Three Musketeers

Posted on by Thor

Three Musketeers written by Catherine Bush and adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas is a
witty and action packed swashbuckler following the friendship of
young d’Artagnan (Benjamin Bonenfant) and his band of Musketeers as they fight to protect the
ones they love from the evil Cardinal Richelieu (Anne Hering) it is story of double crossings, kidnappings, and carefully guarded secrets, complete with lavish sword fights and sweeping romance, set in a time when love and honor ruled the world. It is playing at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater (812 E Rollins St Orlando, FL 32803) through March 22, 2020.

The Three Musketeers, Porthos (Rodney Lizcano), Anthos (Timothy Williams) and Aramis (Walter Kmiec) at first seem irresponsible by getting into a drunken brawl, but d’Artagnan added a blush of romance and camaraderie to the group when he assisted them in a sword fight. Monsieur de Treville (Phillip Nolan) was responsible for keeping the Musketeers in line and his assistant Planchet (Brandon Roberts) added comic relief to every scene he was in.

The spiral staircase center stage rotates creating a wide a variety of scene changes. At one point there is a sword fight on the stairs as they rotated which was visually thrilling. I had to commit to one setting for my sketch, ignoring the staircase when it moved or disappeared altogether.

It turned out that one of the Musketeers X wife, Milady De Winter (Tracy Lane) was the most deadly villain in the show. She could be sweet and cultured and then stab you in the heart while offering a kiss. The show kept a fevered pace and was a delight to watch.

Here are the remaining show dates…

Tickets are $27 to $36.

Saturday, February 8, 2020 – 2:00 PM

Saturday, February 8, 2020 – 7:30 PM

Sunday, February 9, 2020 – 2:00 PM

Wednesday, February 12, 2020 – 2:00 PM – Senior Matinee

Wednesday, February 12, 2020 – 7:30 PM

Thursday, February 13, 2020 – 7:30 PM

Wednesday, February 26, 2020 – 2:00 PM – Senior Matinee

Wednesday, February 26, 2020 – 7:30 PM

Saturday, February 29, 2020 – 7:30 PM

Sunday, March 1, 2020 – 2:00 PM – Talk back Performance

Thursday, March 5, 2020 – 7:30 PM

Friday, March 6, 2020 – 7:30 PM

Friday, March 13, 2020 – 7:30 PM

Saturday, March 14, 2020 – 2:00 PM

Saturday, March 14, 2020 – 7:30 PM

Wednesday, March 18, 2020 – 2:00 PM – Senior Matinee

Thursday, March 19, 2020 – 7:30 PM

Sunday, March 22, 2020 – 2:00 PM

12th Night at the Shakes.

Posted on by Thor

At the opening night performance of 12th Night by William Shakespeare, the director, Carolyn Howarth and the costume designer Jack Smith sat on stage for a pre-show chat. Carolyn explained that what we were about to see was an effort to present as historically accurate a production of the play as is possible. In Shakespeare’s day there was no stage lighting, so the house lights never went dark. As an artist this was a real blessing. Electric candles hung from the ceiling to illuminate the space. They seemed to float magically as if in Harry Potter’s Wizarding School.

In the day, a play could be seen for a penning which was also enough to buy an ale and some bread. For that price they would be a groundling, standing in front of the stage. More expensive cushioned seats were of course more. The church did not allow women to perform on stage, so this production is as well performed by all male actors.

The costumes by Jack smith were absolutely gorgeous. He spent time hand embroidering things right until the curtain opened. He did however praise the entire costume shop staff. Pink was a popular color for men in Shakespeare’s day and the women preferred blues and teals. All of the costumes were lush, with highly researched detail. This has to be the most well crafted production I have seen in Orlando for a long time. In Shakespeare’s day there were no sets, just a few benches and the expanses of the wooden stage. Most of the architectural elements of the previous production “Shakespeare in Love” like the arching ceiling joists, were left in place. At the end of Shakespeare in Love, Queen Elizabeth asked the young author to come up with something new “for 12th Night”. It is believed that this play was first performed for Queen Elizabeth in 1602.

The play began with a foppish Shakespearean actor pounding his walking stick to the floor. The buzz of the audience silenced and the magic began. Shakespearean accents were a melting pot of Irish, Scottish, West Country and American and the actors were carefully coached to recreate the sound and flavor. The director joked that we might catch a flash of pirate in the accents as well. The acting was over the top and comical which seemed odd at first but then I grew to love each character.

