Michael Cerveris and his Accomplices

The larger story here is that the Sheen Center for Thought and Culture, which is a remarkable organization on Bleecker Street in NoHo, is presenting a series called Convergences.   It's an Indie Artist Series - which showcases artists at the cross-roads of two or more careers (acting, singing, writing, performing, etc.).  Tonight's installment was the always-gracious and ever-talented Michael Cerveris.  Some might never even know the star of stage and screen (he was a regular on The Good Wife, among other things) had a band?   And that's exactly the point of this series.

For Mr. Cerveris it is the opportunity to grace us with his angelic voice and his incredible humility and talent.  His band is a big one - strings, woodwinds, piano, guitars and more!  And what a lush sound they produce backed by the potent vocals of a truly multi-talented leading man.

Mr. Cerveris has a prior album out there - Dog Eared from which he performed several numbers.  He now also has a second album, Piety, recorded at the famed Piety Street Studio in New Orleans with many of his New Orleans musician friends.  Boy oh boy, does Mr. Cerevis have musician friends too - among them Pete Townshend (he plays a guitar he received as a gift from Mr. Townshend).  He also frequents Joe's Pub and 54 Below right here in New York City.

Among my favorites from his 2 distinct sets were Evangeline and Tenth Grade (written by Michael Cerveris, as was everything from his first set) and Life on Mars (David Bowie), Pony Girl (Janine Tesori and Lisa Kron from Fun Home), and Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen) from the 2nd set.  I could think of no better way to end the show in his encore with a rousing rendition of Pinball Wizard by the iconic Pete Townshend / The Who.

Truly multi-talented and not seen nearly enough on a Broadway stage, Mr. Cerevis is a pleasure to watch, enjoy, and appreciate in virtually any venue he appears.

Fun Home

 When you don't know anything about a show going into it,  this can make the theatrical experience simply magical.  Frankly everyone should go into this show with only the knowledge that it is both heartbreaking yet wonderfully powerful and uplifting story.  That's all I'm gonna say.  I'm not even going to tell you what the name of the show means.  You'll have to find out for yourself.

Michael Cerveris (Bruce) and Judy Kuhn (Helen) may have their names above the title, but the true heart and soul of this show are the endearing and captivating three Allisons - Beth Malone (current Allison), Emily Skeggs (middle Allison) and Sydney Lucas (little Allison).

Lisa Kron adapted a graphic novel by Allison Bechdel perhaps perfectly.  I wasn't so pleased with her last work but this one appears to be a home run.  This new musical with music by the remarkable Jeanine Tesori debuted at the Public Theatre in 2013 and has now transferred to the Broadway to play in the round - a brilliant choice by director Sam Gold and the Producers.  Theater -in-the-round provides an intimacy this play needs and deserves.

Unique and smart scenic design (David Zinn) and brilliant lighting (Ben Stanton) are the sublime icing on this already delicious cake.

This is a story about memory.  It's a story told through the eyes of an adult looking back at her childhood through the fresh filter of her now adult-eyes.  At times you laugh but as the story unfolds you can feel the tears begin to well-up inside.  It's a story of our generation and of old ideas and ways of living but most importantly a story of love and triumph for a new generation.

Hedda Gabler

Cymbeline

Late in his life, William Shakespeare started writing works for indoor performance with "modern" stages. Well, i think he also lost his touch a bit with this one. At Lincoln Center this season at the Vivian Beaumont Theater he seemed to throw in everything in his bag of tricks - - an evil woman marries the king just to get her son to be next in line to the throne - an old man reveals that he stole the king's two sons years ago - and those two sons (um, gorgeous!) saved the kingdom - - the king's daughter (Imogen) takes a vow of celibacy since he won't let her be with the man she married because he's a commoner - - this very same man is approached by this hunky man (shirt off in the baths was a nice touch) who bet him he could get his still wife to betray him and let him, shall we say, bang her - - he in turn tricks the woman and does not get in her pants, but steals her ring and watches her sleep -- so he tells the husband he won - which causes the husband to cast her off and hate her.... and on... and on... and on... there is a war with the Romans... poison potions... battles in the woods.... death... and that's only act I. Act II rounded out the performance in just about 3 hours. Oh brother!

Unremarkable performances by Felicia Rachad as the queen and John Cullum as the king (he's lost under all the King's Robes). Michael Ceveris (deceived commoner husband) and John Pankow (his devoted man-servant) hold the stage, but the story deals them a raw deal. Martha Plimpton, last seen in another LCT production (The Coast of Utopia) gave a valiant effort in a touch, gender-bending role.

Who knew Shakespeare wrote for As the World Turns?! Do me a favor - stick to Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar.

LoveMusik

Roundabout - you are officially off the hook in the category of worst show I have ever seen. Please congratulate the Manhattan Theater Company - for producing a musical (bet they learn from this big mistake) that SUCKS!!

Donna Murphy - Brava! And I'm sorry you had to suffer thru this!

Hal Prince - the jury is out - bad material is hard to work with!

Beowulf Boritt - your sets were great - too bad nothing else was!

Sweeney Todd

The triumphant return of Sweeney Todd! Straight from London... a truly unique staging, interpretation and performance makes it fresh, exciting, intriguing, and mysterious. Patti LuPone adds an extra dash of "sass", Michael Cervaris, an extra dash of angst. Top it off with the actors all playing multiple instruments live on stage (yes, they ARE the orchestra!) - and that's one delicious "pie" to sink your chops into!

In an amazingly small performance space on a large stage, one immediately notices the vertical dimension of the set - Probably intentional - as it also seemed to parallel the new dimension of the characters - Not to mention the use of the vertical space in the performance itself. Who would have thought a black coffin and stainless steel ladder would be so functional?!

Lighting - well, the flashlights were annoying at times, but unique nonetheless. And of course, the blood red lights and the piercing whistle ubiquitously signaled another client's demise in the infamous barber's chair.

West 49th just might be renamed Fleet Street this fall. Run and get your tickets today before it's "too late"!

Assassins