On Monday, July 27, 2009 at 7pm, I performed in a staged reading of Jean Giraudoux’s The Madwoman of Chaillot (French title La Folle de Chaillot). Today I’d like to talk a bit about the performance space, and my observations on it.

This a play is a poetic satire which Giraudoux wrote in 1943, but it was first performed in 1945, after his death.

This production was directed by Jay Michaels for the Readers Ensemble Company (REC). The REC is run by Justin Flagg and Dana A. Iannuzzi. It was performed at The University of the Streets at130 East 7th St. in New York City just off of Tompkins Square Park.

Anyhoo!

Arriving at 5:30pm I sought out the entrance to the University of the Streets.  It was a little hard to find as on the otuside it is little more than a single doorway between storefronts. I worried that audience members would have trouble locating the space. Beyond the door was a tiny lobby and a narrow old staircase that wound its way to the performance space on the second floor.

At first I passed it by. The door didn’t say “University of the Streets” on it, but I didn’t go far before backtracking and spotting a REC sign which pointed the correct way.

Upon entering I nearly collided with John Payne’s wife. John is a fellow Long Island actor whom I met in recent months. He would be playing the part of the (Police) Sergeant in this production. We exchanged greetings before continuing on our separate ways.

Beyond the entrance there was a small cramped lobby and ticket counter, then, beyond a curtain, was the performance space. Here on the second floor it made up the corner of the building overlooking Tompkins Square Park and 7th Street. There were 3 or 4 tiers of movable seats around an unraised performance area. A piano and some music stands took up a portion of the floor.About half the cast was already present.

One of the first things I noticed was the heat and humidity. It was a little uncomfortable, and was only bound to become more so as the evening progressed. A large window air conditioner was in the wall in one corner, but its effects could hardly be felt beyond the 4 seats around it. Later in the evening, before the show, two fans were positoned to circulate the air. One by the Ac, and another on the performance floor. The latter was bit noisy, and would doubtless have to be turned off during the show.

Of course, I worried about audience members dealing with the heat. The actors were here to work, and would put up with it very well, but I worried about an audience that would have to sit through an unfamiliar show. The early arrivers would obviously take the most comfortable seats near the AC, and other after them would try to take the next best spots. Then there was the possibility that during intermission people might try to take seats other than the ones they had during act one. Fortunately, everything went well in that regard. Everyone put up with the heat, and the show, being enjoyed by all, certainly helped.

26 Oct 2002
Originally published at www.playbill.com

Ruth Warrick, the last surviving member of Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane” cast, will attend the Oct. 26 performance of Genesis Repertory’s War of the World, based on the original radio broadcast which made Welles a star. The production, presented as a one-act radio drama, plays through Nov. 2 at RAW Space.

Warrick played the first Mrs. Kane in “Citizen Kane.” She is an Emmy winner for “Peyton Place” and has appeared on Broadway in Take Me Along (opposite Jackie Gleason), Pal Joey and Irene. Warrick has starred as Phoebe Tyler Wallingford on “All My Children” since the show’s inception in 1970.

War of the World‘s depicts a fictional alien invasion of New Jersey and New York, but Welles’ Mercury Theatre on the Air performed it in October, 1938 as if the H.G. Wells-based drama were an actual news broadcast. The result was a panic, as listeners, believing Martians were attacking the United States, jammed phone lines and highways, trying to find out the truth – or escape. The broadcast made Welles’ name and led to his debut in Hollywood.

Jay Michaels stars as Welles. Also in the cast are Mary Elizabeth MiCari, Derek Devareux, Michael D’Antoni, Frank Rosner and Robert F. Saunders. MiCari and Michaels direct War of the Worlds.

Tickets are $15. RAW Space is located in Studio L at 543 West 42nd Street. For reservations, call (718) 932-3577. Genesis Repertory is on the web at http://www.genesisrep.org.

— By Christine Ehren

Time machine

War of the Worlds

Adapted and directed by Jay Michaels
The Genesis Repertory of Young Actors & Artists
Spotlight On Halloween Festival
Raw Space Theatre L
543 West 42nd Street
Equity showcase (closes Nov. 2)
Review by Jenny Sandman for OOBR

War of the Worlds, originally written by H.G. Wells in 1898, has had an intriguing life. The book tells the story of Martian ships landing in the British countryside. The Martians have come to take over Earth; with their lethal “heat-rays” which shoot flame, they are easily able to overtake the rural populace and lay waste to most of England. In the end, however, they are defeated by bacteria, dying of diseases against which they had no defense. It is a classic of science fiction, but it is best-known for its radio adaptation.

