By Mary Damiano

I’ve always had a thing for odd numbers. My alarm goes off at 5:37 a.m. I always add 17 seconds to cooking times. I leave gas stations if I can’t get an odd numbered pump. But at Broward Center on Tuesday night, I discovered an even number I actually liked. A lot.

Six, the musical about the sextet of wives of Henry the 8th, is a rocking, electrically-charged good time.

The cast of Six. Photo by Joan Marcus

Here’s the premise: The wives take part in a sob story contest to prove which one endured the most hardships. It’s a clever idea and as the evening progressed, I could imagine how much fun Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss had writing the songs and coming up with modern takes on courtship and marriage in the 16^th century.

Divorced. Beheaded. Died. Divorced. Beheaded. Survived. Those were the fates of the six queens, in order, and they’re dying to tell us every sordid detail of why it may be good to be the king, but not so great to be the queen.

First up is Khaila Wilcoxon as Catherine of Aragon, who sets the tone with her energetic rocker “No Way”. Her divorce paved the way for wife number two, Anne Boleyn, played by Storm Lever as a ditzy bubblehead who sings the ironically titled, “Don’t Lose Ur Head”.  Jasmine Forsberg, as third wife Jane Seymour, soars with the power ballad “Heart of Stone”.  Next up is the delightful Olivia Donaldson as Anne of Cleves, whose “courtship” by Henry is portrayed as a Tinder match. One swipe right and bam—her status is changed to married queen, only to face cruel rejection due to her profile pic. (Who can’t relate to that?) Then there’s the second wife to lose her head, Catherine Howard, played with narcissistic mean-girl glee by Didi Romero.  By the time sixth wife, Catherine Parr, played by Gabriela Carrillo, takes the spotlight, the queens have engaged in a lot of cattiness in order to win their unusual contest. But Parr, the only queen to survive their common king, has a unique perspective that ties together the message of female empowerment with a big, metaphorical red bow.

Backed by the all-female band, Ladies in Waiting, the six queens traverse a variety of musical genres—rock, pop, dance, techno, and ballad. There’s a dance mix of “Greensleeves” and, naturally, a Spice Girls reference.  Gabriella Slade’s armor-like costumes can be described as Mad Max goes Elizabethan. Emma Bailey’s scenic design is sleek and spare, leaving a clean canvas for Tim Darling’s dazzling rock show lighting.

Six is a brisk 90 minutes with no intermission, and the creators and performers pack a whole lot of fun into that short time. It’s a rollicking good time with an inspired message—and the best even number to come along in some time. 

Six runs through October 23 at Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale. For tickets and more information, visit BrowardCenter.org

By Mary Damiano

The laughter that filled The Foundry on the opening night of Ronnie Larsen’s play, The Actors, was so hearty, so raucous, that I would not be surprised if it spilled out of the theatre and onto nearby Wilton Drive. But I’m sure I was not the only one in the sold-out house fighting back a tear or two. 

Larsen’s play strikes the right balance between hilarity and heart-tugging in this delightful, genuinely moving story of a lonely, middle-aged man who still grieves the loss of his parents so deeply that he hires actors to come to his apartment and portray them a couple times a week, to give him the warm and fuzzy family feels he recalls from his boyhood.

There is also a charming, loopy, meta quality to this production as Larsen plays the main character, named Ronnie Larsen, and many of the plot details are based on Larsen’s own life. He reunites with his Grindr Mom team of super-talented director Stuart Meltzer and the brilliant, rubber-faced Jeni Hacker—the first scene alone between Larsen and Hacker is worth the price of admission—and adds Jerry Seeger, Chad Raven the incomparable David Kwiat to the mix.

This a gem of a play—easily the prolific Larsen’s best yet—is a stellar production and one of the funniest shows to grace a South Florida stage in years.  Do not miss it.  If you don’t laugh, you need your funny bone examined.

The Actors runs through October 2 at The Foundry in Wilton Manors.  For more information and to buy tickets, visit RonnieLarsen.com.

By Mary Damiano

Joseph Long in God’s Trombones

Can I get a Hallejulah? Can I get an Amen?

