by Estelle Hallick
March 13, 2012
In the engrossing Arena Player’s production of Keith Huff’s A Steady Rain, it only takes one summer for the friendship of Joe and Denny to unravel. Friends since kindergarten and part of the same police force, the two could not be any more different – Denny prides himself on being a family man while Joe is single and has an addiction to alcohol. Denny is the bolder one, while Joe is more of an observer. But while the two have helped each other through their lowest points, a series of disagreements begin to crack the surface of their friendship and completely alter their lives.
Smartly directed by Frederic De Feis, A Steady Rain is being performed at the Vanderbilt Carriage House Theater until March 25th. Essentially a black box theater, the focus of this particular work is on John Leone as Denny and Christopher Tyrkko as Joe – as a team these two strong performers bring much power and intensity to this intimate space. They impressively touch upon the tension and humor of their lives, whether they are talking to the audience or interacting with one another.
Much happens during the course of A Steady Rain. But the pacing in this particular production is so on target, especially as the heavier moments make way for the even more suspenseful. Logic is turned on its head and the audience is given a glimpse into the dangerous actions of one of these men, and the choices the other must make because of it. Leone and Tyrkko have quite the chemistry, no matter how destructive it might be. As the play continues and reaches many surprising developments, the two morph more and more into these characters to the point they are almost unrecognizable as the men the audience initially meet.
Despite the weaknesses in Denny and Joe’s friendship, things come to a head when the two are out covering the streets one evening and come across a frightened Vietnamese boy. Because neither of them speaking the language, the two are confused by his behavior and hand him over to a man who claims to be his uncle. Soon after, they find out the “uncle” is actually a serial killer who end up murdering the young boy they could have saved. Denny and Joe find themselves on opposite sides of this situation. Multiple scenes from the beginning of the play begin to fit together, and Denny’s family, the jobs of the two, and the future of their friendship is at stake.
As Joe remarks later, life is more than a simple and pretty picture. To the very end, Leone and Trykko give stirring and fiery performances in this hard-hitting production of A Steady Rain. It proves to be a powerful, moving drama that relies on strong writing, acting, and directing without the need for props, complex set, or distractions.
BWW Reviews: Insecurities & Comedy Abound in I OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES
Tuesday, September 20, 2011; 03:09 PM - by Estelle Hallick
Herb Tucker is the kind of guy who thinks dressing up is wearing a blazer over a Jaws t-shirt. He can never sleep even after he takes a pill and his screenwriting opportunities have taken a nosedive.
So, as one can see, things were going pretty well when his daughter, Libby, shows up in his living room sixteen years after he walked out on her, her brother, and their mother.
Now Herb really wishes he could catch some Zzzs.
Welcome to Neil Simon's play, I Ought to Be in Pictures, presented by the Arena Players Repertory Theater Company in East Farmingdale, Long Island until October 2.
In a play that explores attachments and the consequences of those attachments between three people, audiences are in for the bumps and bruises that result from working through the past and moving toward the future.
It's never easy for any of the characters, as they are continuously dealing with their own insecurities. Daughter Libby made her sojourn to California from Brooklyn looking to meet the Hollywood father she didn't have any pictures of and hoping to become a superstar in her own right. Enthusiastically acted by Samantha Gates, who is only in high school, Libby is a character you can immediately care about and laugh with. Gates is a champion at the eye roll and she makes it easy to latch onto her crazy antics.
Sandra Murtha, as Steffy, makes a few appearances as Herb's "casual" girlfriend. In the times she inhabits the living room, she expertly shifts from the voice of reason to questioning why she wants a man who is unwilling to be exclusively hers. She's not asking for much -- not even marriage -- but just to see him more than one night a week (without a sleepover). Murtha's portrayal of Steffy is strong, sophisticated, and when the time calls for it, believably vulnerable.
Perhaps the character that goes through the most change is Herb. A man who went from family guy to screenwriter growing fruit trees (orange, lemon, and pits), John Leone delivers an all encompassing performance seesawing back and forth between the man he wants to be and the man he is. His physical comedy is timely, and the emotion he evokes as he flies back and forth through the living room always remains. He gradually and realistically works through his demons, while his chemistry with his daughter gains momentum with every passing line.
Much credit should be given to director Evan Donnellan for his realistic interpretation of the piece; his biggest achievement is taking a 31-year old play and making it relevant for today. (The play actually premiered on Broadway in 1980.) This cast plays with the humor and heartbreak of Neil Simon's play as if it was just written yesterday.
The set may be simple and the costumes not too flashy, but the general feeling at this performance was one of warmth. The Main Stage is intimate and the perfect setting for a play of such heightened emotion and awkwardness. Patrons are practically a part of the action, and even more so, the plights of these three characters cannot be ignored. This particular production of I Ought to be in Pictures is a well-acted, thoroughly satisfying piece of theater and a true testament to the talented individuals who embody the theater community on Long Island.
Photo Credit: Fred De Feis
From “Backstage.com”
July 31, 2006
"Countdown"
July 31, 2006
By Ron Cohen
The bickering, volatile folks inhabiting Countdown aren't particularly pleasant, but through most of Vincent Caruso's play they're terrifically entertaining.
Nicky is a lothario bartender in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, with lots to get emotional about: His beloved mother has just died; his mistress is becoming increasingly demanding; his wife, Rosie, is more and more resentful; and his father, called Pop, is drowning his grief in liquor.
Caruso puts them in a script vibrating with wackiness and surprises, which are heightened by the characters' recognizable reality. Nicky is no dashing hero, but a hapless boob who whines as much as he yells. Rosie is not a wife suffering in silence; she loves her Nicky and the plot turns on her plan to leave him, hoping it will cause him to quit philandering and beg her to come back. The title refers to the lead-up to Rosie's plan, but plot is secondary to the antics of the characters; the play could well be called Infidelity Italian-American Style.
Even Pop's sexual appetite strikes unexpectedly. At one point he makes vigorous advances on his daughter-in-law, who repels them just as vigorously. The scene is a wonderful example of the uninhibited performances that bring the script to life under Jerry Mond's direction.
The actors seem born to their roles. John Leone paints Nicky with a broad palette of colors. Jordana Oberman as Rosie mixes tenderness with a gruffness reminiscent of a young Rosie O'Donnell. Peter J. Coriaty makes all of Pop's quicksilver moods believable, and Allison Lane does the same as Nicky's mistress. Delightfully completing the ensemble is Angela Della Ventura as Pop's new girlfriend, a widow with a weakness for lotto and Scotch.
The play falters toward the end with a prolonged father-son confrontation that dredges up old grievances, in an apparent and formulaic attempt to move things into Arthur Miller land. It's a downer finish for an otherwise remarkable screwball comedy with grit.
Presented as part of the Midtown International Theatre Festival at the WorkShop Theater, 312 W. 36th St., NYC. July 18-Aug. 6. Schedule varies. (212) 868-4444 or www.smarttix.com.
http://www.backstage.com/bso/news_reviews/nyc/review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002915399
