Final Performance Tonight of Rockaway Theatre Company Production of "Lend Me a Tenor"

Excerpt from my column in The Wave (www.rockawave.com), Pub. May 13, 2011


Are Rockaway People Crazy?

 Yes, I'm talking to you - if you haven't gotten your ass down to the Rockaway Theatre Company to see "Lend Me a Tenor." I couldn't believe it. Last Saturday's show was not overflowing with crowds clambering to get into a show that could easily play on Broadway. I guess you all would rather pay over a hundred bucks a ticket and $40 for parking instead of $15 ($! 2 for seniors) and free parking. Here is a show that will have you roaring with laughter on a set superbly designed by Tony Homsey where you can see doors opening and closing in perfect synchronicity as the wild, perfectly choreographed slapstick takes place with controlled mayhem as directed by Peggy Page. Peggy, who directed the first version of the show in 2002 has even topped herself. I should know.

Peggy helped guide me through my acting debut in last December's production of "The Odd Couple." How nice to see so many participants from that show taking part in this production. The great comic actor David Risley (who played Felix) takes his acting to a new level as Max. David loves to carry the load in a play and he has a major load in this play which he carries off to perfection.

The Pigeon sisters, Kim Simek and Susan Corning, return as Maggie and Julia, two sexy women of different generations chasing after a famous opera singer but not always getting the right man. I've seen Susan in every single show she's been in and every time I see her I want to ask for her autograph. Kim, a middle school science teacher (who spent hours backstage at our show marking papers) is a rising young star at RTC.

Jodee Timpone, who as Assistant Stage Manager helped keep me upright when I was backstage, is up front and center as Diana in one of the sexiest performances you will ever see (excuse me for a minute while I take a cold shower). I've never seen Cliff Hesse fail to deliver a top-notch performance and here he hits the nail on the head again as Max the impresario who takes watching the bottom-line to extremes. I've seen Barbara Kelly's wonderful dancing in so many shows but never saw her act before and as Maria she can inspire fear as she dominates the stage whenever she is on. Baltar Beckheld plays her husband Tito, the famous Italian opera singer, even though in real life he is Swedish. Both of them are reprising the roles they created in the 2002 production. Baltar can really sing opera and I hope to see more of him on the RTC stage in the future.

The always great Frank Ciaiti, who taught me everything I ever knew about acting, is the hilarious bellhop, doing the kind of contortions that requires a full-time chiropractor to be on call. (As one of my friends who showed up said, "He's your TEACHER? He's 24 years old.) The only complaint I have about Frank is that I don't get to see him act enough. But he also likes to direct as he will be doing along with Susan Corning in the upcoming (October) RTC production of  "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown."

We almost didn't make the show as we had a surprise call from cousins whose flight to South Africa was cancelled earlier in the day and they were stranded at a hotel at Kennedy. We rescued them and took them to the show. A young couple, they had never seen a community theater show before and were very suitably impressed. Believe me, they are the last people who I would have thought would enjoy the show. The unique way they close the show is worth the price of admission by itself.

So, you Rockaway Crazies. This weekend is your last chance to see "Lend Me a Tenor," Friday and Saturday nights and the Sunday matinee. I'll be there taking attendance.

NOTE: The Sunday matinee has been canceled due to the death of someone in a cast member's family. Tonight is the final performance. And I won't be there taking attendance as I have tickets to a Broadway show. Not to be a total hypocrite, they are TDF and we're taking the subway.

Survival, Rockaway Style

I've got an idea for a new reality TV show. Throw 8 people onto an island- or a peninsula  - and they must survive by putting on a performance of Neal Simon's "The Odd Couple." Even better, toss in one 65 year old guy who has never performed before amidst a sea of veteran actors and see how long he can go before you have to call 911.

Well, I did survive my acting debut playing Vinnie the card player, the whining, hen-pecked husband – true typecasting other than the part that Vinnie always wins at poker – last night at the Rockaway Theatre Company production at the Post theater located in Fort Tilden.

I've been so involved in this project, with rehearsals almost nightly and on Sundays, I've been neglecting some of my political activities, as Mona Davids pointed out to me the other day. I even had to leave the rally at Tweed early on Thursday to get to the final dress rehearsal - which had more than a few glitches - not exactly a confidence builder going into last night.

