07.03.07

The Off-Off Broadway Experience



H. M. Koutoukas' "Christopher at Sheridan Squared", Directed and Designed by Donald L. Brooks at the Performing Garage on Wooster Street, NYC -- 1971


CHRISTOPHER AT SHERIDAN SQUARED

07.02.07

The Off-Off Broadway Experience

First in a series of articles on theatre, especially the birth and growing pains of the Off-Off Broadway theatre movement with links, memorabilia and illustrations, on theatre productions and individuals with which I have been associated or met in theater. The views are strictly my personal experience and do not represent any other individual's life and experience outside of our mutual association.

Your comments in the Comments section provided will be more than welcome. If you find errors or omissions, please make note of same in the Comments section of the post in which they appear -- any corrections found necessary will be executed promptly upon verification, and all Comments will be acknowledged and left as Archive.

CHRISTOPHER REEVE

In the month of May, 1976, Theater for the New City (at that time located in the Jane-West Hotel in the West Village presented a production of a Jacques Levy play entitled “Berchtesgaden” directed by Barbara Loden, with Lane Smith as Hitler -- the play took place at Berchtesgaden at the height of Hitler’s power.

The general plot of the play was punctuated by monologues by individuals affected by Hitler, one of which was a zealous young Nazi officer, played by Christopher Reeve.I was the set and lighting designer, and as such I attended run-throughs and, of course, the first week run-through, dress rehearsal, etc. for purposes of lighting the play. Barbara Loden had elicited an absolutely fantastic performance from Christopher Reeve in his 10-minute monologue, the character did not appear before or after the monologue.

Two, actually three, recollections -- first, the author Jacques Levy appeared for the first at the first dress rehearsal -- he issued copious notes and wanted to change the entire set, upon which I advised him of the cost and time involved, adding that with the amount of time and my unpaid status, that he best find someone to replace me in that function -- needless to say, the set remained.

However, the meddling with direction and performance was interminable -- to the point that at the final dress rehearsal I saw Christopher Reeve sitting dejectedly in the dressing room area -- I asked why so down and he explained he didn’t know what happened to his performance. He was right, the audience prior to Jacques Levy’s redirection was extremely enthusiastic of his ten-minute monologue, applauding forcefully and long at its end -- in short, Christopher Reeve stopped the show!

I always made it a practice not to speak to actors about their performances when I was not the director of a production -- but here was this absolutely fantastic performer giving a brilliant performance, who had been dulled down by a writer who knew nothing of living theater. I told Christopher that I usually don’t make comment and then proceeded to say that whatever he was doing before Jacques Levy appeared on the scene, go back to it -- do it, forget the changes requested -- you were brilliant and the show was better for it -- what can they do, replace you? You’d be better off -- just go for it and to hell with everyone.

Well, he did -- and he brought down the house with thunder every night.

The second recollection I’d like to relate is that there were two German Shepherds in the play, props for Hitler in a particular scene -- Christopher wound up, due to the fact that he had but 10 minutes in the play, caring for the dogs during the remainder of the play -- he also had quite a fine respect and love for the two young and ferocious-looking canines.

To stave their restlessness, Christopher would take them jogging along the West Side Highway for a mile or so down and back.Well, you must know that at that time, the old piers and the elevated highway were still there -- the area was infested with homosexuals covertly and overtly intermingling with the garbage and vandalized pier buildings. When Christopher went jogging in full Nazi uniform, the hat, the gun belt, the medals, the boots, the whole detailed uniform, with two German Shepherds, leashes held left and right, under the elevated West Side Highway -- all heads turned, the swoons were audible, fairies were fainting left and right!

Needless to say, some may have never recovered if they knew that he would soon be cast as “Superman”.

The third recollection is one from the late Arthur Williams who shared the dressing room with Christopher -- when I mentioned to him that Christopher cut quite a figure, Arthur, who reminded one of Emil Jannings in “The Blue Angel” replied, “My dear, you haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen him in the nude!” -- and then he sighed!

