Theater Review - '1776'

THEATER REVIEW

‘1776’ - Produced by: John W. Engeman Theater – Northport  

Reviewed by: Jeb Ladouceur 

Andrew Hendrick (Robert Livingston), James D. Schultz (Dr. Lyman Hall), Christopher Wynne Duffy (George Read), Peter Saide (Edward Rutledge), Benjamin Howes (John Dickinson), Jake Mills (Joseph Hewes), Kevin Robert Kelly (Judge James Wilson), and Stephen Valenti (Lewis Morris). Photo by Michael DeCristofaro. When ‘1776’ opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in 1969, its producers were well aware that the show was about to establish a number of significant ‘firsts.’ Especially interesting is the odd fact that during its three-year run (when the play moved to the St. James, and ultimately the Majestic Theatre) ‘1776’ became the first Broadway musical ever, wherein theatergoers witnessed a full half-hour of continual performance in the middle of Act I, during which no songs were offered! Indeed, until ‘1776’ came along, it was established tradition that instrumentalists were prohibited from leaving their orchestra pit in the course of an act … but this show became the exception. Thirty minutes was simply too long to sit and do nothing, it seems.

One can only suppose that the musicians’ union had something to say about the undoubtedly welcome verdict.

Even today, some forty-five years and one fairly successful revival later, theater impresarios are divided in their opinions as to whether this story about the signing of the Declaration of Independence should be a musical at all!

Those who favor the purely dramatic approach may have a point. For this reviewer, the most riveting segments of the lavish production are those defined by dialogue, rather than lyricism.

This is not to say that ‘1776’ deserves no place in the annals of musical theater … it is every bit as good as most efforts in the melodic genre … in fact, it should be noted that in its current format the show was nominated for five Tony Awards, winning three, and one of those three was for ‘Best Musical.’ Go figure.

Scenic Designer Stephen Dobay’s Independence Hall set Photo by Michael DeCristofaro.

Jamie LaVerdiere is superb in the starring role of John Adams, and Jennifer Hope Wills acquits herself admirably as the legendary Abigail who ultimately became America’s stunning First Lady. Together, she and LaVerdiere form an exquisite team. Wills’ extensive Broadway resumé is evident in this characterization; the part seems tailor-made for the widely-traveled star. Not to be overshadowed, however, is David Studwell playing the irrepressible Benjamin Franklin. He has some of the best lines in ‘1776,’ and deservedly so, if the history books (and hundred-dollar bills) are to be recognized as appropriate salutes to his persona.

Regular attendees at the Engeman will recognize Michael Glavan and Tom Lucca who turn in a believable Thomas Jefferson and John Hancock respectively. And Broadway standout Benjamin Howes delivers a splendid interpretation of the lesser-known John Dickinson, while James D. Schultz also shines in the somewhat more obscure role of Dr. Lyman Hall. 

The actors playing the other dozen-or-so Declaration signatories also do a bang-up job, befitting their inclusion in the excellent company in which they find themselves. 

As always, The Engeman has supplied its sterling cast with all the bells and whistles we’ve come to expect from the Northport company. This naturally begins with veteran Director Igor Goldin. He never, ever, disappoints! 

Any critic would be remiss were they to overlook Kurt Alger’s wonderful costumes (including the powdered wigs, naturally) of the Revolutionary War era. Throw in Stephen Dobay’s wonderful set, and one can easily conclude that no cast anywhere was ever given such remarkable tools with which to execute their craft. 

Chalk up another hit for The Engeman!

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Award-winning writer, Jeb Ladouceur is the author of eleven novels, and his theater and book reviews appear in several major L.I. publications. His newest book, THE GHOSTWRITERS, explores the bizarre relationship between the late Harper Lee and Truman Capote. It maintains that each actually wrote the other’s most acclaimed work. Ladouceur’s revealing website is www.JebsBooks.com

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP - Suffolk County Says NO To BDS

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP

By Karl Grossman

The Suffolk County Legislature has unanimously passed a measure, authored by Legislator Steve Stern, barring the county from doing business with persons and businesses that boycott Israel. County Executive Steve Bellone signed the bill into law last month.

The measure challenges the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.

“BDS is aimed at undermining the Israeli economy and Israel’s sovereignty and has led to intimidation and intolerance,” said Mr. Stern. “The spread of BDS is not only an attack on our friend and ally, not only on the Jewish people, but on the fundamental principles of our entire nation.”  Mr. Stern added that his measure “sends a strong and clear message that the people of Suffolk County stand in solidarity with Israel, today and always.” 

The district of Mr. Stern, a Dix Hills attorney, abuts Commack Road in the Town of Smithtown. It includes that portion of Commack which is located in the Town of Huntington. 

Mr. Bellone, in signing the bill, said: “Suffolk County strongly supports the State of Israel and we will not do business with anyone who would boycott Israel. I am proud that Suffolk County lawmakers voted unanimously across party lines for Legislator Stern’s local law to align our procurement law to reflect the policy in Governor Cuomo’s executive order.”