The M Ensemble, the company that won five Carbonell Awards at the recent April 2 ceremony, is back with its second show of the season, God’s Trombones.

While God’s Trombones seems different from Kings of Harlem, the play about a 1930’s Harlem basketball team, which won four of those five Carbonell Awards, the two bear some similarities.  M Ensemble styled both shows as immersive experiences, and both plays feature an important part of Black history and culture.

Dancers interpret the poems in God’s Trombones

God’s Trombones is based on the 1927 book God’s Trombone: Seven Negro Sermons in Verse by James Weldon Johnson.  Johnson was an extraordinary man in any era, but especially for what he accomplished in his day.  At a time when the odds were against a man of color having a single professional career, Johnson had many, including teacher, principal, diplomat, poet, Broadway lyricist and lawyer—he was the first black man admitted to the Florida Bar since Reconstruction.  He was an influential leader and held a prominent position in the NAACP.

Daryl Patrice leads the choir in God’s Trombones

Johnson’s most famous book has been adapted to bring has words to thrilling life.  More than just bible stories, Johnson’s anachronistic storytelling, both humorous and passionate, are fashioned as sermons and accompanied by well-known hymns.

God’s Trombones is reminiscent of playwright Young Jean Lee’s Church, which was produced in 2014 at Thinking Cap Theatre in Fort Lauderdale.  Just as Church immersed its audience in an old time revival experience, complete with outdoor tent and sweltering August heat, M Ensemble’s God’s Trombones immerses its audience in the joyous celebration and raw emotion of a Sunday morning gospel service, with a few twists.

For example, as Joseph Long, playing one of the preachers, recounts The Creation, his words are illustrated by interpretive dancers.  The dancers, led by choreographer Jeffrey Cason, Jr., do excellent work and add another layer to the bible stories recounted in Johnson’s poems.

Isaac Beverly passionately recounts the The Crucifixion in God’s Trombones

Long plays one of five preachers in God’s Trombones.  Each is a standout in a different way, bringing different styles and personalities to Johnson’s poems.  Long’s approach is steadfast and paternal.  Isaac Beverly’s passionate, heartfelt retelling of  The Crucifixion is humbling, while Ray Lockhart’s The Prodigal Son sears with fire and brimstone.  Jean Hyppolite gives power to Noah Built the Ark.  The lone female preacher, Toddra Brunson, turns her story, Go Down Death (A Funeral Sermon), into a powerful but tender tearjerker.

The Choir and dancers in God’s Trombones

The preachers are accompanied by a choir whose voices blend seamlessly into one.  But there are soloists who excel, despite having to compete with music so loud it often drowns out their voices.  Brunson concludes her sermon by leading the choir in Peace Be Still.  Long’s rich, clear voice is perfect for Go Down Moses.  And Asher Makeba, Brianna Woods, Deidra Chiverton and Sarah Gracel sing Were You There, creating a sound so rich and pure it may bring a tear or two.

Choreographer and principal dancer Jeffrey Cason, Jr. in God’s Trombones

Director John Pryor has assembled a cast with heavenly voices, whether singing or proclaiming their truth. The simple set of risers and white draped chairs for the choir and a lectern for the preacher all framed by black curtains, leaves plenty of room for the dancers and for Mitchell Ost’s vibrant lighting design.  Shirley Richardson’s costume design is traditional, full dresses in purple spiked with vivid prints and sashes for the choir and pants and dashikis in tones of orange and yellow for the male preachers.  The dancers’ costumes enhance their characters, sometime lithe and body conscious, sometimes flowy dresses that enhance their movements.

God’s Trombones isn’t a play or musical in the traditional sense, but it is a theatrical experience worth having.

God’s Trombones runs through May 6 at M Ensemble.  For more information and tickets, visit TheMEnsemble.org.

Photo Credit: Deborah Gray Mitchell

By Mary Damiano

Desi Oakley in Waitress

If Jenna, the waitress and pie maker in Waitress, saw the stage incarnation of her life, she might be inspired to create the Magical Musical Pie.

And while the opening refrains of sugar, butter, flour are the basis for every pie Jenna bakes, this recipe also includes soaring songs by Sara Bareilles, a funny, heartfelt book by Jessie Nelson, and powerhouse performances by a talented cast. The result is a deep dish delight that makes the audience savor every bite.

