BroadwayWorld.com Houston Stories

Enrollment Now Open at The Wilson School of Acting & Musical Theatre

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:48:08 PST

Theatre, music, fitness and dance lovers of all ages are invited to enjoy a variety of classes at The Wilson School of Acting & Musical Theatre, 100 E. Nasa Rd.1 Suite #55 Webster, Texas 77598. This is an excellent opportunity for both adults and children to get an introduction into dance, theatre, Musical theatre and fitness.

The Wilson School of Acting & Musical Theatre has open enrollment classes in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Modern, Afro- Caribbean, Lyrical/ Contemporary. There are specialized classes, Triple Threat programs that such as Broadway Babies ages 4-6, Wilson's Shooting Starz ages 6-8 and Broadway Bound ages 8-12.

Founded by Bryan-Keyth Wilson, the Wilson School of Acting & Musical Theatre also offers a conservatory program with extensive curriculum tailored for the student who wants rigorous training in musical theatre. The school's mission is train each student and nurture the creative spark that has been ignited. Each student will master essential techniques in acting, singing and dancing. Our philosophy is if you teach, they will learn. "There are many people who believe if you can't do you teach, and I believe this is a myth. I am a teaching artist and I bring my professional theatre experience into the classroom to share with all of my students. We are more than facilitators at The Wilson School we are Teaching Artists," said Bryan-Keyth Wilson.

The Wilson School offers training to performers young and old here in the Houston area. We believe that you can get quality training implemented in New York City studios right here in the Bayou City. We offer an in-depth training process with instruction in Visceral Echo, pedagogy of the acting/vocal instrument and spatial presence and integrating the concepts of voice, speech and movement; this is what we call The Wilson Method. Bryan-Keyth Wilson brings over 12 years of professional theatre and musical theatre experience to the classroom. He is the Artistic Director of The Eklektix Theatre Company, Houston's premier edgy theatre company and he is a published Inspirational author and Playwright.

Each student who completes training at The Wilson School will be prepared to go to college and excel in all areas of dance, theatre and musical theatre. We are dedicated to establishing relationships with our students, parents and community. We believe that every student is a star, and no matter when that star may fall they will be prepared.

The Wilson School brings a unique experience to Houston and the Bay Area residents who seek fitness, dance and specialty classes. Ages, times, and registration fees vary. To read a detailed listing of classes, please see the website at www.thewilsonschool.org. You may also contact The Wilson School direct at 100 East Nasa Parkway Ste. 55 or by phone at (281) 724-1306 and by visiting the website www.TheWilsonSchoolAMT.com

The Houston Symphony League Presents The 38th Annual Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Competition, 5/30-6/1

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:15:49 PST

The 38th annual Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Competition of the Houston Symphony League will take place on Thursday, May 30 and Saturday, June 1 in Stude Concert Hall at Rice University. With artists hailing from as near as the Houston area to as far as Russia, the 10 talented Semi-Finalist musicians will not only compete for a chance to perform with the Houston Symphony but also a coveted monetary prize which has been increased from years' past.

This year, the Gold Medal winner will take home five times the prize amount from last year, having been increased from $5,000 to $25,000, thanks to a generous gift of Symphony patrons John and Tracy Dennis in honor of his grandmother. The entire prize pool that the young artists are competing for will increase from $9,300 to $42,000 in this year's competition. Musicians that travel to the competition will now have their airfare provided by the Symphony's airline sponsor, United Airlines in addition to being hosted by Symphony volunteers, removing the cost and creating a no-risk competition.

On Thursday, May 30, the ten Semi-Finalists, chosen from a pool of 135 applicants ranging from a wide variety of instruments and nationalities, will perform two concertos from memory for a panel of judges in hopes of earning a spot as one of the competition's four finalist positions. The four finalists will then perform one of their concertos again on Saturday, June 1 accompanied by the Houston Symphony in front of a live audience at Stude Concert Hall. The Finals Concert will also be broadcast live on Houston's Classical 91.7 FM. The First Place winner will earn a performance opportunity with the Houston Symphony at the Houston Chronicle Concert on July 13, and the Second Place winner will have the opportunity to perform with the Houston Symphony at a Miller Outdoor Theatre concert on June 29.

The Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Competition has a reputation as being a launch pad for young musicians and their future careers as performing artists. Past winners have gone on to win numerous national and international awards, receive positions throughout orchestras all over the world, and appear with the Houston Symphony as guest artists and members.

BWW Reviews: Main Street Theater's CLOSE UP SPACE is Fantastically Funny Farce

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:50:06 PST

Main Street Theater is closing their excellent 38th season with the wildly entertaining, often hilarious, and deeply moving CLOSE UP SPACE by Molly Smith Metzler. The zany dramady is a Susan Smith Blackburn Prize Finalist and had its world premiere in 2011 in a Manhattan Theatre Club staging at New York City Center Stage I. This premiere production received mixed reviews that all seemed to get too caught up on the idea that the premise isn't entirely original.

