Album Review: Jessica Graae, "Sea Dream"

This Saturday, December 5, at World Cafe Live, Philadelphia: Jessica Graae’s “Sea Dream” Album Release

During her time on the Delaware Arts scene, Philadelphia singer-songwriter Jessica Graae performed, taught, and released her first album, 2013’s Gypsy Blood. Her newly-released second album, Sea Dream, opens as you might expect: with a dreamy, atmospheric song of the sea, Sea’s Siren (featuring Kiley Ryan and Chico Huff).

Graae’s lilting, wide-ranging voice is at once folksy and classical, accompanied by acoustic guitar, strings, percussion (sometimes) and the occasional keyboard.

It may sound minimalist, but there is plenty going on musically; the third track, It’s You Again (featuring Chico Huff, Jim Salamone, and Randy Bowland) works Graae’s acoustic style into a catchy indie pop tune, the kind that would be at home on college radio. Another up-tempo track, Hyphenate (featuring Philip D’agostino and Jim Salamone) has a country vibe, with its singalong-style “scoop you up like sweet ice cream” chorus.

There is a thread of calmly infectious catchiness throughout even the slower-tempo songs — songs like Bring the Rain (featuring Jim Salamone, Chico Huff, Bob Huff and Randy Bowland) will stay in your head long after the song ends.

Back to front, the album flows, moving between acoustic styles without losing its distinct ambiance. At first, Sea Dream feels like an album filled with sadness, but as you stay with it, it feels like resilience.

Sea Dream is available for purchase on bandcamp and Amazon, and can be streamed on Spotify.

Jessica has two more shows in December after the Album Release: Opening for Norman Taylor and his Blue Soul Band at the Bus Stop Music Cafe, Pitman, NJ, on December 19, and at Andrea Clearfield's Salon in Philadelphia on December 20.

See jessicagraae.com.

The Playhouse's "Annie" Strikes a Positive Note & Brings a Smile

Photo © Joan Marcus

By Guest Blogger Scott Frelick
Scott is a native of Wilmington and has been involved with Wilmington Drama League, The Brandywiners and OperaDelaware. Currently, he is a member of of City Theater Company's Board of Directors. He is also an interior designer, visual artist and Realtor.
What a joy to experience the production of the Tony Award–winning show Annie, currently at The Playhouse on Rodney Square. This production is an extra-special treat because it is directed by the original lyricist and director, Martin Charnin. This a familiar story of the orphan girl, Annie, based on the Harold Gray comic strip, who finds her home with Billionaire Oliver Warbucks. I've seen many companies do this show in the past, but this one is definitely worth seeing and stays very pure to the original intent of the show.

The professional performances by Issle Swickle as Annie, Gilamesh Taggett as Oliver Warbucks and Lynn Andrews as Miss Hannigan were complemented by a great cast of children, adults and a dog. The sets by Tony Award–winning designer Beowulf Boritt really allow you to feel as though you are ‘right there’ in old New York with the characters.

Of course, the rescue dog that played Sandy really warmed the hearts of the audience — but it was the evil Miss Hannigan who really stole the show. Andrews’ portrayal of Miss Hannigan was such a stand-out that it was hard not to love the character and want to see more — even though Miss Hannigan is not a very nice person.

In this time with so much unpleasant news in the world, it’s nice to be entertained and left with a positive outlook. With songs like the eternally optimistic “Tomorrow” and “You’re Never Really Dressed Without a Smile,” how could one not leave humming a tune with a grin on their face?

For a family-friendly uplifting evening, this is a must a see! The show runs through December 6.

See http://duponttheatre.com/ (The Playhouse on Rodney Square)

SuiteFranchon Goes from Stage to Page with Her New Book

SuiteFranchon (aka Franchon Roberts Beeks) is a prolific poet/performer in the Delaware Valley. She currently hosts her own production in and around Wilmington called "Peace, Love & Poetry," and she just celebrated the release of her first book, Living the Journey. We caught up with this local artist recently to chat about all things art and poetry. 

Do you prefer being called a 'spoken word artist' or 'poet'? Is there a difference?I don't really have a preference. If you are a traditionalist then I would be considered a poet. If you're more contemporary, you may prefer to call me a spoken word artist, mainly because I perform my poetry. In my mind, there is not a difference, but educators may beg to differ. Although "spoken word" predates the written work (aka poetry), I think the only difference is written verse verses the performance of poetry. (If that makes sense.)

