Smuin Ballet Celebrates the Dark and the Light Moving forward after Grief and Loss in Golden Thread's Night Over Erzinga Smuin Ballet Celebrates the Dark and the LIght Two Companies Celebrate the Dark and the Light: Smuin Ballet & Golden Thread Productions
By Linda Ayres-Frederick
Smuin Ballet kicked off its 2011-2012 Season at the Palace of Fine Arts with a world premiere Dear Miss Cline by Choreographer in Residence Amy Seiwert set to the music of Patsy Cline. This acrobatic upbeat piece completed an evening that presented previously performed repertoire including the late Michael Smuin’s seductive fantasy of possession and passion Tango Palace played out in the steamy underworld of tango. Along with its sultry qualities--this particular dance is known for elements of the passionate French Apache style--Tango Palace also captivated the playfulness that Smuin expressed in his notes: “I wanted to make a piece that was more than heavy breathing, bared teeth and swooning back bends – tangos with a twinkle in the eye.” It was refreshing to see two of the men dancing so gracefully together after being refused by one of the women. With subtle lighting (Sara Linnie Slocum & Michael Oesch) and beautifully suggestive costumes in combinations of jewel toned turquoise green/blues and fiery orange/reds (Ann Beck), Tango Palace started the evening off with ferocious pizzazz.
Following Tango was Stabat Mater, Smuin’s response to 9/11. Set to Dvorak’s choral work of the same name, this breathtaking piece eloquently expresses the hope of moving forward after grief and loss and ten years later still has the emotional strength it did when first introduced. Least interesting of the evening was the pas de deux The Eternal Idol named for the August Rodin sculpture of a nude couple locked in an embrace. More reminiscent of the little mermaid statue of Hans Christian Anderson at Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens, Eternal Idol is far too repetitive in tone and costumed so obviously in ill-fitting body suits that destroy the fine efforts and expertise of Ms. Cornwell and Mr. Dummar to invoke the sensuous intention of the piece.
It’s hard to ruin the music of Patsy Cline. While Seiwert’s quirky choreography brought out the humor of the ten Cline tunes, one sometimes wished for more daring interpretation in which the movement would be less tied to the exact rhythms which gave the pieces a predictable quality. Perhaps a rearrangement of the program would create an even more dynamic evening. If, say, Dear Miss Cline began the evening and the more varied Tango ended it omitting The Eternal Idol altogether.
Smuin Ballet’s Bay Area tour of their Christmas Ballet will run November 24 through December 24. For more information about upcoming performances go to www.smuinballet.org or 415.556.5000. Enjoying its West Coast Premiere at the South Side Theatre at Fort Mason Center is Night over Erzinga by Adriana Sevahn Nichols. Produced by Golden Thread Productions, Erzinga, directed by Hafiz Karmali, is the first play of the Middle East America New Plays Initiative, a project that is managed by GTP, New York’s Lark Play Development Center and Chicago’s Silk Road Theatre Project.
A story about the immigrant experience of Armenian Americans, the central characters Alice and Ardavazt (in younger and older incarnations) try to build a new life in the U.S. in the aftermath of the Armenian genocide. Inspired by Ms. Nichols’ personal heritage as a Dominican-Armenian American, the two and a half hour epic spans two continents and three generations from Western Armenia of 1913 to 1930’s Massachusetts to 1960’s New York. Lynchpin of the production is Juliet Tanner in a stellar performance as the Young Alice, and Alice’s daughter Ava. Capturing all the emotional subtleties demanded of both roles, Ms. Tanner moves with mastery from the emotionally overwrought European immigrant haunted by the horrors of her past to the flirtatious, spunky first generation American determined to make a life for herself in an often less than ideal world. With multiple roles for the entire ensemble, the play offers them the opportunity to show their acting chops. Brian Trybom complements Ms. Tanner as both eye-wandering young husbands: Ardavazdt and Benny as well as playing Grandpapa and Khalil. Lawrence Radecker shows his emotional range as the understanding Cop, a daring Turkish Soldier, a very Vegas Stage Manager, Alberto and others. Terry Lamb provides gravitas as the Older Ardavazdt, a caring Aram and the asylum Doctor. Completing the cast are Neva Marie Hutchinson as Older Alice and others, Sarita Ocon as Older Estrella and others, and Natalie Amanian, age 9, the youngest member of the tightly knit ensemble as young Estrella and others.
