Mother Courage at CSC- Page 5

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 11:44am

I just looked up Brian Kulick's directing credits, as the name wasn't familiar to me (despite the fact he's the artistic director), and he directed another Brecht misfire, in my opinion, the Chalk Circle with Christopher Lloyd in 2013.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 11:52am

I'm trying to think, neon, but I don't believe I've ever seen Brecht done well. The only possible exception was the Broadway debut of Meryl Streep and HAPPY END. But I didn't understand what they were trying to do.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 11:59am

I contacted them saying I would only still attend if Pinkins was in it and they switched me to Saturday night. Interesting they canceled today's performance. Last night's went on. Will be curious to see if I actually see this Saturday.

I'm with Pinkins on this one. Kulick is a schmuck. It's so good he's finally leaving, as he's really run that place into the ground. Dud after dud after dud. And you're right neon, his Chalk Circle was EXCRUCIATING and dreadful. 

I saw Meryl do it in the park and loved the play. 

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 12:03pm

I assume you mean you loved Streep in MOTHER COURAGE, iltt. I am so jealous because I didn't get to see it!

[HogansHero]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 12:15pm

re the January 3 date mentioned... 

She said she would stay with the production through that date, The contract requires 2 weeks notice.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 12:34pm

"I don't believe I've ever seen Brecht done well."

 

Gaveston, the one production of a Brecht play that stands out for me high above the others was the Lincoln Center production of THREEPENNY OPERA back in... '76, was it? Raul Julia in his prime. I thought it was riveting. Of course, I was younger then. (I was good at climbing trees.)

Updated On: 12/31/15 at 12:34 PM

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 12:38pm

Someone, I moved to NYC in 1977, so I missed it. But I remember when everyone had that wonderful poster of Raul Julia in his or her apartment!

 

(BTW, my husband and I loved BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY at the Ahmanson on Tuesday. If you haven't done so, download the album and if you like the music, go. I think the soprano actually outsings Kelly O'Hara. (ETA I originally wrote GARDENS instead of BRIDGES. I really was tired!)

Updated On: 12/31/15 at 12:38 PM

[LaneBryant]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 2:23pm

There's a LOT of information missing about this situation.... But a couple things are worth mentioning.

1. Tonya co-directed this show....... Co-direction is ALWAYS a trick bag, especially when you're also the star. To me, thats a no-go, but whatever. She also spearheaded the adapting of the script and the production design. She and Brian had ample time, or should have in pre-production discussions, to work out the kinks and get on the same page, and decide what story they were telling!!!!  When you're co-directing yourself, you have to TRUST your director, your partner. It shouldn't be an excuse for you to not listen or take notes from him - because (and let's be real here), you should've just directed it yourself and played the role, so that you could make the show what you wanted it to be.....

2. Tonya missed LOTS of rehearsal. You can't co-direcet, be the star, AND miss rehearsal, AND previews, because you're sick.... and by sick I mean filming "Gotham". #Messy You're doing too much.....

3. Let's just discuss tact. You have every right to express your feelings and stand in your truth. But who releases a statement like this and STILL has to do the show? You just spit in the face of every actor in that company, but you still have 3 more shows to do with these people. That's not a team player. How many times did she say "I" in this statement? Where's the "we"? Ma'am. you should've found a one-woman show to do.... Or you should've directed it yourself. You knew WAY before last week that this show was going in a direction that you didn't approve of. You didn't do your job weeks ago and now you come off looking like a Hero.....

This was a train wreck to begin with.... God bless whomever has to clean up this mess.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 2:43pm

Lanebryant--what is your source for saying she co-directed the show as that credit does not appear on either the promotional material or anything else online.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 3:11pm

"However, there is a reason Brecht set the play where he did: he wanted the audience to watch with detachment- using their brains and not their emotions, to understand that war is most disastrous for the poor.  His audience would not care whether the Finns or the Poles won the war- the outcome was irrelevant and showed how pointless all war truly is.  What is important is the way ordinary people suffer whilst the General still enjoys roast capon for dinner."

 

Well, I certainly felt detached. I didn't engage with any intellectual questions about the plight of the poor or the cost of war though. It simultaneously felt like too much was happening and nothing was happening. There were all of these separate threads with her children and the "mistress" character and the cook and I didn't care much about any of them. As for the part about the general's dinner, I think that scene in particular was hampered by the uneven acting. The discussion here has made me want to revisit Brecht though. Maybe I should just read it?

