Monday, April 30, 2012

Smash Report: Teching Cheating Hearts

We begin with Tom and Sam singing the anthemic “Another Opening, Another Show.” How nice to pay homage to our craft. Of course we get a montage of the gang getting ready to head up to Boston for the out of town try out. And of course there’s a Grand Central Station moment. Though to get to Boston via Amtrak, you have to go from Penn Station…but we bypass that because Christian Borle is killing this song. We arrive at the Colonial Theater in Boston where it’s tech time! Rebecca has a moment alone on stage with the ghost light looking out at the theater. It’s very “my first time.” Let’s face it, who hasn’t done that at least once in their career? In the audience McSleazy tries to figure out a transition when his girl, Ivy, appears with two cups of coffee. She helps him with his problem, which leads McSleazy to say, “that’s why I love you.” The man does have a heart! He uttered the four letter word! Let the girl smile in peace!
At the hotel, Karen is awakened by her phone. Dev calls on the morning of their first ten out of twelve announcing that he wants to come up and see her. Does he not know what tech entails? At the theater, Tom tries to get McSleazy to put in a new song to cover a quick change. But before he can sell it, their new DiMaggio announces he got a pilot therefore has to leave the show immediately. For the love of theater! In the dressing room, Karen wears Rebecca’s wig while they chat about pre-tech jitters. While applying a lot of lipstick, Rebecca bears he soul about her ever-present fear. At the Houston’s, Frank and Julia are sharing some rekindling romance only to be broken up by Tom who can’t break the news that Michael Swift has to come back into the show. While Linda, our stage manager is calling in the drop, Dennis and Ivy share a “omg he said he loved me” moment. When the cast is called on stage, Rebecca freaks out when she learns that Ted, her leading man, is gone. McSleazy tries to calm her down and lets Ivy step in for Rebecca while she cools off. McSleazy then goes on stage and yells to focus a light. Um, not your job. In the dressing room, McSleazy shares the Marilyn tidbit of the night to Rebecca in order to pep her up. Use your star power! Ivy eavesdrops on McSleazy and Rebecca only to be called out by Snoopy himself. He tells her that nothing’s going on between them and that he will keep an eye out for Ivy. What is his angle! Why is he bowing down to Ivy’s ever need? We know he’s not a genuine person so what could he possible want from her? McSleazy? Well that would be a plot twist.
Back in New York, Dev gets a surprise visit from RJ. I smell trouble! Especially since she’s brought over a bottle of booze. Eileen and Julia meet at Headquarters to announce that Michael Swift is back. She starts rattling off a list of other actors to replace Ted because she won’t sacrifice her family for theater any longer. Like we have a choice. Still in New York, RJ and Dev are sitting close on the couch, sipping booze, listening to music, and oh yeah, kissing. Dev, you sleazeball! Does this make RJ a more hated character than Ellis for doing this to Karen? It’s quite possible. Dev says he can’t, but the deed is done. Back in Boston, McSleazy is mad at all the designers with their choices. And Rebecca wants gloves. Tom tries to reason with Julia but she won’t let it happen. Julia tries to tell Frank about Michael, who’s also not ok with the thought. Don’t they both realize it’s not entirely their decision any longer? McSleazy wants to move on with rehearsal, but when it’s your birthday during a Marilyn inspired musical, you get the works. Rebecca comes out in Marilyn garb and sings “Happy Birthday Mr. Director” while the entire cast joins in for cake. Ivy is not having it. That should be her! She’s the only Marilyn who hasn’t gotten that chance this season! Sucks!
Ivy is a doubter for Derek’s love. Sam reveals he’s going to see his family, with Tom. Oh that will be fun. At the cake table, Ivy is still pissed. Eileen tries to get Julia to see the production light, but Julia will not risk her family again. At tech, Rebecca and the cast do some numbers with some fancy lights and costumes in a real theater. We see Tom’s poorly written scene to cover for Rebecca’s quick change but it causes nothing but a mess. The result? Ivy and Karen have to take off Rebecca’s gloves. Say what? In the lobby, Dev arrives with flowers for his lady as a surprise apology for his badness. Karen doesn’t have time and still, Dev doesn’t understand the business. Tom again tries to reason with Julia and then Julia drops her bomb. Michael comes to Boston and she’s out.
Eileen is at her boyfriend’s dive bar contemplating the demise of her show. Nick reasons with Eileen saying her priority is to the show and not to Julia. Will this sink in with her? At Sam’s house, Tom meets the family. Sam’s family is successful, making Sam the oddball child. Tom sucks up to Sam’s dad by saying that he agrees with Sam’s bad life choice. In the dressing room, McSleazy appears to be hitting on Rebecca. Really? Is seduction the only thing you know how to do? Apparently so because…now they’re making out. Manwhore! At Sam’s place, Tom continues to suck up to Daddy Ron by washing dishes and figuring out a way to talk sense into Sam. Sam is not happy. And rightly so. Ivy is waiting for McSleazy only to realize that he’s being McSleazy with Rebecca. Heartbreak sucks don’t it? Dev and Karen have a date night where Dev reveals his thoughts on their future. What will it be? Is he breaking up with her? Am I crossing my fingers? His mouth is opening and the answer is? Just say it? NO!!!! Dev! What are you—? Propose?! No! Don’t say yes! Ok, phew. “I’m in tech” will work for me, but not for Dev. Heartbreak really does suck.
 At Sam’s house, Tom apologizes for taking sides. Sam sets it straight that theater is his life. He’s made that decision. He speaks for us all. His monologue leads to a kiss. But their kiss is broken up by Sam’s brother announcing “two boys kissing.” How childish. At the hotel, a party ensues where Bobby plans a sing off between Ivy and Karen. Team Ivy or Team Karen? The chorus takes their sides. Ivy starts us off with some soul and into dream world. And in her fantasy world, she’s alone in a hotel room with a backdrop of rain against the window. How cliché heartbreak. Through her fantasy, she sees all the times McSleazy played the sleaze card. A McSlezetage if you will. She sings “she doesn’t know what to do.” I can tell you. Vamanos! Dev catches Karen at the party. Dev claims he’s sacrificed so much for the stupid show. Dev drops his RJ bomb that he was with her in their apartment. Karen upon hearing the news storms off. Go girl! At the Houston’s, Frank and Leo convince Julia to go to Boston only if they go with her. And convenitly enough, it’s Spring Break. Spring Break: Boston! Meanwhile in Boston, Dev and Ivy have a chance meeting in a bar. Dev buys Ivy a drink not knowing who she is. But once they reveal their names, they both realize who they are. But let’s face it, we all know where it’s leading…
Did you like that mouth-dropping twist? If you told me weeks ago that was going to happen, I would have called you a fool. Well played. And what did you think of all the whacky liberties taken during “tech?” And who’s the sleaziest of all?

Friday, April 27, 2012

2012 Drama Desk Nominees

The 2012 Drama Desk Nominations have been announced. But not without some drama. The board authorized an increase in nominees per category due to the large pool of talent in the 2011-2012 season. Additionally, there will be no award in the Outstanding Orchestrations category. The nominees are below.


Outstanding Play
David Henry Hwang, Chinglish
Dan LeFranc, The Big Meal
Members of the Plastic Theatre, Unnatural Acts
Itamar Moses, Completeness
Lynn Nottage, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
Nina Raine, Tribes
Nicky Silver, The Lyons

Outstanding Musical
Bonnie & Clyde
Death Takes a Holiday
Leap of Faith
Newsies The Musical
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Once
Queen of the Mist


Outstanding Revival of a Play
A Little Journey
Death of a Salesman
Edward Albee's The Lady from Dubuque
Gore Vidal's The Best Man
Lost in Yonkers
Richard III


Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Carrie
Evita
Follies
Jesus Christ Superstar
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
The Threepenny Opera


Outstanding Actor in a Play
James Corden, One Man, Two Guvnors
Hugh Dancy, Venus in Fur
Claybourne Elder, One Arm
Santino Fontana, Sons of the Prophet
Joseph Franchini, The Navigator
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Death of a Salesman
Kevin Spacey, Richard III

Outstanding Actress in a Play
Tracie Bennett, End of the Rainbow
Sanaa Lathan, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
Linda Lavin, The Lyons
Jennifer Lim, Chinglish
Kim Martin-Cotten, A Moon for the Misbegotten
Carey Mulligan, Through a Glass Darkly
Joely Richardson, Side Effects

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Danny Burstein, Follies
Kevin Earley, Death Takes a Holiday
Raul Esparza, Leap of Faith
Jeremy Jordan, Newsies The Musical
Norm Lewis, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
Ricky Martin, Evita

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Miche Braden, The Devil's Music: The Life & Blues of Bessie Smith
Jan Maxwell, Follies
Audra McDonald, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
Kelli O'Hara, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Bernadette Peters, Follies
Molly Ranson, Carrie

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Bill Camp, Death of a Salesman
Jim Dale, The Road to Mecca
Tom Edden, One Man, Two Guvnors
Bill Irwin, King Lear
Jefferson Mays, Blood and Gifts
Will Rogers, Unnatural Acts
Morgan Spector, Russian Transport

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Stephanie J. Block, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
Anna Camp, All New People
Kimberly Hebert Gregory, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
Lisa Joyce, The Ugly One
Joaquina Kalukango, Hurt Village
Angela Lansbury, Gore Vidal's The Best Man
Judith Light, Other Desert Cities

