Monday, February 6, 2023

Theatre Review: One Man, Two Guvnors | Delaware Theatre 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.


If you’re searching for an energetic jolt of live entertainment, look no further than the Delaware Theatre Company (DTC) and its production of the hilarious One Man, Two Guvnors. It’s a romp wrapped in a musical farce. And, if you’re lucky (or unlucky?), you may end up on stage as part of the action.
DTC's production of One Man, Two Guvnors.
Photo by Matt Urban/NüPOINT Marketing

One Man, Two Guvnors
is an English adaptation of Servant of Two Masters, a 1743 commedia dell’arte work by Italian Carlo Goldoni. In 2011, English playwright Richard Bean replaced the Italian period setting of the original with 1963 Brighton, added original music by Grant Olding, and created a worldwide hit. The play was the launch vehicle for James Corden in America. In June 2012, Corden won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play.

In this DTC production, the lead role of Francis Henshall is played skillfully by DJ Gleason. The easily confused Henshall makes his own life complicated by taking on more than his simple mind can handle. Gleason masterfully dances between scripted lines and improvisation while his character tries to please all parties involved in his current predicament. An argument that Henshall has with himself — which somehow turns violent — is a highlight of the show.

In a nutshell, the always-peckish Henshall becomes separately and concurrently employed by two men: gangster Roscoe Crabbe (Karen Peakes) and Stanley Stubbers (Jake Blouch), an upper-class buffoon. Henshall tries to keep his “guvnors” apart to avoid each of them learning that he is also working for someone else. 

Muddling events, Roscoe is really twin sister Rachel Crabbe in disguise. Roscoe had been killed by Rachel’s boyfriend…who is none other than Stanley. Complicating things further is local mobster Charlie the Duck (John Bellomo stood in for Peter DeLaurier on Opening Night) who has arranged an engagement between his daughter Pauline (Renee McFillin) and Roscoe. But Pauline only has eyes for actor Alan (Dave Johnson), the son of her father’s attorney (Bruce Graham). Amongst the chaos, Henshall has his romantic eye on Charlie’s bookkeeper Dolly (Kelly McCaughan). With Henshall in the middle, the chaotic swirl of characters keeps missing each other’s actions and antics. Thankfully, the audience sees it all.

The snappy writing by Bean modernizes the classic farce and upgrades much of the humor for today’s audiences. Between the cleverly terrible metaphors, there is substance to the script, however wacky the plot may be. For instance, the virginal Pauline so often misses the point that she is described as “unsoiled by education.” The second act’s deep discussion of debilitating and deadly diseases has more alliteration than this sentence…and is hysterical.

But, as in any farce, stage timing and physical comedy must shine. They do. Trembling octogenarian waiter Alfie (Brian McCann) steals a riotous lunch scene through physical humor alone. Feminist Dolly is overtly sexual and playful when being seduced. Alan’s passion for acting is so deep that he often prompts the audience to recognize his entrances before speaking or changes his spot mid-line to gain better light. The air of misguided entitlement around Stanley’s every movement is palpable.

Kudos to Colin McIlvaine for his inventive scenic design. His wonderful inside and outside sets allow for the wacky physical comedy to shine while keeping the world grounded in period reality.

Live music by Nero Catalano (Emmett Drueding stood in on Opening Night) and Andrew Nelson added a party atmosphere inside the theater. Scene changes meant live ditties with plot points mixed in with the song lyrics — not to mention guest musicians from the cast. Get ready for an energetic kazoo solo!

The cast regularly breaks the fourth wall with an infectious sense of wink-wink mischief. The audience seems to be intimately involved in the capers on stage, with the actors in on the joke. It’s as if everybody in the theater wants to squeeze one more laugh out of a gag. It’s all very, very funny.

One Man, Two Guvnors is the last show for 
outgoing Artistic Director Bud Martin. 

The performance schedule of One Man, Two Guvnors is: Wednesdays (2 p.m.), Thursdays (7 p.m.), Fridays (8 p.m.), Saturdays (2 & 8 p.m.), and Sundays (2 p.m.) through February 19. Tickets start at $29 while discounts are available for students, groups, and military members/veterans. The show is roughly two-and-a-half hours long with one 15-minute intermission. 

