Theatre Review: An Extraordinary Ordinary Man

The Ruskin Group Theatre Co. presents An Extraordinary Ordinary Man. Written and performed by John Colella. Directed by Michael Matthews. Produced by Michael R. Myers and John Ruskin.

When trying to build a new life in another country, immigrants usually are faced with a critical decision: Do they follow their dreams, or do they work in whatever job is available to support their families?

“Be anything but a baker”. That was John Colella‘s (Blue) father advice. He wanted his son to follow his dreams instead of spending his entire life in the family business. As John took his father’s advice by heart, he embarked on a journey of discovery, finding the stage his true calling. With humor, memories of relatives, and the positive influence of his father, Colella achieves an emotional and timeless play not to be missed.

With childhood anecdotes of growing up in an Italian family, Colella infuses his solo play with the unconditional love his father showed to everyone around him. The vivid memories of his father’s sacrifices to sustain his family and the encouragement to do better in life became Colella’s inspiration to pursue his dreams.

In his poignant play, Colella links his childhood experiences, the Italian food surrounding him, and his father figure to create an inspiring and emotive story of the dynamics of a family pursuing the American Dream. It’s a story of building a strong family, with ups and downs, but a family with an everlasting bond.

The play conveys that constant fear of loosing what has been constructed with so much effort. An anxiety that becomes almost disturbing as we age. As Colella sees his relatives going through physical ailments, he starts to experience his own health conditions. It’s a strange feeling, almost like a ticking. It’s perhaps the prelude to our own mortality.

An Extraordinary Ordinary Man is a story that connects with the audience organically. The magic of Colella’s writing is that is relatable. It’s personal. It’s powerful. Colella takes us to that deeply private space that is sacred; a place full of endearing memories. It’s a rite of passage, an unavoidable experience that, in a group, feels cathartic. As the cycle comes to an end, the phrase “grief is nothing else but love with no place to go” becomes an eloquent explanation of the myriad of feelings that rush in after the passing of a loved one. An outstanding play. A gifted thespian.

An Extraordinary Ordinary Man

Ruskin Group Theatre
3000 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90405
 
Opening: 8pm January 13, 2024

Schedule: 8pm Jan. 20, 27, and Feb. 2, 10, 17, 2024

Running in tandem after Paul Linke’s 5pm performances of “It’s Only a Show!”
Closing: Feb. 17, 2024.

Ticketsruskingrouptheatre.com

Written and performed by John Colella. Directed by Michael Matthews. Produced by Michael R. Myers and John Ruskin. Creative team: Ed Salas (Lighting and Sound Design).

An Extraordinary Ordinary Man poster
An Extraordinary Ordinary Man

Theatre Review: A View from the Bridge

Ruskin Group Theatre presents A View from the Bridge. Written by Arthur Miller. Directed by Mike Reilly. Produced by John Ruskin and Michael Myers.

The political turmoil that proceeded WWII, the abolition of the monarchy, the early establishment of the republic, and an Italian economy in ruins, fomented a massive immigration of Italians to the US during the 1950s. More than 600,000 Italian immigrants, many of them from the impoverished south, entered the United States, mainly through the ports of New York. For some dockyard owners, this meant cheap labor, as some of these immigrants had to work as longshoremen to pay the human traffickers that brought them to the US illegally. These immigrants usually stayed in the homes of fellow Italians, whether family members or people from their own native villages, creating thriving Italian communities where they supported each other.

Arthur Miller used these conditions as the background for his critically acclaimed play A view from the Bridge. The story is narrated by Alfieri (Sal Viscuso), raised in Italy and now working as an American lawyer. Eddie (Ray Abruzzo) lives with his wife Beatrice (Kim Chase) and his orphaned niece Catherine (Aurora Leonard). The three leave in an Italian community in Brooklyn, New York, where Eddie works on the docks. Beatrice is a housewife and 17-year-old Catherine goes to school. Soon after, Beatrice’s young cousins Marco (Jesse Janzen) and Rodolpho (Brandon Lill) arrive from Italy, fleeing poverty and the lack of job opportunities in Sicily. In the case of Marco, he is coming to the the US to send money to his wife, who is caring for their sick child. Both Marco and Rodolpho come to the US illegally. Catherine and Rodolpho fall in love, causing Eddie’s rage, as he has developed a secret sexual desire for Catherine. From there, everything goes downhill.  

This play captures two critical societal changes in America during the post war booms. One is the number of women entering the workforce after WWII, shifting the power balance and the family dynamics, where the masculine figure was no longer the only financial support in the household. By finding a job as a stenographer, Catherine represents that new reality, somehow challenging Eddie’s position as the only provider for the family. He initially objects to the idea, but is ultimately persuaded by Beatrice to allow Catherine to accept the job. 

The second change observed in the play is the image of the new man, more sensitive and less rigid, represented by Rodolpho, a guy who is outgoing, likes to sing, and dresses with a sense of fashion, characteristics that were considered more feminine at the time, but which captured Catherine’s attention since the very beginning. That “new man” challenged the traditional image of the alpha male and triggered Eddie’s jealousy to the point of trying to convince Catherine that Rodolpho was gay, not suitable for her. In reality, Eddie is sensing that he is a symbol of failing masculinity, losing interest in his wife, and being consumed by his inappropriate attraction to his niece. He is resisting the change of times and refuses to accept that his figure is being replaced by a new generation of men, represented by Marco, but specially by Rodolpho. 

