Assassins

Posted on by Thor

Cheyenne Saloon and Opera House in downtown Orlando will host a production of  Assassins, which is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by John Weidman, based on an original concept by Charles Gilbert Jr.

Staged by the Florida Theatrical Association, and directed by Kenny Howard, the production makes amazing use of this historic venue which will soon faces it’s own assassination by developers who want it demolished for a condo sky rise, since what Orlando needs is more high rent shoe boxes.

Assassins lays bare the lives of nine individuals who assassinated or tried to assassinate the President of the United States, in a one-act historical musical that explores the dark side of the American experience. From John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald, writers Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman bend the rules of time and space, taking us on a nightmarish roller coaster ride in which assassins and would-be assassins from different historical periods meet, interact and inspire each other to harrowing acts in the name of the American Dream.

When Pam and I arrived, I knew I wanted to sketch the production as if viewed from Lincoln’s Presidential booth at the Ford Theater. Unfortunately the Saloon’s first level balcony was to be used by actors who appeared with blood red spot lights illuminating them from below during the show. There was another balcony above that but the sight lines made it impossible to see the stage. We finally climbed to the highest levels, having to walk through the actors green room to get there. From this vantage point, the technicians and stage director took center stage, while the performers worked on the distant stage. On the balcony above the stage a band performed. Unfortunately the acoustics were not stellar from where we sat, but we both knew the play and could follow along. I should note that even from our nose bleed level I could tell the performer for  John Wilkes boot has some major singing chops.

I tend to feel a bit uncomfortable with performers holding guns. Of course actor Alec Baldwin thought his gun held blanks when he shot his cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins dead. A lawyer for Alec Baldwin said on April 21. 2022 that an investigation by New Mexico has cleared his client of wrongdoing in the fatal shooting on the set of “Rust.” Halyna’s life was found to be worth only $137,000, which is how much New Mexico fined the Rust production.  Orlando is is also where a gunman entered the Pulse Nightclub and murdered 49 people and injuring 53 others. From as far away as we were, I could not make out if the weapons were historically accurate. The gun’s sound effects were at least played down, being unrealistic slaps.

Assassins will run April 22, 2022  to May 1, 2022 at the Cheyenne Saloon on Church Street. Tickets are available now through Eventbrite. Tickets range from $22 to $100 for VIP seating.

Assassins

Posted on by Thor

I went to sketch the opening night performance of Assassins at Breakthrough Theater (419 W Fairbanks Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789). Stephen Sondheim wrote the music and lyrics and he also wrote the music for one of my favorite shows, Sunday in the Park with George. I had never seen Assassins but since I love Sondheim, I had to go. The book was by John Weidman, and the show was directed by Angela Cotto.

Breakthrough theater is a tiny little gem in Winter Park. The  lobby was warm and welcoming with a concessions stand. The walls were covered floor to ceiling with framed posters from past shows. This show wasn’t as crowded as I would have expected for a Sondheim musical.

The premise of the show was strange and unsettling. Assassins from throughout America’s history assembled together to justify their second Amendment right to bear arms and kill presidents. In the opening act, Iris M. Johnson, acted as a gun dealer offering guns to each assassin in turn to bolster their self worth and ego. John Wilkes Booth, (Gabrial Garcia) sang a ballad,  about why he needed to kill Abraham Lincoln after the  Civil War had ended.

Every Assassin was always waving around a gun, and sitting in the front row, I felt uncomfortable having so many weapons pointed in my general direction. Granted they were clearly toy guns and the audio sound effects were faint caps popping any time a gun was fired.

In one scene, Rebecca McVeigh as “Squeaky” Fromme, the girlfriend of Charles Manson, and Carol Jaqueline Palumbo as Sara Jane Moore, started shooting at a bucket of Kentucky Fried chicken. Squeeky’s manic laughter was truly terrifying, but what was more terrifying was the fact that so many people in the audience were laughing. Perhaps this is deeply ingrained in America, we are taught from an early age that violence is funny and entertaining.

Lee Harvey Oswald (Scott Gilbert) had a conscience. He went to work carrying a package of curtain rods. His minimum wage job left him with low self esteem. The entire cast of assassins, sang a song encouraging him to shoot John Kennedy. According to them his act of violence would help keep their memory alive. When he opened the package of curtain rods, he found a rifle. At one point they became a chorus line waving their guns in unison.