The play centers on the troubled relationship between a book editor and his teenage daughter. Behind this common conceit there is a lot of heart, humor, and stirring prose. The characters are extremely exaggerated but still find places in our hearts. The largest strain on the father-daughter relationship is how the duo has dealt with the death of the family's matriarch. The editor, proficient with the English language, comedically is not skilled in the realm of communication. He is often harshly abrupt, over analytical of other's command of the English language, and comes across as cold and distant. The teenage daughter wears her heart on her sleeve and is looking for comfort and understanding. She also has a hard time conveying her desires through the English language because of her young age. Therefore, she becomes fluently proficient in Russian and acts out a series of ridiculous scenarios to garner attention. Molly Smith Metzler's writing is quirky and intellectual, frequently reminding me of some of the best writing on NBC's Frasier.

Direction by Andrew Ruthven is exceptionally crisp and buoyant. The pacing is snappy and perfectly timed to ensure that the audience spends a majority of the evening rolling in the aisles. In the second act, when things become a bit more serious, he deftly coaches his cast to resplendently affect our hearts and resoundingly stir our souls. With every element in the comedic and dramatic aspects of the show perfectly in place and in sync, Andrew Ruthven's direction ensures that the conclusion of the piece is heartwarming and uplifting.

Rutherford Cravens excels in the role of Paul Barrow, the harried Senior Editor at Tandem Books in New York City's Midtown West. The role has echos of Fraiser's Niles Crane and was originated Off-Broadway by David Hyde Pierce. Here, Rutherford Cravens creates a character that is lovable because he is entirely disagreeable and unpleasant. He uproariously opens the play with a sardonic monologue where he rips to shreds the voicemail and e-mail correspondence from the dean at his daughter's expensive boarding school, illustrating how ineffectively and overly constructed the messages are. At one point in the monologue he dourly affirms that as an editor his job is to "emaciate prose and make it obey." The delightful mix of vehement viciousness and pretentious erudition that Rutherford Cravens imbues Paul Barrow with splits our guts time and time again. Yet, behind the virulent but cultivated bookishness façade is an emotionally vulnerable man, and it is how Rutherford Craven subtly exposes the cracks in said façade during Act I before tearing it down in Act II's explosive and compelling climax that make this character and the deeply satisfying arc he traverses resonate with impactful poignancy.

As Steve, David Wald is simply hysterical. He deftly creates a character that is so ridiculously over-the-top and boneheaded that the audience is consistently charmed by his doltish behavior. Every absurd and goofy action is acted with such affable charisma and amiable sincerity that we laugh with abandon as David Wald's Steve steals our hearts. Throughout the production David Wald's genuine and klutzy dunce portrayal had me laughing so hard that tears streamed down my cheeks more than once.

Joanna Hubbard's Harper is superbly riveting. She commands our attention as she emphatically screams at her father in perfectly enunciated Russian and plays with our heartstrings when she explores the emotional depth of her character in English with David Wald's Steve. Joanna Hubbard is stunningly dynamic as Harper, cleverly creating an embellished but realistic and tangible teenager that struggles with her own feelings and thoughts about the strained and more-or-less estranged relationship she has with her father.

Vanessa Finn Adams, skillfully played by Carolyn Johnson, is wonderfully brash, demanding, and filled with dramatic flair. She overly sensationalizes every aspect of her relationship with Rutherford Craven's Paul Barrow, wrapping him around her finger as she thinks she is surreptitiously applying crafty mental vice-clamps in an attempt to control him with her overwrought machinations.

Brittny Bush's Bailey is a true delight as she ebulliently accepts her internship at Tandem Books. She is chipper, youthful, and excited about her unpaid job. At the top of the second act, her characterization is magnificently hilarious due to an amusing progression in the plot. In these moments, Brittny Bush's Bailey is reduced to only speaking in mostly monosyllabic words for immaculately comedic effect.

Ryan McGettigan's Set Design recreates a small New York City office with ease in the performance space. His use of doors is inspired, allowing there to be two different locations in the office that blend seamlessly together for easy scene transitions.

Eric L. marsh's Lighting Design is simplistic and effective. He adeptly bathes the stage in realistic lighting. Lights are effectively and purposefully used to demarcate which part of the office the scenes are occurring in. Also, the colors outside the up stage window masterfully indicate time of day.

Sound Design by Janel J. Badrina effectively uses the chime of an elevator from appropriate locations depending on the location of the scene. It also uses New York City's street noise effectively at the end of the first act. However, my personal favorite aspect of the design was the use of songs by Dave Matthews Band and Melissa Etheridge in the pre-show music.

Costume Design by Macy Lyne is great. She uses clothing that indicates character well. I especially liked the Russian outfit assembled for Joanna Hubbard's Harper.

Main Street Theater's CLOSE UP SPACE is a fantastically funny grammatical farce that explores the language of interpersonal and familial relationships. The whimsical comedy is pristinely tinged with moments of striking emotional clarity and drama, creating a play that is highly amusing and emotionally visceral as well. The show may have gotten mixed reviews in New York, but Main Street Theater's production is so charming and intellectually alluring, that I'm sure Houston audiences will truly love this work and enjoy themselves when experiencing it.