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Phillip Boykin, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
Matt Cavenaugh, Death Takes a Holiday
Michael Cerveris, Evita
Michael McGrath, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Patrick Page, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Andrew Samonsky, Queen of the Mist

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Judy Kaye, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Marin Mazzie, Carrie
Jessie Mueller, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
Elaine Paige, Follies
Sarah Sokolovic, The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World
Melissa van der Schyff, Bonnie & Clyde

Outstanding Director of a Play
Jo Bonney, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
David Cromer, Tribes
Ed Sylvanus Iskandar, These Seven Sicknesses
Sam Mendes, Richard III
Mike Nichols, Death of a Salesman
Tony Speciale, Unnatural Acts

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Christopher Ashley, Leap of Faith
Jack Cummings III, Queen of the Mist
Doug Hughes, Death Takes a Holiday
Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Eric Schaeffer, Follies
John Tiffany, Once

Outstanding Choreography
Rob Ashford, Evita
Warren Carlyle, Follies
Breandan de Gallal, Noctu
Christopher Gattelli, Newsies The Musical
Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Sergio Trujillo, Leap of Faith

Outstanding Music
Glen Hansard and Marketa lrglova, Once
Michael John LaChiusa, Queen of the Mist
Alan Menken, Leap of Faith
Alan Menken, Newsies The Musical
Frank Wildhorn, Bonnie & Clyde
Maury Yeston, Death Takes a Holiday

Outstanding Lyrics
Don Black, Bonnie & Clyde
Jack Feldman, Newsies The Musical
Joy Gregory and Gunnar Madsen, The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World
Glen Hansard and Marketa lrglova, Once
Michael John LaChiusa, Queen of the Mist
Maury Yeston, Death Takes a Holiday

Outstanding Book of a Musical
Douglas Carter Beane, Lysistrata Jones
Janus Cercone and Warren Leight, Leap of Faith
Joe DiPietro, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Joy Gregory, The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World
Michael John LaChiusa, Queen of the Mist
Thomas Meehan and Peter Stone, Death Takes a Holiday

Outstanding Music in a Play
Mark Bennett, An Iliad
Mark Bennett, Richard III
Tom Kitt, All's Well That Ends Well
Gina Leishman, Septimus and Clarissa
Grant Olding, One Man, Two Guvnors
Suzanne Vega and Duncan Sheik, Carson McCullers Talks About Love

Outstanding Revue
Newsical the Musical: End of the World Edition
The Best Is Yet to Come: The Music of Cy Coleman


Outstanding Set Design
Jon Driscoll, Rob Howell and Paul Kieve, Ghost The Musical
David Gallo, The Mountaintop
Roger Hanna, A Little Journey
David Korins, Assistance
David Korins, Chinglish
Derek McLane, Follies

Outstanding Costume Design
Gregg Barnes, Follies
ESosa, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
William Ivey Long, Lucky Guy
Jessica Pabst, She Kills Monsters
Martin Pakledinaz, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Catherine Zuber, Death Takes a Holiday

Outstanding Lighting Design
Kevin Adams, Carrie
Neil Austin, Evita
David Lander, One Arm
Brian MacDevitt, Death of a Salesman
Kenneth Posner, Death Takes a Holiday
Paul Pyant, Richard III

Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical
Acme Sound Partners, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
Jonathan Deans, Carrie
Clive Goodwin, Once
Kai Harada, Follies
Steve Canyon Kennedy, Jesus Christ Superstar
Jon Weston, Death Takes a Holiday

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play
Quentin Chiappetta/mediaNoise, The Navigator
Gregory Clarke, Misterman
Gareth Fry, Richard III
John Gromada, Gore Vidal's The Best Man
Stowe Nelson, Samuel and Alasdair: A Personal History of the Robot War
Shane Rettig, She Kills Monsters

Outstanding Solo Performance
Baba Brinkman, The Rap Guide to Evolution
Suli Holum, Chimera
Jeff Key, The Eyes of Babylon
Cillian Murphy, Misterman
Denis O'Hare, An Iliad
Stephen Spinella, An Iliad

Unique Theatrical Experience
Give Me Your Hand
Gob Squad's Kitchen (You've Never Had It So Good)
Noctu
The Complete & Condensed Stage Directions of Eugene O'Neill, Vol. 1: Early Plays/Lost Plays
The Ryan Case 1873
White



Special Awards
Each year, the Drama Desk votes special awards to recognize excellence and significant contributions to the theater. For 2011-12, these awards are:
To Mary Testa: For over three decades, she has dazzled audiences with consistently outstanding work, including her tour-de-force performance in this season's Queen of the Mist.
To Nick Westrate: His versatility in Unnatural Acts, Love's Labor's Lost, and Galileo was a highlight of the season.
To New Victory Theatre: For providing enchanting, sophisticated children's theater that appeals to the child in all of us, and for nurturing a love of theater in young people.
To Stephen Karam, the newly created Sam Norkin Off Broadway Award: The profoundly moving Sons of the Prophet confirmed his status as one of the most promising playwrights of his generation.
Outstanding Ensemble Performance
This year the nominators chose to bestow a special ensemble award for acting to the cast of Sweet and Sad. Jon DeVries, Shuler Hensley, Maryann Plunkett, Laila Robins, Jay O. Sanders, and J. Smith-Cameron are "among New York's best actors, who came together as one unforgettable stage family. Therefore, the individual cast members were not eligible for acting awards in the competitive categories."

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Off Broadway Alliance Awards Announced


The 2011-2012 Off Broadway Alliance Awards have been announced. Here they are below.

Best New Musical
The Blue Flower
Once
Queen of the Mist
SILENCE! The Musical
Sistas: The Musical


Best New Play
4000 Miles
Milk Like Sugar
Sons of the Prophet
Tribes
Unnatural Acts


Best Musical Revival
Carrie
Ionescopade
Ren
t

Best Play Revival
Beyond the Horizon
The Cherry Orchard
Cymbeline
The Lady From Dubuque
A Moon for the Misbegotten


Best Special Event
The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith
An Iliad
The Patsy
Traces
Voca People


Best Family Show
Alice in Wonderland
The Amazing Max and the Box of Interesting Things
The Berenstain Bears LIVE!
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Ohmies
Stinkykids, The Musical


Legend of Off Broadway Honorees
Edward Albee
Gerard Alessandrini
Kathleen Chalfant
Catherine Russell
Mary Louise Wilson

Off Broadway Alliance Hall of Fame Honorees
Howard Kissel
Theodore Mann

Review: When Marlowe Mixes With Marlowe

A conglomeration would be an understatement to describe christopher marlowe’s chloroform dreams. This play is closer to a mix and match. Like if you decided to take a simple t-shirt, add a fancy blazer, throw on a pair of khaki shorts, and top it off with a Converse and a backwards cap. It may look crazy, but on the right person in the right environment, it kinda works. Luckily, the person is Lunar Energy Productions, a group of theater artists no stranger to reimagining. christopher marlowe’s chloroform dreams, written with precision by Katharine Sherman, takes the title character and thrusts him in a noir world that of Philip Marlowe. Marlowe is on a mission to save his dame, Daphne, from the sinister Frizer and her own demons.
Though the play starts off a bit slow and erratic in dialogue, once the intrigue and mystery unfolds, our interest rises. We begin with a moment of chloroform, as the title promises, and we are seemingly flashbacked to the past. The first act follows Marlowe on his journey, via his own narraration. As the title character, Christopher Fahmie exudes the perfect amount of noir sexiness. He has the voice that is just right for noir. Though some of his dialogue was lost through his silky baritone, when he spoke, the story was moving. Michael Markham’s Frizer was quite engaging. Oddly, his character started off on the softer side, but once his dastardly ways were brought to light, Markham’s Frizer played like a Southern Fried Bond Villain. The scenes where Marlowe and Frizer have a power struggle via the phone were some of the most engaging moments of the piece. On the contrary, Marlowe’s love interest, Daphne, was not as slick. Valerie Redd’s interpretation of Daphne left a lot to be desired. The character appears to follow the basic guidelines of the stock ingénue with a bit of a twist. Redd was a tad weak and lost. Perhaps a stronger ingénue type would have a better choice. In Act II when the narration switched to Daphne, the play seemed to stop, not necessarily due to the script but by Redd’s Daphne. Curry Whitmire and Sheila Joon, who both played an assortment of noir-inspired characters, were light and frothy when needed and creepy and mystifying the remainder of the time. Joon’s Eleanor was an integral character, though I either seemed to miss her objective and justification for her actions or they were hidden too deeply.
Overall, the ensemble was a joy to watch possibly because when they weren’t in the scene, they strategically shifting the scenery. Philip Gates’s staging was like clockwork. Scene shifts can tend to be gruesome, but not here. Every move was cleverly thought out. Gates and Scenic Designer Joshua David Bishop used the space miraculously. You enter the Red Room and ask yourself where’s the set. Fret not, like the mystery of the play, it’s hidden deep inside every nook and cranny. With Gates’s delicate direction combined with Sherman’s precise script, it’s clear that the writer/director combo has a clear dialogue between one another. Kalere Payton’s grayscale costumes evoked the right atmosphere. Her design for Marlowe’s costume, specifically the hat and the shirt, were brilliant. If you took a close look, you could see the detail of sentences on both items. On a larger budget, perhaps more his costume could have included this unique touch. The real joy to the design of the play was Alana Jacoby’s impeccable lighting. The space is limited, but the use of lighting spot on. The shadows she was able to create was exactly what a noir inspired play yearned for. The only real moment within the piece that lost me was the Spring Awakening-esque chorography. And the act break which was not necessary.
For all you noir lovers looking for something out of the ordinary, christopher marlowe’s chloroform dreams is probably for you. You’ll stay engaged from start to finish and wish your life was a Elizabethean Noir fairytale.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

2012 Drama League Award Nominees

Today, the 2012 Drama League Award nominations came out. Unlike other acting nominations from other awards, this award can only be won once by a performer in his or her career. Below are the nominations.



