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Summer Solstice Arts Binge

I spontaneously yet purposefully structured this year’s Summer Solstice as an opportunity to focus on local culture and arts offerings. I felt that the harsh winter made Detroit – area culture rescind into the background for me more than I would have liked – though it was probably more a case of having to seek it out more directly – and so I am happy to see various cultural festivals and outdoor attractions now back in force. (Including my current project of working on The Penny Seats production of Elektra, due to open on July 10.)

First up was a drive to Detroit to check out this year’s edition of the River Days Festival. (I was in the city during last year’s festival, but did not attend for unknown reasons… I think that was the first time I went over to Windsor instead. Shows how times and priorities change!)

This festival is a great way for the city to turn its eye to the river, which seemed more blue and inviting than ever, and there was a similar festival apparently taking place on the other side in Windsor. Multiple ships were plowing the waters, some seeming to party more than others, and there was even a Tall Ship at dock, which had come down from a point in the Saginaw area. 

I don’t usually post travel-blog type photos here but I feel compelled to share a few highlights since it was such a scenic day:

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As I enjoyed the sights, I couldn’t help recalling what the same vista had looked like just five months ago:

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But it’s the wrong time of year to focus on a view like that 😀

I might have stayed longer in the city, but had made a decision earlier in the day to stop by Tipping Point Theatre in Northville to finally catch a production at that company. Their current production, The Red King’s Dream, will be running for one more week in its US premiere.

Written by a Canadian playwright, this script reminded me very much of Goodnight Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet, which my friends and colleagues The Penny Seats produced in their inaugural season three years ago, and later seemed to enjoy a brief revival of interest, with productions popping up in San Francisco and New York City, and probably a few other places. As for this show, I’m not sure if it will enjoy continued productions, but Tipping Point seems to appreciate it.

It follows the story of Steven, a classic loner type who works diligently in his crowded apartment to created indexes for an overbearing boss. The boss figure, a domineering woman, often visits him and clearly exerts a strong control over his actions and activities. He’s also often visited by a close friend who lives nearby, and his mother calls him, but there seem to be no other people in his life. One day, an attractive woman, Zoe, moves into his building and they meet by chance. Steven begins to feel an attraction to Zoe, but because he’s so socially inexperienced, he isn’t sure if he wants to reveal that attraction or not. Naturally, everyone’s relationships with Steven come to a head in a climactic dinner party scene. The script also includes some not well thought out (IMO) references to Lewis Carroll and Alice in Wonderland (hence the title) although that element does give a chance for the actresses to sport some great costumes in bookend-type scenes.

Sooo… this show struck me as something I’d usually refer to as a “crowd pleaser,” meaning that it can appeal to a wide audience but won’t necessarily end up on a critic’s top 10 list. All four actors deliver committed performances, although Zoe (Maggie Mayer) isn’t really given a chance to speak for herself until the final scene. The script often ventured a bit too readily into slapstick or “oh I can’t believe he said that” moments, and the awkwardness of the Steven character could have been easily suggested rather than so obviously spelled out.

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On the other hand, the set design, as seen in the above image, could have been a character in itself, with a richly detailed checkerboard floor, hundreds of books carefully set in locations around the 3/4 thrust stage, and a hint of offstage activity as well.

Later in the day, back in Ann Arbor, I paid a visit to the unique Carriage House Theatre for the first time. This group shows an impressive commitment to challenging works. This summer they plan three productions, and their first one, Phedre, was enjoying a sold-out closing performance.

I tried not to compare the production too much to the filmed-theatre version I saw in 2009 with Helen Mirren in the lead role. This time the action was much more immediate, with just a small suggestion of a set and the actors doing their best to let the words speak louder than their actions. I don’t feel like I want to single out a particular moment in this production, but I was impressed with the actors capability and commitment. 

Attending the production gave me the stamina I was looking for to finally attend an installment of the State Theatre’s monthly midnight movie series. After noticing, wanting to attend, and ultimately not making it to screenings of films including 2001, Fight Club and Wet Hot American Summer, this time the movie of the night was Serenity, which is now (gulp) nine years old but was met with much anticipation when it was released in late September 2005. Several friends from Hampshire College and I eagerly attended one of the first screenings at CInemark Hampshire Mall soon after it opened.

