A tale of two (fair) ladies

 

New York theatergoers have a rare chance to see two distinct versions of a time-honored tale with Lincoln Center’s My Fair Lady running concurrently with Bedlam’s Pygmalion.  (Fair warning: Pygmalion only runs through April 22nd while My Fair Lady is in previews until the 19th but has an open-ended run.)

Having caught a glimpse of Bedlam’s production at an invited dress rehearsal, I was struck by how relevant the story still is today. I could go into great detail about what I saw in that production, and how it surprised me and what I think makes it so poignantly relevant today. I was also intrigued by how differently the story plays compared to the musical I remembered. But I’d rather wait until you see it and see what you found in them as well.

Seeing both gives oneself a rare glimpse into the choices Lerner & Loewe made to turn the story into a palatable (if not delicious!) musical as well as get a great look at George Bernard Shaw’s underlying story still so powerful on it’s own.

See both! And tell me what you think.

I hope yours dance.

by grebenru from
Daily Dream Designs

If you can’t get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you’d best teach it to dance.
George Bernard Shaw

Happy Halloween!

Amuse Bouche #3

Thirst Quencher

In producing, one must passionately love the Kool-aid while concurrently refusing to drink it. #staythirsty #thehardpart #thirstywork

But my hands have a 10-pack.

Photo courtesy of Morguefile

Producing is a busy, time-consuming job. I’ve got at least half a dozen things going at once. At one point today I thought to myself. I said, “Self, you are working your a** off!”

Then I realized, most of my work is sitting in a chair typing, or reading, or researching or typing some more. So then I responded (to myself): “Uh, no. More like I’m working my a** ON.”

I need to take a walk.

#keepingitreal

Overheard at Sardi’s

Sardi’s, where the magic happens. 

Trying to recoup on Broadway is like reaching the Emerald City. Dorothy had a well-paved road to get there but she never would have made it without the tornado and a dead witch.

Advice from Nora Ephron

“Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady. I hope you will find some way to break the rules and make a little trouble out there. And I also hope that you will choose to make some of that trouble on behalf of women.”

Nora Ephron
Wellesley’s Class of 1996 in a commencement speech

A muse bouche #2

Nobody thinks their own baby is ugly. The same could also be said for plays and musicals.

A Muse bouche

“Some days I feel like an angel well and fully flighted, other days I’m Icarus on paper wings ignited.”
-December 15, 2011

Origin Story

Welcome to Theater Zen a new blog about the business and art of theatrical storytelling.

I still remember the time I was bitten by the theater bug…

My parents had taken me to Knott’s Berry Farm while on a visit with some relatives. I was between 7 and 10 yrs old. While there we went to one of those cheesy shows. It was a pretty big concert at an outdoor amphi-theatre type place on the park grounds. The type of show with canned music, super-sized smiles and cheerleader-type choreography. A similar show today would play alot of Celine Dion and “Wind Beneath My Wings”; alot of sap for the sake of sap which I would hate to love.

This show was enthralling to my 7 to 10 year old self. I sat as a statue, completely absorbing all I could. At one point, three black girls came out in their afros, and pink-sequined gowns. I couldn’t imagine a finer trio of singing girls anywhere. With bright pink lipstick against smooth black skin. They were singing the oohs and aahs of some favorite song of the fifties and I was in my 7-10 year old groove. At one point they emerged from the stage. Broke the fourth wall and brought their afros, pink sequins, oohs and aahs out to the audience. Encouraging people to sing along and sway to the music. One of these Bright Pink and Black Angels of the Knotsberry Theme Park came to me. Her face was dripping with sweat and makeup and I remember looking into eyes full of the dreams of fame. Eyes hidden by a thick coating of sagging fake eyelashes laden with mascara. She brought her cordless mic to her bright pink lips and crooned, “ooh, ooh, ooh.”

I was mesmerized and a little shocked when she brought the mic down to my slackened lips, not pursed, not smiling, relaxed in awe and wonderment. I finally realized she wanted me to sing into the mic and just before she gave up hope and turned away disappointed, I did just that. “ooh…ooh…ooh”. Thus a star was born. No, not a star. And maybe not born at all. It was at that moment I was knighted into the vocation. I dub the a singer, an actor, an artist. I pulled the sword out of the rock and I have been fighting the good fight ever since.

Years later as I discovered my yen for producing I realized that theater was more than any one vocation. So many theater artists have an interest and enthusiasm for so much more than their own artistic track and skillset. Whether we are an actor, writer, technician or producer we all want to be part of the community that tells stories to other parts of the community.

As I continue on my own path in the arts, I realize that we all have a story to tell. Theater Zen is one aspect of mine.