Tags Posts tagged with "Tamralynn Dorsa"

Tamralynn Dorsa

By Julianne Mosher

For 24 years, Theatre Three’s “Festival of One-Act Plays” has been bringing new voices to the not only Port Jefferson, but to all of Long Island. 

Festival founder and director Jeffrey Sanzel told the audience on opening night that the festival, which is nearing a quarter-of-a-century next year, received 750 submissions for the 2023 season from all around the world. “I’m expecting 1,000 next year,” he said.  

And of those 750 submissions, eight were selected, directed, rehearsed and will now be performed through March 25. Of those eight, none disappoint. 

For an hour-and-a-half, the audience sits quietly, engaged, watching, listening to what the actors have to say. And the lineup is unique — as a viewer, you don’t really know what to expect coming in.

The festival starts off with “Down to the Wire,” written by Julia Everitt, a New York City-based playwright with 37 stage plays to her name. This piece shows us what goes on inside a college dormitory, when a roommate played by Danielle Pafundi is hilariously losing her mind thanks to procrastinating an assignment. And despite what you might think, the play is not about camels. 

Then comes “A Citrus Day,” by Mark Cofta, a Pennsylvania-based playwright, who sadly passed away last July. With a minimalist set of just a bus bench and a suitcase, the audience watches two strangers together unearth a dark family secret. While sad and thought-provoking, it reminds you that you just need to make lemonade when life gives us lemons. Performances by Melissa Norman and Tristan Prin are top notch.

Following the more-somber bus stop story is Leslie Dianne’s “Accepting Adina.” Father Steve Ayle and son Steven Uihlein sit side-by-side in the patriarch’s living room, packing away mementos. Together they talk about the mother, Rebecca, and how her illness and assisted living stay is impacting them both. “Accepting Adina” is a tough look at grief, but Ayle’s and Uihlein’s performances are so raw that you feel the sadness, but also the hope of the future, we all feel when a loved one is lost. Tissues are required for this one. 

The best performance of the night by far was by Phyllis March in “The Dating Pool.” The scene opens up with Phyllis, 61, standing at a diving board in a dark pool. She’s visited by her 16-year-old self (Ava Andrejko), then herself at 23 (Samantha Fierro), 36 (Brittany Lacey) and 49 (Tamralyn Dorsa), where present day 61 is reminded of her lost loves of each of those lovers impacted her in that moment. The scene ends with her four former selves encouraging her to take the plunge. “The Dating Pool,” written by Arianna Rose is a thoughtful piece, and full of laughs, that can relate to any age in the audience. 

After a brief intermission, we’re inside an airport with Keith Whalen’s “Unclaimed Baggage” — a hysterically funny look at coming back to the real world after a relaxing trip. Not only does Marvin (but shhh… don’t tell the clerk his name), played by Angelo Dibiase, have to pick up his suitcase and some medicine after a long plane ride, but he has a special encounter with Finn, played by Jason Furnari, who just wants to help. 

Another audience favorite was Larry Brenner’s hilarious supernatural dating story “First Bite.” Here we learn about Wanda’s (Brittany Lacey) past dating history — and let’s just say she has a type — while out to dinner with John (Evan Teich). The scene starts out with a normal looking couple enjoying drinks and each other’s company, until Wanda asks John her place or his? You’re going to laugh a lot, but make sure you leave your garlic at home.

And finally, Mark Loewenstern’s “The Slightly Exaggerated True Story of ‘Civic Virtue’” concludes the show with a fascinating exploration of the intersection of the public eye and the power of art. Based loosely on the famous statue and fountain that once stood in front of New York City Hall in Manhattan, we watch a fast-paced history of architect MacMonnies’ (incredibly played by Antoine Jones) thought process behind sculpting the nude man and two sirens. 

We go through nearly two centuries of the public’s opinion on it, how it moves, and have visits from some well-known elected officials including Mayor La Guardia, Anthony Weiner and Robert Moses. Not only is it a brief, inside look of a famous piece of art, but it reminds the audience how statues (no matter how sexist, racist or now-deemed inappropriate they may be) are still a part of our history. While you’ll learn from this one, you’re also going to laugh. 

Tickets are $20 for the show, plus there’s a cash bar as you walk in. Make sure you visit Theatre Three’s second stage at The Ronald F. Peierls Theatre in Port Jefferson this month for a great night out. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you might learn a fact or two about “Civic Virtue” for your next trivia night.

Theatre Three is located at 412 Main St., Port Jefferson. For more information, or to order tickets, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

By Heidi Sutton

Theatre Three continues its 52nd season with a lovely production of The Sweet Delilah Swim Club. The show opened last Saturday and runs through Feb 4.

