Showing posts with label City Theater Company. Show all posts
Showing posts with label City Theater Company. Show all posts

Monday, May 13, 2024

Recognizing Improv Comedy as an Art Form

By Jeff Gudzune
Jeff writes book reviews for a variety of publishers and is active in community theater. Since 2013, Jeff has owned and operated Matrix Notary Service.

In the pantheon of theater, improv is one of the most difficult arts to master. It is not for the timid. There is no script, no set, and no director. It’s a series of extemporaneous actions; a symbiosis that requires familiarity and trust. There must be a bond among the performers for it to work. 

Fearless Improv serves as an exemplar of that bond. A frequent sight onstage as City Theater Company's traveling comedy team, this troupe has mastered the art — weaving hilarious concepts from the ether. Moreover, they have been so gracious as to share their talents with curious laymen such as myself.

Learning lines and blocking can be difficult even under the controlled circumstances of a scripted play or musical. To create a character, dialogue, and blocking based on a simple premise and then launch into a performance is deer-in-headlights terrifying! The talented array of performers at Fearless do this weekly. 

Featuring an ever-growing cast, Fearless has been a staple at CTC for almost 10 years. I recently had the opportunity to take the Intro to Improv workshop taught by Jason Langin. In just two hours, the participants went from a collection of 15 strangers too timid to give more than their names to a fully interactive group, feeding off one another’s creativity in a series of short skits and exercises. It was terrifying and exhilarating!

Fearless Improv provides an off-the-cuff and truly wondrous experience. Improv starts with a premise, a suggestion from the audience. From this premise, the performers springboard into a full-fledged comedic performance. Fearless recently added a musical component to their shows with Drew Waldron improvising musical interludes and songs as part of the show. Sadly, Drew is leaving for new opportunities at the conclusion of the season. His contributions will be missed.

Fearless Improv brings something new every time. While there is a format to the show, anything can happen. The reality of improv is to expect the unexpected. It takes talent to instantly come up with dialogue and run with it, and it takes keen observation to see where the scene is going. It’s obvious that members of this group trust one another and have developed a strong working relationship.

Fearless Improv offers regular live performances, September through May, at CTC's home at The Delaware Contemporary, as well as quarterly "18 and over" shows at Wilmington Brew Works. They also offer regular improv classes for adults, a summer youth improv camp, and professional development workshops for corporate and business groups. 

To learn more, visit city-theater.org/fearless.

Sunday, April 21, 2024

Dancing Through City Theater Company's 30th Anniversary Season Closer, "Dancing at Lughnasa"

Jeff Gudzune writes book reviews for a variety of publishers and is active in community theater. Since 2013, Jeff has owned and operated Matrix Notary Service.

City Theater Company's cast of Dancing at Lughnasa.
Photo by Joe del Tufo, Moonloop Photography.
No one does drama, peppered with light humor, better than the Irish. Lives of toil, tragedy, and the struggle for upward mobility are made easier by finding the humor in life. It’s a reality that refreshes in a world of 24-hour news cycles foreshadowing international conflict, political upheavals, and the possibility of economic catastrophe.

City Theater Company's production of Dancing at Lughnasa, directed by Mary Catherine Kelley, is the personification of Irish Drama. It’s not devastating, but it is stark and evocative. The story is based on playwright Brian Friel's own reflections of life in rural Ireland in the summer of 1936. The eclectic extended family members have their own story to tell, seasoned with an equal mix of humor and sorrow.

The action takes place in the Mundy household, a small cottage in the town of Ballybeg during the summer of 1936. The narration is provided by an adult Michael Mundy (Daryan Borys), who also speaks in the voice of his 7-year-old self during interactions with his family. Michael appears offstage as an adult, and the cast interacts with the air around a spotlight representing the child.

Michael is unaware of the tempest brewing within his family, the drama that will crescendo as the play moves through its acts. He only wants to enjoy the remaining weeks of summer before school starts and to find some peace in a house filled with women — five unmarried sisters Kate (Kerry Kristine McElrone), Agnes (Jessica Jordan), Rose (Kate Brennan), Maggie (Jennifer Youngblood), and Christina (Éibhleann Clyne), Michael's mother.

The presence of his famous Uncle Jack (Paul McElwee), a Roman Catholic priest who has just returned from Uganda, adds a bit of mystery to the boy’s life. To further complicate matters, his wayward father, Gerry (Aidan McDonald), suddenly arrives to court his mother and purchase the boy's affection.


The Mundy family is a tapestry of latent desires and buried trauma. Kate, the oldest, is a schoolteacher and devout Catholic who is leery of the pagan themes of the approaching festival of Lughnasa — a Gaelic celebration marking the start of the harvest. Anges and Rose knit gloves but find their way of life endangered by industrial competition. Maggie and Michael’s mother, Christina, tend the house and reflect on what their lives could have been. Jack struggles to express himself and often wanders the house attempting to give voice to his muddled thoughts. Things are further complicated by the arrival of Michael’s father Gerry—a wanderer with big promises and very little follow through.

The talented cast conveys the emotions of the piece through their expressions and body language, as well as spot-on Irish accents. The musical accompaniment adds a sad tone to the actions presented on the stage. 

Among the central themes of the show are regret over the path not taken, the struggle for survival, and challenges to faith. Father Jack returns from missionary work to find his spiritual outlook somewhat changed. Social Scientists would call this "going native," but he has come to realize that not all roads lead to Rome in the spiritual sense. This concerns Kate, whose devotion to her faith leaves her fearful for her brother’s soul. Anges and Rose are forced to work long hours in the glove factory to support the family as Kate is forced into early retirement. Through it all, they remain united. There is conflict, but it is wholesome. It’s family.

Dancing at Lughnasa is a study of Irish culture and family life. The idyllic community in which the players live exists in the space between two worlds. There is the strict Irish Catholic heritage, devoted to the tenets of the religion and its firm dogma and the local traditions that may not be in line with that faith. The weight of the world in which they live is evident in the physical expressions of the actors as they portray a kaleidoscope of emotions on stage. One could not help but be taken away from the moment. 

While each performer brought their heart and soul to the role, the standout was Jennifer Youngblood’s embodiment of fun-loving life-spirit Maggie. Delivering stark, often comedic commentary, she serves as a bridge between the more serious Kate and the rest of the family. Equally impressive was Kate Brennan’s Rose, whose disability does not hamper her desire to find love.

Remaining performances of Dancing at Lughnasa are Sunday, 4/21, matinee (2:00pm) and Wednesday, 4/24 through Saturday, 4/27 (all 8:00pm). Tickets are available online at City-Theater.org.  Seating is mostly on risers, but ADA seating is available by alerting the House Manager. City Theater Company performs in the Wings Black Box of The Delaware Contemporary, located at 200 S. Madison Street, near the Wilmington waterfront. 