 There will be pre-show Viewpoints on Wednesdays at 1:15 p.m. during the run plus talkbacks after Thursday performances. Call (302)594-1100 or visit DelawareTheatre.org to purchase tickets or for performance information. Delaware Theatre Company is located at 200 Water Street in Wilmington.

Friday, January 13, 2023

DDOA Names 2023 Individual Artist Fellowships

The content of this post comes from a press release from the Delaware Division of the Arts...

Image detail: Artwork of Lauren E. Peters, 2023 Established Arts Fellow

The prestigious Individual Artist Fellowships from the Delaware Division of the Arts recognize artists in a variety of disciplines for their outstanding quality of work and provide monetary awards.

In 2023, the Division received work samples from 118 Delaware musicians, writers, and folk, media, and visual artists. The work samples were reviewed by out-of-state arts professionals who considered the demonstrated creativity and skill in each artist’s respective art form. Seventeen artists were awarded fellowships in the following categories — two Masters; seven Established; and eight Emerging. The 17 selected fellows reside throughout Delaware including Bridgeville, Claymont, Felton, Harrington, Lewes, Newark, Smyrna, and Wilmington.

NEW FOR 2023: Thanks to a generous increase in funding from the Department of State, the awards have increased — $5,000 for Emerging Artists; $8,000 for Established Professionals; and $12,000 for Masters — to allow artists to pursue advanced training, purchase equipment and materials, or fulfill other needs that will help advance their careers. This funding has also allowed the Division to award a second Masters Fellowship.

Master Fellowship ($12,000)

  • B. Proud — Visual Arts: Photography, Wilmington
  • TAHIRA  Folk Art: Oral Literature, Claymont

Established Fellowship ($8,000)

  • Joyce Barbagallo — Literature: Fiction, Wilmington
  • Ron Meick — Visual Arts: Sculpture, Wilmington
  • Michael Miller — Folk Art: Music, Felton
  • Mary Pauer — Literature: Creative Nonfiction, Bridgeville
  • Christopher Penna — Literature: Poetry, Newark
  • Lauren E. Peters — Visual Arts: Painting, Wilmington
  • IVA (Emily Tepe) — Music: Contemporary Performance, Wilmington

Emerging Fellowship ($5,000)

  • Jill Althouse-Wood — Visual Arts: Painting, Wilmington
  • Bryant (Tee) Bell — Visual Arts: Painting, Wilmington
  • Liz DeJesus — Literature: Creative Nonfiction, Wilmington
  • Constanza (Cony) Madariaga — Visual Arts: Painting, Wilmington
  • James Morgan — Media Arts: Video/Film, Harrington
  • Charlese Phillips — Visual Arts: Interdisciplinary, Smyrna
  • Kim Hoey Stevenson — Literature: Fiction, Lewes
  • Anne Yarbrough — Literature: Poetry, New Castle

Monday, December 12, 2022

Delaware Art Museum Launches Initiative to Preserve Public Art

Part of this post comes from a blog posting/release from Delaware Art Museum...

Creative Vision Factory Members in front of the Kalmar Nyckel Mural.
Photo courtesy of Michael Kalmbach.
Contrary to popular belief, not all galleries are indoors. Some don’t have four walls, security guards, or
a sign reading “please do not touch the art.” Some galleries are right outside your door. Wilmington’s outdoor gallery boasts artworks ranging from the 19th Century to the present. From memorials and sculptures to mosaics and murals, our environments are beautified by artists. Their creations enliven the cityscape, acting as tangible expressions of their city’s cultural heritage, and becoming beacons for civic engagement, public pride, and even attracting business investments. [
READ THE FULL DELART BLOG ENTRY HERE>>>]

A new pilot program called Public Art Stewards — developed by the Delaware Art Museum and supported by the Delaware Division of the Arts and City of Wilmington American Rescue Plan Act funds — aims to train Wilmington residents to clean, conserve, and document 30 public artworks in downtown Wilmington and surrounding neighborhoods.

The Public Art Stewards program was officially launched with a press conference on Thursday, November 17, in front of one of the most visible displays of Wilmington's public art — the mosaic behind Christina Cultural Art Center at the corner of 7th and Shipley.

This highly anticipated workforce training and city beautification program is headed by Benét Burton, Registrar Assistant/Curatorial Project Manager at the Delaware Art Museum.

