To Finish...

Recent buzz in the Savannah Theatre scene had painted a doom and gloom picture in regards to the scaling back of operations for both the Little Theatre of Savannah annd Savannah Cultural Arts Theatre. However, according to a far more recent article in the Connect, it may have been a bit premature to begin hiding from Apollyon and the Locusts just yet.

Indeed, we here at The Savannah Dramaturgy applaud Ms. Rand for her drive and willingness to step in an keep this potential venue from being converted back into little more than a shed in a glorified industrial park. That she, and her organization, will be operating this as a venue as opposed to a production agency is perhaps the single best way to try and ensure it remains in artistic hands.

What we would be interested in hearing, however, would be precisely how this new organization will be meeting this heavy fiscal obligation that has already set two other nonprofits back on their heels. If the rent of presenters isn't the primary income stream, then the question still remains on how to keep the roof up, perpetual fundraising? Given Ms. Rand's creativity, I'm sure she has thought of something. Indeed, we are looking forward to this interest meeting on Jan. 11th, as she will most undoubtedly answer any questions we have in this realm.

Regardless, 2009 has been an interesting year here in our beloved community. It is our hope that in 2010, with renewed artistic support from figures like Ms. Rand and others who have found ways to support our theatrical community through service that Savannah's theatre artists will manage to find the way into the Beautiful Process and truly begin enriching the community around us... because then, the community might return the favor.

Mr. Marmalade: Bay Street Theatre

Oh, the joys of youth! Playing house, doctor, or cops n' robbers, and all without a care in the world. Or so one would think. However, given modern society's anesthetizing of our youth on television of questionable taste, with stories that often outstrip full comprehension of the young, it is actually no surprise the the Bay Street Theatre's latest trip through youthful imagination leaves us twisted, wasted, and cowering in the corner, afraid to laugh too hard.

Presented this past weekend, Noah Haidle's comedy Mr. Marmalade tells the story of a little girl named Lucy and her imaginary friend. However, this is no ordinary four-year-old. Instead of the happy-go-lucky we expect from this age group, Lucy is disturbingly aware. When one has to schedule times with one's imaginary friend, only to have him rush off to a meeting, one is not dealing with regular imagination here. And as Mr. Marmalade becomes more stressed, eventually becoming fully abusive (of both drugs and Lucy herself), the audience watches in fascination as child's play very quickly loses all charm. However, a testament to Mr. Haidle's optimism, Lucy is very much able to bounce back and, one hopes, achieve a level of normalcy in a dodge ball game.

Director Valerie Macaluso has truly accomplished something enjoyable here, managing to render the script afresh to a Savannah audience, despite the fact that a successful production of this same piece was mounted by Armstrong Atlantic State University about three years ago. Ms. Macaluso has led her cast in putting together a piece that is both fresh and coherent, an exciting and delightful accomplishment.

Al Gonzalez does well for himself in the title role, running the gamut from charming (almost but not-quite Fred Astaire) and urbane to a cocaine-snorting, abusive lunatic with an ease that tells of long practice. Also of note are John Macaluso's performance of Larry, where deadpan and matter-of-fact delivery render even beatings at the hands of and older brother humorous, and Travis Coles performance as Bradley, Mr. Marmalade's personal assistant, who breathes such a sigh of relief when all is said and done that one cannot help but believe that, despite the disturbing spectacle of the last ninety-five minutes, everything will indeed be ok. Chris Stanley and Kt Blackmon also take entertaining turns as anything from one-night-stands to waiters to cacti.

Perhaps most delightfully, kudos must be given to Brema Ebbing for costume design and Al Gonzalez for properties. To truly transport Mr. Marmalade, Bradley, and other imaginary friends form that other realm, a schema of roughly-drawn crayon is utilized to great effect, making things very clear in terms of what is "real" and what is "just pretend."

At the end of the day, it appears that the Bay Street Theatre has met the challenge registered by the reviewer of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and that is finding a successful voice while doing something other than parading Chris Blair about in high heels.

The Show Must Go On...

Recently, the Connect Savannah published a pair of articles questioning the future of Savannah's theatre community.

The Final Curtain?
Stages of Grief

To say that these articles have rocked our community would be a fairly accurate description, and anybody who has not (and is capable thereof) can see this for themselves on the facebook discussion of Mr. Ryan McCurdy's status. Some 39 voices have chimed in, in various capacities, to lament these articles, dispute these articles, or simply to ask "what can be done?" So, even though venues may be lost, there appears to be some level of life in our community nonetheless.

Quite simply, because of the nearly compulsive nature of the dramatic arts, the show must go on. My mentor, Dr. John Hanners of Texas A&M, wrote perhaps the seminal work about 19th century entertainers. The title of his book is, It Was Play or Starve. And this is the attitude that is perhaps the most healthy. If we are to be thespians, if we are to work in the theatre, then we must do this, must support this. While the need for a day job will continue unless someone manages to hit the lottery, it must never be forgotten that the moment one gives up on doing shows... one has essentially left the theatre behind. Quite literally, the show must go on.

If we are to find some sort of sustainable model, we must do more than simply close ranks around ourselves. While we should most certainly do this, we also need the support of the wider community. However, thespians have little in terms of monetary resource, as a general rule. Yet if a way can be found to hit up those doctors, lawyers, and bank VPs that work downtown... for substantial support, then maybe a step forward can be made.

While I hate to sound like it is all about the Benjamins, monetary support could do much to help free up some time, as people might not need to hold down 40 hours a week in order to keep body and soul together.

I do not think we are in crisis, and this too shall pass. The question is one of sustainability.

The Diary of Anne Frank: Little Theatre of Savannah

Aristotle once wrote that "Poetry [read drama] was more philosophical than history." This is largely due to the fact that while good drama must, absolutely must, have a coherent storyline, whereas the historical record rests simply on the empirical record. Given these two divergent impulses, it is so rare to find truly effecting, historically-based drama. Either one recounts the epics of bygone days, or one winds up, like Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Project, coming off as preachy.

However, none of this is a concern in terms of the Little Theatre of Savannah's Diary of Anne Frank, presented this fall of 2009 at the Freight Station Theatre. Director Benjamin Wolfe, along with his cast, has brought forth a piece of exquisite sentimentality and understanding that truly brings out the highest potential of community theatre. As we draw in individuals from a variety of backgrounds, as opposed to that monetized epithet "show folk," such a theatre is capable of great work built around a number of viewpoints.

Mr. Wolfe's creation gives an excellent view of life in the Annex for the Franks and Van Daans, who have gone into hiding to escape Nazi persecution. Though almost the entire cast remains onstage for the entirety of the play, they become neither distracting nor dead space. This is a significant accomplishment in a play that contains a high number of two-person scenes. Indeed, if one were to glance about the stage while Anne and Peter chat away in the loft, one will find Mrs. Van Daan knitting, Otto Frank reading a book, and Alfred Dussel enrobing to go to bed. It is a testament to Savannah's best director, and the discipline of his cast, that none of this is an actual distraction, but only adds to the living sense within the annex.

The cast, with it's variety of backgrounds and levels of training, have come together and met the challenge of this work with skill and sensitivity. Sean Carleton, as Peter Van Daan, gawkily demonstrates the effects that first love can have on a boy, while Nicole Pearlman as Anne Frank shows us a vital, energetic girl with a largely indomitable spirit. Also highly worth watching were Laura Mesmer as Petronella Van Daan, Eve Butler as Miep Gies, and Logan Padilla as Alfred Dussel.

Despite the delightful performances listed above, the performance of Jeryo Hannah, as Otto Frank, deserves a moment of special mention. Mr. Hannah depicts the sincere yet harassed benefactor and father of this wayward flock with a brightness of spirit and sincere concern that truly causes one's heart to reach towards him in comfort. If there are weaknesses, they are caulked over in order to keep this particular ship afloat. Though he might overindulge the emotion at the end, and the whole play becomes a diet of anchovies after the Nazis kick in the door, this can easily be understood.

At the end of the day, Little Theatre's Diary of Anne Frank demonstrates just how much community theatre, often maligned for lack of quality or meaning, is capable of. The set, designed by Megan Baptiste-Field, was both elegant and functional, keeping a cramped space outside of the realm of claustrophobia while maintaining the pressure on its contents.

As Mr. Wolfe writes in his director's note, there is a coming together as "one family" required of the theatre community in this city. With the recent fluxes experiences by a number of our performing arts companies, we may need to cling to one another all the tighter to fight a rising tide.

To Kill a Mockingbird: Savannah Cultural Arts

To Kill a Mockingbird, adapted for the stage by Christopher Sergel from the novel by Harper Lee, is a fairly ubiquitous story. Most of the people walking into the theatre knew that they would be witness to Atticus Finch defending Tom Robinson, an African-American man falsely accused of raping a white woman, as seen through the eyes of his children. What many audiences were not expecting as they walked into The Cultural Arts SPACE Theatre, however, was an immersive theatrical experience that would take the story off the page and directly into their laps.

