[NEohioPAL]Berko reviews: 6 Degrees/Charenton), Ragtime (Cassidy), Wild Plum

[Roy Berko]

SEPARATION IS FINE, ‘RAGTIME’ PREMIERS,  & THERE’S A
NEW THEATRE IN TOWN

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
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SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION FINE AT CHARENTON


In 1967 Harvard Social Psychologist Stanley Milgram
conducted an experiment that illustrated that everyone
in the world can be reached through a short chain of
social acquaintances.  The Small World Phenomenon
estimates that each of us is only 5.8 genealogical
steps away from any other person.  

The Small World Phenomenon is the basis for John
Guare’s play ‘SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION’.   Guare, by
his own admission, altered the theory as he didn’t
feel that ‘5.8 Degrees of Separation’ would make a
good play title.   Guare’s play is now on stage at
Charenton Theatre at Playhouse Square Center.

Guare is a musician and poet.  This comes out in his
writing with the creation of verbal librettos with
melodic overtones.  His plays are full of talk and the
characters often tell extended stories much like those
in the plays of Anton Chekov.

The majority of Guare’s protagonists are fixated on
what they think will make them happy.  Guare’s
dramatic structure involves the use of twists and
turns and allowing the audience to know what the
characters do not know.  All this makes Guare, a
highly adventurous playwright. 

The story concerns Fifth Avenue socialite Ouisa
Kittredge and her purveyor of high-art husband Flan. 
They are pedigree parents of "two at Harvard and one
at Groton." But the privileged insular world inhabited
by the Kittredge family makes them easy prey for a
consummate con-artist.  One night, Paul, a young black
man mysteriously shows up at their door - injured and
bleeding- claiming to be Sidney Poitier's son and a
close college crony of the Kittredges' children.  Paul
proves to be sharp-witted.  He soon has the Kittredges
loaning him money and putting him up for the night and
taking satisfaction in his appraisal of their posh
lifestyle.   What follows is both a mystery and a
challenging philosophical tale.   Who really is Paul? 
Can the Kittridges’ liberal views stand up to the
challenge of reality?  

The play demonstrates how separate people are from one
another, not how close, how little responsibility each
feels for the other.  The intruder is less a man than
an emblem. 

Charenton’s production is involving, if not
captivating.  Part of the difficulty centers on
director Sarah May’s to decision start the production
at a slow pace.  This lulls the audience into a sense
of complacency that allows ideas and Guare’s message
to sometimes slip under their emotional radar.  On the
other hand, her creative staging has cast members
rising from seats in the audience and creating clear
characters.  

The huge cast is talented and each develops a clear
character.  Sean Booker is outstanding as Geoffrey. 
He cons not only the characters in the play, but the
audience as well.  Jacqi Loewy creates a very
believable Ouisa.  Other quality performances are
given by Jesse James Kamps, as the young man who
teaches Paul what he needs to know in order to pull
off the scam, James Savage Jr, who falls for Paul’s
line with traumatic effect and Jennifer Clifford, as
the Kittredge’s erratic daughter.

 ‘SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION’ continues through March 8
at Charenton Theatre, located in Kennedy’s Down Under
in Playhouse Square.  For tickets call 216-241-6000 or
visit www.tickets.com.

‘RAGTIME’ AT CASSIDY--THE FIRST NATIONAL
NON-PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION

On January 18, 1998 ‘RAGTIME’ opened on Broadway. 
Stephen Flaherty, who wrote the music for the show,
gave his writing partner, Lynn Ahrens a notebook
containing the original song sketches and notations
from the show. It is inscribed: "Ragtime is about
America in transition, constantly bending, blending,
adapting." It is that, and so much more. 

 ‘RAGTIME’ ranks with the great shows of musical
theatre.  It has been called "A brilliant work of
musical storytelling, "a near masterpiece," and "one
of those rare musicals that can be mentioned in the
same breath as ‘SHOW BOAT,’ ‘PORGY AND BESS,’ and
‘FIDDLER ON THE ROOF’."

The story intertwines the lives of a Black American
family, victims of brutal racism; a recently arrived
Jewish father and daughter, impoverished, despairing;
and an old New York family steeped in Victorianism.  
The play starts with our exposure to the characters.

It is New Rochelle, New York in 1906.  There is a
large Victorian house, the home of an upper middle
class family.  It is the home of Father, who has
derived his wealth from the manufacture of fireworks,
flags and bunting; Mother; their young son and
Mother's brother, a genius at explosives who works in
Father's fireworks factory.

In Harlem, crowds dance to the music of ragtime
pianist Coalhouse Walker Jr..

America is filled with famous characters: escape
artist Harry Houdini, J.P. Morgan, the wealthiest man
in America, the radical anarchist Emma Goldman, and
the chorus girl Evelyn Nesbit.

