Stage Banter: The Arena Stage Blog

See It Live for the Price of a Movie?

by David Dower

Sunday morning, October 7th. There are two major articles this morning about discounting theater tickets to try to attract younger audiences: Washington Post & New York Times. I wonder what Stage Banter readers think: is price the primary barrier to a wider popularity for live theater? Is it especially a barrier for younger culture consumers?

Arena Stage is cited in the Post's article for our $10 tickets for the 30-and-under set.  They didn't quite get the details of the program right, but you can find those here.

In an earlier post, I listed other discount options for tickets to our shows.

So, many people can see Arena performances for under $30 now, and for as little as $10.  Or see the final dress rehearsal for free. So will they?

Edward Albee on Lisa Kron's WELL

by David Dower

We got this wonderful note about Lisa Kron's Well the other day from one of America's greatest playwrights.

Edward Albee wrote: "Lisa Kron's Well is a splendid play—very funny and deeply serious. If an audience will give itself to it without preconceptions of how a play should behave, then they will have a deeply satisfying time."

He's right on about this. The play does seem to make a demand of the audience that folks meet it on its own terms. I've seen it with many audiences at this point and I've talked to many people afterwards. If you've seen it, I'm curious how you felt about it. If you haven't yet, you'll have to hurry now to experience what Mr. Albee is talking about. But you'll know where to find me to let me know if you agree with him.

Way to Go Alliance Theater

posted by David Dower

I’m in Atlanta. Again. For the opening night of Tim Acito's The Women of Brewster Place. (Opening night for Brewster was also the second night of tech for Well in the Fichandler and a performance of 33 Variations in Kreeger!)

There's a lot of excitement around the place. Alliance Theater has planned a star-studded, red carpeted affair. Mayor Franklin, Star Jones, and celebrities from Oprah's miniseries based on the book are all on guest list.

When I arrived, Molly Smith let me know there was a field trip planned for 2:00pm to see a mural. I was talking to her on my cell while riding the MARTA in from the airport. (I’m sorry to say, I’ve become one of those people who talks on their cell phone on public transportation. Infrequently. But still…) She was telling me about the mural as the train went underground, so I didn’t quite get the connection between it and the show. I didn’t get any connection, for that matter—the call dropped. But I was up for the adventure.

Turns out to be this inspired and inspiring story. And I’m so glad I was here to see it!

Opening Out of Town

By David Dower

You know all those scenes in movies about “The Theatah,” where a show’s in rehearsal and the writer, director and producer all meet in a hotel room for a late-night notes session? There are generally tuxedos and high emotions and a fat cigar in someone’s mouth and zinger after zinger all flying around the room like razor blades. And if it’s a musical, someone’s at the piano banging out new ideas for the 11 o’clock number. Or that boffo opener.

I played a version of that scene last night at the Granada Suites Best Western in Atlanta. Somehow it wasn’t as glamorous. None of us looked particularly good in the beige walls and bad lighting of the Best Western. And our witty repartee was dulled by “end of a long day” energy. But we plowed on anyway, making up with tenacity what we lacked in pizzazz.

The Women of Brewster Place had just finished off their rehearsal day with a run-through of the whole musical. This milestone in the process is called the Designer Run, and it’s the first chance the design team has to see the whole show, from beginning to end, in order.  With a musical of this size, that’s a bunch of folks. Suddenly, after a few weeks of relative seclusion, the private safety of the rehearsal hall is invaded by a bunch of strangers, all staring intently at the stage and madly scribbling notes, as the performers gamely try to remember the music, the choreography, the dialogue, the blocking, and what props and scenery they move on or off stage. Ask ten actors and nine of them will tell you they hate the Designer Run. The one who actually likes it is probably the same one who used to remind the teacher to collect the homework.

Buzz Buzz Buzz

posted by David Dower

33 Variations sure has people talking! We're collecting comments from all directions at this point.

A slew of 4-Star reviews have shown up on Goldstar, which if you haven't stumbled onto yet you may want to check out for good discounts on tickets all over town.

And on Talking Broadway there are a couple of different conversation threads about the show.

Have you already seen it? Join the conversation here! We'd love to know what you thought as well.

When you do come, stand at the back of the house during intermission and after the show and just eavesdrop for a moment. The conversations are so intense and animated, especially if you find yourself tuning into a discussion amongst music lovers. Because the show's underlying structure is so similar to music composition, people who love classical music are just on fire. At one of the talk backs over the weekend a woman asked Moisés what his music background was. "I studied piano for three years as a child," he said. "That's it?" "Well, how is it that you've composed this play as a fugue? Did you even know you were doing that? It's a perfect fugue in structure. Did you have any idea?" Moisés grinned slyly and said "I had some inkling, yes." From the twinkle in his eye you could tell he was thrilled she'd noticed.