Waitress, based on the 2007 film starring Keri Russell and Nathan Fillion, is one of the brightest shows to hit Broadway—or Broward Center—in some time. A tuneful, tearjerker that is simply terrific, the plot centers on Jenna (Desi Oakley) a waitress and pie-maker extraordinaire in a small southern town. Trapped in an abusive marriage to lazy, possessive Earl (Nick Bailey), Jenna’s only real slice of happiness is baking her imaginative pies at Joe’s Pie Diner, pies with distinctive names like Ain’t You Sweet Potato Pie and Gingersnap Out of It Pie. Jenna was taught early on by her mother to cope with the ugly side of life through baking, and Jenna elevates pie-making to a mystical, magical experience. Life becomes more complicated when she discovers she’s pregnant, and she devises a plan to bake her and her baby to a better life. Plans are further complicated when she and the new guy in town, Dr. Jim Pomater (Bryan Fenkart) form an instant attraction to one another which grows during every pre-natal visit before finally and hilariously turning into an affair.

Maiesha McQueen, Desi Oakly and Bryan Fenkart in Waitress

The plot of the musical closely follows that of the original movie, so while Waitress is technically a remake, it feels fresh and original. There are several subplots that turn the pie place into a Peyton Place, including the complicated marriages of Jenna’s boss Cal (Ryan G. Dunkin) and best friend and fellow waitress Becky (Charity Angel Dawson) and the courtship of plain Jane waitress Dawn (Lenne Klingaman) and her devoted beau Ogie (Jeremy Morse), as well as the observations of Joe (Larry Marshall) Jenna’s loyal and exacting regular customer. All of that, mixed with a whole lot of heart and topped off with a generous dollop of charm make for one very satisfying show.

Bryan Fenkart and Desi Oakley in Waitress

Waitress is also beautifully designed and staged. The scenic design by Scott Hask is clever, with sets rolling and flying in and out and a vista through the diner’s windows of highway, telephone lines and rolling green countryside that look like they go on for miles. The lighting design by Ken Billington is also impressive, enhancing both the place and the mood. The band is out of the pit and inventively on stage, amping up the levels of an already energetic show.

Writer musician Bareilles, best known for her pop songs like Love Song and Brave and her recent performance as Mary Magdalene in the TV production of Jesus Christ Superstar, has created a host of infectious, catchy songs that work seamlessly with the story but also stand alone.

Charity Angel Dawson , Desi Oakley and Lenne Klingaman in Waitress

Oakley’s strong voice and heartfelt performance is at the center of Waitress. She expertly conveys Jenna’s evolution from pragmatic abused wife to fiercely determined woman. Her solos on What Baking Can Do and She Used To Be Mine are powerful and her star-crossed duet with Fenkart, You Matter To Me is beautiful and heartbreaking.

Every member of the cast gets their moment to shine. As Becky, Dawson is maternal and caustic and the perfect best friend, and her second act solo, I Didn’t Plan It, is a showstopper. Klingaman is perfect as Dawn, the sad sack transformed by her soul mate.

Desi Oakley and Bryan Fenkart in Waitress

Jeremy Morse’s endearing goofiness and his superb physicality as Ogie brings down the house on Never Ever Getting Rid of Me. Marshall delivers as Joe, the observant voice of reason, especially in his big number, Take It From an Old Man. As Dr. Pomatter, Fenkart doesn’t get a solo, but his chemistry with Oakley is magic.

Waitress is a slice of heaven, from the first bite to the last morsel.

Waitress runs through April 22 at Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale. For tickets, visit BrowardCenter.org.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

By Mary Damiano

Katherine McDonald, Shari Wiesman, Philip Andrew Santiago and Clay Cartland  in Gloria

Who owns a violent experience? Does it belong to the perpetrator, the victims, the survivors or the bystanders? And whose story is the one that matters most to a society that turns tragic events into a television movie event and makes those who lived it the celebrity du jour?

