This Production Spells F-U-N from Partners DTC & New Light Theatre

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

Winner of the Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Book, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a charming and deeply human musical that shines a light on the inner lives of six adolescents vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. In partnership with New Light Theatre, Delaware Theatre Company (DTC) is proud to present this fan-favorite inside the confines of its Riverfront … “Home. H-O-M-E. Home.”

New Light Theatre presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

in partnership with DTC. Photo by Joe del Tufo, NüPOINT Marketing.

Featuring a fast-paced, wildly funny, and touching book by Rachel Sheinkin plus a vibrant score by Tony Award–winner William Finn, this bee is one unforgettable experience. The show is about the little wins that carry us through life’s many awkward spells – pun intended.

“DTC is so excited to present New Light Theatre’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” said Mimi Warnick, DTC's Producing Artistic Director. “We are thrilled to welcome back our audiences for our 47th season with this incredibly entertaining and warm story.”

The setting is a school gymnasium, which Scenic Designer Parris Bradley has done an impeccable job recreating. The ropes, bleachers, trampolines, and other props James B. Saracina has placed at the actors’ disposal are ideally integrated into the action, especially during the musical number “Pandemonium.”

But inanimate objects aside, the stars of the show are the actors. It’s typically difficult for adults to play children without some lapses in technique, but not for this troupe. I was consistently impressed by the depth of preparation each actor brought to his/her/their character. 

Charlie Barney’s Leaf Coneybear is a free spirit with little self-control or social boundaries. Angel Sigala makes William Barfée an introvert, of sorts, until he spells or interacts with enigmatic newcomer Olive Ostrovsky (Felicity Mundy). Hannah Parke makes her character (Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre) single-minded, but in an elementary school way – more obsessed than truly focused. Boy Scout Chip Tolentino (Adam Hoyak) is aging/maturing out of this type of competition and is at an awkward phase. Marcy Park is the puzzle no one can solve, not even herself. Actress Yi Ming Sofyia Xue plays Park fairly straight up until it’s time for her to release her inner self to the world (“I Speak Six Languages”).

I’ve lauded the acting abilities of the performers, but they also have singing chops. They belt out numbers as soloists or with the company that always fill the room. Kudos to Music Director Tom Mucchetti, Sound Designer Damien Figueras, and the live band for their lively arrangements. Alexa Wilder (bee moderator Rona Lisa Peretti) has an incredible voice that soars to the rafters. Cookie Diorio impressively reveals his classically trained pipes in several numbers as Mitch or other minor characters.

The choreography and characters’ physical interplay in the production are impressive. I mentioned the actors’ abilities to imbue childlike perspectives to their movements and Choreographer Taylor J. Mitchell tapped into that collective talent. Mitchell’s dances are clever and energetic, using child-like motions as well as props. Sigala was light on his feet during “Magic Foot” and the audience floated along with him.

Other show highlights: 

• Each time word pronouncer Douglas Panch (Connor McAndrews) would respond to the speller when asked to “use it in a sentence.” Vice Principal Panch’s answers got more ridiculous and laughable as the show went on. 
• The “Goodbye” song (and solace-filled juice box) that a misspelling would initiate was always funny. 
• When a certain deity (no spoilers!) appeared to offer guidance to Marcy Park.

Note: The performance included four volunteer audience members on stage as spellers. It added to wonderment of the situation. (They all heard the “Goodbye” song and received a juice box from Mitch.)

Show Director and New Light Theatre Artistic Director Lena Mucchetti has put together a strong team to make this production one not to miss. What a way to start the school year!

Supporting New Light Theatre’s mission to raise awareness and support for organizations that deepen our empathy and connection with one another, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has partnered with Children & Families First, an organization providing support and services that children and their families in Delaware need to thrive. 

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee runs through Sunday, October 4. Showtimes are Wednesdays (2:00pm), Thursdays & Fridays (7:00pm), Saturdays (2:00 & 7:30pm), and Sundays (2:00pm). (There is no matinee Saturday, September 19.) 

