Memo From the RTC: “The Producers” - Leftovers

Published Aug. 11, 2017 in The Wave, www.rockawave.com

Memo From the RTC: “The Producers”  - Leftovers

By Norm Scott

Well, it’s over. Ten sold out performances with many standing ovations and accolades ringing throughout the peninsula calling the Rockaway Theatre Company production of The Producers the “best show ever” and “better than the Nathan Lane/Mathew Broderick Broadway production.”

Being in a position to see the show so many times gave me an appreciation of the beautiful structure of the script as one scene flows into another to build a farcical story line. Ultimately, this is not just a play mocking Hitler and the Nazi Party, but also a buddy story about two guys (a Jewish Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid?) who are as different as you can imagine who ultimately come to love each other – and Ulla too, even though the unlikely Bloom is the one who ends up with her. (I can’t tell you how many people made the point that Catherine Leib should be on Broadway.)

The timing and interplay between actors Jeremy Plyburn and Craig Evans, who were new to each other and the RTC, was remarkable. There is also the love story between Roger De Bris, the always amazing Erech Holder-Hetmeyer, and Carmen Ghia, as  Brian Sadwoski who goes over the top as an actor. As cast member and teacher Janet Miserandino (nun and old lady) says of Brian who is her boss, “We don’t see this Brian at our school.” And then of course the love affair between the pigeons and Franz Liebkind where John Panepinto brings down the house with every appearance. When Adolph the pigeon raises one wing (with a Nazi armband) in a salute, rolls of laughter. Even if you went in squeamish about all that Nazi stuff I didn’t see any signs of over sensitivity – though I did read that two tourists were arrested in Germany for doing the Nazi salute, which is illegal there (for somewhat obvious reasons). Almost the entire cast would be in jail there. I wonder if The Producers itself is a play that cannot be performed in Germany. We did have a German dancer and singer in the show from Stuttgart  (Veronica Bochynek – www.veronika.dance) and I imagine some of the Mel Brooks over the top satire might have caused some discomfort. 

Many people in Rockaway don’t believe that it is possible to have Broadway quality performance in our community or are just not  interested in the theater. On my own block I know only two households that come to RTC productions. Well, given the scarcity of seats the past three weeks, we couldn’t fit them in anyway – as for extending performances – the burden asked of the entire crew, performers and production team – working without pay after months of rehearsal—is just too much.

Sunday’s final performance was a bittersweet event. People who have worked so hard for months have seen the fruition of their efforts – in this case bringing joy and laughter to the thousands of attendees. Catherine Leib (Ulla) in thanking the backstage production team (which also includes some of the actors) said in Sunday’s final pre-performance meeting that they made it possible for the performers to bring this joy to people and to fulfill their own dreams of being on stage.

Sunday’s show ended around 5PM. Everyone was told they had to clean up the dressing room, store all costumes, clean out their cubbies, etc. to make room for the next show coming in before they would be allowed to eat at the cast party (catered by Thai Rock). When I left around 8:45, the stage still had about 30 cast and behind the scenes members dancing and carrying on. They didn’t want it to end. After all, the cast and crew become like a family over so many months and breaking up is hard to do.

We were treated to delicious desserts from our own local

Jannicke's Amazing cake

Cakeline, Inc. which donates delicious cookies and cakes to every performance. And also from one of our performers, Trinidad-Tobago native Jannicke Steadman-Charles whose mom

Denise and Jannicke

Denise Eversley (my dance partner in La Cage) was also in the show and had her first speaking part. (Her other daughter Renee Steadman-Titus who has graced so many of our shows had other commitments.) About half way through the party, Jannicke unveiled her fabulous creation, cake looking so good honoring The Producers (see photo), we almost didn’t want to ruin it but eat it we did and it was beyond delicious. Jannicke is a professional baker who works at the Institute of Culinary Education and if you are looking for unique desserts you can contact her at: jannickesteadman@gmail.com.

The breakdown and construction team under the leadership of Tony Homsey is its own little family –  involved in every single show and gets to work with all the directors. Besides myself, Cliff Hesse (master of all trades who acts and paints and designs sets), Frank Verderame (when he is not playing with his dogs or writing novels and plays), Roger Sarmuksnis and recently, Scholars Academy 15 year old junior Steven Wagner, who is eager to learn all aspects of theater from acting to set construction.

