I’ve just now realized to my astonishment that I never got around to doing a post about the Broadway production of Sarah Ruhl’s play In the Next Room, or The Vibrator Play. I’m particularly abashed, because it’s one of the best plays we’ve seen in a long, long time. We caught it in its final week , and all I can say is that it deserved a much longer run, particularly with the beautiful production it was given. The cast, including Michael Cerveris, Laura Benanti, Maria Dizzia, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Thomas Jay Ryan, Wendy Rich Stetson, and Chandler Williams all navigated Ms. Ruhl’s delicate dance of romantic misfires (or perhaps I should say short-circuits) and unsatisfied longings with honesty, sensitivity, and genuine feeling. Director Les Waters applied the perfect gentle touch to reveal the play to be in equal parts funny and moving. I’m now in love with this script; Ruhl manages to show us a world where most attempts at intimacy fail, sometimes hilariously, sometimes heartbreakingly, while infusing each interaction with a genuine compassion for every character. She even throws in a little touch of magic realism at the end that gives us hope for change. Annie Smart did the beautiful and very practical set, David Zinn the gorgeous period costumes, and Russell Champa the evocative lighting; all three elements play particularly key roles in this story that deals with secrets behind a door, the sheer difficulty of getting a woman out of restrictive corsets and dresses with too many buttons, and the dawn of electricity. The fact that this play was inspired by real historical elements only makes it more illuminating and potent. When my partner and I saw the show, we brought along a couple of my friends from the Lewis Carroll Society of North America, who were visiting from out of town. We all loved the play and the production, and when I saw my friends again a few months later at an LCSNA meeting, the first thing one of them said to me was: “I’m still thinking about that play.” And I knew exactly how he felt! I bought the script recently and read it, and it’s a lovely, grown-up, genuinely thought-provoking work. I hope I’ll have a chance to play Dr. Givings someday soon; in the meantime, I’ll look forward to seeing more productions of this superb piece. Well done, Ms. Ruhl, and well done all. Now I can’t wait to see Ms. Ruhl’s adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s sublime Orlando!
A New Feature Film Role: Mamarosh
Sometimes great things happen in surprising ways. The independent feature film Mamarosh, which has already completed two-thirds of its filming in Europe, is now shooting the remainder of the film in New York. I auditioned for the role of a pompous cinema manager. Casting directors Brandon Powers and Harley Kaplan were very gracious, and the audition felt like a good rehearsal session. I was called back, and my agent’s office told me that the writer/director, Momcilo Mrdakovic, actually wanted to read me for the role of Dora, a diva television producer–a role originally written for a woman! I was very excited by that outside-the-box thinking. I went in to the callback, and suggested rechristening the character “Dorian.” Again, it was a roomful of friendly, collaborative energy, and we had a lot of fun trying different approaches to the two scenes. I remember leaving the callback in high spirits, and found myself quietly singing “Georgia named her, Georgia claimed her, Sweet Georgia Brown!” as I walked up the street toward the train home. I felt like “Dorian” was the right name for the character, and hoped that I had indeed “claimed” him. A few days later, my agent’s office called to say that I had landed the role! I’m looking forward to my two days of shooting over the next two weeks. Since a lot of the film has already been shot, they already have a very evocative trailer up on YouTube. It makes me even more eager to be a part of the film. Click the image to watch it!
e-Learning for Kids Guided Tour Voiceover
When I presented my eLearning voiceovers seminar at the eLearning Guild’s March 2010 conference in Orlando, I met a lot of bright, creative, super-friendly people. One of those folks was Michael Williams, who is Director of Courseware Development for a great non-profit called “e-Learning for Kids.” They run a web site of free interactive elearning for grades 1-6. The content is created by elearning professionals who generously donate their time and skills to this globally-available learning resource. The courses are colorful, fun, engaging, and 100% free. Kids don’t even have to register to take the modules. They just go to the site, choose a grade or a subject area, and dive in. I was impressed with the course samples I saw at the conference, and I’m also a big believer in educational outreach for kids. I give free readings at elementary schools twice a year for the Lewis Carroll Society of North America, and also visit schools to give talks. So, I gave Michael my card, and told him to drop me a line if he ever needed voiceovers for a project.
