Saturday, July 30, 2022

Folger Theatre: A Midsummer Night's Dream

Shakespeare most famous and most oft performed comedy, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is just a jolly good romp in the woods! Like all of his comedies, it's all about mistaken identities, schemes and criss-crossed lovers, only with a twist--the fairy folk have a hand in the fun.
 
As part of the Folger Library's most ambitious renovation in its history, the cozy theater space that I and so many others came to adore for it's intimacy in spite of its shortcomings, is no more.  When next we make our way to that venue, it will have been transformed.  And in the meantime, The Folger Theater is partnering with other DMV Theater companies and venues.  For the excitement factor, this production at the cavernous National Building Museum was without a doubt the most anticipated.  Originally scheduled for the summer of 1920, the Pandemic put the kibosh on that.  That it is finally here is another sign that we are learning to live with Covid, even as rates of infection in the DMV are once again in the high zone.

Given all this time to prepare, I note how many of the cast members are new to the local theater scene with resume's that include many major regional companies not in our region.  Places like La Jolla Playhouse, Yale Repertory, Seattle Repertory, The Goodman Theatre, Williamstown Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Guthrie Theatre, all the way to Broadway.  Therefore, it was a chance to experience a lot a fresh faces and undiscovered talent.   It was also a strong cast.  

Within the characters you basically have three groups.  The Players (itinerant acting troop), the Court of Athens, and the Fairy Kingdom.  Actors from each play double roles.  And yet, there is a distinct "flavor" within each.  I'm happy to report that all were quite tasty.  

Within the court, the standout performance belonged to Helena (Renea S. Brown).  Her energy never waned, and often you could see how the others used that energy in their own performances.  In the Fairy Kingdom, Puck (Danaya Esperanza) was delightfully impish, Titania (Nubia M. Monks) was devilish in how she channeled a sinister Cruella de Ville to great effect.  But it was Rotimi Agbabiaka's Oberon that triumphed.  Attired in an open chested (low-cut bodice) magenta satin gown complete with hoop, a flowing train, and 6-inch killer heels--his performance was that of a younger, sexier, fierce-diva in training Billy Porter from Kinky Boots.  He sashayed thither and yon and commanded each scene he was fortunate enough to be a part of.

Saving the best for last, the company of players, who doubled for the fairies, was by far the strongest ensemble of the three.  And Jacob Ming-Trent's portrayal of Bottom was the stand-out performance of the play.

A mixed race cast with a decidedly Caucasian minority brought a level of novelty to the production that was exciting and no doubt contributed to the overall energy of the production.  Also noted where the range of body types.  I can't help but think that costume choices that played into this physical diversity weren't also intentional and I say well done!  

If I had one complaint, it would be this.  Given the immense proportions of the interior of the National Building Museum, it would have seemed to me to be a no-brainer to have designed the stage in the round.  Something that was and will continue to be impossible at the Folger Theatre venue, and what perfect place and opportunity to try something different.  But of course, this has nothing to do with the wonderful production playing at the National Building Museum through August 28th.  My DMV friends, go!  You won't regret it.
The Players: Flute (John Floyd), Peter Quince (John-Alexander Sakelos), Snug (Sabrina Lynne Sawyer), and Bottom (Jocob Ming-Trent)

A word on John Floyd.  Unlike so many of the other cast members, I have had the opportunity to experience John's talents in several pre-pandemic Folger Theatre productions (Davenent's Macbeth, Anthony & Cleopatra, and Timon of Athens).  In each of these his performances fit a "type".  They brought a certain stereotypical presence to the stage.  In this performance, he was autonomous.  He wasn't a type, he was Flute.  It's always exciting when you have the opportunity to experience an actor in a way that suggests growth.  

The Players: Starveling (Kathryn Zoerb), Flute (John Floyd), Snug (Sabrina Lynne Sawyer), Snout (Brit Herring) and Bottom (Jocob Ming-Trent)

Two of the star-crossed lovers: Lysander (Hunter Ringsmith) and Hermia (Lilli Hokama)
So disappointed that there wasn't a single press photo of Helena and/or Demetrius

Puck (Danaya Esperanza) with the flower magic, dispensed in the form of a mysterious smoke.
Below with her fairy entourage.


Love happens, bitch!  Cobweb (Kathryn Zoerb), Oberon (Rotimi Agbabiaka), Bottom as the Ass (Jacob Ming-Trent) and Peaseblossom (Sabrina Lynne Sawyer)

Some Fairy Hanky-panky going on!  Oberon (Rotimi Agbabiaka), Moth (Brit Herring), Bottom as the Ass (Jacob Ming-Trent) and Peaseblossom (Sabrina Lynne Sawyer)

And "All's Well The Ends Well"--a trademark of Shakespeare's Comedies!

July's Judicial Nominees

When trying to maintain a balance that reflects the pluralistic society in which we live, the addition of moderate to progressive Federal Judges to counter the historic flooding of the Federal Courts with ultra conservative, white, male jurist under the Trump administration is an imperative. One that in spite of what conservative politicians and news outlets would lead you to believe, has not taken on the sense of urgency that it ought. July, however, was a good month for nominees from the Biden Administration.

Twenty-seven candidates in all have been nominated.

