My in-laws, encouraged by us, went to the Sunday performance of 12th nite. Normally seen with a stiff upper lip (they are British after all), my father in-law was weeping with laughter when Rosie was doing SirToby/Malvolio. It is the first time in 51 years he was laughing so hard he could not hold the tears back, his face was absolutely awash with them! Of course he was appropriately embarrassed! Thank you Thank you Thank you!! That was quite the feat!
I put this on my myspace page already, but I can
clean it up. I just had to
get it out.
Ok folks, I know some of you think I over hype
things. Well maybe. But
MAYBE I just really deeply appreciate how amazing
the world is, Huh? go
ahead and discount the following if you dare!!
I live ,mostly in Brattleboro, a town of 12, 000
people. that is less than
some blocks in NY.
A middle aged clown, Stephen Stearns spent 15 years
working with school
children on their and his own time putting together
theater. Youth theater.
they called it The New England Youth Theater, and the
name stuck They lived
in a tiny space downtown that had maybe 50 seats
and they managed to put on
some pretty good shows,
He had this vision that finally came to fruition and
last year with over $2
million raised the hard way, they built a new huge
theater that seats almost
200, a real prop and set room, A huge green room,
large costume shop, three
classrooms, and even a circus space with 25'
ceilings. And they built it in
an abandoned commercial block in the middle of town
Today I just saw one of the products of his vision,
directed by his partner
of many years, Peter Gould. Two 16 year old girls
did Shakespeare's Twelfth
Night. Just two of them playing maybe 15 characters,
sometimes as many as 5
on stage at once.
It was Brilliant. On every level. They have been
working on this for 2
years. that means they were 14 and decided to really
work on this play. I
tell you if I had seen this on Broadway, with
Broadway production values, I
would not have been dissappointed. And I mean no
disrespect for the
production values here. The sound, lighting and
staging were great.
But the acting was phenomenal. This is over a two
hour play, and the
complexity of the character changes was just
amazing. Rosa, going from a
girl pretending to be a man, to being an
aristocratic beauty's fat drunk
uncle, to the pretentious old counselor was often
hysterical.
Allie, going from the dashing count to the maid in
waiting to the initially
grieving and then love sick courter of her "male"
note-bearer-from-the-count
-unrequited-lover was chock full of great
shakespearian acting, wedded to
absurd slapstick timing of the most exquisite
degree.
And then the climactic scene where they are each on
stage playing multiple
characters signified by pieces of clothing and other
miniscule conventions
of existence that they had slowly convinced the
audience to accept. They
were hilarious - transforming from one character to
another with all the
complexities of mistaken identities and true loves
revealed and accusations
and damaged egos all with rapid fire dialogue and
"entrances" and "exits".
The timing, the characterizations, the breaking out
of character to prompt
"missed" cues was all presented in perfect
proportion that added to the
insanity and hilarity of what Shakespeare does best.
This was great theater coming from teenagers because
money and resources
were spent on a dream that was followed through by
people who sincerely are
trying to make our community great.
They are succeeding. And watching that show I am
proud to be from
Brattleboro. This shows just how the arts are
essential for making a society
become an expression of how amazing it is to be
human, and more than just
economic facts and figures.
Letter to the Editor of the Reformer:
Reformer.com
Monday, February 11
Had it not been for my daughter's enthusiasm in seeing New England Youth Theatre's production of "Twelfth Night" last month I might have missed perhaps the finest performance that I have ever seen. I don't mean the finest performance of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" of which I have seen several, nor the best performance produced at New England Youth Theatre, but dare I say the best theatrical performance of all the professional and nonprofessional on and off Broadway performances ever.
Rosa Palmeri and Allie Bliss truly starred in their creation of Shakespeare's romantic comedy. They're talents, refined just enough to carry off the sophisticated script yet not so over studied as to dull even one moment of the 21/2 hour performance. The actors' authenticity and abundant energy imbibed each character (10 or more) with its own unique wit, style and persona. The actors were graceful, spunky and completely captivating from start to finish.