That executive order was issued in June, shortly before the Suffolk measure was passed. It was issued by Governor Andrew Cuomo after the New York State Legislature failed to act on bills similar to those enacted by Suffolk County and also, earlier, in neighboring Nassau.

Declared Mr. Cuomo: “If you boycott against Israel, New York will boycott you.”

Mr. Cuomo wrote in June an op-ed column in The Washington Post: “The coldblooded terrorist attacks in Tel Aviv this week served as a chilling reminder of the summer of 2014, when a steady rain of terrorist rockets from Gaza confined the vast majority of the Israeli population to bomb shelters and protected rooms. During a visit with a bipartisan delegation that August I was shown a mile-long Hamas tunnel built to infiltrate Israel’s southern communities and murder their residents. The tunnel was frightening because it was the manifestation of the single-minded obsession by Israel’s enemies to destroy the Jewish state. And yet, in many ways it was not nearly as frightening as continued efforts to boycott, divest from and sanction Israel.”

          “That is why,” Mr. Cuomo went on, he “signed the first executive order by a U.S. governor to help protect Israel from these pernicious efforts to punish it economically. My order ensures that no state agency or authority will engage in or promote any investment activity that would further the harmful and discriminatory BDS campaign. “

He said “a new front has opened in the fight against Israel’s existence,” that “there are those who seek to weaken Israel through the politics of discrimination, hatred and fear. New York will not tolerate this new brand of warfare. New York stands with Israel because we are Israel and Israel is us. Our values—freedom, democracy, liberty and the pursuit of peace—are collective, as is our drive to achieve them.”

Nassau County’s bill barring the county doing business with persons or companies boycotting Israel was authored by Legislator Howard Kopel of Lawrence. “It is imperative that as a county we demonstrate to other governments the importance of fighting against all practices of hatred and discrimination,” said Mr. Kopel as the Nassau County Legislature passed his bill in May. Like Mr. Stern’s Suffolk measure, it was approved unanimously. 

Mr. Kopel called the BDS movement “nothing more than thinly-veiled anti-Semitism.” He said Nassau “will not be a party to actions that violate our principle of condemning bigotry and anti-Semitism in all forms.” 

Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano in signing the measure commented: “Anti-Semitic policies have no place in our society, and Nassau County will not tolerate discriminatory BDS policies. Together we stand united with our ally Israel.”

And this month, on September 14, the New York City Council passed a resolution condemning “all efforts to delegitimize the State of Israel and the global movement to boycott, divest from, and sanction the people of Israel.” Authored by Councilman Andrew Cohen of The Bronx, it describes Israel as “far and away the most democratic and open society in the Middle East” and “an ally of the United States” with “a long-standing relationship with the City of New York.” 

It states that the BDS movement “is a campaign seeking to exclude the Israeli people from the economic, cultural, and academic life of humanity.”  It continues that “this movement targets not just the Israeli government but Israeli academic, cultural, and civil society institutions, as well as individual Israeli citizens of all political persuasions, and in some cases even Jews of other nationalities who support Israel” and “targets Israel and only Israel, while ignoring the world’s myriad despotic regimes.” In describes Israel as “far and away the most democratic and open society in the Middle East.” 

“Both Israelis and Palestinians have the right to live in safe and secure states, free from fear and violence, with mutual recognition,” and the “BDS movement does not support the two-state solution, a goal which can only be reached through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.”

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Karl Grossman is a veteran investigative reporter and columnist, the winner of numerous awards for his work and a member of the L.I. Journalism Hall of Fame. He is a professor of journalism at SUNY/College at Old Westbury and the author of six books.

Kings Park Interact Club & Commack-Kings Park Rotary Club Work To End Hunger

Kings Park Interact Club and Commack-Kings Park Rotary Club 

Team Up to End Hunger

The first Rotary Club was formed in Chicago in 1905, and today Rotary International is a 1.2 million-member service organization that exists in numerous countries across the world.  Interact is a club for youth ages 12-18 who want to connect with others in their community or school. Interact club members have fun while carrying out service projects and learning about the world. While Interact clubs receive guidance from local Rotary clubs, they govern and support themselves.  Our Kings Park High School Interact Club came into existence just last year.

This past Wednesday, the Kings Park High School Interact Club partnered with other local Interact Clubs, Rotary Clubs, and Outreach (a local non-profit organization) to hold an End Hunger program.  The clubs, along with adult volunteers, created an assembly line in the high school cafeteria. In this assembly line, we packed nutritious non-perishable ready to cook meals, which will be provided to local food pantries and soup kitchens, as well as directly to public school students who do not have reliable access to food.  In a few hours, our four “assembly lines” were able to prepare and package about 10,000 meals!

This project came together thanks to the collaboration and support of volunteers from the Commack High School Interact Club, the Commack-Kings Park Rotary Club, the East Northport Rotary Club, and the Hauppauge Rotary Club.   