On JULY 11th



On JULY 12th



On JULY 13th


On July 14th


On July 29th



As important as bringing in new perspectives is the continued emphasis on equity.  These twenty-seven individuals bring to the judiciary:

Genderwise
12 MEN
15 WOMEN

Racial-Ethnically
9 Black Americans
8 White Americans
7 Hispanic Americans
3 Asian Americans

This visual diversity matters in America.










Sunday, July 10, 2022

Synetic Theater: A Midsummer Night's Dream

 Synetic Theater's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a re-staging of their 2015 production with the same set designs and costumes.  I didn't see the original, but I can't imagine that this production is just a hand-me-down.  It was vibrant, passionate, a little cheeky at times and choke full of the sort of amazing physicality that is the hallmark of Synetic Theater's style of wordless interpretations of works from the global canon of classic literature.  

The stage was simple with a "forest" of hose trees that glowed yellow rising the height of the stage.  Like neon jail bars they held the moon captive.  The players costumes were an eclectic mix of ideas.  The troop of players dressed like 1930's hobos, while the lovers and their entourage were attired in a mix somewhere between contemporary men's suites and 1820's women's ball gowns.  The fairy king and queen looked like Hindu gods.  It worked like dreams work, filled with inconsistencies that rarely feel out of place in real time.

No week legs on the table of the cast.  The introduction of Titania and Oberon in a night of love making that produces the impish Puck was really an ingenious hook, not the least of which was the beautifully sexy Philip Fletcher who played Oberon.  He was match pheromone to pheromone by Stella Bunch's Titania.  Other standout's includedVato Tsikurishvili's portrayal of Bottom/Egeus.  The son of the company's founders, I've seem him one before in the role of the Quasimoto.  I cried then...this afternoon, I laughed!  Finally, Ariel Kraje must be lauded for her performance as Puck.  The irascible prankster.  She embodied the spirit, and her playful demeanor spoke volumes.  The challenge of acting without speaking must be part of thrill of performing in a Synetic production.

The Synetic Theater was founded by Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili, emigrants from the nation of Georgia where this form of theater has been performed for centuries.  As some of the photos from their press packet indicate, you have to be an acrobat of sorts to excel in this form of theater.  The actors' bodies must say the things their words are not allowed to.  It's a very exciting form of theater, and I have never been disappointed by a show yet.  

The opening scene with Oberon (Phillip Fletcher) and Titania (Stella Bunch)

Titania (Stella Bunch)

Puck (Ariel Kraje)

Quince (Nathan Weinberger)

Lysander (Lev Belolipetski) and Demetrius (Aaron Kan)

Background: Tom (Bengt-Erik Nelson) and Smug (Pablo Guillen)
Foreground: Bottom (Vato Tsikurishvili) and Snout (Josh Lucas)

Peaseblossom (Allie Zagorski) in the beautiful golden fairy costume





Thursday, July 7, 2022

My Little Garden Zoo: 2022 ZONE 8) ANTARCTICA

 Not much going on way down there!  But I do have 4 species that call that region home.  Two are not on display: the Leopard Seal and Chinstrap Penguin.  The other two share a habitat.

EMPEROR PENGUINS, Aptenodytes forsteri, 
and I lone
KING PENGUIN, Aptenodytes patagonicus

My Little Garden Zoo: 2022 ZONE 7) AFRICA

 I think that the mother load of nearly all zoos in North America is the depth of their African animals' collection.  African holds so many of the iconic creatures and looses them into our imaginations.  This year, however, I left a couple of the heavy hitters up to Asia: Elephants and Rhinoceros.  With that said, here are the animals in my collection that are NOT on exhibit this year.  Blue Wildebeest, Thompson's Gazelle, Eastern Mountain Bongo, Lesser Kudu, Sable Antelope, Impala, Scimitar Oryx, Gemsbok, African Leopard, Four-toed Hedgehog, Honey Badger, Giant Pangolin, African Elephants, Eastern Black Rhinoceros, Southern White Rhinoceros, Dromedary, Somalian Ass, Red River Hog, Diana Monkey, Aldabra Tortoise, Eastern Green Mamba, Black Mamba, Nile Crocodile, and Saddle-billed Stork.

And here are the animals that are on exhibit: 

MUELLER'S CHAMELEON, Trioceros melleri

WHITE & BLACK RUFFED LEMUR, Varecia variegata

WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLA, Gorilla gorilla

SERVAL, Leptailurus serval

RING-TAILED LEMUR, Lemur catta

RETICULATED GIRAFFE, Giraffa reticulata

OKAPI, Okapia johnstoni

SLENDER-TAILED MEERKAT, Suricata suricatta

MANDRILL, Mandrillus sphinx

HIROLA, Beatragus hunteri

GRIFFON VULTURE, Gyps fulvus

GIANT ELAND, Taurotragus durbainus

COMMON WARTHOG, Phacochoerus africanus

COMMON HIPPOPOTAMUS, Hippopotamus amphibius

COMMON CHIMPANZEE, Pan troglodytes

CHEETAH, Acinonyx jubatus

CAPE BUFFALO, Syncerus caffer

BURCHELL'S PLAINS ZEBRA, Equus quagga burchellii

AFRICAN SPURRED TORTOISE, Centrochelys sulcata

AFRICAN WILD DOG, Lycaon pictus

AFRICAN LION, Panthera leo

AFRICAN CIVET, Civettictis civetta

ADDRA GAZELLE, Nanger Dama