CLOSE UP SPACE runs at Main Street Theater's Rice Village location at 2540 Times Boulevard, Houston through June 16, 2013. For more information and tickets, please visit http://mainstreettheater.com or call (713) 524 - 6706.

Photos by Kaitlyn Walker. Courtesy of Main Street Theater.

Steve (David Wald) and Paul (Rutherford Cravens).

Harper (Joanna Hubbard) and Paul (Rutherford Cravens).

BWW Blog: Paige Faure - A Happy Buzz

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:48:37 PST

My mother in law, Rebecca, and I were talking about this thing we are calling "the post-show happy buzz". It's the palpable energy felt after a musical that keeps you, as the performer, hungry for more even when you're spent. It keeps the audiences coming back with that indescribable "I just love theatre" feeling. It keeps producers investing, marketing, promoting even when it may be risky. It's the silent but mutual agreement that what we are creating, seeing, experiencing is real and connecting us all when it's very easy to feel disconnected. That we can laugh together, confer on topics normally untouched, and shamelessly lavish ourselves in song and dance for the sake of itself. And in this world of joyful theatrical drunkenness, we take all kinds! It's a big ol' open invitation to humanity. I mean, the fact that I was at the doctors office the other day and the quirky consulting physicIan Went from talking to me about the whooping cough vaccine to how much he and his wife are wild about seeing shows should be indication enough. He spoke to me longer about Phantom of the Opera then about my ear infection. (Side note: he also said I was a spitting image for Mindy from "Mork and Mindy". I really don't see it. I did say he was quirky...)

Anywho, its addicting, that "Happy Buzz". Rebecca said she saw it after our final invited dress rehearsal of DROWSY, everyone a-flutter with what we had accomplished and ready for the world to see it. I know I felt it the night we opened and was hob-nobbing with my fellow cast mates at the party afterwards. Sure there were drinks and cake and whatnot, but the pride of putting on the play with no stops, no flubs, and no deer-the-headlights moments was enough to keep us rousing til all hours of the morning. The same energy was felt here in Houston on Thursday night at the opening of Spamalot - I had the pleasure of watching with Henry from the light booth that evening and the happy-go-lucky attitude of the men and women on stage and off was palpable. Henry did NOT make it inside the cast party afterwards, as he has an aversion to...well, most things after 10pm. But we did greet everyone as they went in, all gussied up and ready to celebrate the feat that is getting thru tech and getting to audiences. Its a special accomplishment, whether you are performing at a dinner theater or on Broadway.

We had a blast at Spam - And yes, almost 4-month old Henry DID make it through the whole thing...almost. He loved his fathers Fabio wig (frankly, it made me a little uncomfortable, but only because it looked a little TOO good...where did he learn how to toss those blonde locks to rival Elle Woods?) and he cooed over the dancing girls. He was not a fan of "The Knights who say Ni", with their high pitched squeals and faceless frocks, but those actors shouldn't be too concerned - he just has very exclusive taste. Like most high-brow reviewers, he likes what he likes for reasons unbeknownst to most. For instance - can't get enough of my singing "All That Jazz" to him, but refuses to let "I Dreamed a Dream" happen, ever. Ok Henry - So, don't book Les Mis. Got it.

Back to the buzz - What if every type of business got to celebrate the way we theatre folk do? What if every time a web designer finished a project they got an open bar, a variety of canapés, and a karaoke machine? Or like Ellen Degeneres addresses in her own holy grail of comedy, the HBO special "Here and Now" (Haven't seen it? Go. Now. Watch. Its all on YouTube...), what if we gave an applause for anyone in any profession for whatever they do well? Lets try that for a week, shall we? I will applaud my waitress at dinner tonight and even bestow a standing ovation, should his/her performance meet the standard. It sure feels good, on both sides. I love cheering on my family and friends and am joy-filled when they reciprocate. Spread the love, why don't 'cha? I'm sure your barista will love it.

Anyway, enclosed is Henry's face at intermission of Spamalot, concerned that all the magic had to stop for a pee-break, ("Doesn't everyone wear diapers? Come on, people, stick it out!") followed by his own post-performance buzz-face. I believe his exact words were, "Goo!" Maybe they should change the gag to "The Knights who say Goo"? They'd really bank in on the "Under 1 year" demographic...

Tune in next week for Blog #4: Roadtrip to Kansas City for more Monty Python and a backstage tour!

Eklektix Theatre to Present SPRING AWAKENING in Concert, 5/31 & 6/1

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:26:04 PST

The Eklektix Theatre Company will present a 2-night-only concert staging of the Tony Award-winning Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater rock musical Spring Awakening on May 31 and June 1, 2013 at Houston's Barnevelder Movement Arts Center, 2201 Preston St.

The Eklektix Theatre Company invites qualified Houston-based musical theatre professionals, as well as the surrounding college and university theatre and musical theatre majors to perform in venues throughout the Houston and Galveston area. The concert staging of Spring Awakening is part of its inaugural Broadway Concert Series. Talented musicians from across the Houston area will join with members of The Eklektix Theatre Acting Ensemble for this ground-breaking performance.

