August Wilson's "Seven Guitars" @ Artists Rep

"Seven Guitars" has ample amounts of what we love about August Wilson:  poetic language, symbolism, and an epic scope, (this play is nearly three hours itself, and it is a companion-piece to the equally sweeping "King Hedley, II" which will open December 6th at Portland Playhouse.)Reflecting back on Wilson plays I have seen or read, I realize that many of them had violent scenes, but both "Seven Guitars" and "King Hedley, II" seem to thrive on their darker edge, which puts them in my top-three favorites of the 10-play Pittsburgh Cycle.

"Seven Guitars" centers around Floyd "Schoolboy" Barton and his attempt to improve his luck in Chicago with a new record deal, after a long-ago hit song, and the poor decisions that followed it. He wishes to rekindle his relationship with his old girlfriend and have her join him on this all-important journey. Along the way, he faces resentment from friends, and obstacles that would rival Ulysses, all without leaving...

The play is performed by a top-notch cast, quite a few of whom were part of Portland Playhouse's Wilson productions, including director Kevin Jones. Victor Mack (Canewell) has a presence that can only be described as charisma unhinged.

It is so gratifying to see August Wilson presented again by one of Portland largest theatre companies. (Portland Center Stage provided my first exposure to his work-"Fences" at the inaugural-season at the Armory, and I was sad to see them abruptly pull "Joe Turner's Come and Gone" a few years back......) To see Wilson preformed is a privilege, one we get to enjoy twice this year....

"Little Shop of Horrors" @ Broadway Rose Theatre Company

The first word that comes to mind to describe "Little Shop of Horrors" is "fun." There are plenty of shows that are fun, but "Little Shop" just seems to be overflowing it; it's fun to watch, and it looks really fun for the performers. And yet, elements of it are really dark-- the ending of the film version was famously changed after focus groups reacted with intense negativity....

 Portland-area theatres seem to be getting into the ghoulish spirit of Halloween. We've had the cannibalistic "Sweeney Todd" at Portland Center Stage, and now the saga of Seymour and the Man-Eating Plant Audrey II in "Little Shop of Horrors" at Tigard's Broadway Rose.

"Little Shop" is the first show I've seen at Broadway Rose's New Stage Auditorium and like the theatre's other auditorium on the campus of Tigard High School, the New Stage has excellent wheelchair-seating....

"Little Shop of Horrors" has a characteristic that is unusual in shows--one of its biggest roles is played by an unseen actor, the voice of Audrey II, and lets just say that Jerrod Neal chews more than scenery.

Rebecca Teran makes Audrey's sweetness believable and her voice is excellent. Brian Debmar Jones plays Orin the dentist with um, appropriate menace. 

Don't miss this show, it runs from now until Oct. 21, and several dates have sold-out....

"And So It Goes" @ Artists Rep

"And So It Goes" by Aaron Posner is based upon three short-stories from Kurt Vonnegut, Jr's collection "Welcome to the Monkey-House," each revolve around the theme of love. The first of these, "Long Walk to Forever" is about the narrator, Tom Newtom, and his wife Kate (a creation of this stage version.) It's a nice little story, enjoyable and simple... But, the stand-out of the show is "Who Am I this Time?" (also adapted into a film by Jonathan Demme, director of "Silence of the Lambs.") It contains the evening's funniest moments, and some nearly unbelievable acting. It chronicles the love that blooms on the stage of the community theatre within the small Connecticut town, between Harry (Alex Hurt) and Helene, (Kayla Lian) as they perform "A Streetcar Named Desire." Harry is the town's go-to actor, and Helene is a brand-new transplant.  Harry works as a clerk in the hardware store, he is exceptionally ordinary and terribly shy, until he is on the stage.... During auditions, the staff endures performances  from Harry's boss, Verne,(Leif Norby) who turns in a hilariously awful impression of Marlon Brando as Stanley Kowalski. (Watching Verne warm-up for his embarrassing performance is worth-seeing all by itself....) When it's Harry's turn, he shyly makes his introductions, and then slowly takes off his glasses, by the time he folds them up, he has transformed into Stanley, the famous brute of "Streetcar." (I suppose in some ways actors always transform, but it is rare to see it happen right in front of you, and it's something to behold.) Helene quickly finds that Harry can only express emotion while acting, so they decide to act in everyday life, the piece ends with Harry and Helene in character for "The Importance of Being Earnest"