What drew you to this art form? What about the medium "speaks" to you (no pun intended)?I have always been a reader and lover of words. Poetry such as Rumi, Nikki Giovanni and Ntozake Shange always moved me. Even Psalms from the Bible attracted my attention. Also, I have always loved soul music because it is like poetry with music and that really influences my style of writing and performing. I have always liked poetry because it tells a story in just a few verses --- that always resonated with me. I began to write verses down just to capture my thoughts, and it evolved from there.

How long have you been performing? My first performance was at an open mic event called "Po-Jazz" about 15 years ago. After a six-year hiatus, I begin performing again about five years ago under my own productions called, Peace, Love & Poetry.

Who were your mentors or inspirations?I have "virtual" mentors such as the late Maya Angelou (poet), the late Teena Marie (songwriter/singer) and Bill Duke (movie director and writer)...and the list goes on! I find inspiration almost everywhere and in many things. In fact, in my book, Living the Journey, you will find a poem called "Surely There's a Poem in It," where I talk about "...can't think of no thing that does not create poetry!" For me, poetry is my life and life is poetry!

What made you want to write a book now? I wanted to be sure to compile my poetry to share with others. Once the book was completed, it inspired me to want to write more and work on the second book immediately.

Do you have a favorite passage in the book?My favorite verse is found on page 43. The poem is "To Remain Righteous." The verse reads:
"I have lived in the belly of the social-economic beast
Among others who have lost their way
Forced to swallow the bile of poverty"

This passage keeps me mindful of my most challenging days. It reminds me that our greatest fault as a country is not addressing the issues of poverty they way we should and that our country is only as strong as our weakest fellow man. I have felt like I was in the "belly of darkness" and resided there with others who were trying to find their way. But, the poem continues to talk about how I always felt hope. I have never felt hopeless. That poem is like my "hope and see the light" poem.

What was the most difficult part of writing a book?Sitting still and organizing it to tell the story the way I wanted others to see it. It was important to me to not just throw a bunch of poems in a book --- It had to make sense.

What do you want readers to take away from your book? Is there an overall message?I hope that those that read it step away with some insight into my values, hopes and dreams and, as a result, they want to dream more --- and bigger. I hope they are inspired to do more, no matter their age or circumstances. I pray that they choose love.

What are your artistic goals for 2016 and beyond? Next year (2016) is already proving to be a busy and exceptional year. I am already booking events into 2017!

I expect (and I say this with clear intentions) to continue to stretch as a performer by booking more performances and speaking engagements. I expect my CD to be completed and released by March 2016. I expect to book a West Coast and South East tours. I expect to publish my second book which will be a combination of short stories and poems. In 2017, I plan to release a documentary called "Living the Journey, Life according to SuiteFranchon" and complete my script called "Scars." I think that is enough to expect from the Universe and myself for now! LOL!

See SuiteFranchon Enterprises. 

A Palooza of Piano Performance at the Music School

By Christine Facciolo

The Music School of Delaware showcased its pianistic talents on November 18 with a concert titled— aptly enough — “PianoPalooza.”

The evening also served to honor faculty members with 20 or more years of service to the School. Artists on this program celebrating that milestone included David Brown (48 years), Donna DeLaurentis (30+ years) and Hiroko Yamazaki (23 years).

Also taking the stage Wednesday night were Jennifer Nicole Campbell, Dr. Oleg Maslov, Liliya Maslov and rising star Douglas Nie, a 10th grader at Wilmington Friends School who studies piano with David Brown.

DeLaurentis and Yamazaki opened the program with a performance of Robert Schumann’s Pictures from the East (Bilder aus Osten) composed in 1848. This is an engaging set of variations on a theme in six consecutive vignettes that share a strong internal infrastructure. This is not a piece one hears often, but DeLaurentis and Yamazaki made a strong case for it with a reading that was full-bodied in sound yet dramatically sublime.

David Brown offered works by Beethoven, Brahms and Brown, apologizing to Mr. Bach for the apparent slight. Brown gave a clean and well-articulated reading of Beethoven’s Seven Variations on God Save the Queen, the British national anthem. Most impressive was his ability to make the melody “come alive” while bringing out the secondary notes in the left hand.

Brahms described the intermezzi of Op. 117 as “three cradle songs for my sorrows,” and Brown is brilliant as he brings out the inventiveness and sublime lyricism of the third Intermezzo in C-sharp minor with an ease that belies its technical difficulty.

