Quasi-History, Laughs Combine in a World Premiere at CTC

Paul McElwee as President Woodrow Wilson.
Photo by Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography.

By Guest Blogger, 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.

The White House has a total of 132 rooms with 412 doors, 147 windows, and a cadre of servants to keep things running smoothly. Only one of these rooms, two of its doors, two windows, and one servant are needed for After Birth of a Nation to lampoon what might have happened inside the executive mansion on a cold winter’s night over 100 years ago.

Local playwright David Robson has provided City Theater Company a quasi-historical farce loaded with sight gags, cross-dressing, snappy dialog and larger-than-life characters. This World Premiere production keeps the action at a fast pace and will have you laughing out loud at the zany antics. 

We are invited to The Green Room on February 18, 1915, where President Woodrow Wilson (Paul McElwee) has invited filmmaker D.W. Griffith (Jim Burns) to screen his new movie Birth of a Nation at the White House. Trusted adviser Colonel House (Dan Tucker) is trying to improve Wilson’s dovish, professorial image to the nation at a time when the Great War is raging in Europe and former President Teddy Roosevelt is the standard of manliness. Southerner Griffith and northerner House see power within their grasps and form a tentative alliance to use House’s policy ideas and Griffith’s film imagery to transform Wilson into a macho world leader – with them shaping his persona and reaping some rewards.

(L-R): Chris Banker as Clarence Fields, Jim Burns as
D.W. Griffith. Photo by Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography.

Meanwhile, First Daughter Margaret Wilson (Dylan Geringer) is a 29-year-old, tee-totaling spinster with dreams of becoming a famous singer; although her morality prohibits her from name-dropping to score coveted auditions.

All the characters are historical figures whose demeanors and true callings are humorously warped to create the premise of this show. Added to the mix are a lascivious southern preacher and his wife – Rev. Richard Gamble (George Tietze) and Cora Gamble (Kerry Kristine McElrone) – plus Russian Ambassador Eugeny Demidov (Jeff Hunsicker). Constantly filling champagne glasses is fictional black servant Clarence Fields (Chris Banker), who futilely acts as the gatekeeper of the room. Clarence also has a sinister agenda which plays out comically throughout the performance. These four characters are artistic constructs to help move the plot along and add more eccentricity to the story, which they do with aplomb.

The plot amusingly weaves from policy talk to social issues to religion to the arts and involves all but one of the characters – introducing the audience to who they are and what their intentions might be. The wacky first act sets up a screwball second where Demidov is inserted into the action to arrive at a satisfying conclusion.

According to Robson, “Margaret is the eye of the storm.” Margaret keeps things relatively sensible until she adds to the madness in the climactic scenes. To wit, Geringer’s exasperation repelling multiple suitors and interjecting herself into world politics are highlights of the show.

Another high point is McElrone as the minister’s wife, who longs to find a new religion – possibly one whose name and tenets she can properly pronounce – and satisfying physical love. Cora’s attempted seduction of Margaret built slowly to a quivering, hilarious climax that had me wishing she had an opportunity to make a second pass at the First Daughter.

Michael Gray directs the action to be quick, with characters entering and departing the stage at a frenetic pace. The set design and lighting by Vicki Neal and Richard A. Kendrick allow the actors to achieve a sense of space while being physically close to each other.

Robson harshly satirizes his subjects, but all of the actors are capable and provide ample character depth along with requisite humor. After Birth of a Nation is a funny look at what might have happened in 1915, but many of the jokes and comical references are topical. Robson has crafted his historical farce for today’s audiences, who should plan to see it.

After Birth of A Nation runs Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8:00pm through February 18. Tickets cost $15-28 and the show lasts a jaunty 90 minutes with one 10-minute intermission. 

The Black Box at Opera Delaware Studios is located at 4 South Poplar Street in Wilmington. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks plus snacks are available for purchase inside the theater.

See www.city-theater.org.

"The Best of Times" Celebrated at City Theater Company

By Guest Blogger, 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.

La Cage aux Follles is a 1983 musical based on the 1973 French play of the same name by Jean Poiret. While we are firmly living in 2016, the book (Harvey Fierstein) coupled with the  lyrics and music (Jerry Herman) and the spirited direction (City Theater Company's Producing Artistic Director Michael Gray) keep this production on the edge of contemporary. Yes, it is a “period piece” of sorts, but in this case, the “period” just sets the era and location – not the themes, pace, dialog, emotion or zaniness of it all.

La Cage Aux Folles cast. Photo by Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography.

The show focuses on a gay couple: Georges, the manager of a Saint-Tropez nightclub featuring drag entertainment, and Albin, his romantic partner and star attraction. The story begins in the titular nightclub with the audience as patrons. Georges (Paul McElwee) is emcee and host, creating a rapport with those of us still finding our seats and settling in for an evening of entertainment.

The chorus line known as Les Cagelles appear and introduce themselves to the audience through the first number, We Are What We Are. This rousing song and dance number features electric movement and snappy costume changes that will have you clapping along.  William Bryant, Zach DeBevac, Andrew Dean Laino, and Christian Ryan all play drag queens with gusto, charm, smiles and, dare I say, athleticism.

We retreat to an upstairs apartment to meet Albin (Patrick O’Hara), who is the star performer at La Cage aux Folles under the stage name, “Zaza.” We glimpse the central relationship between Georges and Albin through a sweet back-and-forth dialog and the introspective song, [A Little More] Mascara.

Joy, despair and confusion ensue when Georges’ son Jean-Michel (Zachary J. Chiero) delivers the news that he is engaged (to a woman!). Georges is reluctant to approve of Jean-Michel’s engagement, but Jean-Michel assures his father that he is in love with Anne Dindon (Grace Tarves) through the tender With Anne on My Arm. Unfortunately, her father is head of the “Tradition, Family and Morality Party,” whose stated goal is to close drag clubs and the like.

