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Alabanza

Posted on April 26, 2009 by admin

I was gobsmacked this afternoon to read about the passing of one of my favourite performers of all time, the remarkable, unabashed, pillar of class, wit and poise, Ms. Beatrice Arthur. I don’t remember my world before Bea Arthur entered it as Dorothy Zbornak on The Golden Girls which as a very, very young child was my favourite television program. I used to watch it with my grandmother, and we still watch it sometimes on DVD or syndication, and The Golden Girls holds such a special place in my heart because it reminds me of how fortunate I was to have spent so much time growing up with my Nanny, who took care of me every day while my mother worked until I went to school, and then every day after school until I thought that was lame. And who, to be quite honest, still takes care of me because she is the most remarkable woman in the world.
The passing of Bea Arthur reminds me how fleeting this world can be, even if we live for 86 years and have a remarkable career, with fame and family and friends, and fans who adore us worldwide. It still seems so incredibly brief. I still want Bea to have more time- to hit Betty White upside the head again, to sing that Kurt Weill song again, to bite her fist again, to make me laugh again…
Bea Arthur, along with Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty were a shaping force, a defining light in my young life. There is no doubt in my mind that as Sesame Street and Mr. Dressup and Lamb Chops Play Along taught me about letters, numbers, colors, shapes and good manners, The Golden Girls was my foray into the theatre and it undoubtedly taught me to love comedy. It was the beginning of my appreciation and respect for performers and those who worked on a level of pure sophistication with tenacity, flair and intellect. Bea Arthur was one such artist.
I have often said that The Golden Girls is the only sitcom that is guaranteed to make me laugh out loud no matter how many times I have seen the episode. This is a testament to Beatrice Arthur. I wish there was something more I could do, in my own small, modest way, to honor this extraordinary woman. This blog is all I have, and so I wanted to pay homage to her, and to thank her so, so, very much for sharing her talents with the world, for making me laugh and touching my heart.
It always amazes me how people can touch your life, incredibly, they can change your life, and they can have absolutely no idea because they don’t know that you exist as you have only ever watched them on a television screen. Some people might say this is a byproduct of the post postmodern world, the propaganda of the technological age, but I think this speaks to the power of theatre. There is something so wonderful for me in the connection that art creates between the artist and the spectator and it is one I hope to never take for granted. Rest in peace, Bea Arthur, thank you for being a friend.

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Posted in alabanza, bea arthur, betty white, estelle getty, rue mcclanahan, the golden girls | Leave a comment