The production, directed by Ellie Pyle, managed to take the hyper-stylized stage play and continue it into the staging. The set for the show, which was brilliantly designed by Amanda Drescher, utilizes every entrance into the theatre at some point at another, and even the doors to the storage space underneath the tech booth were transformed into Arthur "Boo" Radley's house. Even the porches of the Finch and Atkinson houses quickly transformed into a full courtroom set, allowing the production to flow steadily between the two major settings of the story. The costume design by Chann Givens captured the feel of the 1930's without stooping to the normal "aging" process that so many costumes from the period undergo, as if dust from the attic comes pressed into the clothing when it is purchased. The lighting design by Ryan McCurdy ably highlights the nuances of the other design elements, and it also manages to follow the main focus of each scene without being distracting.

Bill DeYoung, who played Atticus Finch, managed to find the calm strength that is so very integral to the iconic figure he was tasked with playing. As Tom Robinson, Stanley M. Simmons managed to portray the innocence of his character with an absolute minimum of posturing and indicating. Most impressive was Bailey Keith, who played Jean Marie "Scout" Finch. While the other two child actors in the show, Matthew Sparks and Charlie Ippolito, playing Jeremy Finch and Charles Baker "Dill" Harris respectively, gave good performances, Ms. Keith simply performed beyond her years. Indeed, I think that many actors twice her age could learn a thing or two from watching her perform. The supporting cast also performed their roles admirably: As Maudie Atkinson, the neighbor-turned-narrator in this version of the script, Cameron Ippolito kept the story moving at the necessary pace, and Eric Kildow, playing Judge Taylor, ruled the court room so realistically that I almost believed that Bob Ewell (Gabriel Ricard) would actually be thrown in jail for contempt.

The show was not without it's problems, however. There were times when the pacing of the show's dialog got a little sluggish, which is a sad tendency in dramas that depict the Great Depression era. A larger problem, however, was that there were times when actors simply could not be heard. While some of this can be blamed on an irregular stage set-up, it simply comes down to the actors needing to work on proper vocal production. But for the most part, the show clips along at a good pace, and the parts that are essential are heard on a consistent basis, so these are really minor concerns.

In lieu of the normal cast biographies, the production's program featured what it called "Perspectives" from each cast member and the director. Reading through them, one sees everything from George Santayana's famous quote "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it" to a mother's joy in performing on the same stage as her son. Each perspective is different, and yet these 17 people came together and formed a single production, which was put on with the expressed goal of bringing about dialog on a very important issue in Savannah. To me, this is the core of what a "Community" Theatre should be. It would be very nice indeed to see more shows with this central idea put forth in the Savannah Area. Recently, Mr. Eric Kildow wrote an article that included my favorite exclamation: "Support Local Awesome!" This production is awesome. It was produced with the Savannah area and its residents in mind at every step of the way. And judging by the sold out crowd opening night, people are supporting it. I sincerely hope that you are among those people.

This Experiment Called A Life in The Arts

Above you will see a clip form an interview with Harold Clurman, and we here at The Savannah Dramaturgy cannot agree more. This voice from our past has particularly cogent things to say to us today, in Savannah.

Our community, our city, stands at the threshold of the potential for great things, dramatically speaking. Times of flux and uncertainty are the precise times that the powerful individuals that we find in a dramatic community can step up. We can be idealists... perhaps Savannah needs a few more schmucks.

And yet, I wonder how much a group of individuals will be able to accomplish without a little bit of discussion and cooperation among themselves. One too many vanity projects, and all one has is a broken mirror, reflecting fragments back to the community. Never underestimate the power of schmucks in large numbers.

Given this, The Savannah Dramaturgy renews its pledge to serve all dramatic outlets in our community. We will try our damndest to start seeing everything, not just a few chosen companies. However, we cannot do this alone, and will need at least some help in this coverage.

Critics in the Blogosphere: Hitting Close to Home

I recently found this piece over at Parabasis while cruising the blogosphere. I felt it particularly pertinent to us here at The Savannah Dramaturgy given the fact that criticism is a big part of what we do here.

However, I would note that he hits completely on the nose regarding Blog Suspicion in terms of much that is done. However, The Savannah Dramaturgy does not exist for the purpose of criticism alone. Critics are, by their nature, disinterested outsiders who give feedback.

This is not the mission of our publication here, as we are, instead, highly interested that our community as a whole flourish. Critical reviews are only worth the time if you think that the figures involved can do better, after all. It is our sincere hope that we may join with thespians in Savannah in order to construct a sustainable dramatic enterprise.

As such, we remain your faithful servants, The Savannah Dramaturgy.

Some More of the Business Model

Recently, I was cruising the blogosphere, and found the following ideas regarding our business model from Chris Ashworth. Aside from churches, it is a simple PRESENCE in the community at large that might be something we consider.

Riddle Me This: One Day of Service?

Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to take a moment to pose a question to the Dramaturgy readers and the Savannah theatrical community in general.

If some form of service project were to be arranged/planned by our editorial staff, might the thespians of Savannah possibly consider signing on to that project to make it more general to the community? I was thinking perhaps a day of work with Habitat for Humanity (we DO have capable carpenters among us, after all) or something with the Park Service.

At the moment, there is nothing solid planned. Yet I am hoping that some of our producing agencies might be willing to sign on and make it a form of collective endeavour.

Some considerations for a Working Model of the Beautiful Process

While recently cruising the blogosphere, I stumbled across a discussion regarding the nature of the dramatic arts, particularly in terms of its relationship to the community.

Over at 99 Seats, there is a discussion comparing theatre to sports in terms of the nature of the activity and relationship to the community, particularly as an economic generator.

However, some very cogent responses are found at the Mission Paradox blog, in the fact that there is a certain fragmentation in theatre that makes things less similar to sports teams and more similar to churches.

Indeed, the tag at the end of Mission Paradox, "Go Serve Somebody," may very well be one of the single best pieces of advice for the advancement of our beautiful process. We, as individuals and institutions, are community trustees and should act accordingly.

Last of the Red Hot Lovers: Little Theatre of of Savannah

It was once written in Time that, "If Broadway ever erects a monument to the patron saint of laughter, Neil Simon would have to be it." And, based upon the Little Theatre of Savannah's recent production of Last of the Red Hot Lovers, this would seem to be a fair enough assessment.

Though Simon is simultaneously considered an award-studded superstar (usually by the general populace) and a cosseted writer of commercially viable fluff, one cannot deny that he is, at the very least prolific. The key is, at this sort of point, to simply accept the work for what it is, a sentimental and unchallenging piece of work that asks little of the audience but to sit back and enjoy.

As such, though one wishes that the Board of Governors had meditated on a slightly more energetic work (particularly given that this piece was done not long ago out at the Savannah Community Theatre), the cast has done a delightful job of spinning these yarns into a light and delicate (if not elegant) lattice of neuroses and sexual repression.

Justin Kent, as nebbish Barney Cashman, is delightful in his numerous abortive attempts to jump on the sexual revolution bandwagon before it is too late. Mr. Kent builds in confidence and attention to detail with each tryst, and one truly does get the idea that he is learning something, even if it isn't what he had originally intended. Elaine Navazio, played by Lynita Spivey, is a stereotypical tough broad from NYC. Given Ms. Spivey's other excellent work in our community (Urinetown and Inspecting Carol to name a couple) it is a shame that she was saddled with a walking cliche of minimal interest. Indeed, this is a problem faced by all three of our ladies, as they are really only ciphers in the transformation of Barney Cashman. Eve Butler, as Bobbi Michele, makes her return to the Savannah boards by building the picture of paranoid, yet compelling, nymph; while Nicole Koplik faces the daunting challenge of playing a depressive prude in a sentimental comedy... while keeping it interesting for nearly forty minutes. Each of these actresses does a fairly remarkable job with the materials given her, it just so happens that the material was woefully short in supply.

Though director Grace Diaz Tootle and he cast have assembled a fairly effective presentation of Mr. Simon's script, the piece is, like much of his early work, weak and one-sided. Given other offerings from the same author (or options for the castable material) it is our sincere hope here at the Savannah Dramaturgy that the Little Theatre's Board of Governors decides to make slightly more interesting choices in the future.

Dearth of Material? We're in Savannah!

With the sudden explosion of dramatic activity and thought taking place here in Savannah, there comes the next logical question: How do we keep it up? The next issue at the heart of the Beautiful Process is also the idea of keeping it up, of sustainability. In the blaze of glory that is the opening of a new company, it is all to tempting to run with all of our dream projects and leave nothing for another day.

Such was what I had rattling around in my head when I stumbled upon this link from MIT. MITs City as Stage, City As Process. And, I thought, how fitting. If we should run out of plays or projects to perform, there is always the option of drawing upon the city itself.

We are fortunate to live in a city as unique and beautiful as this one. Indeed, this is probably one of the primary reasons many of us have decided to remain here as opposed to wandering off to a city with a larger and more lucrative market. Given our particular affection, why should we not express that love while at the same time practicing our art in a way that is mutually beneficial?

