The Cunning Little Vixen

We got tickets to the last performance of the Cunning Little Vixen by the Cleveland Orchestra! This was absolutely amazing!   No wonder there was national coverage by both the New York Times and NPR!   I've never seen anything like it!

The backdrop started off looking like the usual stage at Serverance Hall.  But it was just a projection of what is usually on stage!   There were 3 jumbo projectors that had flawless scrolling images between them.

The backdrop had holes and doors in it that allowed the opera singers to have animated animal bodies.  It was extremely clever!   It was like being in an impressionistic cartoon.

There were of  course people playing humans on stage.   The props that they had were even constructed to match the art style of the projections.   At one point a character threw a log into a face hole in the projected fireplace.  The fire projection then roared brighter.  It was a great effect!

This show was wonderful and I was extremely fortunate that I got to see it. Click below to see some of the behind the making of the Cunning Little Vixen.

Informed Consent

Just got back from seeing Informed Consent by Cleveland Playhouse.   It is the centerpiece of their New Ground New Theater Festival.   Good theater makes you feel something.  This was an amazing play, but it is not a cheery work.  In fact, I left feeling quite angry at the main character.   The play is based on a true story too.

Informed Consent is about a gross violation of informed consent.   The main character, Jillian, is a genetic anthropologist who lost her mother to early onset Alzheimer's disease.  She is going to develop the condition herself.   She gets a job to study an American Indian tribe for diabetes.  Blood to this group is sacred.   She then selfishly writes a hugely vague informed consent document and runs additional tests, embarrassing the tribe, causing emotional distress, and openly disagreeing with their mythology.

There are only 5 actors in the show who play multiple roles.  They also serve as chorus and narrator group.  This is an excellent show, especially if you are in the medical profession.   Informed consent is very very important.  This play shows how that violating it can break so many more things than trust.

Jersey Boys

Hi everyone! Quick post today.   We saw Jersey Boys this afternoon.   This is actually my third time seeing it.   I consider it to be one of my favorite musicals of all time.  I grew up listening to Motown and the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.   Steve and I danced to to "Too Good to Be True" at our wedding as our first dance.   The first time I saw the show, it was a present for our seven year dating anniversary.  

It's truly a wonderful show.   Gives a nice history of the group.   I think they even tweak the delivery of lines to fit with the times.  It's good to see a favorite show again.

Flashdance the Musical

We just got back from seeing Flashdance the Musical.  I learned a lot about the cultural phenomenon today.   For instance, the movie was made with very low budget and was not expected to bring in much money.  However, because the dance sequences were aired on MTV, it quickly made millions of dollars. 

The sad part about the story is that the girl who was the inspiration for the movie sold away her rights for only $2,300 dollars when the film was in production.  She never saw a penny after it became a cult favorite.

The choreography was wonderful and the costumes were fun.   However, I feel like the plot wasn't as strong as it could be (the show has not been to Broadway).  Particularly, I didn't feel very connected to the two characters in the B story.   It was enjoyable overall.  If you are a fan of the original movie, you will love this show.

Saigon Restaurant & Bar

We went out to Saigon Restaurant & Bar downtown the other day.  It was really quiet when we went and we got a table right away.   I was told that during lunch hour it's extremely busy.   Pictured above is the appetizer we split, Salt and Pepper Scallops.   It wasn't too spicy or overly oily.   I really liked it.

Steve had the Lemongrass and Chili Stir Fry Beef.   He enjoyed it.

I had the Clay-Pot Catfish, served with onions, scallions, and garlic.  This was really tasty.  It had just the right amount of salt and wasn't overly fishy.  

The portions of food at the restaurant were just right.  Neither of us had leftovers.   The gratuity was included in our bill, but there was still a spot of add additional  tip if you didn't look carefully enough. 

'night, Mother

We just saw 'night, Mother at Beck Center for the Arts.   Amazingly powerful.   Steve and I both cried.   A woman, Jessie, portrayed by Laura Perrotta, is about to commit suicide.  She has set all of her affairs in order, and she tells her mother, Thelma, played by the extraordinary Dorothy Silver.  

The play is one continuous act performed without an intermission in 90 minutes.  The set was extremely realistic, a living room through dining room and kitchen with running water.

The family has troubles.  Jessie is a divorcee who has epilepsy and a wayward son.  She decided at Christmas that she would end her life, seeing that all she does is keep Thelma company.  You can feel the emotional scars ripping open fresh as the two women on stage talk to one another.   It should not be missed.  It's playing until May 4th at the Beck Studio Theater.

Titus: A Grand and Gory Rock Musical

 Last night Steve, Tom, and I went to see the penultimate performance of Cleveland Public Theater's Titus: A Grand and Gory Rock Musical.  It is the classic Shakespeare revenge drama, with gory special effects and the addition of rock music.   The music added a lot to the production.  It made the story line easier to grasp.   I had never seen a staging of Titus Andronicus before.  I really enjoyed it.

The costumes were amusing.  You have the Romans, who wear soldier and toga type garb over their jeans and leggings.  You also have the conquered Goths, who are in gothy bondage wear, including lots and lots of boots and black leather.   It was a fun play on words.

The play features a lot of death.   If you click on the link above, you can see charts of exactly how many people die and in what ways.   I got to thinking about Sweeney Todd because two characters actually get baked into pies and consumed by their mother and step father.

Actually, one of the most amusing parts of the show was when one of the characters had to die, but he was also portraying one of his assailants simultaneously.   He was wearing a half costume of both Roman and Goth wear.   He switched directions based on which character's lines he was speaking.  Then he punched himself and threw the Roman garb into the pit.   It was both brutal and comedic.

Overall, the show was sort of uneven in tone.   Despite the flaws, I really did enjoy the show.