Christopher was one of the finest young actors I have ever known -- and the success of his career was wonderful -- his unfortunate accident and subsequent struggle was a tragedy, but he accepted his fate, committed to a cause as a spokesman, and once again played his role to perfection!

42nd St.

42nd Street, NYC -- 3:00 AM 6.29.07

1933

Greta Garbo, "Queen Christina", 1933

2007

Saturday evening, June 23, 2007 -- the "Zipper" ride sign at the weekend fair, Shirley, NY

1963

August, 1963 -- In the Black Hills of South Dakota, near Rockerville

1961

January, 1961 -- Riverside Park, New York City

1957

Federal Correctional Institution, Ashland, Kentucky

The Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Ashland is a low security institution housing male inmates with a satellite camp that houses minimum security inmates.

The facility is located in the highlands of northeastern Kentucky, 125 miles east of Lexington and 5 miles southwest of Ashland.

Finis

The last frame and blackout of "The Sopranos" is a direct reference to "The 400 Blows" (1959) and its memorable final shot... The haunted eyes of Antoine Doinel, Truffaut's autobiographical hero, in the freeze frame that ends "The 400 Blows."

Agnes' Dog

Wisteria

Seven years after planting, finally a bloom!

"Pink Narcissus" - Street Scene

Street Scene from "Pink Narcissus" by James Bidgood, from left to right, Andrew Starr, Donald L. Brooks, Charles Ludlam, Larry Rey

Angel, by James Bidgood

Donald L. Brooks as Angel, 1969 photo collage by James Bidgood.

Pink Narcissus

The original James Bidgood photo with reference to May 29th Robert Patrick Pentatych.

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Pentatych by Robert Patrick

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Gimme a Head with Hair PLUS Fashions to Match!!!

DORIC WILSON, 1969, MICHAEL WARREN POWELL, 1968, DONALD L. BROOKS (with Andrew Starr in "Pink Narcissus," photo James Bidgood) 1969, Edward Crosby Welles, 1964, WALTER MICHAEL HARRIS, 1968.

Mother's Day -- 2007

Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth
John Singer Sargent -- American painter
1889
Tate Gallery, London
Oil on canvas
221 x 114.3 cm
Presented by Sir Joseph Duveen 1906
Jpg: Tate Gallery, London

(Click on image to step back)

Probably the closest Sargent ever got to the Pre-Raphael Brotherhood was with his paintings of the famous actress, Dame Ellen Terry (1847–1928) as Lady Macbeth after the first performance in the role; and yet this is not at all an allegorical painting, just a straight portrait of the actress in costume playing Lady Macbeth. Still, the tone, the costume, the medieval implications are very much in theme with Edward Burne-Jones and the Aesthetic Pre-Raphaelitism.

Is there any reason for a man to starve to death, be it for love or any thing?

I see the sun setting in all its glory -- the impending night with its own particular beauty beckons with a cool reflection of the stars we could not see by day, shining upon us at night with the memories of our not-forgotten friends each twinkling through the black night in teasing echo of "vanity of vanities", leaving us to rest in peace with the knowledge that a thousand years from now, none of this will matter.

To enjoy what there is of life and celebrate each other's existence in the here and now is all we have before the shadows fold their arms around us as we drift into eternal sleep.

Where on Earth am I?

I'm not, I'm on the Moon!

The New York Times Crossword in Gothic

A blog that comments on or reviews The New York Times Crossword Puzzle -- daily postings, now in its third month!

Check it out!

Happy?

Robinson Cano

TSOTSI

Tsotsi is a 2005 Academy Award-winning film directed by Gavin Hood and set in a Soweto slum, near Johannesburg, South Africa. It is based on a novel of the same name by Athol Fugard. The soundtrack features Kwaito music performed by the popular South African artist Zola as well as a score by Mark Kilian and Paul Hepker featuring the voice of South African protest singer/poet Vusi Mahlasela.

