"Mistakes Were Made" @ Artist's Rep

Michael Mendelson's performance in "Mistakes Were Made" is astounding. It would be impressive under normal circumstances, because he is essentially alone on stage nearly all of the play's ninety-minute length, save for a few brief appearances by a secretary, and large puppet of a fish. In those ninety-minutes, Mendelson must not only breathlessly try to please everyone involved in the Broadway-bound play his character is producing , but also to  keep the audience engaged, while most of the other people he interacts with are on the phone. As I've said, all of this is a feat under the best of conditions for any actor. Now consider that Mendelson had to fill in for an unexpectedly absent leading-man. due to a family emergency. This unspecified emergency took place ten days prior to opening-night, and Mendelson only had a week-long postponement in which to prepare. Add all that together and Mendelson should bee awarded a medallion which declares, "World's Greatest Actor" to be worn unashamedly throughout the run. Ok, maybe that's a bit much, but having read the exact time table in the playbill, I was truly shocked it was possible to learn that many lines in so little time.

The play reminded me a little of "Fully Comitted," a play mounted by Portland Center Stage several years ago, which also involved one man on the phone. If you happened to have seen that show, you are likely to enjoy this one. Go anyway to see an actor embark on a test of endurance.    

"The Big Meal" @ Artist's Rep

"The Big Meal" is a play that shares much with the metaphor of its title, the narrative spans decades in the life of the family at its center,  all of the action taking place in a restaurant, and therefore the lives that unfold before us can be seen as one "Big Meal." And like a big meal, while one can appreciate the breadth of delights spread out upon the table, one might also wish to take a breath or two between courses. The whirlwind pace of "The Big Meal" is quite possibly deliberate, to show how fast time can seem to pass, and in certain ways it is effective, (there are moments when characters appear to age in an instant.), and the skill with which so few actors play so many parts within less than 90 minutes is remarkable. But,  I couldn't shake the feeling that as I worked to keep up with the action in terms of what, where, when, and who, I was missing something in the meantime. Yet, this is a minor quibble, in an otherwise fantastic production. I particularly enjoyed seeing Allen Nause preform again, having enjoyed him in "Death of a Salesman" years ago. Though he is retiring from his post as Artistic Director, I hope that we might get to see him grace the stage every now and then.

There are moments of happiness, dashes of humor, and at least two servings of terrible sadness. Bring your  knife and fork,  some napkins for dabbing tears, and dig in.

"Fiddler on the Roof" @ Portland Center Stage

The most striking thing about Portland Center Stage's production of "Fiddler on the Roof" was the unexpected humor. Most of it comes in the witty quips of Tevye, patriarch of a large Jewish family in small Russian village. The best of these come in Tevye's frequent conversations with God. Given the depressing circumstances of most of the play; including forced expulsion of Jewish people by the Czar.

David Studwell plays Tevye, and heads a uniformly impressive cast, including Portland favorite Susannah Mars. They are parents of five daughters, the three oldest of whom are poised to break centuries of tradition by marrying outside of arrangements made by the town's matchmaker.

The choreography is fantastic, and I would venture to say that it has the most dancing of any Portland Center Stage production I have seen. The orchestra is also sprawling, with ten musicians, I would wager that number is close to the largest band Portland Center Stage has assembled.

"Fiddler" is in all ways a fittingly ambitious production, and serves to as an exciting foretaste of things to come.

Ron White at Spirit Mountain Casino, Sept. 21, 2013

Ron White, the raspy-voiced, Scotch-swilling comedian of "Blue Collar" fame, brought his unique brand of humor to Spirit Mountain Casino on Saturday Night. White's jokes ranged from gleefully raunchy, (most involving his penchant for drinking; something he indulged in on stage!), to unexpectedly sweet, a brief routine revolved around a friend's participation in The Special Olympics. And then there was a bit about a grisly roller-coaster accident which was in such astonishingly bad-taste that White pretended it was his closer. (I can't lie, it was so funny that I began to choke.).