I find myself sketching people who are still deeply affected by the massacre at Pulse. I respected Anderson Cooper for never saying the gunman’s name when reporting about the Pulse Nightclub massacre. The names of these assassins are better left unsaid. The very premise of the play seems to make light of the horror of such violent acts. I lost some respect for Sondheim for writing this musical that seems to glorify and justify the acts of these assassins. Perhaps the show might make audiences think twice about gun control, but the message is lost if they laugh instead. A mentally deranged person seeing this play might think that they might one day share the fame of these assassins. We are sitting on a powder keg. All that said, one song from the show keeps ringing in my head. (Why did You Do it Johnny?)

Performances of Assassins continue through November 26, 2018.

Tickets are $20 General Admission, $18 Seniors, $15 Students, and $12 on Mondays.

West Side Story rumbles into the Shakes.

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West Side Story will be performed in the Margeson Theater at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater, (812 E Rollins St, Orlando, FL) from September 7th to October 9th. I Stopped into the scenic shop to see the New York City set under construction. Jeff Ferree explained that carpet had to be installed on the second tier of the set, to reduce noise as actors walked. Jeff used the lift to get a roll of carpet up and then three stage hands rolled it out. One corner hung precariously over ledge. If anyone stepped o this overhanging carpet they would fall to the stage floor. Jeff used a carpet knife to cut away the excess carpet. To try and smooth the carpet out, he leaped forward multiple times like a kangaroo to try and stretch the carpet flat. 

At the same time lights were being turned on and off from the lighting booth. Someone with a walkie talkie confirmed when the correct lights came on. A few were out of place and will likely be replaced. The large bridge like structure is part of the set that is lowered into place during the fight scenes. Jeff showed me the set rendering designed by Jim Hunter, and it will look gritty and gorgeous. Large sections of steal mesh fence need to be scavenged for stage right. There is a virtual walk through of the set which is apparently quite impressive. 

West Side Story is based on a concept of Jerome Robbins, a book by Arthur Laurents with Music by Leonard Bernstein and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Idealistic young lovers Maria and Tony find themselves
caught between rival street gangs, the American Jets and the Puerto
Rican Sharks. Their struggle to survive in a world of hate, violence,
and prejudice is one of the most beautiful, heart-wrenching, and
relevant musical dramas of our time. West Side Story’‘s legendary jazz,
Latin, and classical-inspired score features the treasured songs
““Something’‘s Coming,“” ““Tonight,” ““I Feel Pretty,” and ““America.“The movie came out the year I was born, and the story is still as fresh, vibrant and reliant as it was back then.” Tickets are between $18 and $33.

Sweeney Todd at The Venue

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The second you enter The Venue, 511 Virginia Drive, Orlando, Fl, you are right on top of the action in Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Insane asylum patients moan, twitch and shout out all around you. In this intimate setting the action explodes out towards the audience. Derek Critzer who directed and produced the show also did an amazing job at designing the multi-level set which made maximum use of the cramped stage area. Simple asylum fabrics hid the structure while a staircase gave access to the upper levels at house right. As I approached the theater, the large garage style side door was open and I saw a tall stack of mattresses which is where the slit throated victims from the barber’s chair could collapse. The lighting for the show by Tabor Wiwstead, was simple direct and elegant. Red symbolized the sinister and horrific moments, while cool blue lighting surrounded the lovely Johanna Barker , played by Monica Titus, and the fleeting glimpses of Todd’s once happy past.

Stephan Jones played Sweeney Todd with a dark ruddy maliciousness. The depth of his anger and hatred could be felt in every scene. He performed the role so expertly that he made Johnny Depp seem like an inexperienced fop in the film adaptation. Ginger Minj, Joshua Eads-Brown, as Nellie Lovett added the needed brevity and humor to the show. When she had to peal off her misbehaving eyelashes, a moment likely not rehearsed, it was a golden moment the audience loved. As she swung her rolling pin violently, I could see the sweat on her brow, then trickling down her chest settling in her cleavage. These actors were working hard yet having fun belting out these tunes. Granted there was no room for an orchestra, so recordings had to work instead. Sweeney Todd is a sweeping epic story and yet the small venue actually intensified the confrontational quality of the show. At times, over 20 actors navigated their way on the tight stage. I could see Derek the director watching intently as he leaned over from the upstairs tech booth.