The 1938 radio broadcast of Orson Welles’s adaptation of War of the Worlds is infamous. On October 30, 1938, CBS presented Welles’s adaptation, updated slightly and set in (then) modern-day New Jersey. People flipping through the radio stations missed the first part of the broadcast — the disclaimer — and thousands fled their homes in terror after listening to what they thought were real news bulletins detailing the Martian invasion of New Jersey and the leveling of New York City. Proving, said Welles, the almighty power of the spoken word. The broadcast has gone down in history as one of the best Halloween pranks of all time. To help celebrate Halloween this year, The Genesis Repertory of Young Actors & Artists presented their adaptation of the radio broadcast at Raw Space.

Regardless of how exciting a radio show may be to listen to, it isn’t much to look at: a bunch of actors reading their lines in front of a microphone. To their credit, Genesis Repertory managed to make this static form visually appealing, with enough movement to keep things lively. The set was stark– a black box, some chairs, some music stands — but the actors’ voices made up for the visual monotony, and the sound effects were excellent. While Orson Welles (Jay Michaels) directed the movements of the actors, John Houseman (Robert F. Saunders), the producer, offered asides to the audience, detailing the history of the broadcast and its reception by the public. The radio actors (Matthew Schneider, Eleonora Mardinan, Sonia Moreno, Patricia Israel, Mary Elizabeth MiCari, Corey, Daniel Ishofsky, Simone Smith, Ingrid Griffith, Frank Rosner, Michael D’Antoni, and Derek Devareaux), attired in beautiful period costumes by Margo La Zaro, maintained a constant circle of movement between their chairs and the microphone. The circle became fairly dizzying at times, as the story increased in intensity. The cast as a whole was exceptional, especially Michaels and Saunders.

It’s an intriguing concept, a theatrical adaptation of a radio adaptation. It was certainly an entertaining production; light enough and short enough to delight, with great performances. And it’s always fascinating to be able to enjoy the sound of a play as much as (if not more than) the look.

She who must be obeyed . . .

FAUSTUS

by Christopher Marlowe; adaptation by Jay Michaels
directed by Mary Elizabeth MiCari & Michael Fortunato
Classical Stage of Genesis Repertory at Midtown Theatre Festival
Equity Showcase (July 10 – August 5)
review by Louis Lopardi . . July 10 & 11, 2002
Originally published at http://artzine.org/reviews/faustus.htm

Marlowe’s rich tapestry has served up imagery for generations of creative artists. Genesis has its day with the classic original text this summer, taking as a springboard the 1937 WPA production by Orson Welles. They do not recreate that show, but rather take us backstage to witness a Wellesian figure make his pact with the devil. His rewards are ample – as the array of film posters assure us – and the ability to entertain the masses and conjure spirits certainly comes in handy. (The varied spirits appear in the flickering light of a film projector.)

Despite the omnipresence of Light (Amy K. Browne) and Dark (Frank Rosner), this is more a play of dark and darker, with Faustus and Mephistophilis as twin “black suns of melancholy” circling the abyss of a black hole; and we on the outside get to bask in the cosmic energy which comes pouring out of that hole as it absorbs their spirits. The energy produced by the pitting of Jay Michaels as Faustus with Derek Devareaux as Mephistophilis could fuel a small city.

When Mephistophilis is first conjured he struck an otherworldly, Christ-like attitude reminiscent of funerary sculpture, and held it for the entire scene, – long enough in fact to engender the feeling that this was indeed a being of the ages. (The moment then of breaking the pose could have been truly apocalyptic had it been a bit more carefully placed.) Holding sway over Faustus, Devareaux seemed more like the seductive Vampire Lestat than a traditional Mephisto: suave, unctuous, physically beautiful – using his long hands carefully, nearly as props in themselves – and revealing his true nature with savage snarls fleetingly, when crossed. It was a brilliant and altogether fitting rendition.

Jay Michaels’ take on Faustus never strayed far from his paradigm Orson Wells. But he wasn’t merely playing Wells as Faust; he had internalized this model and recreated him anew. Body language, eyes, vocal timbre, even the handling of costume parts… all under constant control; this was a tour de force of power-acting.

The entire supporting company was well rounded and alert. Frank Rosner, an actor of great range and depth, supported as Dark and made an astounding transformation into Gluttony. Bill Galarno played several roles, including a take on the Emperor that could only be called “presidential”. As SHE (who should be listened to at least, if not obeyed), Mary Elizabeth MiCari made the most of a shallow part with her powerful stage presence. She seemed to have made a decision to tone down that presence to make this divinity more ethereal. Robert F. Saunders played Faustus’ friend Wagner with a just right air of diffidence, and appeared later as Envy of course.