Ticket prices start at $39 and discounts are available. The play is roughly 2 hours long with one 15-minute intermission. Join DTC for Viewpoints every Wednesday starting 45 minutes before the start of the show. Talkbacks – Q&As with the creative team – occur Thursdays after the final curtain. For show info and to purchase tickets, call 302.594.1100 or visit delawaretheatre.org. Delaware Theatre Company is located at 200 Water Street in Wilmington.

DTC has suggested a minimum audience-goer age of 13 due to the show’s duration and mild innuendo.

Nothing Broken at WDL's New Production

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

The Wilmington Drama League (WDL) is staging a clever rendition of The Shark Is Broken — a play offering an inside look at the making of the classic film Jaws. This comedy-drama is centered on the behind-the-scenes chaos, tensions, humor, personalities, and camaraderie involved in the making of the 1975 blockbuster. Set during the troubled movie shoot, the sharp-witted play highlights the challenges of working together under pressure...or boredom.

WDL's production of The Shark is Broken. Photo by Mario Paoli.

Co-written by Ian Shaw — the son of Jaws star Robert Shaw — and Joseph Nixon, the play has only three characters: Shaw (Nick Johnson), Richard Dreyfuss (Gene Dzielak), and Roy Scheider (Paolo Barolat-Romana). The three actors are stuck together on the fishing boat because "Bruce," the mechanical shark used in the film, is broken. Consequently, production has been stalled for several days…then weeks. The Shark Is Broken explores the three men's interactions, ennui, and personal stories told aboard the "Orca" during the extended delay.

A perceived hierarchy is established between the three principals: Shaw, the grizzled veteran; Dreyfuss, the brash up-and-comer; and Scheider, the peacemaker. The trio fight tedium and each other, finding some solace in booze, cards, gambling, and self-revealing stories. The WDL actors work well together and the strong interpersonal dynamics are on full display from the get-go.

Despite their frequent bickering, they all agree that they just want to finish filming the movie. An exasperated theme (to them) is: Why didn’t director Steven Spielberg simply film in a Hollywood tank instead of battling the unpredictable Atlantic?

(The real Dreyfuss has publicly criticized the play's portrayal of him, saying Ian Shaw never sought his perspective and that he was unfairly depicted as a fool. In the play, Shaw even tells Dreyfuss he'd be good in a Shakespeare play in the role of a fool.)

Throughout the play, Shaw struggles with the famous USS Indianapolis monologue. He finds the original material (written by John Millius) unperformable. He asks for Spielberg’s permission to rewrite it. His alcoholism and conflict with Dreyfuss interfere with each successive rehearsal of the speech. A full rendition of the famous scene ends the play.

A small knock on the production is that the set is positioned far back on the stage while the spacious apron is mostly unused, except for lighting. While possibly difficult due to the set design, it would've been nicer to bring to the action to the forestage to better see the actors and observe their subtleties. But, criticism aside, Joseph Pukatsch and Pat Brisiel's set is very cool and provides plenty of places for the actors to both roam and feel confined. But, as Shaw says in the play, from a little "grit" comes a pearl.

Pukatsch is also the director and allows his actors to add some interesting depth to their characters. Kudos to Andrew Kadtke for his massive video background which added great perspective to the already dynamic set.

The show builds momentum as it progresses and delivers a satisfying finale, even if the protagonists agree that the movie will likely be a (lucrative) flash in the pan. Of course, we all know better...

The final performances of The Shark is Broken run from September 11 through 13. The Friday and Saturday performances are at 8 pm while the Sunday matinee is at 2 pm. Tickets prices are $25 with senior/student tickets $20 and children (12 or younger) $15. Group ticket rates are also available through the box office. Tickets can be purchased online at www.wilmingtondramaleague.org; by contacting the box office at 302.764.1172; or visiting in person at 10 West Lea Boulevard. The show runs just under 2 hours with no intermission.

