by Karen Tortora-Lee on September 28, 2010
Being the editor and founder of The Happiest Medium has its privileges. I’d like to think that I know how to delegate but I’ll be honest – when an opportunity came up to interview Ms. Alex Bond I took it for myself because I’d been wanting to meet this wonderful lady ever since I’d seen her show Late Nights With The Boys. I was fortunate to also see Ms. Alex Bond in the MTWorks production of David Stallings’ Barrier Island. She is currently playing opposite David in Cody Daigle’s A Home Across The Ocean.
Ms. Bond is one of those rare performers whose light shines out so brightly that you can see her eyes twinkle from the back row. I admit that I was nervous to meet her and sit down with her but, of course, Alex is as warm and dear as she comes across on stage and she not only gave me a great interview but she also shared some deep insight into A Home Across The Ocean.
We sat down for lunch earlier this month while rehearsals for this play were still going on. Now that A Home Across The Ocean is in its last week there’s still time to get your tickets, and I urge you to do so. I’ll let my interview with Alex explain why . . .
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on September 28, 2010
There’s something truly wonderful about smartly written children’s stories. When you look at the enduring ones they’re not still around because they’re cute or funny or have clever titles . . . they’re still around because they teach an amazing lesson in a subtle and gentle way. So, while Stinky Flowers and the Bad Banana has a title I could say over and over again and still laugh – I don’t think it’s gotten as far as it has on funny alone. In fact, after hearing what creator Croft Vaugh had to say about his play, I think the reason this show has come this far is because its creator is as extraordinary as its topic.
Beginning as solo play performed by Croft Vaughn himself, Stinky Flowers and the Bad Banana was first presented as part of Six Figures Theatre Company’s Artists of Tomorrow Festival at the Westside Theatre in December 2006. From there it went to both the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2007) and the Indianapolis Fringe Festival (2008). The new 5-person version of the play was presented in 2008 as part of The Management’s Salon Reading Series. Now, audiences will be able to see the first fully staged production of the ensemble version of Stinky Flowers and the Bad Banana at UNDER St. Marks.
Today Croft Vaugh tells me about the challenges of turning a solo-show into an ensemble piece, he explains how Fairy Tales are filled with parental imagery, and he gives some advice on how to transform yourself into a monkey . . .
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on September 25, 2010
2nd Ave Poetry, vol 3: The Occult
Saturday, September 25
5-7 pm
FREE (or with suggested donation)
The Creek and The Cave
10-93 Jackson Ave, Long Island City
(on the E, G, & 7 train, B61 bus)
featuring readings & multimedia performances by
mitch HIGHFILL * toni SIMON * hector CANONGE * charles BORKHUIS * priscilla STADLER* brenda COULTAS * jill MAGI * kelly SPIVEY * douglas a. MARTIN * mark LAMOUREAUX
downstairs after-party with live set by dj DESPO
volume 3 also includes work by
kevin KILLIAN * leslie SCALAPINO * dodie BELLAMY* jeremy THOMPSON * rit PREMNATH * caitlin PARKER * tsering wangmo DHOMPA * thom DONOVAN * r. zamora LINMARK * thomas FINK * denise DUHAMEL * filip MARINOVICH * ca CONRAD * frank SHERLOCK * lyn GOERINGER * matt JONES * clayton ESHLEMAN * charles BERNSTEIN * stephanie GRAY * gerrit LANSING * vincent KATZ * rusty MORRISON * laynie BROWNE * tim PETERSON * john HARKEY * r.m. ENGELHARDT * emmy CATEDRAL * yago CURA * ernest CONCEPCION * jonny FARROW * alan ramon CLINTON
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on September 23, 2010
Remember the days before DVR and instant streaming NetFlix when, if you wanted to watch TV you sorta had to watch whatever was on? Yeah . . . good times.
An afternoon of TV was an eclectic mixed bag of cooking shows, public access chat fests and random syndicated sitcoms. Now imagine that it’s the future – the end of the world . . .and there IS NO TV. Except there is. Well, kinda. That is . . . there are these two gals, see? And they’re the only gals left alive. And they find you there one day and they figure they’ll entertain you by putting on the TV. But you read the part about them being the only gals left on the planet, right? So TV is an eclectic mixed bag of . . . cooking shows, public access chat fests and random syndicated sitcoms. I’ve seen the future, and it is my past — eerily similar to Saturday, May 21, 1988 . . . the day my first boyfriend broke up with me and I spent the day staring at the TV and chain smoking Virginia Slims. But I digress.
