Theatrical Reviews
A Trinity Rep Classic Turns Forty
Published in the December 2017 issue of The Lion's Roar
It’s a Rhode Island tradition to see A Christmas Carol at Trinity Repertory Company in downtown Providence. And once again, it didn’t disappoint. For the fortieth anniversary of the show, Trinity Rep pulled out all the stocks to make it more magical than ever before. Directed by dynamic duo Angela Brazil and Stephen Thorne (a married couple who are both resident actors at the company), this year’s show is headlined by Joe Wilson, Jr., who brings humor and humanity to the usually unlikable character of Ebenezer Scrooge.
The show is performed in the round, with the actors coming in from all sides and interacting with the audience throughout. There are also some more modern twists on the classic tale this year, with one example being that Scrooge’s former boss, Fezziwig, is in this year’s show Mrs. Fezziwig, and she has young adult daughters. Mrs. Fezziwig, played by Rachael Warren, enters from the floor on a large bell. While the whole cast is exceptional, stand-out performances include John Noble Barrack as Bob Cratchit and Orlando Hernández as the tap-dancing Ghost of Christmas Present.
Perhaps the most incredible part of this year’s performance, however, is the participation of various community groups as cast members. “A big part of this story is about actually connecting with the world around us,” says Thorne in a feature for the Onstage at Trinity Rep section of the show’s program, adding that “Dickens suggests that Christmas is one of the only times of year when we make an attempt to think about the people around us...so it seems natural” to include the community in “this amazing yearly community event that is A Christmas Carol.” Brazil agrees, also saying that the Dickens classic “couldn’t be a more timely story” and that, “in our current fractured landscape, the importance of community, of looking at and really seeing each other, is critical.”
Over a dozen community groups are performing in A Christmas Carol in three shows each over the course of the show’s nearly two-month run, including: The Boys & Girls Club of Woonsocket, Girls Rock! Rhode Island, Progreso Latino, The Providence Veterans Administration, and Youth Pride RI, along with several others. The group that performed the night I went was SOAR (Sisters Overcoming Abusive Relationships), a group started in 1989 by a group of domestic violence survivors to advocate for legislation protecting the victims and children of the victims of domestic violence and their children, educate the community about domestic violence, and empower their members to achieve their goals. The already incredible show was made even more moving by seeing these strong women and their children onstage, sharing in and spreading the holiday spirit that was so abundant in the theater. Trinity Rep has a long history of providing both quality entertainment and giving back to their community, and with this year’s A Christmas Carol, they managed to do both once again.
A Christmas Carol runs through December 31 at Trinity Repertory Company at 201 Washington Street in Providence. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased in person at their box office, online at trinityrep.com, or over the phone at 4013514242.
For more information about SOAR, please visit their website at soarinri.org
Trinity's Midsummer is Bright, Bold, and Beautiful
Published in the ***** issue of The Lion's Roar
If you ask someone what they think of when they hear the name Shakespeare, chances are they’re not going to say the eighties. After seeing A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Trinity Rep, however, they certainly will. Director Tyler Dobrowsky puts a new spin on the classic romantic comedy by setting it in an eighties-era ‘Spring Fling’ high school dance.
The show opens with Puck (played by Rachael Warren decked out in a tee shirt, neon orange wig, rainbow tutu, and glittery purple roller skates) singing Belinda Carlisle’s Heaven is a Place on Earth as though she’s a performer at the dance. Several other period songs are woven into the script (which otherwise remains completely unchanged from the original version), keeping the audience energized and engaged, with many singing or humming along to songs that they knew.
Set in such a colorful era, it’s no surprise that the production is an explosion of color. You’ll scarcely go a minute without seeing a character donning glitter or neon. The props are just as resemblant of the time period, with one character in large headgear and another toting around a Polaroid. The atmosphere is bright and lively, keeping the audience engaged throughout the entire two and a half hour production.
The high energy of the actors gives the show a mystical feel, making the audience feel as though they’re right there with the characters. The chemistry between Demetrius (Jude Sandy) and Helena (Gwen Kingston) makes their parts together incredibly fun to watch because their dialogue flows so naturally. Mustardseed (Teddy Lytle), who sports an electric blue mohawk, manages to stay just as alert and energetic as the fairies (played by various children), and they run around causing a delightful ruckus. Every actor in the show does a fantastic job of portraying their eighties stereotype--including Bottom (Fred Sullivan) as a jock, Titiana (Phyllis Kay) as an overbearing principal, and Starveling (Angela Brazil) as a nerd.
This staging of Midsummer doesn’t hold much to traditional casting in terms of gender, putting a refreshing new spin on the tale and representing the rebellious and changing dynamics of the time period. Warren’s Puck pays homage to the late iconic David Bowie, who was famous for challenging gender norms. The entire concept of this production is non-traditional, and it’s certainly a treat to see a classic done in a new and exciting way.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs through March 24 at Trinity Repertory Company at 201 Washington Street in Providence, RI. Tickets start at $25. For more information, call the box office at 401-351-4242 or visit them on the web at trinityrep.com.
Trinity's Beowulf Puts Modern Twist on Olde English Classic
Published online on The Lion's Roar's old website in October 2017
Every year, seniors here at LHS read Beowulf. And, for the most part, nobody is particularly thrilled about it-except maybe Mr. Schofield. But Trinity Repertory Company’s rock musical adaptation of the epic, entitled Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage, offers a fresh new look at the literary work that will entice even the most disinterested students.
The show opens with three academics sitting at a desk, complete with projector and powerpoint, as though they’re leading a lecture about the topic. They narrate the tale, taking on various other roles (including Grendel and Grendel’s Mother) as the show goes on. Things really start to pick up when King Hrothgar (played by Joe Wilson Junior) arrives to the sound of an accordion-laden tune whilst wearing a sequined jacket and leggings. And then, of course, the star of the show, Beowulf (Charlie Thurston) arrives.
“Hey, it’s that guy,” the warriors (portrayed by Rachael Warren, Becky Gibel, Laura Payne, and Rachel Clausen) sing as the hero arrives to save Hrothgar’s people from the evil Grendel. As the show continues, the energy only grows. It even continues during intermission. Audience members have the opportunity to leave notes in chalk on the stage and interact with Beowulf and the Warriors, and drink the complimentary ‘blood of Grendel’ (cranberry juice). Once they return to their seats, a giant balloon with a face drawn on it is tossed around the audience, led by Hrothgar and Beowulf, who give the warning to not let it touch the ground or the ceiling-and everyone has to touch it.
I won’t spoil the ending for you, but I can promise you that it is filled with rock, blood, profanity, humor, and incredible talent. Rachael Warren stuns with her gorgeous, unwavering vocals in “Not Only,” shortly after the beginning of the second act. Joe Wilson Jr.’s King Hrothgar is powerful and bold, and Charlie Thurston wows the crowd with his talent and physique as Beowulf. A special hashtag has started gaining popularity since the show’s opening: #thirstyforthurston.
Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage is sure to delight audiences of any age (as long as they’re okay with profanity, that is). Trinity Rep’s rock musical comedy rendition of the 9th century English poem is surely one not to be missed.
Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage runs at Trinity Repertory Company at 201 Washington Street in Providence until October 9. Tickets start at $25. Go to trinityrep.com or call (401) 351-4242 for further details and tickets.