By Lynn Venhaus This beautifully filmed sequel is as welcome as seeing old friends again now that we’ve been through a global pandemic. And as a merry follow-up film, “Downton Abbey – A New Era” couldn’t be more charming and delightful – and provide satisfactory story arcs for all major and minor characters.
Half the Crawley clan heads to the south of France to investigate the Dowager Countess’ (Maggie Smith) newest inheritance while the family’s new matriarch, Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) stays home to oversee a movie being shot there (they need a new roof).
Only, it’s impossible to divulge plot points because of the big reveals throughout its two-hour runtime. The entire historical period drama, tinged with warm humor and trademark zingers from creator and writer Julian Fellowes, is one big spoiler alert.
That said, the two overlapping plots are deliciously engaging – a sojourn to the south of France to stay at a grand villa that has its own jaw-dropping backstory, and a glamorous Hollywood film crew taking over the august estate. It’s 1929, and they will roar headfirst into a new decade.
For fans, this is as enjoyable as opening presents on Christmas morning. And dare I say, even better than the first film, which continued where the series left off, updating the lives of the downstairs servants and the heirs of the Earl of Grantham.
Three years after the first film dealt with a royal visit from King George V and Queen Mary in 1927, and seven years after the hit TV drama ended its sixth season (2011-2015), award-winning run, the family and the servants are still in a flutter – only this time have a gift horse to speculate about, and stars in their eyes from the intrusion of movie people.
The melodrama gives the characters plenty to fret about and deal with, making them relatable to us commoners as power shifts and romances begin and deepen. Director Simon Curtis, who made the captivating “My Week with Marilyn,” nimbly weaves both plots together for a satisfactory narrative.
The addition of the film crew, who starts off producing a silent picture but must accommodate the growing popularity of ‘talkies,’ provides comical encounters and an engaging subplot for Lady Mary, with Michelle Dockery in classy form.
Hugh Dancy is earnest as smitten film director Jack Barber and a jaunty Dominic West is dashing as movie star Guy Dexter, while Laura Haddock does her best Jean Hagen as the Tinsel Town beauty Myrna Dalgleish whose crass voice needs an overhaul as does her uppity attitude. Shades of “Singin’ in the Rain”!
Maggie Smith, the two-time Oscar winner, owns the film as quipmeister Violet Crawley, effortlessly delivering her customary putdowns.
Just as the first film, “A New Era” is opulently crafted, with exquisite costume design by Anna Robbins and Maja Meschede and production design again by Donal Woods befitting a regal world of aristocratic wealth and position.
Andrew Dunn’s sumptuous cinematography keys in on the scenic splendor of the Mediterranean coast as well as effective shadows and light in the indoor movie making scenes. Composer John Lunn returns to accentuate every mood with swelling strings.
The real Highclere Castle in north Hampshire stands in for the Downton Abbey homestead, and still makes one swoon.
I’m ready for a third chapter, but if this is the end, what a fine swan song it is.
“Downtown Abbey: A New Era” is a 2022 historical drama directed by Simon Curtis and starring Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, MichelleDockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Dancy, Dominic West, Laura Haddock, Penelope Wilton and Imelda Stanton. It’s rated PG for some suggestive references, language, and thematic elements and its runtime is 2 hours, 4 minutes. It is in theatres May 20. Lynn’s Grade A.
St. Louis Shakespeare Festival has partnered with Cinema St. Louis to bring a three-night film festival May 19, 20 and 21 to Shakespeare Glen. Completely free to attend, no reservations are required.
Bring your own chairs and blankets and set up on the grass in the beautiful Shakespeare Glen just a few short weeks before we open Much Ado About Nothing. The screen will be set up on the stage platform. Movies begin at 8:15 PM. and Shakespeare Glen opens at 6:30 p.m.
STL Barkeep will be onsite with beer, wine and cocktails for purchase. Food vendors include The Popcorn Bar, Super Smokers BBQ and others. Pack a picnic, outside food and drink are welcome.
Heather Ledger, Julia Styles in “10 Things I Hate About You”
Here’s the line-up:
Thursday, May 19 – 10 Things I Hate About You Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles star in this 90’s favorite and Taming of the Shrew adaptation. Enough said.
Friday, May 20 – The Lion King Hakuna Matata! It’s Disney’s 1994 animated version of Hamlet.
Saturday, May 21 – Theatre of Blood A 1973 camp horror-comedy from Britain starring St. Louis-born Vincent Price as a slighted Shakespearean actor who seeks poetic and murderous revenge on his critics – killing them in the same ways made infamous by Shakespeare. Content warning: R Rated for mature content and violence.
Follow the Festival’s social media accounts @stlshakesfest or call the box office at 314-287-3348 in the event of inclement weather. No rain dates are scheduled.
On Friday, The Muny celebrated the successful completion of its Second Century Capital Campaign, raising over $100 million securing the future of the historic theatre in Forest Park. A lively garden party welcomed invited guests to the new donor plaza and dedication of the donor wall commemorating the contributions of the community. Last November, Steward Family Foundation and The Centene Charitable Foundation provided the lead gifts from the closing group of donors.
“The Muny is a cultural pillar in this community—serving as a home for celebration, entertainment, commonality and opportunity. The team boldly embarked on a campaign to ensure its future for generations with the faith that realizing this goal would be possible. Steward Family Foundation is proud to share our blessing and bring to fruition all that the future of The Muny promises,” said David Steward, Founder and Chairman of World Wide Technology.”
“The realization of this campaign goal guarantees that the tradition of musical theatre for and by the people of St. Louis will remain for generations yet to be born. It allows us to continue to evolve both our physical campus and the scope of opportunity and experience we provide,” said Muny President & CEO Kwofe Coleman. “I am immensely grateful to everyone whose work and leadership made this possible and to the generous donors who have made our future a reality. On behalf of The Muny, thank you.
“This is a historic and monumental accomplishment for this theatre and our community,” said Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. “The $100 Million goal – dream, really – was wildly ambitious and unprecedented. Because of the hard work, faith and generosity of so many, The Muny can continue to be “Alone In Its Greatness.”
“Reaching our $100 million goal was extremely important to me. Knowing that the final $10 million included gifts to honor my retirement was more than heartwarming. I’m proud, not only of the work we did but also of what this campaign has done and will make possible for The Muny for years to come.” said Muny President Emeritus Denny Reagan.
“Throughout this campaign, we have seen incredible generosity on full display and this successful final push to the goal was a remarkable testament of our community’s love for the theatre’s history and an investment in its future.” said Board and Campaign Chair Jim Turley. “It was also important to all of us that we completed this campaign in time to honor the unbelievable amount of work Denny put into the campaign and to recognize the legacy of excellence and stability he established.”
