Mariela in the Desert

reviewed by Ariana, Queen of the Stage

Mariela in the desert is a play based in the 1950's about a mother who tells her daughter, Blanca- who lives in Mexico city- to come back home to help bury their dead father. Blanca arrives back in the desert with her lover, Adam, to find her father not dead, but dying. The family must struggle with the past, secrets are revealed, and a son’s ghost seems to roam the empty desert. It was an emotional drama that had its spikes of energy and excitement, but there were the few times I did not feel the emotion needed from the actors.

Though the play did run in 2005, Mariela in the Desert's writer, Karen Zacarias, felt that it needed improvements. So with the help of Bruce K. Sevy, they wrote a whole new script, keeping the same story line. Though I have never seen the original play, I felt this version needed more emotion. Or maybe it was just the actors, but I never really felt like they meant it. Jean-Pierre Serret, who was Carlos, is the one actor you could really feel the emotion emanating from, and I really believed he was a boy who was scared and sad. But for the rest of the cast, it really took them along to find the emotion necessary. Yetta Gottesman, as Mariela, built the emotion really well in the second act, but the first act was a bit bland and silly at parts.

The story was a bit predictable early on, and they tried to reveal the story bit by bit, but the emotion really didn't give that feeling of hidden jealousy and grudges. I felt as though it took a while for the pace of the play, and the underlying emotions, to pick up. But at the end it really let all the emotions burst out and everything felt alive, which really made the play both exciting and emotional.

All together I felt the show was distant, but kept alive by actors Jean-Pierre Serret and Geno Silvia. Also, Yetta Gottesman did a great job of holding the suspense until it all came out like a volcano. I would suggest it to a friend, but not for the impatient and short attention span people out there.

Nine

reviewed by Luke the Nuke

I am not a fan of musicals. I have never liked them and I have not seen one to prove my thoughts wrong. I was hoping that Nine would change all that. The storyline sounds intriguing enough. A famous director, Guido Contini (played by Randal Keith), goes to a spa with his wife, Luisa (played by Megan Van De Hay) to try and save their troubled marriage. Guido is a womanizer, there is really no other way to put it, and his mistress, Carla Albanese (played by Anna Hanson) decides to follow him to the spa to tell him some great news. Guido is supposed to have a script written by the next day for his new movie, and madness ensues when his producer, Lilliane La Fluer (played by Zina Mercil), comes to the spa demanding Guido to get his script done by tomorrow, when the crew is coming.
I had very high hopes for this production. From what I had heard there was going to be humor, sexuality, emotion, and everything else you would want from a musical or play. I was sorely disappointed. This play lacked tension and sexuality (and you know it is bad when an 8th grade boy says that). It also just lacked that Intangible x-factor that any good play has. Director Rod A. Landsberry took what is supposedly a good musical (I have not see the movie or any other rendition of it, and the musical has won 5 Tony awards) and butchered it. The actors just didn't seem entertained, and it made me feel bored and glad when it was over. When the actors sang, they hit most of the notes and it sounded fine, but they were acting like Eric Clapton and just standing there. The only performance that I liked was that of Ronni Gallup, who played Sarraghina, a whore. She was the only one who was really into her role, and even though she was a big woman, she was sexy in her movements and I loved it when she sang "Be Italian". I disliked the set very much, it felt like someone had taken a tetris game and jumbled up the blocks, throwing them everywhere. About a quarter of the time I could not see someone because they were being blocked by a piece of it. The one good thing about the set is that it distracted me from the overall boringness of the play. My group thought that it was so bad we were the only ones who were not standing up while clapping during curtain call.
This play was the one that I was the most excited about coming into the week. I was very disappointed and it took much assurance on my teacher, Kelly's part to tell me that the normal rendition is much better and that I should see it. For your own sake, don't see this play.