Saturday, December 9, 2023

CTC Rocks this "Wicked Little Town" with Revival of Hedwig & the Angry Inch

By Hannah Leposa, guest blogger
Theater fan Hannah Leposa is excited to be living in Wilmington where there is a lively theatre community and high quality performances.


Hedwig and her Angry Inch band. Photo by Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography.
City Theater Company
's Hedwig and the Angry Inch follows Hedwig and her stage show as she tells the story of her botched sex change operation, leaving the titular Angry Inch behind. We also follow her journey from an angry woman to self acceptance and loving herself for who she is. The show is a cult classic, written by John Cameron Mitchell with music and lyrics by Stephen Trask.

Hedwig, portrayed by Diva Baby, was emotional and a little over-the-top, which is expected from the character as a drag queen headliner. Her portrayal of Hedwig's breakdown was raw and captivating and a 180 turn from the levity she brought to the opening. I did not expect to be laughing as hard as I did during this show, but Diva Baby’s delivery of the cheeky jokes in the first half of the show were impeccable. Her performance of Wig in a Box was a standout of the night as it allowed the line between actress and character to blur. The song, which started out vulnerable, ended with a silly audience sing-a-long directed by Hedwig, who had more notes for the audience than they sang.

Hedwig is joined on stage by her rock band, The Angry Inch. The musicians were part of the show, as they are in costume and on stage interacting with Hedwig and her husband/backup singer Yitzhak for the entire show. The performance was truly like a rock concert at times. CTC did provide earplugs for those whose ears are more sensitive to loud music.

Hedwig's husband Yitzhak, played by Mackenzie Brockmeyer, is the final cast member of the production. Her portrayal of the quiet Yitzhak surprised me, as I caught myself watching her on more than one occasion. She beautifully portrayed the emotions of Yitzhak and I could imagine exactly what her character was thinking without her having to say a word. Her voice shined in The Long Grift and her reveal at the end was beautifully executed.

City Theater Company is celebrating its 30th season and is reviving Hedwig for the second time, having previously staged the show in 2004 and 2005. Despite CTC having produced this show before, the interpretation of the show felt fresh. 

The wigs were beautiful — if not temperamental — but being a true performer, Diva Baby worked that into the show so beautifully that I barely realized it wasn't scripted. The costumes and makeup mirrored Hedwig's dissolution of her image of her life, starting grand, and fun and dissolving into nothing more than a holey shirt and shorts.

Set in the early 2000s, the intimate cabaret-style seating at The Delaware Contemporary made the perfect venue for this performance, making it feel more like an authentic stage show. When I first saw the set, I was apprehensive, as I usually feel screens as set pieces are not used well and they detract from what is happening on stage. That was not the case for Hedwig. The images and videos shown added so much, the show would have been great without them, but they added just enough to elevate the actors' performances. The drawings by Echo Chappelle made the already great performance of The Origin Of Love superb, and the videos used during Hedwig’s breakdown heightened the emotion and intensified Diva’s portrayal of Hedwig’s emotional state.

The remaining performances of Hedwig and The Angry Inch are December 10 at 2pm and December 13-16 at 8pm. All shows are at The Delaware Contemporary.The show runs around 90 minutes with no intermission. 

Tickets are $45 and can be purchased at tickets available now at city-theater.org.

Saturday, April 15, 2023

Theater Review: Assassins | City Theater Company

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

Photo by Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography.
City Theater Company (CTC) closes its season with a bang by staging the Tony Award-winning Assassins — a show described as “one of the most controversial musicals ever written.”  The script openly examines our nation’s culture of celebrity and the violent means some will use to obtain it.  The story studies America’s four successful and five would-be presidential assassins through music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by John Weidman.  The show is based on an original concept by Charles Gilbert, Jr.

CTC first presented Assassins in 1998 when current Artistic Director Kerry Kristine McElrone played Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme.  McElrone is excited to revisit the show 25 years later: “When deciding on our 29th season, I knew I wanted us to do a Sondheim piece. Assassins has always been an important show to me [and] the time felt right to restage this one for a new CTC audience.”

The dark and slyly comic show shadows a group of successful and wannabe Presidential assassins throughout U.S. history, framing their experiences in a broader exploration of American ideals.  The show opens in a carnival shooting gallery and moves through various venues including the 6th floor of the Texas School Book Depository.  Guns are central to the fates of the characters and the overall theme of the show.  In fact, one of the musical numbers is entitled “Gun Song.”

The score reflects the popular music of each era as the characters tell their stories through scenes and songs.  While Sondheim’s music is often quite syncopated, many of these songs were rhythmic and jaunty like “The Ballad of Booth.”  A small live orchestra situated next to the stage deftly accompanied the stage action.  Other noteworthy songs include “The Ballad of Guiteau,” “Unworthy of Your Love,” and the closing number “Everybody’s Got the Right.”  The latter is a rallying cry which can be taken a few disparate ways — forcing the audience to fully consider what they’ve just experienced on stage in front of (and next to) them.

Photo by Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography.
Director Joe Trainor has placed his actors where you cannot avoid them — on a stage almost touching the front row of patrons, in the middle aisle, and on strategically-placed risers.  Kudos to Rick Neidig on his set design and “patriotic” backdrop.  The pacing of the show is excellent with entrances, exits, and dialog moving effortlessly.

Trainor is thrilled to be tackling his first Sondheim show: “For a play that first premiered in 1990, Assassins is shockingly accessible in 2023.  It’s an incredibly challenging work, both in its subject matter and in its technical aspects.  The music and its pastiche style are incredible.  [It] entertains us even as it forces us to go uncomfortably deep within our own minds, and our collective histories.”

The musical opened in 1990 to many negative reviews — mostly concerning the subject matter and character focus.  Even Sondheim admitted he expected backlash due to the show’s content: “There are always people who think that certain subjects are not right for musicals...[w]e're not going to apologize for dealing with such a volatile subject.  Nowadays, virtually everything goes.”

McElrone says, “Assassins is about a disparate group of loners who…find themselves in the same room at the same time, reliving their crimes with relish almost for each other’s benefit, like a support group from hell.”

That hellish support group is played brilliantly by Chris Banker, Daryan Borys, Jim Burns, Adam Cooper, Kristin Finger, Dylan Geringer, Joshua Gold, Aidan McDonald, Paul McElwee, Emma Romeo Moyer, Kevin Regan, Kit Regan, and Brian Turner.  While all are excellent, Finger captured the manic Sara Jane Moore to chilling perfection while toting a gun and KFC bucket with equal diffidence.  McDonald was a compelling John Wilkes Booth whose belief that “the country is not what it was” line resonates in the modern politic now.

