Walk in the Woods
I had a grown up night out last night! I went to see my former theatre professor/mentor and his lovely wife, Jack and Ashley Shea, perform in Lee Blessing's A Walk in the Woods.
If you're a local... Piccolo's in Westfield is wonderful!!! What a great bar. The restaurant is upstairs, we didn't venture up. Ate in the bar area and enjoyed some of the best authentic Italian food I've had. Ever. It was wonderful. Off the bar is a tiny theatre space with about 50 seats. For about an hour and 20 minutes we were treated to some of the best theatre you can see anywhere. Intermission hit and Dan and I were right back in class, enthralled and excited about things like blocking, pursuit and retreat, motivated movement, relationship, story and what the fight was. Great theatre.
The play itself is about nuclear weapons "negotiation" between the United States and Russia in the mid-1980s. It would be quite easy to change Russia to North Korea and the date to today. The fight is the same, the lack of change and progress, the inability for a superpower to let go of what makes it powerful.
On the stage we have a park bench. That 's it. No props. No backdrop, no fancy lights... two actors in the space telling their stories. Forced to create the world and the woods that we were in without the use of the usual dog and pony show that is found so often in theatre (that isn't a complaint). It was amazing. Jack's ability use a space in ways that you could not have imagined... ahhhhh.... love. Love it.
Afterwards, Dan and I got to sit with them for a good 2 hours. We talked about theatre, dogs, kids, life, Dan's upcoming reading of his hysterical and wonderful play Fabulous! in NYC, and Dr. Strangelove.
One of my favorite nights ever. To sit and just share a laugh, a good drink and enjoy the company of a few folks who changed your life. You just don't get to do that everyday.
If you're a local... Piccolo's in Westfield is wonderful!!! What a great bar. The restaurant is upstairs, we didn't venture up. Ate in the bar area and enjoyed some of the best authentic Italian food I've had. Ever. It was wonderful. Off the bar is a tiny theatre space with about 50 seats. For about an hour and 20 minutes we were treated to some of the best theatre you can see anywhere. Intermission hit and Dan and I were right back in class, enthralled and excited about things like blocking, pursuit and retreat, motivated movement, relationship, story and what the fight was. Great theatre.
The play itself is about nuclear weapons "negotiation" between the United States and Russia in the mid-1980s. It would be quite easy to change Russia to North Korea and the date to today. The fight is the same, the lack of change and progress, the inability for a superpower to let go of what makes it powerful.
On the stage we have a park bench. That 's it. No props. No backdrop, no fancy lights... two actors in the space telling their stories. Forced to create the world and the woods that we were in without the use of the usual dog and pony show that is found so often in theatre (that isn't a complaint). It was amazing. Jack's ability use a space in ways that you could not have imagined... ahhhhh.... love. Love it.
Afterwards, Dan and I got to sit with them for a good 2 hours. We talked about theatre, dogs, kids, life, Dan's upcoming reading of his hysterical and wonderful play Fabulous! in NYC, and Dr. Strangelove.
One of my favorite nights ever. To sit and just share a laugh, a good drink and enjoy the company of a few folks who changed your life. You just don't get to do that everyday.
I agree! One of the best nights!!! So glad we got to do it!
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