“New ‘Les Miz’ a Revolution”

Cameron Mackintosh’s revised production of “Les Misérables”—a gift for the musical’s 25^th anniversary—was a triumph. The show opened Tuesday evening to a packed house at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts and ended with a well-deserved standing ovation and hearty hurrahs.

In 2010, when “Les Miz” rang in a quarter century of success, the creative team decided to celebrate with a new production. They made significant changes, the most obvious being the visual elements. According to co-director Laurence Connor, Mackintosh teared up when he saw the first run-through.

First, they made the brilliant decision to Victor Hugo’s paintings for the backdrops. The man who wrote the novel on which the musical was based created emotive artwork to complement his text. This imagery, coupled with a projection zoom lens that suggested movement and manipulated depth perception, were integral, ever-present features of the show. They set the tone, pacing and feel better than any contemporary still or mockup.

Projections of the author’s imagery changed in accord with every scene and mood. Rural renderings placed Jean Valjean on the shores of Digne. Abstractions of color morphed and mutated behind the cast, indicating flames of revolution in Paris. One remarkable scene saw the rebel crowd marching through the streets of Paris, while another transported Valjean and Marius through the sewer system.

Next, the creative team ordered a larger cast, which directors Connor and James Powell guided into powerhouse formation. When the company sang together (“One Day More”), the music swelled into something so overwhelming, it nearly had a heartbeat.

Certain numbers demanded special attention. “Master of the House,” featuring Richard Vida as Thénardier and Shawna M. Hamic as Madame Thénardier, was funny, bombastic, irreverent and utterly satisfying. Vida and Hamic were the ones to watch for comedic respites from the heavier themes. Meanwhile, Andrew Varela’s turn as Javert singing “Stars” was one of the most moving moments of the night.

J. Mark McVey’s Valjean, the former prisoner who spends his life running from the law, gave a strong impression of frustration and defeat in the opening soliloquy. His voice crackled with emotion, and he conveyed the same strong sentiment at Fantine’s (Betsy Morgan) deathbed.

As Éponine, who suffered the unrequited love of Marius (Max Quinlan), Chasten Harmon was utterly sympathetic. Her shining moment came while singing “On My Own.” Her death scene was fairly devastating without being overdone.

Veteran “Les Miz” fans and newcomers alike will not be disappointed with this superb new production.

Published in The Tampa Tribune,  February 3, 2012

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“Ma Rainey Hits All the Right Notes”

American Stage Theatre Company won the trifecta with their production of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Writing, directing, acting: each of these elements proved outstanding at Sunday’s matinee.

Playwright August Wilson wrote “Ma Rainey” in 1982. Part of his Century Cycle, which includes 10 plays set in each decade of the 20^th century, “Ma Rainey” takes place in 1927 Chicago. It is the only play in Wilson’s series not situated in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, where Wilson grew up.

The Mother of the Blues and her song “Black Bottom” served as Wilson’s inspiration. He invented four black musicians—Cutler, Toledo, Slow Drag and Levee—who are expecting Ma Rainey (Sharon E. Scott) at a recording studio, ready to cut a new blues album.

While waiting, the four men philosophize, bicker, light up a few doobies and grumble about everything from shoes to farming. When Ma finally arrives, she brings with her a duffle bag of demands.

Despite so much talent in one place, the pall of racism and various forms of inequality nearly suffocate the personalities in the room.

Wilson intuited and crafted some of the most genuine, egocentric characters in theater. It isn’t just the realistic dialogue that elevates the players; Wilson’s personalization of each individual reaches near-genius levels. Freud and Jung would have envied the playwright’s preternatural gift for masticating psychology and spitting out such a fascinating assortment of psyches.

Cutler (Alan Bomar Jones) leads the band but knows his place. He avoids trouble and has no patience for fool rebels like Levee (Ben Cain).

Levee dreams big and talks even bigger. He violently denies his place in a racist society, figuring the more he defies, the farther he’ll go. But his ego only masks deep-seated insecurities, rage and volatility, and ultimately destroys him.

Toledo (Kim Sullivan) intellectualizes the present with history, philosophy and wisdom. He’s kind of the Jiminy Cricket on keyboard. And Slow Drag (Ron Bobb-Semple)—he’s just grateful for the work, as easy going as his name implies.

Mark Clayton Southers beautifully directed this production. As the new artistic director for Theater Initiatives at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture, he brought texture and meaning to Wilson’s vision.

The extraordinary ensemble cast—which also included Brandii, Bill Karnovsky, Gregory “Rico” Parker, Joe Parra and Stephen Ray—surpassed the potential of Wilson’s words. But if pushed to point out the most riveting performance, it would be Cain’s.

The cherry on top of this soulful treat was the music itself. Bold and brassy, there’s nothing like the blues to chase away the mean reds.

Published in The Tampa Tribune, January 28, 2011

Other works: 

Interview with Dennis De Young (2012)
Interview with George Hamilton in “La Cage aux Folles” (2012)
Interview with Constantine Maroulis in “Jekyll & Hyde” (2012)
Interview with Cathy Rigby in “Peter Pan” (2011)
Interview with Richard Sherman for “Mary Poppins” (2010)