But despite that early anticipation, the movie’s box office returns disappointed, and no further sequels were made, though the film’s storyline leaves the possibility open.

And so in 2014 I was/am looking at the film in a historical context … would it be more successful if it was released today? (perhaps.) could Joss Whedon’s vastly increased celebrity and cache impact a future revival of this show? (probably.) did this show contribute to the now popular binge watching trend, where its predecessor Firefly TV series was under appreciated in initial airing but became hugely successful on DVD? (yes.) was the show and movie a launching pad for greater success for the actors involved? (mostly, from what I can tell.)

The State was at least 3/4 full for the screening, and the audience was more like a live audience at times, eagerly responding to twists and turns in the plot. Seeing the film again left me with an active looking-back feeling, where something I/you appreciated some time ago is right there in front of you, and so associated sensations and memories come back… but then it’s time to return to the present.

 

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Theatre

Sudden End of an era in the South Bay Area

Today San Jose Repertory Theatre announced that it has filed for bankruptcy and will no longer produce shows or any output, immediately canceling the remainder of its season and its planned 2014-15 offerings.

Although I never made it to see a show there, I was familiar with its output as a notable producer of plays in the South Bay region. Additionally, I had worked with its now-former artistic director, Rick Lombardo, in the Boston area, and he and I actually made the move to California at the same time, though bound for different locations.

It’s a shame – and seems quite incredulous, actually – that the Rep couldn’t form an alliance with one of the deep – pocketed tech companies in the Silicon Valley area. I don’t know the whole story, of course, though it may be tied in to downtown San Jose’s ups and downs with making itself into a destination rather than just a place that people work. I applied to work there at least once between 2008 and 2011, though it was always just a little too far from my Marin County home base to go for a night. However, many regional actors based more in the central Bay Area (SF, Oakland, Berkeley) appeared there regularly in a variety of shows and roles.

There are uncomfortable parallels with a similar situation unfolding here in Ann Arbor at the moment with the city’s premiere resident theatre company, Performance Network, although in that case the organization’s board has “suspended operations” and a new business model is set to be presented to the board at their upcoming meeting next week.

And on a personal note, this news comes just as I’ve been accepted to study for an MFA at an arts management program. But I remain committed and hopeful that the power of the arts as a beacon of the community – and way for people and places to come together – will shine through.

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Movies

Lose Momentum, Gain Momentum

After a strong start to the month, it’s clear that blogging was not my primary focus as the month of May went on.

BUT THAT’S OKAY.

I continued my filmgoing throughout the month with the following titles, all linked to their IMDB pages.

Only Lovers Left Alive
On My Way
X-Men: Days of Futures Past
Belle
Locke

Of those films, I would say that On My Way, with enduring French screen icon Catherine Deneuve, was the most satisfying.  Makes me want to do a European vs. American cinema post in the near future…

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Movies, Theatre

Don’t shoot her

elaine372Versatile and legendary actress Elaine Stritch first came to my attention in a somewhat unmemorable role (for her – as I learned later) in the 1997 comedy Out to Sea, part of a series of films that comedy legends Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau made together near the end of their careers, and sadly, lives. In a classic eye roll inducing example of Hollywood casting, Stritch portrayed Dyan Cannon’s mother, even though the actresses are only 12 years apart in real life. Stritch commanded the screen in her few scenes, most notably tearing up a rug with fellow veteran Donald O’Connor to a cheesy rendition of “Sea Cruise.”

At some point in the next couple of years I became aware that Stritch is, in fact, a legendary stage actress, arguably best known for originating a role in Company by Stephen Sondheim but boasting many other accomplishments. As a theatre professional I recall noticing that her most recent Broadway appearance, starring in A Little Night Music with Bernadette Peters, was perhaps more successful than the original revival marquee pairing of Catherine Zeta – Jones and Angela Lansbury.

In the present day, Stritch has slowed down, somewhat, and departed her longtime home base of New York City for a new/old home right here in the state of Michigan, where she was born and lived until her late teen years. It seems that old age (she’s now 89) and health have caught up with her, although, on the other hand, she also seems to be a textbook study in “never say never.”

