes (under 1 ½ hours with no intermission) of sibling rivalry.
The staging is just right as Carl and Marie (Patricia Richardson of “Home Improvement”) perform on an empty stage with only two stools that come together and move apart as they speak on the phone, drive in an orchard or have breakfast at a counter in a diner. This play doesn’t need any scenery as all that really matters is the heart-felt connection between the two. Whether it’s love, hate or indifference, this play is about the raw emotion these two feel for each other. But sadly, that was lacking opening night.
While Carl’s anger seemed to be real at times, Marie’s did not. Richardson rarely showed true raw emotions, neither anger nor sadness. Watching her on stage was like watching a TV sitcom character who gets “mad” or “sad” but never displays true heartfelt feelings. Richardson brings loud words, but nothing seems to happen to her deep internally. Even when Carl shares the latest bad news of his illness and Marie buries her face in her hands as if she is crying, the sadness shown on her face and voice is shallow. The audience needed to see it. We needed to feel it.
While Carlin did show true emotion, he had his weaknesses too. He stumbled over words. But what was most bothersome was the continual twitching and flinching of his fingers. When his left arm hung down by his side, the fingers would continually curl and relax, they’d rub together like some nervous twitch, and they’d open and close like they were a talking puppet that silently cried, “I’m nervous, I’m nervous.” To be fair to him, he had a week’s less time to rehearse as originally someone else had been cast in his role.
The play “Apples & Oranges” by Alfred Uhry was disappointing even to those in the audience who had not read the book. Uhry wrote “Driving Miss Daisy” and “The Last Night of Ballyhoo,” and co-wrote “Mystic Pizza,” and I liked them all. He’s won an Academy Award, a Tony Award and a Pulitzer Prize for his writing. But I don’t think he’s going to win anything for this unless changes are made. Luckily, the play is previewing here and the script and acting could be repaired before it attempts to open elsewhere.
Directed by Lynne Meadow, “Apples & Oranges” runs through Oct. 28 on the Hertz Stage at the Alliance Theatre.
If you’re into Halloween or Haunted Houses, you have to go to NetherWorld! It’s as scary as any haunted house you’ve seen in any Hollywood movie.
NetherWorld Haunted House
NetherWorld Haunted House runs through Nov. 3. in Norcross.
The Broadway touring company of “War Horse,” playing at the Fox Theatre, is simply spellbinding.
The show, which won five Tony Awards including one for Best Play, is a must see for the sheer theatrics of the lifelike horse and geese puppets and the rolling background screen that portrays the countryside, cannons, and tanks from war-torn Europe.
The star of the show is Joey, a horse that stands about 15 hands high, flares its ears back, jerks and twists its neck, and moves in the exact gait of a real horse. The co-star, Albert (Andrew Veenstra), a teenage boy who wins Joey from his father, loses Joey to the army, and later enlists in search of his one true love, Joey.
Based on the book “War Horse” by Michael Morpurgo, it’s a good premise for a story–who doesn’t love a good pet story–but the script drags, and scenes linger as the story takes its time in moving forward.
The opening night cast was fantastic, especially Emile (Lavita Shaurice), who was a standout as the young French girl who shies away from a German soldier, but allows her fondness for Joey to unite the three of them.
In association with Handspring Puppet Company, script adapted by Nick Stafford, directed by Bijan Sheibani, “War Horse” runs through Sept. 30 at the Fox Theatre.
Chris Kayser, Carolyn Cook, Robin Bloodworth
Nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play, “Time Stands Still,” now playing at Horizon Theatre, is one of the best plays I have ever seen in Atlanta. Ever. It is the one local production you’ve got to see.
The story and characters are multidimensional. Even the airhead young event planner, Mandy (Ann Marie Gideon), has depth. No stereotypical, vapid characters here. It’s an impeccable script with not one moment of boredom. The situations and characters are so real you become ensconced in their lives.
On top of this perfect script and scenic design–everything takes place in a loft that I’d swear is a loft right out of New York–there’s a wonderful cast. Every actor is thoroughly believable, and that in itself is such a rare treat.
You might think a show about a couple who are journalists and have returned from war torn Iraq might be a downer, but it’s not at all. It’s superb.
Written by the Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies, directed by Lisa Adler, and scenic design by Moriah Curley-Clay and Isabel Curley-Clay, “Time Stands Still” runs at Horizon Theatre through Oct. 14.
Cast:
Robin Bloodworth as James
Carolyn Cook as Sarah
Chris Kayser as Richard
Danny Johnson and Crystal Fox
“What I Learned in Paris” takes you on a light-hearted ride back to 1973 when Maynard Jackson has just become Atlanta’s first black mayor and women are striving for independence.
Playwright Pearl Cleage, who actually served as Jackson’s press secretary, twirls a story around Jackson’s mayoral campaign that focuses on romance and self growth.