While reaching heights of poetic lyricism at many moments, Erzinga might have even more emotional impact with some serious editing. The play as written loses effect in scenes (mostly in the First Act and at the overly long finale dance) where no stone is left unturned. With enough material for two plays, Ms. Sevahn Nichols might consider killing off some of her “darlings” and resurrecting them in later work. Even so, Erzinga in substance reaches beyond its particular cultural ethnicity to that of others who have come to this country from the darkness of previous abusive hardship with the hope of entering the light of a better freer life.
Night Over Erzinga plays through October 9th at South Side Theatre at Magic Theatre, Fort Mason Center, Marina & Buchanan Streets, SF 94123. Tickets $20-$36. goldenthread.org 415.345.7575. Smuin Ballet kicked off its 2011-2012 Season at the Palace of Fine Arts with a world premiere Dear Miss Cline by Choreographer in Residence Amy Seiwert set to the music of Patsy Cline. This acrobatic upbeat piece completed an evening that presented previously performed repertoire including the late Michael Smuin’s seductive fantasy of possession and passion Tango Palace played out in the steamy underworld of tango. Along with the sultry qualities this particular dance is known for that include elements of the passionate French Apache style, Tango Palace definitely captivated the playfulness that Smuin expressed in his notes: “I wanted to make a piece that was more than heavy breathing, bared teeth and swooning back bends – tangos with a twinkle in the eye.” It was refreshing to see two of the men dancing so gracefully together after being refused by one of the women. With subtle lighting (Sara Linnie Slocum & Michael Oesch) and beautifully suggestive costumes in combinations of jewel toned turquoise green/blues and fiery orange/reds (Ann Beck), Tango Palace started the evening off with ferocious pizzazz.
Following Tango was Stabat Mater, Smuin’s response to 9/11. Set to Dvorak’s choral work of the same name, this breathtaking piece eloquently expresses the hope of moving forward after grief and loss and ten years later still has the emotional strength it did when first introduced. Least interesting of the evening was the pas de deux The Eternal Idol named for the August Rodin sculpture of a nude couple locked in an embrace. More reminiscent of the little mermaid statue of Hans Christian Anderson at Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens, Eternal Idol is far too repetitive in tone and costumed so obviously in ill-fitting body suits that destroy the fine efforts and expertise of Ms. Cornwell and Mr. Dummar to invoke the sensuous intention of the piece.
It’s hard to ruin the music of Patsy Cline. While Seiwert’s quirky choreography brought out the humor of the ten Cline tunes, one sometimes wished for more daring interpretation in which the movement would be less tied to the exact rhythms which gave the pieces a predictable quality. Perhaps a rearrangement of the program would create an even more dynamic evening. If, say, Dear Miss Cline began the evening and the more varied Tango ended it omitting The Eternal Idol altogether.
Smuin Ballet’s Bay Area tour of their Christmas Ballet will run November 24 through December 24. For more information about upcoming performances go to www.smuinballet.org or 415.556.5000.
Smuin Ballet kicked off its 2011-2012 Season at the Palace of Fine Arts with a world premiere Dear Miss Cline by Choreographer in Residence Amy Seiwert set to the music of Patsy Cline. This acrobatic upbeat piece completed an evening that presented previously performed repertoire including the late Michael Smuin’s seductive fantasy of possession and passion Tango Palace played out in the steamy underworld of tango. Along with the sultry qualities this particular dance is known for that include elements of the passionate French Apache style, Tango Palace definitely captivated the playfulness that Smuin expressed in his notes: “I wanted to make a piece that was more than heavy breathing, bared teeth and swooning back bends – tangos with a twinkle in the eye.” It was refreshing to see two of the men dancing so gracefully together after being refused by one of the women. With subtle lighting (Sara Linnie Slocum & Michael Oesch) and beautifully suggestive costumes in combinations of jewel toned turquoise green/blues and fiery orange/reds (Ann Beck), Tango Palace started the evening off with ferocious pizzazz.
