Review of The Old Globe - "Beethoven As I Knew Him"

The Old Globe Theatre of San Diego continues to offer subscribers and patrons a series of first rate, eclectic productions. Case in point, the world premiere of the current Hershey Felder production "Beethoven, As I Knew Him" now on the main stage.

It's a skillful and studied one-man performance by a master pianist and portraitist who enriches the Beethoven legend, both musically and anecdotally. (Felder also performs as Frederic Chopin and George Gershwin at The Old Globe this June in a series he's entitled The Composer Sonata.)

As Dr. Gerhard von Bruening, one of the characters Felder portrays says, "Mozart was the voice of God, and if that's true, then Beethoven must be the fingers of God." As the irascible genius Beethoven, Felder displays his considerable talent as a concert pianist with sensitive and assured technical renditions of the Pathetique Sonata and the Piano Sonata 14, better known as the Moonlight Sonata.

What makes the performance all the more satisfying is Felder's ability as actor to deliver lines while playing some of the world's best loved classical music. It's a special gift he displays with feeling and relish. It's a 90 minute dazzling tour de force of glorious music and inspired theatre.

As unique a talent as Hershey Felder is - he wrote the text for the show - he doesn't do it all by himself. Without the keen and creative eye of director Joel Zwick ( a seasoned stage, movie and TV director), scenic designer Francois-Pierre Couture, and production designers Andrew Wilder and Christopher Ash, I doubt the culmulative effect of this production would have the impact it does.

We are visually treated to a stage production that makes the most of the performing disciplines: a piano concert, singing, stage acting techniques, along with a multi-media presentation - brilliantly blended with nuanced graphic overlays - and a lighting plot that makes the entire evening a visual and auditory delight.

The night I attended a special treat was in store for the audience. Following the conclusion of the performance, Felder announced from the stage that he would be most happy to entertain questions from the audience. "Please ask whatever you want and I'll try to answer all of your questions. Anything. About Beethoven, the script, anything. It's my pleasure."

With that invitation the questions from the audience flowed to the stage. For the next 30 minutes with grace, charm, and humor - the tools of the consumate professional - he shared his passion for music, the arts, and the need for communication between performer and audience. For those who feel the chasm between performer and audience is often too wide, on this night, they experienced a rare evening of closeness and candor. It's hard to converse with a movie screen or have interesting and insightful discourse with a performer in the midst of 50,000 rock concert fans. But in the world of live theatre everything is possible. That's the beauty and uniqueness of live theatre.

When Hershey Felder performs his "Monsieur Chopin" homage to the great Polish composer from June 11 thru June 22; seats at The Old Globe will be hard to get. Following on the heels of Chopin, Felder's tribute to American music comes in the form "George Gershwin Alone" which he presents June 25 thru June 29; for a limited one week engagement. Over the last ten years, Felder has performed his Gershwin show more than 2300 times all over the world.

Tickets to see his Gershwin tribute also will be very hard to come by. But if you attend you will learn things about Chopin and Gershwin from Hershey Felder you never knew before; I guarantee it! Don't miss either of these shows. You won't be disapointed. Contact The Old Globe box office at http://www.theoldglobe.com/.

Review - "Of Mice and Men", at the Pasadena Playhouse, May 14, 2008

John Steinbeck's 1935 seminal novel and play about shattered dreams still resonates with audiences more than 70 years later. Set against the backdrop of California's migrant worker programs in the 1930's, some of the characters in "Of Mice and Men" may have Anglo names but most of the actors on the stage at The Pasadena Playhouse have Hispanic accents and heritages, save a few, who retain their ethnicity as originally written by one of America's only two Nobel Laureate's in Literature and Theatre (Eugene O'Neill being the other)

Thanks to the inspired vision of Artistic Director Sheldon Epps, and the creative chops of director Paul Lazarus, a fresh new approach to the powerful subject matter of the drama becomes a reality. They say timing in show business is everything; the time for relevancy and understanding the complex issues that surrounded the migrant harvest worker program then is still an issue in the here and now.