Those are some of the questions explored in Gloria by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, (his play play An Octoroon was produced at Area Stage last year) a fascinating, timely play now at GableStage, although you’d never know it from the first 45 minutes. For nearly the entire first act, Gloria is an innocuous story about the petty jealousies and career ambitions of a group of assistants at a New York magazine. The titular character, Gloria, (Katherine McDonald) is only seen a few times, but her name and situation come up in conversation among the assistants as almost a warning of the career to avoid: Gloria, an editor, has been at the magazine for 15 years, a dedicated employee all but married to her job, whose only circle of “friends” are her coworkers.

When the play begins, Dean (Clay Cartland) stumbles into work, late and hungover, telling everyone about the expensive housewarming party Gloria hosted the night before, which turned pathetic and sad when only he and three other coworkers attended. The other assistants gobble up the gossip as they go on with their morning, which includes little work, some backstabbing, more gossip, and talk of five-year career plans so they they’re not in the same job when they hit 30. It’s a typical day at work. Then, out of the blue, violent tragedy strikes.

Cubicle life:  Clay Cartland, Philip Andrew Santiago, Lai-Si Lassalle and Shari Wiesman in Gloria

The second act picks up eight months later at a Starbuck’s and focuses on the aftermath and how some of the characters are coping with their experience.   Several have gotten book deals because of their experience and have different reasons for writing their books—catharsis, career move and cashing in. The last scene takes place a few years later and focuses on Loren (Cliff Burgess) a former fact-checker at the magazine, now over 40 and working as a temp for a film production company in Los Angeles.

Gloria is a finely crafted play, both clever and shocking, funny and poignant, the kind of play GableStage is known for.  Director Joseph Adler has assembled a terrific cast—Burgess, Cartland, and McDonald are veterans, while Philip Andrew Santiago, Lai-Si Lassalle, and Sheri Wiesman are making their GableStage debut—and together they form a tight ensemble. The pace is perfect, conveying the energy and boredom of office life, and the big moment is effectively jarring.

Cartland does fine work in Gloria, expertly ricocheting from an affable, dedicated guy in the first act to a mere shell of a man in most of the second act, and then taking on the bored, patronizing demeanor of another character as well. McDonald pulls double duty well, deftly portraying the blah, seemingly mousey Gloria in the first act and then Nan, an aloof former editor in the second act. Santiago is most effective as Miles the young office intern in the first act, but also plays a barrista and executive in act two. Lassalle brings Kendra to life in all her annoying, ambitious, shallow glory, and also makes icy film exec Jenna all her own later on. Wiesman, like Santiago, plays three characters, and makes each dictinctive.

Cliff Burgess, Lai-Si Lassalle, Philip Andrew Santiago, Shari Wiesman, Clay Cartland in Gloria

Burgess is the one actor who gets to play the same character, Loren, throughout the play, and he is astonishing, Harried and frustrated in the first act, Loren is changed by the violence in a different way.  The last scene belongs to Burgess, and his lovely, understated performance.

Lyle Baskin’s two office sets, nondescript gray for New York and vibrant colors for Los Angeles, are on point, while his Starbuck’s set has everything except a line of customers waiting to order. Both Matt Corey’s sound and Steve Welsh’s lighting are evocative, while Ellis Tillman’s costumes go a long way in illustrating each character’s personality. The one flaw lies in the wigs and facial hair some actors wear to play their other characters, which look more like a bad disguises. Kudos to Waldo Washaw for the jarring special effects.

Originally produced three years ago, Gloria is a timely play ripped from too many headlines that illuminates the perspectives and struggles of those directly effected by violent tragedy. It raises more questions than it answers, and while no one can answer those questions effectively in such a short time, Gloria is bound to raise some thought-provoking discussions.

Gloria runs through May 6 at GableStage at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. For tickets and more information, visit GableStage.org.

Photo Credit: George Schiavone

By Mary Damiano

Gretchen Porro, Laura Turnbull and Elizabeth Dimon try yoga in Be Here Now 

Finding meaning in the mundane and getting a new lease on life are just two of the themes running through Be Here Now, a new play by Deborah Zoe Laufer, now on stage at Theatre Lab in Boca Raton.

