{"id":102,"date":"2009-12-28T22:47:49","date_gmt":"2009-12-29T03:47:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mattcasarino.com\/?page_id=102"},"modified":"2009-12-28T22:47:49","modified_gmt":"2009-12-29T03:47:49","slug":"awards-vol-1","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mattcasarino.com\/?page_id=102","title":{"rendered":"AWARDS! Vol. 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

The whole notion of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153best\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is really problematic, to say the least, when it comes to the performing arts. However, our culture loves nothing more than to judge, so we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re overrun with lists & events that actually rank one entity over another. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s pointless, divisive, and violates the spirit of entertainment and the arts.<\/p>\n

But rather than rant against \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcem, join \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcem, right? Besides, I have a reason. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s one constant in the world of writing and community theater: love. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s why we do this stuff. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s why we write, or give up our nights and weekends to act. Love. Sure, some of us are gearing up for a career, but mostly, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re doing it because we have to. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s in our system and it just won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t leave us alone. And sometimes we DO want a little recognition. As silly as it is to call one performance \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Best,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d we need a little of that. And frankly, doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t it make more sense to hear one person\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s opinion than the collective voice of hundreds? To paraphrase Men in Black, a person is smart, but people are stupid. So screw democracy\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6here are some of MY favorite things from the world of (mostly local) theatre.<\/p>\n

DISCLAIMER: You are right. I am wrong.<\/em><\/p>\n

So enjoy, agree, disagree, be offended\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6and then make your own list and we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll swap, okay?<\/p>\n

By the way, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a total coincidence that the name of this set acronyms as \u00e2\u20ac\u0153MAMET Awards.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I swear.<\/p>\n

The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Great Unpublished Short Plays I Didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t Write\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Award<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be leaving out more than I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m including. But here are eight that jump out at me, like plastic moles in boardwalk games\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Voodoo Barbie,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d by George Tietze. Take one little girl, her single mother, and a few Barbie dolls, and you have one of the darkest, funniest, and most wicked pieces of theatre I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve ever seen. Pure brilliance.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Story of the Little Man,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d by Mike Moran. Here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a squirmy little number that probably feels like a twisted knife in the guts of the audience. It starts out like a comedy, but somewhere it veers off into deep, dark truths about fear and pain. Craftily open-ended, too.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The List,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d by Kristyn Leigh Robinson. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s damn near impossible to pick a favorite K-Play \u00e2\u20ac\u201c too many of them are just too good \u00e2\u20ac\u201c but right now I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m feeling \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The List.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d It has everything \u00e2\u20ac\u201c great characters, lots of humor, a cool twist on a recent phenomenon, theatrical surreality, and a sad but satisfying ending.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Elephants and Coffee,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d by Aoise Stratford. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s emotional, moving, maddening, neurotic, and very, very smart. It feels like genius because it is\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6and it happens to be one of the greatest love stories ever told.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Lion Tamer,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d by Rich Orloff. Chances are, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve seen an Orloff play. They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re often clever and funny, which is why this one might throw you a bit. Like \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Story of the Little Man,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d it begins like a comedy, then it takes a really weird turn into uncharted territory.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That Homo Play,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d by Bob Johnson. Haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t seen nor heard from this guy since, but \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That Homo Play\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is one of the funniest & most subversive skit\/plays I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve ever seen. A google search tells me the play was produced in NYC, and that makes me happy.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Overanalysis,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d by Gabriel Shanks. Half performance-art, half-theater, all funny and true. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Overanalysis\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is one of those rare plays that uses offbeat and funky storytelling techniques but never feels hip or self-aware.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Pee Shy,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d by Joe Byers. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m biased because I was in \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Pee Shy\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in Delaware, but there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a reason why Paula Shulak of Community News called it \u00e2\u20ac\u0153one of the funniest plays I have ever seen.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d It is. Holy crap. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve never had a harder time keeping a straight face in my life.<\/p>\n

The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153One Guy Did All That?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Award<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Before I even met Greg Robleto<\/a>, I was blown away by two of his Drama League performances. One was a scene-stealing turn as a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Gangster\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in Kiss Me Kate<\/em><\/strong>. The other was an intense, creepily convincing performance as \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Kendrick\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in A Few Good Men<\/em><\/strong>. It took me a very long time to realize that the same man played both roles\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6he was that convincing in two incredibly different parts.<\/p>\n

Greg Robleto (which must always be sung to the tune of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153In the Ghetto\u00e2\u20ac\u009d) has since appeared in substantial roles in JCS<\/em><\/strong>, How to Succeed<\/em><\/strong>, and Midsummer<\/em><\/strong>, and he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s always great. He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s also co-created the Delaware Shakespeare Festival, co-directed Joseph<\/em><\/strong> at the WDL, and directed my play \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The Boy Who\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d off-off-Broadway. He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s such a friendly and funny person, on and off stage, that I think we (in the local theatre community) don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t always appreciate what an incredibly diverse and deep talent he has. So Mr. Robleto \u00e2\u20ac\u201c I couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be happier that on that cold and gray Delaware morn, a poor little baby child was born.<\/p>\n