Elephant Man set going up

This past week we (sadly) took down the set and put up the basic set for Elephant Man, opening Sept. 15 and running for only two weekends – get your reservations in - you know that the increasing popularity of the RTC will fill seats. Hotline: 718-374-6400.

Let me end this series of columns with my personal thanks to Director John Gilleece and Producer Susan Jasper for thinking of me for the part of the judge, a small 9-line role – yes, I kept my script in front of me just in case. I get to send the boys up the river, though I will admit that before passing judgment, having the beautiful Ulla making eyes at me as an attempted

Here comes the judge

bribe to let her hubby and his partner off, I was pretty tempted at the final performance to say “You are free to go.” (John and Susan would have loved that.) In my version of alt-history, Ulla runs off with the judge.

Norm sends the NYC Department of Education up the river daily on his blog, ednotesonline.com.

Memo from the RTC: The Producers – Eat Your Heart Out If You Missed It

Published in The WAVE, Aug. 4, 2017
www.rockawave.com

-->

Memo from the RTC:  The Producers – Eat Your Heart Out If You Missed It

By Norm Scott

Last week I raved about the six leading performances by Jeremy Plyburn (Bialystock), Craig Evans (Bloom), John Panepinto (Franz Liebkind), Brian Sadowski (Carmen Ghia), Erech Holder_Hetmeyer (Roger), Catherine Leib (Ulla) of the Rockaway Theatre Company production of Mel Brooks’ The Producers.

But this just scratches the surface. I’ve lost count of the number of cast members. The dressing room often looks like a subway car at rush hour as people race in and out for their scenes, many costume changes, or stage crew duties (everyone has to do some scenery moving in an elaborate schedule set up by Jenna Tipaldo, our 20 year old stage manager supreme (who also does the light cues in many performances). There are so many excellent performances supplementing the Big 6, I would have to use the entire WAVE to mention every performer.

I laugh at every joke and cheer at the end of every song and dance even though I’ve seen umpteen times – most of it from the wings, peeking between the curtains in the back of the theater or from the booth upstairs because I have stagehand duties -  moving the French doors when we set up and take down the office, which happens about a million times a show. So I end up running back and forth between office scenes so I can see snatches of the show. (Of course I never get to see the one scene I am in near the end, nor the scene before it since I am setting up to move my prop.) I’m often joined by other performers in the back of the theater who can’t stop laughing. And when we are backstage we are also laughing.

Before one show a theater goer asked me if Jodee Timpone was in the show. “She sure is,” I said. “And you will see Jodee as you’ve never seen her before.  Jodee, playing the part of Hold me-Touch, shows her heart/s is/are in the right place.

Producer Susan Jasper says in her program Notes, “If you have not seen or heard anything to offend you by Intermission, you probably slept through Act 1.” Some of the funniest, and possibly most offensive scenes relate to the LGBT community. A large group from the local LGBTQ social group, Out Rockaway wearing their tee-shirts, attended and I hear there was a lot of laughter coming from their quarter. No pickets - yet. And few people - maybe one guy – walked out due to homophobia.

The audiences have been as responsive as any in the past, some saying this is the best one ever.

I won’t get into some details of the play so those who come the final weekend see the surprises for those who didn’t see the movie or the play. I do want to mention a few behind the scenes people. I’ve talked about the directorial leadership of John Gilleece who has managed the entire project wonderfully. Audiences have been raving about the professional choreography by Nicole DePierro-Nellen. Watch those tap dancers and the synchronicity of complex dances. The opening sequence recalls Fiddler on the Roof. And the chorines in the office scene doing that Rockettes matching kick-line and see how many of them swap into old-lady land tip tapping their walkers. And that solo dance by Ulla – ooh, la, la.

Music Director Rich Louis-Pierre is one of the RTC indispensables, not only leading the band, but playing a small part in the play and doing the sound design while working with the sound technicians Michael Caprio and the heroic Daniel Fay. Danny is a local and a recent college grad who actually got a job in the industry and gives up much valuable time to be at the shows when he can.

There’s the complex lighting by Andrew Woodridge, the RTC lighting guru, who also makes the pigeons do their thing, which got an ovation at last Sunday’s performance – watch Adolph salute. Andrew hasn’t developed the technology – yet – of having them fly around the audience and crap on their heads, but maybe one day.