There are several powerful and unhinged diatribes in this play, but those by Kevin Regan — portraying Nixon-threatening Samuel Byck — were remarkable.  Juxtaposing a deranged wanna-be hijacker and assassin with a Bud-guzzling man in a Santa suit kept the audience rapt.  Could this unrealistic loner really pull off what he says he can?  When Booth gets into Lee Harvey Oswald’s head to convince him to squeeze his trigger and Hinkley refers to Oswald as an inspiration for his shooting of Reagan, you know you’ve entered serious satire.  It is not for the faint of heart, but it is compelling.

All the cast members bring real intensity to their roles and the subject matter.  Even the excellent Brian Turner (The Balladeer) kept his darkly comic narration focused on mental failings and perceived societal ills.  His powerful voice both set the tone and analyzed the action.

Simply put, all the parts of this show work together in beautiful harmony not often found in regional theater.  Kudos to “the underlings” who have risen to the occasion with aplomb!

Assassins will be performed April 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, and 22.  Curtain for all shows is 8:00pm except for the lone Sunday matinee at 2:00pm (April 16).  Run time is approximately 105 minutes without an intermission.  City Theater Company’s home is in the Wings Black Box at The Delaware Contemporary located at 200 South Madison, Wilmington, DE19801.  

Tickets ($30-45) can be purchased at the box office or online.  Special ticket pricing is available for military personnel and students. CTC does not currently require proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Mask-wearing is optional per guest preference. Please be respectful of fellow patrons’ choices.  Call the box office at 302.220.8285 or email citytheatercompany@gmail.com for details about the show.

CTC’s mission is to create a body of work that takes risks and breaks barriers — just as The Delaware Contemporary’s is to take risks and push boundaries.  Both institutions are invested in promoting the work of local and emerging artists, advancing opportunity and growth by and for the community, and welcoming all those looking to experience art.

City Theater Company is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Divisions promotes Delaware arts events on DelawareScene.com.

Advisory: Assassins deals with mature content, including R-rated and racially charged language.  This production uses non-firing, replica, prop guns.  No live ammunition or working weapons are used in this production.  This production features gunshot sounds throughout.  All such sounds are pre-recorded. CTC can provide disposable earplugs for your comfort.

To quote John Wilkes Booth: “There is no quiet desperation here.”

Saturday, February 11, 2023

Theatre Review: The Year of Magical Thinking | City Theater Company

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

City Theater Company (CTC) returns to the stage in 2023 with the one-woman autobiographical The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion.  The play is based on her bestselling memoir of the same name and stars Mary Catherine Kelley in the titular role.  The production takes place in the cozy Wings Black Box at The Delaware Contemporary (TDC) on the Wilmington Riverfront.

Mary Catherine Kelley stars in The Year of Magical Thinking at CTC.
Photo by Jim Coarse/Moonloop Photography.
Adapted by the author for Broadway in 2007, the award-winning play is a riveting and heartfelt elegy that expands on the book, which won the National Book Award and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. The work explores Didion’s grief following the deaths of her husband John Gregory Dunne and daughter Quintana Roo.

In what amounts to an extended soliloquy, Didion recounts her journey of loss, perseverance, and hope by using her signature wit to draw an intimate portrait of the resilience of the human heart.  Kelley is moving as Didion…taking the audience with her as she flutters between recounting good times and lamenting the present without her loved ones.  It’s not an easy line to walk, but Kelley deftly brings you inside Didion and her family.  The lack of stage microphones heightens the intimacy as we hear every quiver in Kelley’s voice and each bold statement of resilience.

The production is directed by CTC Artistic Director Kerry Kristine McElrone, who has opted for simplicity and straightforwardness in her guidance of the action.  Kelley isn’t asked to more than be human and share Didion’s complex thoughts on death and dying.  That’s no small task, but by getting down to basics, the message becomes more powerful.

Kudos to set designer Rick Neidig and lighting man Stuart Thomas for keeping things simple and effective, like McElrone with her direction.

The play starts with death and ends with death, but there is joy interwoven in Didion’s words.  “I love you more than one more day” is a sort of mantra recalling the special bond between lost husband and daughter.  These aren’t distant figures, but spirits you feel are in the theater with you.  Kelley was powerful when describing how she would brush “Q-Roo’s” hair and repeatedly brought up her daughter’s ever-changing locks.

Back in 2007, the New York Times called The Year of Magical Thinking “a report back from an emotional abyss, yet for all its intensity, it isn’t grim or overwrought.  It’s rigorously self-scrutinizing, dryly self-mocking, fairly stunned-somehow both unsentimental and consumed with love.”

So what exactly is “magical thinking,” according to Didion?  The play mentions anthropological ties to mysticism, but from the stage action it seems to be more of a modern optimistic reality.  The script takes on a better pace at the first inkling that Didion truly recognizes a death in her immediate family – stepping out of initial denial.  She continues to revisit better times and sometimes felt her loved ones were still with her, but as the dialog progresses, the audience realizes that Didion has come to a sort of acceptance.  It’s a powerful journey that is navigated with aplomb by CTC.

Winner of the 2005 National Book Award for Nonfiction, The Year of Magical Thinking is one of many celebrated books by Joan Didion.  She was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, which awarded her its 2005 Gold Medal in nonfiction.  She also received the 1996 Edward MacDowell Medal, the 1999 Columbia Journalism Award, and the 2002 George Polk Book Award.

CTC’s mission is to create a body of work that takes risks and breaks barriers — just as TDC’s is to take risks and push boundaries.  Both institutions are invested in promoting the work of local and emerging artists, advancing opportunity and growth by and for the community, and welcoming all those looking to experience art.

City Theater Company is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Divisions promotes Delaware arts events on DelawareScene.com.

The Year of Magical Thinking will run Friday and Saturday nights through February 18.  Curtain is at 8:00pm and run time is approximately 100 minutes without an intermission.  City Theater Company’s home is at The Delaware Contemporary located at 200 South Madison, Wilmington, DE 19801.  Tickets ($30-45) can be purchased at the box office or online.  Special ticket pricing is available for military personnel and students.  

Please call the box office at (302)220-8285 or email info@city-theater.org for details.

Sunday, December 11, 2022

CTC's Latest Show Begs the Question, "What Is Art?"

By Mike Logothetis

City Theater Company (CTC) returns to the Wings Black Box during its 2022-23 residency at The Delaware Contemporary (TDC) with the Tony- and Olivier-winning comedy ART. The 1994 play was written by Yasmina Reza and translated from the original French by Christopher Hampton.

