The Plains are Alive (or not) with the Sound of Sondheim
Posted: January 18, 2013
Columns
Assassins at the MTC Tom Hendry Theatre/ Warehouse as part of Sondheim Fest, January 17, 2013
Reviewed by Stephanie Adamov
As part of the Master Playwright Festival, Winnipeg celebrates the lyricist and composer Stephen Sondheim. For the first time ever, the festival will focus specifically on musical theatre. The festival runs January 16- February 3 and will include full productions of Assassins,Follies, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Into the Woods and Sunday in the Park with George. There will also be a variety of original pieces based on Sondheim’s work such as Dear Mama (based on the lyrics of Gypsy) and The Last Sheila (stage adaptation of the film).
From West Side Story all the way to Into the Woods, lauded as a rebel and a revolutionary, this contemporary composer bent the rules of Broadway. Stephen Sondheim has created a new course for musical theatre history. He stepped far beyond the realm of musical romantic comedies and created work that is recognized as dark and daring.
As MTC’s Artistic Director Steven Schipper states, “there is a duality, a contradiction at the heart of his work – a rough sophistication, a light-hearted darkness – that moves and amazes us.”
Joe Matheson and Shane Carty in Assassins
As a musical, Assassins is no different. This musical, co-produced by Birdlandtheatre and Talk is Free Theatre, focuses on a group of individuals from John Wilkes Booth to John Hinckley, who have all attempted and sometimes succeeded at killing a president of the United States. The music and lyrics of Sondheim in combination with the book of award winner John Weidman work to correct history under Adam Brazier’s direction.
History books have labled Sam Byk and Sara Jane Moore as ‘misfits’, or Leon Czolgosz or Guiseppe Zangara as ‘angry immigrants’. Assassins seeks to reveal that although these individuals may be peculiar, perhaps they are peculiarly American in search of their own mirage-like American Dream. In one way or another, they are in search of ‘Another National Anthem’ for which, they believe, after their hard work, they deserve a prize.
Opening Off-Broadway in 1990 the show has had many bumps in the road, including a three-year delay on Broadway after 9/11. As a performance at MTC Warehouse, perhaps the show fell on deaf ears. This show began with as many bangs and balloon pops as were associated with the assassins themselves. It was a very musical performance indeed, as the actors/musicians entered through the audience with their instruments to join the orchestra ensemble on stage.
There were many fresh faces on the MTC Warehouse stage as nine out the thirteen cast members made their debut performance on opening night. It was definitely a demanding performance as, in a Brechtian fashion, the performers never left the stage during the show. The hour and fifty-minute production ran long for some audience members who dreaded the ‘no intermission’ warning from their local usher.
Although Canadian history may not be as rebellious or dramatic as American history, as a musical Assassins makes an attempt to right some wrongs and erase them from the history books. The audience is never asked to empathize with the characters but merely to listen to their ballads. As individual pieces, there were several show stopping performances. As a whole, it left much to be desired.
The strong baritone of Shane Carty as John Wilkes Booth defending his right to kill Lincoln in ‘The Ballad of Booth” was emotional and compelling as he made his case and claim to kill the ‘pride and joy of Illinois.’ With a spotlight at centre stage, Carty was brought to his knees as he belted his defense.
In quite a different fashion, Steve Ross as Charles Guiteau was hyperbolic with enthusiasm and sarcastic euphoria. Through highly energetic jumps and dances he demonstrated a clear spectrum of emotions as he at times was slightly reluctant, as when he marched to the gallows to the tune of his own poem (written during incarceration), “I am Going to the Lordy.”
The ballads of the assassins were certainly well constructed. The attempt to make the killers of political figures appear as more than mere villains was clear. The overall production needed to link these monumental moments together. The characters of the Proprietor played by the versatile Joe Matheson and the Balladeer played by Geoffrey Tyler attempted to provide continuity but the arc of the story but was not sufficiently sustained in this production.
The show contained pockets of witty and humorous outbursts. These arose silently and unexpectedly but were appreciated all the same. Sara Jane Moore played by Melody A. Jonston and Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme played by the ‘groovy’ Janet Porter were a comedic riot as they practiced assassinating Colonel Sanders for practice before attempting their real target, President Gerald Ford.
Though the performance lulled as everyone anticipated the next in line for a presidential slaying, there was one moment that perhaps stood out above the rest: the anticipation from the audience as they anticipated JFK’s assassination was exhilarating in itself. As the character of Lee Harvey Oswald presented himself, as portrayed by Geoffrey Tyler, the audience was instantly hooked.
Perhaps this demonstrated a renewed consciousness as the 50th anniversary of the assassination approaches. Perhaps this awakened the state of amplified reflectiveness that ensued from Walter Cronkite’s chilling words. When Zapruder’s footage appeared over a bull’s-eye covered by the American flag, the audience most certainly demonstrated that in the words of widow Loman “attention must be paid.” Whether it be to Kennedy or Booth, there are two sides to every story.