The plot involves two shipwrecked twins who both believe the other to be dead. Viola (Thomas Leverton) dressed as her brother Sebastian (Austin Larkin). As a man, Viola is caught in a rather awkward love triangle. To avoid any spoiler alert, I’ll just say that love finds a way in the end. Olivia (John P. Keller) who is mourning the death of her brother becomes infatuated with Viola who was sent by Orsino (Timothy Williams) with a message of love. Olivia’s steward Malvolio (Jim Helsinger) had a hilarious performance. He was tricked into thinking that his Olivia was in love with him and his attempts at appearing happy were endearing and over the top hilarious. Sword fights were foppish and comical. honor being served by who surrendered first in terror. Throughout the show I was laughing out loud.

This show highly deserved the standing ovation. This is one of the most polished productions I have had the honor to enjoy and sketch. We left the theater glowing. Shakespeare’s genius still shines bright 416 years later. For several hours we were magically transported back in time.

12th Night runs through March 23, 2018.

Twelfth Night runs approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes with one 15-minute intermission.

Frost Nixon

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In the Mandell Theater in the Lowdes Shakespeare Center,”Frost Nixon” written by Peter Morgan is being performed through April 28th. Stephan Jones does an astonishing performance as Nixon. His performance isn’t a satirical caricature but an honest look at a man with insecurities and pride. As a elementary school student I used to enjoy doing political cartoons of Nixon so from an early age I understood his charisma. Timothy Williams performs as David Frost, a talk show host looking to score the biggest interview of his career. John Bateman as James Reston acts as the narrator who has had a long time desire to see Nixon admit and repent for his wrong doing. In a humorous moment he meets his long time nemesis and he goes mute and shakes Nixon’s hand. Nixon turned smugly away with his best attempt at a grin.

The interview itself was like a prize boxing match with Nixon evading question with his long winded rope-a-dope memories and effusive tales. In the first round Frost sits back overwhelmed and exhausted by the ex-presidents long winded and empty answers. The actual interview went on for hours but it is thankfully edited down for the stage production. The interview is cut into four bouts and by the end it seemed like Nixon was a bull that wanted to feel the pain of the matador’s sword.

After the show, the cast assembled on stage for a question and answer session with the audience. Director John DiDonna asked theater reviewer Steve Schneider to join them on stage. Steve wrote a glowing review of the performance but hated the historical inaccuracies of the play. He stated that Nixon never admitted to the Watergate cover up and any younger audience members might accept the play at truth. Artists have a responsibility to present the truth. He equated it to journalistic integrity. Going to the theater to learn history is like going to “The Daily Show” to get the news. John asked a class full of college students, “Who is Nixon?” Only three students raised their hands. The play offered Nixon a redemption that he never had in real life. How much artistic license should be allowed before historical accuracy is ignored or turned on it’s head? To illustrate his point, Steve suggested, we imagine that a Japanese playwright decided to write a play about World War II in which there was no Pearl Harbor. Instead Japan is forced into the war when America stages a sneak attack on the Japanese Navy Fleet. Could that be an entertaining play? Certainly, but it would be divisive and inaccurate.

You have just 3 chances left to see this amazing production.

Friday April 26th  at 8PM

Saturday April 27th at 8PM

Sunday April 28th at 2PM.

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.”

Twelfth Night

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There was a free staged reading of Twelfth Night at the Shakespeare Theater (812 East Rollins Street.) There was an inspired twist to this performance which peaked my interest, the entire cast was male. In Shakespeare’s time this is how the show would have been cast. In the beginning there was surprised laughter and murmuring in the audience but then as the plot unfolded people settled in and the honest and unaffected performances helped suspend disbelief. It became obvious that Shakespeare wrote the play with an all male cast in mind. Many of the comedic moment became even funnier knowing a man would perform the part. The play is full of women disguised as men and men disguised as women. Thus the audience had to accept a man playing a woman disguised as a man. This sort of multi-layering was surprisingly simple and fun to follow. I highly respect the actors who played the female rolls. They played their parts with dignity and grace never pushing towards stereo typical flamboyant feminine performances.

“Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. ” I have heard this quote before but never seen it played out to its full comic effect. The words were uttered by Malvoio, played by Eric Zicot, is pretentious, ambitious and very full of his own self worth. Merry makers play a trick on him by writing a love letter that Malvolio believes is written by Countess Olivia, played by Timothy Williams, whom he serves as a steward. As he recites these lines about his greatness, he is strutting before his Countess like a peacockwearing outlandish bright yellow socks, and everyone knows Olivia abhors yellow socks. This over the top performance was the funniest moment in the play.

After the the show there was a question and answer session with the cast. Again and again women in the audience complimented the actors for how well they played the women’s rolls. Michael Wanzie a pruducer, director and radio personality, noted how clever and funny the play was when performed soley by men. Added humor and heightened meaning comes to the play when performed by the male cast. It is as if Shakespeare is poking fun at the theatrical traditions of which he was a part. Romeo and Juliet will have a similar all male cast reading at the Shakespeare Theater on Sunday, March 13, 2011 at 7 p.m. Mark your new 2011 calenders, you don’t want to miss it!