The entire first act was spent waiting for Todd to slit Judge Turpin’s throat. The judge played by Brett Carson could barely fit in the barber’s chair. Though his actions were malicious and self serving, he had a kind demeanor and left the dirty work to others. This is such an ambitious production by Clandestine ARTS yet the cast did an amazing job keeping up with Stephen Sondheim‘s fast and furious lyrics. I was bowled over by what was accomplished in the small Venue. The shows are selling out. I sketched by standing in the back of the theater. The show had all the savory flavor and taste of a perfectly prepared meat pie.

The remaining performances are…

Tonight, Thursday 1/16-7:00 PM
Friday 1/17-8:00 PM
Saturday 1/18- 8:00 PM
Sunday 1/19- 3:00 PM

Tickets are $20.00 and are General Admission. Tickets may be purchased at www.clandestine-arts.com Limited seating is available so be sure to get them early. Tickets may be available at the door based on availability.

Clandestine-ARTS “Sweeney Todd” Auditions

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On September 30th, I went to Lake Howell High School Oviedo, FL to sketch Clandestine-ARTS auditions for the upcoming production of Stephen Sondheim‘s “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street“auditions. Derek Critzer the director, had given me the green light to come out. Music Direction in the show will be by Colton Brooks.  Auditions were by appointment only.As I walked towards the High School Theater, I passed a Drum Corp rehearsing.

Sweeney Todd is a 1979 musical thriller with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and libretto by Hugh Wheeler. The musical is based on the 1973 play Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street by Christopher Bond. Set in 19th century England, the musical tells the story of Benjamin Barker, aka Sweeney Todd, who returns to London after 15 years’ transportation on trumped-up charges. When he finds out that his wife poisoned herself after being raped by the judge who imprisoned him, he vows revenge on the judge and, later, the whole world. He teams up with a pie maker, Mrs. Lovett, and opens a barbershop in which he slits the throats of customers and has them baked into pies.

Chris Leavy was at the piano. Most of the actors auditioning were young women who would be auditioning for the part of  Joanna Barker, (a Soprano, 18-early 20’s) who is Sweeney Todd’s daughter, a ward of Judge Turpin. Beautiful and pure-hearted. The actress I sketched that was wearing the red dress had a very sweet voice. Monica Titus ultimately got the part. Wyatt Glover will play Sweeney Todd and Jessica Hoehn will play Mrs. Lovett. The other actress I sketched in the yellow dress was wearing high heel shoes and the director asked her to take them off when she performed her second song. Another actress was so nervous that Derek felt bad for her. He tried to get her to relax. It is hard to be on your top game when there are butterflies in your stomach. Auditions must be nerve wracking for any performer. Any slip up could result in their not getting the part. Everything is on the line.

Performances will be being held at The Venue, (511 Virginia Dr  Orlando, FL). January 9,10,11,12,16,17,18, and 19th. Sweeney Todd will be presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.

Sunday in the Park With George.

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I had too step out of an artist talk back with United Arts President and CEO, Floria Maria Garcia, at Urban ReThink about the state of the arts in Orlando. It was a hot topic on which I have plenty of opinions but little time to express them. I rushed over to Church Street and sat in the very back row of the brand new Harriet Theater to see the Mad Cow Theater production of Sunday in the Park With George.  The lobby is magnificent with a large plate glass window view overlooking Church Street. The new theater offers roomier seating but the low office building ceilings offer a challenge since it limits the height of the stage sets. The stage was a blank canvas. White panels were arranged accordion style across the back of the stage. Executive Director, Mitzi Maxwell, introduced the play which she called Stephen Sondheim‘s tribute to creativity. I first saw the play in 1983 in New York City, and I fell in love with it. I would often play the cassette tape soundtrack as I painted until the audio tape eventually stretched and broke. Change is inevitable as we move on.