Ron White's show also ranks among my luckiest, (though not in relation to gambling, don't worry, losses were minimal) No, the show was lucky because I secured press tickets for a sold-out show, which would be lucky enough on its own, but while waiting in line, someone passed me a Meet & Greet sticker. Only the Spirit Mountain photographer was allowed to take pictures, and they will be available soon.

As I noted in my Wanda Sykes review, Spirit Mountain is exceptionally accessible, with things like removable chairs at every slot, and lowered gaming tables. It's always nice to go somewhere that's even reasonably accessible,  given the hassles involved when you come upon a place that isn't, but Spirit Mountain is almost in a class by itself. If anybody who has a disability has not yet been, I highly recommend that you experience it.

"The Mountaintop" @ Portland Center Stage

My first exposure to "The Mountaintop" was an interview with Samuel L. Jackson, who played Martin Luther King in the Original Broadway Production. In the interview, Jackson referenced a small moment in the play in which King urinates, and that our collective view of King is of a man so revered that we are almost surprised that he too was subject to the elimination of bodily fluids.

Katori Hall's play is full of little revelations that might come as a bit of shock to those only familiar with the History Book King. Equally unsettling are the moments when we are reminded of our government's role in impeding the progress of The Civil Rights Movement. We like to think it was just a fight against hateful misguided citizens, and unjust laws in the Southern States, but we are shown this is false in a moment as brief as it is brilliant, when King unscrews his telephone receiver to check for bugs before he calls Room Service for a cup of coffee brought by a maid who is not who she seems on his final night on Earth, after his painfully prophetic "I've been to the Mountaintop" speech.

Rodney Hicks is up to the monumental task of the role he must play, giving us a King who is both stoic and vulnerable. Natalie Paul effortlessly imbues the character of Camae the maid with natural, easy charisma, as she draws out both sides of King's personality.

"The Mountaintop" is well-worth seeing for it's brief and penetrating look inside the life of an icon who was every bit as human and afraid as the rest of us.

     

"Somewhere in Time" @ Portland Center Stage

"Somewhere in Time" is Portland Center Stage's first pre-Broadway production. Based upon the 1980 film starring Christopher Reeve, the musical is in all ways big. PCS's sets are frequently impressive, but those for "Somewhere in Time" signal a new leap forward. The acting is top-notch, with leading man Andrew Samonsky exuding effortless charm, and thus great chemistry with leading-lady Hannah Elless.

One of the most striking things about "Somewhere in Time" is the depth of the cast, I could be wrong, but I would wager that this is the largest cast ever assembled for a PCS production, what richer harmonies! And yet, one must not discount the power of the solo, my favorite number was "The Grand Hotel",  sung by David Cryer as long-time porter Arthur, which ends with a show-stopping final-note.

The source material was written by Richard Matheson, who is also responsible for "What Dreams May Come", and "I Am Legend" The premise is that playwright Richard Collier goes back to 1912 to find a long-lost love, stage actress Elsie MacKeannah, by willing himself there mentally.

"Somewhere in Time" was a pleasure to watch, and I hope that it might pave the way for PCS to serve as an "incubator"--,to use Artistic Director Chris Coleman's term- for future Broadway-bound shows.

"Ithaka" by Andrea Solowitz

"Ithaka" was the result of a local New Work Contest called The Fowler/Levin Prize. I note this first for a couple of reasons: One is that I have always felt privileged to be among the first to see work that few others have seen. The other reason is: The Prize reminds me that I live in a city which values the arts, and sadly we need such reminders these days, when our Paper of Record not only editorializes against a modest Arts Tax, but also when that tax faces hurdles to implementation, takes the opportunity to crow.....

From the Playwright's Note we learn that the events in the play are compiled from the recollections of local Veterans of the current wars. My first thought when I read that was: "Oh, that must've been so interesting!" A purely journalistic reaction, one which envied Ms. Stolowitz's opportunity to research a subject, and have people tell her their stories. Sitting here now, having seen the play, and needing a full day to digest it enough to write about it, I realized how divorced from the subject-matter my reaction was....

