Posts from — October 2008

South Pacific is the classic romance tale. It is both triumphant and tragic. It seamlessly blends cultural differences, the stresses of war, and racism into a boundless love story. The main characters, Nellie and Emile, face the trials and tribulations of every relationship, while Lieutenant Joe Cable struggles to accept and understand the feelings in his heart. [Read more →]

Rome was like no place that I’d ever seen and even though it sounds cliché it really was more striking than any pictures or descriptions that anyone could imagine. It is not at all what people imagine it to be. There are no people running around in togas singing “O Sole Mio”. Each day was filled with endless amazement and jaw-dropping wonders of the ancient world. I was stunned by the shear volume of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel and Last Judgment. [Read more →]

In Conflict is Yvonne Latty’s depiction of the Iraqi War’s untold stories. It is filled with compelling and heartbreaking accounts of real Iraqi War veteran’s experiences. The monologues that are delivered by the actors are a highlight of the show. The set was a distraction and did not enhance the play whatsoever. The play was highlighted by a very poignant moment at the end that brings the show full circle and is touching and emotional. [Read more →]

theatermania.com

        Ms. Feldshuh plays the role of Irena Gut Opdyke, a young Polish Catholic girl, who is cast with the tremendous responsibility of keeping twelve Jews hidden away from the Nazis during World War II. The deterioration of Ms. Feldshuh’s mighty presence during Irena’s emotional breakdowns, as she recounts her experiences during the war, is striking and powerful. It sends a clear message of the destruction caused by the war not only to physical property, but also to people’s spirits. Ms. Feldshuh’s masterful artistry is further exhibited during the small instants of dark humor that are interspersed throughout the show. In a play about a subject of this magnitude, humor is an unexpected surprise, but Ms. Feldshuh’s performance manages to be respectful, while accentuating the terrible circumstances under which this humor exists. Although, Ms. Feldshuh is clearly the star of the show, Thomas Ryan, Steven Hauck, Maja Wampuszyc, Gene Silvers, Tracee Chimo, and John Stanisci act as a great supporting cast for Ms. Feldshuh. [Read more →]

Lincoln Center Theater

            On some enchanted evening, you find a musical that simply steals your heart. Its story touches upon the harsh truths of today’s society and yet it offers the hope that people can change and that true love is possible. Its music moves you emotionally to the extent that you leave the theatre singing “If you’ll excuse an expression I use. I’m in love. I’m in love. I’m in love.” This is the magic of South Pacific. [Read more →]

The dark stage and the even darker material make Irena’s vow a very serious portrayal of the true story of a young, courageous Polish woman. This play tells the real life story of Irena Gut Opdyke who made a daring decision to hide several Jewish people from the wrath of the Nazis. The play is told in unique fashion with Tovah Feldshuh introducing the story as an elderly Irena, and then she continues to narrate the story while pretending to be the youthful Irena. This unique way of telling the story gives you a more personal connection with the character. The story is told fluidly with the different characters all playing their roles quite well. The only character issue that I had was with Ms. Feldshuh herself, she sought to portray herself for most of the performance as the young Irena but the transition was not very visible.

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 From the opening line to the closing scene, South Pacific does an excellent job of making you feel as though you are witnessing actual scenes from World War II. The musical follows several lead characters and their trials and tribulations and like any good plot, the different storylines eventually converge and affect each other. The story is full of typical 1940’s style issues, there is the quintessential, simple, girl next door who is exposed to the real world, there is the loud-mouth, smart-aleck enlisted man who is always concocting a new scheme, as well as the hotshot soldier with his degree from an Ivy-League school.They each go through their own conflicts but a recurring theme is that of acceptance of others. There are several instances where prejudices get in the way of relationships and this represents a truth of American society at this time.

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Even though it is an older musical, South Pacific has themes in it that still affected the hearts of its modern audience on Thursday, August 21^st at the Lincoln Center Theater. Taking place on the Pacific islands during World War Two, the stage was set aglow with palm trees and a vibrant backdrop of the beach. The lights created a pristine setting. The acting, however, wasn’t quite as glittering. [Read more →]

After reading the play and preparing myself to see Irena’s Vow at Baruch’s Performing Arts Center, I was utterly surprised to see the way it was produced. I mostly anticipated a one-woman show, but all of the unexpected actors played their parts admirably. [Read more →]

Tickets for this remake of James Michener’s Tales of the South Pacific have been backordered for months in anticipation of a great Broadway musical.  I think it’s safe to say every member of the audience got the “bang for their buck.”  From the opening scene, Kelli O’Hara and Paulo Szot of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific” steal the show.  With a combination of superb acting and breathtaking musical numbers, the characters of Nellie Forbush and Emile de Becque seem to jump off the stage and into the eyes, ears, and hearts of the audience.  It was as if O’Hara had been playing the role of this Little Rock ensign all her life.  Times of peril and love both plague and strengthen this small town girl as she battles an interior conflict of racism and discrimination.  Szot nails the role of the charming, French plantation owner with a controversial history.  This performance landed him the Tony Award for “Best Performance for a Leading Actor in a Musical.”  He brings a sense of sophistication along with an accomplished singing voice from his opera background to the already stellar group of actors and actresses.  The two characters fall head-over-heels in love with one another and the audience is thrown into a timeless romance fused with the always controversial topics of war and discrimination. [Read more →]