Othello's Passion

Some residents of Stratford were witness to a theatrical success this weekend. The Bard's, The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice, as performed by a company of players, led by Robert Johanson was sponsored by the Stratford Arts Commission. It was a swift evening of two hours, demonstrating that Shakespeare is not only relevant, but topical and yet methinks as fascile as the performance was, there was something amiss or should I say amissing. Kudos, to Robert Johanson's performance of the villanous Iago, whose crisp elocution and wry delivery found all the dark humor; it was on his back that much of this performance was carried and he ably bore the load, not only of a leading role, but as the director as well, (a perilous combination usually). And yet, my highest praise is reserved for Jo Anne Parady, who excels in the role of Emilia, Iago's wife and Desdemona's attendant. There is a rhythm to tragedy which is indicated by the playwright in meter and phrase, but the actor must breathe life into the words...and the most affective moments of the night belonged to her. Recognition must also be made to Alexander Kulcsar, who stepped into the role of the Duke, as a last week replacement, and wove himself seamlessly into the production. On the technical side, the costumes were magnificent as was the setting, and the placement of the stage a revelation. From the audience perspective, the stage was set at the entrance of a natural arbor that seemed to wend its way to the river, whilst if one looked but slightly to the left, the panorama revealed of bobbing boats and the outgoing currents of the Housatonic emptying into the tides of the Sound was a site to bestir one's soul. Tech-Theatrical Services, LLC, the vendor who provided sound and lights for the Festival should be commended for its patience and perserverance. Working with no drawn plans, a last minute diminuation of and placement of the stage, and a total reworking of the light rigging...Tech-Theatrical went above and beyond the call of duty. The setting was magnificent, and so was the play, and there was enough audience to awaken the hope of renewal. There is more that I can say, but it is enough for now.

I'm back in the saddle again

page two:

Well we finished the first and second tech rehearsal for the upcoming performances of Othello, Friday and Saturday, August 10&11 at 7 pm: Free Admission.

The evening sponsored by the Mayor, the Stratford Arts Commission, printing of the playbill and sound operation of the Festival courtesy of Audio Evolution, LLC and KAP Audio. ("courtesy" means time volunteered and services provided at no cost.) But enough of that.

First night: a seizure, a hissy fit and a Ronald Reagan microphone moment: "I paid for this microphone." Second night: Costumes, potential trips, pratfalls, dead batteries...

Par for the course.

Shakespeare-on-the-Housatanic

Old Will, is rearing his head in Stratford again…Othello—the tragedy of the moor of Venice will be staged. And I have volunteered as a stage hand, (let's say a New Rude Mechanical) for the performance.

Nice to be back in the Theatre. I recognize it already by its lack of pay. I shall be doing the load-in, the lights, the sound, the program, all the good things a liaison between a theatrical troupe and the producing entity—and all of it for free. Ah, but is anything free…

The beginnings of a press release: An Actor’s Equity production of The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare will be staged on the grounds of the Stratford Festival Theatre (Stratford, Connecticut) this Friday and Saturday night (August 10 & 11, 2007) at 7 pm. The production sponsored by the Mayor and the Stratford Arts Commission; is a presentation, developed at the Theatre Artist Workshop of Connecticut directed by Robert Johanson. Robert Johanson served for 20 years as the Artistic Director of the Paper Mill Playhouse—the State Theatre of New Jersey. He’s performed and directed on Broadway, NY City Opera, Madison Square Garden and theatres around the country and Europe. In addition to directing, Mr. Johanson will also be playing the role of Iago, one of Shakespeare’s cruelest villains. The role of the jealous moor, goaded into murder, and a tragic end shall be played Forest Hamilton, the Artistic Director of the Blueberry Pond Theatre Ensemble in Ossining, NY and a graduate of the NYU Tisch School of the Arts; while the role of Desdemona will be played by Kathryn Marchand. Kathryn appeared this season in Shakespeare-on-the-Sound’s production of A Comedy of Errors, and her numerous credits include Broadway, Off-Broadway and Regional Theatres across the country; while her television credits include The Sopranos, Law and Order and film credits include The War of the Worlds.