In addition to Steward Family Foundation and The Centene Charitable Foundation, the final group of gifts included support from the Bardol Chervitz Families, the Coleman Family, Donald Fassold, the Finerty Family Foundation, David Hogan, Mike Isaacson & Joe Ortmeyer, the Johnston Family Fund, Tim & Elizabeth Kertz, Ned & Sally Lemkemeier, Mr. & Mrs. William Scheffel and Mary & Joseph Stieven.
Launched in 2018 during The Muny’s centennial season, the Second Century Capital Campaign was a $100 million fundraising effort to fund major capital improvements including a complete rebuild of the Muny stage, the support, maintenance and upkeep of its 11.5-acre campus, and to build the theatre’s endowment, which supports The Muny’s ever-growing education and outreach programs. The endowment not only ensures a future of financial accessibility for The Muny’s community programs but also allows the outdoor theatre to respond to unforeseen events.
Transformational leadership gifts of $20 million made by Mr. & Mrs. James S. McDonnell III, and the Enterprise Holdings Foundation and the Taylor & Kindle families top an extensive list of supporters including the closing group announced above.
STAGES St. Louis is thrilled to announce that five team members of the Pre-Broadway production of THE KARATE KID – The Musical have been nominated for 2022 Tony Awards. Lighting Designer Bradley King, Scenic Designer Derek McLane, and Projection Designer Peter Nigrini each received nods, as did producer Kumiko Yoshii and STAGES St. Louis Executive Producer Jack Lane, when the full slate of this year’s nominees were announced May 9.
“I am thrilled for all of this year’s nominees, and most especially for my treasured collaborators on THE KARATE KID,” stated Kumiko Yoshii. “Today is a day of celebration for an industrthat has made a remarkable return to form.” King was nominated for Best Lighting Design of a Musical for FLYING OVER SUNSET, McLane and Nigrini were both nominated for Best Scenic Design of a Musical for MJ: THE MUSICAL.
Yoshii also serves as Co-Producer of MJ: THE MUSICAL, which earned 10 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, and Lane serves as a Co-Producer for COMPANY, which earned 9, including Best Revival of a Musical “These nominations are a testament to the caliber of talent that is surrounding THE KARATE KID – The Musical, and certainly add to the excitement of STAGES’ first Pre-Broadway World Premiere,” Jack Lane said. “What a great day for the city of St. Louis!”
THE KARATE KID – The Musical will “kick-off” the 36th Season at STAGES St. Louis at The Ross Family Theatre at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, running May 25 – June 26. Following the Pre-Broadway World Premiere will be the STAGES Premiere of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s To Award-Winning IN THE HEIGHTS (July 22 – August 21) and the return of the Pulitzer and Tony Award-Winning classic A CHORUS LINE (September 9 – October 9).
Tickets are on sale now online at StagesStLouis.org or by phone at 314.821.2407. For more information, please follow STAGES on Facebook and Instagram or visit StagesStLouis.org
Better Family Life, EarthDance Farms, Eckert’s Belleville Farm, and Metro Theater Company’s Studio are venues where very young audiences and their families can enjoy the musical and visual feast indoors and outdoors.
St. Louis’s premier professional theater for youth and families and St. Louis’ third-oldest professional theater company, presentsIn My Granny’s Garden—an ideal production for spring that celebrates the wonders of being outdoors and the magic of growing your own food. In My Granny’s Garden is inspired by the children’s book by acclaimed playwright and New York Times bestselling author Pearl Cleage and her husband, writer and director Zaron W. Burnett Jr. The production is presented in part thanks to the generous support of presenting sponsor, the Whitaker Foundation.
Metro Theater Company designed In My Granny’s Garden as a roving interactive production for St. Louis’s youngest audiences, touring the St. Louis metro area for six weeks with indoor and open air performances, including creative pod seating, at four different venues: Metro Theater Company Studio (May 13-16), Better Family Life (May 20-23), EarthDance Organic Farm School (June 3-12), and Eckert’s Belleville Farm (June 16-26). Pods for 2-6 people start at $48, and MTC’s special offering, Pay-What-You-Wish Pricing, is available at seven select performances. A virtual streaming option starting at $20 is also available June 1-26. Tickets for both live performances and streaming can be purchased at metroplays.org.
In My Granny’s Garden invites the youngest audiences and their families to explore the glory of growing your own food. Watch a tiny seed become a field of corn, green beans, collard greens, and bright red tomatoes. This fun, interactive musical experience is inspired by Pearl Cleage’s and Zaron W. Burnett Jr.’s children’s book, with original paintings by world-renowned artist Radcliffe Bailey. Little ones and their grown-ups step into a musical and visual feast to discover the one superpower that fuels Granny’s garden. Premium pod purchases include a copy of the picture book for families to enjoy long after seeing the production. In My Granny’s Garden promises to leave the very young nourished in body and soul. The production is 40 minutes with optional post-performance activities, and it’s best enjoyed by ages 0-8 and their grown-ups.
Metro Theater Company’s production of In My Granny’s Garden is directed by Rosemary Newcott, who is an award-winning director who spent 20 years as the Sally G. Tomlinson Artistic Director of Theatre for Youth and Families at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre. The 5-member cast of performers and musicians includes Syrhea Conaway, Alicia Revé Like, Colin McLaughlin, Camille Sharp, and Jenise Sheppard. In My Granny’s Garden was originally developed and produced by the Alliance Theatre (Atlanta, Georgia).
WHEN: May 13 – June 26, 2022Fridays at 4 p.m. Saturdays at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m.Sundays at 2 p.m., 4 p.m. Additional weekday morning performances offered May 16 & 23 and June 8, 9, 16 & 23 at 10 a.m. & 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: May 13-16: Metro Theater Company Studio (3311 Washington Ave, St. Louis) May 20-23: Better Family Life (5415 Page Blvd, St. Louis) June 3-12: EarthDance Organic Farm School (233 S. Dade Ave, Ferguson) June 16-26: Eckert’s Belleville Farm (951 S. Green Mt Rd, Belleville, IL) *Performances on June 10 at 4 p.m. and June 19 at 10 a.m. include audio description by MindsEye.
TICKETS: Pods for 2-6 people start at $48. Online virtual streaming begins at $20 and available June 1-26 through the MTC website https://www.metroplays.org/garden. (The video for the virtual streaming is from a filmed May performance.)
PAY-WHAT-YOU-WISH TICKETS: Metro Theater Company is committed to ensure that economic barriers do not prevent families from experiencing its programs. MTC is offering Pay-What-You-Wish tickets for live performances and virtual streaming on these dates: May 13 & 20 at 4pm May 21 at 10am, 11:30am & 2pm June 3 & 17 at 4 pm More information at https://www.metroplays.org/garden.
