You Can’t Go Home Again

A group of students from a small Catholic college in Wyoming reunite to celebrate the installation of a beloved professor as the school’s new president.  During their conversations and debates, ugly truths are revealed and raw emotions come to the forefront.  This is Heroes of the Fourth Turning and it is currently playing at BlueBarn Theatre.

Without question, this is one of the deepest plays I’ve ever seen.  Will Arbery has an ironclad grip on the current times and asks a lot of questions in this modern morality play.  These questions have no easy answers and Arbery does not attempt to answer them.  He merely poses the talking points.  Arbery asks questions of the true nature of morality; the raging us vs them mentality of society, especially when it comes to political platforms; why people gravitate towards certain collectives; the inability to have civil discourse with differing opinions; the dangers of pride and ambition carried too far, just to name a few.  That he does it through a quintet of conservative characters is a particularly clever touch and a good way to get people to walk a mile in another’s shoes as the old saying goes.  These powerful questions almost make the audience forget that Arbery leaves a couple of plot threads dangling especially one including a Twilight Zone style twist.

Barry Carman helms this production and his direction is of sterling quality.  Carman cuts a fierce pace for this juggernaut production.  He intimately understands the beats and momentum of this show as it just builds and builds into a runaway train that threatens to derail until finally applying the brakes at the critical juncture.  Carman also has a sense of movement that is second to none.  Each and every time his characters move, there is a clear purpose behind it that speaks as loudly as words.  Carman has also led his cast to remarkable performances.  There isn’t a weak link among them and each performer gets a moment in the spotlight.

As Gina, Joey Hartshorn is the beloved teacher who had a hand in molding the thinking of her 4 students, one of whom is her daughter.  Hartshorn brings a definitive intelligence to the character and a certain open-mindedness in her conservatism.  She’ll always vote the platform out of principle, but chooses to follow leaders that she believes are best for the country such as Barry Goldwater and Pat Buchanan.  She also doesn’t buy into the “gloom and doom” thinking of her protégé who believes that a culture war is brewing.  Hartshorn also brings a certain coldness to her interpretation.   She clearly doesn’t have a good relationship with her daughter and didn’t seem all that interested in seeing her students again.  Not only does she lay into her protégé, Teresa, for not thinking exactly as she does, but she shows some liberal leanings now that she’s running the show at the college.

Suzanne Withem does some exemplary work with her take on Teresa.  As Gina’s protégé, Withem’s Teresa drank copious amounts from her fountain of knowledge and seems to aspire to be a better Gina than Gina.  Teresa is the most conservative of the group and appears to downright hate liberals with her comments about them being evil due to their adherence to the pro-choice platform.  Withem brings an ice-cold selfishness to Teresa who clearly believes herself to be smarter, more moral, and simply better than her classmates.  She’s utterly disdainful of Kevin, backhand compliments Emily, has some respect for Justin, and fawns over Gina.  Gina’s dismissal of her gives Withem the chance to break Teresa’s chilly exterior and show the scared child hiding behind it.

I’ve always been dazzled by Anna Jordan’s mastery of body language and her turn as Emily further bolsters that amazement.  Jordan’s Emily suffers from a nameless disease that leaves her frail and constantly hurting.  With her caved in chest and heavy leaning on her cane, Jordan truly appears haggard and ill.  Emily is the most open-minded of the group and seems to always look for the truth and the good.  It’s hinted that her illness may just be in her head and that she truly suffers from extreme empathy.  You can see Jordan visibly start to break as tensions get higher and higher, triggering flashbacks to a distressing incident with a client which might have been the onset of her own illness.

Thomas Gjere is a truly good man as Justin.  Justin is definitely the rock of this group.  He clearly had a rough past and Gjere makes you believe that he was a hard-edged man who had those edges softened after finding the college and Gina who he says “saved his life”.  Justin is a flawed man and Gjere has subtle guilty expressions when he recalls some of his past troubled life.  He’s on the search for something greater, but whether he is doing so out of personal growth or fear is left for the viewer to decide.

Michael Judah’s Kevin is definitely the most broken character in the show.  Judah does splendid work essaying Kevin’s drunkenness and the truth that almost literally spews from him due to the loosening power of booze.  Kevin seems to pine for perfect morality and emotionally flagellates himself whenever he falls short of it.  This seems to happen frightfully often due to his utter loneliness which appears to be caused by fear of women (he gets physically sick talking about the Virgin Mary) which, in itself, was caused by his repression of love for Teresa and Emily.