Tateh and his daughter arrive at Ellis Island, as part
of the 1.2 million immigrants who flee from Europe.

As the families interact we are carried through an
examination of the history of the era and the biases
and prejudices of the population.  This is told with a
well-integrated story and wonderful music.  
Outstanding musical numbers are "YourDaddy’s Son,"
"New Music," "Heels of a Dream," and the wonderous
"Make Them Hear You."

‘RAGTIME’ is a difficult show for any group to
perform.  For an amateur theatre it is a real stretch.
 The show requires a huge cast, a massive number of
costumes, and a many scene set.  The music is
complicated.  

Cassidy Theatre’s production, under the direction of
David Jecman, is a credable amateur outing.  Musical
Director John D. Roberts has done an excellent job of
bringing out the best in the cast’s voices.  His
orchestra is generally good but there are problems in
the brass section and the underscoring is often too
loud, thus drowning out some of the spoken lines. 
Choreographer Larry Braun has developed dances
appropriate to the level of his performers.  Scenic
designer Mark Kobak has created a very functional set.
 Lester Currie’s costumes are excellent, but having
Tateh wear a prayer shawl as a scarf was questionable.
 The lighting design was problematic.  Many times
performers were in the dark and light cues were
sometimes late.

Geoffrey Short, as Coalhouse Walker Jr., and Trinidad
Rosado, as his girlfriend, are each  astounding.  They
both have outstanding voices, excellent acting skills
and develop and keep their characters throughout. 
It’s worth attending this production just to see them
light up the stage.

Beth O. Cubbison is fine as Mother.  She has a lovely
voice and wraps herself around the character.  Michael
Snider displays a wonderful singing voice as Mother’s
brother.  Noreen Lehmann develops a clear character as
Emma Goldman.

Cassidy’s ‘RAGTIME’ continues through March 9.   By
opening night the show was 80% sold out.  For tickets
call 440-842-4600.


THE WILD PLUM THEATRE COMPANY EMERGES


Theatre companies come into being to satisfy a need.  
The local theatre scene has such companies.  Karamu
Theatre grew from the lack of a venue for the
performance of plays about and written by blacks. 
Though many theatres now perform black-oriented plays,
especially since the advent of Black history month,
Karamu continues to fulfill its original purpose. 
Halle Theatre at the Jewish Community Center focuses
on plays with Jewish themes or by Jewish playwrights. 
Other theatres produce plays of interest and about the
Jewish scene, but Halle is still the consistent focus
of that community’s ethnic and religious offerings. 
Red Hen sets forth a women’s perspective.  Others do
women centered plays, but Red Hen stands alone in its
focused mission.

It is with a purpose that The Wild Plum Theatre
Company has come onto the Cleveland scene.  Cleveland
has not, to date, had a venue offering gay and lesbian
-themed or authored pieces.  Several years ago
Elephant Productions emerged.   Their demise was
brought about quickly when they produced several
poorly performed and written shows.  A lesson should
have been learned from that experience.  Though a
venue was needed, if that organization doesn’t chose
their vehicles wisely, and doesn’t do quality level
productions, it will not last in spite of initial
audience interest.

Wild Plum grew out the felt need that the gay-lesbian
voice needed to be heard and there were those who were
interested in listening.  Fortunately for the
fledgling group Cleveland Public Theatre set aside two
months during their production year to make its
facilities available to groups who needed a
performance space. Wild Plum took them up on their
offer and recently produced an evening of one-act
plays.  The results were a mixed bag.  Despite a
gallant effort, some acceptable acting, and
appropriate directing, the lack of script quality
created a problematic evening.  In spite of this, the
enthusiastic sold-out house on opening night cheered
loudly.  Obviously, given that enthusiasm, if
presented with quality scripts and productions.

There are many fine gay-oriented plays and
playwrights.  ‘GROSS INDECENCY: THE THREE TRIALS OF
OSCAR WILDE,’ ‘THE NORMAL HEART,’ ‘ANGELS IN AMERICA,’
‘JEFFREY,’ ‘THE SUM OF US,’ ‘LA CAGE AUX FOLLIES.’
‘BENT,’ ‘THE LARAMIE PROJECT,’ and ‘THE CHILDREN’S
HOUR,’ are only a few.   Well know plays such as LOVE!
VALOR! AND COMPASSION! have not had local productions.
  Newer vehicles such as ‘THE GENE POOL’ have been
produced here.  

It can only be hoped that Wild Plum will seek out
quality scripts which will bring pride to the company
and give a needed voice to the area’s gay and lesbian
community.

(Listen to Roy Berko discussing Northern Ohio
entertainment on WERE-AM (1300), Friday’s from 1-2
PM.)


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