Month: March 2020

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2 Pianos, 4 Hands

This is a reprint of my remarks about ” 2 Pianos, 4 Hands ” at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater presented in their Stackner Cabaret during the 2019 – 2020 season. This originally appeared on my Facebook timeline September 9, 2019.

2 Pianos, 4 Hands…a few moments of Victor Borge and a snippet from Ferrante and Teicher plus your favorite classical piano bits and Piano Man…are all features of this opening play in the Milwaukee Repertory’s Stackner Cabaret! Always the cool thing with Stackner performances is the musical skills shown by the actors on top of incredible acting chops.

This piece features just two actors…Joe Kinosian as Ted and Ben Moss as Richard. And they play two aspiring world class classical pianists from age 10 to middle age. So they get to play from age appropriate dialogue and piano skills throughout and just simply nail it. From the physical competitive nature of 10 year olds through the cultural/musical competition of teen to young adulthood. Simply amazing on the face of it.

But there’s more to it than that…the two actors also get to play the various adults who help them achieve their goals or sometimes get in the way. So we see them play off each other as parents or teachers or contest judges. The range of characters and voices and sometimes accents that these actors achieve is simply amazing.

Just looking at the idea of the play, you are ready for plenty of humor. And boy oh boy there is plenty of laugh out loud humor. But I was also surprised at the angst and seriousness that also underlies their quests. So don’t be surprised if there is a tear to two a few moments after a pretty good laugh.

One question got asked in the play that I have always wondered about, having attended a fair number of youth music contests with my musician son…how does a judge keep their sanity when hearing 20 young people play the same piece…one after another…all day long? Yikes!!

Anyway, if you have ever participated in learning to play an instrument or guided a youngster in trying to master an instrument…this is a great play to see. And even not, if you appreciate piano music and coming of age drama/humor…well…have at it.

And don’t forget, after you order your tickets, make reservations and enjoy an absolutely great meal at the Stackner before the play. You won’t be sorry!!

P.S. If you don’t know who Victor Borge or Ferrante and Teicher are, Google them, you are going to love them!

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Two Trains Running

This is a reprint of my remarks about “Two Trains Running” at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater presented in their Quadracci Powerhouse main stage theater during the 2018 – 2019 season. This originally appeared on my Facebook timeline sometime in April, 2019!

The first August Wilson play that I attended was the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s presentation of Jitney during the 2001/2002 season. It was an OMG theater experience for me and I have looked forward to every other Wilson play that the Rep has presented since then. I had never been enamored of 20th Century playwrights…just some things here and there…but nothing like Mr. Wilson.

For me, Mr. Wilson’s strength is in his characters. They feel authentic. They stay true to themselves. The dialogue rings true…consistently. And what characters they are! People representing the full breadth and strata of the local neighborhood…philosophers…poseurs…the backbones of society…and the ne’er do wells…a delightful chorus!

So all season I was just waiting for Two Trains Running. And I was not disappointed. All of the action takes place in Memphis Lee’s diner in an inner-city Pittsburgh neighborhood currently under the pressure of urban renewal – gentrification that is slowing destroying the nature of their environment. The focus is Risa, the only woman in an apparently man’s world. She is all things to the diner: the chef, the wait and bus staff, dishwasher and clean-up crew. She is also the level head that keeps everyone on an even keel. Memphis owns the joint and thinks he ‘runs’ it, but he is stressed out by the city’s efforts to buy the diner and the earlier harms he’s suffered in Jim Crow Alabama. And then there’s the retiree, Holloway, who is the camp philosopher. Wolf, the numbers runner and self-proclaimed lady’s man who knows the whole neighborhood. Sterling who’s just returned after a short term in prison and who wants to do well, but while facing prejudices is surviving in the gray area between right and wrong. And Hambone who has been driven to insanity by the injustice of the white business man across the street from the diner. And West, the black undertaker who knows everyone. He owns a major portion of the neighborhood and is held up as the economic success story for his neighbors. But he’s got his own hustle.

So Two Trains Running is a week in the life for this crew and this diner and this neighborhood. It clearly presents issues around race and economic inequity and faith. Although set in 1969, there hasn’t been that much that has changed in the ensuing 50 years. We’ll see some of Milwaukee in the dialogue and the settings. Not all of it pleasant. But we do feel that sense of community that Wilson brings to all of his plays. And a story that needs to be told.

I saw the play twice. The first time I felt the running time of three hours seemed to be too long…that must have been on me. The second time, even though I already knew the story, it flew by and I was sad when it had ended. That makes for a good play and a good presentation.

My big shout out for this play is to Michael Anthony Williams…he makes an incredible Holloway and for me really set this play up! I know Risa is often considered the focal point since she is the rock that runs the diner…but Holloway shows us the community around him.

And the set designers…my goodness…if this set isn’t exactly the way I remember tired late 1960’s diners to look. Wow! Two Trains Running only runs through May 12th at the Quadracci Power House Theater…so you best hurry!

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Ring Of Fire: The Music Of Johnny Cash

This is a reprint of my remarks about “Ring Of Fire” at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater presented in their Stackner Cabaret during the 2018 – 2019 season. This originally appeared on my Facebook timeline on April 1, 2019!

Ring of Fire – the songs and a bit of the life of the late Johnny Cash comes to life in the Stackner Cabaret of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. If you like country or simply love Johnny Cash…this show will not disappoint. You’ve got the younger Johnny…the mature Johnny…June Carter Cash…and depending on the tune the Tennessee Three or the Tennessee Two.

And songs…and songs…and songs…it is unlikely that they will miss your favorite Cash song or June/Johnny duet…although I would have liked to hear “One Piece At A Time”! AND the crowd loved the show…standing O and an encore and everything!!

But the musicians were right on…the harmonies perfect…the instrumental hand offs (go see it you’ll know what I mean) were flawless…the choreography enchanting…and as the story unwound the age and wisdom and love and fatigue all were exhibited. Awesome jobs from the cast: Alex Keiper, James David Larson, Kent M. Lewis, Corbin Mayer, and Paul Wyatt.

I know this is cabaret but one thing I don’t understand is why it is so important to employ multi-instrumentalists and hand off instruments mid-song.

And although I was right down in front, I couldn’t identify the acoustic guitars being used on stage…if any of you know…please let me know!!