Bari, (Laura Turnbull) is a middle-aged woman who believes in nothing—she is a former New York City college professor whose subject was nihilism. Forced to suspend her teaching career until she finishes her dissertation on the subject of how nothing has meaning, she has returned to her tiny hometown in upstate New York to sell her parents’ home and work in a gift fulfillment center while she struggles to write.

Gretchen Porro, Laura Turnbull and Elizabrth Dimon at work at a gift fulfillment center in Be Here Now

Although it’s only two hours north of New York City, tiny East Cooperville is a different world, a small town where everyone is either related or has known each other practically from birth, and hopping in the car and driving one town over is considered an adventure. Bari’s coworkers are Patty Cooper (Elizabeth Dimon) and her niece Luanne Cooper (Gretchen Porro) who are descended from the town’s founders and have spent their entire lives close to where they were born. Patty believes in astrology and met Bari in kindergarten—she recalls how even then Bari was an anti-social child who called her classmates cretins. Luanne is sweet and flighty and thinks nothing of sending boob pix to a guy she’s met online. The Cooper women are both happy and content in their small-town existence, a direct counterpart to Bari’s dour demeanor.

Laura Turnbull gives Gretchen Porro and Elizabeth Dimon a scare in Be Here Now

Determined to fix Bari and help her be happy, Patty and Luanne arrange a blind date with Patty’s cousin Mike (Desmond Gallant) whom Luane describes as a genius with cute ears. While the Coopers are excited that the date could be a turning point in Bari’s life, she sees it as a chore and, plagued by one of her chronic headaches, talks herself out of following through. But when Bari has a seizure and experiences visions of light and sound, her perspective shifts. She meets Mike, a sweet, loopy guy who rides a bike, has a pet crow, and collects garbage to use in his work. As the seizures continue, Bari begins to question everything she’s believed about her life and the world around her, leading her to an unexpected path.

Laura Turnbull and Desmond Gallant engage in a wavky lip-lock in Be Here Now

Laufer has a talent for creating unforgettable characters with distinct, quirky personalities—plot aside, it’s fun just to watch these people interact with each other. But she has also crafted an insightful story, one that takes threads of the meaning of life, mindful living, and finding purpose in the forgotten and woven them into a beautiful, thought-provoking tapestry. The play is bookended by two similar scenes, one funny, one lovely, that show how far the characters have come in a short time.

Laura Turnbull and Desmond Gallant in Be Here Now

Laufer also directed this production, and each member of the cast delivers a winning performance while working together seamlessly, fully immersing the audience in their world.

Porro embodies Luanne’s sweetness, though her delivery hints at an aching sadness beneath her chirpy exterior, adding nuance and dimension. Dimon, who sports a head of spiky white hair with a shock of hot pink, uses her impeccable timing to great advantage, making her pitch-perfect as maternal Patty.

Gallant’s performance is sometimes funny, sometimes heart-wrenching, but always endearing. Like the character he portrays, Gallant wastes nothing—every gesture, every expression, has meaning and purpose—and he brings Mike to life with a quiet, insightful dignity, transforming him from character to fully-fleshed out person.

From the first moment of the play, sitting in a yoga class, cynicism on full display, Turnbull sinks her teeth into Bari and doesn’t let go, making the wild ride of Bari’s evolution all her own. In Turnbull’s skilled hands, Bari’s shift from austerity to awe is a joy to watch.

Laura Turnbull and Desmond Gallant in Be Here Now

Matt Corey’s subtle sound design is exquisite, allowing the audience to hear through the characters’ ears. Jayson Tomashesky’s lighting illustrates Bari’s personality shift and grounds each locale. Michael McClain’s inventive scenic design visually enhances the play’s themes of meaning and purpose. Dawn C. Shamburger’s costumes complement each character to great effect.

Theatre Lab’s production of Be Here Now features some of the best talent in the region in a tender, thought-provoking play that is sure to resonate with those who see it. Even its title is a reminder to not let the beauty of every moment pass by without notice.

Be Here Now runs through April 22 at Theatre Lab on the FAU campus in Boca Raton. For tickets and more information, visit fau.edu/theatrelab

Photo Credit: Niki Fridh

By Mary Damiano

There are two things you need to know about Grounded, the current show from Thinking Cap Theatre at The Vanguard in Fort Lauderdale.  There are only two performances left, and you should do whatever you can to see this magnificent production.

