July 13, 1992 -- July 10, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Monday, July 09, 2007
07.09.07
The Off-Off Broadway Experience
as Our Lady of 42nd Street in Donald L. Brooks' "Xircus, the Private Life of Jesus Christ" at the Performing Garage, NYC -- 1971
-----------------
I am overwhelmed with memorabilia from the underground of the 60’s and 70’s theatre, and there is no way in hell I can catalogue and publish it all before I kick the bucket -- perhaps someone is interested in a project of that magnitude -- however, that is another tale.
The first play in which Harvey Fierstein was cast outside of Brooklyn was “Xircus, the Private Life of Jesus Christ” for the dual role of the Clown and Our Lady of 42nd Street. Harvey had arrived with resume and photo in hand to an open non-Equity call (the Equity cast was leaving because I would not sign a contract to turn the show over to an Off-Broadway production) for replacements of the original cast.
I had been totally unsatisfied with certain aspects of the play, and this development offered a chance to correct all of them -- one being the casting of Our Lady of 42nd Street, who at the end of the play gives a rambling monologue to the audience amidst the gaudiness of a pornographic Times Square blaring “God Bless America”.
The actress who had played the role had decided (most likely with the director’s blessing) that it was her moment -- long drawn out moment, introspective and feel-sorry-for-me moment, all-wrong moment! The end of the play and its monologue felt like a giant pause before the curtain call, instead of a steady mad swirl to the conclusion of the evening’s can-can dance to a film of the atomic bomb!
Harvey showed up at the audition with faux credits and a convincing monologue -- I spoke to him about playing the madwoman and the all-out-stops energy that builds to the conclusion -- he understood. He wanted the part. Well, he’s always blamed “Xircus” and me for his rasping voice because he insisted his lines be heard -- I could not impress upon him that they were not important -- that the mad raving should not be coherent. His screaming was excellent, but he did hurt his voice -- I will not take the blame, one should have vocal training in order to perform an aria -- however, it did make for a great finale!
Harvey and I went on to over a dozen collaborations -- Euripides “The Trojan Women” (Andromache), Aeschylus “Prometheus Bound”, Sheridan’s “The Rivals”, H. M. Koutoukas’ “Christopher at Sheridan Squared”, two Megan Terry plays, and finally, upon my advice, became a playwright with “In Search of the Cobra Jewels” which I directed, continuing on with “Freaky Pussy” and “Flatbush Tosca”.
We went our ways, so to speak, upon the first installment of “Torch Song Trilogy” I have enjoyed watching the monster I created balloon to stardom!
-----------------
Thursday, July 05, 2007
07.05.07
The Off-Off Broadway Experience
Second 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.
ODETTA
In 1971, producer Richard Briggs (who was stage manager of "The David Frost Show" at that time) began a series called “Monday Nights at the Performing Garage”, enlisting performers he had met on the Frost Show, or knew from the past. Odetta would perform on September 13, 1971. The Performing Garage was the space on Wooster Street that had housed “Dionysus in 69” which was on tour, and Richard Scheckner, it’s director and producer had rented the space to the controversial production of “Xircus, the Private Life of Jesus Christ” which was now in its fourth month of a then unheard of six-month Off-Off Broadway run. So Odetta was certainly going downtown that evening!
I set up the lighting that day, which was fairly simple, utilizing the existing instruments with minimal refocus -- Odetta, with her guitar, was the solo performer.When the performance began, one could hear some sort of large vehicles arriving outside of the theatre (sound came through easily as the Performing Garage was just that, a garage with a metal roll-down door). It could not have been ten minutes when the unbelievable sound of a jackhammer began in front of the garage in the street. Consolidated Edison, at 9:00 o’clock in the evening had decided to dig up the street.
Odetta is a very subtle performer -- folk songs rarely get raucous! When the jackhammer started, she simply kept performing for the remainder of the song she had begun. At the end of the song, Richard Briggs made an announcement to the effect that we would pause to find out what was happening -- the jackhammer resumed.There was a conversation outside the theater and Richard Briggs returned, and so did the jackhammer! Richard Briggs went back outside again and when he returned, all was silent, the performance resumed and continued to a successful conclusion minus the accompaniment of a jackhammer.
It was some time later that I found out that Richard had taken the entire box office and dropped it in the hole that Consolidated Edison was in the process of excavating -- telling the workers something to the effect “If you can get that for me in the next hour, let me know by starting that jackhammer again -- I’ll come back out -- otherwise, take a break fellas, we won’t be long.”
Upon the conclusion of the performance, the audience left to the sound of a jackhammer!
Second 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.
ODETTAIn today’s New York Times crossword puzzle, the 1-Down entry clue is “Gonna Let It Shine” singer -- the answer, of course, is ODETTA. Odetta's name is a frequent entry in crossword puzzles due to the crossword-friendly letters in her name. So today is as good a day as any for her appearance in "The Off-Off Broadway Experience".
In 1971, producer Richard Briggs (who was stage manager of "The David Frost Show" at that time) began a series called “Monday Nights at the Performing Garage”, enlisting performers he had met on the Frost Show, or knew from the past. Odetta would perform on September 13, 1971. The Performing Garage was the space on Wooster Street that had housed “Dionysus in 69” which was on tour, and Richard Scheckner, it’s director and producer had rented the space to the controversial production of “Xircus, the Private Life of Jesus Christ” which was now in its fourth month of a then unheard of six-month Off-Off Broadway run. So Odetta was certainly going downtown that evening!
I set up the lighting that day, which was fairly simple, utilizing the existing instruments with minimal refocus -- Odetta, with her guitar, was the solo performer.When the performance began, one could hear some sort of large vehicles arriving outside of the theatre (sound came through easily as the Performing Garage was just that, a garage with a metal roll-down door). It could not have been ten minutes when the unbelievable sound of a jackhammer began in front of the garage in the street. Consolidated Edison, at 9:00 o’clock in the evening had decided to dig up the street.
Odetta is a very subtle performer -- folk songs rarely get raucous! When the jackhammer started, she simply kept performing for the remainder of the song she had begun. At the end of the song, Richard Briggs made an announcement to the effect that we would pause to find out what was happening -- the jackhammer resumed.There was a conversation outside the theater and Richard Briggs returned, and so did the jackhammer! Richard Briggs went back outside again and when he returned, all was silent, the performance resumed and continued to a successful conclusion minus the accompaniment of a jackhammer.
It was some time later that I found out that Richard had taken the entire box office and dropped it in the hole that Consolidated Edison was in the process of excavating -- telling the workers something to the effect “If you can get that for me in the next hour, let me know by starting that jackhammer again -- I’ll come back out -- otherwise, take a break fellas, we won’t be long.”
Upon the conclusion of the performance, the audience left to the sound of a jackhammer!
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
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
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
Monday, July 02, 2007
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!
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)