The musical is based on the controversial German play (Frühlings Erwachen) Spring Awakening (1891) by Frank Wedekind. It was banned in Germany for some time due to its frank portrayal of abortion, homosexuality, rape, child abuse and suicide. Set in late-19th century Germany, the musical tells the story of teenagers discovering the inner and outer tumult of sexuality. In the musical, alternative rock is employed as part of the folk-infused rock score.

Following its conception in the late 1990s and various workshops, concerts, rewrites and its Off-Broadway debut, the original Broadway production of Spring Awakening opened at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on December 10, 2006. Its cast included Jonathan Groff, Lea Michele and John Gallagher, Jr., whilst its creative team embodied director Michael Mayer and choreographer Bill T. Jones. The original Broadway production won eight Tony Awards, including Tony's for Best Musical, Direction, Book, Score and Featured Actor. The production also garnered four Drama Desk Awards whilst its original cast album received a Grammy Award. "This is truly a piece of American Musical Theatre that will forever be a staple in the theatre community. We were honored to begin our journey in the Houston theatre scene last year with a full production of Spring Awakening. This performance marks our one year anniversary, and we thought it befitting to begin our rocked out summer series with the show that began it all for The Eklektix Theatre Company," said Bryan-Keyth Wilson, Executive Artistic Director.

Cast members include: Devin Whitten, Micheal Lovette, Jacob Kirchoff, Sarah Patterson, Kyle Crawford, Brian Kay, Josh Ochoa, John Forgy, Laurel Smalley, Libby Hart, Melissa Brown, MaryAnn Williams, Stephan Little, Jake Bevill and Robert Pimentel. The creative are Director/ Choreographer by: Bryan-Keyth Wilson, Asst. Director Bobby Hewitt, Music Director Eduardo Guzman and Stage Manager Tomas Torres. This summer you can also catch productions of Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show and RENT, the rock musical that changed a generation.

Tickets can be purchased at www.EklektixTheatre.org or call 713-876-3222 for more information.

CLOSE UP SPACE Comes to Main Street Theater, Now thru 6/16

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:30:00 PST

Close Up Space by Molly Smith Metzler will make its regional premiere at Main Street Theater - Rice Village (2540 Times Blvd., Houston, TX), directed by Andrew Ruthven. The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize Finalist play will run tonight, May 23 - June 16, 2013 (Previews: May 18, 19, and 22), Thursdays at 7:30pm; Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00pm; Sundays at 3:00pm.

Powerful literary editor Paul Barrow fights a losing battle against the lowering of linguistic standards instead of helping his daughter Harper deal with the death of her mother. But when Harper shows up at her father's office speaking only in Russian and carrying a cooler full of snow and a boom box blasting an ethnically appropriate soundtrack, the rules of engagement CHANGE! A comical and poignant new play about how hard it can be to communicate... in any language. Recommended for audiences 18 and up.

Post-show Discussion Series: June 2 and 16 following the matinee.

Tickets start at $20 (previews $10). Discounts available for students, seniors, and groups, and Advance Rush Tickets (ART Discount - use code ART online or call 713-524-6706, and mention the ART Discount to get 30% off regular performances; valid through May 23, 2013). Advance tickets for ALL Main Street Theater Productions, on sale at the Main Street Theater Box Office: Main Street Theater - Rice Village, 2540 Times Blvd., Houston, TX. Information & Charge by Phone: 713.524.6706. Charge Online: mainstreettheater.com (Credit Cards: VISA, MC, AMEX, DISC).

For more information, visit MainStreetTheater.com.

Pictured: Steve (David Wald) and his boss Paul (Rutherford Cravens). Photo by Kaitlyn Walker.

SCOOBY-DOO LIVE! MUSICAL MYSTERIES Comes to Houston, 6/1 & 2

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:54:49 PST

Featuring everyone's favorite characters from one of television's longest-running animated series, SCOOBY-DOO LIVE! MUSICAL MYSTERIES is coming to Houston's Jones Hall on Saturday, June 1, at 2 & 6 p.m., presented by Society for the Performing Arts.

In this exciting new production, Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. Gang have been called upon to help solve an epic mystery. A trouble-making ghost is haunting a local theater and Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo are on their way in the Mystery Machine to crack the case. With crazy ghosts, perplexing puzzles and an abundance of Scooby Snacks, it's Scooby-Doo and friends at their best, travelling across the country, solving mysteries wherever they go.

The ghost-busting Mystery Inc. Gang includes Garrett Lewis Dill as Shaggy, Michele Dumoulin as Velma, Noah Michael Fish as Fred, Melissa Rapelje as Daphne and Cody Collier as the lovable Scooby-Doo. Rounding out the cast are Molly Bier, Matt Gregario, Houston native Derrian Tolden and Ryan Stutz.

