[NEohioPAL]Review: MIND BLOWING AVENUE X AT CAIN PARK

[Roy Berko]

MIND BLOWING AVENUE X AT CAIN PARK

Roy Berko
(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

-The Times Newspapers-
Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times-Olmsted-Fairview Times


Victoria Bussert, the Theatre Artistic Director at
Cain Park and Director of Musical Theatre at Baldwin
Wallace College, is at her best when faced with
uncharted waters.  Give her nontraditional scripts
like ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, SIDE SHOW, and GOBLIN MARKET
and the lady rises to the occasion.  This is again
true with AVENUE X, her latest challenge at Cain
Park’s intimate Alma Theatre.

Bussert found the script while attending the National
Music Theatre Conference where plays in their infant
stage are presented for criticism and development. 
This was also where she found VIOLET, a previous
Bussert production at Cain Park.  As she revealed in a
talk-back following one of AVENUE X’s performances,
"There is a whole new part of musical theatre besides
OKLAHOMA." One of those new parts is the fact that
AVENUE X is a musical performed without musical
instruments.  All of the singing is a capella. 
Another new part is the ability of present authors to
go beyond happy endings and probe into more real and
thought provoking story lines and conclusions.  This
is apparent in such contemporary shows as RENT.
 

AVENUE X is a kind of WEST SIDE STORY.  It is set in
1963 in Gravesend, a Brooklyn neighborhood where a
recently built black housing project has encroached on
a previously predominantly Italian neighborhood.  The
neighborhood immediately becomes a flashpoint for
racial violence.  The one commonality between the
groups is music.  Both groups are influenced by
gospel, early blues and jazz of the Blacks, and opera,
liturgical and common folk songs of the Italians.  It
is this thread that book and lyrics writer John Jiler
and musical composer Ray Leslee have woven through
AVENUE X.   It is this thread that leads to hope and
finally despair in the story line.

In casting the show, according to Bussert, she had to
find singers who were hybrid actors and could also
work well with others.  She states, "This is an edgy
and ensemble piece.  The actors had to trust one
another."   She also indicated that with no orchestra
the beauty of the human voice becomes paramount. 
There are no distractions, just the voices.

In the main, Bussert’s cast carries out her mission. 
Gary Walker sings and acts his way beautifully through
the difficult role of Pasquale, an Italian teen who
wants to be a musical legend and live in a penthouse. 
To accomplish this he has his sights set on winning a
rock and roll contest.  Originally he planned to
partner with his best friend Chuck and their
slow-witted neighbor Ubazz.  Chuck’s temper and
unrelenting pursuit of Pasqaule’s on-edge sister
Barbara, get in the way.  One day, while practicing in
a sewer, which offers good acoustics, Pasquale meets
Milton, an African American.  In spite of their
differences, their voices combine to create beautiful
music.  The rest of the play centers on whether the
two will enter the contest, their ticket to leave
their emotionally tormented existences.  Derrick
Cobey, as Milton, is Walker’s equal.  He has a
marvelous singing voice, a wonderful stage presence,
and develops a believable character.   

Dominic Roberts as Chuck and Trista Moldovan as
Barbara, however, do not fare as well.  In spite of
their fine singing voices, they both use the single
dimension of  screaming to illustrate their
frustrations.  After their first tirade they have no
place to build their feelings as the pressures
increase.

Chad Ackerman has a strong bass voice and portrays
well the intellectually limited Ubazz.  He cowers from
stress and is effectively confused by the world around
him.  Charles D. Martin was called into service only
two weeks before the show opened when the actor
portraying Roscoe, Milton’s step father, was struck
with mononucleosis.  He has a great singing voice and
his rap song worked well.  Colleen Longshaw wails as
Milton’s mother.  Ryan Green is effective as the voice
of the rising black Muslim community who tries to
recruit Milton.   

The a capella musical sounds produced by the cast are
the wonder of the show.  They truly allow us to
realize the line in the play, "God is sound."   Much
of the credit for this production’s sound is music
director Nancy Gantose-Maier.

Is this a perfect script?  No.  Some of the spoken
lines are unnatural, forced.  Some of the songs have
weak lyrics.  It matters not.  The production, which
is graced with a creative and workable set by artist
Russ Broski,  overcomes the weaknesses.

As Bill Rudman, the narrator of the very valuable and
well received talk-back section of the evening,
indicated in his opening remarks during the talkback,
"This is a mind blowing piece.  It, along with
numerous new shows, proves that the American musical
is very much alive."  He went on to state, "This show
never will be seen on Broadway, but who cares!" What
we, in Cleveland, should care about is that Cain Park
continues to give Bussert the opportunity to produce
such shows and she continues to seek out challenging
new pieces and to present.

AVENUE X runs through August 18 at Cain Park’s Alma
Theatre in Cleveland Heights. 
For tickets call 216-371-3000.  Free parking is
available on the streets around the theatre.


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