Anne’s parents wish to meet their future in-laws, but Jean-Michel has lied to his fiancée, describing Georges as a (straight) retired diplomat and not mentioning Albin at all. Jean-Michel convinces his father to partner in the lie and wants to include his birth mother at the gathering. Attempts to break the news to Albin covers two quieter songs (With You on My Arm and Song on the Sand), but before Georges can deliver Jean-Michel’s wishes, Albin runs off to the stage.

Zaza electrifies the stage and the audience performing La Cage aux Folles\, while Georges and Jean-Michel quickly redecorate the house in a more modest style. While Albin is changing for his next number, he notices the two and demands to know what is going on. Georges tells Albin of Jean-Michel’s plan and, in an odd twist, Albin re-joins Les Cagelles onstage, then sending them off as he sings the defiant solo I Am What I Am to end Act I.

Even though the show is a modern farce, Les Cagelles act as comic relief along with butler/maid Jacob (Adam Pierce Montgomery) and stage manager Francis (Dylan Geringer). How does comic relief work in a comedy? You have to see the show to fully understand that absurdity must be meted in portions, lest it become overbearing.  Suffice to say, super-over-the-top Jacob is a scene-stealer as both a servant and a club dancer.

The cabaret songs are all energetic numbers which exist to entertain while the emotional music is downplayed to add gravitas and investigation into the characters’ minds. The Joe Trainer-led “Birdcage Band” is excellent in both setting the mood and reacting to the emotion brought forth by the actors on stage. The musicians are part of the set when the audience is at La Cage aux Folles, but are cleverly hidden when the scene demands deeper character interaction.  Vicki Neal and Richard A. Kendrick have created a simple, yet elegant set that allows for up-close dynamic action as well as space between characters to represent both emotional and physical distance.  The stage lighting can convey a pulsing nightclub or a quiet room and works well in the space of The Black Box.

Act II finds Georges apologizing to Albin (Song on the Sand [Reprise]) and then suggesting that Albin should dress up as “Uncle Al” to be a part of the family dinner. Albin reluctantly agrees to act like a heterosexual for Jean-Michel, leading to some of the funniest physical and lyrical humor in the show. With the help of Monsieur and Madame Renaud (Greg Tigani and Mary Catherine Kelley), Georges successfully(?) teaches Albin to abandon his flamboyancy (Masculinity).  Jean-Michel doesn’t like the idea, but Georges angrily reminds him what a good “mother” Albin has been to him (Look Over There).

Just as Anne’s parents (Tigani and Kelley in different roles) arrive, the hosts receive a telegram that Jean-Michel’s mother won’t be joining them (Dishes [Cocktail Counterpoint]). Hoping to save the day, Albin appears as Jean-Michel’s mother. Nervous and unreliable Jacob has burned the dinner, so a trip to an elite local restaurant, owned by close friend Jacqueline (Kerry Kristine McElrone), is arranged without explaining the situation to her.  Jacqueline theatrically asks Albin (as Zaza) for a song, to which he hesitantly agrees (The Best of Times).  Everyone in the restaurant begins to take part in the song, causing Albin to yield to the frenzy of performance and tear off his wig at the song’s climax, revealing his true identity.

Arguments, comedy, and confusion are unleashed, while Jean-Michel begins to feel ashamed of the way he has treated Albin and asks his forgiveness (Look Over There [Reprise]), which is lovingly granted. However, the Dindons vow to cancel the wedding and prepare to depart, but their way is blocked by Jacqueline, who has arrived with the press – ready to photograph the notorious anti-homosexual activists with Zaza. Through a clever plan and impeccable timing and luck, the Dindons escape with their reputation intact and their daughter’s marriage to Jean-Michel validated. With everyone gone, Albin and Georges briefly sing of their love for each other before sharing a kiss (Finale [With You On My Arm/La Cage aux Folles/Song on the Sand/The Best Of Times]).

The show is a delight in script, music, pacing and topical humor. The physical comedy and clever wordplay will have audiences laughing heartily. Technically, this is a musical that needs to be tight – and it is. The effort put into set design, cast, direction, music, lighting and production camaraderie are evident in the final product. With over a 2-hour running time, I just wish I had brought a cushion for my seat.

The production of La Cage aux Folles runs through December 17 in The Black Box on the Wilmington waterfront (4 South Poplar Street, Wilmington, DE 19801). Tickets cost $20-28, but the cabaret-style set includes a limited number of upgraded seats – known as “Birdcage Seats.”  These seats are situated on platforms on either side of the theater, affording patrons a “bird's eye view” of all the dazzling stage action, complimentary table snacks and complimentary drink tickets per person. Advance purchase of these seats is advised.  Cost of Birdcage Seats is $40 per ticket (select “VIP” option at online purchase).

See www.city-theater.org. 

Artist Terrance Vann & City Theater Company's Collaboration Lives On in Wilmo's Creative District

Photo courtesy of Terrance Vann.

City Theater Company (CTC) is proud to partner with Wilmington's Creative District to unveil the permanent "home" of artist Terrance Vann’s Hair mural on Friday, May 6, kicking off the district's monthly INSPIRE Lot Series with the official installation of the original mural. The piece was commissioned by CTC for its April production of Hair and presented as a vibrant backdrop during the show’s run. Its new home will be on West 7th Street in downtown Wilmington. 

The mural project is partially underwritten by the generosity of Wilmington City Councilwoman Dr. Hanifa G. N. Shabazz.

Wilmington artist Terrance Vann.