And so the documentary film Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me is making the rounds at cinemas around the country. I first heard about this film well over a year ago and found the actual experience of seeing it to be somewhat anticlimactic for that reason. I also may have been feeling some residual annoyance that I did not attend its Michigan premiere over in Birmingham last month, for which Ms. Stritch was also in attendance.

The film takes an unflinching look at Stritch’s life circa 2011 – 2012, as she continues to perform mostly in cabaret settings, struggles with problems related to the aging process, begins to tire of life in Manhattan and (somehow) maintains a resiliency that “the show must go on” – to use a cliched but true phrase. Stritch demonstrates resiliency, commitment and salty enthusiasm in all of her projects, perhaps most notably in her balance of masking her difficulty in memory into a sort of comedic act with her musical director when they are performing… to the audience’s delight.

I found the scenes where Stritch was at her most genuine to be the most appealing. These moments took the form of when she was with family members or close friends. There she was as a veteran and accomplished performer earning her accolades but also going with the flow and not getting too worked up about something not going right, a deadline or an impending decision that had to be made. It seemed those moments, with her broad and genuine smile and satisfaction, showed her at her most honest.

Ms. Stritch has been vocal about a seemingly and understandably rough transition into her life in Birmingham, but based on recent interviews it appears that things have settled down for her a bit more now, and I do hope that she’ll make a few more appearances in the metro Detroit area, which seems very honored to count her as a regional native.

 

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Theatre

Two Days of Two Handers

I finally returned to the theatergoing life this weekend by taking in a play on Saturday and another show on Sunday afternoon, both of which were “two-handers”, only starring two actors, just talking with each other, for an hour and a half or so. Clearly time well spent!

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Saturday afternoon took me to the somewhat far afield but well regarded Willamston Theatre for their production of Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, a play that seems to be well known in the theatre canon but I had never seen performed. It was also made into a 1991 film that I recall seeing in video stores for some years afterward, though also have never seen.

This production took on a realistic look at two co-workers (I want to say “lost souls” but that seems a little too harsh) getting to know each other more intimately on a Saturday night in the New York City of 1987. We see them move through the motions of a first date, starting at the peak and going back down… and up again… and through their differing stages and perspectives of intimacy and acceptance.

As the couple, John Lepard and Suzi Regan are clearly acting pros, showcasing an easy, yet caustic rapport with each other and mostly believable roller coaster of emotions in reaction to one another. They were helped by an extremely detailed set, squeezed in to a narrow thrust/theatre-in-the-round type space, with a working refrigerator, stove top, sink and adjacent bathroom all helping to add realism to the story. Not to forget the wide range of costumes visible in a closet and artfully strewn about the floor.

While the script has dated slightly, giving the impression of a grimier and more violent NYC than exists today, along with some now-anachronisms like calling a radio station to ask for the title of a song, I felt that didn’t distract from the impact of the performance. I also felt like the actors effectively conveyed a sense of not overly dramatic, but urgent desperation in each other’s role — they want to connect with the other partner, but they might not know just how to do that.

This afternoon I walked steps from my front door to catch Performance Network‘s closing performance of Venus in Fur, a play that holds the honor of being the most-produced title at US theaters this season.

While this version didn’t feel quite as lively as it could be at times, in my opinion, it clearly showed the spark of David Ives’ writing and why the play has become so popular. Stressed out writer Thomas Novachek has completed a round of unsuccessful auditions for the new play that he’s also directing, based on a 19th century novel. As he’s getting ready to leave, in walks Vanda, who holds the same name as the play’s protagonist and quickly establishes a game of verbal cat and mouse with Thomas as she reveals more than she initially lets on.

The constant shift in balance of power – and characters not being what they seem – reminded me of a 2011 film, Certified Copy, which I promptly checked out from the Ann Arbor library and hope to revisit this week.

Actors Sebastian Gerstner and Maggie Meyer showed a deft command of the piece as they navigated the twists and turns of the plot. Meyer, in particular, seemed to be having fun with the demands of her role, requiring her to vamp it up to Noo Yawk levels at times, while building up the English/European character at other moments… and parade around in a sexy costume at the same time. I felt that Daniel C. Walker’s lighting design was another star of the show, emphasizing shadows at many instances, which added complexity to the pauses and banter of the two characters.