Michael Fortunato‘s eccentric lighting design left things mostly in the dark, apparently to underscore the moodiness of the play. Speaking of masks, the character masks (also Fortunato) were first rate and ingenious. The characterization of Sloth for example was extraordinary and pitiable – helped along by Jeanine Bartel‘s body language and delivery. But for the ultimate combination of makeup and body language we had Michael D’Antoni‘s Lucifer- a daemonic creation right out of Hollywood, which needed only more focus. Erik K. Johnston‘s sparingly used original music was suitably macabre, and Rob DeScherer‘s sound design was a pastiche of period film music and effects. Materials were well chosen (thank you for not merely aping Westminster Chimes) but their placement and finishing seemed often haphazard. Scenes that demanded either a climactic moment or a graceful segue ended simply in a long and clumsy silence – over and again dampening applause before it could even get started. Whoever made that decision should have a long talk with Mephistophilis.

A well thought out production concept makes this show an excellent guide to Marlowe’s theatre of archtypes. The stated setting (1937-1962, New York, California, Hell) reminds us to watch our backs as well as our motives, for as Mephistophilis admits to our backstage Faustus: “This IS Hell. Nor am I out of it.”

The Merchant of Venice

By William Shakespeare
Directed by Jay Michaels
Genesis Repertory Ensemble
Jan Hus Playhouse
Equity showcase (closed)
Review by Julie Halpern for OOBR

Themes of anti-Semitism in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice take on a new urgency in Genesis Repertory’s powerful new production, set in 1938 Nazi Germany. Opening with Yom Kippur prayers, and culminating with Kristallnacht a few months later, anti-Semitism, Jewish self-loathing, confusion, and skewed loyalties reach fever pitch. Unfortunately, Shakespeare’s language and aspects of the play not dealing with anti-Semitism, such as the casket scene and the sensuality of daily life on the Rialto, were diminished, with Jewish or Nazi themes taking precedence throughout the evening. Director Jay Michaels and his talented cast are to be commended for taking on such an emotionally wrenching project, which made effective use of Yiddish, Hebrew and German for immediacy but created a clash of Venetian and German sensibilities, never fully realizing either.

Most of the characters were Nazis or Nazi sympathizers. The opening scene — revealing Germans Bassanio (David Look) and Antonio (Travis Taylor) planning Bassanio’s wooing strategy to win the wealthy Portia — was chilling in juxtaposition to the gentle Yom Kippur prayers of Shylock and his fellow congregants, at the other end of the stage. Portia was a decadent German vamp, game for any adventure, but Nell Gwynn‘s powerfully seductive portrayal failed to capture the gentle, thoughtful side of Portia’s nature, playing her more as a madcap heiress than a respected noblewoman. Her confidant, Nerissa (Milda De Voe) was also a glamorous, fun-loving adventuress. De Voe and Michael Fortunato‘s ardent Gratiano set off erotic fireworks whenever they were on stage together. Shylock’s self-hating daughter, Jessica (Heidi Hecker) went as far as marrying a Nazi Lorenzo (an intensely appealing Kevin Colbert), and Hecker’s portrayal created a riveting evolution from a shy Jewish girl to a Nazi hausfrau, particularly telling in her coldness at Shylock’s trial.

Josh Blumenfeld‘s Shylock beautifully captured the tortured, abused, and often maddening Shylock, in an exquisitely balanced performance – painfully fragile in the courtroom scene, yet perpetuating the most repugnant Jewish stereotype when fretting over his ducats. Shylock’s servant, Launcelot, was disturbingly embodied as an ignorant, lower-class thug, in a stunning performance by Brian M. Brewer.

Travis Taylor was a handsome, sensual, vaguely disquieting Antonio. David Look radiated leading-man charm and chemistry with Gwynn as Bassanio. Tim Browning as the Prince of Morocco and Robert Saunders as The Baron of Arrogon were uproarious as Portia’s Hitleresque suitors in the casket scene.

Sid Hammond and Sky Walters‘s set conveyed the cold desperation of Nazi German streetlife, with jarring lighting designed by Adam Bair. Popular German songs of the period like “The Happy Wanderer” and “Lili Marlene,” and the national anthem, “Deutschland Uber Alles,” were provided by sound designer Michael Fortunato. The uncredited costumes were very striking, particularly the luxurious women’s gowns. With Neil Kleid, Ian Tomashik, and Paul James Bowen.