"Ithaka" takes its title from the island Odysseus is returning to in The Odyssey, after the Trojan War. Odysseus  is briefly used as a character in the play, to serve as an early example of a soldier who gets lost on his journey home.

The play's protagonist is Capt. Elaine Edwards (Dana Millican), who is in the grip of PTSD. Millican plays the character as if she's split into thirds: a woman putting on a brave and happy face, a woman struggling to cope with the things we expect, like nightmares, and a woman teetering on the edge of sanity...

I've said before that this season has probably been Artists Rep's best, a season filled with hard-hitting shows. I must say once again that I am thankful for things like the Fowler/Levin Prize, and I am also thankful for Artists Rep, a venue willing to nurture the work.

"The Schemes of Scapino" @ Clackamas Community College

"The Schemes of Scapino" is a hilarious romp. And there can be no romp without a hammy and engaging lead. Jayme S. Hall is Scapino, and  to b call him energetic would be an understatement. He seemed to be especially skilled at improv, for which the show has ample opportunity. As the title suggests, Scapino is an accomplished scam artist, he ensnares the fathers of two friends in a plot to steal their money, which will  allow their sons to marry the brides of their choice. The play is adapted from Moliere, whose work was also adapted from the play "Les Foourberies." As adapted by director James Eikrem, the play makes brilliant use of both slapstick humor inspired by silent films, and pop-culture references. The set is also impressive, an expansive dock by Resident Scenic Designer Chris Whitten.

The laughs are rapid-fire and I am tempted to divulge a few, but that would be unkind. I find it irresistible not to tip my hat to Mr. Eikrem for forcing one his actors to scream "Scap-penis!" One of the best lines I've heard this season!

Ruthie Foster @ San Juan Community Theatre, Friday Harbor, WA

I was home alone. My father had his massive Itunes collection on shuffle, a Ruthie Foster song began to play and I did a double-take. I then made short work of the three albums he had. I went on her website and found that she was making three tour stops o the San Juan Islands. I knew we had to go.

The day began with a workshop, which turned out to be more like a mini-concert. The open and relaxed Ms. Foster gave insights into her writing and singing processes, and played requests for the small audience lucky enough to know of the workshop.

The evening performance appeared to be a near sell-out of the intimate and quaint San Juan Community Theatre. My description of the theatre should not indicate a low-key show. A stand-out moment was "People Grinnin' in your Face" in which Ms. Foster made her way into the crowd without missing a beat.

There were many times where it felt a bit like church. At the end, Ms Foster received a well-earned standing ovation, and I got the sense that a few in the crowd were subscribers to the theatre who had little idea what to expect, only to be stunned by passionate, sweet, utterly dynamic voice they heard. Heck, I knew what to expect, and I was pretty stunned, too.

"The People's Republic of Portland" @ Portland Center Stage

"The People's Republic of Portland" is a one-woman show by "The Daily Show" alum Lauren Weedman. It has the feel of a stand-up routine, or a small-group conversation with a knowing audience. The intimate Ellyn Bye Studio is a perfect fit. One of funniest bits comes at the beginning of the show when Weedman recalls overhearing a conversation where the group was complaining about our city's portrayal on the similar "Portlandia" television show. She then notes that-as if on cue- a cavalcade of the residents who "Keep Portland Weird" show up outside the coffee shop window, including a machete-wielding uni-cyclist..

Other choice moments include: Weeman's observation that residents of The Pearl are far more tolerant of dogs than children, a joke which is both probably true, as well as a gutsy one to make at a theatre situated in the heart of The Pearl District.

Taking a class with a name so New-Age I can't even recall it, hosted by none other than our homegrown streaker who dared to strip naked in protest of the TSA.

And Weedman's likely warranted self-consciousness about letting her 3 year-old watch a movie on a portable device while several other children were engaged in more interactive pastimes. She tells of draping the poor kid with her coat, to avoid the judgmental gaze of Portland Parents.

If you can appreciate our city's eccentricities, and unlike the ladies at the coffee shop, can tolerate an outsider pointing them out, you will enjoy "The People's Republic of Portland."