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Austin360 blogs > Austin Arts: Seeing Things > Archives > 2009 > July > 21
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Review: ‘Dear Fraility’
No one is normal in ‘Dear Fraility’ Arthur Simone’s oddly compelling darkly humorous one-man, multi-character show playing Fridays through August at Coldtowne Theater.
But it is nevertheless easy to sympathize with the eight not-normal characters Simone presents on Coldtowne’s miniscule stage no matter how absurd and grotesque the details of the lives may be. Perhaps that because Simone has carefully crafted each to be remotely believable. Forget the flat character parody. Instead, Simone delivers little jewel-like stories of strange but absorbing characters whose stories you want to hear.
There’s the barely recovered pyromaniac fresh from rehab, an old woman with nary a fond memory of the past, a man still suffering from the bullying he was victim to in his childhood and a single woman unlucky in love even if she doesn’t quite realize it.
With only minimal props, Simone performs each of their stories in short, neatly-paced monologues. And for good measure, Simone throws in a few absurdist presentations of his own, most humorously a rambling and ridiculous slide presentation on the future of capitalism. (The show clocks in a little less than one hour.)
The lanky Simone is something of a naturally jittery performer but that only gives his characters more of a manic edge that grabs the attention. What sets ‘Dear Fraility’ apart from most other monologue line-ups is the quality of Simone’s story-telling. There’s no ad-libbing or improv here. Rather, the writing has a tight, literary quality that unfolds thoughtfully.
Simone, one third of the trio of improvisational actors that founded Coldtowne Theater, delivers an odd odyssey that in the end remains sweet.
“Dear Fraility” continues at 9 p.m. on Fridays through Aug. 28 at Coldtowne Theater, Airport Blvd. www.coldtownetheater.com
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The Longs give UT’s Butler School of Music $1 million
Austin philanthropists Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long have donated $1 million to the University of Texas Butler School of Music to create a chaired professorship in piano performance.
The new gift follows the Longs’ $500,000 donation in March that created a piano scholarship endowment.
The Long Chair in Piano will be recommended by B. Glenn Chandler, director of the Butler School of Music, and approved by the board of regents. An appointment is expected to be announced at the end of the summer.
“We hope to accomplish two things with both of these gifts,” said Joe Long in statement released by the university. “One is to always have a professor of piano of national and international stature who will attract very talented students, we hope among the best in the nation. Secondly, with the gift for scholarships for piano students, we hope to further this goal and enable an outstanding professor in piano to offer scholarships to the very best students they can find.”
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Review: ‘Music Man,’ parades into Zilker Park
It is the summer of music men from Gary, Indiana. While the world remains focused on Michael Jackson, Austin has shifted interest to another former Gary Indiana resident, Harold Hill. Hill is the central character in “The Music Man,” the annual summer musical from Zilker Park Theatre. On Sunday a dip in heat and an enthusiastic cast made ‘The Music Man’ one of Austin’s more enjoyable ways to spend time outside.
“The Music Man” follows Hill’s invasion of sleepy River City, Iowa. Zilker’s staging, from director Rod Caspers, displays Hill’s ability to enliven the complacent town. Hill may not bring them musical know-how, but he can give them heart. Casper builds kinetically charged crowd scenes, well constructed for Zilker’s large amphitheater. Even if seated far in the back, you’ll be able to follow the musical thanks to snappy gestures that create tiny snapshots amongst a sea of people. Upbeat choreography by Judy Thompson-Price helps keeps the long musical (three hours) from growing tedious.
Hill is a demanding role: a mesmerizing Pied Piper who barely leaves the stage. As Hill, Eric Ferguson dos not quite have the pizzazz the seductive character needs, but Ferguson carries the gargantuan role serviceably. Kara Bliss, as librarian love interest Marian Paroo, also lacks shine when singing. She does construct Paroo’s guarded, but caring sensibility through details that build throughout the show. Scott Shipman as Mayor Shinn, Emily Bem as the mayor’s wife, and Christina Gilmore as Mrs. Paroo have smaller, but sharper performances.
Among the cast’s many adorable children, Ben Roberts as the endearing, lisping Winthrop Paroo is a standout. Musical performances, led by music director and conductor Austin Haller, work well, particularly the men’s quartet, whose voices seemed to float up the hillside, courtesy of rare Austin summer breezes.
‘The Music Man’ continues at 8:30 Thursdays-Sundays through Aug. 15. Sheffield Hillside Theater, Zilker Park. Free ($3 parking). www.zilker.org.