Last week, Michael contacted me to ask if I’d be willing to create the voiceovers for a new Guided Tour they’re creating for the e-Learning for Kids web site. I said sure! I sent him a couple of sample audio files to give him an idea of the vocal timbre I thought most appropriate, and he agreed those were right on the money. We finalized the script, I laid down the tracks, and I sent the finished Mp3 files along to Michael. I included an alternate “take” of the last audio clip, with an additional “tag” that he loved, so that’s the one they’ll use in the Tour. Once the Tour is posted on their site, I’ll do another update! If you have kids, or know kids, grades 1-6, I recommend you take a look at their site. What a great free resource! Click the image to visit their site.
The Final Episode of The Disengaged Dozen is Now On YouTube!
Well, this is it. The end of the road. At least for my Disengaged Dozen series of video ads. Episode 6, the last of the series, has just been posted on YouTube. This time, my character (Benny the Boss) has to contend with an employee who just can’t seem to manage his time. Know anyone like that? Watch the clip to see if Benny comes up with a solution, or jets Captain Shirk into the intergalactic unemployment line. Matthew Wages does a great sendup of William Shatner. If you enjoy the clip, I hope you’ll click the “Like” button on YouTube, and maybe post a nice comment there. Who knows, if enough people share the Disengaged Dozen links, and generate enough feedback, maybe the producers will make the other six videos with me as Benny. My bow tie stands ready. Clap your hands if you believe!
My thanks again to the Bernard Hodes Group, my co-stars, the whole crew, and especially to writer/director Dewey Moss, for a great experience, and six very clever videos. I’m delighted to have been part of the campaign.
Episode 5 of the Disengaged Dozen is Now on YouTube
Here we go, folks! Episode #5 in a series of 6. This time around, my character Benny the Boss discovers an employee busy polishing his resumé on the job. What’s a manager to do? Click the picture to find out! And if you enjoy the video, remember to click the “Like” button on YouTube. Kevin Resnick is a hoot as the unhappy employee, trying desperately to cover his tracks. Writer/director Dewey Moss had a field day with the lines for this one, not to mention all those wacky phone calls. Classic. Enjoy! Only one more after this episode.
Episode 4 of The Disengaged Dozen is Now on YouTube
I’m back online in part four of the six-part series The Disengaged Dozen. This time, my character Benny the Boss is faced with employee Sandy Bagger, an unhappy and devious camper determined to pull the rug out from under Benny. David Perlman is a hoot as Sandy, and I had great fun playing straight man to his nefarious doings. Writer/director Dewey Moss of the Bernard Hodes Group clearly had a field day with this one.
Will Sandy succeed in sandbagging Benny?? Click the picture on the right to find out! (And remember to click “Like” on YouTube!)
David Mamet’s Race
Last week, we went to see buddy Afton C. Williamson, who has stepped into the starring role of Susan in David Mamet’s hot-button Broadway play, Race. Afton was every bit as fabulous as I would have expected, and the role turned out to be a very juicy one! It was great seeing her take advantage of it, and claim her space alongside wonderful co-stars Eddie Izzard (whom we also loved in the stunning Joe Egg revival a few years back, as well as in his one-man standup shows), Dennis Haysbert (super in the play, and maybe one of the nicest smiles on Broadway), and Richard Thomas (whom we loved in Terrence McNally’s fascinating Prelude and Liebestod). Izzard and Haysbert are beautifully matched as a lethal (and very real) pair of lawyers, Thomas radiates the utter blindness of an overprivileged party boy, and Afton deftly supplies the necessary Mamet “spark” to kindle the flames. All were excellent, and all were clearly having a great time with each other, playing out Mamet’s sly, twisty, and provocative plot. I recall the reviews dubbing this play a lesser work, but I’d have to disagree. I think it’s economical, and makes its points beautifully. It throws the audience into a race-related legal situation, and stirs up the plot repeatedly with little revelations so that as audience members we’re constantly questioning who to root for, and whether our own racial prejudices might be affecting our sympathies. Having whacked the hornet’s nest, Mamet ends the play abruptly, leaving us to continue the discussion outside the theatre. Afton has the last line, and delivers it like a cannon volley over the prow of a well-armed battleship. It’s an extremely clever play, and also very funny despite the serious topic at hand. If you haven’t already seen it, you really should. It closes August 21st.
