[NEohioPAL] Berko review: NEW GROUND FESTIVAL @ CPH

[Roy Berko]

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NEW GROUND…New. Theatre. Festival. lights up CPH*

Roy Berko
(Member, American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle)

Cleveland Play House’s The 2013 New Ground Theatre Festival lit up the
three stages in the Allen Theatre complex starting on May 2nd with parts
running through the 19th.

The annual event showcased cutting-edge productions and readings from
nationally-recognized artists.  This year’s offerings included a well
written and performed world-premiere comedy, a delightful off-the-wall
dance-theatre piece, play readings, new scripts and general excitement to
packed houses.

Kudos to Roe Green, the honorary producer for her generous financial and
emotional support.

Quick-cuts of the offerings:

*RICH GIRL*

My capsule judgement of Victoria Stewart’s RICH GIRL was that it grabbed
and held the audience’s attention, that the cast was strong, and the
technical aspects excellent. I recommended seeing the sure-fire audience
pleaser which runs until May 19.  For the entire review of the production
which featured Dee Hoty and Liz Larsen, two Tony Award-nominated actresses,
and was directed by CPH’s Artistic Director, Michael Bloom, go to
http://www.royberko.info

*LUCKY PLUSH*

Presented May 2nd through the 4th, THE BETTER HALF, performed by Lucky
Plush Productions, was a co-presentation of DANCECleveland and CPH.

This evening of joyous, clownish, acrobatic, thought provoking dance and
theatrical glee, was a take-off on the film classic GASLIGHT, blended into
glimpses of THE BOURNE IDENTITY, SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE, FLIRT, ALL THE
REAL GIRLS and TRUST.  The musical score was a mix of compositions such as
“Gaslight,” “Joy in the Morning,” and “My Cruel Heart.”

This was a special night of entertainment by a very talented group of
dancers and a duo of exceptional choreographers.

*MARJORIE PRIME*

Jordan Harrison, the 2013 winner of the Roe Green New Play Award,
challenges the audience to think of a time in the future when both a life
lived and a life remembered may be a reality. A time when the living can
interact with a “prime,” a backboard which can be input with information
that allows for repeating of learned experiences of a particular person
through real conversation.  A time when the familiar becomes the
fantastical.

Creatively directed by Laura Kepley, and starring the Grande dame of
Cleveland theatre, Dorothy Silver, the well performed staged reading also
featured Stephen Michael Spencer, Johanna Day and Thomas Jay Ryan.

One can only question how this play of words and almost no action, will
translate to a full-scale production.

*BECOMING LIV ULLMANN*

A workshop of a new work by Crystal Finn, who also played the leading role,
BECOMING LIV ULLMANN, is a two-person show which takes the audience on a
journey of hysterically angst.

A young woman desperately wants to get back her ex-boyfriend, who once
commented upon her being like Liv Ullmann, the famous Swedish, or is it
Norwegian, actress who is either alive or dead, and may or may not have
been a prostitute, and could have been married to Ingmar Bergman, and may
have had a couple of children, or not.

Yes, Finn, verbally flowing in what sounds like an ad lib presentation,
uses play scripts, a chalkboard, wigs, a fellow actor (TJ Gainley) and a
man plucked out of the audience, to take the audience on a very funny
imaginative exploration.

*INFORMED CONSENT* and *MARGIE AND MIKE*

Included in the event, but not viewed by this reviewer were:  Deborah Zoe
Laufer’s INFORMED CONSENT, a new play reading.  It will get a full-staged
production as part of CPH’s 2013-14 season.  Also presented was Pamela
DiPasquale’s MARGIE AND MIKE, new play for ages 5 and up which is part of
University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital Classroom
Matinee Touring program.

*Capsule judgement:  NEW GROUND CPH is a giant undertaking by the staff of
Cleveland Play House, which garnered wonderful results.  This is a very
special area event that deserves the strong support and attendance which it
received.  Let’s hope CPH continues to give us many more years of new
ground.*

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