“It is inspiring to have collaborated with CTC for Hair and to have my piece live on in the City” says Vann, an up-and-coming Delaware artist whose work has been garnering notice all over the East Coast. “It was an awesome opportunity to be able to work with a group as passionate and talented as CTC,” he continues. “I love the creative energy they bring to their process, which makes my job much easier when coming up with ideas visually. And to have this project reach even more people with this permanent installation downtown is humbling and exciting.”

The INSPIRE Lot Series is held monthly as part of First Friday Art Loop through October from 5:30 to 8 P.M. The evening features food trucks, live music courtesy of GableMusic Ventures, and hands-on art activities.

The May 6 event also showcases original musicians Nalani and Sarina, two sisters whose distinctive blend of traditional soul-rock and modern pop was recently called “...some of the best music being made in 2016” by Sirius radio host and critic Dave Marsh.

CTC Board President Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, who worked with The Creative District to install the artwork, is thrilled to dedicate the mural at this kick-off event. “It’s a wonderful moment for the arts in town,” she says. “We have theater, visual art and music joining forces for the greater good. City Theater Company is lucky to partner so many wonderful people in order to create art. This is something that everyone should celebrate.”

DETAILS: Free admission. The INSPIRE Lot is located at 215-219 W. 7th Street between Orange and Tatnall Streets in Wilmington, Delaware. The May 6, 2016 event is the inaugural kick-off for the series. Terrance Vann and City Theater Company members will introduce the mural at 5:30 P.M. and be on hand to speak with attendees throughout the evening.

See www.creativedistrictwilm.com.
See www.city-theater.org.

CTC's "HAIR" a High-Energy Show with a Still Resonant Message

By Guest Blogger, Ken Grant
Ken Grant has worked in Delaware media, politics and marketing for 25 years. He and his Lovely Bride enjoy Wilmington's arts and culture scene as much as they can.
If you've been to a City Theater Company production lately, you know there are certain things you can expect

Photo by Joe del Tufo

• Innovative and intimate staging
• Great music
• A high-energy cast that delivers the goods

This ensemble cast captures the spirit of rebellion and freedom from the 1960s and re-creates the confusion, conflict, and strange sense of hopefulness from the era.One word of warning for those unfamiliar with the musical -- there's not much of a plot to follow. A good portion of the first act serves as an introduction to our central characters, Claude (Brendan Sheehan), Berger (Jeff Hunsinger) and Woof (Adam Montgomery) -- followed by declarations by song on everything from the Vietnam War to drug use to open sexuality.

While there are a few winks and nods to current cultural conflicts, this production of Hair remains firmly planted in the Age of Aquarius.

The timeless elements remain as poignant as ever -- the conflict between a young adult and his parents, the search for an identity and a group of friends, and the difficulty of intimacy in the midst of open relationships.

Director Michael Gray and choreographers Tommy Fisher-Klein & Dawn Morningstar turned the entire room into the stage, allowing the actors to interact with the audience at a new level.

Of course, it's the 40+ songs that drive Hair, and music director Joe Trainor takes advantage of this position, exploring every facet of the musical styles featured from doo-wop to country to rock to the experimental psychedelic sounds of the 60s.

Back to the ensemble: Through most of the production, the audience sees, hears and experiences all 13 actors/singers/dancers as their lines, voices and bodies flow, merge and intertwine. The voices are both powerful and refined, expressing the boldness of youth with just the right amount of underlying uncertainty.

If you lived through the 60s and want to take a trip down memory lane, this production will have you smiling fondly at the passion of youth. If you're younger, you might be able to see how this musical paved the way for musicals like Rent and Green Day's American Idiot.

Hair is playing April 1-9 at the Black Box at 4 South Poplar Street in Wilmington. For tickets, go to city-theater.org.

Best of 2015: Holly's Picks

WDL's Memphis. Photo: Kristen Romero

2015 was another great year for Delaware theater, with big changes (The DuPont Theatre was sold by the DuPont Co. to The Grand in January, and Delaware Theatre Company began actually developing shows for Broadway for the first time) and big excitement -- I don’t think I went to a single show in ‘15 without a full audience. I might even go so far as to say that Delaware is in the middle of a theater Renaissance, from Community theater on up.

I get get to catch every show of 2015 -- I don’t cover Delaware Theatre Company for Stage anymore, so I’ve missed a few highly praised productions -- but I did catch a lot of great productions. Here are my top picks:

Best Drama: Nora, Delaware Theatre Company -- One of the DTC shows I did catch was Nora, based on Ingmar Bergman’s A Doll’s House, a gripping story of a Victorian-era woman learning to assert her independence. It’s productions like this that are are putting Wilmington on the map.

Best non-musical comedy: Steel Magnolias, The Candlelight Theatre -- TCT is known for high-quality musicals, so it was a surprise that my favorite of their ‘15 season was their non-musical production of Steel Magnolias, a comic drama with an all-woman cast.

Best Shakespearian: Love’s Labour’s Lost, City Theater Company -- CTC had two big shows in 2015, and while “American Idiot” got more hype, “Love’s Labour’s Lost” was the real winner for me. With an immersive stage setup and a rock soundtrack, this was not a typical production of Shakespeare by any stretch, but it was the most successful non-traditional production I’ve seen yet.

Best Summer Production: Evil Dead The Musical, Bootless Stageworks -- Bootless’ Summer Splatter Series is a Wilmington tradition, and a highlight of the summer. They’ve done Evil Dead before, but this year it was at their new location at St. Stephen’s Church on Broom Street, and showed that Ryan P.J. Mulholland may have been born to play Ash.

Best Family Show/Most Fun: Shrek The Musical, Wilmington Drama League -- With a huge all-ages cast retelling the uplifting story of triumphant misfitittery, Shrek was way more fun than I expected it to be.

