Theater - the Theory of Relativity

Usually my blog posts are an art feature or a bit of nature wisdom. This one is a bit slanted - a point of view. That is one of the true virtues that social media was created for. A forum to vent or share something personal with a like audience. Maybe even to open a discussion for/ against.

The Relativity of Theater and Performance Art - is a huge umbrella right now. I guess what I would say is spurring me are the current rally cries against The Music Man on Broadway of all things. Tickets are too expensive with it's massive budget. Reworking the keys of the original score to adapt to Sutton Foster who is giving the role a different take. The whole purpose of reviving the chestnut in an age of inclusive casting. The megawatt star power of Hugh Jackman and if he is indeed the right fit for the iconic Harold Hill..... All of these are great water cooler conversations to be had amongst your circles of friends. But who has died and made the general public and critics the gatekeeper of all things modern theater? Some points (of many that could be attached)....

There is a huge Battle Cry currently for identity or inclusive casting. Everyone wants and should deserve a seat at the table. I believe there is certainly an awareness and steps have been made at large. And yet we are upset about Sarah Jane Paulson donning a fat suit for a Ryan Murphy television series. Up in arms that Benedict Cumberbund is a straight male in a gay role of an Oscar contending film. Actors leaving Jagged Little Pill because a line or two was changed that alluded to a binary element of the plot. The accusations are endless. But I think that my stance is that unless it is your piece of theater or work of art, you do not get final casting choices on the work just because it does not suit your quotient of inclusivity. Was the talent strong enough to carry the role? Did Lin Manuel really need a color chart for skin tone and genealogy tracing when casting In the Heights with true Latino actors?

Secondly, and I have always hated this element from a critics aspect. Is it their job to judge the show they have seen? Or is it equally important to judge the work of art for its relativity and sensitivity to history? Currently there is a lot of negative press about Encores! in NY which revived The Tap Dance Kid which was a modest hit musical from 1983. Three major qualms were that the revival deemed that the chubby girl in the family now be played by a thinner black child so as to not place a stigma on the role. Also changing the period of the piece from the 80's where it was written to the late 1950's where moral codes made the black characters more palpable. And lastly, the relativity of black dancers and tap dancing as a stereotype that persists. All are major points to be considered. But my question is "Is it the job of every theater and director to walk on egg shells and be sensitive to elements that were not offensive then but may be now?" And also, "Is it the critics' job to demerit them for what they do or don't in that regard?" Does every show need a reboot? And then when we do, do the Purists need to get up in arms when it doesn't compare to the original? I know the recent revival and tour of Oklahoma! had people leaving in droves because all of a sudden the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic was making a statement on misogyny among many other things. Not to mention it somewhat butchered the score. How many classic Cole Porter & Rodgers & Hart scores would carry that same criticism. The old conundrum of the Native Americans in Annie Get Your Gun? Why does a show like Chicago get a pass on interpretation when it deals with adultery, sex crime...? It has certainly had its share of no-talent headlining the marquee over these 25 years and no one boycotted. Again, I am not choosing sides, just merely asking the question. What gets a green light and what gets a pass? I was just listening to Sammy Davis , Jr in Golden Boy from 1963 and it was not met with acclaim at the time because of its racial overtones. Bring it back now and see if it does... You always have the right to walk out of said show, or not buy your ticket in the first place. But that should not give you the option to close the show down.

Lastly, every live theater right now seems to be wanting to put out an imprint that says "I am important and I am relevant!" That is indeed so important. But not every show in every space can make the same statement about equity casting, historical relevance and political polarity. In Minnesota we are fortunate to have several theaters that have been doing that for decades. But now EVERY show seems to need to make that statement. Penumbra, the Jungle and others can continue to make those bold waves for us. But crucifying Chanhassen for choosing to present The Music Man or Cinderella because they do not make the same statement as Ma Rainey is insane. If adoring crowds are wanting to see The Music Man in NY, then the crowds should be able to do so here in Minnesota as well without shame. There should be no shame in loving the musicals Cats or Mean Girls. Sometimes it is enough to just enjoy an evening of entertainment that is classic music we are fond of. I don't think every theater needs to change its mission statement to take them in a new direction. Maybe examine some of your casting and work ethics, but do not change who you are. After the current plague that theater and film have suffered, applaud them for the valor they have shown.

Cancel Culture is in full rage. As a singer there are apparently certain pieces of music that I should not be able to attempt unless I stay in my own lane. As if there is a creative police that decides at large what is appropriate and what is not. In this day and age we should celebrate any artist that is able to still put their creative soul out there. We deal with cancel culture in our Olympic Sports, our local elections, our merchants that we support. Let's allow our art to be something that is celebrated and not crucified. Again, these are my opinions that I am making about what I choose to support. It is not a judgement against other creators out there and what they are bringing forward. You always have the choice to buy a ticket or donate to a fund raiser. Just like buying from MyPillow or Chick-fil-A. If you don't like it, walk away, but it is not your right to put a Closed Sign on the door.

Here is the article in the New York Times that really kicked my butt and inspired a response out in the the virtual world.

Woke Musicals; New York Times

From the Mouth of Demons

Hopefully, this will be one of my last cold weather posts of the season. The last two weeks have been literal bitter disappointments with frigid temps day after day. There were a few teases above 20°, but both were short-lived. So what we get are these instances where things melt up a bit, only to freeze mere hours later. They make the sidewalks treacherous. But they also wreak havoc on our roofs and gutters.

I was driving down Park Avenue this last weekend and noticed the grand Swedish Institute. It is one of our few remaining grand castles. Summit Ave and Lowry Hill also have huge estates, but most are truly American. The Institute harkens back to the grandeur of European architecture. One of the many amazing features are the Gargoyles that adorn the exterior of the gutters on the corners. They are intricate monsters & creatures that have these horrific mouths where the water shoots out. I have only seen them in full rain once where the current of the water came lashing out! Here in the winter, they are sometimes frozen on these late days where the snow on the roof melts during the afternoon and then slowly sets by the dusk.

This collection is from a Facebook Feed article. No photographers are credited. But each one captures some of that Nordic winter spirit that I am trying to get at. Hopefully they will be flooded with rainfall in the next 2 months.

Bad Boy on a Pipe Organ

Cameron Carpenter has been on my radar for over a year now. And I was just surprised to see him noted on my local concert calendar. So I may have to make a winter date to see him on Feb 22nd over at Norththrop.

I am guessing most of you don't have much knowledge of him either. But simply put, imagine the quirky cousin of Adam Lambert and Elton John playing classical music on a pipe organ in a large auditorium! With his glitter boots, spiked leather jackets and hair gel with tints - he cuts an image that makes him the Mozart of our time. But don't let that glitter sway you. This man is no bad Liberace wanna-be. He has incredible skills that tame the keys under his massive physical stroking. And this is just his playing and not even accounting for his arranging.

He is very loyal to his classical roots. He can exude an entire orchestra with the "hits" of Bach and Rachmaninoff. From there he can detour into the fringes of Piazzolla or Bernstein. Then again, it is not uncommon to find strange sidetracks into everything from Willy Wonka to Patsy Cline to Leonard Cohen.

 

His technical prowess certainly comes from the dexterity of his fingers on the keys. Meanwhile his feet are nearly dancing on the floorboard. But his true genius comes from the term of #registration, which on an organ is the setting of the myriad of stops that control the tonality of sounds coming from the pipes. He notes that this is the origin of the term "pulling out all the stops" as he flies from one instrumentation to another within the same phrase. 

Here is his take on the Overture from Candide: