CYGNET’S “THE LEHMAN TRILOGY” IS A MASTERPIECE IN PERFECTION

Cygnet Theatre in Liberty Station is staging “The Lehman Trilogy” by Stefano Power, adapted by Ben Power and meticulously directed by Kim Strassburger. “The Lehman Trilogy” has been produced in many theatres and country’s far and wide, but this reviewer cannot imagine it being as fine a work as is being done at Cygnet’s Dottie Studio Theatre. 

The play is a living, breathing rhythmic tale or ode, if you will, as told by three actors, Jacob Caltrider, Steven Lone and Bruce Turk,  playing no less than 70+ characters spanning over 160 years, who not only tell their story but are the story.  To do this the audience must give itself over three hours to watch it unfold. 

‘Trilogy’ winds through the  historical timeline of a  family of Jewish immigrants from eastern Europe specifically Bavaria in search of the American Dream. 

Bruce Turk  as Henry Lehman

The first brother to step foot on American soil is the eldest, Henry (Bruce Turk). He settles in Alabama and opens, what we might call now, a dry goods store; bolts of fabric, nick -knacks, sundry’s and determination. He is followed by Emanuel (Steven Lone), a go getter and finally, the third is Mayer (Jacob Caltrider). Henry is referred to as the ‘head’ Emanuel, ‘the arm’, holding things together and Mayer, the ‘potato’  because of his smooth skinned face and the fact that he can smooth disagreements over. 

Steven Lone as Emanuel

Over the years the three will eventually change the way America does business, run the Stock Market, own cotton mills, plantations, tobacco farms, munitions factories, face fires in the south, live through the  Civil War, the crashing market,  and will rebuild. They will sit on boards of major industries, marry into wealth have children, train the next generation, observe their Jewish traditions until it is no longer acceptable in the world they built. 

Jacob Caltrider as Mayer Lehman

“The Lehman Trilogy” is about family honor. It’s  about a legacy to pass to our children. It’s a history lesson. It’s about greed /love /passion/ loss. It’s about ambition and how it can break a family just as much as it can build a family.  It is about so much more, and as this epic unfolds, it is told with bravado, boldness and panache. 

Bruce Turl, Jacob Caltrider and Steven Lone

To that end the three actors so perfectly match their character or the character they might be at the time, with easy transition, subtle movements, facial expressions, on a table, with an umbrella, at a board meeting, making their first business sign, on a box or a stack of boxes or while moving about the stage and still keeping to their own parameters in the Black Box Theatre.

Keeping this balance, director Kim Strassburger has managed to bring to the fore the discipline, humor, precise movements without flaw. No doubt she is captain of her ship and it serves her well. Brava!

Steven Lone, Jacob Caltrider and Bruce Turk

Props (Bonnie Durbin) are at a minimum; three tables, three chairs, about five or six storage boxes that can be moved or used as needed, a cigarette lighter, a blanket. 

Matthew Herman’s set design is simple lit by Sammy Webster’s LED lights overhead, blaring spot lights emphasizing, and softer ones often less blinding. 

Blake McCarty’s projections circle the rectangle stage with images of New York skyline, The Stock Market, fires raging. Jeanne Rieth designed the turn of the century costumes. 

George Ye designed the sound scape. 

Todd Salovey acted as the cultural consultant and Vanessa Dinning, the dialect consultant.

Mazal Tov to the entire cast and crew. 

Enjoy.

See you at the theatre. 

  

When:  Runs through April 26. 7 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, 1 and 7 p.m. Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays

Where: Cygnet Theatre’s Dottie Studio Theatre, 2880 Roosevelt Road, Arts District Liberty Station

Tickets: $68 and up

Phone: 619-337-1525

Press: Karli Cadel

Online: cygnettheatre.com

 

NO TIP-TOEING AROUND IN BACKYARD RENAISSANCES “WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF”

 In the final scene of  Edward Albee’s tragi/comedy, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? , George puts his hand gently on Martha’s shoulder, she puts her head back, and he  sings to her very softly : “Whose afraid of Virginia Woolf, Virginia Woolf, Virginia Woolf’”, and she responds through teary eyes and sobs, “I… am George…I…am…”

(George nods slowly)

  (Silence, Blackout!