Dan Guarino, president of the Rockaway Artists Alliance, who is not in the show but volunteered to assist with the stage crew and is my partner in moving the French doors without killing anyone, and has done yeoman service.

I’ll have more next week in my final piece on this show (after which I will take a little RTC break). This Monday, I join master demolisher Tony Homsey in taking down the set before working with his twin, Tony the master builder, to put up the set for the upcoming Frank Caiati directed Elephant Man.

When not destroying sets, Norm uses his pen as a sledgehammer on the NYCDOE, UFT Leadership, the Democratic Party, and charter schools on his blog at ednotesonline.com.

Memo From the RTC: “The Producers” Attract International Cast

We are officially into HELL Week - full rehearsals every night starting tomorrow before opening Friday night. (I reported in a previous Memo from the RTC: Memo from the RTC: Adolph Hitler Coming to Rockaway).

I have a small role, playing the judge near the end of the play in Act 2. So you might think I can sit back and enjoy the show, but instead I am fully invested during the entire show in moving scenery between scenes. I will never get to see the entire show as the audience does, other than scenes from the wings and I can't watch the scene before I appear in as I am outside waiting to load in my props.

This is one of the funniest shows I've seen with a cast that delivers on every level.

Come on down:
Here are the dates and times:
Friday, Saturday nights - July, 21, 22, 28, 29, Aug. 5, 6 at 8PM.
Sunday matinees - July 23, 30, Aug. 6 at 2 PM
Thursday eve, July 27 at 8 PM ( possibly the best time to get tickets.)

Ways to get tickets:

• Call (718) 374-6400 
• Web: http://www.rockawaytheatrecompany.org

Here is my latest column from Friday's WAVE:

Memo From the RTC: “The Producers” Attract International Cast
By Norm Scott

Veronika Bochynek , Craig Evans, Masumi Iwai

The Rockaway Theatre Company has developed quite a stable of talent over the years, some involved for a decade or more. They have become local RTC stars. We have watched an entire generation of performers, some of them so young we were able to watch them grow up before our eyes. And many of them are involved in the upcoming production of “The Producers.”

Jeremy Plyburn

But one of the impressive things about the people running the RTC is how they are always seeking out new talent. When new faces show up at the Rockaway Theatre Company to act, sing, and dance in the various productions, I’m always interested in the process that led them to the Post Theatre in Fort Tilden, especially those originally from outside Rockaway.

Newcomer Craig Evans, who plays Leopold Bloom (Matthew Broderick in the play and Gene Wilder in the movie), comes to the RTC, locally, from his home in Arverne by the Sea, but internationally, from western Canada, a nation that sends us a lot of talent. Craig fits that mold perfectly as someone who can play leading male roles in musicals (he can sing, dance and act). Craig is an experienced and former professional performer who has appeared off-Broadway and once held an Actors Equity card. Having a talent who is local to Rockaway bodes well for future projects. From what I’ve seen at rehearsals he will be a big hit.

Also new to the RTC is Craig’s co-star, West Virginia native Jeremy Plyburn, who plays Max Bialystock. (Nathan Lane in the play and Zero Mostel in the movie). OK, so though technically West Virginia is not international, don’t quibble. I only got to speak to Jeremy briefly but discovered he did a lot of community theater around his home town of Huntington WV and in NYC has done a lot of comedy club work. That makes perfect sense after watching Jeremy delivering a laugh a minute while doing Max. Physically he is tall and thinner than the Max type and at first I thought he didn’t quite fit the physical type but he plays so well into it. And that fat suit he wears really works. Watching Jeremy and Craig work together would make you think they were a long-time team instead of having just met for this play.

There two new female dancers coming from far and away in the production.
Dancer Masumi Iwai is from Nagoya, Japan, the 3rd dancer from that nation we’ve had at the RTC over the past two years. Masumi lights up the stage with her dancing and big smile. She is learning English very fast, especially with the jokes in “The Producers” coming fast and furious.

Veronika Bochynek is an elegant dancer from Stuttgart, Germany. A play with some of the cast putting on heavy German accents must give her quite a kick. She is a music educator and is working on a thesis related to historical roots of tap-dancing, which she also practices assiduously by taking classes. RTC audiences will notice her right away.
The RTC is also thrilled to have back another Japanese dancer, the spectacular Atsushi Eda, who has appeared in Guys and Dolls and last year’s La Cage Aux Folles. Atsushi’s dancing is so athletic, it is hard for the audience to take their eyes off him when he is on stage. Atsushi recently had a role in a regional theater production in New Jersey.