DISTINGUISHED PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
Clybourne Park
The Columnist
The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures
The Lyons
One Man, Two Guvnors
Other Desert Cities
Peter and The Starcatcher
Tribes
Seminar
Septimus and Clarissa
Venus in Fur


DISTINGUISHED REVIVAL OF A PLAY
And God Created Great Whales
Death of a Salesman
Gore Vidal’s The Best Man
How I Learned To Drive
Look Back in Anger
The Maids
Wit


DISTINGUISHED PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL 
Ghost
Leap of Faith
Mission Drift
Newsies
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Once
Queen of The Mist


DISTINGUISHED REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL 

Carrie
Follies
Evita
The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Jesus Christ Superstar


DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE AWARD
Jane Alexander, The Lady From Dubuque
Nina Arianda, Venus In Fur
Annaleigh Ashford, Rent
Angela Bassett, The Mountaintop
Simon Russell Beale, Bluebird
Tracie Bennett, End of the Rainbow
Christian Borle, Peter and the Starcatcher
Matthew Broderick, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Kim Cattrall, Private Lives
Heather Christian, Mission Drift
James Corden, One Man, Two Guvnors
Michael Cristofer, The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures
Tyne Daly, Master Class
Jesse Eisenberg, Asuncion
Linda Emond, The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures
Raúl Esparza, Leap of Faith
Santino Fontana, Sons of the Prophet
Andrew Garfield, Death of a Salesman
Russell Harvard, Tribes
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Death of a Salesman
Samuel L. Jackson, The Mountaintop
Jeremy Jordan, Newsies, Bonnie and Clyde
Steve Kazee, Once
Celia Keenan-Bolger, Peter and the Starcatcher
Christine Lahti, Dreams of Flying, Dreams of Falling
Angela Lansbury, Gore Vidal's The Best Man
John Larroquette, Gore Vidal's The Best Man
Linda Lavin, The Lyons
Norm Lewis, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
Judith Light, Other Desert Cities
Ricky Martin, Evita
Jan Maxwell, Follies
Jefferson Mays, Blood and Gifts
Marin Mazzie, Carrie
Audra McDonald, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
Ellen McLaughlin, Septimus and Clarissa
Cristin Milioti, Once
Jessie Mueller, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
Carey Mulligan, Through A Glass Darkly
Cynthia Nixon, Wit
Leslie Odom, Jr., Leap of Faith
Kelli O'Hara, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Denis O'Hare, An Iliad
Lily Rabe, Seminar
Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Ghost
Molly Ranson, Carrie
Condola Rashad, Stick Fly
Matthew Rhys, Look Back In Anger
Alan Rickman, Seminar
Elena Roger, Evita
Jeremy Shamos, Clybourne Park
Kevin Spacey, Richard III
Stephen Spinella, An Iliad
Mary Testa, Queen of the Mist
Blair Underwood, A Streetcar Named Desire
Mary Louise Wilson, 4,000 Miles

62nd Outer Critics Circle Award Nominations Announced

It's that time! Tony nominations are just around the corner, but before we get those, we have all the other awards to gather for. Here are the 2012 Outer Critics Circle Nominations:


OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAY
The Lyons
One Man, Two Guvnors
Seminar
Stick Fly


OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL
Bonnie & Clyde
Newsies
Once
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark


OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAY
Blood and Gifts
The School for Lies
Sons of the Prophet
Tribes


OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICAL
Death Takes a Holiday
Lucky Guy
Play It Cool
Queen of the Mist


OUTSTANDING BOOK OF A MUSICAL (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Newsies
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Once
Queen of the Mist


OUTSTANDING NEW SCORE (Broadway or Off-Broadway)

Bonnie & Clyde
Death Takes a Holiday
Newsies
Queen of the Mist


OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
The Best Man
Death of a Salesman
The Lady From Dubuque
Private Lives


OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Carrie
Evita
Follies
Porgy and Bess


OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAY

Mark Brokaw, The Lyons
David Cromer, Tribes
Nicholas Hytner, One Man, Two Guvnors
Mike Nichols, Death of a Salesman

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Jeff Calhoun, NewsiesMichael Grandage, Evita
Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It
John Tiffany, Once

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHER
Rob Ashford, Evita
Christopher Gattelli, Newsies
Steven Hoggett, Once
Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN (Play or Musical)
Bob Crowley, Once
Derek McLane, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Christopher Oram, Evita
George Tsypin, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN (Play or Musical)

Gregg Barnes, Follies
Eiko Ishioka, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
William Ivey Long, Don’t Dress for Dinner
Martin Pakledinaz, Nice Work If You Can Get It

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN (Play or Musical)

Neil Austin, Evita
Donald Holder, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Brian MacDevitt, Death of a Salesman
Hugh Vanstone, Ghost: The Musical

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAY
James Corden, One Man, Two Guvnors
Santino Fontana, Sons of the Prophet
Russell Harvard, Tribes
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Death of a Salesman
Hamish Linklater, The School for Lies

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Tracie Bennett, End of the Rainbow
Tyne Daly, Master Class
Linda Lavin, The Lyons
Nicole Ari Parker, A Streetcar Named Desire
Laila Robins, The Lady From Dubuque

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Danny Burstein, Follies
Raúl Esparza, Leap of Faith
Jeremy Jordan, Newsies
Steve Kazee, Once
Norm Lewis, Porgy and Bess

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Jan Maxwell, Follies
Marin Mazzie, Carrie
Audra McDonald, Porgy and Bess
Cristin Milioti, Once
Kelli O’Hara, Nice Work If You Can Get It

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY

Will Brill, Tribes
Tom Edden, One Man, Two Guvnors
Andrew Garfield, Death of a Salesman
James Earl Jones, The Best Man
Jefferson Mays, Blood and Gifts

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Joanna Gleason, Sons of the Prophet
Spencer Kayden, Don’t Dress for Dinner
Angela Lansbury, The Best Man
Judith Light, Other Desert Cities
Daphne Rubin-Vega, A Streetcar Named Desire

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Phillip Boykin, Porgy and Bess
Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Newsies
Michael McGrath, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Patrick Page, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Chris Sullivan, Nice Work If You Can Get It

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Jayne Houdyshell, Follies
Judy Kaye, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Rebecca Luker, Death Takes a Holiday
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Ghost: The Musical
Melissa Van Der Schyff, Bonnie & Clyde

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE
Judy Gold, My Life as a Sitcom
David Greenspan, The Patsy
Denis O’Hare, An Iliad
Stephen Spinella, An Iliad

JOHN GASSNER AWARD
(Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)

Robert Askins, Hand to God
Gabe McKinley, CQ/CX
Erika Sheffer, Russian Transport
Jeff Talbott, The Submission

Monday, April 23, 2012

Review: A Streetcar With Much to Be Desired

Tennessee Williams is a legend. He won a Pulitzer for A Streetcar Named Desire. Homage has been paid to its infamous lines and its notorious characters throughout pop culture. Some would argue that it’s his greatest play. So does that mean the brilliant script, rich in dialogue and character, will always produce a brilliant production? I’m afraid not. Such is the case in the newest revival of A Streetcar Named Desire. So what works in this production? Very little. Let’s start with the positive.
Blanche DuBois is synonymous as being one of the most coveted roles for any actress. She’s filled with struggle and pain and heartbreak and conflict and a truly great actress can do wonders with the role. At first, Nicole Ari Parker seemed disconnected with Blanche but as the play progressed, she made Blanche rise from the mess that was the rest of the production. Parker, with her stunning appearance and captivating eyes, brought some sex appeal to Blanche. By the end of the play when she’s being taken away, you felt for her, hoping there was a chance for escape. Which is not something you felt for any other lead character in the production. Parker took command of the stage and will hopefully be remembered as a great Blanche despite the lukewarm production. The other highlight amongst the ensemble was Amelia Campbell as Eunice. Yes, that’s right. Eunice. Campbell made Eunice a more memorable character. Her take on Eunice made you wish that there was a spinoff written for her whacky neighbor. And that is about the extent of the positive.
The play for the most part is Blanche’s story. But when you have the ability to put a star in the forefront as Stanley, well, the attention tends to shift when your star is on stage. Unfortunately Blair Underwood was no Stanley. Underwood is a great actor outside of this show, but he was not used to the best ability. One of the first moments he’s on stage, he undresses, displaying his toned body. If Underwood and director Emily Mann played up Underwood’s sex appeal and matched it with Parker’s natural beauty, a new element within the play could have been discovered. But that was not what happened. Instead Underwood, when he attempted to be outraged, never quite reached a seven on the “Hulk” scale of anger. One of the most disappointing moments was when Underwood was ready to scream out the infamous “Stellaaaaaaaaa” up the stairs as his pregnant wife is being whisked away after he beat her.  Instead of subtext of I’m sorry or come back or I messed up or baby, baby please, his “Stellaaaaaaa” came across as whiney and recited. For a second I thought that this was not the “Stellaaaa” we know and love and the real one was coming later. If you want to blame casting for the misery of this production, you should also look toward Daphne Rubin-Vega. Rubin-Vega’s line delivery was similar to that of an untrained high schooler tasked with performing this monstrous play with no rehearsal. It was borderline embarrassing. Eugene Lee’s set of the rundown street level apartment was bland and lacked character. The lights by Edward Pierce tried to help make the set bearable to look at, despite the occasional obnoxious flickering lights from the unseen Bourbon St. There was a beckon of shining light in the design when the Chinese lantern was removed from the exposed light, making the room stark and utterly terrifying, like that specific moment in the play. Mark Bennett’s soundscape was filled with distracting trolley cars. Perhaps there was deeper meaning to his use of the screetching cars. Perhaps it occurred when Blanche was having internal breakdowns, but to the untrained ear it was just annoying.
It’s regrettable that this production didn’t live up to the glory that is A Streetcar Named Desire. Sure the revival that the Roundabout did a few years back didn’t get the critical claim it may have deserved, but it sure beats this one. Maybe it’s a sign to future producers that it can be too soon to revive a play or musical. Let it breath.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Review: Not Your Average Williams

