See more theatre

I’m trying something new.  I’m trying to get out whether I’ve got someone to go with or not. So I have been.  It’s actually not so bad.  Part two is that I want to see more theatre.  These goals work perfectly together so I out I go.  The worst part, truthfully, is there is no one to discuss the play with after.

Last night I went to a great little restaurant called Cheu Noodles by Jefferson Hospital.  Yum.  I highly recommend it.  It is a tiny little place with great food. Creative, made fresh right in front of you.  I sat at wood counter right in front of the stoves where my delicious food was created. The people were nice too.  I don’t often eat “in” at a restaurant when I’m alone, so I always appreciate a place that doesn’t make me feel weird about it. A nice pumpkin ale was the perfect complement.

Then I went to another tiny place.  A little theatre company called Simpatico Theatre was performing on the 5^th floor in a black box space of the Walnut Street Theatre. I felt like I was inside one of those nesting dolls.  Each space was smaller than the next.  I don’t know how these little theatres do it.  The play was excellent.  Not only the play itself, but the production.  Very good on what has to be a shoestring.  And I am not exaggerating when I tell you that there were seven of us in the theatre.  SEVEN.  Even if I’m counting wrong and there were ten of us.  How do they do it? How do the actors do that?  But they did.  They gave it everything and I took it all.  It was awesome.

But what I really want to tell you is that there should have been more because this play is damn good and it is ending next weekend.  If you have a chance to see it, go.  You won’t be disappointed.

The play is The Brothers Size by Tarell Alvin McCraney. It is the story of two brothers who have no one else in the world, and the challenges and pitfalls that come with a bond that strong. It is a really beautiful production. I’m not ashamed to say that I left with more than a few tears on my cheeks. Uh, uh, my eyes were dry, must have been allergies. Check out the theatre company, www.simpaticotheatre.org. I will definitely see more of their stuff. So, check. Evening out with good food and good theatre – done.

Last week I went to see a play called We Are Proud To Present a Presentation about the Herero of Namibia formerly Known as South West Africa from the German Sudwest Afrika between the Years 1884-1915. Thank god they call the play We Are Proud to Present… for short. Sheesh. It better be a good play for a title like that. And it was. It was. It was one of the best pieces of theatre I have seen in a while. It is real and raw and very demanding of both the actors and the audience. If provocative and thought producing are hallmarks of good theatre, this one did it for me. It is produced by InterAct Theatre and runs until November 10th. I would highly recommend it. For my DC friends, Woolly Mammoth will be doing it next spring. One my good friends and an amazing actor, Michael Anthony Williams will be in it so I’ll definitely be heading to DC for that one. Let me know if you want to go! Seriously good theatre, done.

Speaking of Michael Anthony, he came up to visit this weekend to see another DC friend who is in our next show at the theatre, Stick Fly. What a treat to see an old friend. He brought a friend with him, another hugely talented actor and dancer. Who, I had to laugh, was in a show at Ford’s back in 1992. We got to reminisce briefly last night and then spent a too short brunch saving the world and the state of American theatre over some pretty decadent French toast. I love that feeling of sitting down with someone you haven’t seen in more than five years and picking up like it was yesterday.









They are off to see theatre and I am off to do the far more mundane chores of daily living. The lesson here is that we can all go out more and we can all definitely see more theatre. What’s the best you’ve seen recently? Want to come with me next time?

Another opening, another show

Tonight was opening night for Parade at the theatre.  It was great – everything went well and the show is really powerful and well done. So now you know the end of the story.  Here’s what happened before.

Opening nights are stressful enough without things going wrong. About 3 pm today, someone came up to the office and said they didn’t think the air was working in the theatre.  Now you have to know that our Artistic Director is also the director of this show.  He has been known to be dubbed Captain Thermometer every now and again because of his detailed attention to the temperature, especially when directing.  3pm is not a good time if you’ve ever had to call a repair person for service.  So leaving aside the super extra overtime we were just about to incur, it was all about getting someone on site and before the 389 people arrived.

We made it happen.  We literally badgered the company until they sent someone and then gave “degree” updates all evening until the show started.

Then would you believe me if I told you that someone came into the office and told me that there was a broken bottle of cologne on the steps of the fire tower.  Okay.  Of course there was.

Dustpan and broom in hand, I went in search.  Yup, didn’t have to search long, just follow your nose.

Fast forward, to a seriously chaotic seating prior to the show …. Which meant that when I went to meet and greet some specific folks at intermission, well, they weren’t in the seats I thought they were.  That’s always a great moment.  “Hi, I’m Hannah.  I’m the General Manager here at the Arden.”  “Uh, that’s nice.”  Are you so-and-so?”  “Uh, no.”  Hey, don’t make it easy.  Don’t offer your name.  Just let me stand there… awkwardly fishing, hoping, trying.  “Oh well, enjoy the show!!”  When two of the three couples I was assigned to meet weren’t where they were supposed to be, I gave up.  So much for meet and greet.

Back to my front row seats.  Oh, didn’t I mention?  At the last minute when a colleague and I got tickets to actually sit, someone snatched our tickets and said there were two on the front row we needed to fill.  Now this is already an in-your-face kind of show.  The front row damn near put us in the middle of the stage.  There’s no platform for this production so I had to keep remembering to tuck my feet in lest one of the actors trip over them.

Show is over and during the party I get a chance to tell many of the actors what a wonderful job they did. There was one actor in particular who had been in a show last year, but had a small part and I had no clue what he was capable of.  He was really tremendous in tonight’s performance and I just wanted to let him know how great he was.  Then I was going home.

I leaned in and gave him a bear hug.  And then I laughed.

Now I know who dropped cologne in the fire tower. 

On a completely separate note – a shout out to all the folks at Ford’s Theatre.  In what is yet another example of the fall out of the asinine behavior of the House Republicans, Ford’s Theatre had to move their press night of The Laramie Project because the actual building where they perform is closed, shut down by the government.  I can only imagine the herculean task involved in moving a production into a completely new space at the last minute.  Kudos to them and to all who are bearing the brunt of this stupidity.  

Remember this is not a battle of equals.  This is not two equal sides playing chicken.  If you don’t like the law that was passed in 2009, try to repeal it.  Or rather, continue to try and repeal it.  But don’t hold the entire country hostage because you can’t win by playing by the rules.  People’s lives are at stake.  People are at stake. Way to go Ford’s Theatre and everyone else who is battling through and against this shutdown.

And now, with the scent of cologne still lingering, I'm off to bed. Tomorrow, we do it  all over again.