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Eleventh in a series of Broadway reports

NEW YORK — It’s not often I go to see a play because of a tiger. A puppet tiger. In the case of “Life of Pi,” a Bengal tiger puppet, plus a fistful of other denizens of the jungle, create a strange menagerie of animals centerstage at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway through July 23.

The life-sized tiger puppet is the remarkable centerpiece and is a beast that comes to life, thanks to puppeteer Finn Caldwald, who generates the awesome and realistic movements with a team of three handlers.

 Hiran Abeysekra is Pi Pital, who faces a Bengal tiger in “Life of Pi.”

It’s a visual and memorable show you’re not likely forget, even if the trio maneuvering the fake tiger are visible. They make it alive and fearful.

But “Pi” failed to be among the Best Play nominees in the recent Tonys, impacting attendance amid a fragile element on Broadway; despite earning three technical trophies for scenic design for Tim Hatley and Andrze Goulding, lighting design for Ti mLutkin and sound design for Carolyn Downing, the victory has not equated to ticket sales. “Leopoldstad” picked up the coveted Best Play and four other prizes.

The tiger has name, Richard Drake, and is shown here lurking in “Pi.”

“Pi” is a drama based on a novel by Yann Martel, adapted for the stage by Lolita Chakbarati, recreating on stage the haps in the movie of the same name.

Until recently, Hiran Abeysekera has been portraying Pi Patel, a lad marooned on a small boat co-habitated by the jungle beast. He originated his Olivier-winning performance in London, but just departed the role on July 9.

His replacement, who jumped into the boat on July 11, will be played by Uma Paranipe, in a gender-bending switch, not that a female can’t enact the part. The change will give the show a new flavor and feeling. Paranipe has been an understudy who has, on occasion, played Pi, and she will be in the lead through the planned closure of the production. A tour in the fall of 2024 is planned, specifics not yet known.

The human cast of “Pi” shown here aboard a cargo ship.

Directed by Max Webster, “Pi” has got to seen to be believed. The adventure of Indian origins  is set in India and Mexico on land, and in the middle of the Pacific when the central tiger puppet is at sea with a human, each attempting to gain territorial rights in a round-the-clock vigil of survival. So noted and powerful is the animal, its zookeeper handlers named him Richard Parker.

The plot is thin, but the choreographic maneuvers aboard the little boat is a dance of skill and agility.

Fin Caldwell is the puppet designer and is one of the handlers of his creation.

Pi is a patient at a non-descript hospital in Mexico, as the tale begins. He was aboard a Japanese cargo ship sailing from Pondicherry, India and destined for Canada, but it sank at sea; all passengers, including Pi’s parents, perished in the seas.

Because Pi survived a 227-day ordeal at sea, along with Richard Parker, hospital officials question him about what happened, with disbelief.

Investigators Okamoto (Daisuke Tsuji) from the Japanese Ministry of Transport, and Lulu Chen (Kirstin Louie) representing the Canadian Embassy, grill him intensely and cannot believe what seems to be a bad dream.

So Pi offers them two versions, to give them a choice. A real, perhaps exaggerated tale, and one that is sanitized, without the animal.

There are shifting moments; the hospital switches to the boat, then back to the room. Since the hospital bed and the boat appear to be similar in size, the back-and-forth switches can blur the reality.

The puppetry is what’s extremely incredible, with vigorous moves with the Pi character, in back-and-forth, encircling jerks like wrestlers trying to outdo the other in the ring. The tiger also roars, for an extra dose of stamina, and the 24/7 match includes brief moments of rest – and site changes.

Even without the presence of a watery ocean, the imagination fills in the blanks and the see-sawing territorial quest seems awfully real. Themes of co-habitation are suggested, rather than a survival-of-the-fittest tone, so the beast can be a buddy, and vice versa. Equality issues come into mind and no one is the enemy.

If ever you have a chance to view “Pi,” do so; you’ll have tiger in your tank, and you’ll be roaring with delight. …

And that’s Show Biz. …

‘Life of Pi’

“Life of Pi’ is a drama based on a novel by Yann Martel and adapted by Lolita Chakbararti, inspired by the movie by the same name. Directed by Max Webster, with puppetry and movement by Finn Caldwell, puppetry design by Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, scenic and costume design by Carolyn Downing, lighting design by Tim Lutkin, sound design by Carolyn Downing, video design and animation by Andrezej Golding, music by Andrew T. Mackay and dramaturg by Jack Bradley

Playing at the Gerald Schoenberg Theatre on Broadway, through July 23

Puppets have become visibly plentiful

Richard Parker, the so-named life-sized Bengal tiger puppet in the Broadway drama, “Life of Pi,” is an astonishing cast member earning hurrahs from the audience.