After the show, we went backstage to congratulate Afton, and she invited us to meet her co-stars. We had a great time chatting; what a gracious, funny, lovely bunch! They clearly have a wonderful time together offstage as well. Congrats to all!
Next to Normal
Tim and I caught Next to Normal a couple of nights before Alice Ripley left the Broadway cast. Like a lot of people, we were a bit leery of what sounded like some pretty dark subject matter. So we kept putting it off. But we didn’t want to miss it, having heard such good things, and we certainly didn’t want to miss Ms. Ripley. We first saw her perform when she went on in the role of Mrs. Walker the night we saw The Who’s Tommy. We were absolutely blown away by her work, and couldn’t believe she was the understudy. Then came Sideshow, in which she and Emily Skinner were nothing less than magnificent; they were that show, and utterly, utterly believable as the lovesick conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton. We also enjoyed them in James Joyce’s The Dead.
When we went to see Next to Normal, we were disappointed that Brian D’arcy James (another favorite since his astonishing work in The Wild Party) was out that whole week–something the show’s web site had not mentioned when we bought our tickets! But Ms. Ripley and the rest of the superb cast did not disappoint. It’s so refreshing to see a musical that embraces the form on its own terms, and succeeds so well. And the theatrical device that authors Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey employed (which I will not spoil here) was beautifully handled. Michael Grief’s direction was admirably restrained and unfussy, letting the story speak for itself. Was it a “feel-good” show? Well, it was funny, thought-provoking, upsetting at times, and moving. That’ll do nicely. Ms. Ripley happily has a few months off to rest before headlining the national tour; it’s great that audiences around the country will have a chance to see her performance, and this powerful show, somewhere close to home. Because that’s exactly where the show hits. The new Broadway cast, meanwhile, now stars the wonderful Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley (real-life husband and wife, for those few who don’t already know that!). She deserved a Tony for her showstopping turn in Kiss Me, Kate a few years back, and he broke my heart in The Full Monty. We may just have to go back to Normal. And if you haven’t gone yet, you should.
Episode 3 of The Disengaged Dozen is now on YouTube
This week, I return as Benny the Boss in the 6-part sitcom series The Disengaged Dozen. My co-star (or is that co-conspirator?) is the very funny Fleur Phillips, who, when not playing withholding killjoy Cher Nothing, is in fact both lovely and delightful. Once again, Benny must find a way to re-engage an eccentric and wayward employee. Thanks to writer/director Dewey Moss, Benny finds just the right thing to say. Click the image to view the clip on YouTube, and if you enjoy it, please click the “Like” button on YouTube to cast your vote. If you’ve missed the first two Episodes in the series, they’re still available as well.
Episode 2 of The Disengaged Dozen is Now on YouTube
Episode 2 of “The Disengaged Dozen” is now online! Just click the image on the right to launch the video on YouTube.
This time my character Benny the Boss helps out Nervous Neddie, an employee so terrified of something going wrong that he can’t get anything right. It turns out that Guy Olivieri, who makes a hilarious Neddie, also went to UNC-Chapel Hill. Small world! I love little discoveries like that.
If you enjoy it, please click the “Like” button on YouTube, and leave a comment there if so inclined. Feel free to leave a comment here as well! And by all means, share the link with your friends. Thanks! 🙂