That the RTC is attracting such professional level talent is quite an achievement for an outer, outer borough operation. The RTC is one of the great features Rockaway has to offer.

Memo from the RTC: Adolph Hitler Coming to Rockaway -Order Tickets NOW

The Rockway Theatre Company's ambitious production of Mel Brooks' The Producers enters the intense faze of preparations for the July 21 opening. There is a laugh a minute  and I get to play the judge who sends them up the river.

You can't beat going to a show at Fort Tilden with the sounds of the ocean a few hundred yards away and a wonderful beach if you come early. And tickets are only $20 ($15 for seniors) with free parking for a Broadway quality show. This will sell out quickly (some dates are already sold out, so move fast).

Here are the dates and times:
Friday, Saturday nights - July, 21, 22, 28, 29, Aug. 5, 6 at 8PM.
Sunday matinees - July 23, 30, Aug. 6 at 2 PM
Thursday eve, July 27 at 8 PM ( possibly the best time to get tickets.)

Ways to get tickets:

• Call (718) 374-6400 
• Web: http://www.rockawaytheatrecompany.org
• Email me and I'll have tickets reserved in your name

My last article on the RTC Published in The Wave - June 30, 2017
 https://www.rockawave.com/articles/memo-from-the-rtc-26/

How the producers look while casting Springtime for Hitler. Photo courtesy of the RTC’s Facebook page.

Memo from the RTC: Adolph Hitler Coming to Rockaway
By Norm Scott

I finally managed to attend a rehearsal of the upcoming Rockaway Theatre Company production of Mel Brooks’ hysterical “The Producers,” opening July 21 and running for three weekends (plus one Thursday performance). One thing I can tell you is that the actor playing the actor playing Hitler in the play within a play that was doomed to fail, but didn’t, will not be wearing a blond wig, nor resemble any current politician. (See my review of the recent Shakespeare in the Park production of Julius Caesar - https://tinyurl.com/y7ykqmjx).

In a bold move, Director John Gilleece has executed a brilliant stroke in casting Erech Holder-Hetmeyre, a triple threat young actor from Brooklyn, who has already become a favorite of the RTC in his year and a half of involvement in shows like A Chorus Line and La Cage Aux Folles (See Erech sing at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y67Wc55O97Y).

Even though we are just short of a month to opening, the play is taking shape and the massive cast is superb. Okay, modesty forces me to say I am part of the cast but have such a simple role I shouldn’t mess it up. (But if there’s a way I will find it.) I’ll dive more deeply into the development and the all-star cast of the show over the next few weeks. Theater people familiar with the play – a musical, as opposed to the legendary movie starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder – know the challenges of building the set and managing the changes that have to take place throughout the show and master builder Tony Homsey and his crew of Cliff Hesse and Frank Verderame have been equal to the task. (Unfortunately I was not available to provide much assistance to the crew this time.) Overseeing much of the behind the scenes action of the production are two young ladies in college, and a young man in high school, all of whom began with the RTC as teens and are now part of the 3rd generation. I will do a future feature on the remarkable young people spending much of their summer working with the RTC.

Elephant Man Auditions
Director Frank Caiati held auditions last week for the show, which is opening in September. “Edgy comes to Rockaway,” said a guy I met on the ferry who was quite impressed the RTC was taking this on. Last week The Wave had a great piece on Frank and his concept for the show and also his call for newcomers to come out and audition. Frank has been with RTC for about half his life and is part of the 2nd generation of late 20s-early 30s who are playing an increasingly prominent role in all aspects of the RTC.

RTC singers preform at RAA: Here, There and Everywhere

The Rockaway Theatre Company and the Rockaway Artist Alliance occupy buildings at Fort Tilden with a parking lot separating them. Sometimes in the past the twains didn’t always meet. So last Sunday afternoon, locals who skipped the beach were treated to a wonderful performance by a gaggle of RTC performers who put on a review at the Rockaway Artist Alliance organized by James Dalid and Gabrielle Mangano, both of whom have their feet in both groups. So we not only got to see a wonderful photography and painting exhibit of Rockaway based themes, but a professional level exhibit of the amazing talents embedded in both the RTC and the RAA. More important was the coming together of performance and art.