There’s no question that Tennessee Williams is one of the highest regarded and greatest playwrights in theater. He is no stranger to creating some of the most iconic characters and stories that will forever be reused and recycled in pop culture. But like any artist, unfinished gems survive long after the artist has passed. And Williams is an example of that. For three decades, the pieces of one of Williams’s unfinished full lengths, In Masks Outrageous and Austere, have been attempted to be put together. The final project can now be seen at the Culture Project. Make no mistake, there are similar themes, personalities, and ideas that encompass Masks… that make it a genuine Williams play, but this is NOT your average Tennessee Williams production.
The very second you enter the theater, you begin to experience the tension and anxiety our main characters are soon to encounter. You are literally surrounded by James Noone’s pristine and sleek set on all sides with Alexander V. Nichols colorful LED lights combined with Darrell Maloney’s moving projections. Look closely at those pictures on the wall. Do they look familiar? They should. You’re being filmed. Terrifying? Absolutely. Want to add more anxiety? Three robotic men wearing identical suits and sunglasses watch us like a hawk, subtly reminding us of what we're about to see, and to turn off our cell phones. If you’re someone with major anxiety, don’t step foot inside until moments before the show begins. The anticipation may give you a heart attack. But once that door is slammed and the play is thrust into action, you learn that these uniformed Gideons are monitoring three abducted people, Babe Foxworth, an aging heiress, her young poet husband, Billy, and his even younger lover, Jerry. As they try to piece together where and why they are where they are, secrets are revealed and fights break out every which way. About halfway through the show, Billy, referring to him and his lovers, offers a line from another legendary playwright, “All the world’s a stage and we’re merely players.” Are they part of a masterpiece of theater within a certain characters mind serving as Williams’s proxy? I think so, but you’ll have to wait to find out in the end!
This place, though never located, is called “Gideon’s Point” where a cast of absurd characters waltz in and out of the scene, most of the time, still remaining in audience sight behind the plexiglass throughout the theater. While Babe, Billy, and Jerry appear to be stock characters from any Willliams play, the remaining nine characters may be Williams’s answer to absurdist theater. These characters include overdramtic neighbor of the invisible house next door, Mrs. Gorse-Bracken, played wonderfully by Alison Fraser, her retarded son Playboy who wears nothing but a raincoat, played exceptionally well by Connor Buckley, Babe’s untrustworthy maid Peg, oddly portrayed by Pamela Shaw, Peg’s new lover Joey (Christopher Halladay), and Mac and his Interpreter (Jermaine Miles and Jonathan Kim). Are you confused as to why these bizarre characters are in the same world as Babe, Jerry, and Billy? Well so are they. The legendary Shirley Knight, no stranger to performing the Williams cannon, portrays Babe with ease. Sure there are moments where you see the actress herself struggle with the words, but when she’s on, boy is she on. She offers a master class style performance where you want to see what she does next. Robert Beitzel as Billy has all the makings of a Williams character, though his accent could use some polishing. You could put him as Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and he could pull it off with ease. At first glance you have to wonder in what world would Beitzel’s Billy and Knight’s Babe be married, but when you dig into their exposition it all becomes clear. One of the best performances of the show comes from Sam Underwood as Jerry. From first interaction, it’s very clear why Billy has fallen for Jerry. Jerry doesn’t understand why he’s in this predicament and he will do anything to get himself, and his lover, out of it. Underwood shines with his conviction and ease on stage, making his character one of the only characters you have sympathy for. Though he’s well on his way, he will soon be one of those actors in very high demand.
As mentioned before, the overall design of Masks… is one of the best I have ever seen. The cohesiveness from all parties is what makes it such a success. Noone’s mirror and glass inspired headquarter allows for secrets and revelations alike that allows Nichols’s lights to create wonders. Gabriel Berry’s colorful yet sophisticated costumes are quite stunning, especially Fraser’s violet Gorse-Bracken dress. Dan Moses Schreier’s soundscape of beach sounds infused with the mechanical electronic score does wonders setting the mood for the play. And Maloney’s projections are nothing short of dramatic. David Schweizer does a nice job directing this “new” Williams play. Sure, occasionally some of his characters wander aimlessly in circles on the porch, but when they suddenly appear out of the darkness in every crevice of the set, you can’t help but think CREEPY!
If you’re a Tennessee Williams aficionado, you cannot miss In Masks Outrageous and Austere. You’ll wish you could see what a completely finished product would be, but you’ll love it nonetheless. If you walk out of the theater confused as to what you just saw, it’s probably a success.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Review: A Show Beyond Your Wildest Imagination

When we were younger, we were always told by our elders to “use our imagination.” So we did. We could make the littlest toy come to life. We could conjure up fantasies of intrigue and fascination. Our imagination was the key to our innocence. But as most of us grew to adulthood, our imagination seemed to dwindle as we were coming of age. What if I told you there was a two-hour piece of theater that allowed you to tap into the imagination that’s been tucked away and force you to smile from start to finish? Would you go? The answer should be yes. And you better believe you will not be disappointed with Peter and the Starcatcher.
After transferring from New York Theatre Workshop, Peter and the Starcatcher is back and better than ever. Retaining the majority of the original NYTW cast, the previous intimate setting has been expanded to a giant Broadway house, where the back of the mezzanine may not experience the same joy that the front of the orchestra will most definitely get. The story of Peter and the Starcatcher, based upon the novel of the same name, follows the adventures of two ships, the Wasp and the Neverland, as they both carry cargo, one sand, the other the coveted starstuff. On board these ships are the imaginative Molly Aster, the dastardly pirate Black Stache, and the one they call Boy. As the pirates take over the Wasp and learn that their treasure is not on board, a high speed chase with the Neverland smashes both ships on an island where mermaids and natives roam free. And now you’re asking yourself, how could this high-energy, multi-location tale be told? Through the beauty of your imagination. The cast of twelve uses ladders and ropes and toy ships and crates and even their own bodies to create the world. And they do it flawlessly. Under the sublime direction of Roger Rees and Alex Timbers, featuring a book by Rick Elice, the story is at its finest when we get clever sight gags and tumbling narration.
Now you must be asking yourself, who is this Peter that the title refers to? Like Wicked did for The Wizard of Oz, Peter and the Starcatcher is the unofficial origin story of Peter Pan. Audiences love prequels and sequels because they love putting pieces together about their beloved stories. So when you learn about how certain characters and events came to be, you can’t help but grin widely. At its core, Peter Pan is about a boy who doesn’t want to grow up and Starcatcher offers why, making it a loss of innocence story of sorts. If you didn’t relate to Peter Pan before, you certainly will now.
The ensemble, the majority of which play an assortment of wild and zany characters, is lead by three great performers, Christian Borle, Celia Keenan-Bolger, and Adam Chanler-Berat as Black Stache, Molly, and Boy respectively. Both Keenan-Bolger and Chanler-Berat play characters much younger than real life and sell it quite well. They both evoke an aura of innocence and naïveté that sell their characters. But it is Christan Borle’s show stopping, scenery chewing hilarity as Black Stache that keeps the audience falling out of their seats. It’s almost impossible to imagine any other actor that will ever match the brilliance that Borle brings to Black Stache. This is his role. I think it’s pretty safe that a seat will be saved for him at this year’s Tony Ceremonies. Other star performers in the ensemble include Greg Hildreth as Alf who has a show long romance with Arnie Burton’s high voiced and lovable Mrs. Bumbrake, Molly’s nana. It’s easy to point to the ensemble for making the show as great as it is, but it’s also easy to forget the magic and imagination stems from the innovative set designed by Donyale Werle. Without offering any spoilers, there is a clear scenic shift between act one and act two, and Werle’s set makes the shift quite seamlessly. Additionally, the musical underscoring and sound effects throughout the entire show make Peter and the Starcatcher what it is.
Rick Elice’s script, for the most part, is fast paced and witty, but does suffer a smidge in the much slower “heart to heart” scenes some of the characters have, specifically Chanler-Berat’s Boy. Yes, it’s important to the character arcs for these scenes to exist, but they generally slow the momentum from the previous high octane scenes. The only other moment, which I have disliked since seeing it at NYTW, is the act two opening mermaid shanty. Sure, it’s highly amusing to see the ensemble clad in Paoloma Young’s clever everyday item inspired mermaid costumes, but personally, I don’t see how it further benefits the story. I guess it’s better placed here than in the middle of the show where it literally would have stopped the flow.
Peter and the Starcatcher is a night at the theater where you’re allowed to drop all of your inhibitions and troubles and literally sit back, relax, and let your imagination take you on a wild ride. Most people wish they could become a kid again for just one day and Peter and the Starcatcher lets that happen. If you haven’t seen it yet, go now.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Les Mis Picture Update: Anne Hathaway

More pictures are being leaked from the Les Mis movie. We've seen pictures of the men, and now it's time for the ladies. First up is Fantine played by Anne Hathaway. If you look closely, Ms. Hathaway seems to be missing some hair. Can you figure out the moment? What do you think of her look?