The story is about three friends who find themselves at odds after one (Serge) purchases a very pricey, all-white painting. Throughout the show, the three characters argue viciously — amusingly  over their responses to the painting.

ART stars CTC debutant Nick Johnson as Marc plus CTC alumni Christian Deisler (Serge) and Emma Romeo (Yvan). The “deconstruction” of the central piece of artwork devolves to comic effect as the trio grapples with the larger question of how to maintain personal relationships through a (contrived) crisis. A cutting question Marc repeatedly asks Serge is, “You paid 200,000 francs for this [expletive]?” When Yvan tries to play peacemaker, she is derided by the others as a “coward” and an “amoeba,” and even suffers a minor injury when she tries to defuse a brief scuffle.

Though it makes several appearances during the play, the white painting soon becomes a MacGuffin — i.e., a catalyst for amplifying hidden tensions inside this longstanding three-way friendship. The simple question, “But is it art?” runs throughout the action, either explicitly or implicitly – moving the plot forward.

Don't be misled by the impressive pedigree of ART, as the play is almost more slapstick than subtle. But the themes run deep because true friendship is not superficial. These characters care about each other, but life has intervened – which often makes the simple more complex.

These are not esoteric personas, but ones you interact with daily. Serge is an idealist whose life has been mostly comfortable. Marc is a realist with a stern outer layer he uses for protection. Yvan is an easy-going person on the outside with insecurities swirling below the surface. All three actors imbue their characters with individuality and compassion. They are a talented trio whose banter is natural and pointed, helping the audience believe their characters are really friends – but also scathing critics.

Director Jeff Robleto allows his actors to interact and soliloquize easily and comfortably under clever lighting by Stuart Thomas. Robleto’s pacing keeps us hooked into the changes these friends are going through. After the show, it is inevitable to ponder changes in one’s own friendships and the views others may have of us. Do interpersonal conflicts just happen or are they initiated?

The funniest scene is when Yvan delivers her wedding monologue — listing all that could go wrong about her upcoming nuptials. Romeo commanded our attention and drew us into her character’s angst while humoring us with mundane decisions which are slowing driving Yvan mad. But are her concerns of any consequence to Marc and Serge? Do they even care? …a little? …a lot?

Come to the Riverfront to find out!

Artistic Director Kerry Kristine McElrone was excited before (and after) the show about this and the upcoming slate of performances by City Theater Company. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion (February 2023) and Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins (April 2023) are next on the docket. Plus there are partnership productions with TDC and Fearless Improv coming up. Check city-theater.org for more information.

CTC’s mission is to create a body of work that takes risks and breaks barriers — just as TDC’s is to take risks and push boundaries. Both institutions are invested in promoting the work of local and emerging artists, advancing opportunity and growth by and for the community, and welcoming all those looking to experience art.

ART will run for only four more performances through Saturday (December 11, 15, 16 & 17). Curtain is at 8:00pm save for the lone Sunday matinee (2:00pm). Run time is just about 90 minutes. City Theater Company’s new-ish home is at The Delaware Contemporary located at 200 South Madison, Wilmington, Delaware 19801.

Tickets ($30-45) can be purchased at the box office or online. Special ticket pricing is available for military personnel and students. Please call the box office at 302.220.8285 or email info@city-theater.org for details.

It's a great time to visit The Delaware Contemporary (and other local museums) and ask yourself rhetorically, “But is it art?”

Saturday, March 19, 2022

City Theater Company Celebrates a World Premiere and Honors a Legendary Bluesman

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

City Theater Company (CTC) returns to the Wings Black Box during its residency at The Delaware Contemporary (TDC) with the World Premiere of Blues In My Soul: The Legend and Legacy of Lonnie Johnson, a new play by David Robson.

Playwright Robson admits that “...Blues In My Soul has been a labor of love for me – a chance to grapple with past wrongs and find a place of connection and community through music.”

Joe Beckett as Lonnie and Righteous Jolly as Chris in Blues In My Soul. 
Photo by Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography.
Based on a true story, Blues In My Soul reimagines a fateful meeting between guitar legend Lonnie Johnson and music historian Chris Albertson. In 1959, Johnson was working a low-wage job at a Philadelphia hotel, his past long forgotten. When Johnson is identified and engaged by Albertson, the two men start to discuss issues of authenticity, injustice, and legacy as they work their way through a catalog of great blues tunes – performed here with the blessing of the Johnson estate. It’s obvious that Johnson – a musician who influenced the likes of Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, T-Bone Walker, Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, B.B. King, and Eric Clapton – is wary of a potential return to the industry that exploited and segregated his work before casting him aside.

Blues In My Soul features CTC alumni Righteous Jolly (Chris) and Christopher Banker (Irving), while musician Joe Beckett (Lonnie) makes his CTC debut…and what a debut! Although not much is known about Lonnie Johnson’s personality and demeanor, Beckett gives a realistic portrayal of a man who’s weary of where his former talents led him in life.

After a chance meeting, Beckett was informed by Jolly that he was the perfect person to portray Johnson in this production. Beckett agreed to audition and ended up landing the gig.

“That’s when my nerves went through the roof because I’d never acted before. They sent the script and it’s a two-man play, so it’s just me and Righteous through the whole play,” said Beckett. “Again, I have no experience whatsoever.”

Some of those nerves matter on stage and some don’t. Beckett’s and Jolly’s characters verbally spar, but they end up making beautiful music together. And that’s what this show is about: Music. Specifically, The Blues. Playwright Robson thankfully included over a dozen abridged songs by Johnson so the audience can appreciate the talents of the legendary bluesman.

But to really experience The Blues, the performer has to dig down and bring the music up with him through his instrument and voice. In that realm, Beckett delivers wholeheartedly. With songs like “See See Rider” and the titular “Blues In My Soul,” we see both Johnson’s and Beckett’s significant talents.

Jolly is no slouch either as the idolizing Chris, a dedicated DJ driving to put The Blues he loves on the Philadelphia airwaves. Chris is a devotee of Lonnie and is overjoyed to play music for and with his hero as he argues his case to share Johnson’s musical legacy with the world. Jolly shows his chops playing “Tomorrow Night” and Beautiful But Dumb” for Beckett’s Johnson. “Two-Tone Stomp” and “Blues For Chris” are standout Beckett/Jolly duets which capture the true joy of complementary performance.

But while the music soars, the dialog lost me at points. Perhaps it was opening night jitters or the difficulty in compressing a man’s life and career into verbal vignettes between songs, but a little tightening up would improve the flow of the show.

By no means should that minor script detail stop you from making time to see this production. Director Joe Trainor puts his two principal actors front and center, but makes sure the music is the real the star. While Lonnie laments that the music industry is a contest he “can’t seem to win,” this play is definitely a winner.