The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Favorite Lines that No One Says in Real Life but Find Their Way into Nearly Every Play\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Award<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

SHE:\u00c2\u00a0 Why are you acting like this?<\/p>\n

HE:\u00c2\u00a0 Like what?<\/p>\n

SHE: \u00c2\u00a0Like this.<\/p>\n

Matt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153My Arm Hurts from Patting Myself on the Back\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Award<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The five-show run of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The Boy Who was Born With a Tail\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in NYC. Four beautiful, deeply truthful performances, really crisp direction from Mr. Robleto and Kathy Buterbaugh, and (here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the arm part) a damn fine script. I wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t change a word, or a thing about that week. I couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be prouder.<\/p>\n

The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Get This Guy an Agent\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Award<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Richard Gaw. People need to see Mary Catherine<\/em><\/strong>, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Two Chairs,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ethan\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s People.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d The man can write. He brings style and humor to every subject he touches, no matter how intense or difficult, and he creates drama that can leave you reeling and exhausted.<\/p>\n

The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Great Performances on Delaware Stages\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Awards<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve seen many outstanding performances on local stages that I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve come to expect them, and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m rarely let down. But here are the ones that, for one reason or another, have been the most memorable.<\/p>\n

I realize that this one will get me into big, big trouble. Please forgive me, in advance.<\/p>\n

Don Dean, The Boys Next Door<\/em><\/strong>, Chapel Street<\/em> Players<\/em> (1997). I cannot imagine a bigger challenge than portraying a man with severe mental retardation \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s so easy to rely on tics and indications. But Mr. Dean portrayed Lucien P. Smith with unforgettable grace and dignity. In my least favorite scene in the play, the actor must break character and deliver a monologue to the audience \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a stunt, and reminds you that this is only a play. But when Dean did it, it was moving and powerful. An absolutely perfect performance.<\/p>\n

Molly Cahill, Hamlet<\/em><\/strong>, Wilmington<\/em> Drama League<\/em> (2002). How does one effectively go mad onstage? How can an actress possibly deliver those final strange, lyrical lines without calling attention to the fact that they are, in fact, lines? Some actress try to emphasize Ophelia\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sadness, and others go over the top with hysteria. Ms. Cahill tackled the scene with anger and realism, and absolutely captured the bizarre and beautiful text. She was excellent throughout the play (which was uneven), but absolutely spellbinding, and chilling, in her final scene.<\/p>\n

Jill Knapp, Jesus Christ Superstar<\/em><\/strong>, Wilmington<\/em> Drama League<\/em> (2003). I was hoping to disqualify performances of shows I was in, but in this case, Ms. Knapp has earned her exception. Pure emotion, pure power, incredible singing\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6but then, lots of Mary Magdalene portrayers can bring that. What made her performance so special is that she never lost track of the story or the big picture. Many actresses turn the role into a showcase, but Jill was always part of the ensemble \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and that made her work all the more stunning.<\/p>\n

James Kassees, George Tietze, Jason Stockdale, Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged)<\/em><\/strong>, City Theater<\/em> (2003). I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve never seen three people work harder. Pure energy, insane comedy. It could have gone horribly wrong but it never did, thanks to the awesome talents of these three bozos.<\/p>\n

Anthony Bosco, Pink Thunderbird<\/em><\/strong>, Chapel Street<\/em> Players<\/em> (2005). Mr. Bosco, a very smart and streetwise man, completely disappeared into the role of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ray,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d a dim and na\u00c3\u00afve bumpkin from Texas. He also did something masterful: he found a way to deliver punchlines in a manner that was both hilarious and real.<\/p>\n

Tina M. Sheing, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat<\/em><\/strong>, Wilmington<\/em> Drama League<\/em> (2005). The \u00e2\u20ac\u0153narrator\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is such a dream role that it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s easy to forget how difficult it really is. The WDL production emphasized the silly, and it was Tina\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s job to create a reflective center. She did so with wonderful grace, humor, and (especially) a natural presence that never detracted from the craziness that surrounded her. A perfectly nuanced performance, delivered with huge pipes and an even bigger heart.<\/p>\n

Okay! It was good to get all that out of my system. There will be more. What did I leave out? Write me and tell me, okay?<\/p>\n

Until next time\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The whole notion of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153best\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is really problematic, to say the least, when it comes to the performing arts. However, our culture loves nothing more than to judge, so we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re overrun with lists & events that actually rank one entity over another. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s pointless, divisive, and violates the spirit of entertainment and the arts. But […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":64,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-102","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mattcasarino.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/102","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mattcasarino.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mattcasarino.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mattcasarino.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mattcasarino.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=102"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mattcasarino.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/102\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":104,"href":"https:\/\/mattcasarino.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/102\/revisions\/104"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mattcasarino.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/64"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mattcasarino.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}