Alita the Show

Writer and Director: Freia Canals and Denise Kornitz

A bilingual show (Spanish/ English) for the entire family.
Princess Alita lives in a world of luxury amidst the walls of her palace. She is oblivious to all that surrounds her and knows little outside of her own environment. One day she is sent on a mission that will change her forever.

Show Times:

• Wed 1/18 @ 4:30pm
• Sat 1/21 @ 12:30pm
• Sun 1/22 @ 11:00pm

Answers by Freia Canals and Denise Kornitz: Writers, Directors, Producers and Performers

Karen Tortora-Lee’s Question
This is an international festival. What part of the world are you coming from … and will your show tantalize the NYC audience with a taste of your nation’s culture?
Freia Canals and Denise Kornitz:
We are from Barcelona (Spain) and Buenos Aires (Argentina), but we have lived in different places including Madrid, London, Oxford, Israel and finally New York.
Yes, we brought to our show all our experiences and a big part of who we are.

Dianna Martin’s Question
Who is the greatest inspiration to you artistically?
Freia Canals and Denise Kornitz:
We both have a lot of experiences and people to inspire on: from friends, families to people we know. However the real inspiration came from the kids. We worked with them and we realized we wanted them to get in touch with some values that we believe important especially nowadays. Also we wanted to give them some tools to start getting in touch with who they are.

Geoffrey Paddy Johnson’s Question
What emerged as the greatest challenge during the development of this production?
Freia Canals and Denise Kornitz:The whole show has been a great challenge. We started from nothing and we came up with a script, we made puppets, life music and we combined 2 languages which are spoken simultaneously. The challenge never ends, continues every day we perform: we play 13 roles only being 2 actresses! Putting everything together was craziness but a wonderful experience!

Antonio Minino’s Question
You’re in Times Square surrounded by the best Broadway houses and highest selling entertainment in the world. What resources are you utilizing to spread the word about your show and get butts in seats?
Freia Canals and Denise Kornitz:We both have been teachers and know families, teachers, schools. They have seen our show and they talked to some other friends and families, and these talked to other people etc. The reviews we got from our audiences have been great and that helped to spread the word. Also, having a bilingual show that has puppets, life music, is educative and very fun, helps!!

~~~

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Of all the things to be tempted with this holiday season, nothing is so tantalizing as Company XIV’s production of Snow White which lures audiences to 303 Bond Street with all the seduction of an evil queen extending a shiny, beautiful, apple in order to cast a magical spell.  One thing is certain – there is definitely something bewitching the spectators who walk in innocently and emerge 90 minutes later – filled to overflowing with images of exquisiteness and spectacle.  If that’s not magic, I don’t know what is.

The lights are hung, // The wires strung, // The sets are all painted and built
The make-up’s applied // And I’ll say it outright: // The gold you will see is just gilt.
The kingdom and forest is plastic and steel // But the dancing feet are real.

And so begins the narrator’s speech as Jeff Takacs (who, as with all of the Company XIV productions, is responsible for the adaptation of the work, and has written the script) welcomes the audience to Snow White, conceived, choreographed and directed by Austin McCormick. It’s the perfect way to begin a fairytale: with the truth — that all the dazzling bells and whistles which make this show shine are remarkable, but take it all away and you’d still have the amazing dancers, executing the superb steps created by McCormick.  However, between the whirling and the witchery is where the wonder lives.

I have long since left all expectations at the door when it comes to Company XIV and Austin McCormick; the only thing I can be sure of is that the show will be dazzling, delightful and richly textured in a perfect blend of media and styles.  And so it is with Snow White – which immediately beguiles the audience with a Gothic-inspired funeral scene sung beautifully by Lauren Michelle.  What follows is not just dancing but aerial silk, aerial hoop, acrobatics, and mixed media.

What I’ve come to love about McCormick (as a director) is that if a work of his is labeled “family friendly” it does not mean he has diluted his vision for the young ones; if anything, he challenges the wide-eyed tots in a way that invites them to appreciate a world of pure imagination – a world that hides nothing and therefore allows for everything.  Rather than stripping away elements so that children can grasp the story more fully, McCormick actually layers in more complexity so that a younger sensibility is served alongside that of the adults. I envy the children who are growing up with Company XIV as an example of what theatre can be; they are being given memories that will spark them to create amazing things on their own, rather than walk in the footsteps of what they see being churned out by Hollywood in order to sell more happy meals.

This Snow White hasn’t been altered much from the original Brothers Grimm fairy tale – there’s the death of the queen, mourned throughout the land, who leaves behind her sweet little girl with skin as white as snow, hair as black as ebony, and lips as red as roses.  There’s the evil stepmother who is so vain that she can’t go a day without demanding that her magic mirror confirm that she’s the fairest in the land.  There’s the inevitable moment when Snow White (Gracie White) grows into her beauty and outshines the Evil Queen (Laura Careless) prompting the queen to hatch all sorts of plots which include death by hunter (hunter fails), death by suffocating corset (untied by a raven), death by poisoned hair comb (pulled out by a fox) and finally the worst of all – the poisoned apple which sends Snow White into a deep sleep.  Later she is awakened by the charmingest of Princes with a kiss, the two marry and the Evil Queen gets her comeuppance.

Gracie White as Snow White, Ashley Handel and Laura Careless as The Evil Queen

What McCormick has done is changed the focus of the piece; while the title may be “Snow White” the best moments are given to McCormick’s muse and principal dancer, the fantastic Laura Careless, who clearly sinks her teeth into the role of the Evil Queen as deeply as Snow White sinks her teeth into the poisoned apple.  Careless’ full range of talents are on display in this production, not only does she dance through each scene with an awe-inspiring  fervor but she clearly displays a wonderful gift of accents and even humor.  Having watched Ms. Careless over the last few productions I was delighted to see this side emerge – while she never fails to amaze it was wonderful to see her in a role that had so many opportunities to showcase the campier side of her (seemingly limitless) talents.

Of course, leave it to McCormick to have the audience thrilling to the darker side of such an innocent tale.

Gracie White as Snow White (photo by Steven Schreiber)

For her part Gracie White as Snow White is lovely; she has all the charm of an innocent young maiden who seems to never learn that an evil queen is out to get her.  The aerial work she does on the hoop is delicate and elegant and she often seems to defy gravity as she is hoisted and held and dropped before being caught at just the precise moment, all while smiling peacefully.

Of course, there is no one element of the piece that could exist without the other; McCormick has hit on a formula that works and employs a team that does extraordinary things with lighting effects (Gina Scherr), video projections (Corey Tatarczuk) and repeating musical themes.  So talented are they that set designer Zane Pihlstrom even make it snow — beautiful glittering bursts of sparkling snow that flutter and disappear … just like this production soon will.  So get your tickets now and give yourself the best holiday present of all.