COVID-19 SAFETY: Metro Theater Company has been approved as Missouri ArtSafe Certified. MTC continues to update its policies to protect all patrons from COVID-19 exposure risks. For In My Granny’s Garden, the following safety measures apply: • Medically eligible guests ages 12+ must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and will be asked to show proof of vaccination. • Unvaccinated patrons ages 12+ with documented medical conditions must be able to provide a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of the performance or a negative antigen test taken within 6 hours of the performance• Mask wearing is required at indoors performances at Metro Theater Company Studio and Better Family Life. • Masks are not required while seated in purchased pods during open air performances at EarthDance Farms and Eckert’s Belleville Farm. For more detailed information on Metro Theater Company’s COVID health policies, please visit metroplays.org/covid.
SUPPORT: Whitaker Foundation is the presenting sponsor of In My Granny’s Garden.
Generous additional support is provided by the Saigh Foundation and Guy B. Jaffe & Judy Schwartz Jaffe Charitable Foundation of the St. Louis Community Foundation, with in kind support from Eckert’s and Bayer. Berges Family Foundation, Regional Arts Commission, Emerson, Crawford Taylor Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Centene Charitable Trust, and Missouri Arts Council provide season institutional support.
Streaming of In My Granny’s Garden is part of MTC Remote, a new virtual initiative supported by PNC Arts Alive.
About Metro Theater Company Since 1973, Metro Theater Company has been creating productions that respect young people’s intelligence, tell compelling stories, stimulate curiosity, and provoke thoughtful reflection. The Company has reached a total audience of more than two million and has a national reputation for excellence in the field of professional theater for young audiences. Metro Theater Company has received major honors and awards, both locally and nationally. The company is led by Artistic Director Julia Flood and Managing Director Joe Gfaller. For more information, please visit http://metroplays.org.
Zendaya, Ryan Reynolds and superheroes fared well in this year’s nominations announced for the annual MTV Movie & TV Awards, which will air live on Sunday, June 5, along with its recent spinoff, the all-reality “Movie & TV Awards: Unscripted,” also that evening, instead of a separate night. .
The awards show’s categories are gender-neutral, and many movie/TV categories have been combined. Known for unusual categories, they award Best Hero, Best Villain, Best Fight, Best Kiss, Best Team and Best Frightened.
Fans can vote across 26 categories starting Wednesday, May 11, through May 18 at 5 p.m. CST on vote.mtv.com.
More details will be announced at a later date, including hosts, performers and presenters.
MTV began the Movie Awards in 1992, then added TV in 2017.
Here are this year’s MTV Movie & TV nominees:
The Batman
BEST MOVIE “Dune” “Scream” “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings” “Spider-Man: No Way Home” “The Adam Project” “The Batman”
BEST SHOW “Euphoria” “Inventing Anna” “Loki” “Squid Game” “Ted Lasso” “Yellowstone”
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A MOVIE Lady Gaga – “House of Gucci” Robert Pattinson – “The Batman” Sandra Bullock – “The Lost City” Timothée Chalamet – “Dune” Tom Holland – “Spider-Man: No Way Home”
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SHOW Amanda Seyfried – “The Dropout” Kelly Reilly – “Yellowstone” Lily James – “Pam & Tommy” Sydney Sweeney – “Euphoria” Zendaya – “Euphoria”
Oscar Isaac
BEST HERO Daniel Craig – “No Time to Die” Oscar Isaac – “Moon Knight” Scarlett Johansson – “Black Widow” Simu Liu – “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” Tom Holland – “Spider-Man: No Way
BEST VILLAIN Colin Farrell – “The Batman” Daniel Radcliffe – “The Lost City” James Jude Courtney – “Halloween Kills” Victoria Pedretti – “You” Willem Dafoe – “Spider-Man: No Way Home”
BEST KISS Hunter Schafer & Dominic Fike – “Euphoria” Lily Collins & Lucien Laviscount – “Emily in Paris” Poopies & the snake – “Jackass Forever” Robert Pattinson & Zoë Kravitz – “The Batman” Tom Holland & Zendaya – “Spider-Man: No Way Home”
BEST COMEDIC PERFORMANCE Brett Goldstein – “Ted Lasso” John Cena – “Peacemaker” Johnny Knoxville – “Jackass Forever” Megan Stalter – “Hacks” Ryan Reynolds – “Free Guy”
Jason Sudeikis and Brett Goldstein in “Ted Lasso”
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE Alana Haim – “Licorice Pizza” Ariana DeBose – “West Side Story” Hannah Einbinder – “Hacks” Jung Ho-yeon – “Squid Game” Sophia Di Martino – “Loki”
BEST FIGHT Black Widow vs. Widows – “Black Widow” Cassie vs. Maddy – “Euphoria” Guy vs. Dude – “Free Guy” Shang-Chi bus fight – “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” Spider-Men end battle – “Spider-Man: No Way Home”
MOST FRIGHTENED PERFORMANCE Jenna Ortega – “Scream” Kyle Richards – “Halloween Kills” Mia Goth – “X” Millicent Simmonds – “A Quiet Place Part II” Sadie Sink – “Fear Street: Part Two 1978”
The three Spider-Mans
BEST TEAM “Loki” – Tom Hiddleston, Sophia Di Martino, Owen Wilson “Only Murders in the Building” – Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, Martin Short “Spider-Man: No Way Home” – Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire “The Adam Project” – Ryan Reynolds, Walker Scobell “The Lost City” – Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Brad Pitt
HERE FOR THE HOOKUP “Euphoria” “Never Have I Ever” “Pam & Tommy” “Sex/Life” “Sex Lives of College Girls”
BEST SONG “Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)” – Jennifer Hudson / “Respect” “Just Look Up” – Ariana Grande & Kid Cudi / “Don’t Look Up” “Little Star” – Dominic Fike / “Euphoria” “On My Way (Marry Me)” – Jennifer Lopez / “Marry Me” “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” – Encanto Cast / “Encanto”
And here are the 2022 nominees for the Movie & TV Awards: Unscripted:
RuPaul
BEST DOCU-REALITY SERIES “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation” “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta” “Selling Sunset” “Summer House” “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”
BEST COMPETITION SERIES “American Idol” “Dancing with the Stars” “RuPaul’s Drag Race” “The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies” “The Masked Singer”
BEST LIFESTYLE SHOW “Bar Rescue” “Dr. Pimple Popper” “Making It” “Selena + Chef” “Queer Eye”
BEST NEW UNSCRIPTED SERIES “Hart to Heart” “Teen Mom: Family Reunion” “The D’Amelio Show” “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip” “Queen of the Universe”