Jason Jamerson has designed an extraordinary set that looks like you are genuinely outside in a wooded area with its long grass, trees, bushes, and stumps with the back of Justin’s house butting up against it.  I swear I could almost feel the cool breeze blowing in from a nearby river.  Homero Vela’s lights perfectly emulate a starlit night, but the flip side of being true to the setting meant the faint light made it hard to see the actors’ faces and expressions when they were in darker parts of the stage.  That leads to an interesting conundrum and I’ll be honest in admitting I’m not sure how to get the best of both worlds.  Bill Kirby’s sounds make for an ambient night and, at points, something a little more terrifying and jumpy.  Jocelyn Reed’s costumes helped to flesh out the characters from the business pantsuit of Gina to the outdoorsy clothes of Justin, the hoodie of the frail Emily, the stiff, professional clothes of Kevin, and the practical clothes of Teresa.

Buckle yourself in for a challenging night of theatre, but there is a powerful kernel of hope in this show in that it may encourage people to talk to each other instead of at each other.

Heroes of the Fourth Turning runs at BlueBarn Theatre through October 24.  Showtimes are Thurs-Sat at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm with the exception of a 6pm show on October 17.  Tickets cost $35 and can be purchased by calling 402-345-1576 or visiting www.bluebarn.org.  Due to mature themes and language, this show is not suitable for children.  BlueBarn Theatre is located at 1106 S 10^th St in Omaha, NE.

The Funny Truth About Politics

When a sex scandal forces the current governor to resign, Lt. Governor Ned Newly is sworn in as the new governor.  Ned is a whiz in administration and government functions, but has crippling social anxiety and low self-confidence so he comes off as an idiot in public.  After seeing his wretched swearing in ceremony, a famed political advisor decides he can make Newly into a political superstar by presenting him as the worst candidate in history.  This is The Outsider by Paul Slade Smith and is currently playing at Bellevue Little Theatre.

This is one of the most insightful comedies I’ve ever seen and one of the best productions mounted by Bellevue Little Theatre.  Smith’s script is an apt commentary on the modern political climate where the public seems obsessed with celebrity status instead of competence and focuses more on the sizzle instead of the steak.  Newly is the official people actually need since he truly is good at his job, but his advisor wants to present him as a dope because he believes that is the official that people actually want since a candidate should be just as clueless as the public according to his philosophy.

Marya Lucca-Thyberg has supplied an ace piece of direction for this show.  She keeps her actors briskly moving about the stage to keep the energy of the show up (though the pace of tonight’s show needed a bit of quickening) and the staging is of excellent quality especially with the visual gags and reactions of her performers.  Lucca-Thyberg also guided her actors to fairly effective and strong performances.

Strong supporting performances were supplied by Mike Pilmaier as a laconic cameraman who serves as the voice of the American people who has lost faith in government and is weary of politics in its current state.  Sara Scheidies also gives a fine performance as an effective and efficient pollster who enjoys the current state of politics, but understands that the people deserve something better.

Louise Peakes has one fewer brain cell than an amoeba.  It is a one note character (possibly a parody of Sarah Palin), but Sarah Dighans plays it for everything its worth.  Dighans comes off as a blithering dolt, but at least she’s happy and enthusiastic.  She’s the epitome of America’s fascination with the sizzle as she only spouts pithy phrases and makes pie in the sky promises.  The difference is that she’s wholly sincere.  She isn’t out to manipulate the public for any selfish gain.  She’s just eminently unqualified and, if elected, would simply be the blind leading the blind.

Matthew Bell is pitch perfect as Arthur Vance, the famed political advisor.  Bell’s Vance is the P.T. Barnum of politics because for him it’s all about the show.  Without question, Vance has a lot of political savvy, but he tends to misuse that savvy as he’s more fixated on the win than the quality of the candidate.  Clearly he has a low opinion of the voters as his intention is to give them candidates that either are or appear to be stupid because he thinks that’s what they want.  Bell does an admirable job in keeping Vance somewhat likable as he really isn’t a bad person.  He’s just so caught up in politics that he’s forgotten what is the true purpose of government.