SCOOBY-DOO LIVE! MUSICAL MYSTERIES features big musical numbers, including the popular Scooby-Doo theme song "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?" alongside original groovy tunes such as "Round Every Corner" and "We're Mystery Inc." Filled with wacky new characters and uproarious antics, SCOOBY-DOO LIVE! MUSICAL MYSTERIES has young audiences on the edge of their seats in traditional Scooby-Doo fashion from the moment the lights go down.

The North American tour of SCOOBY-DOO LIVE! MUSICAL MYSTERIES reunites the Australian tour's creative team: writer and director Theresa Borg, composer Craig Bryant, and choreographer Katie Ditchburn. This team was also responsible for the recent tour of Sesame Street Presents Elmo's World Tour.

For information on the SCOOBY-DOO LIVE! MUSICAL MYSTERIES tour visit www.scoobydoolive.com or www.facebook.com/scoobydoolivemusicalmysteries.

Tickets range from $18-$73 and can be purchased online at www.spahouston.org, by phone at 713-227-4772 or at the courtyard level ticket office at Jones Hall located at 615 Louisiana St. Hours of operation: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday - Friday,10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday. For groups of 15 or more call 713-632-8113.

A. D. Players Begins Regional Premiere of Historical Drama MALCOLM AND TERESA Tonight

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:30:00 PST

A. D. Players will present the regional premiere of the historical drama Malcolm and Teresa by Cathal Gallagher, previewing tonight, May 22 and 23rd, opening on May 24 and running through June 23.

Malcolm and Teresa had its World Premiere at Historic Hoover Theater in San Jose in 2009, and was presented by Quo Vadis Theater Company.

"The play intrigues me because it focuses primarily on relationships being more effective at impacting others than "systems" are," said Director Katharine Hatcher. "The relationship Mother Teresa had with Jesus and with those she served was transformative as was her relationship with Malcolm Muggeridge."

Malcolm and Teresa tells the true story of BBC Reporter Malcolm Muggeridge, who showed the world the truth of man's evils, and his interviews with Mother Teresa, who showed him the truth of God's love. A staunch supporter of the then new Soviet political system in the 30's, Muggeridge eagerly set out to report from the Soviet Union, only to find that millions were starving in the Ukraine. When he later interviewed a then-unknown Mother Teresa, her way of serving the poor opened his and the world's eyes.

The cast of Malcolm and Teresa includes resident actors Marty Blair (Sherlock Holmes: the final adventure; Charley's Aunt; The Beams Are Creaking) as Malcolm Muggeridge, Christy Watkins (The First Church of Texaco; The Little Foxes; Steel Magnolias) as Kitty Muggeridge, Patty Tuel Bailey (Charley's Aunt; Emma; Steel Magnolias) as Beatrice Webb, Craig Griffin (The First Church of Texaco; Sanders Family Christmas; Sherlock Holmes: the final adventure) as Alec Vidler, Blake Weir (The First Church of Texaco; Sherlock Holmes: the final adventure; Charley's Aunt) as Terry Shaler, Ric Hodgin (Charley's Aunt; The Beams Are Creaking; Emma) as Doctor Rosen, and guest artist Vicky McCormick as Mother Teresa.

Malcolm and Teresa features scenic and lighting design by Mark A. Lewis, properties design by Trisha Wise, and costume design by Patty Tuel Bailey.

Malcolm and Teresa is directed by A. D. Players company member and resident actor Katharine Hatcher and assisted by Christy Watkins.

Tickets to Malcolm and Teresa may be purchased online at www.adplayers.org, at A. D. Players' Box Office, 2710 W. Alabama, or by calling 713-526-2721. Ticket prices are: Previews: $15; Wednesday - Sunday: $32 - $41. Group, student, and senior discounts are available.

Photo Credit: Bara Photography

BWW Reviews: Country Playhouse's SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION is Wooden but Interesting

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:45:16 PST

There is always a certain electric buzz that seems to surround any production of a show with a recognizable title. Some people will research the origin of the show, and with John Guare's SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, they'll find that Frigyes Karinthy, a Hungarian author, playwright, poet, journalist, and translator was the first proponent of the theory that everyone is connected to everyone else by six or fewer degrees of separation. He examined this in his 1929 short story, "Chains" (Láncszemek). This very theory was popularized by the 1990 play and 1993 film adaption of SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION. People might remember that following the success of the play and the film, while watching FOOTLOOSE, students at Albright College created the game "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon." Those people will recall how everyone in the 90s was figuring out how every actor and actress was connected to Kevin Bacon through their work in film and commercials. Elements such as these build anticipation for productions of shows with mane recognition.

John Guare's SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION is loosely based on the real-life story of David Hampton, a con man that convinced a number of people he was the son of Sidney Poitier in the 1980s. In the play, a young black man named Paul arrives at the sumptuous home of Flan Kittredge, an art dealer, and his wife Ouisa. Paul is hurt from an attempted mugging and claims to be friends with the Kittredge children. Paul charms the Kittredges and promises to get them cast in his father's, Sidney Portier's, film adaptation of the Broadway musical CATS because of their hospitality. But it doesn't stop there; the lies and deceptions continue to multiply as the plot progresses. Twists in the plot are added with every scene and conflict the motives of each character.