It takes three handlers to make the tiger growl and prowl, on a tiny boat that ultimately is the jaw-dropping center of attraction.

But puppets have been popping up in Broadway shows quite often, though not enough yet to indicate a trend. Pictured here: Poobaa from “Lion King,” Milky Way from “Into the Woods,” and the “War Horse” horse.

In New York’s last revival of “Into the Woods,” one of the whimsical and charming cast characters was Milky White, a puppet with a single handler. It could moo, prance, and mourn; it was a bit  skeletal, not meaty,  in appearance.  In some stagings, of the Stephen Sondheim musical of fractured fairy tale characters, Milky White also has been portrayed by an actor inside a cow costume.

Perhaps the earlier drama, “War Horse,” a World War I tale about a lad and his horse separated because of the battle, legitimized the employment of puppets. This one was a  life-size horse puppet which the boy, Joey, could ride. Five handlers – visible to the audience — were responsible in helping the horse trot and gallop.

Of course, “The Lion King” has a lion’s share of puppets – typified by cartoonish characters like Timon and Pumbaa – but including hand-held birds and prancing animals on the plains, and humans with headgear depicting the lion kingdom.

“Avenue Q,” notably, featured a roster of kiddy-like critters, many hand-puppets manipulated by actors. And Audrey II, the carnivorous plant in “Little Shop of Horrors,” can be considered a puppet, too…

And that’s Show Biz. …

Tenth in a series of Broadway reports

NEW YORK – Sometimes you buy tickets to a show because of the music; in this case, the songbook focused on the life and times of Neil Diamond. And I love his songs.

So securing tickets to this one, knowing it’s specifically targeted for his fan base— was a risk. I knew this production has been negatively reviewed and snubbed in this year’s Tony Awards.

Still, the show was included in the awards fest, despite its shortcomings, and arguably, the TV exposure fueled more of his followers to continue filling the seats.

So there I was, in the audience of the production.

Will Swenson, as the “then” Neil Diamond, in “A Beautiful Noise.“

Songs aside, this one is no “Jersey Boys,” “Ain’t Too Proud” (the Temptations’ biological musical) or “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” of seasons past.

Mark Jacob, left, in armchair, is the “now” Diamond, with doctor Linda Powell, right.

Throughout his career, Diamond has been somewhat of a reluctant star, so the book here is the problem – particularly since Diamond’s life is rather dull. And to  hook the story with Nei Now (Mark Jacoby), the elderly Diamond, to psychological analysis with a doctor (Linda Powell) — in matching armchairs, no less – was dubious. The talkfast was at the beginning, throughout the middle, and the end of the production and was, simply, tedious.

Call it  narration and reflection, boring  and  disruptive.

Will Swenson, the “then” Diamond, has a soaring voice and fan-worthy swagger to portray the  developing singer-composer, from early years in non-descript bluejeans to his glam and glorious primetime, with requisite glitter, sequin and rhinestone flared pantsuits, and Elvis-like posturing, minus the cape.

The “then” Diamond was mainly a solitary man, plagued by insecurity and doubt, as described in one of his hits, with two failed marriages and f a third that finally worked.

Like his peers in his time frame – the aforementioned Carole King included – he had dreams of connecting with the song factory crowd ticking within the fabled Brill Building in New York (I passed the landmark on a Broadway stroll). It’s where Ellie Greenwich’s (Bri Sudia) mentorship gave him confidence to evolve as a major singer-composer-hitmaker to come out of his shell.

Swenson, the “then” Diamond, reaching out as a maturing songsmith.

Remember, Diamond wrote music for others early in his career, including “I’m a Believer” for The Monkees, and he began to be noticed.  

His personal strife – like a second marriage that implodes – led to the composition of one of his biggies, “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,” a personal hit he recorded with Barbra Streisand. It was a distinct demonstration of his maturation as a songsmith.

Jacoby’s matured Diamond has a sparkle, too, for instance on “I Am … I Said.” And he also has a hand (well, voice) in the obvious finale sing-and-cheer-along “Sweet Caroline,” the joyous audience sing-along triumph (“So good, so good, so good” they chime in) and yes, it’s a hearty party moment.
About 30 of Diamond’s signature hits are packed in the soundtrack, from “Song Sung Blue” to “Red, Red Wine,” from “Holly Holy” to “Kentucky. Woman,” from “America” to “Soolamon,” enough to fill a jukebox and fare for diehards to at least hum along to.