We've Been Waiting For You

posted by David Dower

What a weekend! Friday night was the first preview of 33 Variations. It was clear almost from the opening moment that this show is going to ravish audiences. The beauty of the music and the physical production didn't surprise me—I'd been watching tech and dress rehearsals. But what surprised everyone was how much humor there is in the play. This is what theater artists mean when they say the audience is the "last actor cast." Until the audience was in its seats and playing ITS part, it was not possible to know where the laughs were and how big they are. Moisés opened the night by telling the audience "We've been waiting for you..." and inviting them to stay for a conversation afterward. Hundreds of them did.

It was a great night, watching it dawn on the actors how much fun it will be to perform this play. It's such an unusual mix of emotions—the comedy leavening the emotionally devastating moments throughout the event. There will be many other posts from other voices reviewing the show here, (and hopefully you'll stop by and comment on your own experience after you've seen it), so I won't go into detail. But I do want to point you to some other sources of information about the play that have begun appearing in the press.

(l-r) Greg Keller as Mike (background left)
Mary Beth Peilas Katherine Brandt, Don Amendolia
as Antonio Diabelli and Susan Kellermann
as Gertie Ladenborger

Listen to WETA interview of Moisés Kaufman and Diane Walsh.

Read The Washington Post interview with Moisés Kaufman.

I Laughed Til I Cried

posted by David Dower

Sometimes I feel I have the best job in the world. I’m on a plane on my way back to DC, having just flown to Atlanta yesterday. (Okay, so that’s not the fun part…) I was here for a quick check-in on the progress of Tim Acito’s The Women of Brewster Place, currently in rehearsal for the first stop on its co-world premiere. When I left the building yesterday, Moisés Kaufman and company had just begun the tech process for the world premiere of his new play, 33 Variations in our own Kreeger Theater. And it was day three of rehearsal for Lisa Kron’s Well. 07/08 is in full swing!

The Brewster rehearsal hall is crackling with energy and the mega-watt personality of its company of divas. I happened to be there for a run-through of the first draft of Molly Smith’s blocking for the scene where the women stage a community-theater musical version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I noticed Terry Burrell, with a look of pure mischief in her eye, taking Molly aside. In the scene, she plays Bottom to Cheryl Alexander’s Titania. She’s got an idea she wants to fold into Kenny Robeson’s choreography and she wants to surprise everyone. I don’t hear what it is, but Molly nods her ascent.

A post from The Post

The coverage of 33 Variations has begun. Here's a link to the Weekend section article from The Washington Post. The show is so visually complex and beautiful that I'm not surprised the reporter focused on the design elements.

When you come, make sure you sneak a glimpse from time to time at the pianist, Diane Walsh, who's accompanying the whole show with Beethoven's actual Variations on a Waltz by Anton Diabelli, Op. 120. She's a world-class concert pianist, and her playing is both exquisite and mesmerizing. It's especially thrilling when Beethoven is composing the Fugue late in the second act. Both performances are riveting and they are perfectly matched energy. An astonishing moment.

You can learn more about Diane Walsh here and read more about her recent recording on Jonathan Digital Recordings.

Lisa Kron In Her Own Words

posted by David Dower

I had the great fun of sitting down with Lisa for a wide-ranging chat about her experience creating and performing Well. Here are three sections of that conversation, so you get a sense of the playwright in her own words and voice.

Here’s Lisa on the central preoccupation of her play: what she calls “the challenge of empathy.” Download “WELL & The Challenge of Empathy”.mp3 

Here’s Lisa on the humbling experience of having to portray herself as someone who over simplifies things. Download “Lisa the Simplifier”.mp3 

Here’s Lisa on Zelda Fichandler’s capacity to zero in on the core action of the play. Download “Zelda Zeroes In”.mp3

First Rehearsal for Well

posted by David Dower

Playwright Lisa Kron was at Arena for the first rehearsal of Well.

So, too, was Zelda Fichandler by the way. She stopped by the Kreeger Theater where 33 Variations was teching so that she could congratulate Technical Director Jim Glendinning and Assistant Properties Master Lance Pennington on 30 years of service to Arena Stage. 30 years. Congratulations, guys, and thank you for everything you’ve done thus far. I look forward to what we’re going to do next!