Virginia Woolf is not just some old play written in 1962. It is more like a battlefield for George and Martha, who have been waging this mêlée since their marriage began. It’s the play that put Albee on the map and changed the tone of  contemporary literature. In examining “Virginia Woolf” now, we have to look at it through 2026 eyes rather than 60’s eyes when some of the language was almost forbidden and frowned upon. Did that make it any less disturbing? I think not. It might make this production less shocking, but not any less troublesome.

Howard Taubman of The New York Times said of Virginia Woolf : “…towers over the common run of contemporary plays. It marks a further gain for a young writer becoming a major figure on stage.” And Newsweek said,  “…a brilliantly original work of art- an excoriating theatrical experience, surging with shocks of recognition and dramatic fire.”

Francis Gercke and Megan Carmitchel

You don’t have to trust these critics. These reviews were written after it was performed off-Broadway in 1962 and then went on to win the New York Drama Critics Circle and Tony Awards as the Best Play of the 1962-’63 season. And if you are still not convinced, take a trip to Backyard Renaissance Theatre Co. on 10th Ave. Downtown and decide for yourselves. Just be aware that the show is three house long with two intermissions and we the audience only get to breathe between acts.

Jessica John

Jessica John and Francis Gercke real life husband and wife team  are not averse to bringing hard- nosed theatre to their company: “August: Osage County”, “Waverly Gallery” , “Streetcar Named Desire” in which she played Stella, come to mind.  Now she has taken on the juicy Elizabeth Taylor movie role of Martha in “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”  

Before we even get to see the couple, we hear their laughter and animated chatter outside their front door, which sets the tone for Act One, subtitled “Fun & Games”. Martha and George have just returned home from partying with  Martha’s father and other faculty members. Her father is president of the college, somewhere in Massachusetts,  where George teaches History (two bones of contention; the president and the teacher as opposed to The Head of the Dept.).

Megan Carmitchel and Drew Bradford

They are both three sheets to the wind, and instead of going to bed, they are awaiting the arrival of a new faculty member, Nick (Drew Bradford) and his wife Honey (Megan Carmitchel) who Martha had invited over for a few drinks and to get to know them better. It’s two o’clock in the morning and they are just warming up for the next round of blows to keep the adrenaline  pumping. Their  unsuspecting guests don’t have  a clue as to what’s coming. Heaven help them.

At this time in their twenty something year marriage both Martha and George are fueled by disappointment in themselves and each other. They drink too much and hold a sick little secret over each other’s heads.

Drew Bradford and Jessica John

John's Martha is a tigress ready to leap, criticize and rip apart her husband of twenty some years. It’s all in the game. Martha stalks, attacks, drinks and attacks again! She is caustic, funny, nasty, amusing and a tireless warrior. To say that her aim is the jugular would be an understatement. She hits him, both physically and mentally,  on all fronts from being a failure as a teacher to failing as a husband and everything in between.  Be aware, she is more than perfect at it. 

He strikes back . As George, Gercke is the perfect foil and agitator: ‘bring it on!” He is more cerebral. The less he responds, the more she charges. The more she rides him the more he focuses his attentions on the younger couple while still managing to humiliate Martha in ways she never thought possible. Gercke's  perfect portrayal of George is one for the books and almost has you rooting for him, as he circles the wagons and looks for his next big opening to strike- no attack, anyone in his line of fire. 

Jessica John and Francis Gercke

While Nick and Honey are  the ideal couple to trample on for Martha and George, they look on with awe and amazement and are eventually and mercilessly drawn in to the fray. She by sheer cluelessness, but as she keeps the Brandy coming, she dances around like a wind force and he by his superior attitude thinking he can get the best of George. 

Defenses down, liquor loosening the tongue and other boundaries put aside, they unwittingly become part of Martha and George’s war strategy. It starts out slowly and builds to a crescendo when Nick, his smart aleck face dropping to a concession of facing the truth about himself, his marriage and his own secrets, in Act ll,  aptly called Walpurgisnacht” (a nod to a folkloric gathering of witches).

Jessica John and Francis Gercke

The Carmitchel/Bradford choice is also a finely balanced duo as the couple/ adversary to occupy that young and innocent spot that was played by George Seigel and Sandy Dennis in the movie version.  Both Carmitchel (who was also in “Streetcar”) and Bradford are excellent as the youth that has long passed the ageing and calloused Martha and George. 

Francis Gercke, Megan Carmitchel and Drew Bradford

Every move, every pouring of the liquor, every look and every step is choreographed perfectly by Hanna Meade and of course the co director’s  Gercke and Coleman Ray Clark make that possible. Chad Ryan is credited for the fussy, 60’s living room set with National Geographic’s spread out on a coffee table cluttered with full, half empty whisky glasses and an open cigarette case and an ashtray filled to the brim with  half smoked cigarettes. (Jeffrey Neitzel props designer)

Evan Hart Marsh's mood music fits right in never getting in the way of the dialogue, but enhancing the tension. Brenna Maienchein designed the three costumes fit for each of John’s with Carmitchel's happy sunshine yellow crinoline dress and Nick’s blue suit. All in contrast to George’s academic tan shirt, tan pants and brownish sweater.

Jessica John and Drew Bradford

At the end of an exhausting evening for both audience and players, Albee manages to rip the layers off of two marriages; one already on the rocks in desperate need of reconciliation, the other about to be exposed for the phony veneer it portrays. (Part 3; The Exorcism) 

It’s riveting and worth every minute of it!

When:  7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays. Through March 21

Where: Backyard Renaissance Theatre at the Tenth Avenue Arts Center. 930 Tenth Avenue, San Diego

Photo: Michael Makie)

Tickets: $50

Online:  backyardrenaissance.com

“AN ACT OF GOD”

Samantha Ginn

 Scripps Ranch Theatre is currently mounting David Javerbaum’s sometimes sacrilegious, oft times funny, other times edgy and more often than not chaotic take on God’s remake of the Ten Commandments; ergo: 10 new ones are written for humanity sake.  

With Samantha Ginn, dressed all in white with LGBTQ striped sox, (Dawn Fuller-Korinek), She is in complete command of the universe as she begins Her journey (about 90 minutes) touching on everything biblical (and then some) from Adam and Eve to Jesus Christ and the manger story,  to the burning bush, to 911, to the Holocaust, to the Via Dolorosa, to Jesus being a difficult child, to the jealousy and first murder of Abel by his brother Cain, to Sodom and Gomorrah, to the question of why children die of cancer to believing in ourselves and forgiveness. 

It’s a bit of a stretch to imagine all this to be covered by God Herself. But fear not. She did have two Angel Helpers. Toga clad Archangel Michael (Devyn Wood) and Archangel Gabriel (A.J. Knox) who encouraged audience participation, er, when She approved.

Devyn Wade and A.J, Knox

Throw in a little pop culture, old TV shows a la “Family Feud”,  some two step, side step choreography by Luke Harvey Jacobs, scenic and lighting designer David Kievit (“God’s, Open 24 Hours.” Neon over the door) and Ted Leibs sound design left no one in the dark about what the next Commandment  boomed in would be.  

Between Director Phil Johnson, who in his own right is funny, and Ginn, who teaches ADAH (inclusion specialist) children as a profession, giving voice to those who feel they have no voice, “An Act Of God” is a perfect piece for this outstanding comedian.  Ginn is also no stranger to Off Beat Shows; “She-Rantulas” comes to mind.

Samantha Ginn as God

As for her two archangels… Knox has the biggest voice announcing the new 10 Commandments while Wade, the more compassionate, and good natured is more of a pain in God’s side, for some reason? Both have feathered wings although Archangel Michael, gets his feathers ruffled in a little kerfuffle with God. But I guess it comes with the territory…sigh. 

I was surprised that in the end we all didn’t stand and sing AMEN but I guess it wasn’t in Her plan. Instead of Brushing up your Shakespeare, I say brush up on your Bile studies… or not. But have fun along the way.

See you at the theatre.

Enjoy.