BEST REALITY STAR Chris “CT” Tamburello – “The Challenge” Chrishell Stause – “Selling Sunset” Lindsay Hubbard – “Summer House” Teresa Giudice – “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” Willow Pill – “RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14”
BEST REALITY ROMANCE Joe Amabile & Serena Pitt – “Bachelor in Paradise” Loren & Alexei Brovarnik – “Loren & Alexei: After the 90 Days” Nany Gonzalez & Kaycee Clark – “The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies” Tom Sandoval & Ariana Madix – “Vanderpump Rules” Yandy & Mendeecees – “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta”
BEST TALK /TOPICAL SHOW “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” “The Drew Barrymore Show” “The Kelly Clarkson Show” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”
THE KELLY CLARKSON SHOW — Episode 4055 — Pictured: Kelly Clarkson — (Photo by: Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
BEST HOST Charlamagne Tha God – “Tha God’s Honest Truth” Gordon Ramsay – “MasterChef” Kelly Clarkson – “The Kelly Clarkson Show” Rob Dyrdek – “Ridiculousness” RuPaul – “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
BREAKTHROUGH SOCIAL STAR Bella Poarch – @bellapoarch on TikTok Benito Skinner – @bennydrama7 on Instagram Caleb Hearon – @calebsaysthings on Twitter Khaby Lame – @khabylame on TikTok Megan Stalter – @megstalter on Instagram
BEST FIGHT Bosco vs. Lady Camden – “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Candiace Dillard Bassett vs. Mia Thornton – Salad toss fight – “The Real Housewives of Potomac” Christine Quinn vs. Chrishell Stause – “Selling Sunset” Danielle Olivera vs. Ciara Miller vs. Lindsay Hubbard– “Summer House” Margaret Josephs vs. Teresa Giudice – “The Real Housewives of New Jersey”
BEST REALITY RETURN Bethenny Frankel – “The Big Shot with Bethenny” Kylie Sonique Love – “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” Paris Hilton – “Cooking with Paris & Paris in Love” Sher – “Ex on the Beach” Tami Roman – “The Real World Homecoming: Los Angeles”
BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY “JANET JACKSON.” “jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy” “Oasis Knebworth 1996” “Olivia Rodrigo: driving home 2 u (a SOUR film)” “The Beatles: Get Back”
Nominations in 26 competitive categories for the American Theatre Wing’s 75th Annual Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards® were announced May 9 by Tony Award-winner Adrienne Warren and three-time Tony Nominee Joshua Henry. The nominees were selected by an independent committee of 29 theatre professionals appointed by the Tony Awards Administration Committee. The 2022 Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. (The list of nominations follows.)
Marking 75 years of excellence on Broadway, The Tony Awards, hosted by Ariana DeBose, will take place live from the legendary Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Sunday, June 12, 2022 (8:00 – 11:00 PM, LIVE ET/5:00 – 8:00 PM, LIVE PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming live and on demand on Paramount+. The celebration will commence at 7:00-8:00 PM, ET/4:00-5:00 PM, PT with exclusive content streaming only on Paramount+.
Legitimate theatrical productions opening in any of the 41 eligible Broadway theatres during the current season may be considered for Tony nominations. The 2021/2022 eligibility season began August 1, 2021 and ended Wednesday, May 4, 2022. The Tony Awards will be voted in 26 competitive categories by 650 designated Tony voters within the theatre community.
As previously announced, the 2022 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre will be presented to the Asian American Performers Action Coalition (AAPAC); Broadway For All; music copyist, Emily Grishman; Feinstein’s/54 Below and United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE. The Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award will be presented to Robert E. Wankel.
A Special Tony Award will be awarded to James C. Nicola, the Artistic Director of New York Theatre Workshop since 1988. Under his guidance, NYTW has remained steadfast to its founding commitment of nurturing emerging, mid-career and established theatre artists and promoting collaboration and bold experimentation with theatrical forms. Mr. Nicola initiated an extensive series of workshop opportunities that have continued for 25 years, including summer residencies and fellowships for artists representing a broad spectrum of cultures and backgrounds.
He forged a unique community of theatre artists, the Usual Suspects, which now boasts over 600 members and whose work has shaped our very idea of what theatre can be. As Artistic Director, Mr. Nicola has been instrumental in the development of many NYTW productions, including Jonathan Larson’s Rent; Tony Kushner’s Slavs! and Homebody/Kabul; Doug Wright’s Quills; Claudia Shear’s Blown Sideways Through Life and Dirty Blonde; Paul Rudnick’s The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told and Valhalla; Martha Clarke’s Vienna: Lusthaus; Will Power’s The Seven and Fetch Clay, Make Man; Caryl Churchill’s Mad Forest, Far Away, A Number and Love and Information; Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen’s Aftermath; Rick Elice’s Peter and the Starcatcher; Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová and Enda Walsh’s Once; David Bowie and Enda Walsh’s Lazarus; Dael Orlandersmith’s The Gimmick and Forever; Anaïs Mitchell’s Hadestown; Heidi Schreck’s What the Constitution Means to Me; Jeremy O. Harris’s Slave Play; Sam Gold’s production of Othello; and eight productions directed by Ivo van Hove.
The 2021-2022 Tony Award Nominating Committee consists of: Warren Adams, Bob Alwine, Becky Ann Baker, Pun Bandhu, Milly Barranger, Christopher Burney, Kathleen Chalfant, Eisa Davis, Jerry Dixon, Peter Jay Fernandez, Kamilah Forbes, Scott Frankel, Maija Garcia, M L Geiger, Ann Harada, Michael Kantor, Martyna Majok, John Mauceri, Jonathan McCrory, Sheila Nevins, James C. Nicola, Peter Parnell, Rosalba Rolón, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Don Scardino, Kimberly Senior, Randy Skinner, Michael Stotts and Michael Benjamin Washington.
The Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards are bestowed annually on theatre professionals for distinguished achievement. The Tony is one of the most coveted awards in the entertainment industry and the annual telecast is considered one of the most prestigious programs on television.
The 2022 American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. At The Broadway League, Lauren Reid is Chair and Charlotte St. Martin is President. At the American Theater Wing, Emilio Sosa is Chair and Heather A. Hitchens is President & CEO.