Cleage depicts a time of political and social change as a divorced, wealthy black woman contemplates moving to a swanky white Buckhead neighborhood, and a young secretary contemplates marrying J.P. (Danny Johnson), an attorney she doesn’t love simply because it will bring good social change.
In comedic form, Evie (Crystal Fox), J.P.’s ex-wife, traipses around in long flowing kaftans, and spars with him in an ever so mindful Buddhist way as she lectures him on how to behave and breathe. Milk-toast character John (Eugene H. Russell IV), J.P.’s right-hand man, finally stands up for himself, puffing out his cheeks like a blowfish and inflating his chest like a blustering George Jefferson.
“What I Learned in Paris” is a farcical romantic comedy with twists that neatly wraps up in a tidy bow. A cute play with a terrific cast.
Brian Sidney Bembridge presents a beautiful Brady Bunch ’70s-style two-story modern home with clean lines. Crystal Fox keeps us laughing with an over-the-top “Maude”-like passion for life.
Directed by Susan V. Booth, “What I Learned in Paris” runs at the Alliance Theatre through Oct. 6.
Cast:
Kelsey Scott plays Ann Madison
January LaVoy plays Lena Jefferson
Meet playwright Pearl Cleage and the cast from What I Learned in Paris at Emory University’s Center for Ethics. This free event will feature a dramatic reading of select scenes from the play and an engaging ethical discussion.
“What I Learned in Paris” runs from Sept. 5-30 at the Alliance Theatre.
Aurora Theatre’s “Sweet Charity” is oh so sweet.
The 1960s Tony Award-winning show, best known for its hit songs “Big Spender” and “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” revolves around Charity (Rebecca Simon), who works as a dancer in barely-there lingerie at a seedy dance hall. Looking to break out of her dead-end job and find true love, she molds herself to suit men who ultimately disregard and discard her.
Aurora hits this production right with a fine 12-piece orchestra and a good cast of actors. Simon is excellent as Charity and has a wonderful singing voice, garnering her roles in Broadway National touring companies. Baritone Trent Blanton, who plays two of Charity’s love interests, also has a wonderful voice, and actor Jimi Kocini can’t be beat. He plays a bevy of wacky characters and reincarnates a character mixture of Jimmy Durante and George Burns as the dance hall owner.
Director Sean Daniels, co-founder of Atlanta’s comedy improv theater Dad’s Garage, adds a bit of silly quirkiness to the show, especially when an ensemble of onlookers quick-step in unison looking like a small army of toy soldiers. The silliness works well there but seems off-kilter in a scene where he mixes a “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” structure that features brief spurts of music in between darkness and a brief repartee between a couple. Making the show more affordable to the theater, Daniels whittles what is normally a 32-person cast down to nine players. Not only does it work, it seems almost unnecessary to have a large cast at any small theater off Broadway.
This show is a definite “go see it,” but there is one thing that leaves me wanting: great dancing. While Jen MacQueen brings original choreographer Bob Fosse’s style and flair to the dance numbers, it looks like the dancers needs hours more of practice. And passion.
Book by Neil Simon, music by Cy Coleman, and lyrics by Dorothy Fields, “Sweet Charity” runs through Sept. 2 at Aurora Theatre just outside of Atlanta in Lawrenceville.
Cast & Crew
Rebecca Simon Charity Hope Valentine
Trent Blanton Oscar Lindquist, Charlie, Marvin, Vittorio Vidal
Caroline Freedlund Nickie, Ensemble
Taryn Bryant Helene, Ensemble
Jevares C. Myrick Daddy, Ensemble
Jimi Kocina Herman, Ensemble
Loren Lott Ensemble
Jenna Edmonds Ensemble
John Markowski Ensemble
Anthony Rodriguez Producer
Sean Daniels Director
Ann-Carol Pence Music Director
Jen MacQueen Choreographer
Kathryn Pelkey Stage Manager
Sarah Rowan Assistant Director
Daniel Terry Sound Designer
Thom Beaulieu Lighting Design
John Thigpen Set Designer
Joanna Schmink Costume Design
EB Hooyer Props Design & Assistant Stage Manager
Britt Hultgren Ramroop Production Manager
James M. Helms Technical Director
Sarah Thomson Scenic Artist
Only “Jersey Boys” would I go to see twice in three years. It’s not just the compelling story that brings me back, but a belief that the cast will be just as tremendous as it was last time it came to the Fox Theatre.
“Jersey Boys,” the 2006 Tony Award-winning Best Musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi, runs from May 22-June 9 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta.
Joseph Leo Bwarie, a superstar actor and singer, is once again slated to play Frankie Valli, according to the Jersey Boys touring company cast website. His talent alone is reason enough to see this show.
To see my previous review on “Jersy Boys,” click here and here.