Tim True does a superb job as the narrator, and nowhere was his talent more evident then when an inconsiderate audience member was not quick enough to turn off the sports radio broadcast he was listening to during intermission. True's improvised digs at the man were some of the best lines of the show, so good in fact that you almost felt sorry for the transgressor. Almost.

See "And So it Goes" while you still can, I had trouble getting in myself, and it only runs from now to Oct 7th......

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street @ Portland Center Stage

"Sweeney Todd" opened Portland Center Stage's 25th Anniversary Season, and everything about the production befit the momentous occasion. Portland Center Stage's version began uniquely; the opening scene in which London's Street People invite us to "attend the tale of Sweeney Todd" features anachronistically dressed police officers, a deliberate allusion to the "Occupy Portland" protests.

"Sweeney Todd" is the story of a renowned barber bent on revenge, whose thirst for blood grows worse, and soon London's most famous barber partners with a purveyor of meat-pies and they happen-upon a ghastly new recipe..... 

Sweeney is played with simmering anger and boundless energy by Aloysius Gigl. Another stand-out performance is given by Matthew Alan Smith, as Judge Turpin. To call him repellent would be an understatement. Maybe it was body language, or maybe his scraggly hair, but despite his position of prestige and nearly unquestioned authority in the play, there's something about him that suggests he is unclean. Of course, his actions and desires bear that out figuratively, but the scene in which he proposes to his young Ward, even without considering their age-difference or the circumstances of their relationship, it is still a stomach-churning idea, (I think the Street Walkers would turn him down...)

The set is by the man who designed Portland Center Stage's first production, and they invited him to return for the anniversary, and looking at the truly impressive, fittingly large, and frequently morphing set, one can see why they brought him back, and I'm sure the aptness of having someone named William Bloodgood design the set for "Sweeney Todd" was not lost on anyone.....

Also worthy of praise is the haunting lighting by Diane Ferry Williams. In short, Portland Center Stage has pulled out all the stops for this production, and all would be wise to attend the tale.....

Crippled Critic Comedy Review: Wanda Sykes @ Spirit Mountain

Wanda Sykes, who is known for her roles on the "New Adventures of Old Christine" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm"  graced the stage at Spirit Mountain Casino Saturday night. Her material ran from politics to the trials of parenting, all delivered with her trademark sarcasm. Birthers felt her wrath, as did opponents of Don't Ask Don't Tell, then she gave us insight into life with her children and her French wife. Her vivid observations about her children's eccentricities were hilarious. Ms. Sykes' stage presence and persona is a truly unique blend of biting wit and genuine confusion at the absurdity of life, it was a privilege to watch.

Spirit Mountain itself deserves special praise for its layout in terms of wheelchair seating. I have attended twice, and although this time I had the privilege of front row seating, Spirit Mountain is one of the few venues whose most desirable sections are made up of removable chairs, making any seat a potential wheelchair seat. While I am on the subject of accessibility, I must also note that the casino is also quite accommodating to patrons in wheelchairs, every slot machine is equipped with a removable chair, and many gaming tables are lowered. I would encourage any wheelchair user interested in either attending a show or gambling to rush to Spirit Mountain, because they seem uncommonly willing and able to serve our needs.

