Monday, May 18, 2009

SUBVERSIVE SHORTS

I went to a play but I didn't stay for Act 2.

Why not?

The program said, Act 2, same as Act 1.




Subversive Theatre got a bad rap from The Buffalo News in a review for their production of SUBVERSIVE SHORTS 2009. I saw the final installation of this collection of short plays from around the country at the closing performance Sunday night, a four and a half hour marathon, where all 10 plays were presented. The plays were previously presented as two seperate performances on alternating evenings. I could only stay for seven of the plays, and what I saw certainly contradicts the dismal one and a half star rating offered from The News. Some broad humor, some subtle nuance, a sprinkle of dark politics, a dash of intrigue and some truly dramatic and edgy moments were all thrown into this pot of political stew, resulting in a most satisfying evening of new theatre. Heather Fangsrud gives a fine and moving solo performance as the daughter of a Vietnam War veteran, professing her father's psychological injuries in SOUTHPAW STANCE, and Donald Capers and Jacqueline Jordan bring a hopeful glow to the war minded absurdity of NORMAL IS A COUNTRY, about the recovery of a recently disabled vet.





So I went to a play but I couldn't stay for Act 2.

Why not?

The program said, Act 2, two weeks later, and I didn't have that much time.


The Arties nominations have been announced and I'm glad that the two plays I served as stage manager for at The New Phoenix received Best Actor and Actress nods for Lorraine O'Donnell in DUSTY SPRINGFIELD, WITH YOU, and Richard Lambert in BLACKBIRD. DUSTY SPRINGFIELD, WITH YOU, penned by Richard Lambert, also received a nomination for Best New Play.

Daggers in your teeth, everybody.

TENTATIVE ARTIE NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED

Artvoice newsweekly's Artie Award nominations, honoring outstanding achievement in local theatre productions, were announced Sunday night at 'Q' on Allen Street, although nominations in the categories of Actress and Supporting Actress in a play, have yet to be announced.

Not surprisingly, Musicalfare in Amherst, which produces musicals exclusively, received the most nominations with 27 mentions, tripling the nine nominations the next most nominated theatre, The Kavinoky, received. *( 5/21/09 -A late posting of the actress categories tallies The Irish Classical Theatre with 9 nominations as well.).

Alleyway Theatre's HELL HOLE HONEYS, and Musicalfare's JAMESTOWN GALS and SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, received the most nominations for a musical with eight each. The Kavinoky Theatre's THE FARNSWORTH INVENTION, Aaron Sorkin's examination of the advent of television, received the most nominations of a play with five, including Best Production.

The Katherine Cornell Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Visiting Artist, have also yet to be announced.

The 19th Annual Artie Awards will be held on June 1 at The Town Ballroom in Buffalo. All benefits from the ceremony will go to The Benedict House, an AIDS related charity.

For a listing of the announced nominees, go to artieawards.webs.com/