Best Touring Show: Camelot, The Playhouse -- Despite rumors that The Playhouse would no longer focus on Broadway touring shows, the 15-16 season is packed with big Broadway shows. My favorite of 2015 was Camelot - the updated version of the classic musical had some of the most stunning visuals of the year.

Best Show Overall: Memphis, Wilmington Drama League -- WDL stepped their game up to a whole new level with Memphis, the Broadway musical about the birth of rock ‘n roll. Everything hit the right note: the diverse cast was amazing, the sets were atmospheric, the story was a lesson in American history as well as a lesson in the roots of rock music. Truly a Community production that was up there with the professional theaters.

Feeling the "Love" and Fun in City Theater Company's Latest Show

By Guest Blogger, Ken Grant
Ken Grant has worked in Delaware media, politics and marketing for 25 years. He and his Lovely Bride enjoy Wilmington's arts and culture scene as much as they can.

Photos by Joe del Tufo, Moonloop Photography

City Theater Company has a great way of giving the audience not just a great show, but an experience that engages at a level deeper than mere entertainment.

That comes from a combination of picking truly original works and using great actors, musicians, costuming and set design to create a sense that the audience member is not just sitting and passively observing, but is actually participating in the magic.

Love’s Labour’s Lost takes the source material from Shakespeare and puts it through the creative talent of Alex Timbers (book) and Michael Friedman (score) – the same duo responsible for CTC's smash premiere of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson – yielding a musical that takes the audience to unexpected places, no matter how familiar they might be with the original work from the Bard.

The play opens as a five-year college reunion is winding down and four young men decide to get serious and enter a vow to deprive themselves of certain comforts in pursuit of learning. The most important sacrifice: to not see any women for three years. Of course, the vows are challenged in the first day with the arrival of four young women who not only have business to conduct with these newly vowed guys, but also have some shared history from back in the day.

While our four young men are struggling with depriving their lives of joy, we’re introduced to Don Armado, a character who enters fully into the joy of life, regardless of risk.

Director Michael Gray and Choreographer Dawn Morningstar once again make use of the entire Black Box space, with actors occasionally crawling their way through the audience and, more often than not, performing within seven feet of any given member of the audience. Oh, and there’s a swing, a scooter, and a sliding board involved.

Our four young men, played by Jeff Hunsicker (the King), Brendan Sheehan (Berowne), George Murphy (Dumaine) and Lew Indellini (Longaville) communicate the kind of fun and tension that can only be experienced by four friends who are both committed to each other and yet know they need to start building their own lives.

The four young women, played by Grace Tarves (the Princess), Jenna Kuerzi (Rosaline), Kristin Sheehan (Maria), and Dylan Geringer (Katherine) use the wit, playfulness and strength of the script to the fullest.

Each of the eight characters give the audience glimpses into the truth and vulnerability that lies just under the surface of their confident exteriors.

Music Director Joe Trainor clearly runs a tight ship – with every note from the musicians leading the audience directly into the heart of the emotions conveyed by the actors – from longing and uncertainty to joyful exuberance.

Love’s Labour’s Lost provides the audience with truly great entertainment for an hour and 45 minutes – then provides those who are inclined with thought-provoking material for weeks to come.

Love’s Labour’s Lost is playing at The Black Box on the Wilmington waterfront (4 S. Poplar Street, Wilmington, DE 19801) through December 19. 

Find out more and get your tickets at City-Theater.org.

Green Day's American Idiot Rocks Wilmo's World at City Theater Company

By Guest Blogger, Ken Grant
Ken Grant has worked in Delaware media, politics and marketing for 25 years. He and his Lovely Bride enjoy Wilmington's arts and culture scene as much as they can.

Question: What do you do when you have the equivalent of 20 megatons of highly explosive talent in the form of more than a dozen actor/singer/dancers and a full band with string section to fit onto a stage that’s only big enough to handle a fraction of that talent?

The Cast of CTC's production, Green Day's American Idiot

If you’re Wilmington’s City Theater Company, then you break all of the traditions of staging, set the string section along the side wall, and allow the action to flow through the entire theater space.

In City Theater Company’s production of Green Day’s American Idiot, Director Michael Gray, Music Director Joe Trainor, and Choreographer Dawn Morningstar not only capture the sound and look of the iconic band, but the spirit of punk rock. Just as one does not passively listen to punk, one cannot passively sit and watch this performance. No matter where you sit in the theater, there is some point where you are in the front row of the action.

So, what is this musical about?  Sex, drugs, and rock & roll – check. Friendship, teen angst, disillusionment, self-loathing, war, apathy, longing for reconciliation – check, check and check.

L-R: Tunny (Jake Glassman), Johnny (Brendan Sheehan) & Will (George Murphy)

Through the course of 22 Green Day songs and a small amount of narrative, the audience watches three friends – Johnny (Brendan Sheehan), Tunny (Jake Glassman) and Will (George Murphy) – attempt to deal with their frustration with their suburban fives through resignation, escapism, and submission to patriotism, with the complications of relationships with women playing a significant part in their decisions and coping mechanisms.

And then there’s Johnny’s alter-ego – St. Jimmy, played hauntingly by Adam Wahlberg. St. Jimmy comes across as the embodiment

St. Jimmy (Adam Wahlberg)

of Jack Nicholson, Mick Jagger and James Dean cool with an edge of darkness and insecurity boiling just below the surface.

Leslie Kelly, Amanda Panrock and Grace Tarves play the muses, fantasies, and objects of affection for the trio of friends – and each of their voices communicate a strength that can be expressed best through either punk or opera.

