A BRONX TALE INTO THE WOODS by Stephen Sondheim

A BRONX TALE written and starring Chazz Palminteri, directed by Jerry Zaks. Golden Gate Theatre, 1182 Market St, San Francisco - (415) 551-2000 or www.shnsf.com.
September 23 through Sunday, October 19

SILENCE IS GOLDEN IN THE BRONX

Chazz Palminteri, a Sicilian/Italian American who was born Calogero Lorenzo Palminteri in the Bronx, brings his semi-autobiographical solo show to San Francisco for a four week run. From the response received on opening night, the Golden Gate Theater has a winner. First mounted Off Broadway in 1989 it was the jump-start of his career as a writer and actor. This production, a re-write with Jerry Zaks as director, was a hit on Broadway in 2007-2008 and is now on a seven-month national tour.

It all begins on the corner of 187^th and Belmont Street in the Bronx. Nine year old Calogero witnessed a killing by neighborhood Godfather named Sonny. By not snitching, even though it was a lie, Sonny becomes his friend, mentor and protector who saved his life eight years later. Nicknames were de rigueur and as Sonny’s friend he earned a nickname “C.” Sonny, as mentor was in direct competition with C’s hard working bus driver father, a fact that was an integral part of his learning and development. Sonny’s personae plays a major role and his shifts from good guy to bad guy are captured perfectly by C.

The stage is set with the front of the local gangster hangout Café Joey, the front stoop and façade of a 2 story brownstone house and a street corner light/sign of 187 St and Belmont. C moves between these three settings as he creates his 18 characters in this 97 minute rapid fie monolog. To name a few characters along with that of his father and Sonny, are Blubber Pot, Crazy Mario, JoJo, 10-20 and Eddie Mush. Explanation for these nicknames is forthcoming and is worth the wait to hear. Crazy Mario and Sonny each have an extended turn proving if a girl is the right girl for you. If there a criticism, it would be the idiosyncrasy of clapping his hands between shifts in character and the time devoted to these two tales.

The change in characters is emphasized with changes in speech patterns and physical hand, arm, shoulder and body movements. Words are often not necessary to identify individual characters. Humor abounds but the gritty underside of living in the Bronx in the 1960s is the heart of this tale and in the end you understand what true friendship means. Silence is golden even when C says, “I did a good thing for a bad man.” This is a must see show.

COURTESY OF THEATREWORLD INTERNET MAGAZINE

INTO THE WOODS; Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim & Book by James Lapine. Directed by Brooke Knight. Musical direction by Rick Reynolds. Broadway By the Bay (BBBay), 600 North Delaware Ave., San Mateo, California 94401. 650-579-5565 or www.bbbay.org.
September 18- October 5.

LOST IN THE WOODS

After seeing three local productions of “Into The Woods”, it is inevitable to make comparisons. This production, although professionally mounted with a good to excellent singers did not produce the excitement expected from Broadway by the Bay. Most of the dissatisfaction can be attributed to the direction that overemphasizes visual humor that hits you over the head proclaiming, “Isn’t this a riot?” Further, it is not necessary to have various characters running around screaming at the top of their voices to signify fright.

Sondheim and Lapine’s contorted view of fairy-tales begins with a narrator, who doubles as Mysterious Man (Marc Jacobs) saying “Once upon a time, a Baker and his Wife journey into the woods. . .” where they meet Little Red Riding Hood (Alanna Pinell, Cinderella (Mindy Lym), Jack of Beanstalk fame (Nick Balian), Rapunzel (Brittany Ogle), two Princes (David Sattler & Evan J. Boomer) and a menagerie of other characters. The creators have added their own fairy tale of a Baker (Paul Araquistain), and his wife (Lee Ann Payne) who is childless due to a curse placed on them by the neighboring Witch (Elise Marie Cordle) because the baker’s father has stolen the greens from her garden. This is the first bit of morality that abounds in the play; the sins of the father shall be passed on to the son.

The witch will remove the curse if they venture forth (into the woods) and gather ingredients for a potion to remove the curse. Searching for the ingredients the Baker and his wife meet the aforementioned characters. Each possesses one ingredient: Jack “a cow as white as milk”, Red Riding Hood “the cape as red as blood”, Rapunzel “the hair as yellow as corn” and Cinderella “a slipper as pure as gold.” All have ventured “into the woods” for their own purpose to “find what they wish for.” By the end of the energetic, humorous, intriguing 90-minute first act all have found what they wish for singing a rousing first act curtain chorus of “Ever After” and they should “live happily ever after.”

My personal choice would be to head home in a happy mood after the first act curtain. It is not to be. There is the admonishment to “beware of what you wish for.” The narrator’s Act II prologue “So Happy” ends with the Baker’s house destroyed by a huge footprint. The widow of the Giant Jack has slain is back to seek her revenge. Back into the woods they all go. This time the plot is indeed black surrounded by death and destruction and “happily ever after” is not to be. Sondheim interjects a hopeful note with the plaintive “No One Is Alone” and the finale “Children Will Listen.”

Marc Jacobs as the narrator and Mysterious man is perfect and is the glue that keeps the story going. Pity that the Giant’s widow throws him into oblivion thus predicting the characters will never know how their stories will end. Elise Marie Cordle makes the wicked witch wicked, while singing Sondheim’s convoluted lyrics, and is gorgeous when transformed into a mere mortal with no unearthly powers. Paul Araquistain as the gentle but reticent Baker is the splendid foil for Lee Ann Payne (the wife) whose voice and acting almost steals the show. Almost, but not quite, since Mindy Lym matches her vocal/acting ability. Nick Balian is charming and loveable as Jack of Beanstalk fame and David Sattler and Evan J. Boomer are a joy to watch as they preen and prance on and off stage. Alanna Pinell needs to tone down her depiction of gluttonous Little Red Riding Hood. To mention all 19 members of the cast would make a long review. Be assured they all perform admirably with enthusiasm, zany humor, and flair while seeming to have fun. Running time 2 hours and 50 minutes with intermission.

Courtesy of TheatreWorld Internet Magazine