Six
Nominations for the 2022 American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards®
Presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing
Best Book of a Musical
Girl From The North Country
Conor McPherson
MJ
Lynn Nottage
Mr. Saturday Night
Billy Crystal, Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel
Paradise Square
Christina Anderson, Craig Lucas & Larry Kirwan
A Strange Loop
Michael R. Jackson
A Strange Loop
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Flying Over Sunset
Music: Tom Kitt Lyrics: Michael Korie
Mr. Saturday Night
Music: Jason Robert Brown Lyrics: Amanda Green
Paradise Square
Music: Jason Howland Lyrics: Nathan Tysen & Masi Asare
SIX: The Musical
Music and Lyrics: Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss
A Strange Loop
Music & Lyrics: Michael R. Jackson
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Simon Russell Beale, The Lehman Trilogy Adam Godley, The Lehman Trilogy Adrian Lester, The Lehman Trilogy David Morse, How I Learned to Drive Sam Rockwell, American Buffalo Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Lackawanna Blues David Threlfall, Hangmen
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Gabby Beans, The Skin of Our Teeth LaChanze, Trouble in Mind Ruth Negga, Macbeth Deirdre O’Connell, Dana H. Mary-Louise Parker, How I Learned to Drive
2. Billy Crystal in MR. SATURDAY NIGHT. Photo by Matthew Murphy 2022
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Billy Crystal, Mr. Saturday Night Myles Frost, MJ Hugh Jackman, The Music Man Rob McClure, Mrs. Doubtfire Jaquel Spivey, A Strange Loop
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Sharon D Clarke, Caroline, or Change Carmen Cusack, Flying Over Sunset Sutton Foster, The Music Man Joaquina Kalukango, Paradise Square Mare Winningham, Girl From The North Country
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Alfie Allen, Hangmen Chuck Cooper, Trouble in Mind Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Take Me Out Ron Cephas Jones, Clyde’s Michael Oberholtzer, Take Me Out Jesse Williams, Take Me Out
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Uzo Aduba, Clyde’s Rachel Dratch, POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive Kenita R. Miller, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf Phylicia Rashad, Skeleton Crew Julie White, POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive Kara Young, Clyde’s
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Matt Doyle, Company Sidney DuPont, Paradise Square Jared Grimes, Funny Girl John-Andrew Morrison, A Strange Loop A.J. Shively, Paradise Square
Patti LuPone
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Jeannette Bayardelle, Girl From The North Country Shoshana Bean, Mr. Saturday Night Jayne Houdyshell, The Music Man L Morgan Lee, A Strange Loop Patti LuPone, Company Jennifer Simard, Company
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Beowulf Boritt, POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive Michael Carnahan and Nicholas Hussong, Skeleton Crew Es Devlin, The Lehman Trilogy Anna Fleischle, Hangmen Scott Pask, American Buffalo Adam Rigg, The Skin of Our Teeth
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Beowulf Boritt and 59 Productions, Flying Over Sunset Bunny Christie, Company Arnulfo Maldonado, A Strange Loop Derek McLane and Peter Nigrini, MJ Allen Moyer, Paradise Square
Best Costume Design of a Play
Montana Levi Blanco, The Skin of Our Teeth Sarafina Bush, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf Emilio Sosa, Trouble in Mind Jane Greenwood, Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite Jennifer Moeller, Clyde’s
Diana The Musical
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Fly Davis, Caroline, or Change Toni-Leslie James, Paradise Square William Ivey Long, Diana, The Musical Santo Loquasto, The Music Man Gabriella Slade, SIX: The Musical Paul Tazewell, MJ
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Joshua Carr, Hangmen Jiyoun Chang, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf Jon Clark, The Lehman Trilogy Jane Cox, Macbeth Yi Zhao, The Skin of Our Teeth
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Neil Austin, Company Tim Deiling, SIX: The Musical Donald Holder, Paradise Square Natasha Katz, MJ Bradley King, Flying Over Sunset Jen Schriever, A Strange Loop
Best Sound Design of a Play
Justin Ellington, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf Mikhail Fiksel, Dana H. Palmer Hefferan, The Skin of Our Teeth Nick Powell and Dominic Bilkey, The Lehman Trilogy Mikaal Sulaiman, Macbeth
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Simon Baker, Girl From The North Country Paul Gatehouse, SIX: The Musical Ian Dickinson for Autograph, Company Drew Levy, A Strange Loop Gareth Owen, MJ
Best Direction of a Play
Lileana Blain-Cruz, The Skin of Our Teeth Camille A. Brown, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf Sam Mendes, The Lehman Trilogy Neil Pepe, American Buffalo Les Waters, Dana H.
Best Direction of a Musical
Stephen Brackett, A Strange Loop Marianne Elliott, Company Conor McPherson, Girl From The North Country Lucy Moss & Jamie Armitage, SIX: The Musical Christopher Wheeldon, MJ
Paradise Square
Best Choreography
Camille A. Brown, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf Warren Carlyle, The Music Man Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, SIX: The Musical Bill T. Jones, Paradise Square Christopher Wheeldon, MJ
Best Orchestrations
David Cullen, Company Tom Curran, SIX: The Musical Simon Hale, Girl From The North Country Jason Michael Webb and David Holcenberg, MJ Charlie Rosen, A Strange Loop
Author: Martin McDonagh Producers: Robert Fox, Jean Doumanian, Elizabeth I. McCann, Craig Balsam, Atlantic Theater Company, Jon B. Platt, Len Blavatnik, Richard Fishman, John Gore Organization, Stephanie P. McClelland, David Mirvish, The Shubert Organization, Jamie deRoy/Sandy Robertson, Patrick Myles/Alexander ‘Sandy’ Marshall, M. Kilburg Reedy/Excelsior Entertainment, Playful Productions, The Royal Court Theatre
The Lehman Trilogy
Author: Stefano Massini, Ben Power Producers: National Theatre, Neal Street Productions, Barry Diller, David Geffen, Kash Bennett, Lisa Burger, Caro Newling, Ambassador Theatre Group, Stephanie P. McClelland, Annapurna Theatre, Delman Whitney, Craig Balsam/Heni Koenigsberg/John Yonover, Fiery Angel/Seth A. Goldstein, Starry Night Entertainment, Gavin Kalin Productions, Paul & Selina Burdell/Bill Damaschke, 42nd.club/Phil & Claire Kenny, CatWenJam Productions, Amanda Dubois, Glass Half Full Productions, Dede Harris/Linda B. Rubin, Kallish Weinstein Creative, Kors Le Pere Theatricals LLC, James L. Nederlander, No Guarantees, Mark Pigott KBE, KStJ, Playing Field, Catherine Schreiber/Adam Zell, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Richard Winkler/Alan Shorr/Dawn Smalberg, The Shubert Organization, Independent Presenters Network, John Gore Organization, Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Jillian Robbins
The Minutes