While the music and choreography would be enough to keep any audience member’s attention, this production adds an extra level with video footage shot across the entire stage area thanks to Planet Ten.

There’s a message scrawled across the back of Johnny’s jacket in this production – “Punk’s Not Dead.” It’s safe to say that as long as City Theater Company is putting on this production, that message remains true.

Green Day’s American Idiot can be experienced through April 25 at The Black Box at OperaDelaware Studios on 4. South Poplar Street in Wilmington. Tickets can be purchased at city-theater.org. 

City Theater Company's "Barely Legal" is All About Improv

This review is reposted courtesy of The News Journal. Original article by Holly Quinn published 2/2/14. 

Photo by Joe del Tufo

City Theater Company is celebrating its 21st birthday, and you can join the party at the Black Box at OperaDelaware (still set up Irish Pub style from CTC's recent production of 'James Joyce's The Dead'). 'Barely Legal' is an evening of improv, featuring CTC's own Fearless Improv troupe and a rotation of Philadelphia improv acts, for an unpredictable night of entertainment. READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW >>>

More Delaware's Best ArtStuff of 2014!

By Guest Blogger, Alex del Tufo

Alex is a high school student attending Wilmington Friends School with an interest in journalism as a major. She is an editor for her school newspaper, has served as an intern at Out and About magazine and has written for WXPN’s website. Alex hopes to expand her love of music and writing through helping with our blog.  

Narrowing down my "Best Delaware Arts Experiences of 2014" is an excruciating feat. There are numerous concerts, shows, and performances that can be distinguished as some of the best the Delaware Arts Scene has to offer.

A concert that stands out in my mind was Run River North, who performed an incredible set at the Baby Grand in the Grand Opera House in July. The group is categorized as a Korean-American indie folk-rock band, but that doesn’t even begin to describe them. Among the six members, they can probably play any instrument imaginable, including violins, guitars, drums and of course, vocals. The sextet is impossible to squeeze into any one musical genre. I think their performance was breathtaking and has me hoping Delaware will see much more of them in the future.

My second 2014 Delaware Arts moment is not strictly 2014, but the annual Spring Standards Boxing Day Event at Arden Gild Hall. For seven years, the day after Christmas has been dedicated to witnessing the religiously enthusiastic and talented trio, The Spring Standards, light up Arden. Just steps away from my house, the Gild Hall is home to not only our annual favorite but also welcomes several foreign acts. We Were Promised Jetpacks, a Scottish indie rock band, graced the stage in March. I first heard their music in the indie film, The Kings of Summer, and couldn’t stop listening. I hope that the Gild Hall can welcome them to be a part of their list of regular performers alongside The Spring Standards.

A Delaware music moment that cannot be overlooked is the 3^rd annual Firefly Music Festival in Dover. This summer event started as a relatively small outdoor concert but quickly erupted into a musical extravaganza hosting around 100 bands and welcoming tens of thousands of festival fanatics. Firefly 2014 brought in performers from Foo Fighters to our local group, New Sweden. My favorite show had to be the energetic indie pop duo, twenty one pilots. Four days of non-stop music and good company was a weekend never to forget, and never to miss again!

A change in pace from the many excellent bands that hit Delaware in 2014, is the outstanding performance of James Joyce's The Dead by City Theater Company. They served up nine performances of at The Black Box at OperaDelaware Studios, where they turned the space into a working Irish "pub." The show was an excellent combination of intriguing dialogue and beautiful musical pieces. The plot simply followed a group of family and friends in their house in Ireland, and the family conflicts that can arise in the comfort of one’s home. The intimate performance space of the show sparked a connection between the actors and the audience that is hard to beat.

2014 brought too many more outstanding concerts and shows to list — and I have faith that 2015 will do much the same for Delaware!

A Fearless Weekend of Comedy Started with a Buzz

By Guest Blogger, Michelle DiMarino

Playing to an intimate crowd, City Theater Company’s Fearless Improv kicked off their busy four-show weekend at the Buzz Ware Village Center on Friday night.

The group welcomed the audience with beat boxing and freestyling in a delightfully “Bad Rap,” immediately reassuring the crowd that they had made the correct decision in spending their Friday evening with Wilmington’s only improv team. 

After soliciting a series of adjectives and professions from the audience (the improv favorite “proctologist” included), the group began a round of “Party Quirks.” The party host hilariously struggled to guess her eclectic guest list: a dyslexic bongo player, kinky engineer and damp proctologist. In the skit “New Choice,” two members of Fearless Improv conversed and were interrupted by a third member who shouted new choice when the spoken word was not to his liking. Beginning as two women talking about their children playing in a treehouse, the conversation skipped from bananas to boogers to Red Robin’s endless fries. 

At this point in the show, the audience was ready and willing to follow the improv team down any winding road they wandered. A song which began as an ode to retirement and ended as a request for cream cheese at a bagel shop. In one skit, a couple describing scenes from their vacation to snow covered Buffalo, NY transitioned from a football huddle to a stampede at Walmart. Starting as a scene from an Olympic volleyball game, a round of “Freeze Tag” jumped to the conjuring of magic spells. However, the skit “La Ronde” perfectly encapsulated the raucous randomness of the evening.

In “La Ronde,” characters move in and out the scene, but never change as in other improv skits such as “Freeze Tag.” This allows the characters to develop and the team to illustrate their ability to play off each other, which Fearless Improv achieved with much success. Two members began as birds, contemplating the lack of freedom yet comfort found within the bars of their cage. Others floated in and out of the scene as the birds’ owner and son, a disgruntled neighbor, and animal right’s activist/Grammy-winning musician Sarah McLachlan. The audience learned of one bird’s compulsion to eat when anxious and the limits of the songstress’ love of animals. Truly, the skit was the climax of the show.