According to Superintendent Eagen, “This project is evidence of the strong level of service that exists in Kings Park.  I am especially very proud of our Interact students for their efforts on this project.  I wanted to extend a special thank you to the many student and adult volunteers for your time and support! Together we were able to ensure that many local families and students will not go hungry.”

Two Armed Suspects Entered Occupied Nissequogue Home Taking Jewelry And Vehicle

Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are investigating a burglary that occurred at an occupied home in Nissequogue at approximately 9:15 a.m. today.

Two subjects entered the home, both armed with a shotgun. The suspects stole jewelry and the homeowner’s vehicle.

Two people inside the home were not injured.

The vehicle, a Lexus, was located approximately 30 minutes later, on fire, at Lake Ronkonkoma County Park. The investigation is continuing.

THEATER REVIEW ‘Legally Blonde – The Musical’

THEATER REVIEW

‘Legally Blonde – The Musical’ - Produced by: Theatre Three – Port Jefferson  

Reviewed by: Jeb Ladouceur  

Rachel Greenblatt, Brittany Lacey, Jenna Kavaler, Amanda Geraci Photo by Peter Lanscombe‘Legally Blonde’ opened on Broadway in 2007, and promptly garnered seven Tony nominations … only to disappoint its fans, with zero wins. Had the American Theatre Wing been judging the production currently playing at Theatre Three in Port Jeff, the show would probably have been victorious across the board. It’s that well-constructed.

The endearing comedy about a UCLA coed, Elle Woods (Brittany Lacey) who’s been jilted by a career-obsessed Harvard law student, Warner Huntington III (Chris Brady) … though she won’t give up without a fight … is based on the novel of the same name by Amanda Brown. Movie aficionados will likely recall the 2001 film starring Reese Witherspoon in the lead role of Elle.

‘Legally Blonde’ was a commercial success in every genre in which it was presented. Indeed it proved to be a moneymaker as a book, play, film, and television offering! Add to its prowess at the box office, the show’s three Olivier awards during its run in London’s West End (as well as a long list of movie and TV prizes) and one can readily see why this comedy has been labeled a producer’s dream.

The cast in the Port Jeff production is a large one … there are no fewer than 28 roles performed by 24 different actors … and regular Theatre Three attendees will recognize veterans like the versatile Brett Chizever (Emmett), Rachel Greenblatt (a winning Pilar), Amanda Geraci (Margot), and the aforementioned, Chris Brady (who plays a convincing Warner). Also notable are the duo of Alex Esquivel and Dylan Robert Poulos (hilarious as Nikos & Carlos respectively in their brief show-stopper), Sari Feldman (Paulette), Emily Gates (tough-as-nails gal Enid), and Steve McCoy (as the despicable Callahan).

Seasoned players and newcomers alike all acquit themselves well in ‘Legally Blonde,’ and we expect nothing less in a play directed by major domo Jeffrey Sanzel. His reputation as a demanding task-master … and a patient teacher of the young … has proven a veritable magnet that has drawn any number of fledgling players to Theatre Three’s celebrated stage. And the legend continues.

One of the second act scenes from ‘Legally Blonde’ that bears Sanzel’s unmistakable imprint takes place in a courtroom, and is a classic example of comedic timing. That segment alone is worth the modest price of admission. It is the funniest bit of theater since the classic piece of legalese farce in the film ‘My Cousin Vinnie.’ You’ll laugh yourself silly!

There are no memorable songs from ‘Legally Blonde.’ But then, not every show is ‘Oklahoma.’ What was on display when this reviewer took in the show last weekend was a musical that highlighted the talents of energetic actors who sang and danced their hearts out. In the process they earned their standing ovation when Jeffrey Hoffman led his seven-piece orchestra in the musical’s final reprise.

Two other points are in order in this critique. Though it may not seem necessarily germane to the proceedings, the slow-motion changes of scenery on the Randall Parsons set contributed greatly to the easy continuity of the otherwise rapid-fire Whitney Stone choreography. A fine touch.

Also, Robert W. Henderson, Jr.’s clever pastel lighting of the proscenium was absolutely inspired. In one number ‘Ireland,’the stage was framed in orange, green, and white … while frequently in those where the indefatigable Brittany Lacey was singing (it seemed she was always on stage!) ‘hot pink’ was the order of the day.

Last word: By all means get on over to see ‘Legally Blonde’ at Theatre Three sometime in the next month. Rarely has a Long Island musical offered so many virtuoso performances in a single show. The result was more than a delightful two hours in the theater … it was a downright thrilling phenomenon to behold.

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Award-winning writer, Jeb Ladouceur is the author of eleven novels, and his theater and book reviews appear in several major L.I. publications. His newest book, THE GHOSTWRITERS, explores the bizarre relationship between the late Harper Lee and Truman Capote. It maintains that each actually wrote the other’s most acclaimed work. Ladouceur’s revealing website is www.JebsBooks.com