The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • 29

A MONDAY FEBRUARY 19 1990 THE MIAMI HERALD 5C This Glass Menagerie is shattered NOW SHOWING! LI JFUNf CtNiMA 6 SIBROWARO SATWttTON SMAOOWOOOU HOVWCTTV CORAL SR MHOS SOV1SI AT RLAAfTATtOR HOVCS AT MAAOATt QATCWAVIV THUNOCRSfftOO CWtCMAS OCCSFICLOSCACH MIPOWWO ttOVNEB AT LAUOCRMLL By CHRISTINE ARNOLD OOLEN herald Theater Critic Time and time again Tennessee Williams put artistically filtered versions of his life onto the stage but never more poignantly or tenderly than in The Glass Menagerie A "memory play" as the narrator Tom (who is alter ego) describes it The Glass Menagerie is a powerful study of a dysfunctional family and of the roots of a restless writer's art Yet it is also a poetic work of great fragility At least The Glass Menagerie CAN be all those things though you would never know it from the truly dreadful new Florida Shakespeare Festival production at the Minorca Playhouse What director Robert Lowery and his cast were thinking of I cannot imagine it certainly play Marred by miscasting and bizarre or inept interpretations this Glass Menagerie is a disaster from the day Night Live alum Larrame Newman were skewermg Laura a sketch her performance would probably be much like all twitching and knuckle-biting and impending personality implosion Gregory Nystrom is decent if a bit stiff as the Gentleman Caller though the lanky actor look a bit like description of him And he gets the biggest unintentional laugh of the evening one of many when he remarks to Laura different from anybody ever known" I should hope so Even the incidental music is ineptly handled starting during narration drowning much of his words out stoppmg as he continues talking starting again The increasingly impressive Florida Shakespeare Festival has come a long long way since its early shaky days on the grounds of Vizcaya The Glass Menagerie unfortunately is a throwback to those less professional days Lowery pulled him off the street to do the play He lacks concentration and control his narration he mangles poetry and he plays his scenes with mama Amanda as though he were a petulant teen about to be grounded not a breadwinner about to abandon the women who depend on him Maria Canals a very good actress is completely wrong as Amanda Powdered hair and a couple of lines drawn under her eyes cannot disguise the fact that she is roughly the same age as her stage Moreover she radiates power decisiveness and control This Amanda would be out working three jobs to give her kids a better life not nagging her two unwilling offspring and losing herself in reveries of her popular southern girlhood Jennifer Joyce takes sensitivity and physical defect one huge step further making fragile sister practically retarded If Satur THEATER REVIEW THE GLASS MENAGERIE Cast: Maria Canals William Wilcox Horne Jennifer Joyce Gregory Nystrom Playwright: Tennessee Williams Director: Robert Lowery Set: Michael Martin Costumes: Jeffery Phipps Lighting: Daniel Palmer A Florida Shakespeare Festival production at the Minorca Playhouse 232 Minorca Ave Coral Gables through March 4 $17 1 9 50 or 1 1 5 for students and senior citizens 8 pm Tuesday-Saturday 4 pm Sunday 2pm this Wednesday and Saturdays 446-1 116 first moment that William Wilcox Home takes the stage to begin Tom Wingfield's narration of his family saga New to Miami Horne is an actor with some impressive credits but his performance is so ineffectual and amateurish that you could believe IWOMETCOiTREATRES Early Bird Special J2 75 S3 95 All ottier matinees $3 00 Senior Citizens Seata Show atartirrg between 44 pm Children 3-12 All Times Attractions excluded! Fn Sal late Check Time Clock or Cell Theatre tor Show mm 22 REVENGE NIGHTBREED MADHOUSE TANGO I CASH STELLA FLASHBACK INTERNAL AFFAIRS BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY STANLEY IRIS LOOSE CANNONS REVENGE INTERNAL AFFAIRS NIGHTBREED MADHOUSE STELLA HARD TO KILL LOOSE CANNONS GLORY STELLA TANGO ft CASH ENEMIES A LOVE STORY National cast buoyant in Barber of Seville REVENGE NIGHTBREED MADHOUSE HARD TO KILL LOOSE CANNONS TANGO ft CASH Showa at Selected Theatres Tlmee TTTTTUT Tr PG13 PG13 REVENGE MADHOUSE ROGER ft ME INTERNAL AFFAIRS BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY EVERYBODY WINS LOOSE CANNONS GLORY TANGO ft CASH STELLA 1 Ihxs PG13 LOOK TALKING SEA OF LOVE DAD REVENGE MADHOUSE NIGHTBREED STELLA DRIVING MISS DAISY INTERNAL AFFAIRS LOOSE CANNONS PG13 PG13 ee STELLA HARD TO KILL MUSIC BOX GLORY INTERNAL AFFAIRS ALWAYS LOOK TALKING MADHOUSE PG13 MUSIC BOX PG13 GLORY ENEMIES A LOVE STORY STANLEY ft IRIS PG13 ENEMIES A LOVE STORY