Direction by Jim Tommaney plays significant service to the theme of imagination and the power it has over the human condition. Unfortunately, this zealous adherence to this one thematic element negatively affects the ability for the audience to have any sincere emotional connections to the characters in Paul Guare's accomplished and acclaimed work. Dynamics, subtle or otherwise, are hardly present in the production, causing each of the many characters in the work to come across as stagnant or wooden. The audience I saw the show with began shifting and fidgeting with boredom and discomfort after the repetition of the opening moment about 30 minutes into the play. In this production, the constant breaking of the 4th wall to narrate the plot makes the play feel more like an illustrated lecture than a play. It also puts an uncomfortable distance between the audience and the story, which does not allow us to be drawn into the production. Moreover, there is only one slight emotional arc that any character seems to traverse in the production, and it really doesn't become apparent until it's almost too late. As Ouisa delivers her famous climatic monologue over the phone to Paul, the tendrils of emotional breadth begin to spread and take hold. The audience becomes truly engaged by the production for the first time, and the play ends shortly thereafter.

Renata Smith plays the pivotal Ouisa Kittredge with charm and grace. She adopts and pristinely uses the upper class accent of the New England old money rich, building her back-story for the audience. Renata Smith's Ouisa is warm, especially when beguiled by Paul. However, it is not until Paul calls the apartment towards the end of the play that the audience even gets a glimpse into how fond she is of her former houseguest. The jump from fear, disdain, and confusion the night they threw him out to tender concern and care is puzzlingly abrupt.

As Paul, Christopher St. Mary capably illustrates how he won over the Kittredges with charisma and a great smile. As the play explores his motivations for conning people, the character becomes developed to a degree. However, the audience misses the meat behind his actions.

Playing Flan Kittredge, Brian Heaton excels at showcasing the materialism that accompanies our stereotyped notions of the rich. The show opens with his wife in hysterics and all he can do is check that artifacts from his art collection are present. Likewise, throughout the play, he is more concerned with the Paul Cézanne painting in the auction and his own Wassily Kandinsky painting to notice anything that really happens around him.

Kitty and Larkin, played by Yvonne Owen Nelson and Sam Stengler, are an amiable and affable moneyed couple. They too were duped by Peter, but are less savvy and aware than the Kittredges.

Lee Honeycutt's Doctor Fine is easily persuaded by Paul and becomes outraged as soon as he realizes he has been so effortlessly tricked.

Jenny Ruess as Tess, Austin Allie as Woody, Caleb Batchman as Ben, and Steve Kelley as Doug portray the spoiled and seemingly unloved kids of the rich parents. They're all angst-ridden and angry.

As Trent Conway, Logan Varden creates a character that touches audiences with his devotional love for Paul. While hardly on stage for more than five minutes, he brings life to the role, begging Paul not to leave him.

Kaylin Zeren and Jose Rivera skillfully play the young couple from Utah, Elizabeth and Rick. In their brief moments on stage the play became engrossing and stirring. The audience is fully enraptured and fascinated in their struggles and feels for them as they get lost in Paul's scams. When I saw the show, Kaylin Zeren and Jose Rivera hands down gave the best performances in the entire production.

Geoffrey, played by Carl Masterson, is the owner of South African gold mines serves as an intriguing dinner guest with an interest in art.

Roy Hamlin's Detective, Mark Reyes' Doorman, and Ignatius "Iggy" Nguyen's Hustler are all business. Each character is relegated only to their job title.

Set Design by Jim Tommaney plays into the notion of imagination with his pop-up book like design. The living room of the Kittredge household is rather realistic, but outside the windows are painted silhouette flats that represent the trees of Central Park and the skyline of New York City.

Light Design by Cameron Cooper is simplistic and cleverly uses spot lights to differentiate locations outside of the Kittredge apartment.

Costume Design by Deborah Blake does a good job differentiating levels of wealth for the cast. Some choices look rather modern for a play that would be set in late 80s.

Joshua Mishler's Sound Design uses traffic sounds on 5th avenue for great effect. His preshow music and curtain call song utilizes recognizable anthems like "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay for rousing effect.

The Country Playhouse's production of SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, even with the flaws discussed, is interesting but flat. The complex script was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1990, but this production is too simplistic, choosing to only highlight one theme, to showcase why the writing earned such laudatory praise.

SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION runs on the Cerwinske stage at the Country Playhouse through May 25, 2013. For more information and tickets, please visit http://www.countryplayhouse.org or call (713) 467 - 4497.

Photos courtesy of the Country Playhouse.

Renata Smith and Brian Heaton enjoy an anecdote from Chistopher St. Mary (seated).

Renata Smith and Brian Heaton.

BWW Interviews: Deborah Boily Talks Cabaret, Career, and Concert

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:55:22 PST

Deborah Boily is preparing for her cabaret performance of DEBORAH BOILY - ONE NIGHT ONLY. DEBORAH BOILY SOLO is a celebration of her career and the 10-year anniversary of her live album THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC. At the cabaret she will sing songs off of her albums THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC and THE SONG REMEMBERS WHEN. Deborah Boily will also showcase her theatrical side with a set entitled "Roles I Never Got to Play." Despite her busy schedule preparing this thrilling night of entertaining song, she carved out a few minutes to sit down with me and discuss her career and her upcoming June 1st cabaret show at Ovations.