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Spotlight On...Sheila Joon

Name: Sheila Joon

Hometown: Seattle

Education: The school of Life and a B.A. from Western Washington University in Theatre arts (acting/directing)

Select Credits: Two Gentlemen, Love's Labor's Lost , Richard III, Coriolanus (Judith Shakespeare Co); Paddy Whacker, Ready, Aim, Fire! (ESPA/Primary Stages); Arms and the Man, The Importance of Being Earnest, Northanger Abbey (Theater Ten Ten); Charlotte's Web (Theatre Works); The Pillowman,  Arthur Lawrence's Two Lives (George St. Playhouse); Youthink!: 73 September 23rds (The McCarter Theatre); Escape To Wonderland, 12 Angry Women (Manhattan Theatre Source)

Why theater?: If the question was why act, it would be a different answer...but why theatre? I love film, I really do, but there is nothing like the immediacy of an audience, and the relationship between audience and performers... it's intimate stuff. I have a deep respect for the audience as an entity of its own that changes from night to night and moment to moment. I suppose it relates to my broader philosophical meanderings, but I won't get into physics here.... Nothing is fixed and there's a danger and possibility there that really turns me on. I've recently been a bit ployamorous with film and theatre, and while film has many luxuries an safeties... theater certainly feels more powerful, more immediate, more ritualistic...more holy. I think the power of live performance is something deep in our DNA.
 
Tell us about Christopher Marlowe’s Chloroform Dreams:
Christopher Marlowe's Chloroform Dreams, to me, is an absurdly cohesive moving collage with a thousand stories wrapped into one. Kat Sherman did a Bam Bop Boop on some seriously gorgeous language. It initially feels simply poetic in style, the way Shaw does the first time you read him. Then you read it a few more times and like Shaw, you realize how densely specific each word is. That excites me. The characters and language 'weave a loom, spin a yarn, tell a tale' which explores myth, noir, style, and ultimate questions of need, love and what happens when you tell a story; or rather, what happens when the narrator decides to change the story.....because they can.

What is it like being a part of Christopher Marlowe’s Chloroform Dreams?:
It's like a field of poppies: Dreamy. We're a 5 person ensemble and I have never gotten to scratch so many itches in one go. I feel darn tootin' humbled by e.v.e.r.y single cast mate and working together has been elevating from day one. We listen and rely on on another in way I've seldom experienced, and that is a testament to our director Philip Gates. The language itself is hot and has no barriers of time or place which is amazing..and challenging. It would be easy to fall into cliches with some of the characters, but Kat's use of language which travels from Iambic Pentameter, to Noir catch phrases, to Dylan references to 1980's songs, actually grounds us into something more routed. I think it's damn courageous. I could go on about how exceedingly different this show has been from any other I've been a part of, but you'll just have to come see it.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist? Any roles you’re dying to play?: I feel routed in the classics, but I am compelled towards newer playwrights that integrate heightened language with socially relevant material. Whether that material supports exploring gender roles, family units or when science meets spirit- that stuff turns me on. First reading Lucy Thurber blew my mind as I finally felt represented on the whole. I'd never felt so vulnerable just reading a script. I have a hard time saying exactly what I'd like to play, as it's my life goal and obsession to try and understand humans, I really DO want to play everything, if I weren't an actor I'd probably be a research psychologist... for that reason I LOVE getting to play multiple characters in a play as I do with CMCD. A lot of what I've done has been unconventional, gender bending, ambiguity and I'd like to take that a step further to explore my own edge of what identity is. I am dying to play Martha in 30 years. DYING to!  But in this decade? I'd love to play Constanze in Amadeus, Sylvia..in Sylvia...and yeah, Hamlet. 

What’s your favorite showtune?: The truth? “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”...I can't sing it without crying.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Jeffrey Wright. Woody Allen. Tilda Swinton. Oh...was I to choose ONE??!

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Attillie Pillman : A hybrid of Allison Pill and Natalie Portman in “BI: The Adventures of a Hybrid Persian Girl.”

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Anything by Mac Rogers, he's amazing...Blast Radius I believe runs through April 14th

What’s up next?: Luciana in Comedy of Errors, and I'm reprising my role of Proteus in Two Gentleman of Verona with Judith Shakespeare's Marathon festival this April. I have a couple of films in post production which will be screening soon and I'm slated to shoot short film 'Scratch', in which an annual Christmas Party amongst broke artist types comes to a screeching halt when someone wins the jackpot. I get to kick ass in that film, which always makes me happy.

For more on Sheila, visit  http://www.sheilajoon.org/

Monday, April 16, 2012

Smash Report: Duvallapalooza

We begin with the much-anticipated first rehearsal with our fictitious movie star, Rebecca Duvall. Will she be a Katie Holmes or a CZJ? Time will tell. We learn that she’s past her prime, I mean past the age of 36. And as we learn more about Ms. Duvall, we get yet ANOTHER hidden gem featuring our favorite composer paying homage to a favorite webskit performed by a certain blonde bombshell. But before we get to fall out of our chair laughing, Julia sets up a dinner date for Sam and Tom. And then before progress can be made, Rebecca jumps into the scene. Ms. Movie Star says she doesn’t need to warm up (because she’s a pro), so Rebecca sings a quite breathy version of “Let Me Be Your Star.” It’s well, a trainwreck. In the words of Randy Jackson, “pitchy dawg.” I think the majority of the room wants to burst out in laughter while the others want to slit their ears off. And then there’s a game of “let’s play nice to the star.” A game I’m certain we’ll see quite a lot of. At Headquarters, the team tries to figure out what to do with Rebecca. Eileen realizes that she is to blame for the Team Rebecca caravan, because she had a charismatic performance on SNL. A decision has to be made. Julia suggests group suicide. McSleazy suggests bring back Ivy. Is this because he’s in love or is it truly for the love of the show? Julia and Tom walk out of the office discussing Tom’s date with Sam. NO! Then, either later that day OR the next day (hard to say) McSleazy’s suggestion waltzes into the room. Hmmm…what does this mean? Tom and Rebecca work on a song which Ivy calls “the sound of a thousand ticket holders demanding their money back.” And I would have to agree. At the end of the song, McSleazy calls Karen over to chat. McSleazy ends up having another hallucination. This time Karen, in her best breathy voice, sings to McSleazy with full out Marilyn-esque seduction. McSleazy, stay out of Ivy’s stash! Well, at least the lighting was cool during the song. Wait! There’s our faithful stage manager breaking up the song with the token “and that’s lunch.” After rehearsal, Karen catches Dev in a lie, which also includes no response to her “I love you.” Dev! You devil! At a fancy restaurant, Julia and Frank have an awkward meeting. Frank thrusts out his best Shrek anger at his “wife” while Julia attempts to have a conversation about flunking Leo. At least she’s trying to be a good mother for once. Back at rehearsal, Rebecca has some thoughts about the musical. Rebecca suggests more scenes and less singing and dancing. Is she driving McSleazy crazy? You bet! At the Tom and Sam date, Tom whines about his new star as they walk through Times Square because clearly that’s the only place theater people hang out. Instead of eating, they go to Tom’s place for some Sondheim-inspired foreplay. TOM! When Tom kisses Sam, Sam claims it’s moving too fast. We learn that sex is holy for Sam. From Republican to religious! Tom thinks no sex is weird to which Sam asks his age (37ish) and his longest relationship (5 months) because his idea of holding off is way is better. Tom, we are no longer friends. You betrayer of John/love!
At the office, Eileen listens to her messages, first from the lying, scheming manager, and then from the hot and steamy Nick. Someone’s getting smitten! Snoopy pops in with Rebecca’s list of demands. Eileen tells Ellis the rules of the trade: keep your enemies close, your celebrities even closer, and their assistances the closest. Eileen pops into Nick’s “files” and learns he’s a crook. What kind of crook? At Leo’s parent-teacher conference, Frank lies about the marriage woes until Julia drops the bomb of the affair. She divulges way too much to the teacher, as if she’s a psychiatrist. That’s next episode, right? At rehearsal, Rebecca has a scene with the super nice Henry Stram. It’s well, closer to parody than impression. She stops the scene because she doesn’t know why she must break into song. Girl, have you never seen a musical before? She redeems herself by inviting the entire company to a screening of her latest movie at the Bryant Park Hotel. How thoughtful. Snoopy pops in to ask out Rebecca’s manager to the movie, and then some. But then the scene erupts into hilarity (for us the audience) when Colin, Rebecca’s former lover pops into the closed rehearsal (which our faithful stage manager put on break.) Eileen threatens him with pepper spray as McSleazy restrains him. THIS is what is going to set everyone on edge with Ms. Duvall? Seriously?
At Headquarters, the team lays down because they’re tired of Duvallapalooza. Eileen threatens the team that whatever Rebecca wants, Rebecca gets. Karen goes and surprises Dev to learn that the weasel got press secretary and not him. Meantime, he’s flirting with RJ. Bad boy, bad bad boy. When Karen asks for a date to the screening, Dev shuts her down. Eileen reads some Page 6 gossip about Rebecca, and then calls Nick because he’s a crook and she can’t be with him. Rebecca pops into Eileen’s office to say thanks for another great day and to offer her two-cents on fixing Bombshell. She wants to have another work session to which Eileen obliges. I smell a diva brewing!
Tom hosts the work session where Eileen claims she’s going to say no to Rebecca’s demands. At the screening, Sam and Dennis spread some gossip about what Rebecca is demanding. Ivy offers to go inside with Karen but she’s waiting for the famous boyfriend whom Ivy has yet to meet. Ellis is on the phone with Randall as he’s hurrying to meet his new plaything, but when he thinks Cyn is calling, he accidently doesn’t switch over and admits he has to suck up to that loser. Poor Randall. Meanwhile, during the movie, Karen gets a text from Dev, which makes her sad. Karen goes to the bathroom and shares another moment with Ivy. Weird. At the work session, Rebecca arrives late and asks for honesty from the team. Rebecca suggests lowering the key, more back up support, and hiring a vocal coach, which gets an astounding yes from the entire team. At the bar, Karen and Ivy hate on Rebecca. Ivy pretends to be interested in Karen’s trouble in paradise, but Karen walks out after a chord is struck about hot RJ. At the Houston’s, bad acting Leo says he does his homework while Shrek yells. Julia somehow turns into the voice of reason in the moment. Is she on Ivy’s mellow pills too? Leo, with a sinister smirk, strikes a deal, he gets a B+ and he gets to meet Rebecca Duvall. Karen goes home to find Dev is out…with RJ. Dun dun dun. Could this be the end of Dev? Fingers crossed.
At the breakup, Eileen cuts to the chase with Nick. She knows about his skeletons to which Nick lays down a laundry list of “felonies.” Eileen doesn’t want baggage or a fast relationship. So Nick offers to slow it down. The straight couples know it’s not about the sex. Ellis tries to apologize to Randall but he doesn’t like users. Eileen bursts into rehearsal to see what’s been going on. And what do we have? “Dig Deep” is a jazzy little number with a half-assed performance by all. There’s absolutely nothing to the song, but that could also be the blandness of our new Marilyn. This would totally be one of those cut numbers from the show. Rebecca thinks it went great and has lots more ideas. Please no.
Was this the worst episode of the season? Is Dev a goner? And what’s with all these couples wanting to take it “slow”? But the big question: Team Karen, Team Ivy, or Team Rebecca?

