| Chris Durang to star in VANYA & SONIA & MASHA & SPIKE at Bucks County Playhouse | |
| Posted by: | AC126748 07:34 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
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| Opposite Marilu Henner as Masha. This summer, July 17-August 10. Sheryl Kaller is directing. When it was announced that BCP was doing the play back in December, I wondered if Durang might play Vanya, given that he's local. Now that he's on board, I'll definitely make a point of checking the production out. (Henner was terrific, too, in their production of THE TALE OF THE ALLERGIST'S WIFE last summer, reprising the role she played on Broadway a decade earlier. Looking forward to her Masha.) | |
| Link | http://playbill.com/news/article/189417-Christopher-Durang-to-Star-in-Vanya-and-Sonia-and-Masha-and-Spike-at-Bucks-County-Playhouse?tsrc=nx |
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| The Man Can't act at all, at all, at all at all at all... | |
| Posted by: | LLC 11:31 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
| In reply to: | Chris Durang to star in VANYA & SONIA & MASHA & SPIKE at Bucks County Playhouse - AC126748 07:34 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
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| I have seen Christopher Durang "Act" onstage. He cannot! Not an ounce of presence, variety, insight, physicality, vocal-variety, characterization or... well... anything that you'd want to look at onstage. Nothing. Zip. Zero. | |
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| re: The Man Can't act at all, at all, at all at all at all... | |
| Posted by: | portenopete 12:24 pm EDT 04/02/14 |
| In reply to: | The Man Can't act at all, at all, at all at all at all... - LLC 11:31 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
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| it's funny: i was just marvelling at how genteel and considerate Alan Scott's posts are- specifically at an exchange he was having over something he said about laura benanti in MOST HAPPY FELLA- and then i come upon this comment, which just seems so mean-spirited. i can't argue about christopher durang's acting ability, never having seen him, but did you really need five negatives to make your point? | |
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| wrong | |
| Posted by: | blfan 09:01 am EDT 04/01/14 |
| In reply to: | The Man Can't act at all, at all, at all at all at all... - LLC 11:31 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
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| He was fantastic in "Laughing Wild" at Playwrights Horizons and in "The Marriage of Bette and Boo" at the Public, as well as a couple of TV performances and "Das Lusitania Songspiel" with Sigourney Weaver years ago at the Westside Arts. His performances are much in keeping with the humor of his plays. | |
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| Examples?--NMI | |
| Posted by: | bret17 11:49 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
| In reply to: | The Man Can't act at all, at all, at all at all at all... - LLC 11:31 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
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| NMI | |
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| re: Examples?--NMI | |
| Posted by: | chrisampm 01:02 am EDT 04/01/14 |
| In reply to: | Examples?--NMI - bret17 11:49 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
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| I thought he was successful in Bette & Boo. And I preferred him to Bronson Pinchot in Putting It Together. | |
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| So Did I! | |
| Posted by: | pierce 01:57 am EDT 04/01/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Examples?--NMI - chrisampm 01:02 am EDT 04/01/14 |
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| But then, I preferred just about EVERYTHING in the City Center production. When Putting It Together transferred to Broadway, I considered it a massive disappointment (except for George Hearn, who was subtle and effective). | |
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| re: So Did I! | |
| Posted by: | PlayWiz 10:24 am EDT 04/01/14 |
| In reply to: | So Did I! - pierce 01:57 am EDT 04/01/14 |
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| It was a real pleasure to see and hear Julie Andrews in fine voice doing especially effective "Could I Leave You" and "Getting Married Today" before she got into vocal problems in "Victor/Victoria" a year or two later. I remember also being impressed by Rachel York, and also Stephen Collins who had a very good voice. Durang was very cute and funny on stage especially doing a one-man version of "(I) You Could Drive a Person Crazy". | |
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| What a great production! | |
| Posted by: | Genealley 12:35 pm EDT 04/01/14 |
| In reply to: | re: So Did I! - PlayWiz 10:24 am EDT 04/01/14 |
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| And to see Julie Andrews go back to her vaudeville roots in the second act opener. Her "Could I Leave You" was just about the best I've ever heard. Loved the whole cast. And Durang was an unexpected, klutzy delight. | |