The director, Peter Gould, told the audience that he was quite sure now, that Shakespeare intended "Twelfth Night" to be performed by two teenage girls. I can't agree more, but I will add that he wrote this play for Peter Gould's direction. Peter masterfully crafted this production which moved quickly but never rushed, and was more choreographed than blocked. The timing and fluidity of this hilarious rendition was theatrical perfection! The slapstick which Shakespeare is so loved for, was not over acted with excess pomp and goof. It never once offended the audience's sensibilities, a common flaw even among the most touted direction. Instead, it lifted the audience into spellbound laughter again and again.
It is well known that Shakespeare wrote for everyone, but not everyone performs it as such; however, new England Youth Theatre's performance of "Twelfth Night" did this great playwright justice. In keeping with Shakespeare's plays within plays, this show begins with two teenage girls who use their messy room as a painter would use her pallette, spontaneously draping themselves with "whatever's laying around" in order to act out some play they apparently have to read for an English class. My 8-year-old daughter didn't miss a tic of this 15th century plot, while the adult humor and poignant social matter, appropriately, went over her head to be met by the appreciative seasoned ear. It was play time for both young and old.
Perhaps the final zest that polishes this performance to perfection is the "groove" that these actors created for one another, a quality of intimacy that far surpasses the notion of teamwork. The synchronicity and grace that shimmered throughout this performance of "Twelfth Night" is not studyable. A million rehearsals (which were essential to the success of this performance) could not have developed the exquisite theatrical harmonies that these teenage girls, Rose Palmeri and Allie Bliss performed together.
This powerful co-creative impulse is a quality, I think, more common among women and even more so, among girls. There is a great deal for us to celebrate and learn, here, if we so choose.
These actors have brought forth a jewel, worthy of international recognition. I hope that the New England Youth Theatre is able to bring this performance back on stage soon; furthermore, if there is a possibility of taking this amazing work of art to England, I urge anyone who is able to sponsor such an endeavor to do so, for it is a gift to behold.
Jess Diamondstone,
I put this on my myspace page already, but I can
clean it up. I just had to
get it out.
Ok folks, I know some of you think I over hype
things. Well maybe. But
MAYBE I just really deeply appreciate how amazing
the world is, Huh? go
ahead and discount the following if you dare!!
I live ,mostly in Brattleboro, a town of 12, 000
people. that is less than
some blocks in NY.
A middle aged clown, Stephen Stearns spent 15 years
working with school
children on their and his own time putting together
theater. Youth theater.
they called it The New England Youth Theater, and the
name stuck They lived
in a tiny space downtown that had maybe 50 seats
and they managed to put on
some pretty good shows,
He had this vision that finally came to fruition and
last year with over $2
million raised the hard way, they built a new huge
theater that seats almost
200, a real prop and set room, A huge green room,
large costume shop, three
classrooms, and even a circus space with 25'
ceilings. And they built it in
an abandoned commercial block in the middle of town
Today I just saw one of the products of his vision,
directed by his partner
of many years, Peter Gould. Two 16 year old girls
did Shakespeare's Twelfth
Night. Just two of them playing maybe 15 characters,
sometimes as many as 5
on stage at once.
It was Brilliant. On every level. They have been
working on this for 2
years. that means they were 14 and decided to really
work on this play. I
tell you if I had seen this on Broadway, with
Broadway production values, I
would not have been dissappointed. And I mean no
disrespect for the
production values here. The sound, lighting and
staging were great.
But the acting was phenomenal. This is over a two
hour play, and the
complexity of the character changes was just
amazing. Rosa, going from a
girl pretending to be a man, to being an
aristocratic beauty's fat drunk
uncle, to the pretentious old counselor was often
hysterical.