As Beckett said in an interview with the Lower Bucks Times: “I hope what people get out of this show is that music is just music. Music brings people together.” Amen.

Playwright David Robson.
Photo by Sonja Robson.
Artistic Director Kerry Kristine McElrone says, “Blues In My Soul came along at exactly the right time for CTC. We have been lucky to work with David throughout our history. …The incredible true story of this encounter between Lonnie and Chris was instrumental in creating a ‘second act’ for one of the greatest musicians of the 20th Century. This is a tale about the need for connection and the impact that art – in this case, music – can have on individuals who on the surface seem to have nothing in common, yet find community in each other through a beloved art form. ...And the process of making this play ready for an appreciative audience was very in line with our commitment to new work and involving the creator in that process.”

Robson echoes that sentiment: “As an artistic partner, CTC can’t be beat. As a long-time supporter of my work, their creative team has been instrumental in helping me nudge the play forward by asking the right questions and encouraging my efforts to hone the piece. Their belief in this story honors my work and the life of the great Lonnie Johnson.”

Blues In My Soul runs for only four performances through next Saturday (March 18, 19, 25, and 26). Curtain is at 8:00pm, and the show lasts just under 90 minutes. City Theater Company’s new home at The Delaware Contemporary is located at 200 South Madison, Wilmington, DE 19801. 

Tickets ($30-40) can be purchased at the box office or online. Special ticket pricing is available for military personnel and students. Visit city-theater.org for more details and COVID-19 protocols/policies.

Come share in the magic of rediscovered music. As Lonnie Johnson would say about The Blues: “You can have ‘em, but you can’t own ‘em.”

Sunday, March 6, 2022

David Robson's "Blues in My Soul" Makes Its World Premiere at City Theater Company

Delaware Arts Info reviewer Charles "Ebbie" Alfree III caught up with playwright David Robson to discuss his latest play (with music) about blues and jazz legend Lonnie Johnson.

Blues in My Soul opens on Friday, March 18,  at City Theater Company’s new home at The Delaware Contemporary. 

For information and tickets, visit https://city-theater.org.



Saturday, December 11, 2021

City Theater Company Jumps Into New Season and a New Home — All at "ONCE"!

By Mike Logothetis
Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

City Theater Company launches season with ONCE. Photo by Joe del Tufo. 
To open its 2021-2022 season, City Theater Company (CTC) begins a new residency at The Delaware Contemporary (TDC) on the Wilmington Riverfront. CTC Artistic Director Kerry Kristine McElrone is “excited to bring the communal, immediate, accessible experience of art in live action to The Delaware Contemporary’s patrons, and to introduce City Theater Company’s audiences to all that they have to offer.”

McElrone added: “Our approach to theater and improv considers the art form of live performance to be a creative collaboration between players, directors, designers, writers, and the audience.”

It should be noted that CTC has been entertaining audiences virtually during the pandemic with online content but is eager to get back to live performances (and audiences) starting with the musical Once. The 2012 Tony Award
winner for Best Musical is based on the Irish musical film and features actors playing their own instruments onstage. The musical features 12 performers/musicians and a child actor.

The space inside TDC is intimate and three rows on each side flank a central performance area with a larger stage at one end and a small musicians’ area at the other. In this way, the audience is sometimes being directed to follow back-and-forth dialog like an attendee at a tennis match. (It’s not that extreme, but noticeable during certain dialogs.) But the space also allows musicians to sit in all corners of the room,
 providing a true unamplified “surround sound.” A large bank of TV screens looms over the stage end and provides clever multimedia effects for the show.

However, the acoustics are tricky and only the full ensemble numbers properly fill the room. While pleasant, the solos and intimate duets could stand to be a bit louder to properly resonate with the audience. Some of the dialog got swallowed up by the room on Opening Night, but the performers portrayed the emotions and plot devices well enough to move the narrative forward.

If you’re not familiar with the story, an Irish busker/”Hoover repairman” meets a plucky Czech woman in Dublin and their passion for music 
 and each other  takes them to wonderfully sonic places. You don’t need to understand much of the accented dialog to enjoy the incredible music Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová composed for the original 2007 film written by John Carney — no, not our current Delaware Governor. ;)

And it’s the music that shines in this production. Righteous Jolly is listed as “Guy” in the program but is “The Man” whenever he’s featured. Jolly has the musical chops to deliver glorious melodies and guitar accompaniments plus the charisma to have the audience root for him. His wounded and vulnerable Guy has an inner drive to better himself by spending as much time as possible with new acquaintance “Girl.” Girl is portrayed in a lovingly restrained way by Julia Natoli, whose talented vocals and piano-playing act as the perfect complement to Jolly’s Guy. He’s sociable but shy, while she’s quiet but direct. Together, they are a power couple of sorts in their world. The two enjoy a whirlwind relationship that never quite gets to where both think it could. They drag their family and friends along for the ride while the audience gets to gleefully watch it all unfold.

Guy and Girl soar to new heights in duets like “When Your Mind’s Made Up” and “If You Want Me” which included an inventive dream-quality choreography. But the show highlight is the Oscar-winning song “Falling Slowly.” Simply put, this is one of the most hauntingly beautiful pieces of music to come out of Hollywood or Broadway (or Ireland/Czech Republic) in the past 25-40 years. Jolly and Natoli nail it. (Song co-writer Irglová once said: “This song was written from a perspective of hope, and hope at the end of the day connects us all, no matter how different we are.”)

But this is not a morbid or depressing show. At its heart, Once shows the joy of making music together here and now, regardless of its potentially fleeting nature. The cast includes fantastic local musicians who turn out to be pretty solid actors. Aidan McDonald (“Billy”) and Emma Romeo Moyer (“Bank Manager”) were lively whenever in the spotlight. Moyer’s off-key “Abandoned in Bandon” was a hoot! The ensemble numbers “Gold” and “Ej Pada Pada” were delightful. And not all of the Guy/Girl songs are about unrequited love as “Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy” happily refutes.

Director/Music Director Joe Trainor put together wonderful musical arrangements for his cast. Some of the stage blocking was clunky, but as the company better grows into its new space I think cooperated movement will improve. Credit should be given to McElrone for taking on such an ambitious project to restart CTC live productions in a new performance space after the pandemic. While there are some minor issues to iron out, Once is a worthwhile return of CTC to a Wilmington community looking for earnest live theater.

Once will run for seven performances through next Saturday (December 10-18). Curtain is at 8:00pm, save for the lone Sunday matinee (2:00pm, December 12). The show lasts just under 2.5 hours, which includes one 15-minute intermission. City Theater Company’s new home is at The Delaware Contemporary located at 200 South Madison, Wilmington, DE 19801. Tickets ($30-40) can be purchased at the CTC box office or online. Special ticket pricing is available for military personnel, and students. Please call the box office at 302.220.8285 or visit city-theater.org for details.

