Return of Vaudeville; Charity Event - Producer's Club; May 2010




Dreamcatcher Theatreworks brought Vaudeville back like whoa.
Vaudeville was a type of variety theatre popular between 1880 and the early 1930's. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill.    Complete with hand-delivered beer, wine, and mixed drinks during the show, this Vaudeville of the new millennium was truly an incredible experience.

Starting off the evening our M.C., the delightfully ostentatious Nelson Lugo, warmed the audience up by performing an act called “The Human Blockhead”. It consisted of a 6 inch spike, a hammer, and the man’s nose. The act itself forced more than a few bodies to squirm in their seats while simultaneously laughing hysterically at the strangeness of it all. The fact that Mr. Lugo performed this feat it was no trick with such showmanship and glee set the tone for the next 90min of amazingly entertaining spectacle. “The Amazing Amy” performed an act called “Jedi Yoga: Stretching from a Galaxy Far, Far Away”. Not only was this an incredible act that would be right at home with any "Cirque Du Soleil" show, but it was inspiring. “The Amazing Amy” truly lives up to her moniker. Over 55 years old and in as good or better physical shape as anyone I have seen, this woman is a testament of what one can achieve with the human body, and the best argument on the practice of Yoga I have ever seen or heard. Plus the entire routine was choreographed to the score of “Star Wars”, making Jedi Yoga a memorable piece indeed. Much could be said of every act. The singers had the audience enthralled, clapping along with the music. The sideshow of “Honor Amongst Thieves” had us stupefied with each member of the troupe presenting his or her own peculiar talent. A man escaping from a Straight Jacket the way Harry Houdini used to. A woman walking, barefoot, up a ladder made out of razor sharp swords, and another man juggling two pins and an actual Machete that he used to shave himself with while Juggling. All this and I haven’t even mentioned the “Bed of Nails”. It was a great night filled with things that I imagine no one in attendance had seen before. The combination of so many different acts together on one stage was truly a Return to the Vaudeville of old. It felt like lightning in a bottle.

A Portion of the Proceeds from "Return of Vaudeville" were donated to Americans for the Arts*:

                               Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2010, Americans for the Arts is the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. From offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, it serves more than 150,000 organizational and individual members and stakeholders.
*Please note that Dreamcatcher Theatreworks, LLC is not associated with Americans for the Arts.

 

Words - Gene Frankel Theatre; July 2009


A unique look into the process and creativity of the modern poet, "Words" follows the fateful night of a poet who suffers from writer's block and the pressure of success.  On the edge of his sanity, the Poet is visited by his five Muses: Time, Mentor, Nymph, Romantic, & Aggressor.  Each Muse competes for attention, slowly chipping away the Poet's patience.  Told in choral poem format, "Words" features the original works of the poet/actors that performed them: M. Dalts, Jacqueline Brunner, Eric Gordon, Olivia Mammone, Nolan Menditz, and Derj Sanxiun.  The poetry was arranged and directed by Kelly Feustel, creating a cohesive story that was easy to follow and heart-wrenching; a true transformation from your typical poetry reading.

Le Cid - Gene Frankel Theatre; July 2009


Pierre Corneille’s Le Cid has become largely forgotten by American audiences because of its genuine simplicity. As the centuries passed since its first production (France, 1637), popular drama begun to focus on the more internal, subtle inner workings of the characters minds; causing the subtext to drive the play rather than the text alone. 

What distinguishes Le Cid is that the characters free-willed actions bind them to a tragic fate rather than an act of god, as is common in other neoclassical theatre. In adjusting the script, pacing the scenes, and staging the overall production, Pepio retains the traditional intentions of the characters and the romantic chivalry of the piece while still being fast-paced and exciting enough to appeal to the modern audience.  

Keeping the melodrama to a minimum, Pepio emphasizes the speed and magnitude at which the events are spiraling out of control.  A unique overlapping of scenes keeps the action rolling and the audience engaged.  In this distinctive interpretation, the usually offstage battles unfold chronologically between scenes and three artfully potent tableaus serve as chapter headings emphasizing the ever-changing relationship between the lovers.  The clever set up forces the two areas of the audience to face one another, creating an edgy illusion that not only are you part of the action - but you must choose a side. 


Peter - Queens Theatre in the Park; July 2008



“Peter” is a prequel to the J.M. Barrie classic, “Peter Pan.” Drawing from a variety of Barrie’s stories, Kelly Feustel’s work details the dark and mysterious circumstances surrounding a naïve, innocent boy’s transformation into the tragic figure who refuses to grow up. First performed in April, 2008, “Peter” served as Feustel's senior practicum presentation at Hofstra University.

"Peter" charmed, shocked, and captivated its audiences by concentrating on the adult themes provided by J.M. Barrie's imagination.  This unique story bridges the gap between "The Little White Bird" (J.M. Barrie - Peter Pan's first literary mention) and "Peter and Wendy."  This story surfaces the largely forgotten demons that have always been present in Peter Pan's past.  Clever costuming (design by Sarah Reeb & Alexandra Rubin) easily lent audiences to connect with fairies, children, birds, and the Greek god, Pan.  A series of epic fights (Robert Westley - Fight Director, Charlie Rohlfs - his assistant) brought battles between timeless characters to life.  Jordan Hue's direction personified the most fantastical characters that kept the audience on the edge of their seat throughout both acts.  All-in-all this tale of love, loss, friendship, and determination touched the audience's heart by surfacing the horrific past of this classic character.