But I did feel like the production could have been livelier or snappier at times. I can’t put my finger on exactly what needed to be quickened, and it could be a reaction to seeing David Ives name as the writer, where he is best known for snappy comedies. I wouldn’t count this as a major fault, though, and it was clear that the simplicity of the piece – just two actors, etc – and relative modernity (a simple tale becomes more than it seems) have contributed greatly to the show’s appeal across the world.

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Photo from main Performance Network VENUS IN FUR page, copyright Sean Carter photography

 

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Catching up on Oscar Bait

My filmgoing in 2014 continues to be a catch-up on films released at the end of 2013.

I wasn’t rushing out to see the adaptation of August: Osage County, and am disappointed that I still haven’t seen a version of the original play, but a recent afternoon found me near the Michigan Theater at the time of its first matinee of the day, and so I thought, oh, why not?

As I expected, the film was mostly a case of Actors Trying Too Hard To Give A Good Performance, which might have been affected by a director unaccustomed to stage-to-film material. The director, John Wells, brought a similar bland tone to the story that he displayed in a previous film, The Company Men, which I saw in the theatre because I was living in California at the time and eager to see my home state of Massachusetts on the big screen.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the “lesser – known” actors delivered the more notable performances, although at this point Meryl Streep will make anything watchable and memorable. (Massachusetts native) Julianne Nicholson stood out as the middle of the three sisters in the family, evoking a sense of desperation and wanting to make something of her life. Chris Cooper and Benedict Cumberbatch delivered more sensitive turns than some of their recent work, although I wondered why British actors Cumberbatch and Ewan McGregor were recruited for this very American piece, with McGregor offering an unconvincing American accent. Julia Roberts deliberately went less glam than her image, and did well, mostly, but it must be challenging for someone like her to get people to look beyond her well – known work. However it seems like she’s been successful with this effort, as seen in her ensuing Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations.

The film offered two examples of the “previous couples re-appearing on screen” phenomenon that I discussed in a recent post, with Adaptation co-stars Streep and Cooper re-teaming alongside My Best Friend’s Wedding co-stars Roberts and Dermot Mulroney. (Pretty weird to realize those films are now 11 and almost 17 years old, respectively.)

And that was about it, really. I still want to see the stage play.

Last night I was in the mood for a conventional “Friday night at the movies” experience, which I enjoyed several times last summer, and infrequently since then, and so I found my way back to the Quality 16 for The Wolf of Wall Street. Easily one of the most bloated movies I have ever seen (in several ways), but… oddly compelling.

Leonardo DiCaprio gives one of his best performances as real-life financier Jordan Belfort, who took Wall Street by storm in the 1990’s before falling from grace and later achieving a form of redemption. He’s supported by Jonah Hill, who continues his surprisingly rapid transition away from low-brow comedy as Belfort’s self-anoited but later endearing business partner. And the cast sprawls out from there, with a couple of veteran performers offering standout supporting roles, most notably Rob Reiner (returning to acting after a decade’s absence!) as DiCaprio’s loudmouth but supportive father, and one of my favorite British actresses Joanna Lumley, who I once had the honor of briefly meeting in person, shining brightly in a few scenes crucial to the story. (A minor spoiler, but the press is having fun discussing Lumley & DiCaprio’s scene together, as seen here and here.)

If the film had been tighter in its editing and story (two hours instead of three, perhaps?) I might have appreciated it more. But I did find it to be a well-made look at an often corruptive industry, told with zeal and excess appropriate for the story and setting.

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Theatre

Lots of local theatre viewing options

I’m disappointed to note the scarcity of my recent theatre viewing; the days of chronicling shows regularly on this blog seem to be a distant memory.

HOWEVER, The Ann Arbor News reminds me that there are, in fact, multiple options for show viewing in this area right now. Several are titles I’ve seen before (Company, Thom Pain…) though they admittedly might be fun to re-visit. There’s also newer material (An Illiad) that could be just as enjoyable.

And there’s what appears to be a college-based theatre company in Detroit that is offering adventurous programming I’d like to check out. I guess there are options after all.

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