City Theater plans, on average, two big shows each season 
 which runs from December to late spring. These shows typically run two or three weekends. Up next spring is Blues in My Soul by Delaware playwright David Robson.

Sunday, December 15, 2019

City Theater Company Takes You in Search of "The Real" with "Passing Strange"

Passing Strange at City Theater Company runs through December 21.
Photos by Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography.
By Holly Quinn
Holly is a longtime reviewer of Delaware theater; in addition to Delaware Arts Info, she has contributed to The News Journal and Stage Magazine. She is the lead reporter for Technical.ly Delaware.

Passing Strange, the layered rock musical by Stew, is a Christmas show. At least tangentially. I'd never looked at it that way, but as it's City Theater Company's December production, I wondered if they were simply being alternative in a season when a lot of arts lovers need a break from the Christmas Carols and Nutcrackers.

After seeing it, it occurred to me how well it fits during this turbulent holiday season. It tackles race and revolution, but it all comes down to love.

Even viewed as a (tangentially) Christmas show, Passing Strange is about as far from traditional as possible. It's the story of a young African American man trying to figure himself out in the suburbs of Los Angeles in the 1970s, and, later, in Europe in the 1980s. It has an all-Black cast that includes a small ensemble that plays multiple characters with wildly different personalities, from members of the protagonist’s childhood Baptist church to members of his teenage punk rock band to his "found families" in Amsterdam and West Berlin.

Youth often found himself 
 quite by his own choices  part of white spaces, but the ensemble doesn't shift to white actors for those roles, a detail of the show established before the show hit off-Broadway. As such, it’s a story about Black experience that never centers on whiteness, even when Youth exists as the only Black person in a space.

Dominic Santos, a respected veteran of Delaware theater at this point, plays Youth from the age of 14 to his early 20s, and does a terrific job of developing the character on stage as he tries to find his identity. Youth feels out of place in Black spaces 
— a crush tells him he needs to be “more Black” (but not so much that he can’t follow a path to suburban comfort), while his choir leader shows him the misery of not being your real self.

Eventually Youth does act “more Black” 
 for Berlin radicals who fetishize oppression and lavish him with the attention he craves.

Meredith Bell, former lead singer for Palaceburn, hits the right emotional notes as the vivacious and long-suffering Mother; Chris Banker, last seen at CTC in Pub Plays, is almost simply part of the soundtrack for much of the show. As the tension in the story builds, so does the Narrator’s place in it.

This show requires an extremely tight ensemble, and this production has it in Jared Chichester, Dana Hoffman, Kyleen Shaw and Philip Anthony Wilson. A mix of newcomers to the Wilmington stage and familiar faces (Shaw was last seen at CTC in Lizzie), the casting couldn’t be more on point. Each plays three to four distinct roles, and each shine in all of them. Part of the fun 
 and this show is definitely fun, even while dealing with some heavy emotional subject matter  is waiting to see how the ensemble actors will change from arc to arc as Youth goes on his journey.

So, how is this story about a young, sometimes misguided man navigating a world he struggles to fit into a Christmas show? I won’t give too much away, but a pivotal moment in the story that centering on family and the holidays is the catalyst to the emotional climax about love, loss and forgiveness. But don’t let that deter you if you’re avoiding traditional holiday shows. This is one not to miss.

Monday, December 10, 2018

There They Go Again...CTC Opens with Blockbuster for 25th

By Mike Logothetis

To open its 25th season, City Theater Company (CTC) presents an energetic production of Mamma Mia! in its new space 
— Studio One of The Grand Opera House. The beloved 1999 musical is a celebration of love, friendship and female empowerment with a nostalgic soundtrack featuring some of pop music’s favorite songs from the 1970s.

Mamma Mia! is based on the songs of the Swedish supergroup ABBA (1972-1982), one of the most popular international groups of all time. Going in, the music may seem dated, but Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus crafted songs that have aged very well. The excellent “Taverna Ensemble” led by Joe Trainor had my foot tapping all night.

On a small Greek island, 20-year-old Sophie (Darby McLaughlin) dreams of a perfect wedding — one which includes her father giving her away. The problem is that Sophie doesn’t know who her father is. Her hotel-owning mother Donna (Kerry Kristine McElrone), the former lead singer of the fictional ‘70s pop group Donna and the Dynamos, refuses to talk about the past, so Sophie decides to take matters into her own hands. Sneaking a peek in her mother’s old diary, she discovers three possible fathers: Bill (Dale Martin), Harry (Nick Hunchack), and Sam (Righteous Jolly). She secretly invites all three to her wedding, convinced that she’ll know her father when she sees him. But when all three turn up, it may not be as clear as she thought.

Sophie’s bridesmaids Ali (Emma Orr) and Lisa (Pam Atkinson) arrive on the island to help their friend celebrate her upcoming marriage to Sky (Trevor Fayle). The girls plan a bachelorette party while hotel employees Eddie (Jeff Hunsicker) and Pepper (Dominic Santos) are raring to join Sky on his last night as a bachelor.

Meanwhile, Donna’s former bandmates Tanya (Kat Pigliacampi) and Rosie (Dionne Williford) arrive and seem more content to rehash their days as the Dynamos. The women question why “Donna the dark horse” would allow her daughter to marry at such a young age.

Once all the principal players are on the island, full-stage musical numbers like Dancing Queen and the title track Mamma Mia almost encourage the audience to sing along. Donna and the Dynamos signature number Super Trouper was also a highlight of Act I.

The three paternity candidates each get their time with both their old flame and potential daughter. All come away thinking they will be walking Sophie down the aisle on her wedding day. Donna and Sam’s duet SOS hit all the right notes and epitomized the caring each once felt for the other.

But the main action circles around the two female leads McLaughlin (Sophie) and McElrone (Donna). Both are outstanding, but the script allows McElrone more range to emote, which she does masterfully. When Donna helps Sophie get dressed in her wedding gown, there is genuine tenderness and disbelief that her daughter is going to be a bride (Slipping Through My Fingers). Donna admits to Sophie that her own mother disowned her when she learned that she was pregnant. After absorbing this heretofore unknown family secret, Sophie asks her mother to walk her down the aisle, bypassing her fantasy of a stranger/father escorting her.

It’s a touching scene for the actresses and the audience. But the script immediately pushes Sam into the room and a bitter confrontation ensues. Donna tells Sam that he broke her heart, presumably when she found out he was engaged (The Winner Takes It All). It emerges that the two still love each other dearly, albeit against Donna's better judgment. McElrone handles the emotional rollercoaster with subtle but strong stage movements and powerful vocals.