Dear People of the World

Posted on April 25, 2009 by admin

Dear People of the World,

I wanted to write a letter to you rather than a review tonight because I feel like it’s a smidgen more personal and I wanted to write to you about something that is very close to my heart. I feel like sometimes there is this divide in the theatre community, certainly not all the time, but enough that it’s something I tend to notice. Sometimes the musical theatre branch of the community doesn’t tread out to see straight plays. Sometimes the actors in “straight” theatres don’t attend Improv or Sketch comedy shows. Sometimes the Improvisers/ Comedians don’t go to musical theatre. Sometimes it is a matter of taste, and that is, of course, fair. Sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day or days in the week. That is also fair. But a lot of the time, I think, we stay in our little niche community because it is safe there. It is warm, it is familiar and fuzzy and we know we like it and we know what to expect. I urge you to be brave. But, don’t worry; I’m here to lead you down a bright, friendly path.
I didn’t grow up in a city where Improv was something that one did outside of class. I fell into sketch comedy when some friends of mine formed their own troupe and took it to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. But at nineteen I never felt like I fully understood what my crazy friends were doing. I started to think that the Comedy World was something that I didn’t quite understand. It was a world where I didn’t belong. And I’m sure a lot of people feel this way about all the various theatre niches. Perhaps we would like to try something new, but we don’t know how to start or where to begin.
This is what appeals to me so much about the National Theatre of the World, who I am sure you’ve noticed, I tend to ramble about a lot on the blog. I do this because they play in a world where the comedy community and the theatre community collide. They prove that we’re not all that different, and we are so often after the same things. We’re all telling stories. We’re longing to express ourselves. We want to be moved to tears and to laugh with our hearts.
Impromptu Splendor is the National Theatre of the World’s show that presents live, improvised new plays every Thursday at 8:30pm (Mondays at 9:00pm beginning in May) at the Comedy Bar on Bloor Street. Here, Naomi Snieckus, Matt Baram and Ron Pederson play at the zenith of the collision between Improv and Theatre. The show is massively popular with members of the Improv and Comedy communities of Toronto because it is one perfect essence (of many possibilities) of what Improv can be. These artists are masters at their craft and their shows every week are fleeting works of profundity, precision, skill and modest touches of genius.
I want to reach out and to tell you (yes, you!) that you should make sure to catch Impromptu Splendor especially if you are a member of another niche of Toronto’s theatre community. It has changed the way I look at theatre. It has changed the way I look at playwriting. It has opened doors to the possibility in my own imagination that have led to the neatest places and most interesting ideas. This show has continued to awe and inspire me on a weekly basis and I never laugh with more joy or triumph than I do at Impromptu Splendor. Tonight, Fiona Reid was the special guest as part of the Late Night Series at Theatre Passe Muraille, and she blew my mind in a way that I don’t think is possible for a scripted show. Reid embodied Tennessee Williams so much she was almost channeling him. She worked with such ease and spoke with such remarkable verbosity that you couldn’t help but feel as though you were witnessing a marvel, a divine moment of time that will never be replicated. Impromptu Splendor always feels like a gift to me and it is one that I can’t quell the impulse to pass along.
I urge you to go see this show. It has brought such joy to the lives of everyone I know who has seen it.
You won’t be disappointed unless you miss it,
Amanda

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Posted in fiona reid, impromptu splendor, matt baram, naomi snieckus, ron pederson, tennessee williams, the national theatre of the world, theatre passe muraille | Leave a comment