Brennan Thomas gives an absolutely flawless performance as Ned Newly.  Thomas presents Newly as a man virtually paralyzed by social anxiety with his inability to speak when around strangers and his palpable fear at public speaking of any type.  With his hunched shoulders and limbs pulled into his body, Thomas always resembles a coiled spring ready to snap at the slightest sound.  His reactions and vocal effects are hilarious, but he also brings real intelligence and heart to the character.  Newly wants what is best for the people and has ideas and plans to get there, but has been forced to work from the shadows since he lacks the charisma to be the face of the party.

Joey Lorincz has assembled yet another top notch set as the Governor’s office has a real sense of authority with its imposing size, elegant balcony doors, and fine furniture.  Nancy Buennemeyer clothes the characters to their personalities from the flashy and expensive suit of Arthur Vance to Newly’s more sedate and professional suit to the bright blue dress to match the perky personality of Louise Peakes.  Sam Bass did some fine sound design from the beeps of an intercom to a soundtrack featuring classic rock hits.

If you want a clear idea of the difference between politics and leadership, then this is the play for you.  It’s funny.  It’s truthful.  And it gives you a lot to think about.  One never knows.  Perhaps a future leader may be watching this show and be inspired to be the leader we need and not the leader we think we want.

The Outsider will run through May 16 at Bellevue Little Theatre. Showtimes are Fri-Sat at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm.  Tickets cost $20 ($18 for seniors, $10 for students) and reservations can be made at http://bellevuelittletheatre.weebly.com/reservations.html.  Bellevue Little Theatre is located at 203 W Mission Ave in Bellevue, NE.

What Have We Learned?

Nils Haaland stars as Arturo Ui in “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” at the Blue Barn Theatre

A lowly gangster rises to power in Chicago with the conquering of the greengrocery trade.  This is the story of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui by Bertolt Brecht and is currently playing at the Blue Barn Theatre.

Yes, I realize the plot sounds like a comedy, but it’s not.  This play is a satire on the rise to power of Adolf Hitler and is actually one of the gutsiest pieces of literature ever written as Brecht wrote it in 1941, shortly after Hitler gained ascendancy in Europe.

This play is vintage Blue Barn as it is challenging, make you think theatre with an experimental flavor.  Brecht has a very real/unreal style to his writing and you may find the story a bit confusing.  However, there is a detailed explanation on what to expect from the production in the program and moments from Hitler’s rise to power are projected onto a screen after every major scene to demonstrate the parallels between the play and reality.

I don’t think Susan Clement-Toberer could give flawed direction even if she tried.  Once more, her gift for nuance and character shows itself in a tour de force effort.  The staging is quite clever as she manages to fit her rather large cast onto the narrow dock that is Martin Scott Marchitto’s set.  I found the use of video footage to parallel Ui and Hitler to be quite beneficial and she once again leads a powerhouse cast to a series of strong performances.

While largely an ensemble piece, this show rests on the shoulders of the actor playing Arturo Ui and one could not find a better choice for the role than Nils Haaland.  Haaland once again throws himself into a role as he utterly transforms himself into Ui.  He nimbly handles the long and difficult wordplay of Ui with astonishing ease and displays new facets of the character almost every time you blink.

Haaland is just a sad piece of work at the play’s start as he laments being a common criminal out of the public eye.  Once he finds an in to the greengrocery trade, Haaland evolves (perhaps devolves?) Ui from a two bit hood to an inhuman monster as his power base grows.  The fleeting signs of humanity Haaland shows at the beginning of the show rapidly vanish as he is willing to betray and kill allies and friends to achieve his dream of conquering the nation.

Mike Markey does a superior piece of character acting as Old Dogsborough.  Markey hides his fitness well as the elderly, infirm Dogsborough who unintentionally provides Ui the means to start taking over the greengrocery trade.  Markey does an excellent job showing an extremely honest man buckle under the temptation of material gain.  From there, Markey’s body language shows a man slowly dying a living death as his body sags and collapses with each future appearance due to his guilt of letting Ui get his hooks into him due to one greedy choice.

Daena Schweiger’s performance as Emanuelle Giri is not to be missed.  Ms Schweiger is chilling as the psychopathic Giri who’s notable for a fetish for hats and a piercing, knifelike laugh.  Her Giri has no redeeming qualities and possesses a lust for power not unlike Ui’s own as she plots the death of a rival in Ui’s camp.