Written by Jesse Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten, the play features five very different Southern women who begin a friendship on their college swim team and make a pact to get together one weekend in August every year to catch up on their lives. For over 50 years, they meet at the same oceanfront beach cottage, the “Sweet Delilah,” on North Carolina’s Outer Banks for conversation, drinks, dinner and a dip in the ocean. 

The audience is treated to four of these reunions — the first is 22 years after their college graduation, the second and third 5 years apart, and a final visit to the cottage before it is to be demolished 23 years later. 

Expertly directed by Linda May and armed with a cleverly written script, the cast is superb and put on a beautiful show. 

Tamralynn Dorsa is perfect as Sheree Hollinger, the perennial team captain who is always governing the group, from serving healthy mung bean appetizers that the others quickly dispose of in a houseplant, to distributing a written itinerary for the week and even packing her friends’ suitcases. 

Stephanie Moreau is incredible as event planner Lexie Richards, the four-time divorcee who has her plastic surgeon on speed dial and is always on the lookout for the next cute guy to come along (think Samantha Jones from Sex in the City).

Lori Beth Belkin plays workaholic (and perhaps alcoholic) Dinah Grayson who has put her successful career as an attorney before her personal life and now has regrets. Armed with a dry martini, her character delivers some of the funniest lines in the show.

We see the most change in Elizabeth Ladd’s character, Jeri Neal McFeeley, aka Sister Mary Esther, who goes from being a nun to a single mother at age 44 and then finds the man of her dreams to spend the rest of her life with.

Suzie Dunn is outstanding as school teacher Vernadette Simms. Bad luck seems to follow her everywhere and she appears in each scene with a different cast. She also shares tales of her dysfunctional family, from an abusive husband to a jailbird son. Her appearance in the last scene suffering from dementia is one of the most poignant in the show.

The set, a cozy beach cottage designed by Randall Parsons; period costumes and wigs by Jason Allyn; and sound effects by Tim Haggerty tie everything together nicely. Grab the girlfriends, a box of tissues, and catch a performance of this hilarious and touching show before it’s gone. 

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents The Sweet Delilah Swim Club on the Mainstage through Feb. 4. The season continues with Side By Side By Sondheim from Feb. 18 to March 18, Pride @ Prejudice from April 7 to May 6, and Something Rotten! from May 20 to June 24. Tickets are$35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 to 12. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

See trailer here:

By Heidi Sutton

After a two-year delay because of COVID, the Festival of One-Act Plays returns to Theatre Three in all its glory. Now in its 23rd year, the One-Acts are a wonderful opportunity for audiences to watch actors hone their craft up close and personal on the theater’s Second Stage. The festival opened last Sunday for a 10-performance run.

Festival founder and Executive Artistic Director Jeffrey Sanzel was tasked with selecting six original works from over 500 submissions and then selected an uber talented cast to tell their story. Fantastic costumes designed by Jason Allyn (with special mention to The Beat Goes On) tie it all together resulting in an incredible evening of live theater. 

“For the first time on any stage, these works come to life,” said Sanzel. “How challenging and exciting to present a unique universe in the space of no more than 25 minutes—and often as short as ten…” in a two-hour marathon in the cozy setting of The Ronald F. Peierls Theatre on the Second Stage, a space so intimate that “there is no wall. There is no division.” 

The show opens with Philip Darg’s Confessions of a Successful Playwright, a hilarious look at One-Act Festivals of all things. Wade Lawson (Stephen T. Wangner) meets up with a reporter (Tamralynn Dorsa) for an interview to share his struggles, triumphs, determination and eventual obsession to becoming the most produced, but least known, playwright in history.

Next up is The Turn-Around, by Cary Pepper. In a constant battle with his next door neighbor Lester’s many assault rifles and gun range, Robert (Antoine Jones) approaches Lester (Steve Ayle), with a change of heart in their ongoing war over the Second Amendment. The Turn-Around addresses one of today’s hot button issues from a wickedly humorous point-of-view.  

The first half concludes with the darkest offering of the evening. Joshua Young’s disturbing Bad China shows Nos (Steven Uihlein) asking for a favor from his sister, Reba (Brittany Lacy), which she keeps from her husband, Del (Evan Teich). A brutal portrait of the opioid crisis is played out within a dysfunctional family, where choices lead to harrowing results.

After a brief intermission, the show continues with Benign Departures, Tony Pasqualini’s vision of a national health crisis from a catastrophic perspective. Set some fifty years in the future, Dr. Elizabeth Baker (Tamralynn Dorsa) visits the homeless Maggie Elmer (Mary Ellin Kurtz) and a battle of wills ensues in which the two very different people find a common ground and a deeper understanding.