Author: Tracy Letts Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Rebecca Gold, Carl Moellenberg, Spencer Ross, Louise Gund, Elizabeth Armstrong, Blakeman Entertainment, HornosBerger, Across the River Productions, Stewart F. Lane/Bonnie Comley/Leah Lane, Jayne Baron Sherman, Kathleen K. Johnson, Emily Dobbs, Robert Flicker, Jacob Soroken Porter, The Shubert Organization, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Skeleton Crew
Author: Dominique Morisseau Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove
MJ
Best Musical
Girl From The North Country
Producers: Tristan Baker & Charlie Parsons for Runaway Entertainment, Steven Lappin, Sony Music Entertainment/Sony ATV, David Mirvish, Len Blavatnik, The Dodgers, Eric & Marsi Gardiner, Dianne Roberts, John Gore Organization, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Tommy Mottola, Independent Presenters Network, Rod Kaats, Diana DiMenna, Mary Beth O’Connor, Barbara H. Freitag, Patrick Catullo, Aaron Lustbader, The Old Vic, Matthew Warchus, Kate Varah, Georgia Gatti, The Public Theater, Oskar Eustis, Patrick Willingham, Mandy Hackett
MJ
Producers: Lia Vollack, John Branca, John McClain, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Music Entertaiment, Roy Furman, Cue to Cue Productions, James L. Nederlander, Kumiko Yoshii, Naoya Kinoshita, Latitude Link, Candy Spelling, Stephen C. Byrd, John Gore Organization, Sandy Robertson, Ed Walson, Peter W. May, CJ ENM, Martin Bandier, Michael Cassel Group, Albert Nocciolino, Playful Productions, Ken Schur, Willette & Manny Klausner, Doug Morris, Michael David, Estate of Michael Jackson
Mr. Saturday Night
Producers: James L. Nederlander, Face Productions, Inc., Hunter Arnold, Michael Cohl, TEG Dainty, Candy Spelling, Steve Traxler, Marc David Levine, Caiola Productions, Crossroads Live, Jamie deRoy, Roy Furman, Arny Granat, Grove Entertainment, John Gore Organization, Wolf Gutterman, Van Kaplan, Larry Magid, Peter May, Carl Moellenberg, Beth W. Newburger, Albert Nocciolino, Eva Price, Iris Smith, The Shubert Organization, Howard Tenenbaum, Barry and Fran Weissler
Paradise Square
Producers: Garth H. Drabinsky, Peter LeDonne, Jeffrey A. Sine, Matthew C. Blank, Joe Crowley, RSR Finance LLC, Hunter & Mariana Milborne, Len Blavatnik, Joseph Coffey, Sherry Wright & Craig Haffner, Bernard Abrams, James Scrivanich, Rick Chad, Arthur M. Kraus, Broadway & Beyond Theatricals, Brian Luborsky, Gilbert & Elisa Palter, The Shubert Organization, Terry Schnuck, Urban One, Inc., Robert Wolf, Richard Stursberg, Mark W. Everson, Sanjay Govil, Jeremiah J. Harris, Amabel James, Sheila C. Johnson, Dennis Mehiel, Louise H. & John G. Beard, Henry R. Muñoz, III & Kyle Ferari Muñoz, Walter Swett, Zachary Florence, Berkeley Repertory Theatre
SIX: The Musical
Producers: Kenny Wax, Wendy & Andy Barnes, George Stiles, Kevin McCollum, Chicago Shakespeare Theater
A Strange Loop
Producers: Barbara Whitman, Pasek, Paul & Stafford, Hunter Arnold, Marcia Goldberg, Alex Levy & James Achilles, Osh Ashruf, A Choir Full Productions, Don Cheadle & Bridgid Coulter Cheadle, Paul Oakley Stovall, Jimmy Wilson, Annapurna Theatre, Robyn Coles, Creative Partners Productions, Robyn Gottesdiener, Kayla Greenspan, Grove Entertainment, Kuhn, Lewis & Scott, Frank Marshall, Maximum Effort Productions Inc., Joey Monda, Richard Mumby, Phenomenal Media & Meena Harris, Marc Platt & Debra Martin Chase, Laurie Tisch, Yonge Street Theatricals, Dodge Hall Productions/JJ Malley, Cody Renard Richard, John Gore Organization, James L. Nederlander, The Shubert Organization, RuPaul Charles, Alan Cumming, Ilana Glazer, Jennifer Hudson, Mindy Kaling, Billy Porter, Page 73 Productions, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Playwrights Horizons
The Girl from North Country
Best Revival of a Play
American Buffalo
Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Steve Traxler, Stephanie P. McClelland, GFour Productions, Spencer Ross, Gemini Theatrical, Chris and Ashlee Clarke, Suna Said Maslin, Ted & Richard Liebowitz/Cue to Cue Productions, Patty Baker/Good Productions, Brad Blume, Caiola Productions, Joanna Carson, Arthur Kern, Willette Klausner, Jeremiah J. Harris and Darren P. Deverna, Van Kaplan, Patrick Myles/David Luff, Alexander Marshall, Ambassador Theatre Group, Kathleen K. Johnson, Diego Kolankowsky, Steve and Jacob Levy, Morwin Schmookler, Brian Moreland, Jacob Soroken Porter, The Shubert Organization
for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf
Producers: Nelle Nugent, Ron Simons, Kenneth Teaton, Ellen Ferguson and Vivian Phillips, Willette and Manny Klausner, Hunter Arnold, Dale Franzen, Valencia Yearwood, One Community, Audible, Dennis Grimaldi, Terry Nardozzi and Tracey Knight Narang, Grace Nordhoff/Mickalene Thomas, Angelina Fiordellisi/Caiola Productions, The Public Theater, Oskar Eustis, Patrick Willingham, Mandy Hackett
How I Learned to Drive
Author: Paula Vogel Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove, Daryl Roth, Cody Lassen, Vineyard Theatre
Take Me Out
Producers: Second Stage Theater, Carole Rothman, Khady Kamara
Trouble in Mind
Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Julia C. Levy, Sydney Beers, Steve Dow
Best Revival of a Musical
Caroline, or Change
Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Julia C. Levy, Sydney Beers, Steve Dow, Lot’s Wife, Hunter Arnold, Caiola Productions/Willette & Manny Klausner, Chambers -D’Angora/Joseph & Alyson Graci
Company
Producers: Elliott & Harper Productions, The Shubert Organization, Catherine Schreiber, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Crossroads Live, Anapurna Theatre, Hunter Arnold, No Guarantees, Jon B. Platt, Michael Watt, John Gore Organization, Tim Levy, Grove – REG, Hornos – Mollenberg, Levine – Federman – Adler, Beard – Merrie – Robbins, LD Entertainment/Madison Wells Live, Benjamin Lowy/Roben Alive, Daryl Roth/Tom Tuft, Salmira Productions/Caiola Productions, Aged in Wood/Lee – Sachs, Berinstein – Lane/42nd.club, Boyett – Miller/Hodges – Kukieiski, Finn – DeVito/Independent Presenters Network, Armstrong – Ross/Gilad – Rogowsky, Boardman – Koenigsberg/Zell – Seriff, Concord Theatricals – Scott Sanders Productions/Abrams – May, deRoy – Brunish/Jenen – Rubin, Fakston Productions/Sabi – Lerner – Ketner, Maggio – Abrams/Hopkins – Tackel, Levy & Chauviere, Jujamcyn Theaters
The Music Man
Producers: Barry Diller, David Geffen, Kate Horton, Fictionhouse
The Music Man
Tony Nominations by Production
A Strange Loop – 11
MJ – 10
Paradise Square – 10
Company – 9
The Lehman Trilogy – 8
SIX: The Musical – 8
for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf – 7
Girl From The North Country – 7
The Music Man – 6
The Skin of Our Teeth – 6
Clyde’s – 5
Hangmen – 5
Mr. Saturday Night – 5
American Buffalo – 4
Flying Over Sunset – 4
Take Me Out – 4
Trouble in Mind – 4
Caroline, or Change – 3
Dana H. – 3
How I Learned to Drive – 3
Macbeth – 3
POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive – 3
A tender drama with plenty of gallows humor throughout, director Panah Panahi’s debut feature, “Hit the Road,” speaks to universal fears while slyly critiquing an oppressive political system.