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Les Mis Picture Update: Aaron Tveit and Eddie Redmayne

Unless you're living under a rock, Les Miserables filming is underway. Pictures have been leaked of our leading men, Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe, in addition to some set pictures. But today we get a picture of our heartthrobs! Here's a shot of Eddie Redmayne and Aaron Tveit. The big question: Aaron's hair, real or wig?

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Spotlight On...James Patrick Nelson

Name: James Patrick Nelson

Hometown: Los Angeles

Education: B.F.A. Boston University School of Theatre, with a semester at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts

Select Credits: Off-Broadway: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Three Sisters (Classic Stage Company); Rutherford and Son (Mint Theater). Regional: The Norman Conquests (Depot Theatre); The Group (Actors Theatre of Louisville). National Tours: Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest (National Players at the Olney Theatre Center), and a repertory of Romeo and Juliet, All’s Well That Ends Well, Knight of the Burning Pestle, and A Christmas Carol (American Shakespeare Center). Boston: Duchess of Malfi (Actors Shakespeare Project); The Life of Galileo, directed by the late, great David Wheeler. Readings and workshops at Primary Stages, HERE Arts, Theatre for the New City, the Actors Studio, the 47th Street Theatre, Fundamental Theatre Project, Boston Playwright’s Theatre, New Repertory Theatre, and others.

Why theater?: I cannot understand a worldview that doesn’t include theatre. It cannot be compared and it need not be argued for, it is absolutely unique and absolutely essential. All that’s left of any of us when we die is what we’ve already given away: the stories we’ve told. That’s everything. Theatre is a practice in empathy. Theatre is the best and oldest way of bringing people together I can think of. Theatre is present, theatre is immediate, theatre gives us a safe space to admit to all our common beauty, rage, enthusiasm, terror, and ecstasy, and all the truths we would otherwise hide. I love the theatre. It’s where I’m most at home and at my best.

What’s it like being a part of A Midsummer Night’s Dream?: It’s so delightful! The ensemble is so intelligent, enthusiastic, and playful, and everyone has so many things to offer that are so personal. It’s so exciting to have so many uniquely extraordinary people working together on the same project. All added up, the play will likely be very different from any previous production you’ve seen, but I think what’s different, or dare I say conceptual, about the piece only deepens the story-telling. It’s such a privilege to sit and listen to speeches that I know by heart and have heard a hundred times and think, “Oh my God, THAT is what that means,” and not just in terms of the clarity of the language, but the specificity of the character’s intention, the relationships, and the stakes. The play is, of course, hilarious, but it’s also a lot more serious than people give it credit for, and surprisingly moving. And in various, little, sublime ways I’m still articulating for myself, the play is really about theatre itself.
 
What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: For years now, I have been really inspired by Harold Clurman. He asserts that life is the greatest of all works of art, and that this is why the theatre is for everyone, because any man or woman of any vocation who so chooses can profit greatly from an artist’s primary endeavor, which is namely to examine with compassion the challenges and adventures of living, whereby he seeks a greater knowledge of himself and his community. Clurman’s Group Theatre told people in a time of depression to wake up and sing. I think that’s the dramatic intention that speaks to me more than any other. I am most inspired by theatre that, however bright or bleak its circumstances, actively affirms a love of life. I don’t think there’s a way to know for sure going into a play if that’s what I’m going to get. A million different things can trigger it. It’s not nearly as simple as comedy versus drama or recognition versus escapism. I just know the feeling when I walk out of the theatre and feel like shouting from the rooftops, like I could dance in the streets and sing until sunrise.  
 
Any roles you’re dying to play?: I’m just hungry to keep working. I have had the good fortune to do a lot of classical plays in the past few years, which is always a privilege, but I would really love to do some more modern and contemporary work.

What’s your favorite showtune?: I’ve been humming “On the Street Where You Live” from My Fair Lady lately.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: You know, there are so many answers to that. I’ve never actually done a play professionally where the playwright was alive. I would love that, I’d love to work with Tony Kushner or Edward Albee or Doug Wright.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: When I’ve lived long enough and accomplished enough to merit a movie being made about me, I’ll look around and see what actors I like that are working, and I’ll get back to you. I’m still just at the beginning of the story right now.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: The Bedlam Theatre is doing a four person production of Saint Joan, and they’ve just extended through May 13th. They are doing some of the strongest work I’ve seen in the city. And I also highly recommend you check out the company Exit Pursued by a Bear. They just finished up an extraordinary production of Jeff Whittey’s play The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler. The play was staged in the artistic director’s apartment, and during the hour-long intermission, the actors made dinner for the audience and poured them wine and we all hung out and chatted. It was such a rejuvenating night of theatre. It reminded me that what we do is meant to be a celebration, and that it’s not about me, it’s an act of generosity. 

What’s up next?: When I’m not working and have the night free, I often attend a Tuesday night workshop called the Shakespeare Forum, run by a beautiful couple I met at the American Shakespeare Center. It’s a two-hour donation-based workshop where anyone can get up and work on some classical material and receive constructive feedback from the group. It’s a beautiful urban artist community that I hope will grow into a widely recognized center for classical education and exploration. They’re venturing into their first season of plays, and I’ll be doing their inaugural production of Hamlet at Theatre for the New City.