Thus, while it can be tempting to remain in our venues, we should endeavour to utilize this whole city as our canvas, our stage. Let us perform our shows, and let us perform Savannah. There are innumerable stories, from those with pathos and grandiose passion to the whimsical and eccentric (just read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil if you're wondering). Let us draw on this source for materials upon whihc to build our theatre. Let us use them as knots to bind ourselves tightly to this community we hold so dear.

The Way Forward

To our esteemed readers, we here at The Savannah Dramaturgy give thanks for your support. Due to a combination of copious production activity, the month of September was our busiest to date, topping out at well over 900 hits for the month and averaging 40 per day.

Our hope is that the Savannah theatre community, along with the arts community more generally, will continue to engage with us. Our goal is not only for the dramaturgy to provide feedback and theoretical underpinnings to what we do here, but also to become a place for conversation, engagement, and advocacy.

Your loyal readership is what will help us move forward and, hopefully, turn this into a self-supporting institution one day.

Hedda Gabler: Armstrong Atlantic State University

EDITORIAL NOTE: The following review was penned at our request by a contributor. In my role as director of AASU's "Hedda", I did not feel it proper to also review said piece. As such, I asked for one and was obliged. I post it here without revision.
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The Armstrong Atlantic State University Masquers open their 2009-2010 season with a bold choice in Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler. It is important to also note that the Masquers are the first University to produce this version since it’s premiere on Broadway early this year. This New York production, adapted by Christopher Shinn, was blasted by New York Times theatre critic Ben Brantley as one of the “worst revivals he has ever, ever seen.” Not having the opportunity to see that production, this reviewer was anxious to see if the reviews were indicative of the new adaptation or that particular production.

The paint is still drying on Armstrong’s new theatre. And in recent months, the Masquers have proven that they are much more technically adept at handling their new space than in the first months in which it opened. The audience is immediately intrigued by the fascinating set design by Megan Baptiste-Field. The set, crafted to resemble a cage, makes a powerful statement to the audience long before the performance begins. Equally effective is the lighting design by Tiffany Barnhart. The cyclorama, clearly visible through the wall’s of Hedda’s ‘cage’, shifts and changes color in such an uneasy and sporadic fashion that one begins to feel they are riding the wave of neurosis along with the play’s central figure.

This play, much like any of the great Shakespearian tragedies, requires the director and the company to have plausible options for the lead actor before announcing auditions. The Masquers held an open call for every role, a bold move indeed. The result: Danni Conti as Hedda Gabler. Ms. Conti, a charming young woman, is a fresh face to the Jenkins theatre stage. On this fact alone, Director Eric Kildow should be commended for introducing a new face to the Masquers stage, which from recent shows looks more like a repertory ensemble than the thriving theatre department in which they have become.

Ms. Conti captures the audience’s attention from the moment she saunters on stage. However, after the audiences have had time to focus in on this production’s central figure, one begins to wonder if less would be more. Throughout this production, Conti often appears that she realizes the daunting role in which she has been cast. Also, at times, Conti’s movements and gestures appear as unmotivated as her character’s manipulative and neurotic behavior.

The rest of the cast acts as an efficient, well-cast ensemble. Perhaps the strongest two performances are delivered by two of the show’s leading men. Jonas Boyd (Judge Brack) and Logan Padilla (Tessman) deliver in nearly every moment. Mr. Boyd finds and delivers the humor in Judge Brack. Although, Boyd should be careful of boundaries and not reach for humor that the script simply doesn’t provide. Padilla is the epitome of Tessman. From his initial moment onstage, one would find it hard to believe that this young actor is a freshman. Hillary Kay has an effective presence as the elderly Miss Tessman. To that end, Ariel Pellman must be commended for her age make-up and costume design.

Director Eric Kildow has made bold choices for this piece. He is to be commended for his work. He also answers my questions about Brantley’s 2009 review. This new adaptation is cleanly written and is easily accessible to a modern audience. The responsibility lies on the shoulders of the director. The Masquers involved in this production could not have a better pair of shoulders on which to rest for this educational experience. That said, the aforementioned notes, while true, must be taken within the context that this work IS done within the educational realm. To see students producing such a powerful play will only make them stronger, more confident and better prepared the next time they take the stage. Which, knowing the Masquers’ busy season, should be very soon.

Artists as Community Trustees

Increasingly, The Savannah Dramaturgy has become increasingly fascinated with the prospect of a thriving, and self-sustaining theatrical community here in Savannah. While we cannot deny that there is a healthy theatre community in this town, it is the idea of sustainability that is the major hurdle.

Quite simply, we need the community to sustain us. We need Savannah and Chatham County to take an interest and pay to see shows, donate funding, and essentially help professional theatre to walk. However, the chances of this happening are minimal unless the theatrical community begins to show a similar level of interest back.

Which brings us to the idea of artists as community trustees. Artists have a vested interests in the overall health of their communities, and yet often seem to exist (or think of themselves as existing) on the fringes of society. All too often, thespians venture out of their venues only enough to sleep, eat, and work their paying job. However, even a small investment in the community could help to pay dividends for the theatre community overall.

When in Texas, we always had one particular consideration when shopping for Summer musicals: How many children can we cast? A single child cast in a show will mean a ticket bought by mom and dad (at least twice each) plus grandma, autie, Uncle Lester, etc etc. When you cast small kids, there is an interest built, an attraction between town and show. It is similar if the artist makes themselves something of a community figure. Imagine if one's coworkers, yoga class, and other contacts from volunteerism can be made interested in the show.

Further, one cannot help but think that enlisting organizational assistance with a show, a sort of co-sponsorship, could also pay dividends. If I recall the Savannah Actor's Theatre's production of Rocky Horror some time ago, there was an idea floated to cooperate with Planned Parenthood on providing prophylactics and information at the lobby/preshow. Though it did not pan out, to do this is to give another entity a vested interest in the health of the performing arts community.

We, as artists, must bridge to our communities. We are entrusted to tell the stories of a people in a way that nobody else can. And yet, people need to be listening. And, sometimes, in order to get people to listen, one has to shut up and do something.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch- The Bay Street Theatre

EDITORIAL NOTE: The following review was penned at our request by a contributor. As much as I had hoped to cover Hedwig myself, my own production responsibilities precluded me from being able to do so. Though I did not see the production, it should be noted that the Editor does heartily endorse the content of the review's final paragraph.

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Hedwig and the Angry Inch could easily be called a one man tour-de-force, but it actually takes quite a few people to pull it off. The stage musical, which most people initially encountered as the 2001 John Cameron Mitchell film, follows the rise and fall of Hedwig from “a slip of a girlyboy living in communist East Berlin” to a glamorous transsexual "a internationally ignored" rock sensation.

Chris Blair is truly phenomenal [as Hedwig]. From his lengthy monologues in which he cracks jokes that have been appropriately updated to fit the time and place to his soaring rock vocals, to his climactic meltdown, it is clear that he is one of the finest musical theatre performers Savannah has to offer. The skill at engaging and responding to his audience that made last year's Rocky Horror Show a success is at its finest here.

But as much as Hedwig really is (as one person put it) "The Chris Blair show, staring Chris Blair" he is backed by an incredibly talented team, most notably Valerie Lavelle as Hedwig's husband,Yitzhak. Ms. Lavelle has always been particularly exceptional at staying present in a scene no matter how often she speaks. She is the rare actor who is always interesting to watch while never actually stealing focus. Her vocals are impressive and the moment she shares with Mr. Blair during "The Long Grift" is truly touching (until she spits in his face).

The Angry Inch band is a delight to listen to and watch react. Ryan McCurdy in particular helps keep up the illusion of spontaneity with his genuine reactions to Mr. Blair's performance (including taking a moment after one joke to put his head down on the keyboard while Chris Stanley patted him uncertainly on the shoulder). His solo during "The Long Grift" lacked the clarity that one usually expects from Mr. McCurdy's wonderful voice but that may have been a fault of the song itself. The pre-show provided by The Angry Inch was great fun, allowing all of the band members a chance to sing and Mr. McCurdy and Mr. Stanley in particular a chance to shine. (A sight not unusual to Club One where Mr. Stanley DJs Karaoke on Tuesday and Wednesday nights).

Travis Coles fits the role of Tommy Gnosis well, though much of what he was actually saying during his reprise of "Wicked Town" was lost. And that is unfortunately the greatest weakness of the show as a whole. The songs sound great and have a great energy but even Mr. Blair occasionally falls victim to the lyrics being more sound than words. Fortunately the story (for the most part) holds up without them, but one has to wonder if we as the audience aren't missing out on something. Whether the fault for this lies in the writing of the music or the production of the sound can be hard to tell. The performers, however, all seem to be giving it their all.

The costumes are pitch perfect and the slides for the most part are used very well. The space is well used, particularly for the "off stage" characters. The one moment of staging that felt contrived involved Ms. Lavelle's Yitzhak playing with a wig and a hand mirror on a table stage left. The symbolism of the wig did become apparent but I kept expecting the wig itself to be used since there really didn't seem to be any reason for it to be there. The director's work should rarely call attention to itself and here Bridget Tunstall has captured the illusion that she simply cast the right people and then stayed out of their way.