The New 10 Commandments

When:  Runs through April 13. 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2  p.m. Sundays

Where: Scripps Ranch Theatre, 9783 Avenue of Nations, Alliant International University, San Diego

Tickets: $10-$45

Photo: Michael Pearce

Phone: 619-568-5800

Online: theroustabouts.org

“THE MALTESE FALCON” REDO AT NORTH COAST REP. ...A CLEVER OFFERING.

 For you  movie buffs, who like myself, have seen Dashiell Hammett’s “The Maltese Falcon” several times in the movies or on T.V., The North Coast repertory Theatre is offering a clever redo of Matthew Salazar-Thompson’s world premiere spoof of the noir film of the same name.  

The story follows Detective Sam Spade while navigating a 'web of lies, deceit, murder,  double crossing, all in the hopes of finding the priceless statuette of The Maltese Falcon. 

With acting wonder Richard Baird as our anti-hero Private Detective Sam Spade, impersonating Humphrey Bogart with cool detachment, and a cast of five, playing several characters from central casting who take on the likes of  Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre. and Mary Astor. (Louis Lotorto, Daniel A. Stevens and Liam Sullivan play the parts of the others in different disguises and accents.)   

Richard Baird and Regina Fernandez

Brigid O’ Shaughnessy/Ruth Wonderly is the manipulative femme fatale, played by Shelley Regner. Regina Fernandez is Spade’s secretary/assistant Effie Perine and others. Both are in fine form; flippant, with a wink, wink. and double entendres galore. 

Richard Baird as Sam Spade

Brigid O’ Shaughnessy/Ruth Wonderly hires Spade to find The Maltese Falcon, a  statuette of a black falcon worth thousands of dollars; a lost treasure from centuries ago. Ms. O’ Shaughnessy allegedly came from Hong Kong to San Francisco to meet the boat carrying the ‘package’. It seems everyone concerned wants this precious cargo and will go to any means and pay any amounts to get it.  

With direction by Todd Neilson every move and gesture is choreographed to perfection, pantomimed rolled into one.  With some of the cleverest sound effects/musical composition by Ian Scott,  Salazar- Thompson’s spoof rolls along at about 2+ hours of tongue in cheek guffaws and chortles that will keep you on your toes all evening. 

Shelley Regner and Richard Baird

Marty Burnett’s easily moveable sets accommodate the different locations.  Matt Fitzgerald’s project designs/ silhouettes are ingenious. Matthew Novotny’s lighting is spot on. Peter Herman’s wigs and Elisa Benzonis period costumes with changes define every character.

Cast 

Famous falcon quotes:

“You don't have to trust me as long as you can persuade me to trust you.” 

"The hatched chick cannot go back to the shell, the falcon who has found the sky does not willingly sit the nest." 

"The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim."

And the beat goes on. 

CA caw!!!!!!

If you are looking for a fun time, you won’t want to miss this world premiere production at NCR. 

Enjoy

See you at the theatre

When:  Runs through April 5. 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. and Sundays

Where: North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach

Tickets: $53.50-$78.50

Photo: Aaron Rumley

Phone: 858-481-1055

Online: northcoastrep.org

FIASCO’S “BARTLEBY” SENDS STRONG MESSAGE ABOUT BEING HUMAN.

 Sometime ago, as in many years, Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick” was performed in the old Cassius Carter Theater in the Old Globe Complex. Today, that theatre is called The Cheryl and Harvey White Theatre. 

Also, many moons ago, The West Coast Premiere of Jake Heggie’s long waited “Moby-Dick” opened at The Civic Center on Feb. 18th, 2012. It was visually stunning. 

Bartleby” another of Melville’s short stories  is being produced in its world premiere at the Old Globe by Fiasco Theater. According  to Artistic Director, Barry Edelstein, Fiasco Theatre is no stranger to The Old Globe. Fiasco’s farce “The Imaginary Invalid” by Molière was some laughing matter. Another of their productions at the Globe, some  might recall, Fiasco Theatre Company’s bare bones production of Stephan Sondheim’s “Into The Woods” in 2014. 