Me: How did you first get involved in theatre, and when did you know you wanted to perform as a profession?

Deborah Boily: I'm going to tell my whole story at the show, but when I was eleven years old, my dad came home with a Hi-Fi, which in those days was nothing more than a record player on legs. (Laughs) And about five albums of Broadway musicals. When I started listening to those musicals, it just felt like that was something I wanted to do. That never changed, so I guess you can say when I was eleven. That's not when I got involved in theatre, but that's when I made the decision that I wanted to perform.

The Broadway music just appealed to me so much. I found myself fantasizing that I was performing these characters in the play. At one point, I took that same Hi-Fi into my bedroom. I would decide what album I wanted to listen to, and I would just play it over and over and over and over again. I did that with THE FANTASTICKS. Oh my God! I saw a production of that as a junior in high school, got the album, and then I just listened to it. I was completely obsessed by it. I just knew that was what I wanted to do.

Then, I actually got involved in theatre in high school, and in college more actively. I majored in music and changed my major from music to drama. In music school, in those days, you could not major in musical theatre. You had to study classical music. And that was just never going to be me, so I changed my major to theatre.

And professionally, I guess you could say, I became a professional in 1976. That's when I got my equity card.

Me: When did you transition from performing in theatre to being a cabaret singer? What was this transition like?

Deborah Boily: In 1990 I wrote my first little show. I had always been drawn to really intimate theatre and little shows. They always came to my attention. I was interested in that form of theatre, art, and performing for a very long time. But when I decided to write my first show, I decided that I should probably try to get it into some cabaret rooms. The first show I wrote was called, I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE FRENCH. I premiered it here in town at Ovations and some other little theaters here in town. Then, I went to New York and tried it out. I even went to Canada, to the fringe festivals, and did it there. That was my start in cabaret.

Me: You lived and performed in both Paris and London. What were those experiences like?

Deborah Boily: Yeah, you know, it was like Charles Dickens said, "It was the best of times, and the worst of times." (Laughs) I was full of fear. It was scary as hell. I was leaving America, leaving home, to pursue a dream. Yes, I knew Paris pretty well, and I spoke the language to some degree, but it was distressing going to a foreign place. I knew a few people I could depend on, but I didn't know that many people.

I did get to perform, especially in London. In London, I performed at every cabaret room in town. But the reason I left Paris was because I realized that what I do is not something that the French wanted. At the time-well, they still are-very much into Jazz. They were really in love with the Jazz singers, and that was never going to be me. I realized in order to get to do what I really loved to do it wasn't going to happen there, which is ironic because my going there to sing French music went 180 degrees. They didn't want to hear an American do French music. They wanted to hear Americans do what Americans are known for, which is Blues and Jazz. That's why I decided if I really wanted to stick with performing cabaret, I was going to have to try London, which I did.

Me: At your June 1st concert, you'll be performing a set entitled "Roles I Never Got to Play." What was your inspiration for this set?

Deborah Boily: Well, I like to come up with interesting ways to broach a subject. It's easy enough to just go "Oh, let's do a Broadway show." I sing on a lot of very small, high-end ships, so I have to create a lot of shows for them. And I didn't just want to do a show called "Broadway." It's just too normal and too predictable. So, years ago I came with the title of "Roles I Never Got to Play" because that has been a big factor in my life. I never really fit one particular mold. I was always an ingénue looking kid and an ingénue looking woman with an Alto kind of voice and a character personality, so I was very hard to cast. There were many many roles that I did not get cast in but would have loved to sung that music. So, as a cabaret singer, what's wonderful is that you can sing that music because you can put it in any key you want. You can sing any role you want, even if it's a man's role. And you can sing a character of any age. You just make it your own! "Roles I Never Got to Play" is based on a lot of truth, and I'll be telling those stories on stage in the show.

Me: Without giving away too much, what songs can your audience expect to hear during this set?

Deborah Boily: Well, you're going to hear some Rogers and Hammerstein because those were my very first influences. I'm going to do "I Have Dreamed," which is a song from THE KING AND I. It's usually done very quickly and very unthrillingly in any production I have seen, and it's a shame. That song is gorgeous, and it's full of emotional connection. I've found an arrangement, which was originally done by Nancy LaMott, who was one of my idol cabaret singers. She died back in the mid-90s, at a very early age, of ovarian cancer. Her arrangement, done by Christopher Marlowe, is an arrangement I have cherished and loved for years. I'm going to do that.

I'm going to sing a song called "Alto's Lament," which seems like it could have been written for me. It's about an Alto who always wants to do the Soprano part, and she never gets to. That was written by Zina Goldrich and Marcy Heisler. It's not from a show. It's a novelty song. But, they're two women who write together for the theatre and for cabaret.