The Wilmington Drama League seats 260 patrons, including six wheelchair bays. The recently revamped theater is equipped with an ADA compliant entrance ramp and bathrooms. "Flex Tickets" are also an option for those who plan to watch several WDL shows, but maybe not all of them. Inquire at the box office.

"You're gonna need a bigger boat." — Chief Martin Brody

Powerful Lessons with The REP & "How I Learned What I Learned"

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

The University of Delaware Resident Ensemble Players (REP) opens its 19th season with August Wilson's reflective How I Learned What I Learned at the Roselle Center for the Arts in Newark. The 2003 work dives into the people, places, and experiences that shape who we become.

Hassan El-Amin stars in The REP's production of
August Wilson's How I Learned What I Learned.
Photo courtesy of The REP.

Pittsburgh's Hill District is the setting where the audience gets a glimpse into the experiences which made Wilson such a celebrated playwright. Through vivid storytelling, we see and hear about lessons learned, reflections, and personal growth.

"August Wilson is without question one of America’s greatest playwrights ever," says REP company actor and star of the show Hassan El-Amin. "A Black Man, and the stories he told about the Black experience in America deserve to be shared for a lifetime."

El-Amin is wonderful in emoting during his extended monologues. His physicality was bold and lively and measured all at once. He controlled his vocalizations to the point where his cadence got the audience united in the rhythms of the performance. The audience started to turn the show into something of a revival as patrons started to verbally respond to open-ended questions and apparent cues El-Amin tossed our way. It felt like we were part of the original lived experiences Wilson was, himself, reliving on stage.

The set, lighting, sound, and screen projections by Stefanie Hansen and Eileen Smitheimer were perfect complements to the script and acting. "Typed" names, words, and phrases on the massive backdrop broke up the one-act play into multiple bites we could eagerly consume.

One of the chief lessons demonstrated in this production is that Wilson stood up to racial discrimination and navigated the color line as he saw fit. He explained how he (simply?) quit a number of jobs rather than give into bigotry. Even though Wilson calls the people he encounters "good, honest Americans," there is more than a tinge of irony in his voice. But, he isn't bitter. He conveys overall optimism, which makes the show more a celebration of life and (an evolving) society rather than a condemnation.

Practically all the vignettes contain some comedic moments and reflections that are meant to be humorous. Being able to create some laughs about so many very real situations is what makes the presentation so special, especially when some cursing and the "N" word are thrown into the mix.

Deftly dancing between nostalgia, bigotry, poverty, and comedy is a triumph for El-Amin and The REP. "Co-Conceiver" Todd Kreidler should be commended for his editorial work coherently putting these stories together in such an entertaining way.

Interim Artistic Director Michael Gotch states: "[The play is] about the power experience has in shaping each of us over time and the ways in which memory serves as both a touchstone for personal integrity and a place from which we keep moving forward together in the face of both collective and individual hardships and challenges."

After the show, you may be asking yourself: "What have I learned from the people and places that shaped me?"

This production of How I Learned What I Learned runs now through September 20. Tickets prices range from $23-43 (+fees) with discounts available for students, seniors, plus University of Delaware faculty and staff. Audience engagement opportunities include post-show talkbacks and pre-performance prologues. 

Tickets can be purchased online at www.rep.udel.edu; by contacting the REP box office at 302.831.2204; or visiting in person at 110 Orchard Road Tuesdays through Fridays from 12 to 5 PM. The one act show runs just over 90 minutes.

The Thompson Theatre at the Roselle Center for the Arts is located on the University of Delaware’s Newark campus and is ADA-compliant. It is equipped with a hearing loop system, which works with hearing aid t-coils, cochlear implants, and in-house hearing devices. Wheelchair and other seating requests can be made prior to the performance by calling 302.831.2204 or emailing cfa-boxoffice@udel.edu.

"Something is not always better than nothing."