First Impressions: Linda Winer

Linda Winer is a tour-de-force.

The second time I met her, she was already waiting at the picnic table in The Sunken Garden, where the critic seminars are typically held. I was very excited to get acquainted with Linda as she is one of the very few and gainfully employed female critics in New York. I have to give her the respect that she deserves for accomplishing such a feat in an industry that's pretty hard to get into and stay into.

She did not disappoint.

Here was this vivacious, whip-smart lady with a warm disposition and smile. She talked to us about how she started in journalism and the roads that opened up after that. There was plenty of soaking up happening, as she was pretty frank about her philosophies and why she had them. And after a 40-year career and counting, she came equipped with battle scars and juicy stories. Let's not forget the juicy stories.

But in this case, what went on at the O'Neill will stay at the O'Neill.

The production that we had to review for her was not an easy one. On top of desperately needing editing at the time that I saw it, it was one that did not meet my taste requirements. I was anxious to put good copy in front of her because I cared about what she thought of me. Sometimes, you only get one shot, and I wanted my shot to be nothing but net if I was going to present myself as a future colleague of hers.

Well, it wasn't exactly a swish, but I did manage to impress her with some well-turned phrases like "fresh off the ideals boat" that she thought were very quotable. But the best part of all was when, unprovoked except by my raw (literally) talent, Linda declared that I had a "strong voice."

That was a proud moment for me.

Those words may not get a rise out of you, but for me, along with many fellow writers, it's all about having a strong voice. So if a writer that you admire and respect gives you those kinds of kudos, then it's just as good as any three-pointer. If I had a victory dance, I would have done it.

By the way, I don't know how these basketball references got in here because I don't watch basketball. But that's my metaphor and I'm sticking to it.

I wish she could have stayed longer. As I recall, she was only there for a weekend, but I hope to run into her again.

Linda would not have recalled, but I met her briefly during a taping of Theater Talk's Critics' Cavalcade episode last year. I didn't see any of the Broadway shows in 2008 to have had any kind of input, so I scampered out quickly. But I knew a lot more this year. Perhaps the third time I run into her, I'll be completely knowledgeable. I like that I can associate a learning curve with my Linda run-ins. She's definitely the kind of trailblazer that inspires me to do what I must do to set my own path on fire.

The nominations for the New York Innovative Theatre Awards are a'coming!!

It's the eve of the nomination party for the NYIT awards, and I'm getting pretty excited. You never really know who and what is going to wind up on the ballot. And since I saw my fair share of theater last year, some of my faves are bound to make the cut. I hope.

Of course, I have no reason to doubt it. My induction into the festivities last year left me pretty overjoyed. Plays such as (or actors featured in them) Fight Girl Battle World (Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company), No End of Blame (Potomac Theatre Project), and Elizabeth Rex (Nicu's Spoon) all took home awards, and I was pretty stoked considering that I liked and/or reviewed all of them favorably. The Accidental Patriot: The Lamentable Tragedy of the Pirate Desmond Connelly, Irish by Birth, English by Blood, and American by Inclination (Stolen Chair Theatre Company) also received accolades, and that was nice to see because Dunmore Bad and Good, a play written by yours truly, was produced during its downtime.

Therefore, I'm thinking that this year won't disappoint me either.

I'm expecting bigger things this time, particularly since this is NYIT's 5th year anniversary. Can't wait to see what they roll out tomorrow night to commemorate this landmark event! And as always, off-off Broadway deserves its time in the sun. These artists work hard to crank out theater, and the ones that produce quality work deserve to be recognized. When I look back, there were quite a few things that I hope make the finals. Of course, I don't really know if those shows were registered or even eligible, so I'm going to keep mum about my picks for now. Stay tuned for my thoughts on the ones that make the grade!

First Impressions: J. Wynn Rousuck

I was looking forward to soaking up every drop of wisdom that Judy Rousuck had to offer. Why? Because she was a long-time (23 years, wow!) critic for the Baltimore Sun, and I wanted to know how she had weathered the dips and lifts of the journalism world. Unfortunately, a one-on-one opportunity with her never presented itself, but I was able to learn a thing or ten during class. One of those things involved a tip on longevity: sometimes, you have to learn new ways to exercise your craft.

Judy taught us the ways of radio reviewing.

I don't listen to the radio.

I had never actually considered radio reviewing before, yet I still thought it would be easy to conquer. Given my gregarious disposition and bold personality, I never had a doubt that all of that would translate well over the air waves. I was a Howard Stern fan (back when he was free) after all, and I knew what was music to my ears. Too bad I didn't factor the lack of sleep from the night before, or the fact that said lack of zzzzs would rob me of the time I needed to sound engaging, but not overbearing. Theatrical, but not hammy.

My performance, caught on Lindsay Christians' impressive mp3 recorder, was as Cindy-less as it could be, capturing none of my fabulous flavor. The whole "the way you write should be the way you sound" was not happening at all. By the time I was through, I didn't mention when the show opened, its Broadway history (it was a revival of a popular musical), or how long the running time was. Ah, well. Judy was kind at least. She didn't say much about my work (thank you, feelings-sparer), but I learned a lot about a new medium that she was well-versed in. I might actually end my post-Howard boycott of the radio after all.

First Impressions: Dominic Papatola

Welcome to my first installment of First Impressions: a brief look at not only what the mentors at the O'Neill thought of me, but also what I thought of them. The first critic that I met there was Dominic Papatola.

"I can see that you're the troublemaker."

It didn't take long for Dominic, a fun character with wicked smarts, to brand me the jokester of the group, although I still can't figure out what I did to earn that title. There were others there that I thought beat me by a mile, but I wasn't going to let him down. I think that I subconsciously went about at least proving him half-right. I mean, what else would make me, in a review of a show that I saw there, make the connection between gin (that was really Jack Daniels, I later found out) and Eli Whitney, the cotton gin inventor?

Yeah, I knew that I was stretching it as far as Mr. Fantastic with that one, but I couldn't help myself. The play was one of those abstract, what the heezie, what Dominic likes to call "sea monsters" that was challenging to decipher. Sometimes I like to make sense of things no matter how crazy my ideas are. No one can say that I'm not gutsy, though. After all, I might have been at least in the ballpark. Who knew what that playwright was thinking? If anything, it did make for some interesting conversation the next morning, and many professional productions can't even achieve that.

The best part of all? I made Dominic Papatola smile. He said "clever, but don't ever, ever, ever do that again!" Well, in the grand scheme of things, crazy but clever is not a bad compliment.

Back on the scene again!

It's been almost a year, but I'm back! Tons of things have happened, some did not, but it will take a while for me to unpack everything for you. Bear with me! Today is my first day back in NY. I have to say that I could have done without the infestation of.... Oh, right, those are people. Sometimes I just can't tell.

I was at the Eugene O'Neill Critics Institute for two weeks, where I sat down with a bunch of hot shots, both mentors and peers, in the journalism world. For those of you who don't know, I don't have a background in journalism, so I learned a lot from folks who did it and are doing it the right way. My background is in dramatic writing. Dramatic writing is, in my situation, playwriting in NYU speak. While I'm churning out plays that will one day make me the most feared and loved dramatist with a keyboard, I also like to talk about it. Why? Because I'm passionate about what's going on in theater! If I can have a hand in improving a show, I'll gladly take it.

How much do I love theater, you ask? Let's put it this way. I believe that Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie's song "We are the World" could easily apply to critics. Say, if I were to customize some of the lyrics to fit our purpose, they would go something like this:

We are the world, we are the critics
We are the ones who'll guide you to a play
With analytics
Theres a choice we're making
So pay us a good wage
Its true we're fighting for the stage
Just you and me

I think this song could use some updating. Too bad the gloved one can't do it. Sorrrry, Michael.

Big up to Michael Feingold, Judy Rousuck, Mark Blankenship, Leonard Jacobs, Julius Novick, Dominic Papatla, Andy Propst, J. Ranelli and Linda Winer for the writing tips and guidance that will hopefully turn myself and the seven other critic fellows that were there into fantastic writers. Boy, do I have a lot to say about everyone who was there! Stay tuned for the details...

Elizabeth Rex

Queen Elizabeth I and Ned Lowenscroft, an actor famous for playing female parts, learn how to occupy each other's roles on the eve of Lord Robert Devereaux's death. Although the pacing is sometimes slow and there are some superfluous characters, the show has a good premise and the verbal sparring between the two leads is intense and electrifying.