Brown kicked things up several notches with a performance of his Rondo Fantasia, a piece of rapidly changing moods and wild arpeggios.

Dr. Oleg Maslov’s prodigious gifts allowed him to excel in the pyrotechnics of Liszt’s two concert etudes: La Leggierezza and Waldesrauschen. The former — Liszt’s most Chopin-esque work — was played with a feverish ardor while one could hear the rustling of the trees in the piano work of the latter.

Douglas Nie took the stage following intermission, capably demonstrating why he has earned the reputation of the School’s “rising star.” The fifteen-year-old offered works by Griffes (Lake at Evening) and Rachmaninoff (Polichinelle). Lake at Evening is not an easy piece to play without getting excessively Romantic. But Nie’s judicious reading conjured up all the exotic imagery suggested by the title, filling the concert hall with mystery. By contrast, his performance of Rachmaninoff was appealing and passionately Romantic, marked by a technical fluency beyond his years.

Jennifer Campbell’s superior technique and interpretation was most evident in her performance of Chopin’s Ballade in G minor — one of the most difficult of the repertoire. Her attack was strong from the first bold chords and built to a series of climactic arpeggios that brought the haunting central melody to life.

Dr. Oleg and Liliya Maslov explored the rich diversity of sound possible with two pianos. Both pianists executed the virtuosic figurations of Ravel’s La Valse with ease. As the waltz continued, becoming jarring and almost barbarous in intensity, Dr. Maslov took the lead, steering the frenzied dance through sudden, impulsive spasms. The duo succeeded in adding a thunderous splendor to the sensuous theme. Equally impressive was Liliya Maslov’s ability to turn her own pages while in the throes of this thrilling performance.

See www.musicschoolofdelaware.org.

The Music School Kicks Off Alumni Concerts with Noted Philadelphia Musician

Violinist Barbara Govatos and pianist Marcantonio Barone

By Christine Facciolo

The Music School of Delaware spotlighted one of its most talented and accomplished alumni when violinist Barbara Govatos and duo partner pianist Marcantonio Barone took the stage to perform a concert of Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms.

It’s a rare treat to hear Govatos solo in such an intimate — and familiar — setting. Normally she’s either concertizing as first violinist with The Philadelphia Orchestra (where she holds the Wilson H. and Barbara B. Taylor Chair) or collaborating with other talented instrumentalists as music director of the Delaware Chamber Music Festival.

Govatos is known for her well-curated programs, and this concert did not disappoint.

The first half opened with Beethoven’s chirpy Sonata No.2 in A Major and closed with Schubert’s Fantasy in C Major, a virtuosic work of complex and contrasting moods. The optimism of this half contrasted well with the fury of Brahms’ Violin Sonata No. 3 in d-minor in the second half.

What is remarkable about Govatos and Barone is their shared sense of musical vision, something that was amply demonstrated throughout the concert. The duo reveled in the good-natured bantering that characterized the opening movement of the Beethoven work. The antiphonal phrases of the second movement were shaped with a delicacy that invested the music with a sense of peace. The concluding rondo banished this atmosphere, replacing it with one of playfulness. The arpeggios in violin and piano were effortlessly tossed off while Barone offered sparkling accompaniment throughout.

The dominant work of the first half of the concert was Schubert’s Fantasy in C Major. Though less familiar than the composer’s later masterpieces, this single-movement work is just as extraordinary for its telescoping of musical form as the more celebrated Wanderer Fantasy for piano. The music is crammed with notes. More importantly, Schubert uses the music quite carefully to decorate crucial elements in the relationship between violin and piano. The heart of the work is its central set of variations on the tune of a song Schubert wrote in 1821, “Sei mir gegrusst” (“I greet you”). But it is the slow introduction which is recapitulated in the second and fourth movements (and fully in the third) which casts a shadow over the work.

Govatos’ delivery was extraordinary, full of imagination and profound intelligence. It was worth the admission just to hear the way she colored the opening line, reducing her tone to the slenderest thread, minimizing her vibrato and breathing life into the work.

Brahms’s third violin sonata in d-minor concluded the concert, and Govatos and Barone gave it a fiery, gutsy treatment. There was a constant pining in Govatos’ playing during the first movement, as she showed a range of colors — practically screaming at times — but never choking the sound. One indeed got the sense that a weighty statement had just been made and much energy expended.

A blissful Adagio followed; full of emotional joy but not without bursts of passion. The duo sparkled in the sprightly tempo of the Scherzo but the finale was all fire — noble at first but growing more and more manic as it unraveled.