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| re: Chris Durang to star in VANYA & SONIA & MASHA & SPIKE at Bucks County Playhouse | |
| Posted by: | mikem 07:45 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
| In reply to: | Chris Durang to star in VANYA & SONIA & MASHA & SPIKE at Bucks County Playhouse - AC126748 07:34 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
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| I didn't know Durang was an actor as well. When was the last time that he acted? Has anyone here seen him on stage? | |
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| re: Chris Durang to star in VANYA & SONIA & MASHA & SPIKE at Bucks County Playhouse | |
| Posted by: | AC126748 07:58 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Chris Durang to star in VANYA & SONIA & MASHA & SPIKE at Bucks County Playhouse - mikem 07:45 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
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| As far as I can tell, this is his first major acting role in over a decade. But he has done a fair amount of theatre, including PUTTING IT TOGETHER (the Off-Broadway premiere with Julie Andrews), UBU at Lincoln Center, and the premiere production of his MARRIAGE OF BETTE AND BOO at the Public. He's had small roles in movies and television, and was a series regular on Kristin Chenoweth's ill-fated sitcom KRISTIN. | |
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| re: Chris Durang to star in VANYA & SONIA & MASHA & SPIKE at Bucks County Playhouse | |
| Posted by: | mikem 11:08 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Chris Durang to star in VANYA & SONIA & MASHA & SPIKE at Bucks County Playhouse - AC126748 07:58 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
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| AC126748, thanks for the information. If Durang was in Putting It Together, he must be able to sing pretty well. Maybe someday he'll appear in a musical again! | |
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| Chris Durang: A Dawne of a kooky cabaret act | |
| Posted by: | WaymanWong 12:12 am EDT 04/01/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Chris Durang to star in VANYA & SONIA & MASHA & SPIKE at Bucks County Playhouse - mikem 11:08 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
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| Durang was fine in ''Putting It Together,'' but he was brilliant when he did his mock cabaret-lounge act called Chris Durang and Dawne. Dawne consisted of two backup singers, John Augustine and Sherry Anderson. (They added the extra ''e'' to Dawne, so they wouldn't be confused with Tony Orlando's duo.) The trio did madcap medleys of Madonna hits. Their wacky repertoire also included a mashup of Michael Jackson's ''Bad'' with ''Bali Hai,'' as well as unusual showtune selections like ''Welcome to Kanagawa'' and ''Aldonza'' (''I was spawned in a ditch by a mother who left me there''). | |
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| This character he has written is a tough one, however. | |
| Posted by: | Delvino 09:39 am EDT 04/01/14 |
| In reply to: | Chris Durang: A Dawne of a kooky cabaret act - WaymanWong 12:12 am EDT 04/01/14 |
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| Having now read the script, I'm more impressed than ever with what Hyde Pierce did with the role. On paper, he's a difficult to nail character. I think it takes a bravura technique and a lot of technical proficiency. But why not try? If Durang doesn't meet the high standard set by the debut performance, he'll probably have fun with it. (And he's actually a better age, one plus.) | |
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| re: Chris Durang to star in VANYA & SONIA & MASHA & SPIKE at Bucks County Playhouse | |
| Posted by: | BruceinIthaca 11:24 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Chris Durang to star in VANYA & SONIA & MASHA & SPIKE at Bucks County Playhouse - mikem 11:08 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
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| Didn't he write some cabaret material that he and his long-time friend Sigourney Weaver performed when they were both students at Yale Drama? | |
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| re: Chris Durang to star in VANYA & SONIA & MASHA & SPIKE at Bucks County Playhouse | |
| Posted by: | AC126748 11:30 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Chris Durang to star in VANYA & SONIA & MASHA & SPIKE at Bucks County Playhouse - BruceinIthaca 11:24 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
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| I believe you're right, Bruce. And he definitely acted while he was at Yale. | |
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| Das Lusitania Songspiel | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 02:04 am EDT 04/01/14 |
| In reply to: | re: Chris Durang to star in VANYA & SONIA & MASHA & SPIKE at Bucks County Playhouse - AC126748 11:30 pm EDT 03/31/14 |
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| In which Eva Peron ran a meat pie shop in Buenos Aires. Durang writes about it at the link. There are also photos on the Durang site. | |
| Link | The Demon First Lady of Buenos Aires |
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