Nicu's Spoon kicks off its Fall 2008 season of "Women & Gender" with Timothy Findley's Elizabeth Rex, a look at Queen Elizabeth I (Joan Allen look-a-like Stephanie Barton-Farcas)'s desire to switch roles with Ned Lowenscroft (the gaunt Michael DiGioia), a pox-riddled actor acclaimed for being the best at playing female roles. Mourning the loss of his lover, a Captain in the Queen's army, Lowenscroft is a likely teacher for expressing emotions since he demonstrates softness onstage and off. On the eve of the execution for treason of Robert Devereux, Second Earl of Essex and beloved of Queen Elizabeth, she, attended by Lady Mary Stanley (a graceful Melanie Horton) and Lady Anne, Countess of Henslowe (Ruth Kulerman), decides to slum it by paying William Shakespeare (Scott Nogi) and his cast a visit.

Shakespeare frames the plot of the play, coming out in the beginning to introduce the unraveling events that-fictitiously-coincided with his penning of Antony and Cleopatra, but he has very little importance in the show. The performance crawls by until Lowenscroft, the star of his troupe, enters the stage. DiGioia instantly sets himself apart from the others, his every moment, every facial expression, a dramatic and poignant gesture. However, he meets his match upon Barton-Farcas' arrival. She is every bit the surly, haughty, and hard-faced queen required to embody the character. Everything, from the regal costumes by Rien Schlecht to her white-powdered, stony visage and strikingly-bald head (from smallpox) enables Barton-Farcas to be credible and powerful as the ruler. The sharp and witty exchanges between them are enhanced by the tight-fisted direction of Joanne Zipay and Molly Goforth, the dialect coach responsible for the rise and ebb of Barton-Farcas' voice and the emotion in DiGioia's. Yet, despite the wonderful verbal sparring, the physical sparring doesn't fare as well. The "slap choreography" between them by Scott David Nogi, although amusing, falls short of looking genuine.

Although there are too many unnecessary characters taking up space and only there for the practical reason of displaying a full troupe, Elizabeth Rex is still a well-written piece about the short-tempered and sometimes indecisive monarch. The fictional work is a great what-if about what the Queen may have thought of her manliness and how she could have set about to rectify her image. It is also a timeless play that speaks into the perception of gender roles today, particularly in our current presidential election. Smart and entertaining for the most part, Elizabeth Rex is a crowning achievement in Nicu's Spoon's 2008 season.

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“Elizabeth Rex” runs through Sept. 6 at Center Stage, 48 West 21st Street, Chelsea; (866) 811-4111, theatermania.com

Talk-Back with cast of "The Third Step" with guest moderator Cindy Pierre

A.M.L. Entertainment is proud to present a post-show Talk-Back with special guest moderator Cindy Pierre. Cindy Pierre is a reviewer for Theater Talk's New Theater Corps, Talkin' Broadway, and her recently launched blog, The Stage is the Place ( Http://thestageistheplace.blogspot.com). The Talk-Back will immediately follow the July 25th, 8:00 pm performance of Anthony Michael Laura's "The Third Step" at The American Theatre of Actors. Playwright and director Anthony Michael Laura and the cast will join Cindy Pierre on stage for a discussion, followed by a Q&A with the audience.

The Third Step: Performances begin July 24, 2008 at 8:00 pm at The Sargeant Theater at the American Theater of Actors. The American Theater of Actors is located at 314 West 54th Street in NYC. Tickets are $18.00. Reservations can be made by calling 516-983-2791. Tickets online at: www.myspace.com/thethirdstepplay

The Third Step is a story of family, hope, and coming to terms with life. The drama is set around a young girl who awaits the results of a grave disease and is being driven crazy by her overtly controlling mother Wendy. As her father tries to hold the house together, Wendy invites the entire Wilson family home to cheer Natalie up. As themes of jealousy, family values, and infidelity are explored, they find the only solace they have is each other. The Third Step takes us on a humorous and poignant journey with a family that we can only be glad isn't our own.

Anthony Laura, playwright and director, has written, produced and directed several short and feature films that have been featured in the New York Independent Film and Video Festival. His film credits include E-mail My Heart, Choice or Consequence, and Schitzo, starring Marcienne Dwyer. Along with his film credits, he has recently written, produced and directed The Confession which premiered in January at American Theater of Actors with a successful run.

A.M.L. Entertainment: We at A.M.L. Entertainment produce quality theater and film for the community by working with talented actors and industry professionals. Our goal is to put forth the best productions possible. In addition, we are proud to maintain a friendly relationship with our audiences and industry. In the end, our company feels, it is all about the audience feeling as is they are part of the production.