And then, I'm going to probably end that section with a really beautiful song, written, surprisingly enough, by the two men from ABBA. Not too many people realize they wrote a musical. They kind of wrote CHESS with Tim Rice, but after that they wrote a musical, which debuted in Malmö, Sweden in 1995 called KRISTINA FRÅN DUVEMÅLA. It's an epic epic musical about a young married couple who leaves Sweden in the 1800s because of famine. They come over to the United States, which is what a lot of Scandinavians did. That's why there's so many people of Scandinavian heritage in the Upper-Midwest. They survived the six or four month voyage by sea, they survived Indian attacks, they survived Small Pox, and all kinds of stuff. At one point in the show she has a very big crisis of faith. You can imagine why, after all of that. And she sings a song called "You Have to Be There." It was translated a few years ago by Björn Ulvaeus and Herbert Kretzmer. I think in anticipation that it would eventually be done on Broadway. It is just an incredibly dramatic and beautiful song. She's asking God if he's there. Actually, she's saying, "You have to be there. I just don't know what I'm going to do. After all these years of counting on you, you really don't exist." So that's just a little bit of a teaser of what I'm going to be doing.

Me: You'll also be performing songs off of your CDs THE SONG REMEMBERS WHEN and THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC. How did you select what numbers to perform off of these albums?

Deborah Boily: The album THE SONG REMEMBERS WHEN is actually named after a country song sung by Trisha Yearwood. I love the story in it. I'm really an actress who sings. That's truly what I am. I love stories. And all of the songs on that album really were telling the story of my adventures to Paris and moving to a foreign country. THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC is the one I recorded ten years ago. I can't believe it's been ten years.

But, a lot of what we're going to do is what Jerry [Atwood] already knows. Jerry is a piano player who plays by ear. He can read very, very slightly, but that's not his strong suit. So, I have to give him music either on YouTube or an MP3 for him to learn it. So, that's really going to dictate-he does know quite a lot of music from both of those albums, and we'll probably be doing "Thank You for the Music," "Asking," and the 60s medley, which I don't do very much.

The premise for THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC was that great standards were written in every era and every decade, not just the 40s. After Cole Porter, George Gershwin, and all those people. So, the joke is that there is a whole plethora of music that was written in the 60s that was just so intelligent and so genius, and then we do "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini," "Witch Doctor," and all that stuff. So, we're probably going to try to resurrect that, which is really cute.

Me: What's the difference between preparing for a musical and a cabaret?

Deborah Boily: For one thing, a musical is already written for you. You've got your script and you know what it is that you're going to have to sing and say. Cabaret shows, you have to start from scratch. You have to come up with an idea, a concept, and something you want to talk about.

I think THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC was a great example. Everybody's always saying that the best music was written by Cole Porter and George Gershwin. I'm not disputing that at all, but people don't get to hear the stuff written today. They don't really think about the wonderful composers that are around or that have been around other than those guys.

I originally called the show, I'VE GOT MY STANDARDS. Then we came across the song, "Thank You for the Music," which I had already heard years ago, but we just sort of came across it again. I thought, "Ah! You know I could do the show with 'Thank You for the Music.' That might be a good idea. And I could use it as the title." The singing is then presenting the hypothesis that this wonderful music is written in every decade, and then going about proving that.

So, once you've got your show's concept, then you have to go about researching music. It's not always easy to find the songs you want. You have to research it and track down how you can get the music. I've had to track down people in the oddest places trying to get music they'd written. Then you put it in the right key. And then you have to publicize. The amount of work that goes into a cabaret show will never show up in that one or two hours on stage. People haven't got the slightest idea of just how much time, energy, and passion-passion is the number one driving point-that it takes in order to do an intelligent, sophisticated, and really worth while show. It really takes a lot. And I'm really ambitious. I don't want to just slough off a bunch of songs and pretend that it's great. I can't do that. I just can't. I put a lot of thought into what I'm doing.

Me: You also teach performance skills. What are the most rewarding aspects of teaching?

Deborah Boily: Well, for me, what I love to work with people on is getting them to understand the importance of connecting with their audience. Getting to get them to understand how much they have to connect with the song and to realize that they are a storyteller, an actor, and a character in this three-minute monologue. It just happens to be put to music. But they are acting a story.

I'm not someone who loves to teach technique. I can, and I'm quite capable and able to do it. And I do have what I consider healthy technique when I sing, but it's not what thrills me. What thrills me is to get people involved in the story of the song and to realize that when they get completely in the moment and honest about being in that moment, they will be able to hear a pin drop in that room.

Me: What advice would you offer to others hoping to make a career as a performer?

Deborah Boily: I would say follow your inner voices and go for it. Just do it. An old man told me years ago, when I was making all these radical changes in my life, he said, "You know, when you're old an dying, you'll never regret what you did."

If you don't want to regret missing DEBORAH BOILY - ONE NIGHT ONLY at Ovations Night Club, 2536 Times Boulevard, Houston you can purchase advance tickets for $25 at https://buy.ticketstothecity.com/purchase.php?event_id=2258.

Photo Courtesy of Deborah Boily.