By the final skit, a recap of the evening sung over the chords of a blues tune, it was apparent that the show was filled with unanticipated swerves in topic. However, that is the essence of great improv, which Fearless Improv skillfully accomplished.

For information about Fearless Improv’s upcoming performances, visit http://city-theater.org/fearlessimprov.

It Ain’t Yo’ Mama’s Shakespeare: CTC Straight Killin’ it with 'Bomb-itty'

By Guest Blogger, Amanda Curry

Amanda is the Director of Communications for the Delaware College of Art & Design in Wilmington.

“Pack it up, Pack it in/ Let me begin…”

Yo’ Mama jokes. Adidas track pants and sneaks. Rappin’ and beatboxin’… Shakespeare?! Walking in to CTC’s production of The Bomb-itty of Errors, you’re in for an atmosphere more reminiscent of a strip club/disco than a theater, complete with a DJ droppin’ beats throughout and four poles on stage (and yes, they are used for that purpose...hilariously misused, but you’ll see). This four-actor + DJ production is a fast-paced, high-energy, “add-raptation” of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors.  The show is campy, raunchy, fun and hilarious, but, you want to go in with some understanding of Comedy of Errors, otherwise you’ll get totally lost and miss a lot of the funny. And there is a lot of funny.

That said, check out a run(DMC)-down of the plot here. The gist is two sets of identical twins — one pair both named Antipholus and one pair both named Dromio — born to a legendary MC of his time and his wife.  They are forced to give the kids up for adoption and the twins are split — one Dromio and Antipholus grow up in Syracuse and the respective pair in Ephesus — each unaware of their counterpart until the end of the show. The plot gets more complicated as the show goes on, but that’s part of the fun.  As the confusion escalates, so too does the hilarity, as a variety of zany characters are introduced, all played by the same four actors.

The show is an interesting mix of Shakespearean rhyme and modern hip-hop references, set in present day NYC.  Admittedly, I was skeptical at first.  However, I was pretty much won over and thoroughly impressed with all four of the performers’ skills on the mic, as the entire show is rapped/sung.  Shakespeare alone is tough enough to spit out, but rapping Shakespeare?  Impossible.  And these guys really do tackle it like pros.  All four performers play multiple characters, signified by a simple wig/costume piece change. The stage itself — designed by Richard A. Kendrick — is pretty simplistic: the DJ in the middle and two screens on either side.  But the atmosphere is complemented well with occasional strobe lights and red gel cutouts that light up to signify three important locations: home, bar and church (lighting design by Vicki Neal).  Actors move in and out of the playing space to change behind screens, pretty much in view of the audience, so there’s quite a bit of meta-theatre happening. The staging and choreography is fun and funky complete with a whole lot of booty shakin'.  I especially loved the homage to N*Sync with a little “Bye, Bye, Bye” dance.  Mad props to Kerry Kristine McElrone and Lauren Peters for their dope costume design (i.e., choosing the track pants and sneaks that the twins wear).

The first pair of twins we meet are Dromio of Syracuse (played by Chris Banker) and Antipholus of Syracuse (played by Dyan Geringer).  Patrick O’Hara and Brendan Sheehan play the respective pair of Antipholi and Dromio(i?) of Ephesus. It was hard to choose a favorite performer/scene, as all four do a pretty commendable job of keeping you laughing for nearly two hours.  DJ Swizzul (Trent Marsh) on the turntables during the entire show provides the perfect accompaniment for these four.  Dylan Geringer (a CTC "regular") shines as the one female cast member, especially as the character of Hendelberg, a Jewish rapper/jeweler with a knack for hilariously awful “yo’ mama” joke telling.  She’s such a versatile performer and her comic timing is spot-on, as was consistent with all four actors. Patrick O’Hara plays a cross-dressing Luciana, and his interchanges with the super-funny Brendan Sheehan as a sassy Adriana, wearing a yellow sports bra and donning a red wig, are phenomenally witty, silly and fun.  More characters are introduced, including an Irish cop, a Rastafarian herbal doctor, a nerdy bike messenger, and a stripper named Desi, just to name a few.  Under Michael Gray’s direction, assisted by Tommy Fisher-Klein, the speed and seamlessmness with which the performers switch characters is nothing short of impressive.

Bomb-itty is totally irreverent and although maybe not appealing to your grandmum — unless she's a sassy, rappin’ grandma, a la The Wedding Singer — it would be entertaining to the teens in your life.  Or, looking for a fun date night? Then, get-thee-to-Bomb-itty-and-you-will-see-some-hilar-ity.  Just be sure to read that synopsis first…ya heard?!  Check it: Bomb-itty runs now through May 17 at the Black Box at OperaDelaware Studios.

See www.city-theater.org. 

Let City Theater Company Entertain You!

Karen Murdock and Nicole Hemphill

When an excerpt of the 1957 memoirs of the stripper Gypsy Rose Lee was published in Harper’s Magazine, it caught the attention of both producer David Merrick and theatre star Ethel Merman.  Merman refused to have an unknown composer (Stephen Sondheim) write the music, so they got Jule Styne to create the rather complex and busy score of Gypsy.  Michael Gray produced this musical for the City Theater Company to celebrate their twentieth anniversary and created a lively production that is every bit as sharp and poignant as I remember from the giant Broadway production of a few decades ago.

The orchestra started quietly and then warmed up with superb cues and panache as they bumped it with great trumpet from Bob Baronio from the small pit orchestra seated in the middle of the courageously raised rectangular round walkway.  The spaces behind the seats were also used for stripping, teasing and other exciting burlesque.  Men had their heads rubbed, shawls draped over them and 'Mr.Goldstone' was drafted without notice from the audience. (Watch out, gentlemen — you may find yourself on stage!)  The only complaint I could make about the stage setup was that if you sit across from the spotlights, you will be blinded.