Hamlet- Prince of Darkness

reviewed by ES

As I walked to my seat at the National Theatre Conservatory's production of Hamlet, Prince of Darkness, I felt as if were going to a horror movie. Three dead bodies lay on stage. Horatio (played by Kelli Crump) stood there frozen as ice holding a flash light pointed at the ground. A story of Hamlets revenge on his father the king, who was killed by his own brother, who moved on to marry the queen was slowly revealed.
Hamlet was played by four people, Sean Lyons, Rebecca Martin, M. Scott McLean and Jenna Panther. Unfortunately Jenna Panther had to leave and be replaced by an uncredited actor. The transitions between Hamlets did not make a lot of sense to me. The new Hamlet would come on and they would both start to shake and convulse as if going through immense pain, then the original Hamlet would leave.
The lighting (done by Robert Byers) was some of the best I've seen. At times you could only see someones face or the gleam of their helmet, and at others lights would flash and you would get a brief glimpse of what was going on. At one point the pillars on either side of the stage began to glow and men could be seen inside them spying on Hamlet and Ophelia.
I thought all of the acting was amazing. I don't think there was a bad actor in the entire play. A lot of the time I could not understand what they were saying because old English is harder for me to understand, but by their emotions and expressions I was able to understand most of it. It seems like it might not be the best play for people who don't know the basic story of Hamlet.
The first Hamlet (played by Sean Lyons) did an amazing job pouring his emotion into the play. He turned small problems into dramatic issues. Ophelia (played by Dawn Scott) did a great job adding low trapeze into the play. At multiple points a swing would come down and without interrupting the plot she manoeuvred around the swing. I am not the biggest fan of Shakespeare but it was one of the best versions I have seen of Hamlet.

Mariela in the Desert

reviewed by Polonius the Clown

“The desert is God’s canvas.” These words, spoken by the character Jose (played by Robert Sicular) several times, are what first inspire Jose and his small family to move onto a ranch in the Mexican desert in the play Mariela in the Desert, by Karen Zacarias now playing at the Denver Center Theatre Company.

At the top of the show, it is years after the move, and Jose is dying. Even as his family gathers around him, Jose seems to be unhappy with himself for reasons that are not entirely clear. This mystery is slowly unveiled as the play progresses.

The other great mystery in the play is a painting, “The Blue Barn.” The excitement for this painting grows more and more as the play goes on.

Throughout the play we see the characters at odds with each other; but it is the scenes where they begin to relate- not just to each other but to the audience as well- where we truly see that they are humans, burdened by their own struggles and heartaches. Even the set, by Anne Gibson, seems to promote this. It seems as if we are looking through a window into to their lives.

The family that we see through that window seems rather sad. Sure there are the funny parts, but the sad parts are more prevalent in the play as they give a more accurate look at the tragedy that befell this family. The actors that give life to this are for the most part incredible. Yetta Gottesman, who plays the main character Mariela, shows both her sadness in the present and the happiness of the past with equal skill. The character Jose (Robert Sicular) is the same even though he is more complex. He deftly portrays a longing for art- something that he cannot do anymore- which again reflects the human aspect of this play. However the one who makes the biggest impression is Carlos (played by Jean-Pierre Serret) whose realistic performance is both frightening and enrapturing.

NINE

reviewed by LG the Brief

The musical Nine, playing at the Arvada Center, and directed by Rod A. Lansberry, is a beautiful musical about Guido Contini, an Italian screen-writer/director losing his inspiration. With a contract and deadline but no ideas, he turns to his unsuccessful love-life for the plot for his movie.

The production was pretty good, I think, but could have been a lot better.