This was an utterly compelling partnership of equals.

See www.musicschoolofdelaware.org. 

Assassin: A Gripping Tale of Morality, Choice and Redemption

By Christine Facciolo

You don’t have to be a football fanatic to appreciate the Delaware Theatre Company’s production of Playing the Assassin.

That’s because Playing the Assassin isn’t really about football — per se.

Playing the Assassin by David Robson.
Photo courtesy of Delaware Theatre Company.

Still there’s plenty of up-close body-slamming action in the form of a spirited — and sometimes disturbing — debate about sports ethics, morality, choice, responsibility, family, race and just about anything else the play’s two characters care to toss into one intermission-less act of conversation/altercation.

The work by Wilmington-based playwright David Robson premiered last year at Rockland County, New York’s Penguin Repertory Theatre under the direction of Joe Brancato, who reprises those duties here in Delaware as do other members of his team, including actors Ezra Knight and Garrett Lee Hendricks.

Knight turns in a gripping performance as Frank, a now-retired football legend whose dirty on-the-field tactics earned him the nickname “The Assassin” and who was responsible for inflicting a devastating in-game injury on an opposing player, rendering him paralyzed from the neck down.

The action takes place in a modern yet not-quite-five-star hotel suite in downtown Chicago. Frank has been flown in by a segment producer from CBS Sports for a much-hyped pre-Super Bowl sit-down with the player he injured years ago.

Robson bases the plot on a real-life incident. During a 1978 pre-season game, Oakland Raider Jack Tatum plowed into New England Patriot Darryl Stingley rendering him a quadriplegic. The two men never spoke again. The incident became a symbol of violence in football, tainting Tatum’s legacy right up to his death in 2010. (The incident was prominently displayed in the headline to his obituary.)

Playing the Assassin is the product of Robson’s musings about what might have taken place if the two players had met and attempted a reconciliation.

Hendricks plays Lewis, the suited-up, buttoned-down, eager-to-please (if somewhat green) producer charged with convincing Frank to sign a contract for the no-holds-barred interview which is to include an apology. Lewis seems a bit too interested in the details of the accident, the reason for which comes through later in the play. What follows is a cat-and-mouse game between the vainglorious Frank and the persistent Lewis, culminating in a demonstration of Frank’s tackling prowess which turns shockingly violent.

Frank grows increasingly suspicious of Lewis, accusing him of lying about the other party’s willingness to participate in the interview. In the midst of it all, we learn that Frank has written his memoirs which make no mention of the tragic incident that captured international media attention.

Both actors manage worthy and durable performances as their characters evolve through a series of striking revelations and twists of fate that at times seem strained and contrived.

Knight is a standout in the meatier of the two roles. He deftly combines the swagger of his past glory with the stark reality of his diminished physicality and a deep-seated guilt and anger over an incident that has shadowed him and tainted his legacy.

Hicks initially presents Lewis an affable production assistant but gradually blends in a hostility that presages a deep-seated resentment and belligerence.

Robson does not directly address some of the weightier issues facing football today, namely, fan complicity in the glorification of gridiron violence and the league’s failure to prepare players — especially injured players — for life after the big leagues.

But then, Robson didn’t set out to write a play about football. Just a story about two men who at the sound of the two-minute warning need to make a play for redemption before the clock runs out.

Playing The Assassin runs at Delaware Theatre Company through November 8.

Bootless Delivers Theater for Sci-Fi Geeks, with Star Wars, a New Musical Hope

By Guest Blogger, JulieAnne Cross
JulieAnne is a Wilmington-area do-gooder, specializing in public relations, communications and events, with a focus on the dining industry. Her first arts job was in the opera industry two decades ago, and she famously states that her “only talent is pushing pencils.”

As a regular patron of Bootless Stageworks’ productions, I look forward to seeing the schedule every year. Familiar pop culture stories appear in some shape or another, year after year: Evil Dead (four times now?), Terminator the Second, Musical of the Living Dead, Texas Chainsaw Musical, Jerry Springer, the Opera. I had seen a Bootless production of Star Wars, a New Musical Hope in 2012 and when they announced its return, I was certain I’d see it again.