Following Tango was Stabat Mater, Smuin’s response to 9/11. Set to Dvorak’s choral work of the same name, this breathtaking piece eloquently expresses the hope of moving forward after grief and loss and ten years later still has the emotional strength it did when first introduced. Least interesting of the evening was the pas de deux The Eternal Idol named for the August Rodin sculpture of a nude couple locked in an embrace. More reminiscent of the little mermaid statue of Hans Christian Anderson at Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens, Eternal Idol is far too repetitive in tone and costumed so obviously in ill-fitting body suits that destroy the fine efforts and expertise of Ms. Cornwell and Mr. Dummar to invoke the sensuous intention of the piece.
It’s hard to ruin the music of Patsy Cline. While Seiwert’s quirky choreography brought out the humor of the ten Cline tunes, one sometimes wished for more daring interpretation in which the movement would be less tied to the exact rhythms which gave the pieces a predictable quality. Perhaps a rearrangement of the program would create an even more dynamic evening. If, say, Dear Miss Cline began the evening and the more varied Tango ended it omitting The Eternal Idol altogether.
Smuin Ballet’s Bay Area tour of their Christmas Ballet will run November 24 through December 24. For more information about upcoming performances go to www.smuinballet.org or 415.556.5000.
Moving Forward after Grief and Loss in Golden Thread’s Night Over Erzinga
by Linda Ayres-Frederick
Enjoying its West Coast Premiere at the South Side Theatre at Fort Mason Center is Night over Erzinga by Adriana Sevahn Nichols. Produced by Golden Thread Productions, Erzinga, directed by Hafiz Karmali, is the first play of the Middle East America New Plays Initiative, a project that is managed by GTP, New York’s Lark Play Development Center and Chicago’s Silk Road Theatre Project.
A story about the immigrant experience of Armenian Americans, the central characters Alice and Ardavazt (in younger and older incarnations) try to build a new life in the U.S. in the aftermath of the Armenian genocide. Inspired by Ms. Nichols’ personal heritage as a Dominican-Armenian American, the two and a half hour epic spans two continents and three generations from Western Armenia of 1913 to 1930’s Massachusetts to 1960’s New York. Lynchpin of the production is Juliet Tanner in a stellar performance as the Young Alice, and Alice’s daughter Ava. Capturing all the emotional subtleties demanded of both roles, Ms. Tanner moves with mastery from the emotionally overwrought European immigrant haunted by the horrors of her past to the flirtatious, spunky first generation American determined to make a life for herself in an often less than ideal world. With multiple roles for the entire ensemble, the play offers them the opportunity to show their acting chops. Brian Trybom complements Ms. Tanner as both eye-wandering young husbands: Ardavazdt and Benny as well as playing Grandpapa and Khalil. Lawrence Radecker shows his emotional range as the understanding Cop, a daring Turkish Soldier, a very Vegas Stage Manager, Alberto and others. Terry Lamb provides gravitas as the Older Ardavazdt, a caring Aram and the asylum Doctor. Completing the cast are Neva Marie Hutchinson as Older Alice and others, Sarita Ocon as Older Estrella and others, and Natalie Amanian, age 9, the youngest member of the tightly knit ensemble as young Estrella and others.
While reaching heights of poetic lyricism at many moments, Erzinga might have even more emotional impact with some serious editing. The play as written loses effect in scenes (mostly in the First Act and at the overly long finale dance) where no stone is left unturned. With enough material for two plays, Ms. Sevahn Nichols might consider killing off some of her “darlings” and resurrecting them in later work. Even so, Erzinga in substance reaches beyond its particular cultural ethnicity to that of others who have come to this country from the darkness of previous abusive hardship with the hope of entering the light of a better freer life.
Night Over Erzinga plays through October 9th at South Side Theatre at Magic Theatre, Fort Mason Center, Marina & Buchanan Streets, SF 94123. Tickets $20-$36. goldenthread.org 415.345.7575.