The Sound of Rock Stars

Posted on April 22, 2009 by admin

In late September, 2007 I sat in the Diesel Playhouse in the audience for Acting Up Stage’s one-night only concert With A Little Help From My Friends: the stars of Toronto musical theatre singing the songs of the Beatles. I had just moved from Halifax (via Vancouver, but we don’t talk about that) to Toronto two weeks earlier and this was the first show that I would see in my new city. I didn’t have a blog. I didn’t write theatre reviews. I didn’t know who any of the actors who would grace the stage were except for Patricia Zentilli, who I had seen play Ophelia in Hamlet (2000) and Curley’s Wife in Of Mice and Men (1999) at Neptune Theatre in Halifax (and later, I remembered that we had done a benefit together in 1999 where she sang “Somewhere That’s Green” (spingle!) for which my memory is uncharacteristically hazy). I didn’t have an inkling what my future held, and could not have dreamed half of the adventure that would soon sweep me up so quickly and absolutely.
My first memory of With A Little Help From My Friends is of a boy coming out onstage, a remarkably young and eloquent boy, who of course was Mitchell Marcus, and he gave a speech (quite like the one he gave last night) about the need for musical theatre in Toronto, the goals and objectives of his theatre company and his dedication to bringing contemporary musical theatre to Torontonian audiences and employing local musical theatre performers. I remember that this speech alone moved me to tears. Yes, I remember thinking, Yes! This boy is fulfilling the dream, he’s perpetuating Canadian theatre in the perfect direction and he’s accomplishing such marvels, and he’s so young and so smart and so determined and he’s passionate about the theatre that he loves. He is part of the answer to the Canadian theatre conundrum.
A year and a half later, last night at The Sound of Silence, Acting Up Stage’s one-night only concert featuring musical theatre stars singing the songs of Paul Simon, armed with all the knowledge of Toronto’s theatre community that I have amassed and absorbed fervently, Mitchell’s speech last night still made me feel so proud and just as certain that we can expect fantastic things from this young man. He works so diligently, his goals are lofty, but pure, and he sees them through, and I admire him wholeheartedly.
The second thing I remember about With A Little Help From My Friends is Steven Gallagher bursting onto the scene and kick-starting the evening like the absolute rock star that he is. I was thrilled that The Sound of Silence began in the exact same way. His rendition of “Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard” was perfection and “Old Songs/Book Ends” was done with such simple beauty that it stands as proof that Gallagher is a master of his craft.
Eliza-Jane Scott was quirkiness at its best in her rendition of “At the Zoo” which included her playing the Melodica! She is such a captivating performer, and like Gallagher, she makes performing look like the easiest and most natural thing in the world. She sang a compelling version of “American Tune,” and I think I could listen to her sing the phone book and find the poetry in it. Andrew Kushnir sang a hauntingly gorgeous rendition of “The Sound of Silence” and then brought the house down with cohort Michael Therriault in a performance of “Mrs. Robinson” like nothing that has ever been seen before boasting of Kushnir’s amazing operatic and jazz stylings and Kushnir and Therriault’s freestyle hip hop talents. It was one of the most hilarious and creative things I have seen onstage, perhaps since Kushnir and Damien Atkins’ fifteen minute a cappella reworking of some of today’s most popular songs at Sing Out, Louise in March (which boasted of crazy harmonies and different musical styles!). Andrew Kushnir is a walking one-man-show and I always feel so fortunate to get to see him perform, whether he’s onstage or making up impromptu songs in real life. Therriault also rocked out, and showed off his amazing acting skills and comedic timing, with “You Can Call Me Al.” You could feel the sense of fun emanating off the stage and it proved utterly contagious.
Jeff Madden’s voice is absolutely incredible. I could listen to him sing all day. His rendition of “The Only Living Boy in New York” blew my mind. If you haven’t seen The Jersey Boys yet: go! Go! Go! Susan Henley sang a breathtaking rendition of “Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover” with Jamie Drake providing fantastic drum accompaniment. Sara Farb showed off her signature belt with “Late in the Evening.”
Amanda LeBlanc radiates the most beautiful light I have ever seen onstage. It is utterly enchanting. She always reminds me of an angel. Her rendition of “Kathy’s Song” was absolutely beautiful; she had the audience in the palm of her hand. Then Thom Allison almost brought the balcony down with his mind-blowing, gospel-esque, crowd-rousing rendition of “Loves Me Like A Rock.” Allison’s voice is so beautiful. It doesn’t matter how many times you hear him sing, you always come away feeling utterly impressed. The first thing I said to him ever in my life, after From A Little Help From My Friends, was, “wow, you should get “superstar” tattooed on your forehead.” I stand by my initial assessment. Blythe Wilson closed the show with a perfect rendition of “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” This song has been recorded countless times, but I defy anyone to find one better than the performance Wilson gave last night.
The power of this show was in the arrangements of Paul Simon’s songs to suit the singer’s voices and to capture a faction of their personalities. Each arrangement was unique while still maintaining the essence of Simon’s great songs. These were all done by the incomparable Reza Jacobs, with help from Amanda LeBlanc and Sara Farb. Jacobs bursts with energy as he bursts with talent, and plays the piano with such gusto that you get the sense he’s blasting the force and power toward the singers and into the audience as he head bangs. The band also included Bram Gielen on bass, Erik Patterson on guitar, Lindsey Hilliard who had some gorgeous violin solos, and Jamie Drake who rocked out on a vast array of different types of drums.
In all, The Sound of Silence was the best type of rock concert and it affirms that our Canadian musical theatre legends are true rock stars, who shine so brightly in this community and who should be a source of pride for our entire nation. A year and a half ago, I sat floored that such talented people, and such amazing theatrical opportunities existed in this country. Today, I beam with pride and feel so blessed to be in this city, at this exciting time in Canadian theatre history where such talented people with huge dreams, ambitions and hope converge and insure the last thing that Canada hears from us is silence.