Niki Fridh delivers a bravura performance as a badass, rock star fighter pilot who lives for the moments she’s in the air, in “the blue,” she calls it.  She rhapsodizes about flying, fighting the war in the desert, dropping bombs here and there, unconcerned about the aftermath because she’s always long gone before her target is reduced to dust.  Her world changes when she gets pregnant and is grounded, eventually assigned stateside to the Nevada desert to become a drone pilot.  Instead of her beloved, glorious blue, she’s entrenched in a grey screen of the desert she used to fly above.  While she recognizes the gift of being able to fight the war with the threat of her own death removed, and go home each night to her husband and daughter, being a drone pilot turns out to be much more dangerous than she ever imagined.

Nicole Stodard is a visionary, both in her choice of material for Thinking Cap, which she founded, and with her direction and design of her productions.  In Grounded, the use of projections, designed by Cat Del Buono, allow the audience into the pilot’s world and into her head, creating a marriage of style and substance that complements Fridh’s compelling performance without overshadowing it.

The other designers are up to the challenges of the script.  Stodard’s sound design, Eric Nelson’s lighting and Alyiece Moretto’s scenic and costume design mesh seamlessly to create the world in George Brant’s play.

Grounded rests squarely on Fridh’s slender shoulders, and she is strong enough to not only pull it off, but turn it into an edge-of-your-seat nail biter.  On stage alone for 80 brisk minutes, she never falters. With macho swagger, Fridh deftly conveys the pilot’s exhilaration of flying and living the fighter pilot lifestyle, and later the struggle of balancing her profession with her role as a wife and mother.  And when the pilot begins to realize the consequences of her actions, Fridh ratchets up the intensity of her performance, becoming even more riveting and intense as the psychological effects of her job take their toll.

Both Grounded and Fridh’s performance are not to be missed.

Grounded runs through Saturday, April 15 at the The Vanguard in Fort Lauderdale.  Visit ThinkingCapTheatre.com for tickets and more information.

Photo Credit: Nicole Stodard

By Mary Damiano

Neil Sedaka taught us that breaking up is hard to do, but breaking up with Neil Sedaka is impossible.

Watching Sedaka perform at Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale last night was like visiting an old friend you haven’t seen in a while and being reminded of why you like him so much, and wonder why you haven’t gotten together for so long.

Sedaka is now 78 years old, but his voice has not changed—it’s still as rich and steady as ever.  He also looks great.  Sedaka is celebrating 60 years of songwriting and performing, which began with his first hit, Oh! Carol, written for his high school girlfriend Carol Klein—the world knows her better as Carole King.  Juilliard-trained to be a classical pianist—he even included some Chopin in his 90-minute set—Sedaka discovered pop music and the rest is history.

Last night’s concert started with footage of other artists performing Sedaka songs: Frank Sinatra, Connie Francis, The Carpenters, Clay Aiken, showing how Sedaka’s music transcends genres and generations.

Sedaka opened with Bad Blood, his 1975 hit which featured vocals by Elton John, and ended with another song from 1975 that’s still timely, The Immigrant.  In between, he sang hits that he and other artists made famous: Oh! Carol, The Diary, Where the Boys Are, Next Door to an Angel, Calendar Girl, Solitaire, Love Will Keep Us Together, Laughter in the Rain, The Hungry Years, and so many others.  One fun segment featured a video of Calendar Girl he made in the 1960s, which illustrated the lyrics with a bevy of beauties in bizarre costumes.  He also performed the original upbeat 1962 Breaking Up is Hard To Do, and for an encore, played the smoky, ballad version he recorded in 1975.

Woven between the songs were Sedaka’s memories of how they came about, writing with partner Howard Greenfield in the legendary Brill Building in an atmosphere which nurtured so many talents who produced so many classic songs, and his own memories of his career.  It was like watching a rock and roll version of Mister Rogers tell stories—gentle, folksy and funny.  And oh, so much fun.

For upcoming Neil Sedaka tour dates, visit NeilSedaka.com