For more on James, visit http://www.jamespatricknelson.com/ and for more on A Midsummer Night's Dream, visit http://www.classicstage.org/.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Smash Report: How to Storm Out of a Scene

We begin tonight at some sort of re-presentation of the newly titled Bombshell. The star, Ms. Rebecca Duvall, has a travel hiccup so she’s not there. Uh oh. Bombshell, the presentation’s delayed. But before we get more on what that means, we have a scene with Dev where he doesn’t get his coveted job. Wah wah. Ok, back at the presentation, Karen gets the honor to understudy Rebecca Duvall. Well, we knew she was gonna get the official offer at some point since she’s virtually been doing that all season long. Sam and Ivy hang out after day one of the re-presentation. McSleazy then drops the bombshell to Ivy that Karen is the new understudy because she practically knows all the blocking. “But I know all of it” Ivy retorts. Ivy, my dear, if we make you the understudy we wouldn’t have another heated Ivy-Karen battle royale. Duh! SMASH.
We return to Eileen’s office where she’s talking Spanish on the phone (where she offers someone, that’s not me, tickets to The Book of Mormon) to someone presumably in Cuba. Snoopy arrives and is surprised that Rebecca was stuck in Cuba. Karen tells Dev that’s she’s the new understudy Marilyn. Is Dev excited? Hard to tell with his stern face. Then we see Tom and Sam chatting about Ivy, with, who’s that lurking in the shadows? Oh right, John. Tom! Don’t do this to me! No Sam, yes John. Sam drops off the pair at a trainwreck show for their date. Why? Well, because our friends over at “Smash” want me to get mad that the best couple on the show is bound to break soon! Damn you! At the Houstons, Julia and son have a moment. Moving on. Ivy is sad, so she stalks her friends at the rehearsal and has a fantasy moment while singing Kelly Clarkson’s “Breakaway.” She’s not on drugs, but she’s totally having delusions of grandeur. Well lucky for Ivy, she’s not the understudy getting ripped to shreds by McSleazy. Karen forgets her pencil, which is grounds for berating. Tom and Julia have an interview with a kid from NYU. They reveal that they have a tradition on the anniversary of their first show that they would go find a production of the show. When the cute little interview boy asks Julia if her hubby gets jealous, she freaks out. Calm it, girl. But what really sets Julia off is when cute little interview boy asks about Rebecca Duvall. Julia freaks out and storms out. Cut to Dev and Karen. You think McSleazy did some British berating? Dev looks like he can take McSleazy on “Berate Karen Idol”! Karen accidently reveals that she was sexually harassed by McSleazy day one of their acquaintance. Dev no likey! He yells and Karen walks out on him. If we had to pick the demise of one couple, can it PLEASE be Karen and Dev and not Tom and John? PLEASE!
Eileen and her compatriots discuss the eminent arrival of Rebecca who’s still stuck in Cuba. They all get upset that Rebecca isn’t there yet because they don’t want to spoil their money. Jerry would never do that! Eileen goes to the Bushwhack where she talks to her bartender therapist, Nick. Nick drops a stack of bills because he either wants to invest in Bombshell or he wants to be prince charming. Ivy and McSleazy are back at McSleazy’s swanky place, which we haven’t seen in a bit, where Ivy tells him to get smart, which is foreplay and her way of telling him to be nice to Karen because the only successful directors of Marilyn where the one’s that babied her. Our first Marilyn Tid Bit of the Night. At rehearsal, Tom stands in for the new song that does not include Marilyn. First off, a batch of chorus boys in towels and their clothes ON? No! Bad move. Give us more! Good move is having Tom showing off his pipes! And now we’re reminded why Mr. Borle is a Tony nominee (who should be grabbing his second nod this year!) The song is a lot of fun. Not sure where the number fits into the greater picture of Bombshell, but here’s a suggestion: cast Tom IN the show? After the number is over, McSleazy coddles Karen via Ivy’s recommendation. When lunch is called, John walks in with two coffees only to see Tom and Sam chatting it up. Tom, Tom, Tom, Tom, Tom. When you have the perfect man, don’t let him go away! Run after him! Go! Run!
Nick brings Eileen to meet a rock star played by Terence Mann. Uh…Ok? At the bar, Karen and Co chat about the bets they were playing. But before Karen can get upset, Evil Ivy appears. Why? Someone has an ulterior motive! Gift in hand! Tom and Julia attend a high school production of Three on a Match. This is our first chance seeing this show. It appears to be set somewhere in France with a Les Mis inspired score. Both Tom and Julia are less than amused, but gracious Tom gives them a standing ovation. The pair gets a shout out from drama teacher where Tom gives Julia a signed apron for their ten year anniversary. Apparently aprons scare Julia who runs out of the room. What is the subtext? Eileen tries to figure out why Mr. Rock Star would want to invest, who makes a dig at jukebox musicals. So why does he want to invest? Because he can? Still not sure. Karen and Ivy walk through Times Square, because that’s the only place they hang out, where Ivy lays down yet another Marilyn Tid Bit of the Night. While Karen was out, Dev and RJ are out drinking. Tom talks to drama teacher who praises the show and then finds Julia sitting on the hood of a car. Tom wants to know why Julia’s sad and we learn it’s because Frank won’t talk to her. Well duh! Julia realizes she wrecked their anniversary and apologizes. Tom wants to know why to which Julia says “because if I told you…” Pause Pause Sniffle Pause . And in this pause, I predict what she’ll say. I predict: “maybe it wouldn’t be real.” Ding ding ding! We have a winner! I got it right! Perhaps I should write for the show next season.
At the Houstons, Leo does some bad acting in a should be good scene where Julia discovers Leo tries to tell Frank to call her. Sam tries to get Ivy to tell him what she’s up to. Well, she’s playing nice to get back in. Sneaky, sneaky! Tom is reading the Sports section, which sets up alarms for John. John tries to get Tom to admit that he lights up when Sam’s around. What? No. He’s just a friend…of Ivy’s. Tom won’t admit it so John walks out with a stern goodbye. (Cue the angry screams at the TV). Julia calls Frank via Leo’s stolen phone. She says she’ll die if she won’t talk to him. So dramatic, but I know the feeling. Snoopy tells Eileen that he’s snooped into the personal lives of her friends. When he reveals he may have some bad news about Nick, she sends him away. At rehearsal, Karen speaks out to McSleazy about the dialogue, which puts McSleazy in fantasy mode where Karen appears as Marilyn. Has someone been tapping into Ivy’s secret stash? Eileen is drinking at 3:30pm and wants Nick to admit his dirty little secrets, but gets a phone call that interrupts the moment. Karen, at home, hears a knock at the door. Presuming it’s Dev, she plays Marilyn, but tis not. It’s Mr. Director. Why is he there? To tell Karen that Rebecca will be arriving and she’s back to the chorus? No. He’s there to apologize for his sleazy, dastardly deeds. Is this growth for a vile character? Perhaps! But before we can learn if he’s changed, Dev sees McSleazy walking out of the building allowing for some British squabble, including “I’m the director so hands off” and a spot of roughhousing. It’s so proper! Karen hears, because of course her room oversees the street, and runs out to break it up. There’s no K.O. so we’ll call it a tie.
Ivy tends to McSleazy’s flesh wounds with a bag of peas. Ivy wants to know why he couldn’t just call her, but he claims he just wanted to be nice. He doesn’t shag every leading lady! Duh Ivy! You’re the special one! Dev virtually asks Karen to quit the show, which she refuses to do. Dreams, Dev! Dreams! Eileen reveals that the Cuban Assistant Crisis is averted and Randy Cobra is the new big producer of Bombshell. Of course she does it in the most theatrical way. Fire in the Bushwhack! In montage fashion, all of our friends are sad and dreary all set to Karen’s melodic song. The only happy moment occurs when Eileen and Nick share some gross smooches. In the middle of the song, Ivy snoops into rehearsal in perfect Ellis fashion. Because that’s allowed. As the song ends, the elevator opens revealing the slow walk of a Hollywood star. Ladies and gentlemen, Uma’s in the house! I’m sorry, Rebecca Duvall.
The big questions of the night: can Dev and Karen patch things up? Is John really gone for good? Do you wish Leo went with Frank? And did Uma get paid for a full guest star appearance for her ten seconds of screen time?

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Pamela Anderson to Broadway?

Yes, you read that right. Rumors began swirling last night that Pamela Anderson, of Playboy and "Baywatch" fame, may make her Broadway debut in the stunt-casting friendly Chicago. Though no role was officially mentioned, it would be presumed that Anderson would play the role of Roxie Hart. This casting would surely get some young men in the seats of the Ambassador Theater! But the big question, will Ms. Anderson's Double Ds make her fall over while attempting Fosse dancing?

Friday, April 6, 2012

Spotlight On...Annie McNamara

Name: Annie McNamara

Hometown: Farmington, CT

Education: Smith College, B.A. in English & Masters in English from Brown University. Acting with Maggie Flanigan in NYC.

New York Theater: A Map of Virtue (13P); GATZ (The Public); The Sound and The Fury, April Seventh, 1928 (NYTW); That Pretty Pretty; or The Rape Play (Rattlestick); Nurses in New England (Half Straddle); Port Authority Throw Down (Culture Project); God’s Ear (New Georges); A Perfect Couple (W.E.T.); Novel (SPF); Girl Blog (Culture Project); Design your Kitchen (Clubbed Thumb); Crumble (Lay Me Down, Justin Timberlake) (Clubbed Thumb); U.S. Drag (Clubbed Thumb); Waterborn (EST); Cause for Alarm (Fringe). Clubbed Thumb affiliated artist. Elevator Repair Service company member.

Why theater?: It’s live. Anything can happen, and it usually does.

Tell us about GATZ: GATZ is a verbatim, theatrical reading of the entire text of The Great Gatsby. It lasts eight hours, with a 70 minute dinner break.  The show is directed by John Collins. Our company is called Elevator Repair Service, and we have been performing it on tour and in NYC for the past seven years. It takes place in a rundown office space. The world of the book and the office combine and collide through coincidence and sound and imagination. I think it’s quite beautiful.