Assassins at the MTC Tom Hendry Warehouse Theatre, 140 Rupert Ave., Winnipeg, as part of SondheimFest Jan 17-February 2, 2013
The Plains are Alive (or not) with the Sound of Sondheim
Columns
Assassins at the MTC Tom Hendry Theatre/ Warehouse as part of Sondheim Fest, January 17, 2013
Reviewed by Stephanie Adamov
As part of the Master Playwright Festival, Winnipeg celebrates the lyricist and composer Stephen Sondheim. For the first time ever, the festival will focus specifically on musical theatre. The festival runs January 16- February 3 and will include full productions of Assassins, Follies, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Into the Woods and Sunday in the Park with George. There will also be a variety of original pieces based on Sondheim’s work such as Dear Mama (based on the lyrics of Gypsy) and The Last Sheila (stage adaptation of the film).
From West Side Story all the way to Into the Woods, lauded as a rebel and a revolutionary, this contemporary composer bent the rules of Broadway. Stephen Sondheim has created a new course for musical theatre history. He stepped far beyond the realm of musical romantic comedies and created work that is recognized as dark and daring.
As MTC’s Artistic Director Steven Schipper states, “there is a duality, a contradiction at the heart of his work – a rough sophistication, a light-hearted darkness – that moves and amazes us.”
Joe Matheson and Shane Carty in Assassins
As a musical, Assassins is no different. This musical, co-produced by Birdlandtheatre and Talk is Free Theatre, focuses on a group of individuals from John Wilkes Booth to John Hinckley, who have all attempted and sometimes succeeded at killing a president of the United States. The music and lyrics of Sondheim in combination with the book of award winner John Weidman work to correct history under Adam Brazier’s direction.
History books have labled Sam Byk and Sara Jane Moore as ‘misfits’, or Leon Czolgosz or Guiseppe Zangara as ‘angry immigrants’. Assassins seeks to reveal that although these individuals may be peculiar, perhaps they are peculiarly American in search of their own mirage-like American Dream. In one way or another, they are in search of ‘Another National Anthem’ for which, they believe, after their hard work, they deserve a prize.
Opening Off-Broadway in 1990 the show has had many bumps in the road, including a three-year delay on Broadway after 9/11. As a performance at MTC Warehouse, perhaps the show fell on deaf ears. This show began with as many bangs and balloon pops as were associated with the assassins themselves. It was a very musical performance indeed, as the actors/musicians entered through the audience with their instruments to join the orchestra ensemble on stage.
There were many fresh faces on the MTC Warehouse stage as nine out the thirteen cast members made their debut performance on opening night. It was definitely a demanding performance as, in a Brechtian fashion, the performers never left the stage during the show. The hour and fifty-minute production ran long for some audience members who dreaded the ‘no intermission’ warning from their local usher.
Although Canadian history may not be as rebellious or dramatic as American history, as a musical Assassins makes an attempt to right some wrongs and erase them from the history books. The audience is never asked to empathize with the characters but merely to listen to their ballads. As individual pieces, there were several show stopping performances. As a whole, it left much to be desired.
The strong baritone of Shane Carty as John Wilkes Booth defending his right to kill Lincoln in ‘The Ballad of Booth” was emotional and compelling as he made his case and claim to kill the ‘pride and joy of Illinois.’ With a spotlight at centre stage, Carty was brought to his knees as he belted his defense.
In quite a different fashion, Steve Ross as Charles Guiteau was hyperbolic with enthusiasm and sarcastic euphoria. Through highly energetic jumps and dances he demonstrated a clear spectrum of emotions as he at times was slightly reluctant, as when he marched to the gallows to the tune of his own poem (written during incarceration), “I am Going to the Lordy.”
The ballads of the assassins were certainly well constructed. The attempt to make the killers of political figures appear as more than mere villains was clear. The overall production needed to link these monumental moments together. The characters of the Proprietor played by the versatile Joe Matheson and the Balladeer played by Geoffrey Tyler attempted to provide continuity but the arc of the story but was not sufficiently sustained in this production.
The show contained pockets of witty and humorous outbursts. These arose silently and unexpectedly but were appreciated all the same. Sara Jane Moore played by Melody A. Jonston and Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme played by the ‘groovy’ Janet Porter were a comedic riot as they practiced assassinating Colonel Sanders for practice before attempting their real target, President Gerald Ford.
Though the performance lulled as everyone anticipated the next in line for a presidential slaying, there was one moment that perhaps stood out above the rest: the anticipation from the audience as they anticipated JFK’s assassination was exhilarating in itself. As the character of Lee Harvey Oswald presented himself, as portrayed by Geoffrey Tyler, the audience was instantly hooked.
Perhaps this demonstrated a renewed consciousness as the 50th anniversary of the assassination approaches. Perhaps this awakened the state of amplified reflectiveness that ensued from Walter Cronkite’s chilling words. When Zapruder’s footage appeared over a bull’s-eye covered by the American flag, the audience most certainly demonstrated that in the words of widow Loman “attention must be paid.” Whether it be to Kennedy or Booth, there are two sides to every story.
Assassins at the MTC Tom Hendry Warehouse Theatre, 140 Rupert Ave., Winnipeg, as part of SondheimFest Jan 17-February 2, 2013