Opus Review by Kamryn THE EXTREME

4/22/10

Opus Review

Opus, an entertaining and witty story by Micheal Hollinger, directed by Chip Walton and showing at the Curious Theatre, does not fail to entertain the audience. The play is about a string quartet (as explained in the play a quartet is "A good violinist, a bad violinist, someone who used to be a violinist and someone who is not a violinist) that is arguing and having much drama about which musical number they will play for their presidential command performance that will be televised in front of over 15,000,000 people; they are also debating who to hire to replace Dorian, their old violist. Kary Delaney plays the starring role- or protagonist- Grace, who ends up getting hired as the replacement for the quartet's former member, who has suddenly gone missing. Although everyone knew that she was the perfect replacement, Grace still wants an audition for the Pittsburgh orchestra. Elliot, the lead violinist, is basically "A type-A ass" as described by Josh Robinson, the actor who plays him. Elliot was going out with Dorian who after a fight ran away (yes this play does include some homosexuality). This play is an exceptional example of how theatre can be funny, dramatic and shocking at the same time. Micheal Hollinger wrote this show beautifully, inserting awkward silences where everyone- even the audience- is quiet for at least 20 seconds while the actress (Grace) has to make a life changing decision at the end of the play.
The set is simple, making it not distracting from the show but adding to it. If you look really carefully the back drop changes colors to be the same as the mood of the scene (awkward, angry, sad, playful etc...). The props are a few instruments and chairs. The instruments are un-playable so the actors do not play anything but have to sync their motion of strumming and plucking the strings with the sound from the sound booth. Even though this play can get confusing some times because it switches throughout time lines throughout the play, this wonderful and witty performance does not fail to entertain the audience and when they do switch times, they make sure to get the audience back on track so the audience can know what they are doing. I highly recommend this play so grab your purse and support a local theatre.

Hamlet Prince of Darkness Reviewed by Polonius The Clown

While walking onto the set of Hamlet Prince of Darkness, we are told not to disturb the evidence. Indeed the whole play is set up like a crime scene. The bodies lying on the ground and the watchman standing over them all add to this experience. This play is darker than your average Hamlet. Part of that comes from the director, (Robert Richmond) who seems to have stripped away the outer drapes, the fluff, and shown what is in the heart of Shakespeare's famous prince.

In its simplicity, the set (designed by Reuben Lucas) also enhances the darker, more raw form of Hamlet Prince of Darkness. From the costumes (designed by Meghan Anderson Doyle) to the props everything is focused on simplicity, which in turn enhances the show. The lighting (Robert Byers) is the exception to this simplicity. It seems to be to be almost another character in the play. It is complex, but not extravagant. It enhances the show by giving the stark shadows that are needed to truly turn the stage into the land of darkness.

As we know from the name of the play, Hamlet is the prince of that darkness. In this play one person is not enough to give life to this classic character, so four people take on the role. (Sean Lyons, Rebecca Martin, M. Scott McLean and Jenna Panther) These four play the role well, switching between Hamlets mood by switching the actor playing him. Starting with sane spoiled brat and ending in total insanity. No matter which actor, they play the role and the prevalent emotion extremely well. Indeed all the actors are fabulous and it is this more than anything that makes this play worth seeing.

Opus by Luke the Nuke

 With my class at the Watershed school in Boulder, Colorado, we went to see the Curious theatre's production of the play Opus. The play was about a string quartet (which consists of first violin Elliot, played by Josh Robinson, second violin Alan, played by David Russel and cellist Carl, played by Eric Sandvold.) who has just gotten a new violist, Grace (Kari Delany). This quartet has been very successful, playing all over the world. The play shows the inner struggles of the quartet, using flashbacks to show how they got to where they are now. It shows how the inner dynamics of this very successful quartet work, and why the old violist, Dorian (played by William Hahn) got kicked out of the group. I went into the play with an open mind hoping for a good play, and I wasn't disapointed. 
    This play was very entertaining, with much humor, but it also showed the emotions of the members, especially when the members have to make a very big decision near the end of the play (don't worry, no spoiler here). Playwright Michael Hollinger has written a very good play, with interesting flashbacks and a fun storyline. Director Chip Walton did a fantastic job making the play seem realistic and entertaining, but he really focused on the acting  itself. The lighting was fairly average, the only parts that it got especially technical is when a group member would be highlighted like in a documentary of the quartet. The set was simplistic, with the background being only a wall that resembles that of an opera house, and only chairs and music stands on the stage. Even so, it didn't take away from the play at all.
    I would highly encourage people to come to this play. It is fun, humorous, emotional and the actors have great energy. The only thing that I would warn you about is that there is some strong language and crude humor in the play. The only issue is that it runs until April 24, 2010. So what are you waiting for? Get in gear and go tonight!