As for the Alfieri, he tries to be the voice of reason, advising Eddie to change his ways. However, Alfieri knows that Eddie is beyond the point of no return, like a train going at full speed, about to cause a wreck, but unable to stop it.

Mike Reilly pays attention to fine details to make this production a memorable staging of such an iconic play. The blocking divides the stage in two sections, the family’s house in one and the streets and Alfieri’s office in the other, making the scenic design and the lighting more versatile. Four creative elements contribute to immerse the audience into the story. The chiaroscuro lighting by Edward Salas recreates the unnerving danger of both the streets and the main character, as if warning the audience of an impending tragedy. Salas also does the sound design, using a background music that is perfect for the film noir nature of the play. The scenic design by Stephanie Kerley Schwartz also adds to the overall feel of the story, creating a dramatic contrast in textures and colors. Michael Mullen‘s costumes offer details of the lives and traits of each character, demonstrating the attention to details of the director.    

The selection of actors is another reason to see this production. Abruzzo’s projection on stage is commanding and magnetic. The transition from protective father figure to a man fully consumed in his own tragedy is a performance to be remembered. Chase, Leonard, Lill, Janzen, and Viscuso, all turn Miller’s characters into vivid representations of the symbols and concepts that the playwright wanted to portray in this masterpiece. The outstanding ovation at the end of the play is a reflection of their moving performances. This production elevates the significance and poignancy of Arthur Miller, one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century.      

A View from the Bridge

Ruskin Group Theatre
3000 Airport Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90405
 
Aug 18 – Oct 8, 2023
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM. Sundays at 2 PM.
 
 
Written by Arthur Miller. Directed by Mike Reilley. Starring: Ray Abruzzo, Kim Chase, Aurora Leonard, Brandon Lill, Jesse Janzen, Sal Viscuso, Kevin Alain, Jamie Daniels, Aaron Marshall, Nicole Millar, and Jeff Prater. Produced by John Ruskin and Michael Myers. Presented by Ruskin Group Theatre. Creative team: Stephanie Kerley Schwartz (Scenic Design), Edward Salas (Lighting and Sound Design), Michael Mullen (Costume Design), Mary Unruh (Dialect & Speech Coach), Paul Ruddy (Casting), and Nicole Millar (Stage Manager).
 

Theatre Review: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

Ruskin Group Theatre presents Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, a stage adaptation of the 1967 film of the same title. The Adapter/Playwright is Todd Kreidler and the Director is Lita Gaithers Owens. 

Joanna Drayton (Mary Pumper) is marrying Dr. John Prentice (Vincent Washington) and she wants to introduce him to her parents Christina Drayton (Lee Garlington) and Matt Drayton (Brad Greenquist). Joanna is white and John is black. A simple situation, but a controversial one back in the 60s. The rest of the characters include Hilary St. George (Mouchette van Helsdingen), Monsignor Ryan (Paul Denk), Matilda “Tillie” Binks (Vickilyn Reynolds), John Prentice Sr. (Dan Martin), and Mary Prentice (Renn Woods).

The events that preceded the original screenplay by William Rose were the Freedom Riders, March on Washington, Freedom Summer, Bloody Sunday, the assassination of Malcolm X, among many others, all of which came to be known as the Civil Rights Movement.

Matt is a newspaper editor with liberal views, supporting equal rights. Christina’s point of view is very similar. However, when their daughter Joanna is the one marrying a black man, their apparent progressiveness is put to the test. The play examines not only the relationships among the characters of different race but also the granularity of intrafamilial relationships.

The initial shock shown by Joanna’s parents posed an interesting question: Are Joanna’s parents intrinsically racist despite their public stance on inclusiveness, or are they genuinely concern about the prospects of their daughter’s marriage in a racist society? What about John’s parents? They also have their own doubts about their son marrying a white woman. Are their concerns justified?

Tillie, the Draytons’ black housekeeper, also questions John’s real motivations to marry Joanna. Tillie, however, has some details about Matt that can change John’s perceptions about his future in-laws. In a sense, Tillie is a character that sees beyond the obvious and senses the reality of the situation. She is somehow the reflection of America, having seen the worst but also the signs of a brighter life ahead.

The dialogue of the characters show the prejudice that stems from fear, fear of utopian expectations, fear of whatever pains lie ahead. As it turned out, Martin Luther King Jr., an idealistic leader, was assassinated in 1968, a year after the story depicted in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. 

Todd Kreidler’s play features the insecurities and concerns prevailing in America in the 60s, elements so persistent today that the story still reflects the current state of affairs. At the same time, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner is also a story that allows us to dream of a new world brewing in the heart of America.

The stage of the Ruskin Group Theatre is so intimate that the actor’s expressions can be felt vividly by the audience, a great opportunity for such experienced actors like Brad Greenquist and Lee Garlington to show their skills. The voice projection of Dan Martin certainly added some excitement to the play; he has an imposing stage presence. This production features excellent scenic design (John Iacovelli) and lighting design (Edward Salas). The costume design (Michael Mullen) is extraordinary, Mary Pumper looks like a fashion icon of the 60s. The audience was certainly delighted with the performances and the production of this funny and moving stage adaptation.

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

Written by Todd Kreidler – based on the screenplay by William Rose, directed by Lita Gaithers Owens, produced by John Ruskin and Michael R. Myers, presented by Ruskin Group Theatre.
Ruskin Group Theatre
3000 Airport Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(Ample free parking)
Schedule: 8pm Fridays and Saturdays; 2pm Sundays
(No performances on June 5, 17, 18)
Closing:  Sunday, July 17, 2022