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Posted in acting upstage, amanda leblanc, andrew kushnir, blythe wilson, eliza jane scott, jeff madden, michael therriault, mitchell marcus, sara farb, steven gallagher, susan henley, thom allison | Leave a comment

A Torontonian Ceilidh in Nancy White’s Kitchen

Posted on April 21, 2009 by admin

A few weeks ago a received my first package in my mailbox at school and was delighted to find in there a lovely invitation from the incomparable Canadian songwriter Nancy White to attend a “Song Plugging Fiesta” at her home. She also included a copy of her CD Stickers on Fruit (1999), which is great fun. I wasn’t sure what to expect as I walked along to Nancy White’s house and my heart soared as I arrived at a sweet house with a purple porch and the happiest kitchen I have ever seen (pretty shades of blue, yellow and a touch of green- it’s just like spring all year ’round). There was a great medley of people at this Song Plugging Fiesta, some were musicians, some were singers, and some were theatre “appreciators.” Nancy hosts these types of Fiestas as a means of connecting singers with her songs in hopes that they will feel drawn to a few of them and will feel compelled to perform them at cabarets, open mics and as audition pieces. It was also a highly entertaining evening and I always feel so fortunate to meet singers and to watch them perform (especially in other people’s kitchens).
Stickers on Fruit is a mixture of folk and quirky novelty songs written by White, many of which provoke a sensation in me of sitting on a blanket in an open field strumming guitars wearing gigantic sunglasses, long straight hair under bandanas, flowery shirts and bellbottom jeans. But then again, it’s hard to pin White down into any one genre as she has written hundreds of songs, many of which were inspired by news and politics stories for CBC radio in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Many of the songs are reminiscent of Cole Porter especially the sing-along tune “My Life is Picking Up.” She also is the co-writer (with Bob Johnston and Jeff Hochhauser) of Anne & Gilbert, which is one of my favourite Canadian musicals (which will be playing at the Harbourfront Jubilee Theatre in Summerside, Prince Edward Island June 23rd-September 19th, 2009 and Michael Hughes is playing Gilbert!! Expect a review and an interview, I am TOTALLY there!) You can listen to some of White’s music on her MySpace site, and I urge you to check the tracks out, especially if you’re a singer because truly, the possibilities for fun with these songs are endless and incredible!
I will give you some of the highlights from the Song Plugging Fiesta so you can get a more specific sense of White’s talents as a songwriter. The first song she sang was called “Un Peu Cochon” which she sings in French, while Bob Johnston (who played the piano for the evening) translates it line by line into English. It is bilingual hysterics! White has this charming tendency to give shout outs to her friends and colleagues in her songs, which gives me the sense that she can probably turn any situation or even the tiniest morsel of an idea into a song. She mentions singer Stella Walker in “Procrastination Rag,” and wrote an entire song about Johnston’s ability to make a sound like a John Deere tractor. My favourite shout out maybe ever was in the middle of “That Guy” where White said, “like a Canstage telemarketer who you can’t yell at cause you know he’s an actor… Ari Weinberg in fact!” Wow. Zing! Alternatively, “River Mend My Heart,” “Piping Them Home” and “Love in War Time” are gorgeous, heartfelt ballads that tell beautiful stories with poignant imagery.
Patti Loach and Marcia Whitehead (a beautiful opera star with fantastic comedic sensibility) performed White’s song “Darlings, I’m An Artist,” which I first heard at a soiree Patti Loach hosted a few weeks ago, and I absolutely fell in love with it. This duo nails this song, and it’s great to get to watch Loach (piano diva extraordinaire) show off her acting chops! It is this type of performance that I know White is looking for- singer/actors who breathe their own interpretation into these quirky, crisp, little tunes. I hope you all have a chance to see Whitehead and Loach perform this song for the public someday and Whitehead is so incredible. I am looking so forward to the opportunity to see her in an opera!
There are songs about squirrel stuffers, anxiety, dead Presidents of France, illegal meals, crushes on Leonard Cohen, crushes on leading actors, there are songs in French, in Spanish, about Judaism, and gorgeous bare bums, Jesus, Brigadoon and even marijuana. I guarantee if you are a singer, and you want a song that will make an audience laugh and ask you, “wherever did that song come from?”, Nancy White has got just the song for you!
I also guarantee that Jay-Z has got nothing on Bob Johnston. Watching him rap is so hilarious, it can even make Nancy White forget all her own lyrics. And that, my friends, takes talent!

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