So yes, if you go just to reminisce and join in the “Sweet Caroline” chorus, the “Noise” will be immersive. If you don’t mind the tedious narrative moments, you’ll have a good time. …

And that’s Show Biz. …

‘A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical’

“A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical” is a biological production on the life and tunes of pop singer Neil Diamond, with book by Anthony McMcarten and music and lyrics by Neil Diamond. Directed by Michael Mayer, choreographed by Steve Hoggett and musical arrangements by Sonny Paladino.

Playing at the Broadhurst Theatre on Broadway

Ninth in a series of Broadway report

NEW YORK – “Parade” is a conflicted musical by Alfred Uhry (book) and Jason Robert Brown (music), mixing history, political and religious sentiments, racial tension and a justice system that fails.

Yep, these are unlikely themes for a stage musical, but “Parade” – playing at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre – is an important work provoking more questions than answers. The story seems biased, but truth be told, this is a case from a century ago and is based on actual events,  which happened in Southern Georgia . And whoa, the case has not yet been resolved in the courts. That’s what was said in a finale projection.

Thus, should this be called a musical comedy? It’s more of a musical travesty…a mistrial of justice.

Micaela Diamond, left, is Lucille Frank; Ben Platt is Leo Frank, in “Parade.”

Leo Frank (Ben Platt, a Tony winner for “Dear Evan Hansen)”, sings and acts with flair and fortitude here. He is boyish, charming and calm, a supervisor of the National Pencil Co. in Marietta, Georgia, where he settles with wife Lucille (an impressive Micaela Diamond). They are Jewish and feel uncomfortable and targeted.

Frank has moved from Chicago and the prejudicious climate immediately slaps him in the face; he is arrested  and accused of killing a teenage fellow employee, Mary Phagen (Erin Rose Doyle), whose dead body is found in the basement in the morning.

The victim was a nighttime employee, who possibly was last seen by Leo, since she comes to his office to secure a minimal paycheck issued by him. There are other logical suspects, but the residents are determined to convict Leo.

Thus, his discomfort is emphasized when he sings “How Can I Call This Home,” even if there are Southern Jews. His musical lament: “I thought that Jews were Jews, but I was wrong.”
A trial is a major element in the production, but a too-high-raised central set serving primarily as the courtroom where a judge prevails, forces playgoers to crane their necks. Both sides of this elevated “island” is flanked on either side with benches reflecting a courtroom.

An elevated box, intended to be the court, means front patrons must neck-stretch.

The height of the court means neck-stretching for those in orchestra rows 1 to 4, or possibly 5. I was in a side orchestra seat in the fourth row, and it took some heightening of the head to get a good view of the staged action.

Thus, Dane Laffrey’s scenic design is flawed. However, the elevated court has an intermission mission: Platt and his Leo character, clad in spiffy jailbird gear, silently sits through the intermission, alone and peaceful – reminiscent of the between-act sit-down of Old Deutoronomy in the musical “Cats.”

All the authorities appear to jaded and crooked as the news reporter Britt Craig (Jay Armstrong Johnson) who only seeks testimony from racist sources. Ditto, Hugh Dorsey (Paul Alexander Nolan), a lawyer as crooked as a pretzel.

Director  Michael Arden’s direction, from a previously a small-scale endeavor at City Center, brings life and heart in the moments focusing on the besieged and innocent Frank couple. So devoted that she is, Lucille brings lunches and dinners while Leo is in custody, and the inequitable mishandling of the case brings them closer while their woes get out of hand. Their magnetism of love and affection is reflected in composer Brown’s sturdy and compelling tunes like “This Is Not Over Yet.”

Projections of newspaper front pages reflect the bias of South Georgia.

The production  constantly relies on projections by Sven Ortel; not that it matters, but the slides and vintage photographs are of actual people, with projections of newspaper front pages reporting the biases of the case.  

This is not a spoiler, since the fact of the matter is a jury brought on a guilty vote and Leo Frank was hung in 1915 in a questionable lynching.

And again, the vocal dynamics of Platt and Diamond carry the show, making them a new Broadway dream duet for explosive emotional volley, with powerful delivery of  “This Is Not Over Yet” and the romantic “All the Wasted Time,” which brings down the curtain of this devastating story.

There are parade scenes in the opening of the play, midway through the story, and at the conclusion, but has nothing to do with the Leo Frank case. The celebrations reflect the memories of the Southerners’ defeat in the Civil War. …

And that’s Show Biz. ….

‘Parade’

“Parade” is a musical feature a book by Alfred Uhry and music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, originally directed by Harold Price, directed now by Michael Arden, with music conducted by Tom Murray and choreography by Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant

Playing at the Bernard J. Jacobs Theatre on Broadway