The Resurrection

In the tomb...

The Crucifixion

Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus Christ

And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so; but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. -- Luke 22:24-30

A letter to Roberta Sklar on 04.04.07-- via e-mail:

Roberta,

Thank you for the invitation notice, and your previous e-mail (which I had lost -- ergo, no reply!). I do recall that Robert Patrick had sent you a copy of the Conrad Ward photograph from "The Good Woman of Setzuan" at Hunter College back heaven knows when -- those were the days!

I am listing my three sites below in the event you wonder what I've been up to and am up to now. I am particularly happy with the site "The New York Times Crossword in Gothic" (it's a blog)! When one is homebound as much as I am these days (not my health, but my current obligations) the internet is an electronic escape -- imagine in olden days, one looked at the wall! No, that's not true -- as a child, I remember being snowed in for weeks in the winter months in South Dakota and there was always something to keep one's attention -- card games, jigsaw puzzles, drawing, reading -- that's right, no television! As a matter of fact, we had a radio that stood on the floor and had a big green eye! We would listen to the programs in the dark -- "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!" -- and many others. So a dozen souls in the dark in the middle of winter warmed by a log-fed stove never suspecting that one day old twitching fingers would be furtively hammering while gazing at an elaborate light bulb with constantly moving images that respond to one's fleshy digits!

Donald L. Brooks -- Off-Off Broadway and Beyond -- http://donaldlbrooks.com/
The New York Times Crossword in Gothic -- http://donaldsweblog.blogspot.com/
Donald's Web Log -- http://donaldlbrooks.blogspot.com/

Donald

In the garden...

Joe Cino passed away forty years ago, April 2, 1967.

Palm Sunday

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Revelation 21:4

The rest is silence.

Today was the first day Spring was warm enough for the crocus to bloom.!

In like a lion...

Out like a lamb!

"The Further Adventures of Uncle Wiggily: Windblown Visitors" under construction in February. A four-week run, the children's show was very popular and will be revived at a later date, perhaps as an annual presentation for young audiences. The scenery, costumes and properties are all being stored for that event. Last performance Sunday, March 25th at 3 pm, Theater for the New City -- http://www.theaterforthenewcity.net/wiggly.htm

Vanity of Vanities

One of the hard cold facts of the internet is that no matter what is posted, published, rumored, prevaricated, perceived, pictured or posed, etc. there is always someone out there who knows the truth, who knows what the story really is, who knows that someone has been playing with the pixels and messing up the blogs -- self-aggrandizement and self-deprecation are at war over one simple goal -- attention! “Hey, look at me!”

THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF UNCLE WIGGILY, a charming and delightful musical for children and adults! Book & lyrics by Laurel Hessing, directed by Crystal Field, music composed by Arthur Abrams, set design by Donald L. Brooks.

Playing Friday through Sunday, March 2nd through March 25th, 2007 -- performances Friday at 8 pm, Saturday and Sunday at 3 pm -- all seats $12, children under 12 $5.

For info and reservations call (212) 254-1109 or online at www.theaterforthenewcity.net

2007

Last Entry On Exit

The deep recess was hollow, nothing was there -- no blood, no air, nothing -- an abandoned chamber for the soul, walls charred from a conflagration of immense intensity, the sound of tears could be heard from throats echoing from ages unknown, fear and folly, a bottomless inertia with but a slight sliver of light of above, I froze with no eyes in silence.

On the eve of Christmas Eve the old man sat at his desk listening to the rain with the windows all boarded shut his dying dog on the floor before him as he wrote a simple song for the occasion and tore it to shreds in despair.

Christmas dinner shoved through a slot under the door head shaved clean cold bars yesterday’s deadman’s cell now holds black rapist’s white boy punk whore.

There are those who will be what you want them to be if you don't let them know you know what they are.

Blood
Is red
Is kin
Is spilt
Prevarications and destinations
Somewhere in another room
Lies the answer
To whom