Allie, going from the dashing count to the maid in
waiting to the initially
grieving and then love sick courter of her "male"
note-bearer-from-the-count
-unrequited-lover was chock full of great
shakespearian acting, wedded to
absurd slapstick timing of the most exquisite
degree.
And then the climactic scene where they are each on
stage playing multiple
characters signified by pieces of clothing and other
miniscule conventions
of existence that they had slowly convinced the
audience to accept. They
were hilarious - transforming from one character to
another with all the
complexities of mistaken identities and true loves
revealed and accusations
and damaged egos all with rapid fire dialogue and
"entrances" and "exits".
The timing, the characterizations, the breaking out
of character to prompt
"missed" cues was all presented in perfect
proportion that added to the
insanity and hilarity of what Shakespeare does best.
This was great theater coming from teenagers because
money and resources
were spent on a dream that was followed through by
people who sincerely are
trying to make our community great.
They are succeeding. And watching that show I am
proud to be from
Brattleboro. This shows just how the arts are
essential for making a society
become an expression of how amazing it is to be
human, and more than just
economic facts and figures.
Letter to the Editor of the Reformer:
Reformer.com
Monday, February 11
Had it not been for my daughter's enthusiasm in seeing New England Youth Theatre's production of "Twelfth Night" last month I might have missed perhaps the finest performance that I have ever seen. I don't mean the finest performance of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" of which I have seen several, nor the best performance produced at New England Youth Theatre, but dare I say the best theatrical performance of all the professional and nonprofessional on and off Broadway performances ever.
Rosa Palmeri and Allie Bliss truly starred in their creation of Shakespeare's romantic comedy. They're talents, refined just enough to carry off the sophisticated script yet not so over studied as to dull even one moment of the 21/2 hour performance. The actors' authenticity and abundant energy imbibed each character (10 or more) with its own unique wit, style and persona. The actors were graceful, spunky and completely captivating from start to finish.
The director, Peter Gould, told the audience that he was quite sure now, that Shakespeare intended "Twelfth Night" to be performed by two teenage girls. I can't agree more, but I will add that he wrote this play for Peter Gould's direction. Peter masterfully crafted this production which moved quickly but never rushed, and was more choreographed than blocked. The timing and fluidity of this hilarious rendition was theatrical perfection! The slapstick which Shakespeare is so loved for, was not over acted with excess pomp and goof. It never once offended the audience's sensibilities, a common flaw even among the most touted direction. Instead, it lifted the audience into spellbound laughter again and again.
It is well known that Shakespeare wrote for everyone, but not everyone performs it as such; however, new England Youth Theatre's performance of "Twelfth Night" did this great playwright justice. In keeping with Shakespeare's plays within plays, this show begins with two teenage girls who use their messy room as a painter would use her pallette, spontaneously draping themselves with "whatever's laying around" in order to act out some play they apparently have to read for an English class. My 8-year-old daughter didn't miss a tic of this 15th century plot, while the adult humor and poignant social matter, appropriately, went over her head to be met by the appreciative seasoned ear. It was play time for both young and old.
Perhaps the final zest that polishes this performance to perfection is the "groove" that these actors created for one another, a quality of intimacy that far surpasses the notion of teamwork. The synchronicity and grace that shimmered throughout this performance of "Twelfth Night" is not studyable. A million rehearsals (which were essential to the success of this performance) could not have developed the exquisite theatrical harmonies that these teenage girls, Rose Palmeri and Allie Bliss performed together.
This powerful co-creative impulse is a quality, I think, more common among women and even more so, among girls. There is a great deal for us to celebrate and learn, here, if we so choose.
These actors have brought forth a jewel, worthy of international recognition. I hope that the New England Youth Theatre is able to bring this performance back on stage soon; furthermore, if there is a possibility of taking this amazing work of art to England, I urge anyone who is able to sponsor such an endeavor to do so, for it is a gift to behold.
Jess Diamondstone,