Since this was the inaugural event of a new venue and a new company, we here at the Savannah Dramaturgy would be remiss if we did not examine for a moment what this production means for the ever shifting Savannah Theatre scene. The Bay Street Theatre is a wonderful idea, but as good as this production was, as a choice of show it strays no further from the image of the Club One Cabaret than their second theatrical offering, The Rocky Horror Show, which opens at the end of next month. This is not necessarily a problem, but it will be interesting to see what happens when and if the Bay Street Theatre attempts to diversify their productions beyond shows that feature the fabulous Mr. Blair in heels. And it is important to note that these two shows are being produced by separate companies. But the venue itself will eventually have to define what audience it seeks and what it hopes to become.

And for the Pocketbook Naysayers

For all those would-be arts advocates out there:

As opposed to trying to slog through the entirety of Americans for the Arts latest arts impact study, the good folks at the blog createquity.com have not only provided an excellent analysis, but also an effective summary of that analysis.

The analysis can be had here.
The summary can be found here.

Open the Gates!

Recently, while perusing the latest issue of Arts Update from Americans for the Arts, I found this interesting link from an Australian publication known as The Age.

It simply reinforces a great deal of what we have been getting at here at The Savannah Dramaturgy, and thought that it was worth a read. It can be had here.

Banned from the Polis: The Poetic Citizen

If you consider, I said, that when in misfortune we feel a natural hunger and desire to relieve our sorrow by weeping and lamentation, and that this feeling which is kept under control in our own calamities is satisfied and delighted by the poets;--the better nature in each of us, not having been sufficiently trained by reason or habit, allows the sympathetic element to break loose because the sorrow is another's; and the spectator fancies that there can be no disgrace to himself in praising and pitying any one who comes telling him what a good man he is, and making a fuss about his troubles; he thinks that the pleasure is a gain, and why should he be supercilious and lose this and the poem too? Few persons ever reflect, as I should imagine, that from the evil of other men something of evil is communicated to themselves. And so the feeling of sorrow which has gathered strength at the sight of the misfortunes of others is with difficulty repressed in our own.
[...]
And does not the same hold also of the ridiculous? There are jests which you would be ashamed to make yourself, and yet on the comic stage, or indeed in private, when you hear them, you are greatly amused by them, and are not at all disgusted at their unseemliness;--the case of pity is repeated;--there is a principle in human nature which is disposed to raise a laugh, and this which you once restrained by reason, because you were afraid of being thought a buffoon, is now let out again; and having stimulated the risible faculty at the theatre, you are betrayed unconsciously to yourself into playing the comic poet at home.
[...]
And the same may be said of lust and anger and all the other affections, of desire and pain and pleasure, which are held to be inseparable from every action--in all of them poetry feeds and waters the passions instead of drying them up; she lets them rule, although they ought to be controlled, if mankind are ever to increase in happiness and virtue.

--From Plato's Republic Book X (Benjamin Jowett Trans.)

In regards to politics, and the best way of life, there is an ancient quarrel between philosophy and poetry, which thereby leads Plato to banish all such poets from his famous "city in speech." Along with his Symposium, Plato's Republic acknowledges the power that poets (particularly those such as the thespians Aristophanes and Agathon) have over the wills and opinions of their fellow men. Given this power, it should come as no surprise that Socrates sends them packing.

This poses an interesting question in regards to an open and democratic society. If one accepts the argument regarding the powers of the Poet, can one accept a particular segment of society having this level of unaccounted sway over the habits and opinions of others? Indeed, the reasoning of Plato seems to present one of the most dangerous forces in an open society, unless it is properly channeled.

To paraphrase a far more populist American philosopher, Spiderman, there is the idea that with great power comes great responsibility. As such, perhaps it would behoove the artistic community to follow this parabasis put forth by the great comedian Aristophanes:

Never since our poet presented Comedies, has he praised himself upon the stage; but, having been slandered by his enemies amongst the volatile Athenians, accused of scoffing at his country and of insulting the people, to-day he wishes to reply and regain for himself the inconstant Athenians. He maintains that he has done much that is good for you; if you no longer allow yourselves to be too much hoodwinked by strangers or seduced by flattery, if in politics you are no longer the ninnies you once were, it is thanks to him. Formerly, when delegates from other cities wanted to deceive you, they had but to style you, "the people crowned with violets," and, at the word "violets" you at once sat erect on the tips of your bums. Or, if to tickle your vanity, someone spoke of "rich and sleek Athens," in return for that 'sleekness' he would get all, because he spoke of you as he would have of anchovies in oil. In cautioning you against such wiles, the poet has done you great service as well as in forcing you to understand what is really the democratic principle. Thus, the strangers, who came to pay their tributes, wanted to see this great poet, who had dared to speak the truth to Athens. And so far has the fame of his boldness reached that one day the Great King, when questioning the Lacedaemonian delegates, first asked them which of the two rival cities was the superior at sea, and then immediately demanded at which it was that the comic poet directed his biting satire. "Happy that city," he added, "if it listens to his counsel; it will grow in power, and its victory is assured." This is why the Lacedaemonians offer you peace, if you will cede them Aegina; not that they care for the isle, but they wish to rob you of your poet. As for you, never lose him, who will always fight for the cause of justice in his Comedies; he promises you that his precepts will lead you to happiness, though he uses neither flattery, nor bribery, nor intrigue, nor deceit; instead of loading you with praise, he will point you to the better way. I scoff at Cleon's tricks and plotting; honesty and justice shall fight my cause; never will you find me a political poltroon, a prostitute to the highest bidder.

--From Aristophanes The Acharnians

Thus, artists must ask themselves the important question of how should they go about using their influence and gifts. Aristophanes would have one employ them in the pursuit of social justice and the overall good.

Yet this assumes that there is such an entity as the Poetic Citizen, and that there is such a level of authority to be exercised. It elevates the poet or artist somewhat out of the citizenry, enshrining them as something special.

This does not quite seem to mesh with the realities of artistic life. While such might be the case of the cosseted faculty of the Tisch School and their performance art, the more average thespian must actually live within the society they are, at times, charged to protect. Given this, I posit the idea of the citizen poet, who plies his (or her) trade but is heavily affected by the surrounding society. The theatre's reliance on the good graces of the audience to remain not only in business, but also in existence adds new dimension to the Audience/Poet power relationship. As de Tocqueville pointed out, the theatre is highly democratized due to its need for social support.

Thus, to relate this (however tenuously) back to the "Beautiful Process" of Community-based dramaturgy, the citizen poet must be malleable to bring in the audience, only to then turn and give them a dose of what is good in the Aristophanes tradition given the powers that Plato posited. Indeed, coming to a complete understanding of this flexible power differential, may be the most demanding dramaturgical task facing thespians in the 21st century.

The Beautiful Process: Towards a Dramaturgy of Community

In his Letters on the Aesthetic Education of Mankind, Friedrich Schiller once wrote that humans, as higher animals, are capable "of a disinterested and unconditional appreciation of pure semblance." Essentially, one of the things that Schiller points to as the difference between humans and animals is a certain level of aesthetic appreciation.

To paraphrase Denis Dutton's 1990 address to the Russian Institute of Aesthetics, humanity reaches a higher form of being once it becomes more interested in the carved handle to a knife becomes more important than the knife itself and the cutting properties thereof. Indeed, we have only become truly human when were prefer a semblance of the material as opposed tot he gross material world itself.

And yet, particularly when one begins to think about the ramifications of this, one cannot help but begin to shy away from what this is saying. Theatre cannot simply be disinterested in the community around it! Unlike many arts, we not only exist within our surrounding communities but are fully reliant upon them! We must reject Schiller's (and Kant's) notion of disinterested watching and take an active interest in the effects our work have in our cities and towns.

This leads me to posit the idea of a beautiful process, by where our theatrical dramaturgy, our producing organizations, theatres, and thespians begin to actively and aggressively engage with the community in order to accomplish things that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also good in and of themselves.

A recent article in The Review talks about the relationship between the modern theatre and the dramaturg. It can be found here(page 8). I would submit that our theatres should enjoy a similar relationship to what Ms. Kaplan wants dramaturgs to have with their theatres. "I’m here because I have something you need and you have something I want. It’s an honest exchange."

Whether our communities know it or not, we have something they need. We have the transformative power of performance and the incandescent characters of the Western Dramatic tradition. We have stories that can never really die because they are far too ingrained in the collective psyche. On top of that, we tell our stories in a way that cannot be denied.

Let us throw open the doors, let us embrace those outside of them. It goes beyond simple marketing and selling tickets, it is the Beautiful Process of Community-based Dramaturgy.

Staving off the Wolves: The Development of Local Theatre, Even in Times of Trouble

When one turns on the radio or television news, one cannot escape news of the "economic crisis," "the slowdown," or any other euphemism that is being used for the economic troubles currently facing the United States and world at large. And, almost as widespread, are the continual lamentations that the arts have been one of the primary sufferers (see this piece in the Miami Herald: Why the arts matter...)

