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1 :::: Arts :::: Community :::: Bulletin Board :::: Mind/Body/Spirit |
‘Broadway Bound’
elicits memorable moments
By Christopher Smith
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Michael Timmons of Mohegan Lake, Susan
Bond of Mohegan Lake and Matt Rowe of
Lake Peekskill rehearse a scene from
Neil Simon’s comedy, “Broadway Bound.”
Neil Simon’s “Broadway Bound” roars to life during the YCP TheaterWorks production at Van Cortlandtville School. The comedy, the last of Simon’s semiautobiographical “Eugene trilogy,” takes a hilarious and often touching view of family dysfunction.
Veteran director Karen Quinn-Panzer elicits many memorable moments from her entire cast, in particular Matt Rowe’s Eugene and Susan Bond’s Kate. The strong performances fill the stage from the first scene to the final curtain.
Rowe strikes a wonderful balance between the excitement Eugene feels as he stands on the cusp of a career in comedy and the sympathy for his mother as her marriage teeters on the edge. Rowe’s energy carries throughout the production, with his engaging, easygoing manner immediately drawing in the audience.
Bond’s turn as Susan, Eugene’s mother, highlights her character’s isolation with a performance that gradually opens up as the show goes on; the effect beautifully captures the sense of a woman trapped and alone. Her scenes with her husband (portrayed by Jack Karpoff) reflect the undeniable tragedy of a relationship falling apart.
The lynchpin scene between Eugene and his mother brings his hopes for the future into collision with her bankrupt dreams. Both actors display genuine chemistry, and Bond nails her performance when Susan remembers a long ago night when her hopes still matched her son’s optimism. Rowe’s understated reactions here contrast nicely with his otherwise kinetic performance.
As well, Kevin Vislocky and Michael Timmons both turn in great performances as Stanley and Ben, respectively. Vislocky’s wide range of facial expressions are scene-stealers and he and Rowe develop a genuine fraternal feeling together as brothers-turned-comedy-writers. Timmons has a knack for comedy, and his dry delivery as an aging socialist offered some of the production’s funniest moments.
The cramped set design added a claustrophobic element to the proceedings, and the effects of cramming the cast together helped underscore the characters’ emotional distance from each other. Also the old radio and wallpaper added to the 1940s authenticity.
“Broadway Bound” offers a strong, heartfelt show, and the cast’s enthusiasm for their material is reflected in their solid performances. Additional performances are scheduled for May 9 and 10 at 8 p.m. and May 11 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors.
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