Although I’d never honor myself with the label of 'sci-fi geek,' the Star Wars movies have, for years, created a common ground for family-time entertainment choices with my now 14-year-old son. While he was all weapons and action figures and play fighting, I was all art and theater and film, and Star Wars was a terrific compromise. Nevertheless, he became my “theater buddy” from a young age, seeing countless Shakespeare productions, literary classics and Broadway hits starting around age 4. Whimsical productions, such as what Bootless offers, ensured there was some payoff for him during those awkward years when I had to push a little harder to get my theater buddy on board with my entertainment plans.

This production was a musical parody of Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope, scripted by local playwright, Jeremy Gable, and with music by Timothy Edward Smith and Hunter Nolen. The cast consisted of Caleb Duffy (Luke), Shaun Yates (Obi-Wan Kenobi), James Fuerst (Darth Vader), Ryan PJ Mulholland (Han), Maria Leonetti (Leia), Christopher Waters (C3P0), and Bob Ferst (a 7-foot-tall Chewbacca) as well as Wes Belli, AJ DellAversano, Bob Demarco, Mark Dixon, Mariza Esperanza, Robin Fanelli, Shamus Halloran, Shawn Kline, Andrew Laino, Tom McCarthy, Sean McGuire, Samantha Moscony, James Scotland, Luka Villani and Sedric Willis. Rosanne Dellaversano directed.

What I’ve come to expect from Bootless when they stage a parody is home-spun special effects created with a sustainable, 80-seat theater budget. There is a certain level of amusement that comes from seeing how Bootless delivers on something a Hollywood director had tens of millions to spend on. (Oh, the amount of cardboard used in Terminator the Second! Such a contrast to the Shakespearean dialogue.) I’d like to think I can suspend disbelief more easily for a sustainable budget than I can for a behemoth, and I know I’m not the only one who loved Bootless’ solution to the car chase challenge in Terminator the Second.

For Star Wars, the MOE 365 FIRST Robotics Team created a robotic R2D2. It was thrilling to see it roll out of stage right unassisted on opening night, and none too surprising to hear the mechanical parts struggling as it failed to roll back out again at the end of the scene. To be clear: PLEASE TRY THIS AGAIN NEXT TIME, BOOTLESS! I love your risk-taking and whimsy and I’d rather see Anthony crouching down to save R2 from falling over during the scene than see you not take the risk.

Bootless made effective use of several video projections, and a simple structure representing the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon did the trick for travel scenes. Otherwise, the staging was fairly sparse; given the number of people who needed to be on stage together during some scenes, this was understandable. The trash compactor scene was well-executed with the old Kuroko-holding-a-moving-wall trick.

When you know a story as well as I know Star Wars, it can be challenging to stay “in the moment” and one’s mind focuses on funny little details. I could not figure out why the heck Obi-Wan’s sleeves were tucked into his robe, until he “disappeared” through the left curtain, leaving his robe in the familiar puddle that marked his mortal exit in the film. I’m laughing now as I write about it…very cute. Other costuming and staging details that entertained: the brown creature consuming a dead Greedo in the Cantina, the purposely repeated scenes with the same two actors behind the bar/control panel, the tiny skeletons after the Tattooine slaughter, Luke’s blindfolded piñata-esque training scene. The Chewbacca costume was excellent, and Ferst managed his stilts masterfully. I was certain C3PO was going to inadvertently drop trou, a couple of the Stormtroopers had camel-toe, and I really wanted Leia to have boots instead of ballet flats, but we’re talking about sustainable theater, not obsessive cosplay.

I recall past productions where Bootless incorporated live music and I look forward to more of that; if a theater has to use canned music, making sure it works well is key, and I don’t recall any technological distractions, volume was just right, speaker quality was good, etc. Lighting was equally digestible.

Bootless had artist Blair Webb drawing live on site, having designed the promotional art of the production. The costumed cast came out after the show for photo opportunities. These were extra special touches for sci-fi fans and theater lovers alike. The stage speech was intentionally drawn out: a large party was stuck in traffic and their post-start arrival would have been disruptive to the rest of the audience.

Although I enjoyed some of their previous venues, it is nice the Bootless has found a stable home at St. Stephen’s Church. Online ticketing now includes seat selection, which is extraordinary for a theater this size. Pricing is affordable. I have never yet had difficulty finding parking in the vicinity of 13th and Broom. All in all, Bootless consistently offers a good customer experience. (Not to mention their traditional “splatter zone” seating for gore-themed productions.)

The run for this show has ended, but be sure to check out Bootless’ production of The Light in the Piazza – a “nearly operatic” musical, including some Italian language singing –starting November 6. 

See www.bootless.org.