Bitterness about how entire arts organizations have budgets smaller than particular television celebrities aside, it really is a difficult pill for artists to swallow that that beloved disciplines are on the chopping block. And while it is fairly easy to snark and snipe about banks and investment houses sinking things, responsible artists must also realize that it is incumbent upon an arts community to help support and sustain itself, particularly when times are tough.

The real value of a healthy artistic community, aside from certain demonstrated economic values and upward pressure on a city's Q.O.L. index, is also the opportunity for related civic engagement. Harvard-based political scientist Robert Putnam opined in his book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community that activities such as bowling leauges, community enrichment courses, and (though not mentioned explicitly but hinted at on page 96 of the paperback edition) community-based theatres provide an optimal outlet for civic education and engagement by the average citizen. There is a real opportunity to build social capital in the arts.

Extended through Putnam's arguments are the ideas that there are two forms of such capital: bridging and bonding. The latter is the building of connections between demographically similar people. While this is natural and inevitable, there is also a need for bridging capital, where connections are built between demographically dissimilar people. Huntington further illustrates that these forms actually do build off one another, to the benefit of all. As such, we at the Savannah Dramaturgy cannot help but applaud recent productions such as Savannah Cultural Arts Theatre's production of The Wiz, which spanned demographics while also helping to consecrate a love of musical theatre. We cannot help but think that Dr. Putnam would also approve.

In essence, there is a responsibility on the part of an arts organization to engage with their audience in order to ensure their continued ability to grow. New York University Professor Richard Schechner outlines two different types of audience in his book Performance Theory. The first, and possibly most "normal" audience is the accidental audience. This is a potential audience member who has seen some advertising, or heard about a show, and decides to come and see. The other form is something known as an integral audience, and audience who is, in some form, a part of the event and somewhat compelled or obligated to come. In this case, active coercion is not the case, but instead the fact that the audience in question is integral to the event... they are somehow part of it. Work by our local arts groups should truly focus on cultivating this particular sector of people.

To draw from another discipline, that of historic interpretation, the key is to build a desire for stewardship. Freeman Tilden, in his book Interpreting Our Heritage, writes that interpretation is an art form with an eye towards inspiring a sense of ownership in the casual visitor. Though, in the case of Tilden, he speaks of National Parks, Memorials, and their ilk, the same holds true for our community-based theatres. The establishment of a sense of communal ownership, "This belongs to us and we belong to it," is one very real path to take in times when the dollar is tight.

Perhaps the heart of the matter is best summed up by local actor Darwin Hull in his rallying cry, "Support local awesome." The road runs, in essence, two ways. Support must be local, because otherwise the sense of stewardship can only be felt and exercised in the most abstract of terms. Further, the local product must be of quality (the "awesome" part), and must engage the audience.

Though our sympathies here at The Savannah Dramaturgy are most definitely with those arts organizations struggling to make ends meet, we cannot help but point out that there is obligation on all ends. Comparison, such as that made in the above Herald article, between Ryan Seacrest and a local dance company is, unfortunately, akin to comparing apples with baby goats. Solutions for locally-based groups must be developed locally, whereas Mr. Seacrest or Goldman Sachs simply exists on another plane alotgether.

Support LOCAL Awesome, Create LOCAL Awesome. It can be done, and is probably the best route to success.

EDITORIAL BULLETIN:
Shortly after finishing this editorial, I stumbled across this post on Douglas McLennan's blog, Diacritical. It talks about the importance of community here in the "Attention Economy." The message is much the same, but with a tack more closely related to straight economics.

Urinetown - The Little Theatre of Savannah

With the summer bearing down, how better to spend your evening than with a night of musical splendor? You, ladies and gents, are in luck, because The Little Theatre of Savannah is offering just such an event: Kotis and Hollmann's Urinetown.

Set in a dark future of drought and fear, Urinetown follows both sides of a world where one must pay for the most basic human need: the need to use the bathroom. On one side we have Bobby Strong (Ryan McCurdy), an optimistic young man with a desire to change the world around him. On the other side, we have Caldwell B. Cladwell (Les Taylor), the bigwig in charge of the corporation responsible for charging for the world with the fee to pee. Somewhere in between is Hope Cladwell (Courtney Lane), torn between impressing her father and following her heart.

Right off the bat we are informed that this will not be a "happy musical". This is absolutely true. However, that doesn't mean that Urinetown isn't an incredible show. In fact, it is one of the most entertaining shows that the Little Theatre of Savannah had ever put on. Director Jeffrey DeVincent has shaped a show as disarming and engaging as Savannah has yet seen. The cast is a well-oiled machine, utilizing some of the finest talent that Savannah has to offer.

No one in Urinetown is expendable, but it was hard to take ones eyes off of many of its players. Ryan McCurdy and Courtney Lane have outstanding presence (not to mention singing chops) as the show's young lovers. As Officer Lockstock, Eric Kildow is a magnificent narrator, and his chemistry with fellow Officer Barrel (Darwin Hull) is hysterical. Balancing wonderfully with our narrator as Little Sally is Clare H. Ward. And what musical would be complete without a villain? Les Taylor absolutely steals the show as Caldwell B. Cladwell. Indeed, it is difficult to focus on anyone else when he takes the stage.

Urinetown reminds us that Savannah not only needs fun musicals, but unique ones. And Urinetown fits the bill. The Savannah Dramaturgy can only hope that future productions match it for both talent and memorability.

Out to the Provinces!

At last, at long last, somebody is willing to acknowledge that NYC (and the myth of Broadway) cannot remain the be-all and end-all of the American theatre. In a large and diverse nation such as this, there are numerous communities that also desire and deserve top-notch theatre.

Pursuant to this, the NEA has given a nod to a program started by Scott Walters of UNC-Asheville known as the <100k Project . Though Savannah, with a census count of around 130K, may fall outside the parameters of the project, we at The Savannah Dramaturgy would like to enthusiastically endorse the project as a very good thing indeed.

Click here for a rundown of what the project is about.
Another excellent article regarding the project can be found here.

Psycho Beach Party: Little Theatre of Savannah

Sun! Surf! Tans! Trannies! These are the hallmark's of Charles Busch's ode to camp, Psycho Beach Party. And yet, most of these elements are, quite simply, missing from the Little Theatre of Savannah's production of the above. The unfortunate problem to a show is that it can matter very little how hard one tries, but that if there is not a basic understanding of fundamentals, indeed of what the show is even about, success can hardly be assured.

To begin with, this show lacks one of the most basic hallmarks of Charles Busch's work. Director Jeroy Hannah has managed to put together an entire production without one single whiff of transvestitism, something for which Mr. Busch was well known. Indeed, Busch played the lead role of Chicklet in the inaugural stage production. Yet, one can see very little of this aesthetic in this production.

At the end of the day, one cannot help but feel that the director has, essentially, missed the point of the script in a very fundamental way. Though he writes a lengthy piece on the presence of Malibu in the "national sub-conscious," this only demonstrates all the more that there is a failure in understanding. Psycho Beach Party is a renown homage to the camp style, nothing more and nothing less. And, as Susan Sontag wrote in her essay Notes on Camp that, "Indeed the essence of Camp is its love of the unnatural: of artifice and exaggeration. And Camp is esoteric -- something of a private code, a badge of identity even, among small urban cliques." The key here is the badge of identity, and the semi-ironic enshrining of what might be bad taste. More's the pity, the playing seems to be done as straight as possible.

Unfortunately also, and perhaps due to a basic lack of real leadership, there is no real standout in terms of a cast that is generally wooden, and simply lined up along a single plane. The worst, however, is that there are member of this cast (such as Lariena Brown in The Boyfriend) that have turned in performances of high quality in the past.

Aside from a mildly amusing surfing montage and poor-taste sex joke that literally anyone could sell, there is unfortunately little recommend this production. Indeed, it comes down as proof of the idea that Camp, as an ode to bad taste, can be a great deal of fun when done well... and is punishment for shoplifting throughout the Eastern Bloc when it is done poorly.

... and the Envelope Please.

The results of the Connect Savannah's poll of the Best of Savannah for 2008 are officially in, and we would like to thank the community for the support.

To begin, The Savannah Dramaturgy, was chosen as the runner up for best blog in the city. We would like to thank our readers for the support on this, and hope to improve our services to the theatrical community in order to claim the top spot from Creative Coast next year!

Further, congratulations go to Mr. Benjamin Wolfe, of Armstrong Atlantic State University, for his selection in the "Best Director" category. The competition this year was most certainly stiff, and as such Mr. Wolfe's accomplishment is significant. Word is that he will be teaching theatre to youngsters out on Hilton Head Island, and they will most certainly be well served.

Also up for honours is Ms. Faith Boles with the choice of "Best Actor." Her performances in Midnight Cry, Grease, and Pippin have established her as a strong talent and we hope to see her further. Also, a strong contender was Ryan McCurdy, who came in as runner-up.

But the most significant point is the choice of Shakespeare on Love/Savannah Shakespeare Festival as the "Best Local Theatre Production/Play" and runner up for "Best Festival thats Not St. Patrick's." This is a significant accomplishment, nearly topping two categories and giving the venerable Film Festival a run for its money. This is a real testament to the power and effectiveness of JinHi Soucey Rand's vision and execution that the Shakespeare Festival was able not only to draw together the majority of the city's theatrical community, but that an often complaicent city was willing to sit up and notice it.