Dylan Geringer and Zachary Chiero

Mama Rose was an unstoppable train as Karen Murdock played the role with a vengeance.  Her stage motherness was palpable and she built to a crescendo her desire for fame and success.  Murdock’s singing is truly moving, and she took it to the Merman-esque growl with perfection.  (Totally different from her tear-jerking solo of Send in the clowns in CTC's 2011 production of A little night music, which is still in my head). 

Another brilliant move was placing the three Junes and three Louises together to show their physical growth, which Mama Rose never wanted to recognize.  Kerry Kristine McElrone used some sort of magic to evince the horror she felt when Mama Rose wanted her to go beyond entertainment to survival. Her small gestures were so dramatic and yet subtle as she remembered her youthful self (appearing on stage) and swallowed it while moving on.

And Nicole Hemphill, a veteran child actrress, was a treat as the perfect baby June — following the masterful choreography (designed by CTC longtime choreographer, Dawn Morningstar) of Zachary Chiero’s Tulsa as if she had been waiting for a leader.  Dylan Geringer was also excellent at bumping her ballet up to a fine femme fatale.  And you ain’t seen nothin’ 'til you see Mazeppa bump it. It is hard to tell whether his instant costume change or his outrageousness is more impressive!

The production is about the bawdy, but I recommend it as safe for the whole family as the message is much more about love and ambition than anything else.

See www.city-theater.org.

Celebrating 20 Years of CTC with the Epic Jesus Christ Superstar

Photo: Joe Del Tufo

In its 20 years of existence, City Theater Company has established itself as a top provider of live theater in Wilmington, while staying just as edgy and cool as it was when it was a burgeoning company. It still calls Opera Delaware's tiny Black Box Theater (one of my personal favorite theater spaces) home. I remember my first visit to a CTC show at the Black Box in the '90s -- I'd recently moved back to Delaware from Philly, the show was Assassins, if I recall, and it was the show that convinced me that you really don't have to go to the big city to see the kind of intimate, offbeat theater that excited me. It was a pretty big deal.

In the past few years, it's been rare that I've missed a CTC show. Remember Reckless? Cruel, Calm and Neglected? Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Bat Boy and Xanadu? Good times.

For its 20th birthday CTC decided to go big: a birthday celebration and fundraiser concert at World Cafe Live at the Queen, featuring Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice's epic 1970 rock opera concept album Jesus Christ Superstar in its entirety. Having spent my own slightly-past 20th birthday this year with Ted Neeley (who played Jesus in the 1973 film and on stage for decades) in concert at Delaware Theater Company, I was not about to miss this.

CTC's special Superstar live concert was produced and conducted by Joe Trainor, who also -- get this -- sang the part of Judas. Simultaneously. Judas, if you don't know, is the lead, along with Jesus. As soon as I saw Righteous Jolly's name in the lineup in the promo materials, I knew he was going to be Jesus, and I knew he was going to pull it off. CTC fans will remember that Jolly played Andrew Jackson in Bloody Bloody. As Jesus, he stayed in character, bringing the presence the part demands, even as a concert.

The remaining parts, many of which have featured solos, were filled by some of the best local talent, including CTC regulars Kerry Kristine in the female lead role of Mary Magdalene, Adam Wahlberg as Pilate, T.S. Baynes as Simon, Steven Weatherman as Herod, Lew Indellini as Annas, Frank Schierloh and Troy Shaeffer as Priests, and Bill Wilmore, whose bass delivery of Caiaphas was as good as any I've ever heard. The Chorus, made up of Dylan Geringer, Petra Deluca, Emma Orr, Clayton Stacey, and Dana Michael did a standout job, too -- you can't underestimate the importance of a good chorus. Along with a tight 5-piece band, Trainor's production was everything I'd hoped it would be. The only bad thing? It was a one-night-only-event. I'd see it again, no question.

The good news is, Season 20 starts up in December, with CTC's version of Gypsy, followed by The Best of 2.0 Ten-Minute Play showcase, and Bomb-itty of Errors in the spring. For more information, go to city-theater.org.

A Fearless New Season of Comedy in Arden...Plus CTC's Big 20th Kickoff

As City Theater Company prepares to launch its landmark 20th season — leading with an electric, one-night-only, in-concert version of Jesus Christ Superstar at World Cafe Live at the Queen, directed/produced Joe Trainor and featuring a full band and cast of CTC fan-favorites —its wildly popular comedy improv troupe, FEARLESS IMPROV, is gearing up for a side-splitting new season as well.

Fearless Improv brought the funny to Penn's Place this summer.

Following last year's successful debut of regular gigs at Wilmington's Chris White Gallery, and a fantastic summer run at Penn's Place in old New Castle, the troupe now moves to the larger space of the Buzz Ware Village Center in Arden for regular shows on the 3rd Friday of each month, beginning September 20.

"All shows are at 8:00pm and will provide you with an hour of endless laughs and tears of joy," says the troupe's Facebook page.  And judging by the crowds and "buzz" the group has consistently drawn, that's absolutely true.  Plus, it's a very affordable $5 admission at the door, with drinks and snacks available for purchase, and free parking.  So, you've really got no excuse NOT to come giggle, participate and make'em up with some of City Theater Company's finest.

See www.city-theater.org.
See www.facebook.com/CTCIMPROV.