Jens Rasmussen makes his mark with his Blue Barn debut as Givola, another crony of Ui.  Rasmussen’s sense of movement is second to none as he has grace and fluidity which is all the more impressive given the beautiful limp he gives his character.  Rasmussen’s performance is quite memorable as he makes his Givola a potent blend of oily suck-up and Machiavelli.

Other strong ensemble performances come from Brennan Thomas who plays Ui’s right hand man, Ernesto Roma.  Roma’s penchant for danger and violence is matched only by his extreme loyalty to Ui.  One could argue that he is Ui’s one true friend which means absolutely nothing to that animal in human clothing.  Jennifer Gilg also shines in several character roles, but is particularly good as Betty Dullfleet, a criminal from another city who tries to stop Ui’s rise, but ultimately succumbs to his will.  J.J. Davis provides a bit of welcome levity as Ted Ragg, a reporter who bravely needles Ui.  Paul Boesing’s rich voice is suited to his roles as the show’s narrator and a classical actor who teaches poise and presence to Ui.

The Blue Barn clearly felt that the circumstances that led to Hitler’s rise are present in today’s political atmosphere with some subtle references in the actor’s costumes and a rather charged and colorful closing speech from Haaland.  It’s truly spooky to think that an evil like Hitler was able to rise to power and nearly won.  It’s even spookier to think that the present world climate could give rise to another like him.  As the play’s title suggests, Hitler could have been resisted.  As you watch this play and see what it tries to teach, ask yourself, “What have we learned?”

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui plays at the Blue Barn through October 16.  Showtimes are Thurs-Sat at 7:30pm and Sundays at 6pm.  There is no show on Sept 25.  Tickets cost $30 for adults and $25 for students, seniors (65+), T.A.G. members, and groups of ten or more.  For reservations, call 402-345-1576 from 10am-4pm Mon-Fri or visit www.bluebarn.org.  Due to strong language and adult situations, this show is not recommended for children.  The Blue Barn Theatre is located at 1106 S 10^th Street in Omaha, NE.

Triumphant “Frost/Nixon” Goes the Distance

Edwin Starr’s War is the perfect segue into Frost/Nixon which opens at the Blue Barn Theatre on Feb 4 for a war is what you will get.  Disgraced former President, Richard Nixon, verbally spars with talk show host, David Frost, in a series of in depth interviews in which only one man can emerge victorious.  For Nixon, it is a chance to resurrect his blasted political career.  For Frost, it is a chance to revive his dwindling TV career.

This play is good.

I mean it’s REALLY good.

Not only do I consider Frost/Nixon to be one of the best shows of the season, I also consider it to be one of the best (possibly the best) shows mounted on the Blue Barn’s stage.  Peter Morgan’s script crackles with taut, intense dialogue mixed with interesting characters that actors can really sink their teeth into and a story that will keep viewers enthralled from the first syllable to the final verbal riposte.

Randall Stevens’ direction and staging are dead on accurate as his actors weave the story of the setup, preparation, and execution of, arguably, the greatest political interview of all time.  His actors know their beats, fully realize their characters, and have the best diction I have ever heard out of a cast.

While a great deal of the play does focus around Frost and Nixon, the show’s supporting cast deserves recognition for their rock solid performances.

Matthias Jeske is especially impressive as John Birt, the producer of the interviews.  With ramrod posture and a spot-on accent, Jeske is indeed very, very British, but his delivery adds a warmth and friendship to the character as he tries to ready Frost for the upcoming conflict.  Dave Wingert does well with his interpretation of Bob Zelnick, the editor of the interviews.  Wingert bestows a genuine likability on Zelnick and expertly communicates Zelnick’s ability to navigate the morass of politics’ underbelly.  Brent Spencer has a nice turn as slimy agent, Swifty Lazar, who is devoted to getting as much money for Nixon, and himself, as possible.

Ben Beck is marvelous as James Reston.  Reston has no love for Nixon and is bound and determined to see him pay for his crimes and abuses of power.  This is a role that could easily gravitate to the obvious choice of anger, but, in Beck’s capable hands, it becomes a clinic in nuanced acting.  Beck plays the role of Reston with a quiet intensity.  His hatred for Nixon actually seeps from his pores, but he is never angry.  He simply wants justice.  This need for justice falls just shy of getting Nixon at any cost, but Beck ably shows the intellectual side of Reston as he constantly searches for the smoking gun needed to pry an admission of guilt from Nixon’s clamped jaws.