And yet, most disturbingly of all, The Savannah Dramaturgy notes that the city's department of Cultural Affairs has not made provision for the continuation of this project. Though we, along with the rest of the world, are willing to admit that economic times are tough, now is not the time to abandon the single most significant theatrical events that our community has undertaken. It is somewhat disturbing to walk about the Cultural Affairs space and note the fairly extravagant level of support visual artists receive (the modern and spacious gallery, effective studio, etc.), along with the fact that visual artists are allowed to sell their work for profit. If I recall correctly, directors working for Cultural Affairs are not allowed to pay their actors. I would ask Eileen Baker and Debra Zumstein, the effective heads of the department overall, why this disparity exists, and why they have turned their backs on something as significant as the 22-year-old Savannah Shakespeare Festival.

We ask you, our readers, to support us and the theatrical community in getting this institution reinstated. Giving up an inch may lead to a dangerously slippery slope.

The Arts/Culture Results can be found here.

Antoinette who? How Does One Really Measure the Value of a Tony?

Recently, while flipping through a copy of ArtsJournal, I recently stumbled across an offering from the St. Paul Pioneer-Press. Penned by their theatre critic Dominic Papatola, the article questioned the relative value of the Antoinette Perry (Tony) Awards outside of the North half of the Eastern Time Zone.

In essence, while there is something to be lauded in the idea of awarding the top-level of theatrical excellence, one should keep in mind that, generally speaking, we are only discussing the plays that appear in one section of the market in a single geographic location. The Antoinette Perry Awards, often thought of as setting the gold standard for theatrical excellence in the United States, is only applicable to Broadway productions. Broadway productions are only available in, you guessed it, New York City. While there is, admittedly, a Tony Award for Best Regional Theatre (in order to allow the American Theatre Wing to acknowledge quality theatres outside NYC) why is it that entire theatres outside of America's "Cultural Capital" are equated to single productions. Why is the Alliance Theatre considered upon the same level as Billy Elliot?

The continued dominance of the Tony Awards is symptomatic of the continued NYC-centric attitudes taken by the American Theatre today. Something that we here at The Savannah Dramaturgy would very much like to break. Along with Scott Walters at Theatre Ideas, we hearilty endorse the idea of moving theatre out of "Rome" and into "The Provinces."

Quite simply, there is absolutely no reason that Savannah cannot sustain quality theatre and the community that goes along with it. So perhaps it is time for a Savannah-based theatrical award, to recognize the best among our community. Quite simply, to echo Papatola, something might win a Tony, but people will go and see it when it travels, regardless. So lets start bringing some things home.

Pippin: Savannah Cultural Arts

It would be an accurate historian indeed who could pinpoint the precise date where Broadway began to turn from traditional, Golden Age-style musicals of Porter and Loesser to the shallow fair of rock operas and Andrew Lloyd Webber. However, it would seem that Pippin, the monumental battle between Stephen Schwartz and Bob Fosse that rivals even Stephen Sondheim in a level of convolution and managed to kill Irene Ryan, was concieved on that very day. Indeed, it seems that continual revisions to the piece have only continually weakened it. Though it is a perennial favourite in community theatre, this can only be because nobody would want it.

And, in many ways, Savannah Cultural Arts Theatre's production of the aforementioned piece is severely limited by a script that is so severely flawed. Regarding its recent revival at the Mark Taper Forum, The New York Times cites the need for a very real, very clear duality in the production of this show. Yet that duality, so essential to understanding a script that has placed all its cards on a single horse, seems to be severely missing from this production. As this is a play about putting on a show (theatre about theatre), the audience needs to see a clear depiction of when we are watching "Pippin: His Life and Times" (the show of the players) and that which is corollary to that. The chorus, or players, are utilized in such an inconsistent way that it is difficult to ascertain precisely what one is looking at in the grand scheme of things, despite some truly beautiful moments. As such, a lack of truly clear delineation and overarching vision combines with a deeply flawwed script. There is a level of surreality possible, but the need for solid craftsmanship becomes all the more pressing in this case.

Savannah Cultural Arts is also not helped in the least by the young man playing the title role of Pippin. Mr. Corey Green plays the role of the player's nightly sacrifice, and aspiringly great prince, with a voice mildly resembling a dialtone and seems to be unable to summon the energy to truly want to become great. There is either a real lack of certainty in this young man (out of which we here at The Savannah Dramaturgy pray he will grow) or he simply "phoned in" this performance to a level that should never be forgiven. In some ways, such an attitude is one of the most dangerous things facing a growing theatrical community, as our institutions largely must have the attitude of "Play or starve."

However, the show is a great deal of fun, particularly thanks to a number of bright points in the cast. Ina Williams, who last swept the community in the Savannah Shakespeare Festival's Shakespeare on Love, is delightful as Catherine, a foot-fetishist widow who has an estate to run and fills Pippin's days with meaningful toil and pregnant moments. Ms. Williams manages to go from gawky and awkward player (who forgets her eyelashes before her big entrance) to a beautified lover who provides a rock to save the soul of Pippin himself. Also worth mention is Gail Byrd in her rendition of Berthe, grandmother of Pippin. Gail, who has turned in effective performances in The Full Monty, 'night Mother, and Catch-22, gives the audience a truly warm depiction of a grandmother giving truly sage advice in the song "No Time At All." Ms. Byrd also manages to balance to prospect of acting at acting while also owning the stage like a seasoned starlet when it is time for the audience participation to end for her big solo.

Particular praise is reserved, however, for Faith Boles as the Leading Player. Ms. Boles turns in a performance that combines the best aspects of a snake-oil salesman and strolling minstrel into a tempting, sexy, and masterful player who is clearly capable of luring cull after cull to their willing damnation. By turns domineering over her unruly charges and beckoning Pippin with the prospect of lasting glory, Ms. Boles stands a good chance of becoming a perenneal favourite of the Savannah stages.

In essence, there is an emasculated and crippled script that needs intensive care in order to try and walk. Though there are bright points, other moments simply limp along through obscurity due to either lack of vision or Mr. Green's lack of enthusiasm. A great deal of fun, but a piece that essentially lives up to its reputation as benign and somewhat emasculated.

Outrage

Theatre, moreso than most other forms of artistic endeavour, is reliant upon its community for support and creative interchange. We here at The Savannah Dramaturgy heartily endorse such interaction, as it truly is the lifeblood of our discipline, not to mention beneficial to the general community.

However, such interaction relies upon good faith from both parties. It has recently come to the attention of The Savannah Dramaturgy that one of our local businesses here cannot be bothered to do this, a truly sad state of affairs.

Theatres spend a goodly deal of money, often money fronted from ticket sales, or charitable contributions, and sometimes out of the artists own pockets, in order to promote and market their shows in order to draw the community. Perhaps one of the most common techniques is the distribution of posters throughout the city to inform the populace about upcoming productions. Posters are not free, are often carefully crafted, and come in finite amounts. Waste is a drain on resources.

As such, when a local business is approached with a request for a poster, the proper thing to do is either display the poster or simply refuse, allowing the artist to take their promotions elsewhere.

However, according to an anonymous source, the new Fuddruckers in downtown Savannah is engaging in wasteful disregard of the above protocols and an outrage on good taste. Evidently, manager Lori Kehoe will accept a poster, promptly to trash it upon the artist's exit. She cites this as retribution for "rude behavior" on the part of artists trying to market their shows. Simple consideration of an already strapped arts community could simply save both parties a bit of face.

As such, The Savannah Dramaturgy would like to call for a general theatrical boycott of the Fuddruckers at 15 W. Broughton Street in Savannah, GA. We encourage the the entirety of the arts community to refrain from giving hard-earned money to a company that refuses engage in a civil manner with us.

Please spread the word to your friends.

... and so, Good Night.

There is a theatrical tradition that a light bulb should be left upon the stage in a theatre, so that the ghosts and spirits may have light by which to perform and rehearse shows of their own. In some ways, individual theatres (as institutions) were linked to their lights in terms of their fortunes.

On the evening of April 29th, 2009, one of Savannah's lights was put out for the last time. With it's revival production of An Apology for the Course and Outcome of Certain Events Delivered by Doctor John Faustus on His Final Evening, Cardinal Rep closed its doors and turned out its light, closing the book on four years of setting benchmarks for quality, artistic achievement, and community involvement. Those four years began, interestingly, with a production of the above.

As a dramaturg, it is often difficult, personally and professionally, when such a light is extinguished. But then the habits of a working lifetime take hold.

Begun in 2005, and performing in any venue they could find, Savannah Actor's Theatre/Cardinal Rep was founded to bridge the gap between a fairly progressive SCAD Department of Media and Performing Arts and a more conservative community theatre. If anything, SAT/CR has succeeded in pushing the envelope and opening new horizons for other theatres in town. Indeed, it seems interesting that SCAD is now resorting to musical revues such as Beehive and dinner-theatre fodder like Lend Me a Tenor while groups like Little Theatre of Savannah explore the wilder side of camp in Psycho Beach Party.