[LaneBryant]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 3:23pm

HogansHero - My "source" is my fiancé who is a cast member. I've listened to him come home everyday with war stories. From day one, the first read-through, he said, "This woman is going to be a problem. God help us."  

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 3:29pm

Sorry but she is completely out of line for walking out on the show. They had weeks and weeks to get on the same page. She knows it's a clunker and she's jumping ship. She is so damn unprofessional and now trying to play the 'hard done by actor' card whilst throwing everyone under the bus. As a director and writer myself I would never hire this woman. 

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 3:32pm

Or perhaps your fiance just simply wasn't up to the task of appearing next to Ms. Pinks, a consummated, award-winning, acclaimed actor with an astonishing talent. It should also be noted that Ms. Pinkins has worked with a plethora of directors and actors with far more impressive credentials than Kulick and CSC's company for this production. Several of those performers and directors have worked with Ms. Pinkins again. "From day one", your fiance should've been thanking his lucky stars that he'd be able to learn from watching Tonya Pinkins work.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 3:37pm

LaneBryant said: "HogansHero - My "source" is my fiancé who is a cast member."

 

Your fiancé needs to find a new line of work if he is actually in that. 

[LaneBryant]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 3:40pm

ClydeBarrow  - the hell? Why? Are you an actor? If not, no further discussion is necessary. 

 

"

 

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 3:46pm

 

LaneBryant said: "HogansHero - My "source" is my fiancé who is a cast member."

 

And your fiancé is apparently engaged to a nasty gossip.

 

Tonya Pinkins may have had an active role in the the bad conception of this production, but you are 100% OUT-OF-BOUNDS using the phrase "co-director" as if that were actually the case.

 

 

[Chefcorvette]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 3:58pm

Tonya asks~why must a Black Mother Courage be delusional?

it may be because All previous portrayals are similar. The term may be sensitive, but the essence is the Character as meant to be portrayed. 

Updated On: 12/31/15 at 03:58 PM

[LaneBryant]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 4:01pm

PalJoey - Ummmmm you should find a corner and have a seat, quickly. Your ignorance is comical. I'm not pulling lies out of the air. There are 2 sides to this story. There are other people involved in this show besides Tonya and Brian who have been to hell and back in the past couple of weeks. This show pays rent for cast members and crew members alike who feared their employment was in jeopardy WEEKS ago when this foolishness started. My man LOVED Tonya and was so excited to work on this show. On the 1st day of rehearsal she INTRODUCED HERSELF as "co-director" and assumed that role and shared responsibilities - that is fact, young sir. He's not a nasty gossip, he's an actor whose been put into a terrible position along with the others. 

Find somewhere else to run your mouth about something you know nothing of. Thanks 

 

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 4:07pm

 

I didn't say he was a nasty gossip. I said he was engaged to one.

 

Updated On: 12/31/15 at 04:07 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 4:07pm

 

I don't say he was a nasty gossip. I said he was engaged to one.

 

[SNAFU]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 4:41pm

The question is, was she hired as co-director or did she assume the role? If she was, why isn't she credited?

[HogansHero]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 4:49pm

Lanebryant, she is not the co-director; you lied. no good reason to listen to anything else you have to say. 

I've worked with some great actors in my life. Being a problem is what I call working. Is it always pleasant? No. Is the result rewarding? Yes. 

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 4:51pm

This poor woman.  I do wonder why there always seems to be a cloud over her, whether it's in her personal or her professional life. 

[indytallguy]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 5:14pm

It's the management consultant in me, but I hope when all this passes there is some serious debrief that is less about blame and more about learning from the experience so that it never happens again.

In my work with clients outside of the theatre world, these types of situations often are a complex web of miscues, misunderstandings, and missed opportunities to realign different perspectives during a creative process.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 12/31/15 at 5:41pm

LaneBryant said: "ClydeBarrow  - the hell? Why? Are you an actor? If not, no further discussion is necessary."

 

I'm not an actor nor was I aware of any rule stating you had to be an actor to critique those who are. Do you find it necessary for all theatre critics to be skilled actors, playwrights, directors, set designers, lighting designers, etc? I know there are few posts in this thread from people who have actually seen the show but the constant criticism among them is the caliber of acting talent onstage. You'll probably want to say that Ms. Pinkins' "antics" are the cause for your fiancé's performance but I'm going to doubt it.

 

Thanks for joining 11 days ago to spread gossip.