Mariela in the Desert

by Luke the Nuke

With my class at the Watershed School in Boulder, Colorado, we went to see a play put on by the Denver Center Theatre Company. To give a quick overview, the play is set on a small ranch in the Northern Mexican desert, in 1950. The play highlights a time in the family where the father, Jose (played by Robert Sicular), is dying of diabetes. This causes the daughter (Blanca, played by Vivia Font) to come home from Mexico City to see her father. Mariela (the mother of Blanca and Jose's wife, played bye Yetta Gottesman) has to take care of Jose in his dying state, and she has flashbacks to show how the family got to this point.
When I heard the general outline of the play, I have to say, I didn't have very high expectations. As I walked into the theatre that the performance was in, I noticed one thing. It was very small. There were about two hundred seats in the theatre, and that really helped you become immersed in the play and forget what was going on in the outside world. For me the play was very interesting and intriguing. Even though it was 2 hours long, it felt like an hour long play. There wasn't much action, but it still kept me feeling entertained the whole way through. I loved the performance of Jean-Pierre Serret (who played the mentally ill son, Carlos). He had great energy coming on the stage and he made me believe fully that he was the character. The scene that I think he shined the most in, was the first flashback. In this flashback he runs in because a scorpion was chasing him. the mother ends up killing the scorpion. He stops for a second, and has great difficulty grasping the concept of death. "It was running and now its still!", he screams over and over, and proceeds to start banging his head against the wall. It was startling to see and it had a huge impact on me. I think that he stole the show.
I think that for a small production show it was very good. If you think that this show sounds un-entertaining, I can tell you that I was very pleasantly surprised. I would encourage you to go, and to keep an open mind about it. If you are planning to go, the show runs until May 15, 2010, in the Ricketson Theatre.

Opus, reviewed by AG

Opus, the dramatic comedy by Michael Hollinger currently playing at the curious theater, centers around the Lazara Quartet, made up the gay lovers Dorian (William Hahn), their violist and Elliot (Josh Robinson) their first violinist, as well as the their second violinist and cellist Alan and Carl, respectively. When the group is forced to fire Dorian, they go about trying to hire a new violist and find Grace, a young, novice musician who has a remarkable gift for playing the viola, but who is also considering a job with an orchestra in Pittsburgh. While Dorian still wants back in and Grace is deciding weather or not to stay, the one of the five characters who ends up not in the quartet will shock you.

The acting in Opus is incredible. Each of the actors are clearly enthusiastic and portray great energy on stage. I particularly thought William Hahn and Josh Robinson did a great job of portraying the heartbreaking fights that Elliot and Dorian go through. The set and costumes fit the play quite well even though they aren't particularly complex or meaningful. Most of all, this play's story and relevance to everyone, but particularly those who have played a string instrument like myself, makes it worth seeing.

Welcome to the Wicked Stage

This is the Wicked Stage, a blog of theatre reviews by the students of the Watershed School. What happened was this: I was approached by Jason Berv, who runs the school, to create a week-long theatre class for students, using my perspective as a playwright, actor, teacher, and theatre critic. I decided to have the class focus on theatre from the point of view of a critic. I used the model of nytheatre.com, where I where I was a senior reviewer for several years, as the template for the kind of reviews we would write. So each day the students and I talk about theatre and reviewing and all the elements that comprise a play, and each night we go to a different theatre, take backstage tours, attend shows, and have talk backs with the cast after the show. So far, we've seen Mariela in the Desert at the Denver Center Theatre Company, Hamlet- Prince of Darkness at the National Theatre Conservatory, and Opus at the Curious Theatre. Tonight, we see our last show, Nine, at the Arvada Center. In the blogs that follow, you'll see the reviews that the students have written about the shows.

Enjoy.