Benét Burton said of the program: "I’ve been able to speak with some artists of the pieces on our list and engage with residents who live near them. Everyone I have met while working on this project has shared their enthusiasm for it, and I’m excited to support the community and its artists in caring for the work they hold so dear."

We asked Burton more about the project and why it is so important for our City of Wilmington...

*What made the art museum want to take up the mantle for this city project?
The Delaware Art Museum is committed to our role as a regional anchor and aims to support identified needs in our community. By aligning our knowledge of public art with the city’s outdoor gallery, we’ve created an innovative project that will provide our participants with creative skills and support their workforce readiness.

*What will the project entail? What work will your team do on the public pieces?
The Public Art Stewards Training Program is a six-month “earn while you learn” program that employs six to eight Wilmington residents who will be taught transferable skills in conservation under the tutelage of Margalit Schindler of Pearl Preservation, our program conservator. Additionally, our Public Art Stewards will participate in workforce-readiness workshops such as interview practice, digital literacy, financial coaching, and resume building.

Every piece on our list is unique and will have different needs. The transferable skills in conservation our participants will learn while working on the public pieces include assessment and condition reporting; photographic and written documentation; cleaning; and essential maintenance of sculptures and murals.

*What are your goals for the first year of this project? Where is your first area of work based?
Some of our goals for the first year are:
  • to have our participants graduating feeling confident in the skills they’ve learned in conservation;
  • to have 30 works from Wilmington’s outdoor gallery properly maintained and documented so that we can create a living archive of our city’s public art;
  • to connect our participants with local services and help provide them with continued support after graduating.
We are still working on our curriculum. However, I anticipate that the first area we’ll be working is the DelArt campus where One Way, 2008 by Chakaia Booker and Monumental Holistic No. VII, 1980 by Betty Gold live in our sculpture garden.

*Do you have a "favorite" piece of public art in the city? What is the name of the work and where can we see it?
I have many favorite pieces, to be honest, but I will limit myself to one mural and one sculpture.

A mural I’m currently obsessed with is The Divine Mind, 2016 by Terrance Vann on 7th and Windsor Streets. It’s so large and in charge, and the vibrant purple hue is almost like a beacon when you're a block away from it. Although I really love the crown, my favorite part is the way he styled the hair to be a cityscape. I sometimes add a few minutes onto my commute home from work just to drive by it.

My favorite sculpture right now is Shipyard Gateway, 1998 by Roldan West on 4th and Church Streets. It hangs on the overpass in the middle of the street so it’s hard to get a good look at it if you’re not on foot. I’ve always loved metalwork because the technique is so fascinating, and this piece is eye-catching. I really wish it was closer to the ground so that I could sit with it and take in each form.

*Who are some of your favorite Delaware artists?
I love Edward Loper, Jr. When I look at his work, it feels like I’m reminiscing on a dream. The bright colors in his paintings and how he layers them are the first to grab my attention and pull me in. Then I notice the interesting perspective, and I feel I could stare at them for hours and just fall in.

I also really like Geraldo Gonzalez (a.k.a. The King of Transit). I met him at the Creative Vision Factory when I was in undergrad at the University of Delaware. A lot of his work focuses on public transportation. I follow him on Instagram (@thekingoftransit), and I always find myself scrolling through his page and getting lost in all the vivid hues he uses on his pieces. I would love to see his work wrapped on some buses in Wilmington!

*What would you like people to take away from this project? Can other community members get involved?
From this project, I hope that people come to understand how integral public art is to our community and how important it is that we support our local artists and their creations. Wilmington is not just a city, but a canvas for many, and the public art that artists put their time, effort, and care into creating are a celebration of the city’s cultural heritage. Through the Public Art Stewards Program, the Delaware Art Museum aims to leverage its position as a cultural fixture and use its influence and connection to support Wilmington in upkeeping its outdoor gallery. We love these pieces, and we are committed to fighting for and finding resources that will help us and Wilmington residents maintain and archive them so that we can share them with generations after us.

If anyone is interested in getting involved in the project, they can contact me at bburton@delart.org or 302.351.8507.

Program Conservator Margalit Schindler adds: "I am grateful to be able to share my preservation knowledge with my Wilmington neighbors and to collaborate to care for our city. While the program focuses on supporting Wilmington artwork, I am equally excited to support the personal and professional goals of the Wilmington locals who participate in the program."