The secondary characters have side adventures and a couple of songs, but Williford’s (Rosie) rendition of Take a Chance on Me in her bid to lure Bill into a romantic interlude was another show highlight.

The show finishes at the wedding ceremony officiated by Fr. Alexandrios (Rob Hull). Everybody is there, but many lingering questions remain unanswered. I won’t reveal the ending, but it’s a satisfying conclusion to a well-told story.

As a new Resident Company at The Grand, CTC has a lot more production space than in its old digs. This allows for the Mamma Mia! set to be expansive and lets the players move freely throughout the room. The setting is a Greek hotel and taverna, which was designed by Vicki Neale and Richard A. Kendrick. The sloped stage juts into the audience, which is seated at tables curving around the front and sides of the stage. A prop bar at one side and small tables at the other allow actors to surreptitiously slide into the action to provide backing vocals or movements to augment the main stage activities.

Director Mary Catherine Kelley has instructed her actors to use every inch of the room and play to all corners of the audience. The pacing is tight and the overall theme includes hints of the Disco Era, but has mostly contemporary elements. The dreamy direction during Under Attack was creative and temporarily switched the bride and groom roles. The jaunty choreography by Jackie Kappus and Dominic Santos blends well with Kelley’s vision and Trainor’s dynamic musical arrangements.

Alas, the new space did have its technical issues on the night I saw the show. Wireless mics unfortunately dropped the audio signal for Trevor Fayle (Sky) during his entire vocal performance of Lay All Your Love on Me. Dale Martin (Bill) and Righteous Jolly (Sam) lost their vocal parts in duets Take a Chance on Me and I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, respectfully.

But this is not a Greek tragedy. This is a show that celebrates life. As City Theater Company's Board of Directors collectively state in the program: “CTC’s productions are as much party as performance.” I suggest you join the party on Market Street…Opa!

City Theater Company offers a wide selection of soft and alcoholic drinks to enjoy during the show. With the setting of Mamma Mia! being Greece, why not serve some Greek wines and ouzo?

Mamma Mia! will conclude its two-week run on Saturday, although as of this posting, only tickets for Wednesday and Thursday remain. All performances begin at 8 o’clock. 
The show runs about 2.5 hours, which includes one 15-minute intermission (and one post-curtain disco sing-along). 
The CTC cast of Mamma Mia! Photo by Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography

City Theater Company’s new home is in Studio One at The Grand Opera House located at 818 North Market Street in Wilmington. General admission is $35 and tickets can be purchased at the box office or online. 

 Special ticket pricing is available for military personnel, students and youth (ages 15 & under). Please call the Grand Box Office at 302.652.5577 or visit www.thegrandwilmington.org for details.

Thursday, September 6, 2018

Two Organizations to Call The Grand Home This Season

This post content courtesy of a press release from The Grand Opera House...

 In front of The Grand. Pictured clockwise, top left:
Melissa Bernard, actor & Fearless Improv member;
Grace Tarves, actor; Jana Savini, Fearless Improv Director;
Kerry Kristine McElrone, CTC Interim Artistic Director;
Joe Trainor, CTC Music Director. Photo by Joe del Tufo.
Mark Fields, Executive Director of The Grand, is pleased to announce the addition of two new resident companies to The Grand’s roster of artistic partners in the building. Effective immediately, City Theater Company (CTC) and The Rock Orchestra (TRO) will perform their mainstage seasons at The Grand at 818 North Market Street.

“The non-profit Grand Opera House is a shared asset that we manage on behalf of the residents and citizens that we serve,” says Fields. “Having The Grand now be the artistic home for these organizations gives us the opportunity to more fully connect to the community and share the joy of the performing arts with more members of that community.”

"The Grand Opera House has been the heart of the performing arts scene in Wilmington for as long as I can remember," says The Rock Orchestra co-founder, Matt Urban, "Having TRO present our shows in partnership with this treasured community organization is an incredible opportunity." Co-founder Joe Trainor concurs, "Not only is it an honor to perform in these spaces, but it allows us the flexibility to develop our productions into 'must-see' events and make them available to a wider audience."

"As we head into our 25th year of programming, and my first as Interim Artistic Director, I am excited for the possibilities ahead for City Theater Company as we move to a resident space within The Grand,” says Kerry Kristine McElrone, CTC’s Interim Artistic Director. “The Grand is a community built on relationships, and I'm thrilled to be renewing ours so that our patrons can continue to remain an integral part of the art we do. Our brand of up-close-and-personal theater will be well-served in Studio One, where we can create worlds that immerse our audiences in the emotion and the action right alongside our actors.”

Resident companies are local or regional performing arts groups that make The Grand their primary artistic home, sharing their art on The Grand’s stages and collaborating on marketing initiatives and other projects. City Theater Company and The Rock Orchestra join the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, First State Ballet Theatre, and Opera Delaware are all resident companies of The Grand.

“The Grand is all about partnerships,” says Fields. “We partner intensely throughout each season with numerous arts organizations, individual artists, and other types of business to advance our own mission and benefit the entire community. Our resident companies are even more in-depth partners since we share these stages and this wonderful building.”

Patrons can purchase tickets to upcoming performances of The Rock Orchestra, City Theater Company, First State Ballet Theatre and The Grand’s own music, variety, comedy and Broadway seasons:

Online at TheGrandWilmington.org 
• 302.652.5577 • 818 North Market Street, Wilmington.

Monday, December 4, 2017

CTC's "Sunday in the Park..." Takes Audiences on a Trip through Artistic Creation

By Mike Logothetis
Brendan Sheehan as George.
Photo by Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography.
Cast members of CTC's Sunday in the Park with George.
Photo by Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography. 
Sondheim isn’t easy. Broadway legends like Stephen Sondheim become, well, legendary because they challenge actors, musicians, directors, and audiences with their works. Sunday in the Park with George reminds us that the genius of Sondheim is in the story structure, phrasing, and music. City Theater Company has tasked itself to put on this challenging Pulitzer Prize–winning musical drama and does a solid job of it.

Sunday in the Park with George is a musical about the process of artistic creation — specifically George Seurat’s pointillist masterpiece, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. The show borders on being an experimental piece, which immediately means some theatergoers may not fully appreciate it. The music is often atmospheric and not front-and-center like traditional musicals. Having said that, the orchestration by Christopher Tolomeo is exquisite. Tolomeo also steps out from behind his piano to portray Louis the baker.

Brendan Sheehan brings strength, insecurity, passion, focus and a tinge of madness to the titular artist who is toiling to excel in his craft. Sheehan’s voice is incredibly powerful plus he nails the difficult syncopated rhythms that are the trademarks of Sondheim’s music. The Dog Song was a show highlight for Sheehan as he crawled on all fours, barking and singing while addressing a stuffed toy dog George is studying for inclusion in his masterpiece.