Further, SAT/CR has perhaps come closest to ideals of tribal theatre and communal involvement with production as set out by Scott Walters at Theatre Ideas and endorsed here in the pages of The Savannah Dramaturgy. In the halls of the Freight station during productions such as Catch-22 and The Rocky Horror Show, this author can attest to a real feeling of true collaboration and mutual ownership of the project between all participating artists. This is, in some ways, more a tribute to the collection of people involved in the work than to the institution in and of itself, but what a group.

Further, SAT/CR has set a high standard for quality on a shoestring. This author once had a sign over his desk the read:

We, the willing,
led by the incompetent,
have been doing the impossible
for the ungrateful.

We have done so much,
for so long,
with so little,
that we are now certified to do anything
with nothing.

This is precisely what they have done, sometimes with nothing more than a table, some cans of tuna, and the recycled set from a Little Theatre production. While the SCAD answer seems increasingly to be throwing a chequebook at any problem, SAT/CR made it abundantly clear, with works like Laughing Wild, Doubt, and Pillowman that excellence isn't about depth of pockets, but about depth of character (both on and offstage).

At The Savannah Dramaturgy, we must give credit to Cardinal Rep and Ryan McCurdy for their support of our operations, even when we were less than enthusiastic about some of their productions. Our reviewers were always welcome, and for that, and much else, we are thankful.

Mr. McCurdy, rumour has it, will be departing our environs in fairly short order. We wish him the best of luck, and look forward to his continued success. Because, though we have not always agreed in regards to aesthetics, his achievement has been substantial.

Moonlight & Magnolias - The Little Theatre of Savannah

Every generation seems to believe that they are the doomed ones. That after them, it is all going downhill. That after (or thanks to) their actions, something will be lost. The first thing they often bring up is the arts. How often have we heard that the theatre, an entity that has existed for millennia, is now dead? Though people are not usually so drastic on this take when it comes to film, the consensus of many has become that it is no longer an art form so much as entertainment. The Little Theatre of Savannah's production of Ron Hutchinson's Moonlight & Magnolias offers the comfort of knowing that people have always felt this way, and will perhaps continue to feel this way for eternity.

Set in the office of producer David O. Selznick, Moonlight & Magnolias is a fictional account of five days during which Selznick, writer Ben Hecht, and director Victor Fleming starved, fought, typed and possibly lost their minds. All to create the film adaptation of Gone With The Wind, arguably one of the greatest epics ever brought to the silver screen. Directed admirably by Grace Diaz Tootle, this production is one of the finest I have seen the Little Theatre undertake. Tootle has assembled a brilliant cast, each one suited for his or her character.

As Selznick, Sonny Schneider brings an energy to his performance as a famous producer who has reached the end of his rope, sure that a failure with this film will be the end of his career. Selznick is clearly a man of power, but Schneider also brings with him a sympathy that cannot be denied: Selznick may be a business man, but he has not lost his love for the art to which he has dedicated his life. The chemistry between Schneider and his partners in crime is outstanding. Louis Clausi brings the most humanity to the stage as the idealistic scriptwriter Ben Hecht, who tries desperately to keep Selznick true to his Jewish roots and warns against creating any message of intolerance, seeing dark clouds on the horizon (the year is 1939). As director Victor Fleming, Les Taylor is hilarious as he slips slowly into hysteria. Taylor and Schneider's antics reenacting the book for Hecht's benefit are among the most memorable in the production. Last, but certainly not least, Jennifer Doubleday is absolutely charming as Miss Poppenghul, Selznick's overworked secretary.

In our own lives, exhaustion becomes frustration and frustration becomes hysteria, and it's some comfort to know that this feeling is universal, even in the world of motion pictures, where everything seems to gleam with perfection. Even better is if you can laugh at the manic antics of those involved. The Little Theatre of Savannah is to be commended for an excellent production.

Rock the Vote

Recently, members of the Savannah Theatre Community have issued a call for voters to support the Savannah Shakespeare Festival in Connect Savannah's annual "Best Of Savannah" awards in the category of Best Local theatre Production/Play. We here at The Savannah Dramaturgy would like to echo this sentiment and encourage our readers to also stand on behalf of our resident Shakespeare Festival.

Though there have been numerous quality productions (many frequented and spearheaded by our own staff), the consensus is that Shakespeare on Love best fulfills not only quality requirements, but also inclusion and community involvement.

Not only did this work involve the majority of the Savannah performing arts communty, but it also provided high quality work to the city's public free of charge. The event itself was the epitome of artists working in their community.

Basic information regarding Shakespeare on Love can be found here.

Voting for the Connect Savannah can be found here.

If you could find it in your hearts to also support The Savannah Dramaturgy as the best local blog/blogger... we'd not look unkindly on that either.

Many Thanks

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Savannah Dramaturgy is proud to announce that it received its 500th hit since we began counting back in December. This, interestingly, nearly coincides with our 1 year anniversary, coming up on the 22nd of March.

Many thanks to our readers.

Stimulus and the Arts

It is with dismay that The Savannah Dramaturgy notes that much of the Congressional right-wing find the idea of arts funding something to give them the fits and blind staggers. The arts, evidently, are in no real need of stimulus from the government.

To answer Eric Cantor (R-VA) and Jack Kingston (R-GA) and their charges of "pork-barrel" spending in regards to the arts, The Savannah Dramaturgy has to ask how money to the NEA is any more pork barrel than highways, bridges, or ANY OTHER SPECIAL APPROPRIATION TO ANY OTHER INDUSTRY? To quote Rep. Kingston from the Boston Globe "We have real people out of work right now and putting $50 million in the NEA and pretending that's going to save jobs as opposed to putting $50 million in a road project is disingenuous." This begs the question, then, of why artists aren't "real people."

Assuming that Mr. Kingston is willing to admit that your average artist is a homo sapiens (which, while the vagaries commited by the current leadership of the Republican party are many, denial of this is far-fetched even for them), then one may make the safe assumption that Mr. Kingston is simply not interested in jobs for artists. One might tell such artists to simply "get real jobs." Jobs like, waiting tables or somesuch. And yet, certain bankers have produced no more tangible product than an actor... but nobody tells them to get real jobs.

And herein lies the rub. Harry Hopkins, aid to Franklin Roosevelt, was once asked about the hiring of thousands of artists during the Great Depression. He reportedly said, "Hell, they've got to eat like everyone else." I don't think that artists' dietary requirements have changed, but they are no longer considered professionals. We here at The Savannah Dramaturgy are all trained in our fields, and if our field was anything other than the arts... the concept that we were unable to find gainful employment in our field would be decried as sheer travesty by the right. I guess we simply need to start writing odes to the wisdom of Rush and O'Reilly if we are to get any support.

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead: Cardinal Rep

"We're doomed from the start..." said Christopher Heady to Connect Savannah in the preview article to Cardinal Rep's February 2009 production of Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Though these words are not completely accurate in regards to Cardinal Rep's latest offering, they do hold an uncomfortable level of resonance.

The play, considered by many to be Stoppard's masterwork in a long and substantial career, centers around two benighted characters from the fringe of Shakespeare's masterwork, Hamlet. Originally charged by Claudius to find out Hamlet's intentions, and then to urge him in his past-times... they then find themselves carrying a letter to the King of England orderign Hamlet's execution. The letter is swapped out for one ordering their own execution. Yet throughout all of this, the machinations of the court remain outside of their control and understanding.

And it is here that the primary rub of this production comes into play, the idea of understanding. Mr. Stoppard's existential opus is a difficult and finicky show to pull off. Centered on the two doomed apparats, Rosencrantz (Christopher Soucy) and Guildenstern (Christopher John Heady) never graps what is happening to them. However, when one plays a lack of understanding it is all the more vital that the impression is given that the actors themselves do understand the stakes of their plight, lest the audience cease to care. Unfortunately, it never becomes clear that there is a real grasp of the show's fairly deep meaning.

Mr. Heady, as the generally more enlightened Guildenstern, has unfortunately found himself in a position that plays against his greatest strengths. Unforgetably entertaining and skilled in clowning, as per his performance of Sgt. Towser in Catch-22, he lacks oomph required to carry the "straight-man" in a comic duo. Interestingly, Abbott & Costello split their revenues not 50/50, but instead 60/40... with 60% going to Bud Abbott, the "straight man." Such divisions were considered natural, as it is generally acknowledged to be much harder to find a straight man to properly power a comic duo. And unfortunately, without its straight man, the duo of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern lacks the required dynamism to sustain this long and difficult show.

If the primary duo lacks needed vitality, the Player (Ryan McCurdy) and Tragedians charge the show with Pinteresque menace. Unfortunately, there are times where one finds oneself echoing Rosencrantz's statement of, "Somebody interesting might come on." Mr. McCurdy, resembling Jeroy Hannah charged with electricity and sincerity, makes abundantly clear the futility of a struggle to understand. The Player, backed by his company, who faintly resemble a bad LSD-trip induced by watching a Bill Irwin special, reinforces the existential angst felt by our primary pairing.