Bloody Good Fun with CTC’s Bat Boy

Cast of Bat Boy taking their bows

One of the tightest productions you could see in Wilmington is playing at the Black Box of OperaDelaware Studios. Bat boy: the musical by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming with music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe is a hilarious romp of a rock musical which director Michael Gray and music director Joe Trainor managed to fit onto the tiny stagelet on the Riverfront. The stage was bare, but with a jungle gym background reminiscent of trees and forest in the rural hills of West Virginia. The play’s opening lets the bars of the jungle gym be the walls of a cave where our intrepid siblings find a boy/bat in a cave and capture him.

Of course, the rest of the musical revolves around the identification, education and sanitization of the Bat Boy, played brilliantly by Brendan Sheehan. Whether he is cramped in a cage or mauled by fans and foes, Sheehan comes through with shining colors. Every detail – from his crooning mimic of his fellow humans to his totally convincing adaptation of BBC received speech – is spot on.

The orchestra is also beautiful, although it, too, must remain caged behind a black backdrop to avoid their overpowering the singers. Yet, the cues are perfect and the singers and orchestra seemed melded together for harmony and dynamics thanks to an inventive webcam setup. Christopher Tolomeo and Robert Dilton had some brilliant keyboard licks (although we didn’t know who was on when).

The cast was superb and surreal, with several gender changes and an explosive conversion – from a Lily Tomlin-like, pursed-lipped crone turning into a jiving rocking sexed-up Pan in the name of love – a superb release of Adam Wahlberg’s real vocal power as Pan. Steve Weatherman was a powerhouse as a rural whining mother and Reverend Hightower plus several other roles into which he was able to slip in about five seconds, costume change included.

Dana Michael and Jenna Kuerzi are two tiny sprites who play spirited mother and teenaged daughter, respectively. They rock, shuck and jive with the oversized vigor of the energizer Bunny coming out of lithe and slender bodies. Those two and the rest of the cast, all of whom have incredible light and spark, managed to do all of their singing and dancing while swinging up and down their jungle gym bars as if born to it.

If you feel like you need a jolt of energy in these winter doldrum days – stop by the Black Box at OperaDelaware Studios before December 15!

See www.city-theater.org.

The CTC Rocks Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson

Righteous Jolly. Photo: Joe Del Tufo

It’s the rare production that’s as funny, entertaining, thought-provoking and utterly disturbing as Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, City Theater Company’s latest offering, directed by Michael Gray. It’s a rock musical (or, more accurately, an emo musical, complete with punk rock/steampunk styling) about a pretty horrid era in American history, the birth of the Democrat party, and the second-most memorable president of the 19th Century.

As soon as you enter the Black Box, it’s clear that this show is going to be something special. Instead of rows of seating on one side of the room, a narrow stage sits in the center, with tables and seating on either side, neon-lighting and a corner bar, which will become part of the scenery. The audience is warned that the actors will use the entire room (protect your drinks!). It’s easily the coolest stage setup I’ve seen in Delaware.

Jackson, awesomely played by Righteous Jolly, clad in a leather jacket with a shock of purple hair, is a cowboy and a rock star, the voice of the frontier and a stark contrast to the stuffy Washington elite. He’s also a bigot (he especially despises Indians, even though he adopts an Indian child), a ruthless killer and, eventually, a president who sees no use for Congress and the Supreme Court, only the will of the masses he’s rallied. He’s a great politician -- he defines the cult of personality. He rouses the people with speeches on the “common man.” He’s sexy and cool. You really do want to root for him -- and, in fact, the audience joins in on chants of “Jackson!” at one point. Amazing and not a little unsettling, but it’s part of what makes the play great. 

The ensemble. Photo: Joe Del Tufo

While Jolly dominates, BBAJ is an ensemble piece, and the ensemble pulls no punches. Kerry Kristine McElrone is hilariously salacious as Rachel Jackson; Melissa Bernard has some of the funniest moments as various characters, most of them male; Jim Burns brings genuine emotion to the role of Black Fox; Frank Schierloh is a blast as John Quincy Adams; and Maggie Cogwell kills it as the storyteller and (via puppetry) Jackson’s young son Lyncoya. The biggest standout for me -- and let me be clear, no one is a dud -- is Adam Wahlberg, both in the ensemble and as Martin Van Buren, who goes from foppish as Jackson’s political adversary to the only grownup in the room as his vice president.

The music, directed by Joe Trainor, is infectious, with songs ranging from upbeat ensemble songs like “Populism, Yea, Yea!” to the haunting “Ten Little Indians.” Trainor even sings lead on a couple of songs, leaving his spot with the band to take the stage.

Fair warning: In order to portray Jackson with any semblance of historical accuracy, BBAJ is aggressively anti-PC in its humor, and full of profane language. This is not a show for the ultra-sensitive or the faint of heart. Jackson’s abhorrent treatment of the Indians is played for laughs, the Washington elite are portrayed as effeminate as if it’s a character flaw, and self-mutilation is cool (well, it is an emo musical). Pushing the bounds of taste as far as it does helps to keep from over-romanticizing Jackson -- though the play does leave out some unromantic details about his wealth and slave ownership by the time he ran for president (the play does mention that he acquired one slave as a young man, but not that he had well over 100 by the 1820s). Instead, we see his sexier scandals such as his apparent bigamy. And while some historical figure portrayals are unfair (John Quincy Adams as a clueless election-stealing spoiled brat is funny, but in reality he was one of the most fiercely anti-slavery leaders of the early 19th Century), the play doesn’t try to tell you that Jackson was a hero. It goes so far as to note that some historians see him as an “American Hitler.” And yet, on stage, he’s somehow sympathetic. Not because he’s a good man, but because he’s lost so much in his life and quest for the presidency. And he sure does throw a good party.

BBAJ Runs through May 12 at the Black Box. See www.city-theater.org for tickets, including special stage-side VIP seats (drinks included).