Author Archives: Christopher Arnott
Who’s Afraid of Jeannie?
Extract from Barbara Eden’s ingenious autobiography Jeannie Out of the Bottle, released in April by Crown: One night we went to see Richard Burton in Camelot, then playing in Chicago, I’d loved Richard Burton ever since seeing him in The Robe … and I was excited to see him onstage in person. I loved … Continue reading
Theater Week
Unusual number of theater references in this week’s (May 20) Entertainment Weekl. Especialy considering the Tony nominations were part of last issue. And that this isn’t even one of those weeks where EW’s monthly “Theater” section runs. • Tony Kushner’s The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures gets … Continue reading
The Long Wharf Works in Mysterious Ways
Another Long Wharf summer season announcement—and before you sniff in disdain at the unabashed rabblepleasing commerciality of the fare, remember that the standard so far for Summer ’11 is Menopause: The Musical. We have nowhere to go but up. Anyhow, you won’t catch me saying anything bad about the Late Nite Catechism series. Seriously, these … Continue reading
Outer Spacey
Kevin Spacey, the film actor turned Bobby Darin impersonator turned artistic director of the Old Vic Theatre Company in London, had a problem with the title of the new album by the indie band Cassettes Won’t Listen. The title: KEVINSPACEY. So the actor Kevin Spacey issued a cease-and-desist order against the album KEVINSPACEY. Rather than … Continue reading
Because I Carlotta
It has never been my place, or my intention, to “review,” “critique,” or otherwise “assess” the works staged as part of The Carlotta Festival of New Plays. I have dutifully and eagerly covered the festival for its entire existence. Yes, it could be argued that these are public performances, that they are written by seasoned … Continue reading
Reconciliation Caruso: Neopolitan Tunes May 16 at the Long Wharf
Aaron Caruso says his gifts for singing, and the equally demanding talent of making a crowd comfortable with between-song banter, come to him naturally. So does his surname; imagine being an Italian singer born with the name Caruso. Of course, that name, Aaron Caruso told me in a phone interview last night, means “there’s lots … Continue reading
Theater Book of the Week
The Best American Short Plays 2008-09 Edited by Barbara Parisi (Applause Theatre & Cinema Books/Hal Leonard, 2010. 350 pages) I’ve been putting off writing about this most recent volume in the for months, for a very bad reason—I’ve been enjoying it too much. How selfish of me. Forgive me for not sharing sooner. But in … Continue reading
Wordslinger
Spider-Man returned for more scorn and derision this week, as the troubled show resumed previews after a hiatus in which several key members of the creative team were changed. Has it struck anyone else how Peter Parker-esque this all is? Brainy whiz kid clearly has talent, but tends to put his insecure, uncertain, experimental self … Continue reading
Hartford Stage Goes Darko
PHOTO FROM DARKO TRESNJAK’S 2007 PRODUCTION OF JOHN VAN DRUTEN’S PLAY BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE AT THE OLD GLOBE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL THEATRE IN SAN DIEGO. PHOTO BY CRAIG SCHWARZ. When announcing Long Wharf’s impending co-production of John Van Druten’s Bell, Book and Candle, that theater’s artistic director Gordon Edelstein mentioned that the deal was struck … Continue reading
Foundering is fun at the Long Wharf
LONG WHARF FOUNDERS AWARD RECIPIENTS CHARLES KINGSLEY (PARTNER IN WIGGIN & DANA LAW FIRM), ANNE SCHENCK (LONGTERM LONG WHARF SUPPORTER AND WIDOW OF LONG WHARF FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER NEWT SCHENCK, WHO WAS HIMSELF A WIGGIN & DANA PARTNER), VAL CAPOBIANCO (OF BRAZI’S), GORDON EDELSTEIN (WHO’S BEEN ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE LONG WHARF THEATRE FOR A … Continue reading