When George Seurat, played by Matt Horohoe, started sketching, Dot, played by Hannah Laird, the white panels were removed by actors in period costume to uncover Lisa Bucks wonderful painted rendition of the Island of La Grande Jatte. The play follows George’s life and creative process as he creates a huge canvas celebrating a Sunday in the park. His relationship wit Dot becomes strained as he looses himself in his work. This stage production brought back all the joy and emotions from the show I first experienced in New York City. Now that I am older and obsessed with capturing life, I better understand George Seurat.

In my sketch, I tried to assemble the cast in a fair approximation of where they were in George’s final composition.  Since the composition was finalized for only a short moment, I didn’t catch every character. Like any urban sketch done on location, I placed figures where they best balanced out the composition I was assembling. I placed George Seurat where the monkey would be found in his painting. The second act isn’t as strong as the first, but it features my favorite song, Art isn’t Easy! I absolutely loved this show, and the cast did an astounding job of keeping up with Sondheim’s fast paced lyrics. The show continues through October 28th. Performances are selling out so get your tickets now! As I got up to leave my pencil sharpener fell out of my lap and crashed to the floor. It popped open spilling pencil shavings everywhere. Embarrassed, I picked up a few with my fingers but decided a vacuum would hopefully pick up the delicate curled shavings with little effort.

“White: a blank page or canvas. His favorite – so many possibilities.”

– George Seurat

Sunday in the Park with George Rehearsal

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The Harriet Theater stage was a blank canvas waiting to be painted. George Seurat, played by Matt Horohoe, turned away from Dot, played by Hannah Laird, to return to his painting. Dot followed him angrily as he climbed the ladder to work on his immense painting, The Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. She shouted at him, “Yes, George, run to your work. Hide behind your painting. I have come to tell you I am leaving because I thought you might care to know-foolish of me, because you care about nothing.”

(George) I care about many things.

(Dot)
Things-not people.

(George)
People, too. I cannot divide my feelings up as neatly as you, and I am not hiding behind my canvas-I am living in it.

(Dot)
What you care for is yourself.

“Tell me that you’re hurt, Tell me you’re relieved, Tell me that you’re bored. Anything, but don’t assume I know. Tell me what you feel!”

My fatigued eyes watered up as I sketched the heated argument in song. I knew every word.

Having seen the original, Sunday in the Park with George on Broadway, I was excited when Mad Cow Theater announced that this musical would be the first show to open in the new Harriet Theater (54 Church Street, Orlando). The space was still raw and unused when I walked in to sketch a rehearsal. All the theater seats were still covered with bubble wrap.  Director Timothy Williams sat in the front row watching the actors perform. Everyone was still, “on book” but the performance as Seurat and Dot argued was vibrant and hit home. I was shocked at how much Hannah Laird, with her cherub-like face resembled Bernadette Peters. Robin Jensen on piano slowed down the beat in one scene so the actors could keep pace and then speed up.The actors did an amazing job keeping up with Sondheim’s fast paced lyrics. Their voices were warm and full.  Robin kept stressing that everyone needed to clearly enunciate each word.

A square cut out stood in place for a dog. George interacted with the dog as he sketched, personifying how his life might be. No one knew if the dog would face stage left or right once cut out and painted, so Tim shouted out for someone to look at the painting to find out. It turns out that George had been addressing the dogs rump. I liked that Tim suggested to Matt that he think about the old Disney animators and the way they would act out how a deer or a dog might behave.

When all the actors assembled on stage to recreate the finished painting my heart swelled with the music. It is easy to see why this show won a Pulitzer prize. As I left, Tim noticed I was carrying an artists stool and he pointed at me saying to the prop man, “Look! That is the kind of seat we need for George!”  The ladder will later be “pimped out” with a shelf where George keeps his palette, paints and beer. The music and Lyrics are by Stephen Sondheim and the play is based on a book by James Lapine. The opening Night performance in Orlando will be October 6, 2012 and  the show runs through October 28th. The gala,
which will take place on October 6, features a pre-show dinner at  the
Rusty Spoon, followed by the Opening Night performance of Sunday in the Park with George, and a post show cast party at Kres Chophouse (17 West Church Street, Orlando). Gala tickets are $125. Regular show ticket prices are $25-$32.

“A blank page or canvas, his favorite. So many possibilities.”