Driving some of George’s passions is the fiery Dot, played by an excellent Jenna Kuerzi. Dot has loving affection for George as well as impatience with his personality and frailties. Kuerzi wonderfully captures Dot’s struggles with precise movements to complement her superb singing voice. The parting lovers’ duet We Do Not Belong Together was haunting, with Kuerzi and Sheehan melding their voices beautifully.

The remaining characters in Act I are all subjects George is studying while they enjoy their Sundays in the park. From young women looking for love to a disgruntled boatman to a child at play, the cast gives real depth to two-dimensional painted figures. The audience gains an appreciation for the subjects with brief snippets into their lives.

The cast includes Jim Burns, Dylan Geringer, Jeff Hunsicker, Mary Catherine Kelley, Kerry Kristine McElrone, Paul McElwee, Patrick O’Hara, Dominic Santos, Grace Tarves, and George Tietze. Tonya Baynes and young daughter Layla Baynes round out the excellent company of actors. The interplay between O’Hara and Tietze as American tourists who dislike France but love its pastries was pure comedic gold.

Co-directors Michael Gray and Tom Shade have made some interesting choices and most of them work. However, setting up the show to be something of a play looking at itself never gained traction in my eyes. Many of the props were inspired, like the cutout army officer and the aforementioned toy dog. The clever costume designs by Kerry Kristine McElrone and Lauren Peters began in monochrome. As George brings his inspiration from his head to the canvas, bright colors appear in clothing and accessories.

In Act II, blacks and grays return as the story moves a century into the future. The second act is a coda, of sorts, and even involves some playful audience interaction. It’s a nice way to look back at the painted figures, the artist, the process, art in general and interpersonal relationships.

This production probably isn’t for everyone, but it is a well-done inspection into the difficulty and nuance of artistic creation. “Art isn’t easy/Having just the vision’s no solution.”

Sunday in the Park with George
will play Thursday through Sunday (December 7-10) and the following Thursday through Saturday (December 14-16). All performances are at 8:00pm except for the 2:00pm Sunday matinee on December 10. 

 Be aware that the show runs a solid 2.5 hours which includes one 15-minute intermission. The Black Box is located at 4 South Poplar Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. Tickets are priced from $15 to $40 and can be purchased online or at the box office.  

Sunday, September 10, 2017

Sisters are Slayin’ It in City Theater Company's 'Lizzie'

By Mike Logothetis

As my theater companion and I rose enthusiastically for a well-deserved standing ovation to City Theater Company's cast of LIZZIE, I smiled and told him, “Sisters are slayin’ it for themselves.”  He laughed and nodded and told me to write it down. It’s a corny homage to the Eurythmics, but it fits.

Darby Elizabeth McLaughlin as Lizzie.
Photo by Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography.
We had just thoroughly enjoyed a rock opera that tells the tale of the infamous Borden double murders in Fall River, Massachusetts – for which youngest daughter Lizzie was tried and acquitted. The legend of Lizzie Borden is a part of Americana, but I can’t say the general public knows the gory details. (I didn’t.)  This show covers most of the facts and theories surrounding the 1892 axe murders of Lizzie’s father and his second wife in their home.

But LIZZIE is less a history lesson and more a head-banging rock show that somehow includes incredibly tender moments. Lead actress Darby Elizabeth McLaughlin steals the show from three other amazing actresses by portraying Lizzie as confused, angry, demented, caring, conniving, steely and vulnerable.  

McLaughlin showcases her acting chops and wonderful vocal abilities in a space where the audience is so close it’s almost part of the staged action.  We are right there with Lizzie in her torment and famous act of conflict resolution.  McLaughlin’s portrayal of a young tortured soul is eerie and touching.  She impeccably hints at her character’s understanding of how she can escape her dreadful life through an unspeakable act.

But the three supporting actresses – Jill Knapp (Emma Borden), Kyleen Shaw ('Maggie' the maid) and Grace Tarves (Alice the neighbor) – are also outstanding.  Shaw’s Bridget/Maggie is an opportunist who knows all about the goings on in “The House of Borden.”  Meek neighbor Alice is given depth by Tarves, whose voice melds beautifully with that of McLaughlin in several duets.  Knapp’s portrayal of judgmental but caring older sister Emma is strong and her vocals soar in her solos.  Knapp’s frenzied performance of What The Fuck Now, Lizzie?! is a show highlight.

The six-piece Fall River Band was tight and got our toes tapping and heads bobbing during stand-out songs like This Is Not Love and Sweet Little Sister.  Under the direction of Joe Trainor, the talented band is nimble enough to play rock, metal and gospel – like in the song Watchmen For the Morning, where our protagonist gets fitted with a straightjacket.

The cast of CTC's Lizzie (L-R): Kyleen Shaw, Jill Knapp, Darby Elizabeth McLaughlin,
Grace Tarves.  Photo by Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography.
Director Michael Gray allows his actresses to roam throughout the American Horror Story-style set and deliver their lines facing any direction.  The employment of wireless microphones allows the performers to quietly deliver some dialog plus fill the room with their powerful singing voices.  Costumers Kerry Kristine McElrone and Lauren Peters have their women dressed in all white, and while some scenes relay a virginal innocence, others evoke images of witches gathered around a cauldron.  One neat visual was Lizzie walking on stools placed before her every step by the other women while contemplating how to “clean a stain.”

The climax and finale of LIZZIE are superb and mesh the closing songs into a medley of sorts.  Thirteen Days in Taunton recalls the Shel Silverstein/Johnny Cash song 25 Minutes to Go in that it is gallows humor at its finest.  All four principles are strong over the final five songs, which cover the murder trial and aftermath.  Chances are you’ll cheer the outcome and want to dance in the aisles like the audience on opening night.

LIZZIE originated in 1990 as a four-song experimental show by writer/director Tim Maner and songwriter Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer.  It took help from Alan Stevens-Hewitt (and almost 20 years!) to fully flesh out the narrative, music and staging of the rock opera.  The 2009 show was nominated for three Drama Desk awards in New York City during its initial run.  The current two-act version at City Theater Company was arranged by the authors in 2013.

The limited run of LIZZIE ends this week with 8:00pm shows on September 13, 14, 15 and 16 in The Black Box at Opera Delaware Studios (4 South Poplar Street, Wilmington, DE 19801).  Tickets are $28 (general admission), $25 (military), $20 (student), and $15 (child age 15 and under) and can be purchased online or at the box office.  There is also a $40 VIP ticket package available.  

Visit city-theater.org for more information, tickets and the remaining CTC season schedule.