~~~

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There are a few things that are crucial when it comes to producing a successful children’s theatre piece. First of all, your story has to be entertaining. Secondly the action has to be fast-paced. And finally, there has to be a strong lesson underneath all the funny costumes, big movements, and thick accents. Because while we want our kids to have a good time, we also hope they’re learning something in the process.

Looking Glass Theatre’s Calamity Jane Battles The Horrible Hoopsnakes (written by E. J. C. Calvert) delivers the goods, and much more! With a healthy dose of imagination provided by the audience (who is asked to participate in fun ways) the team behind Calamity Jane packs a lot into the 50 minutes, with audience members big and small finding themselves having a rip-roaring time.

Calamity Jane (Katie Proulx), Townie Toula (Sarah Pullman) and the Mayor of Hoopersville (Abraham Adams)

The story is simple. Well, simple-ish for is any story really ever simple? The population of the Town of Hoopersville is now down to just three – a very spunky three but still, that’s quite a small number. There’s The Mayor (Abraham Adams) who’s doing his best to keep the townfolk calm, even as he pulls double duty as the Sheriff when necessary. Then there’s the townfolk … Townie Tam (David Mangiamele) and Townie Toula (Sarah Pullman) who managed to survive this long because they know the best hiding places.

What has them scared out of their wits and diving into their hidey holes? None other than the Horrible Hoopsnakes reference in the title … snakes so horrible that they drive through town in a flash … spinning like a hoop and grabbing whatever human being is in its path, carrying off the poor hapless Hoopersville citizen to the snake den for who-knows-what terrifying trauma.

Into this crazy situation comes the young Calamity Jane (or so she likes to call herself) accompanied by her Mom (Jessica Kelly).  They are driving cross country from Pennsylvania on their way to California, where not only are the streets paved with gold but apparently the houses are made of gold too! Everything in California is one solid golden dream and Jane … I mean CALAMITY Jane (Katie Proulx) intends to make her mark there as the rootin’est tooin’est cowgirl of the west. You don’t need to be in her presence for very long to be quite sure she’ll do it.

Except that a hoopsnake makes off with her Mom leaving Jane … Calamity Jane … to round up the townsfolk and lead them into the snakes’ den.

Monica O’Malley as The Hoopsnake Queen

Snakes’ Den!  Eeek!!! Well, actually — it’s not as scary as you might think. Inside the den we see that Calamity’s Mom is relatively unscathed and is making conversation with Snakelet (Gianna Cioffi – part girl, part puppet, all hissy goodness) who fills Mom in on some of the goings on about town. Soon the Hoopsnake Queen (Monica O’Malley; think Little Mermaid’s Ursula — with a tail) makes an appearance and, while stately and imposing (and a lovely shade purple) she actually doesn’t appear to be all that intent on HARMING the people she’s brought back to the den. In fact, all the snakes really wanted was their land back, free and clear of humans.

Eventually there’s a big showdown between the snakes and the Hoopersville citizens led by Calamity Jane. But when everyone sees that not only is Jane’s Mom fine, but Mom confirms that so is the rest of the town, they come to an understanding and the big lesson is revealed.  Everyone is different, it’s just best to learn about these differences before judging someone, or something.  Because if you leap before you look you’ll jump to the wrong conclusions and react badly out of fear. Taking the time to get to know someone will show you that really, they’re just like you.  AAAAAAND Curtain.

Jacquelyn Honeybourne’s direction strikes just the right balance; the show is fun enough to keep children engaged but smart enough to keep adults amused as well, and each actor portrays a different perspective of the situation, so there’s something for everyone.  David Mangiamele, Sarah Pullman and Abraham Adams as the Hoopersvillians do a great job of popping in and out of the story, addressing the audience, engaging the little ones and keeping the action moving along.  They’re enjoyable to watch and while their acting is broad, it never goes overboard.  Jessica Kelly and Monica O’Malley are great to watch in their scenes together; and Katie Proulx anchors the show adroitly – one fully believes she is capable of saving the day.  Finally, Gianna Cioffi as Snakelet is both a charming actress as well as an accomplished puppeteer as she steers not only her own costume but a show-within-a-show from her side perch.  Costume design by Kristina Sneshkoff is fantastic, she does particularly well in outfitting The Hoopsnake Queen.

Highly recommended for children of all ages, but fair warning — the little ones get to sit on pillows up front.  So, you know … they might like it a little bit more.  I mean, come on.  Pillows.

~~~

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