[NEohioPAL]Review of "Night Bloomers" by Sarah Morton at Fusion Fest
marcus at designerglass.com
marcus at designerglass.com
Sun May 14 18:37:55 PDT 2006
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Review of:
Night Bloomers, a play by Sarah Morton
In Performance now at:
Dobama Theater presentation for the
Fusion Festival at the
Studio Theater of the
Cleveland Playhouse
Joyce Casey, Artistic Director
Directed by Eric Schmiedl
Night Bloomers runs May 11, 2006 - Jun. 4, 2006 in Studio One
Theatre.
Performances and ticket prices are as follows:
May 11, 18, 19 - 7:30PM
May 12, 13 - 8:00PM
May 14, 21 - 2:30PM
Weeknights and Sundays -$17.00
Fridays and Saturdays - $20.00
Prices include a $1 facility fee. Phone and web sales also have an
additional $3 per ticket handling fee.
Box Office
8500 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44106
(216) 795-7000, opt. 4
Phones close 1 hr. prior to final curtain
Nicholas Koesters does it again.
Sarah Morton dares to start slowly in the beginning of her story, but
the bigger risk she pulls off in this world premiere play is to lead the
audience to believe that this is Lilia=B4s story while letting us graduall=
y
catch on that it=B4s really Nathan=B4s.
Like the night-blooming plant he=B4s flying Nan Wray=B4s Lilia to watch,
Nicholas Koesters=B4s Nathan is closed down almost completely. What
has to align in his life is as extraordinary as the hundred-year
timeframe and precise cycle of the moon it takes to open the flower.
Part of Morton=B4s risk in this play is starting off with a character so
closed down that he can barely talk. The rest of the risk is hoping an
actor who can bring it off gets the role. Koesters brings enormous
intensity to Nathan=B4s silences and bitten-off responses to Nan Wray=B4s
ebullient Lilia. I think the audience gets it that Lilia, no less than
Nathan, is spikily armored, each in his or her own way, sooner than
Morton estimates they will, though that is by no means the opinion of
everyone who saw it.
Nan Wray brings off Lilia=B4s hidden pain through her outer
exuberance with subtlety and power, and a good thing, too.
Koesters=B4s performance shines so brightly that without Wray=B4s skill
the play would be lopsided. That=B4s another fine risk Morton takes and
this time it is brought off by the excellent direction of Eric Schmiedl.
He has ensured that Wray and Koesters play off each other with
balance and verve, so neither dominates the other.
David Hansen does an excellent job of transitioning from character to
character, and holds his own on the stage with Koesters and Wray.
Samuel Holloway skillfully brings the pivotal character of Elroy to
twistedly effective life. The lighting, by Maureen Patterson, is almost
another character on the stage.
Gradually we see circumstances line up so that Lilia and Nathan
begin to open up not so much to, as in front of, each other, as they
search through the former desert (paved into sterility by the terrorized
authorities) for the flower they have begun to fear has been
destroyed. Along the way they meet a variety of other characters,
well-played by Courtney Schloss, David Hansen, Teresa McDonough,
and Rachel Appelbaum, some of whom are searching for another
missing flower, a daughter, lost in "The Incident" that precipitated
paving the desert. Hopes start to fray as the play intensifies toward
the impact of its ending.
The searches these characters are all engaged in come together
powerfully. Wray is consistently good as the plot tightens down, and
Hansen and McDonough each bring a sort of horrified intensity to
Holloway=B4s character=B4s final action, and Koesters blows the roof off
the place.
Not only is Sarah Morton=B4s writing strong and excellent, Nick
Koesters is extraordinary. Don=B4t miss this.
--Alt-Boundary-16481.599000
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<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Review of: </span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Night Bloomers, a play by Sarah Morton</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">In Performance now at:</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Dobama Theater presentation for the </span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Fusion Festival at the </span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Studio Theater of the </span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Cleveland Playhouse</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Joyce Casey, Artistic Director</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Directed by Eric Schmiedl</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Night Bloomers runs May 11, 2006 - Jun. 4, 2006 in Studio On=
e
Theatre.</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Performances and ticket prices are as follows:</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">May 11, 18, 19 - 7:30PM</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">May 12, 13 - 8:00PM</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">May 14, 21 - 2:30PM</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Weeknights and Sundays -$17.00</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Fridays and Saturdays - $20.00</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Prices include a $1 facility fee. Phone and web sales also have an=
additional $3 per ticket handling fee.</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Box Office</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">8500 Euclid Ave.</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Cleveland, OH 44106</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">(216) 795-7000, opt. 4</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Phones close 1 hr. prior to final curtain </span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"> </span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Nicholas Koesters does it again.</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Sarah Morton dares to start slowly in the beginning of her story, =
but
the bigger risk she pulls off in this world premiere play is to lead the
audience to believe that this is Lilia’s story while letting us grad=
ually
catch on that it’s really Nathan’s. </span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Like the night-blooming plant he’s flying Nan Wray’s L=
ilia to watch,
Nicholas Koesters’s Nathan is closed down almost completely. What
has to align in his life is as extraordinary as the hundred-year
timeframe and precise cycle of the moon it takes to open the flower.
Part of Morton’s risk in this play is starting off with a character =
so
closed down that he can barely talk. The rest of the risk is hoping an
actor who can bring it off gets the role. Koesters brings enormous
intensity to Nathan’s silences and bitten-off responses to Nan Wray&=
rsquo;s
ebullient Lilia. I think the audience gets it that Lilia, no less than
Nathan, is spikily armored, each in his or her own way, sooner than
Morton estimates they will, though that is by no means the opinion of
everyone who saw it. </span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Nan Wray brings off Lilia’s hidden pain through her outer
exuberance with subtlety and power, and a good thing, too.
Koesters’s performance shines so brightly that without Wray’s =
skill
the play would be lopsided. That’s another fine risk Morton takes an=
d
this time it is brought off by the excellent direction of Eric Schmiedl.
He has ensured that Wray and Koesters play off each other with
balance and verve, so neither dominates the other. </span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">David Hansen does an excellent job of transitioning from character=
to
character, and holds his own on the stage with Koesters and Wray.
Samuel Holloway skillfully brings the pivotal character of Elroy to
twistedly effective life. The lighting, by Maureen Patterson, is almost
another character on the stage.</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Gradually we see circumstances line up so that Lilia and Nathan
begin to open up not so much to, as in front of, each other, as they
search through the former desert (paved into sterility by the terrorized
authorities) for the flower they have begun to fear has been
destroyed. Along the way they meet a variety of other characters,
well-played by Courtney Schloss, David Hansen, Teresa McDonough,
and Rachel Appelbaum, some of whom are searching for another
missing flower, a daughter, lost in “The Incident” that precip=
itated
paving the desert. Hopes start to fray as the play intensifies toward
the impact of its ending.</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">The searches these characters are all engaged in come together
powerfully. Wray is consistently good as the plot tightens down, and
Hansen and McDonough each bring a sort of horrified intensity to
Holloway’s character’s final action, and Koesters blows the ro=
of off
the place. </span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt">Not only is Sarah Morton’s writing strong and excellent, Nic=
k
Koesters is extraordinary. Don’t miss this.</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"><font face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D"font-siz=
e:12pt"><br />
</span></font></div>
<div align=3D"left"></div>
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