What is it like being a part of GATZ?: Well, I’m actually on stage for a total of only a couple of hours, tops, so it’s not as grueling for me as for some other members of the cast, but The Great Gatsby is such a wonderful book that it’s still pretty easy to get caught up in the story and the language, even after all these years of performing it.  And, of course, it’s a treat to be up there with my friends who are all terrific actors and manage to keep it fresh and surprising every time.  Snacks & naps help too.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: If it’s brave and truthful, it speaks to me. I saw Mary Louise Parker on stage once. She blew me away. Very inspiring. Elizabeth Marvel does that to me too.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Julia in A Delicate Balance

What’s your favorite showtune?: Ladies Who Lunch

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Les Waters

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: A remake of Warhol’s "Sleep", starring Edie Falco.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: I know this is a while ago, but I loved The Wooster Group’s Vieux Carré – I remember telling everyone to see that.

What’s the best advice you can give someone trying to make it in theater?:
Find someone whose work you like and go try to learn from them.

What’s up next?: GATZ in the WEST END!

For more information on Elevator Repair Service, visit  http://elevator.org/

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Amy Adams to Go Into the Woods

They got a star! The Public's Shakespeare in the Park plucked three-time Oscar Nominee Amy Adams from Hollywood to play the Baker's Wife in this summer's revival of Into the Woods. The production which will play the Delacourt Theater in the heart of Central Park. Casting for the role of the Witch or the Baker has yet to be announced but let's face it, it'll they'll probably have some heft.

And the 2012 Tony Host Will Be...

Three times a charm! Neil Patrick Harris has been tapped as the host of the 66th Annual Tony Awards. Harris, who will also serve as a producer, is bound to entertain! How will he top last year's praised opening number (which I am in the minority for disliking...)? Do you think Harris is the official face of Tony hosting? Do you wish it was Hugh Jackman? Rather, do you wish it was a tag team of Jackman AND Harris?

Monday, April 2, 2012

Smash Report: The World According to Ivy

We begin at Karen’s apartment. She’s trying on sunglasses to see which one works with her outfit. Call me stupid, but do people really have multiple sunglasses to match different outfits? Anyway, in a montage of morning routines, we see McSleazy and Ivy in bed, Julia being a mom, and Tom and John trying to figure out when they’ll see each other next. Tom wants to go to John’s event, which turns out to be a Republican event, thus revealing John is a gay Republican. I smell trouble! Back at the Houston’s, Frank discovers some papers. With the use of eyes, we know that’s trouble too! At the diner, Sam and Ivy have breakfast where Ivy reveals her laundry list of pills she’s taking. Sam tells her be careful, which is probably some foreshadowing. Meanwhile at Headquarters, Ellis lists off an interesting list of names for Marilyn, including Anna Paquin and Anna Farris. As if! Eilen and McSleazy have a discussion about the progress of the script. Eileen is ready to star chase while McSleazy wants a revised script and a timeline of a year before he starts the new production. Back to reality, we are! Eileen is a tad mad so she has Ellis call Doug Hughes. Replacement director already? At an audition, Ivy bumps into Karen walking out of the room where the casting people say, “she was perfect.” Ivy looks sad. The rivalry is heating up again! What are you going to do Ivy? All I can say is: keep away from those pills, girl!
Karen gets a phone call, saying she got the part for an orange juice commercial. Yippie! Tom and Julia discuss a new title while Tom freaks out about John and the Republican card. Tom says it’s a deal breaker, but Julia says he should give him a chance. And I agree! Keep him around! At Heaven on Earth, we see a number from the show featuring Ivy. It’s a pretty atrocious song, yet so classic Broadway. And then Norbert Leo Butz waltzes down the stairs. No doubt he’s an entertainer (despite stealing a Tony last year, but I digress.) We don’t get to see anymore, but let’s hope we do! Snoopy and his friend snoop on Eileen’s computer to see who they’re scouting for Marilyn. They start listing names that mean nothing to the average person. Yet another throwaway Snoopy scene? At the Houstons (the title of a possible spinoff???), Frank is singing a song written by Julia about Michael. Rut ro. Frank accuses Julia of something, but Julia assures him that it’s over. Denial City, USA. Frank puts the pieces together that Julia and Michael had a fling, which is a betrayal of nearly everything. The dramatic scene looks more like something from “Parenthood” than “Smash.” Some nice acting, yet misplaced. Did we want Frank to find out and threaten their marriage or did we want to continue to live in wedded bliss? Well either way, Julia has some bigger issues than finding a new title for Marilyn.
At the commercial shoot, Karen is wearing a green screen (Yes, you read that right). She’s on a set of green screen. Not gonna lie, it’s quite hilarious. But everything nowadways is cgi. Long live live theater! Outside of New York Theater Workshop, Frank approaches Michael. Throw down! From the get go, Michael knew a confrontation was imminent. Frank has a meltdown like something out of the Charlie Sheen playbook. He winds up and punches Michael. Frank has some muscle a la Shrek. Fiction meets reality! Ellis has a private meeting with an agent, played by Sean Dugan, to get his client into the musical. Snoopy! Stop! Eileen has a private meeting with a potential new director (aka Doug Hughes) only to be overshadowed by the appearance of Michael Riedel. Really? Really? Well, at least he’s a good sport. At a post performance dinner for Ivy’s return, Tom is grabbed by Sam, warning him of Ivy’s potential wrath. When Tom doesn’t come over to say hi, she has a meltdown due to Tom’s ignoring and Karen’s successing. Jealousy to the max! Ivy returns home with McSleazy waiting for her. But what is she whining about? Karen! I think someone has an obsession! McSleazy reads a TV pilot that leads to Ivy’s, “is there a part for me.” The world according to Ivy! At Ivy’s, McSleazy gets wind of Michael Reidel’s post about Eileen’s meeting. You bad boy Michael Riedel! Meanwhile, Ivy takes some pills with “Let Me Be Your Star” underscoring. The foreshadowing came into fruition!
The next morning, McSleazy bursts past Snoopy, who he calls a Chihuahua, to see Eileen. He’s furious about the prospect of being replaced. Perhaps he now feels how Ivy feels! In the dressing room of Heaven on Earth, Ivy is so sad she looks in the mirror holding a pill bottle. Snoopy goes to the agent’s sweet digs to drop off the demo for his client, and then offers his services for some potential hanky panky. Snoopy! You hound! We go from Snoopy to loopy as Ivy is drugged up before her next entrance on stage. I smell disaster! Tom, looking all swanky, goes to John’s Republic event to be a supportive lover (are they bfs yet?) Loopy Ivy tries to perform that weird song from before. She is cracked out of her mind. And her stage managers are not pleased to watch the scene. I think I would be having a freak out if it were me! While on stage, Karen drops off Ivy’s sunglasses and watches Ivy’s hilarious performance. Talk about stealing the scene! Norby who? Ivy takes a tumble (new viral video?) and gets yelled at by Norby to get off stage. As she runs off, she runs by Karen. Did she see her in her delusional fog?
Ivy runs out in her angel costume into the middle of Time Square (which the geography of the theater to the location in Times Square is off a tad…) to be stopped by Karen who only wants to return her sunglasses. Karen and Ivy throw some digs at each other, though chances are Ivy won’t remember a single thing in the morning. At the Republican event, John introduces his former roommate who he wants to elect for office. Is roommate code for lover? At the Houstons, bad actor Leo informs his mom that his daddy is walking out on her. But before he can get to the door, he’s stopped at the door. Frank is on a tear to discover the truth but he simply can’t take it and walks out. Tom informs John that he needs to go handle Situation: Ivy instead of staying with him at the party. John is upset, like any lover would be! Ivy, now adding her sunglasses to her angel costume, walks into a liquor shop and enables her habit. Ivy picks some vodka off of the really cool looking shelf. Tom shows up at Ivy’s apartment where Sam is waiting for her. What will they do while they wait? Don’t do it Tom! Ivy and Karen share a drunken moment in Times Square. It’s, well, interesting. Especially when drunk Karen and drunk Ivy sing Rihanna’s “Cheers (Drink to That), which is apropos to their inebriated state, with random street performers. If I saw this scene in the middle of Times Square…well I would not be shocked (I am the man who wrote a site specifc play that was performed near the steps of TKTS). During this traffic-stopping performance, you can spot some interesting sinage including the Bernedette Gypsy billboard and American Idiot. Why? Anyone care to share? And of all the shows, why those two?
Back at Ivy’s apartment, Ivy still wears her costume (Equity violation!) while Karen tries to care for her. Karen is just so gosh darn nice! At five am, Tom and Sam share a moment at a dive where Tom admits the last time he was up at five was to get Rent tickets and Sam for the Bruins’ Stanley Cup victory (go Rangers!). When Tom gets a buzz from John, he tells Sam that he’s slightly taken, which makes Sam now think they’re not on a date. Ellis tells Eileen he’d rather not answer phones and instead co-produce because he landed Rebecca Duvall! Yippee? Eileen puts Snoopy back in his place. Like he could produce! Julia and Michael meet on 9th Ave in front of Westway Diner where Julia discovers Frank threw a punch after seeing the black and blue on his face. She follows it up with “is your family ok?” Interested choice of words. Michael attempts to apologize for their affair, but Julia wants part of the blame. Julia finally comes up with a title to end the episode. What is it? Bombshell.
Tonight’s episode was much juicier than we’ve seen. Some important progress was made on Bombshell, including a new title and a potential new star. Will Tom and John last or is Sam the new beau? While Ivy remember her drunken costarring performance with Karen?  What was that thing on Norber Leo Butz’s head? But the burning question: does Ellis swing both ways to get what he wants? Talk amongst yourselves.