[Aside] I played Iago but once, and that for a staged reading on the epistle side of St. John's Cathedral or as we called it then "Gabriel's Horn and Tabernacle" in Harlem, NY. The actor who read Othello, had played the role once and had a story to tell about his close encounter with a group of theatre-supporting, fund-raising, supposedly enlightened yokels Down South. Legend has it, that the performance of the Tragedy by this troupe, in which the actors heightened the role (and fear of) of a woman's awakened sexual passion and the taboo of intermarriage (miscegenation) was a concept that worked all to well, because the performance bestirred a frenzy and near-riot, forcing the cancelation of the evening's fund-raising activities and a contractual dispute that was finally arbitrated in the company’s favor by the board of the Actor’s Equity Association grievance committee-their final ruling stating: "when you book a performance of the Tragedy of Othello, you also book the meaning of the play."

Tulia: Race, Cocaine and Corruption in a Small Texas Town by Nate Blakeslee, read by James Boles "...as good as non-fiction audio gets"-AudioFile (Earphone Award winner ) Free sample available at http://podcast.audioevolution.org/ or buy CD or download at http://www.audioevolution.org/store.html "Boles' unflinching performance of the trial deliberations.. creates a palpable air of courtroom drama." -Publishers Weekly “…In this spellbinding, riveting, and exceedingly detailed work, Nate Blakeslee tells the stranger-than-fiction story of how one corrupt Texas cop managed to set in motion a juggernaut that put one-fifth of the adult black population of a small town behind bars, some defendants for as long as 90 years. James Boles provides a homespun reading, replete with West Texas accents, giving the book the necessary color and adding to the compelling drama. This is as good as it gets for nonfiction audio

Elaine's Circle

Elaine's Circle

a teacher, a student, a classroom and one unforgettable year

by Bob Katz, read by Mimi Bederman

produced by Audio Evolution, LLC

Single User ISBN 0-9787712-2-2 http://www.audioevolution.org/title_elaine.html "This book is a gift. It's a reminder of the profound lessons that can happen daily in the classroom of a gifted teacher. Elaine's Circle is also a lesson about what children are capable of understanding when treated with honesty and respect."-Marc Brown, bestselling author of Arthur, the children's book and television series. "a gripping and moving account of how compassion can transform people in the most difficult of times. ...a ...lesson about empathy and helping children through tough times that every teacher and parent can benefit from." -Daniel Goleman, bestselling author of Emotional Intelligence Dear Reader: I am the publisher of Audio Evolution and Elaine's Circle is my latest direc-to-download audio release. A heartwarming story of a quiet teacher who inspired with a quiet dignity and always compassion. For a free audio sample (first chapter) go to http://podcast.audioevolution.org/.

To purchase go to http://www.audioevolution.org/store.html

Botany of Desire

Just received a glowing review from Publishers Weekly for the audio publication of The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan; read by Scott Brick.

Published as a direct-to-download audiobook in May 2006 by Audio Evolution, LLC.

Publishers Weekly (starred review) "On the sixth anniversary of its original publication, Pollan’s scientific twist on the human/plant symbiosis makes its audio debut. Pollan preaches a unique sort of romantic environmentalism where humans and plants satisfy each other’s desires for survival, enjoyment, satisfaction and escape. He uses the apple, tulip, cannabis and potato to develop his ideas, offering the histories of each and how they developed reciprocal relationships with the humans with whom each interacted. Scott Brick exudes excitement and breathes life into the recording—the timbre of his voice offering just the right touch of humor and depth. Listeners will feel like Brick truly loves the book and loves reading it aloud. It’s a great combination for listeners: interesting subject, great writing and wonderful reading. Definitely not to be missed. "