Set on the Cheryl and Harvey White Theatre in the round, Bartleby, our person of interest, applies for and is accepted for a job as  a Scrivener. 

Andy Grotelueschen as The Lawyer and Michael Crane as Bartleby

A scrivener is someone who copies legal documents, word for word, comma for comma for comma, semi-colon for semi-colon, and reams and piles of the same documents, such as wills, property boundaries,  anything legal to be presented in a courtroom. 

What to expect from Fiasco’s newest play, “Bartleby”? 

Fiasco Theater’s co- writers, Noah Brody and Paul L. Coffey, have taken “Bartleby, the Scrivener” turned it on its head and the result plays out like the theatre of the absurd… almost.

The plot:

Andy Grotelueschen as The Lawyer, Devin E. Haqq as Nippers, Myka Cue as Ginger Snap, Michael Crane as Bartleby, and Matt Dallal as Turkey 

The Lawyer or Narrator  (Andy Groteluelschen) is the proprietor of a legal office on Wall Street, in New York, close to the courthouse. Others in his employ are: Ginger Snap (Myka Cue),  Turkey (Matt Dallal) and Nippers (Devin E. Haqq).  

As we will learn, Bartleby(an  admirable Michael Crane) scribes so fast and so efficient and proficient that the rest of the team, including The Lawyer, expect more of the same. But one day…when The Lawyer asks Bartleby to proofread his work, Bartleby quietly responds, “I would prefer not to”. 

And we are off and running!!  

As time goes on, Bartleby does less and less at the office refusing to anything until he just spends his days gazing out the window at the brick wall, while is former co workers perform their daily tasks. 

When the narrator stops by the office one Sunday morning, he discovers that Bartleby is living there. He is saddened by the thought of the life the young man must lead, but knows nothing of him. 

Andy Grotelueschen as The Lawyer, Matt Dallal as Turkey, Michael Crane as Bartleby, Devin E. Haqq as Nippers, and Myka Cue as Ginger Snap

Even when The Lawyer tries to reason with Bartleby, he gets no response up to and including moving office space. The kicker is that Bartleby doesn’t even leave the old office until he is evicted , becomes a vagrant and sent to jail; all because he preferred not to…do anything. 

Clocking in at about 120 minutes, Bartleby the scribe, first becomes a joke, then as time goes on he becomes a  more removed from reality character and one begins to have rachmanus (sympathy) for the man. When The Lawyer returns to the jail a few days later to check on Bartleby he discovers him dead of starvation, having preferred not to eat. 

Devin E. Haqq as Nippers, Matt Dallal as Turkey, Myka Cue as Ginger Snap, Andy Grotelueschen as The Lawyer, and Michael Crane as Bartleby 

“Months later, The Lawyer hears a rumor that Bartleby had once worked in a ‘dead letter office’ at the post office and reflects on how this might have affected him. 

The story ends with The Lawyer saying, "Ah Bartleby! Ah humanity!" To this I might add, to what do we owe our humanity?

Thanks to Emily Young’s smart direction, the entire cast is above reproach keeping the characters in play from Andy Grotelueschen’s prudent The Lawyer to Michael Cranes stalwart and unwavering Bartleby, to Matt Dallal’s Turkey(who drinks too much)  to Devin Haqq’s Nippers and Myka Cue’s intern. 

Every move, every gesture is excellently choreographed by Chelsey Arce on Lawrence E. Moten III rotating set on the White Stage. Early period costumes by Emily Rebholz (set in the 1800’s) is  neatly appointed to each character’s place in the office hierarchy and Reza Behjat’s lighting design keeps the focus where needed.

Whether Bartleby refers to passive resistance to dehumanizing the workplace or challenging authority or alienating or isolating oneself from society, it grabbed my attention thoroughly. I left the theatre feeling sad and wondering, yes, ‘to what do we owe our humanity and to what do we owe ourselves?

Enjoy.

See you at the theatre. 

Fiasco Theater’s ‘Bartleby’

When:  Runs through March 22. 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays

Where: Old Globe Theatre’s Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park

Photo: Rich Soublet II.

Tickets: $44 and up

Phone: 619-234-5623

Online: theoldglobe.org