I asked my wife to come to the dress rehearsal on Wednesday night as a check that I wasn't making a total idiot out of myself. She thought Act I was great and then left before the disasters of Acts II and III. As one of the co-directors, Mike Wotypka (a long-time member of TJC) said, "We could call the 3 acts The Good, The Bad and The Ugly."

And glitches there were again last night, but no real disasters. I missed a a cue or two as did others - what a relief to find that veteran actors also miss cues.

And, no, in this game the worst performer doesn't get voted off at the end of each performance. Or else I'd be sitting home tonight. The fact is we survived.

Tonight, a whole bunch of my old ed/political pals from the Coalition of NYC School Workers from the 70's and ICE are coming. I'll try not to invoke the names of Albert Shanker or Randi Weingarten during the performance.

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Teachers and the theater
I have always been proud to be a teacher and amongst teachers. So one of the joys of being involved in the RTC for the last 3 years as their videographer has been the number of current and retired teachers involved in running the theater and performing. I mentioned Mike W the co-director who works at Leon Goldstein HS. Nora Coughlin, the amazing stage manager (I never had an idea of what an important role this is) is a young woman who teaches 2nd grade. A young man, Andrew Woodbridge, the brilliant lighting director, teaches high school science.

Another young lady, Kim Simek, doing a remarkable job playing one of the Pigeon sisters, teaches 6th grade at a middle school in Brooklyn. Every single spare moment backstage Kim is doing school work. Kin is planning a big production at her school with the kids.

Jose Velez, Murray the Cop, also works in a school. Music teacher Jodee Timpone, a fabulous singer and actress in her own right, has taken on the job as Assistant Stage Manager for this show and works as hard behind the scenes as she has done on stage. And the entire RTC operation is co-managed by retired teachers Susan Jasper and the Artistic Director John Galleace.

Frank Caiati, my 24 year old acting teacher, sent a wonderfully encouraging card backstage before we went on and  was in the audience with his mom and girl friend. Frank is a professional actor and director and a natural teacher who has worked with so many people since he was a teen at Goldstein HS.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Seattle

---yes many funny things happened on the way to Seattle but this is about a funny thing that happened at the Rockaway Theatre Company where I happen to be the videographer (because they can't find anyone else).

Last night "A Funny Thing ...." opened As in all shows at the RTC it is NOT TO BE MISSED. Chazmond J. Peacock one of the great young actors at the RTC plays Pseudolus, the Zero Mostel role and is wonderful. I've seen Chaz do Jud in Oklahoma and and Mr. Bumble in Oliver. He has been on the national tour of Oliver and recently played Mingo in the 75th Anniversary tour of Porgy and Bess. This guy is a PRO!

Last night, as an experiment, I grabbed my new little camera that I used in Seattle to see if it would work out in a theater with variable lighting and also to test the sound with the mic I was using in Seattle. I'm still figuring it out but not too bad.

Watch Chaz in the opening number – "A Comedy Tonight" - and just try to stay away.




Direct you tube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZFD-b4DGXg

You likee? You can make reservations at the RTC web site:
http://rockawaytheatrecompany.org/

Or contact me and I'll get you tickets. We have a crew going this Friday. Join us.

Some of this stuff is Broadway quality.
Only $20 ($15 for seniors) and free parking.
At the Post Theater in Fort Tilden right over the Gil Hodges bridge.

The RTC is very influenced by current and retired NYC teachers. The Board of Directors has at least 4, many direct and act in the shows (one of the young actresses in this show teaches 6th grade at a Brooklyn elementary school) and some of their former students who were in their shows in school have been in RTC shows. By the way, most of the band are teachers, many at Forest Hills HS.

One of the wonderful things they have done is mixed all ages into a souffle that works incredibly well. Teens who started out with the RTC and are now in their 20's are still around and hang with the people who are - ahem - almost approaching my age. If you watched the video you can see the mix. Most of these people are regulars.

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Afterburn
And oh yes, they want me to audition for the Murray the Cop role in The Odd Couple in December. If I do and get the part it would be my first time in a play. Oy! The heartburn is starting already - maybe something Murray might say?

Frank Caiati is another young actor who does wonders on stage. He is teaching another acting course at the RTC starting Sunday Aug. 1 (10-11:30) through Sept. 26. I've taken 3 classes with Frank so far and they have all been wonderful. Frank is around 23 years old, a grad of Kings Borough HS and Brooklyn College and always lights up the stage. If you want to dabble in acting and also have a great time, come on down (fee is $150.)