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on September 22, 2010
Due to an overwhelming audience response, sold-out performances, and critical acclaim Donnie And The Monsters (written by Robert J. Gibbs and directed by Heidi G.Grumelot) has been extended for two ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES!
- Sat October 2 at 8pm
- Sun October 3 at 7pm
Read my review and then go check out the show!!!
~~~
DONNIE AND THE MONSTERS
WRITTEN BY ROBERT J. GIBBS
DIRECTED BY HEIDI G. GRUMELOT
Presented by Horse Trade Theater Group
UNDER St. Marks
94 St. Marks Place (between 1st Ave and Ave A)
. . .
Tickets ($18) are available by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444
click here
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on September 22, 2010
Why would anyone want a job at The Hobby Lobby? A Parts-R-Us for those who can’t stop themselves from scapbooking, and otherwise decorating what is probably already an over-decorated house . . . The Hobby Lobby is a buzzing little hub of activity filled with the quaintest of characters. But again . . . why would anyone want a job there?
Specifically, why would Will (Andrew Garman) want a job there? He looks like he can do more than just handle a register – and goodness knows he’s certainly past the age where this job holds any challenge for him.
So . . . why?
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on September 17, 2010
Miss Saturn (Photo by Paule Saviano)
Hula Hell Is Miss Saturn? you ask? Or, to rephrase a bit . . . Who The Hell Is Miss Saturn? you ask?
That’s me giving you an assist on how to parse the title, since (quite frankly) until Miss Saturn herself shouted it from backstage it wasn’t quite as punny to my ear. That’s okay – I’m sure Miss Saturn (given name: Jennifer McGowan) is fine with me facilitating her in this instance, since a lot of her act relies on the audience’s willingness to actively participate in a good half of the performance. If you’re up for the task, Hula Hell is a helluva good time.
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on September 16, 2010
Donnie’s got it tough. He’s not good at gym . . . the resident cool kid picks on him . . . his babysitter sees snakes in the furniture . . . his only friend at school is a gal even nerdier than he is . . . and his only friend at home is a sarcastic sock puppet who only appears long enough to snatch whatever self esteem Donnie managed to drag back home before disappearing back into the wall. Oh, and the monster under the bed wants to eat him. Yup, things don’t look good for Donnie.
Donnie And The Monsters (written by Robert J. Gibbs and directed by Heidi G.Grumelot) may play like a kid’s story but it’s anything but. For while – in Donnie’s world – there are monsters at every turn, often times it’s the ones of flesh and blood who can be the scariest: not a talking sock, or a wandering pirate, or a woebegone toilet or a green eyed monster – but rather a mean kid, or a forceful teacher, or a distracted mom. Donnie’s biggest enemies don’t exist in his imagination, but right along side him. The story of how Donnie copes and conquers his monsters is presented in an allegory. Using humor to breach some of life’s harder lessons, there’s no doubt that at the heart of this story is a coming of age tale – not just for Donnie but for some of his monsters as well.
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on September 15, 2010
Viewer Discretion Advised is about a chance encounter between mild mannered Norm and a mysterious stranger that starts at uneasy, takes you on past creepy, veers off into inappropriate and drops you off at completely bizarre. For Norm, it’s a cautionary tale about letting strangers into your home and into your life. For the audience, it’s a peek inside the twisted mind of a man who likes to take things too far.
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on September 4, 2010
If you weren’t one of the lucky ones who was able to get to Planet Connections to experience Made For Each Other- take heart! It’s coming around again as part of an evening of theatre entitle BALLS: the Testosterone Plays of Monica Bauer. In order to be able to get this production off the ground some very talented, inspirational writers are gathering on Saturday, September 11th for a one-night-only fundraiser entitled “WOMEN WITH BALLS” short plays by women about men.
This news makes me very happy becuase 1) Made for Each Other is a terrific show which I’m excited to have a chance to see again 2) this gives me an opportunity to interview playwright Monica Bauer - a talented, funny, smart woman. Monica took some time out of her really busy schedule to tell me a little bit about the great women who will be sharing the bill with her on 9/11, how she convincingly channeled the spirit of war veterans, and what it means to be a woman with balls . . .
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