The film centers around a family of four embarking on a road trip across the Iranian countryside. Farid (Amin Simiar), a withdrawn, soft-spoken 20-something, needs to leave the country for mostly ambiguous reasons. His grizzled father (Hassan Madjooni) has a broken leg and wry wit, occupying the backseat of their cramped van with Farid’s wildly energetic younger brother (Rayan Sarlak).
The little chap remains equal parts annoying and sweet — a shining beacon of optimism amidst the impending gloom of Farid’s separation. Farid’s brave, deeply worried mother (Pantea Panahiha) can barely contain her anxiety. Her momentary slides into hopelessness are alleviated by the strength of her familial bonds. There’s also a dying dog in the back of the van that the parents are trying to abandon, without telling the kid the truth about her condition.
As the family members bicker, laugh, argue, and cry together, “Hit the Road” cements itself as one of 2022’s most confident, multifaceted, and tonally ingenious works thus far. Panahi, the son of legendary Iranian director Jafar Panahi (currently forbidden from leaving Iran himself), depicts a lovable group of characters navigating a situation which none of them are fully prepared for, illuminating complex human dynamics that are easy to relate to, no matter one’s culture.
It’s striking how much nuanced character work Panahi packs into a 93-minute runtime. Dialogue, acting, cinematography, editing, and score combine to lend each interaction metaphysical weight. Indeed, the heaviness of their destination is counterbalanced by moments of often humorous connection — an equally powerful force that fights against the controlling hand of authority they’re quietly rebelling against.
With the parents providing deadpan commentary, music blaring on the speakers, and the youngest causing mischief, “Hit the Road” captures the group’s infectious energy to entertaining effect. Sardonic dialogue, particularly from the father, pokes fun at the absurdity of their circumstances yet never undermines the tragedy at the core of it all, even as viewers are left in the dark on the specifics.
It’s also clear, however, that these moments of shared levity mask the adults’ grief. Panahi brilliantly illustrates this tension — the film can shift from hectic to profoundly melancholic in the blink of an eye, especially when characters are (briefly) alone with their thoughts. They frequently stare directly into the camera, a type of existential void, until jolted back into the present.
Each of the central actors are astounding, with not a weak link among them. Simiar convincingly conveys Farid’s heightening fear and quiet suffering, his stoic facial expressions belying barely repressed sadness. Similarly, Panahiha is absolutely heartbreaking as his mother — vividly portraying her inner battle to maintain positivity while preparing to say goodbye to her eldest son.
Madjooni embodies his aging paternal figure with layered complexity, as his character struggles to disguise his concern through a veneer of gruff, amusingly deadpan masculinity. The real star of the show is Sarlak, whose imaginative personality and innocence becomes a grounding presence for the adults as they each gradually slide into depressed emptiness. Still, they can only shield him so long from the horrors of the world, and from changes that will permanently affect his life going forward.
Amin Jafari’s cinematography does a brilliant job at visualizing their descent into the unknown. The initially claustrophobic, tightly framed compositions take on additional meaning when the camera eventually zooms out during climactic moments — often framing subjects against expansive, fog-drenched mountain ranges that render them tiny specks in an intimidating environment; tiny specks, though, that are forever connected in the vast cosmos.
Although “Hit the Road” is occasionally too blunt in its symbolism, Panahi’s film expertly examines the psychological impacts of change, of leaving loved ones for an uncertain future, of the power of family bonds to keep us whole when others want to tear us apart. This is a story that needs to be told, and a directorial debut that bears the marks of a true master.
“Hit the Road” is a 2021 Iranian drama directed by Panah Panahi and starring Hassan Madjooni, Pantea Panahiha, Rayan Sarlak and Amin Simiar. It runs 1 hour, 33 minutes and is in Persian with English subtitles, and is not rated. It opened in select theatres on April 22 and will be released on streaming July 19. Alex’s Grade: A.
May 10 is National Fentanyl Awareness Day – Let’s Do Something Before More People Die
By Lynn Venhaus Today, May 10, is National Fentanyl Awareness Day. The use of illegally-made fentanyl is fueling a national health crisis — it is an epidemic affecting all Americans, and we need to do more.
Sunday, many mothers were unable to mark their special day with their dear sons and daughters who lost their lives because of fentanyl. This is personal to so many of your friends, relatives and neighbors. It is a tragedy for families, ripped apart, ruined, broken. More than 500,000 Americans have died from overdoses the past 20 years. Fentanyl is a factor in more half of overdose deaths. Less than 0.007% of an ounce of fentanyl causes certain death. Statistics indicate 42,700 fentanyl overdose deaths occurred in 2020.
Start with education — it is key. Fentanyl is a potent lab-made opioid, and a cheap and addictive filler getting added to illegally-made drugs at alarming rates.
People are using it unintentionally and dying from overdoses as a result. Even if you don’t use non-prescribed drugs, chances are that you know someone who has been impacted by the current crisis.