Ariana Rose’s comedy The Beat Goes On takes a peek at what goes on inside a display case at the Smithsonian, as various musical containers vie for superiority. Hilarity ensues as Cass (Sari Feldman), Trax (Steve Ayle), L.P. (Antoine Jones), Cee Dee (Brittany Lacey), and Dayta (Steven Uihlein) all hope for a transfer to the newer adjacent display case, leaving the audience in stitches.

The evening closes with Frank Tangredi’s Play Date, a whimsical look at fatherhood from two very different perspectives. The elderly Lou Gershwin (Bradlee Bing) just had a child with his second wife who is 30 years younger and 15-year-old Tyler Hill (Eric J. Hughes) gets limited visitation rights with his child. Meeting at a park bench, the two fathers share their stories and connect in a poignant, charming story.

With an excellent lineup and incredible cast, this festival is not to be missed. Get your ticket before they’re sold out.

Sponsored by Lippencott Financial Group, Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson will present The 23rd annual Festival of One-Act Plays through April 2. Please note: The plays contains adult language and subject matter. Parental discretion is advised. Running time is two hours with one 15-minute intermission. All seats are $20. To order, call the box office at 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com

All photos by Peter Lanscombe/Theatre Three Productions, Inc.

 

By Heidi Sutton

tale of redemption, an epic battle of good and evil, teen romance, the bonds of friendship — these topics and more will be explored as Theatre Three celebrates 50 years of “Broadway on Main Street” with a revival of the six most popular shows in the theater’s history.

The season opens with a thrilling and chilling adaption of “Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical” by Paul Hadobas with book and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and music by Frank Wildhorn featuring additional songs like “I Need to Know” and additional material which were cut from the original Broadway show.

Jeffrey Sanzel, who directed the theater’s 2005 production, returns to the helm to create a beautifully haunting show that is not to be missed.

Based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 gothic novella, “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” the classic story follows Dr. Henry Jekyll’s ill-fated quest to find a cure for his father’s mental illness. Years of experiments have produced a chemical formula that Jekyll is convinced can “separate the good and evil” from the human soul … “to help the tortured mind of man.” All he needs is a human test subject.

When his request to inject the formula into a patient at a mental hospital is turned down by the Board of Governors, a decision they will later regret, Jekyll feels he has no choice but to experiment on himself. The noble attempt to help those that cannot help themselves backfires and gives life to an evil alter ego, Edward Hyde, who terrorizes the citizens of London after dark.

From the moment Hyde makes an appearance, he seeks revenge for Jekyll and methodically hunts down the members of the Board of Governors and with a crack of the neck or a stab in the side they fall one by one. Jekyll remembers little of the murders, praying “they are merely nightmares,” but eventually Hyde “comes out of the shadows” and becomes an addiction, causing Jekyll to lose self-control in an emotional climactic ending.

In his Theatre Three debut, Alan Stentiford is simply incredible in the dual role of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The actor’s transition from respected doctor to psychotic madman will make the tiny hairs on the back of your neck stand up. After each injection, the actor morphs into a rabid creature who slinks and lurks about in the dark, peering out through his unkempt hair with wild eyes. And wait until you hear him sing! Stentiford’s split-personality faceoff in “Confrontation” is mesmorizing and his opening night performance of “This Is the Moment” brought the house down.

Tamralynn Dorsa plays Jekyll’s loving and always supportive fiancée Emma Carew. Dorsa shines in this angelic role and her rendition of “Once Upon a Dream” is magical.

TracyLynn Conner is equally impressive as prostitute Lucy Harris who Jekyll befriends during a visit to the seedy drinking establishment, The Red Rat. It is her that Hyde visits the most often until his jealousy consumes him. Her emotional performance of “No One Knows You I Am” is wonderful.

Another standout in the show is Steven Uihlein in the role of Simon Stride, a former boyfriend of Carew, who has made it his personal mission to see Jekyll fail at every turn. Andrew Lenahan is also one to watch. As John Utterson, Jekyll’s friend and attorney, Lenahan gives a brilliant performance in “His Work and Nothing More.”

The beautiful costumes and wigs by Chakira Doherty meld perfectly with the evocative choreography by Nicole Bianco and the Victorian set, designed by Randall Parsons features Dr. Jekyll’s laboratory. Kudos also to musical director Jeffrey Hoffman, whose seven-piece orchestra keeps perfect pace and tune.