The cast, on all counts, performs with gusto and a will to please the audience. Indeed, as the Player points out, that is why such things exist. However, lacking central cohesion, one finds oneself grasping at straws in an attempt to get the jokes.

Despite this, one does find an effective design schema. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's earth-tones might allow them to be mistaken for furniture, but help to set off the almost jarring effect of the player company in Ms. Ariel Pellman's designs. The set, rickety scaffolding, is well used, and the music and sound by Myke Chapman and Ryan Brown help to set the stage well.

All else aside, Ms. Valerie Lavelle is to be congratulated on completing her directorial debut and Cardinal Rep on undertaking a difficult work. To complete Mr. Heady's comment to Connect, "...but we're making the most of our journey and keep going anyway." Perhaps truer words were never spoken. Ms. Lavelle and Cardinal Rep have dared something worthy, and the attempt itself is laudable.

The Full Monty: Armstrong Atlantic State University

It is a story as old as time itself, a man loses his job and decides to take off all his clothes in order to make ends meet. Well, perhaps it is not that old of a story. It is, however, quite the story, and it is this story that the Armstrong Atlantic University Masquers tell in their production of The Full Monty this weekend under the direction of Benjamin Wolfe.

This show is not without some trouble. As with any musical spectacular, it is inherently heavy on technical aspects, which AASU seems to be attempting to cope with gamely. Further, though engaging and moving in his portrayal of Jerry Lukowski, Phil Parham simply lacks the pipes required for much of the difficult vocal work. While there is much to be said for being able to act through a song, yet there are times that the lack becomes glaring.

However, the cast deserves honours for their accomplishment. Jonas Boyd is delightful as the gauche Malcolm and John Martin carries the role of proto-Parkour enthusiast Ethan Girard to new heights. Indeed, each member of the act carries his insecurities on his sleeve in a way to build empathy with the audience without overtly jerking tears. Georgie Lukowski (Med Meadows) and Vicki Nichols (Brittany Brown) almost make their watchers envious of their deep affection for their husbands. Gail Byrd, as hardened pianist Jeanette Burmeister, inspires laughs and acts as the quintessential raissoneur for the budding Chippendales in waiting.

Mr. Wolfe does indeed have a show, and the cast performs with such goodwill that one is willing to overlook many of the flaws. The Full Monty (and full moon if there isn't a bit better timing on the ligth board) is definately worth a look.

Love Letters: Little Theatre of Savannah

Put people at a desk and have them read to the audience. Could be a particularly bad university lecture, could be a revival of the work of Spalding Gray, or it could be The Little Theatre of Savannah's production of A.R. Gurney's Love Letters.

Though The Savannah Dramaturgy may be a touch behind on the coverage for this piece, there are still a number of things that bear stating about this particular evening of theatre. In essence, this production demonstrates the power of a stripped down piece. Two people, and they connect.

Though there were two casts who served on a rotating basis, this reviewer only managed to get in to see the combination of JinHi Soucy Rand and Mark Rand. These two actors have demonstrated, once again, the reason they have been reliably entertaining Savannah audiences under a variety of banners. Mr. Rand performs with the same warmth and charm that made it impossible to believe in his guilt in Cardinal Rep's recent production of Doubt. JinHi embodies the freewheeling spirit of the formerly WASPy artist Melissa to the point that she truly does dance, even while seated.

Though they move little, one thing that the audience cannot help but notice is their ability to react to one another as the turn the pages of the letters. As each letter is turned over (and they are ably read, but not obviously or glaringly so) we watch as Melissa and Andy steadily and gradually age from note-passing elementary schoolers to Senate and psychosis.

Though credited with having a director (Jeroy Hannah, who also played Andy on the alternate nights), this cast hardly needed one, carrying the day with innate grace and the ability to truly listen to one another that must only be born out of deep partnership. Despite a general lack of utility, Mr. Hannah's director's note from the program does manage to use a lot of big words.

Love Letters seems to be following in a rash of smaller, intimate shows from a variety of Savannah theatres. Much like Cardinal Rep's Laughing Wild, this gives us a chance to sit down with some of our talent. Though larger shows (Catch-22 or Wait Until Dark) rpovide opportunities for work, closet shows like this have a capability all their own.

Lets Try It Again: Nederlander to Produce Thriller

Listening to NPR this morning, I nearly ran off the road with the announcement from the Nederlander Organization that they have acquired the Broadway rights to none other than Michael Jackson's Thriller. Yes, that's right... thriller.

Pop music musicals have been tried before, with mixed success. Lennon (John Lennon) and Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash) both flopped quickly with six week runs, Good Vibrations (Beach Boys) managed a full two months, and All Shook Up (Elvis) hung on for a full four months. One could compare this with Abba's Mama Mia, however, and see that there might be some hope for Nederlander.

In essence, the musical will utilize Jackson's music to tell the story of boy meets girl, boy has a big secret (He's a werewolf). The plotline is based off the a short film by the same name originally produced in 2008 in order to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the groundbreaking music video.

Reports hold that Mr. Jackson will be "very involved" in the production. The question of whether this is positive or negative will remain to be seen.

The New York Daily News article on the announcement can be had here.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged): Savannah Cultural Arts Theatre

The works of William Shakespeare, along with certain religious texts, have been perpetual favourites in the race to identify canonical texts. Indeed, some have even pointed to their spiritual transcendancy and nearly sacred nature. But really, they're plays. Good plays, but plays nonetheless.

And it is with just this healthy outlook that the cast of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) approach the writings of the bard and do much to pull down this false altar and dispel some time-worn shibboleths. Though Shakespeare is certainly a talented and important writer, this is no reason to lose one's head, and the cast, under the direction of Ellie Pyle, delivers a cure to this in horse-doctor's doses.

The three-man cast (Ryan McCurdy, Phil Keeling, and Darwin Hull) play exceptionally well together, rendering the works of Shakespeare not only accessible but also immenently enjoyable. Mr. Keeling pontificates on the virtues of the Bard with airs that give even us here at The Savannah Dramaturgy pause, holding forth in a style that not only indicates that he is familiar with Shakespeare, he is familiar enough to hold a little contempt. Mr. Hull, though muddy at times, comes across as enthusiastic and likeable in his attempts to tell these stories. Indeed, carrying such a play (they do, after all, cover the complete works of William Shakespeare) is much akin to a literary clean and jerk, and we look forward to more from Mr. Hull as he builds muscle. Mr. McCurdy delivers a delightfully disturbing performance as almost every single woman from the Shakespearean canon, and is capable of playing the audience with the same skill he brough to bear on his keyboard in Cardinal Rep's productions of The Rocky Horror Show.

These kinetic actors have been yoked (loosely) by the City of Savannah's new Theatre Arts Coordinator, Elizabeth (Ellie) Pyle. In her debut with the City's Cultural Arts theatre, Ms. Pyle seems to have performed a wonder akin to herding fruit bats. Further, by leavening a script originally created in 1987 with fresh popular culture (The Titus Andronicus/Cooking Show segment is translated from Julia Child to Paula Deen, for example), Ms. Pyle manages to keep things fresh.

Though they are to be applauded, the pedant within this author must shake his head slightly at the attitude with which the texts of Shakespeare are treated. In order to truly make fun of something, one must both understand it and love it. It does become obvious, at times, that the cast members are unfamiliar with the material with which they are dealing, and as such their satirical guffawing simply becomes snarky.

The second issue raised by this production has a great deal more to do with society more generally. If I recall correctly, this play is entitled The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). It is not entitled The ALMOST BUT NOT REALLY Complete Works of William Shakespeare. And yet, upon attending this production in its second weekend, this author was most disturbed to find that the treatment of Othello to have been severely truncated and, in some ways, even more severely castrated. In the original script, after a disatrous treatment of "One who loved too well..." with the actor in the guise of a habrour quay, Othello is to be summed in a rap. I found, much to my chagrin, that the rap from the script (which had also been seen in rehearsal by this author) was quite simply gone.

At this point, The Savannah Dramaturgy must ask why this change was made. Evidenced by the fact that the rap had been utilized in rehearsal, along with grapevine discussion in the city's theatrical community, the rap was cut at the behest of the city's officers or bureacrats. Dramaturgically speaking, Othello needed some form of "real" treatment akin to that accorded Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet, or even Anthony and Cleopatra. And yet, it was not afforded such and was instead swept under the rug.

This was, on the part of the city, a cowardly and pandering move. Let us presume, for a moment, that the chief objection to the Othello treatment is based in being racially offensive. For the city to have simply excised the rap, as opposed to allowing the theatrical community to bring it out into the open and then (heavens forbid) actually discuss the content if the audience was offended. By eliminating the rap, the city has denied our community the opportunity to actually deal with such issues should they arise. Instead, a preemptive strike was made and the play suffers. While some might argue that Savannah's tax dollars are not being spent to offend people, The Savannah Dramaturgy counters that they should not be spent to cover up public discourse. It is a true shame that dramaturgical sense was not employed in this decision, and instead there was a mere avoidance of possible contention.