On this #NationalFentanylAwarenessDay, please learn more about the risks associated with fentanyl, and what you can do to prevent, recognize, and reverse overdoses. From US Senator Maggie Hassan from New Hampshire: “Granite Staters know all too well the devastating effects of the substance misuse epidemic, and as fentanyl continues to harm families and communities, we must keep raising awareness about this deadly substance. We are increasingly seeing fentanyl-laced drugs disguised as prescription drugs, which means that many Americans are unknowingly ingesting fentanyl with dire health consequences. Fentanyl Awareness Day is crucial to keeping people informed about these types of risks, and also to reduce the stigma to seeking help.
“I am heartened that addressing this crisis is not a partisan issue: I’ve worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to crack down on illegal drug trafficking of fentanyl and support those struggling with substance misuses. I will continue to work across the aisle to help communities stay safe in the face of this serious threat.”
Senator Hassan has led efforts to target illicit fentanyl trafficking, and the most recent annual defense bill included Senator Hassan’s bipartisan bill with Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) to hold accountable countries such as China that are facilitating America’s fentanyl-fueled opioid crisis. The Senator recently joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in introducing legislation to implement new penalties for counterfeit pill production.
Write to DEA Administrator Anne Milgram to combat the rise of dangerous drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine disguised as prescription drugs.
We need to do more. We need to pressure lawmakers to do something. We must crack down on international drug trafficking and provide more resources to law enforcement to help stop the flow of illegal drugs into communities.
And if you need a Call to Action, watch the documentary “The Crime of the Century,” which is in two parts. First one is oxycontin, second one is fentanyl. Trailer:https://youtu.be/SkU75sBdjdU
More lives will be lost if people continue to look the other way.
Here are signs of overdoses: Loss of consciousness Unresponsive to outside stimulus Awake, but unable to talk Breathing is very slow and shallow, erratic, or has stopped For lighter skinned people, the skin tone turns bluish purple, for darker skinned people, it turns grayish or ashen Choking sounds, or a snore-like gurgling noise (sometimes called the “death rattle”) Vomiting Body is very limp Face is very pale or clammy Fingernails and lips turn blue or purplish black Pulse (heartbeat) is slow, erratic, or not there at all
National help is also available at findtreatment.gov Partnership to End Addiction: https://drugfree.org/get-support/ More information: https://www.hhs.gov/opioids/about-the-epidemic/index.html
Two oil-and-water grown brothers, Valene and Coleman Connor, constantly bicker and fight like two Rock ‘em, Sock ‘em Robots – but real physical and psychological damage takes place in “The Lonesome West.”
That’s a calling card of Irish playwright Martin McDonagh, whose works, often involving dysfunction, are mostly bleak, dark, and if a pitch-black comedy, outrageously funny.
Such is the case in West End Players Guild’s hardscrabble production, running through May 8, of McDonagh’s 1997 play, part of his Connemara trilogy (Tony winner “The Beauty Queen of Leenane” and “A Skull in Connemara” being the others). It was Tony nominated for Best Play in 1999, when it transferred to Broadway.
The middle-aged brothers escalate violence over the most mundane things – such as bags of Taytos’ ‘crisps’ (chips). Think “The Odd Couple,” only more gruesome and foul-mouthed.
While McDonagh’s contemporary play is not as well-constructed as Sam Shepard’s “True West” about two battling brothers that at times, resembles a Looney Tunes’ roadrunner and coyote cartoon, the material is suitable for an acting showcase.
And WEPG rises to the challenges, with strong production values and outstanding performances.
It’s just that hurling insults gets tedious, and the story has no where to go after two and a half hours.
The amount of physicality required of Jeff Kargus as Valene and Jason Meyers as Coleman is enormous, and they are ferocious onstage, with a toughness and single-mindedness that is stunning.
Their agility in movement is matched by their full immersion into the Irish dialect, which is superb all throughout the two-act drama-comedy.
The remarkable dexterity Kargus and Meyers display as these difficult characters indicates much dedication to getting all aspects right. One must note the superb work of fight director and weapons supervisor Michael Monsey for his intense choreography.
Kargus, never better, has long passages of dialogue to deliver as the more sympathetic and dutiful brother, as Meyers’s Coleman is maniacal, likely a psychopath, has shot his father and will likely kill again – and no one would be surprised if Valene was his target.
Shades of Cain and Abel, and that is not a joke. Both are examples of arrested development, but Connor is a one-note character compared to Valene. As the hot-head, Meyers outbursts of rage quickly build in a matter of seconds, but he is not always convincing in depicting menace. He’s downright cruel about his brother’s religious figurines – and you’ll find out about the dog soon enough.
Valene isn’t entirely innocent, for they have antagonized and done horrible things to each other over the years. Kargus does a fine job conveying his character’s peculiarities perfectly, including a fascination with the old ABC western “Alias Smith and Jones,” which ran for three seasons from 1971-73, patterned after the wildly popular film “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” Apparently, it made a huge impact on Valene as a youth (or maybe home video).
The reason it is brought up in conversation is part of a bigger discussion on suicide, and whether the individual goes to heaven or hell. The Catholic Church believes those who kill themselves do not ascend to heaven, although there is some debate.
When a rash of suicides in the small town take place, people talk. Which leads to the old TV show discussion, because actor Peter Duel, 31, died of a self-inflicted gunshot after the first season.
That’s only one of the stream-of-conscience discussions in the shabby abode where the brothers live in the rural town of Leenane, in County Galway, where there is a shocking underbelly of mayhem and far too many strange-circumstances fatalities.
Scenic designer Brad Slavik has fashioned a very specific kitchen-living room combo with splendid detail while Frank Goudsmit’s props establish how the brothers live in an old farmhouse.
Tony Anselmo’s lighting design reflects the different moods and a more unsettling nighttime, while Jenn Ciaverella manages a sharp sound design – the Chieftains’s folk music is a good choice to play before the show and during intermission.
Under Robert Ashton’s fluid direction, the ensemble works together well, with Ted Drury as the hapless local priest Father Welsh and Hannah Geisz as Girleen Kelleher. Their comic timing is crisp, as is their ability to not break character, no matter how daffy or audacious the dialogue sounds.
Drury’s booze-swilling, advice-giving priest is hell-bent on saving the brothers’ relationship, but realizes it’s hopeless, and his despair is palpable.
Ashton has included a handy reference sheet to explain some of the Irish terms, such as poteen – meaning moonshine. You’ll see the men drinking copious amounts of the hooch, which is made from potatoes.
McDonagh, an Oscar nominee for writing “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” doesn’t seem to have an endgame here, which is frustrating, but at least what WEPG does with it is impressive.
Photos by John Lamb
West End Players Guild presents Martin McDonagh’s “The Lonesome West” from April 29 through May 8 at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union in the Central West End. For more information or tickets, visit westendplayers.org
The West End Players Guild is employing touchless ticketing, socially-distanced seating and indoor masking of all patrons, front of house staff and volunteers.