Jeffrey Sanzel has assembled an incredible cast and crew to kick off the theater’s golden anniversary and they all deserve a big round of applause. Happy anniversary Theatre Three! It’s time to relish the well-deserved spotlight.

The cast of ‘Jekyll & Hyde’: Melanie Acampora, Bryan Bowie, TracyLynn Conner, Dennis Creighton, Anthony D’Amore, Lindsay DeFranco, Tamralynn Dorsa, Emily Gates, Eric J. Hughes, Heather Kuhn, Michelle LaBozzetta, Krystal Lawless, Andrew Lenahan, George Liberman, Linda May, Stephanie Moreau, Douglas Quattrock, Jim Sluder, Alan Stentiford, James Taffurelli, Briana Ude, Steven Uihlein, and Ryan Worrell

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents “Jeykll & Hyde: The Musical” through Oct. 26. Contains adult themes and situations. The 2019-20 Mainstage season continues with Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” from Nov. 16 to Dec. 28, “Driving Miss Daisy” from Jan. 11 to Feb. 1, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” from Feb. 15 to March 21, “Steel Magnolias” from April 4 to May 2 and “Grease” from May 16 to June 21. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 to 12. For more information or to order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

 

By Rita J. Egan

Theatergoers will be delighted to come and meet those dancing feet at the Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts. The musical “42nd Street” debuted at the theater July 6.

Based on the novel by Bradford Ropes and 1933 film of the same name, the musical premiered on Broadway in 1980. During its nine-year run, it won several Tony Awards, including Best Musical. In 2001 the production was revived on Broadway and went on to win the Tony Award for Best Revival and others. Filled with memorable musical numbers, “42nd Street” features the book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, lyrics by Al Dubin and Johnny Mercer and music by Harry Warren.

As for the Smithtown production, it’s expertly directed and choreographed by Ryan Nolin. Tap dancing is one of the focal points of this musical, and each of the actors should be applauded for their skillful and delightful tap dancing throughout the show.

Set during the height of the Great Depression, the story centers around the fictional musical “Pretty Lady“ directed by Julian Marsh, and young Peggy Sawyer’s journey from a young starry-eyed girl from Allentown to the star of the show after the musical’s lead actress, Dorothy Brock, is injured.

Courtney Braun as Peggy is endearing as the naive starlet and sounds terrific during “Young and Healthy,” “About a Quarter to Nine” and “42nd Street.” Jon Rivera plays Marsh, the no-nonsense director, with the right amount of authoritative tone. It is during the second act that he really gets to show off his musical chops with a wonderful version of “Lullaby of Broadway,” and displays his comedic side when he shows Peggy how to greet a love interest convincingly for a scene she is rehearsing.

Tamralynn Dorsa is stunning as temperamental diva Dorothy and shines vocally, especially singing “I Know Now” and “About a Quarter to Nine.” Ryan Cavanagh is charming as Billy Lawlor, the young actor who has his eyes on Peggy, and gives a powerful performance during “Young and Healthy” and “Dames.” 

Scott Earle and Ann Marie Finnie provide the right amount of comedic relief as the show’s songwriters Bert Barry and Maggie Jones, and Finnie’s vocals take front and center during her parts in “Go Into Your Dance,” “Getting Out of Town” and “Shuffle Off to Buffalo.” Alex Pinals plays Andy Lee, the choreographer of “Pretty Lady,” and is perfect for the role with smooth dance moves of his own, and Veronica Fox as Anytime Annie provides a nice amount of sass.

Rounding out the cast perfectly are Erich Grathwohl as Abner Dillon, Brendan Noble playing Pat Denning, Karina Gallagher as Lorraine Flemming, Nicolette Minella in the role of Phyllis Dale and Michael Sherwood easily taking on multiple roles. The colorful, 1930s-inspired outfits, designed by Ronald Green III, and the band led by musical director Melissa Coyle tie it all together nicely.

From the lead actors to the ensemble, everyone is spectacular in the numbers the musical has become known for through the decades. Right from the start, the cast impresses with their dancing feet in the opening number “Audition.” Vocally “We’re in the Money,” “Shuffle Off to Buffalo” and “42nd Street” are the stand out numbers they were meant to be thanks to the talented cast. 

Just like the 1933 movie, this production of “42nd Street” is a feel-good piece that has arrived just in time for a fun summer treat.

The Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 East Main St., Smithtown, will present “42nd Street” through Aug. 18. Performances are 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays. Running time is approximately two hours with a 15-minute intermission. Tickets range from $22 to $38. For more information, visit www.smithtownpac.org or call 631-724-3700. 

Photos by Lisa Schindlar