The usual complaint from the younger generation ( ages 18 to 35) concerning the world of live theatre is that's it's not relevant for them. Bah, Humbug! The arts have always led the way in drawing attention to compelling social issues and causes in need of redress. Just check the works of Voltaire, Zola, Moliere or Charles Dickens, all of whom had relevancy in their time, and all of whom had their work made into plays; contributing to changes in the social fabric of their times.

Steinbeck's now classic tale of California's itinerant farm workers is set in the San Joaquin Valley during the 1930's. It's the story of George and Lennie who, if judged by today's standards, would probably be labeled as marginal losers. The best way to describe their relationship is that of a caretaker, or parent (George) and his dependent, child (Lennie) a gentle, mentally-challenged giant of a man who has a fatal attraction to soft hair.

George is always looking out for Lennie; protecting him against the world and from himself. He is also aware of Lennie's shortcomings and when the farm dog has a litter of puppies, George warns Lennie to stay away from them. But Lennie's desires get the better of him and he sneaks in to see the pups, and ends up killing one of them.

Tensions mount when ranch hand Curley, newly married to a local girl, imagines every man is making passes at his bored wife. George and especially Lennie become Curley's targets when Curley's wife is seen hanging around the ranch house. Curley's wife is hungry for emotional satisfaction from anyone who will pay attention to her. It's a character flaw that ultimately ends in tragedy

There is so much to recommend in this production. There are so many creative and clever touches by this talented cast. For starters, the portraying of the migrant farm workers, not as displaced "Okies" from the dust bowl of the 1930s, but as hard working human beings is a fresh and welcome take. Lazarus deftly frames his production along the lines of California's Bracero Program then in vogue during the 40's and 50's. It's an inspired idea, and of course, is very historically accurate.

David Norona as George, the world-weary realist and protector of Lennie, delivers a finely crafted performance brimming with ambivalence; doubt, optimism, and compassion. Al Espinosa, brilliantly portrays the gentle, child-like giant Lennie. His every move, gesture and hand positioning is right on the money. From the leonine head and wonderfully expressive eyes and face, Espinosa captures the heart and soul of Lennie, to say nothing of the audience.

Joshua Bitton's Curley, the paranoid husband who imagines everyone making passes at his wife, is an accident waiting to happen, and happen it does. Thomas Kopache, as Candy the old worker who sacrificed his hand for the farm, evokes sympathy when it comes to the fate of his long time pet. Alex Mendoza as Slim, Gino Montesinos as Carlson, Sol Castillo as Whit, Josh Clark as The Boss, and Curtis C. as Crooks, the black stablehand who is ostracized from the rest and sleeps in the barn, are solid performances. The role of Curley's wife is played by Madison Dunaway, who plays her as more of a lost soul trying to escape her suffocating life with Curley than as a femme fatale as portrayed in the 1937 movie.

When the movie was released in 1937, a young Betty Field portrayed Curley's wife with such conviction, she incurred the wrath of America's movie-going female population who refused to accept that she was just an actor playing a role. As a result, she was never quite able to shed the memory of that character as far as movie fans were concerned and her career sort of sputtered into lesser character roles. It was a case of doing one's role too convincingly.

I have seen this play performed many times, and the characters were always played as Anglos, not local people of color, except for the character of Crooks. By having the characters played by Hispanic actors, who from time to time, sprinkle their dialogue with Spanish words and expressions, enriches the performance and doesn't alter the dramatic intention of Steinbeck's master work a wit. It plays ! And on more than one level, too. And it comes at a time when this story needs to be seen by new generations.

If young people are looking for relevance in today's society, they need look no further that this thought-provoking play now on the stage of The Pasadena Playhouse. It's a wonderful production. It runs until June 8th. Don't miss it. Contact the box office at 626-356-7529.