On the other side is James Brennan, Nixon’s chief of staff, and played with confident assuredness by Mike Markey.  Brennan and Reston make for interesting mirror images as Reston’s hunger for Nixon’s punishment is matched by Brennan’s staunch loyalty to and protectiveness of the former President.  Markey plays Brennan with a military preciseness.  I truly enjoyed his eagerness as he fully believes the Frost interviews will get Nixon back in the political game.  His loyalty is also unimpeachable as he tries to protect Nixon by attempting to get Frost to log all of Nixon’s failings under Watergate and buying his boss valuable time during the climactic final interview with Frost.

Ultimately, this play does need to be supported by the two lead actors and Stevens found two mighty thespians to carry the burden of this production in the forms of Aaron Zavitz and Paul Boesing.  One could not envision better casting as the chemistry between Zavitz and Boesing seems so right.  At times friends of a sort and at others, bitter rivals, Zavitz and Boesing decisively explore the many levels of their own characters and their unique relationship and present it to the audience in a storytelling masterpiece.

Boesing not only has a firm grip on Nixon’s mannerisms, but he also bears an uncanny resemblance to the controversial politician.  Boesing’s Nixon is the politician’s politician.  He oozes a charm that almost borders on insincerity and is prepared for almost any contingency.  He easily bats off inconvenient questions by tooting his own horn and is quite adept at turning dangerous situations to his own advantage.

But Boesing also makes you feel real sympathy for Nixon in the rare moments when Nixon takes his mask off.  For all of his political savvy, Nixon never felt likable despite choosing a profession where that quality is essential.  His body language is also spectacular, especially when the life slowly bleeds from his body when Frost finally gets his fingers around Nixon’s proverbial throat.

Aaron Zavitz mesmerizes with his interpretation of David Frost.  Zavitz’s Frost is a gadfly.  He is simply a talk show host with an ability to hold real, albeit simple, conversations.  He is not a hard-hitting investigative journalist.  He picks Nixon as an interview subject solely to save his dying career.  Zavitz’s Frost claims he can wring a confession from Nixon, but has no plan in how to do so.

Zavitz’s finest moments come during the interview sessions with Nixon.  Markey’s Brennan compares the interviews to a boxing match in which the challenger finds himself sorely outclassed at the beginning and I found that apropos as Zavitz convincingly portrays a man who is out of his depth.  His body language well conveyed his uncertainty and doubt with slumped shoulders and laid back posture as Nixon controls the tempo of the interviews.

That all changes with a nighttime phone conversation that galvanizes Frost.  Zavitz demonstrates this newfound strength by standing straighter, expanding his chest, and adopting a firmer sitting posture during the last interview.  That final interview is truly an actor’s, not to mention audience member’s, delight as Zavitz’s Frost takes the fight to Nixon with haymaker questions to K.O. Nixon once and for all.

Martin Marchitto’s TV studio set is a perfect match for the setting of this show and the actors are well costumed by Lindsey Pape.  Bill Grennan’s projections also enhance the story as the images are projected onto a gigantic television on Marchitto’s set.

I was fortunate to be permitted to see a technical rehearsal of this show and I tell you now, I’ve seen full productions that haven’t had as much polish.  The few missteps in tonight’s performance were simply the ones one would expect to see as the show goes through its final tweaks.  As hard as it may be to believe, this show is actually going to become more amazing than it already is as Stevens and his crew continue to tidy and tighten things.  The Feb 6 show is already sold out, so buy a ticket before the rest of them vanish.

When pushed to the edge one either finds the strength to win or gets shoved off the cliff.  When two people pushed to the same edge duel, only one can survive.  Frost/Nixon presents that struggle in the most definitive and triumphant fashion imaginable.

Frost/Nixon plays at the Blue Barn Theatre from Feb 4-28.  Showtimes are Thurs-Sat at 7:30pm and Sundays at 6pm.  There is no show on Feb 7. Tickets cost $30 for adults and $25 for students, seniors (65+), T.A.G. members, and groups of 10 or more.  For reservations call 402-345-1576 from 10am-4pm Mon-Fri or visit their website at www.bluebarn.org.  The Blue Barn Theatre is located at 1106 S 10th St in Omaha, NE.