The Sound of Music @ Broadway Rose Theatre Company

"The Sound of Music" is an ambitious show in every respect. It begins with a haunting chant by the nuns of the abbey, which not only stands in stark contrast to the joyful tunes that follow, but it's also the first glimpse you get of the precision and synchronicity the show demands. We soon meet Maria Reiner, who has drawn the skepticism of her fellow nuns as to whether the abbey is a good fit for her. Leah Yorkston brings a nearly palpable naivete to the role. She is indeed unprepared for the life of solitude and silence she attempts to choose, and she also has innocence and eagerness.

I know Margie Boule as a columnist, so  her significant vocal ability was a pleasant surprise... The same can be said of the seven Von Trapp children.

The sets are impressive, and while I have only attended a few productions at Broadway Rose, I am always amazed by the stylishness of their auditorium on the campus of Tigard High School... (It must be noted that the wheelchair-seating is superb , on a rise in the middle of the theatre. Broadway Rose has recently expanded and now has two auditoriums, I look forward to evaluating the accommodations in The New Stage, for "Little Shop of Horrors" in September....)

"The Sound of Music runs from now until the 22nd, and I would advise that you hurry, tickets seem to be selling quickly....

Justin Townes Earle @ The Aladdin Theater 7/3/12

Maybe it was because it was the eve of Independence Day, but the first image that entered my brain while watching Justin Townes Earle was a firework with a very long fuse. Mr. Earle began his performance solo, accompanied only by a guitar. It may have been a low-key start, but because I had seen him perform previously, I knew of the musical explosion to come....

Someone in the audience asked me to classify his music, and all I could come up with was the broad category of Southern Rock, but I added, "his stage-persona reminds me of Buddy Holly...." Indeed, that's the best description I can give, a bespectacled skinny guy whose musical wild-streak betrays his looks....

During the evening, Mr. Earle self-identified with Woody Gutherie, and then played "I'm Wanderin' " and said that he hoped Gutherie would approve.... For what it's worth, I find the song to be such a successful homage that I will now add Gutherie to my description the next time I'm asked....

But, the resistance to classification is one of the things I admire most about Justin Townes Earle, and I believe it is reflected in his songwriting, not only in the fact that he jumps from genre to genre with such ease, but also because unexpected mixtures of styles and tone often lead to wonderfully mismatched songs.... I'm thinking particularly of "Harlem River Blues," a composition that is the happiest song about suicide you'll ever hear...

Then there's a song like "Christ-Church Woman" which while it does at times have a mournful quality, takes on a whole new demension and resonance when Earle reveals that it was inspired by the devastation in Christ-Church....

 So, how does one ultimately classify Justin Townes Earle? As a songwriter who is comfortable in many genres, and never underestimates the value of surprise....

John Fogerty @ The Edgefield 6/17/12

Well, I'd love for this post to be purely an attempt by me to capture the gorgeousness of John Fogerty's performance last night, but duty calls and in keeping with this blog's mission to document the quality of wheelchair accommodations around Portland I must unfortunately focus upon that.....

My first experience at Edgefield was poor and I blogged about both it and its stunningly positive resolution here:http://www.crippledcritic.com/2010/08/praise-be-to-concert-god-dylan.html. My second experience landed me in the incomparable VIP seats, while I awaited the construction of the new wheelchair section:http://www.crippledcritic.com/2011/08/music-in-garden-of-eden-amos-lee.html

My third experience was Ray Lamontagne in the new, and vastly improved wheelchair section. I had an issue with one very inconsiderate concert-goer who blocked my view because she stood just outside the fire lane and the new platform was just barely too low to see past her.... But, with intervention from security and a hearty-dose of public-shaming, she eventually sat down....

Which brings me to Fogerty. Starting this year, Edgefield revised its policy and rather than give a GA ticket and wristband as they had done previously, they now had a separate official ADA ticket.... (No notice of the change was on the website, the way it was written implied that a GA ticket and ADA were the same, as I had assumed.) Only after on-sale time did I notice that ADA had a separate drop-down menu, which was no help to me because I had ordered mine over the phone. This meant a hassle to change my tickets as well as double service fees because there were technically two transactions. Despite this, I hoped that the change in policy would mean that people with severe disabilities would be given priority by virtue of this special-ticket.....e.g. the first few rows would be reserved for wheelchair-users.....

How wrong I was! In the ADA section I was one of only 3 wheelchair-users, the rest would definitely be considered comparatively able-bodied..... (Capable of standing and walking.) Two couples who would certainly fall into that category re-positioned the entire second-row which ruined the view completely for everyone else, the other patrons asked them politely to move and they refused..... (All of them were able to stand, and they did.....)

We tried to get security to intervene, but they would not. Frustrated, we decided to try our luck on the lawn.... On our way there, we passed wheelchair-users who were just outside of the ADA section, which I can only surmise was because they could not find a suitable view, ironic, huh? Someone was circulating a petition of complaint about the section which I of course signed. Security did eventually bring McMenamin's Chief Operating Officer to meet us, and I will be sending him a link to this post.... My feeling is one of profound disappointment in a venue of which I have become quite fond, hopefully this will change...... 

Crippled Critic Theatre Review: It Ain't Nothin' but the Blues @ Portland Center Stage

The title of the show is interesting. When I read it, I thought the creators were being playfully nonchalant.. I imagined someone uninitiated to the blues being blown-away by this new sound, and when the musician is asked, "What IS that?" he would respond, "It ain't nothin' but the Blues," and this interpretation would of course imply a focus on that genre. So, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the show's Two Acts would trace the evolution of the  genre, from slave-songs to an unexpected trace of Country, and therefore enlighten us to its roots which would in-turn inform other styles of music that came after it, and in that way, nearly everything is nothing more than altered Blues....

The show is narrated by Sugaray Rayford. What struck me most about him, beyond the power of his voice, was the sheer amount of sweat that poured from him during the show. That man puts everything he has into the songs he sings.  The Gospel numbers were my favorite, particularly "Catch on Fire," which was the Act I finale. The highlight of Act II was a song called "Crawlin' King Snake." The actor who sings that song looks positively reptilian, it's actually a little unnerving.....

"It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues" has a few things in common with "Black Pearl Sings!" the show still running in the basement Studio, they both trace musical history, they even share "Goodnight Irene," (although the two versions are radically different), but most importantly, they both make the walls quake.....

Crippled Critic Theatre Review: "Next to Normal" @ Artists Rep 5-8-12

It's really almost cruel, the trick that "Next to Normal" perpetrates on its audience-- the fact that it seems so innocuous at first glance... We know going in that it's about mental illness, but we are led to believe for awhile that we're talking about depression and anxiety... Even when Diana, (Sussanah Mars) makes sandwiches on the floor, she pulls-off the "oh silly me" response so well, that we allow ourselves to think that her brain must play little games with her--there's probably enough story there to sustain a musical; a family dealing with one member who isn't in full control of herself, and we all learn we are not as normal as we think we are.......

"Next to Normal" is not that musical, and sometimes things get so intense that you may wish it were....

My first exposure to Susannah Mars was one of her holiday cabarets at Artists Rep, my second was her performance as Becca in "Rabbit Hole." Seeing her in two wildly different roles made me wonder what it might be like if she combined her amazing vocal talents with the nearly palpable grief she exhibited in "Rabbit Hole". "Next to Normal" is the answer.

Diana has very vivid delusions, and she slowly sinks deeper and deeper into them. If you are not prepared to see a woman almost audibly crack in front of you, do not see this show. However, if you do possess the stamina to withstand such an emotionally exhausting experience, you are in for an exhilarating, enlightening ride.

The music assists in transporting you into raw and real madness. It's loud, sometimes blaring and you feel as though it might mirror what it feels like inside Diana's mind.

Willam Wadhams does a wonderful job as Diana's lost, flailing husband Dan, and the couple's neglected daughter Natalie is portrayed by supremely talented high school senior Meghan McCandless.

Everything is still tattered and frayed after the somewhat upbeat finale, you will likely be drained from the experience, but it is one that is worthwhile.....