EVERYBODY WINS MUSIC BOX PG13 BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY TF MADHOUSE NIGHTBREED STANLEY IRIS INTERNAL AFFAIRS PG13 PG13 eunERffPOE 31 CFWLCM04 CUTLER RIDGE CINEMA UB14FI TPC 23BC31I SOUTH IS AAR MAC THEATERS KENDALL TOWN 4 COUNTRY 10 FlOffOATURNFNC AT KBIOAUORTVC an-s NIGHTBREED INTERNAL AFFAIRS MADHOUSE MUSIC BOX HARD TO KILL LOOSE CANNONS TANGO ft CASH REVENGE HARD TO KILL 1 1 1 4 I ii MUSIC REVIEW Friday night to sustain the troupe's stellar reputation Having said that though perplexing why a tenor as wrong for Almaviva as Gran Wilson in the International cast was picked as recent replacement when Davis was already on the premises One purpose of a National cast so I thought was to permit worthy young singers to fill unexpected needs New substitution You can only hope the Greater Miami Opera does better by subscribers with its latest substitution Sharon Graham a young mezzo-soprano who has risen to national prominence out of the ranks of Chicago Lyric young artists program will replace Gloria Scalchi as Adalgisa opposite Carol Neblett in next production of Norma If it isn't in Weekend it isn't happening You'll know where the fun is which movies are in town what special events are being held and where to dine iiiilli MORGAN FREEMAN JESSICA JP 4 DAN TANDY I -f iAYKROYP SOUTH MM1 NATIONAL CCMa GARDEN CINEMA U2HOAVE A CORAL WAV M44001 MOflTHMUMt WW ET CO TIO TBS MIAMI LAKES 10 AT MAM 1 1UO LAM MAM BEACH WCUCTCO THEATER BYRON-CARLYLE 7 00 7 1ST AMCTl EATERS MARINA 8 114 tMC17THST ICtWWTS FA1A it an HOLLVWOOO WOtfTCOTWATERB FLORIDA 4 HOLLYWOOD M-SM0 MQUYWOOO AMC THEATtRS OCEANWAIK 10 A AiKXLWSCOD 8LVD HOUYWOOO BCH RESORT PTWROTCPHE LOEWS CINEMA 4 tWLlT'MOOD SIVOA UMVtftblTY 0A u2as INC llltMNf BEST PICTURE BEST ACTOR Morgan Freeman BEST ACTRESS Jessica Tandy earner bros 7ANUCK COMPANY MORGAN FREE MAN JESSICA TANDY DAN AY KR01 DRIVING MISS DAISY" 1JAKF FBFRTS 1 By JAMES ROOS Herald Music Critic Although Joseph conducting was safely sedate compared with the urgency of Richard The Barber of Seville was ultimately livelier in the Greater Miami National Series performance than the International stodgier first-night effort For one thing the National cast possessed a much more plausible Almaviva in Michael Rees Davis who made his local debut in last production of Ido- meneo Davis could sustain the dul cet line Ecco ndente and thread spiraling ornamentation with considerable aplomb For another the acting was generally more natural and buoyant Michelle Sarkesian was a saucier less matronly Rosma with a pleasant soprano and William Parcher though not a fully seasoned Figaro acted the role with some relish and had a sturdy baritone and fine flexibility in tongue-twisting patter True David Langan for all his make-up looked too young to be the old buzzard Basilio but his firm bass-baritone sounded much fresher than Arnold Even Thom King while he the Toby jug type of Dr Bartolo had more fun with the role than Carlos Feller In short this Barber gave you a better idea of why the opera is a comic classic But for a company of the Greater Miami stature there was nevertheless too much flavor secondary and even in front-rank roles AUDITIONS Hollywood Playhouse will hold auditions for the play Picnic 7 tonight 2640 Washington St Hollywood needed are men and women ages 16-45 922-0404 The New Theatre needs actors directors stage managers and designers for its 1990 productions 10 a m-4 pm Saturday and March 3 4275 Aurora St Coral Gables actors should prepare a short monologue singing actors should prepare two contrasting musical theater pieces (bring sheet music accompanist provided) there may be cold readings directors stage managers and designers should call for an appointment 595-4260 The Ring Professional Theatre Company will hold auditions for Equity and non-Equity actors for its 1990 professional summer season 10 am Sunday Ring Theatre 1380 Miller Dr University of Miami Coral Gables prepares 16-bar uptempo song a 1 6-bar ballad and a 1 Ifc-min-lite comic monologue there will be cold readings send 8-by-10-inch head shot and r6sum6 to Mel Shraw-der Artistic Director The Ring Professional Theatre Company PO Box 248273 Coral Gables 33124 for an appointment call 284-3360 The Center for Expressive Arte at Charles Drew Elementary School is auditioning students in art music drama and dance for its program for the artistically talented students in grades 3-5 can audition through March 14 call 691-5010 or 691-8021 r20 YEARS OF FLORIDA SUCCESS1 TEST PREPARATION COURSES FOR ALL TEST OATES KATZ ELKIN 274-2711751-8100 LIVE IN PERSON TEMPEST STORM fOPEN to AM UNTItfWEE HOURS SOUTH UUM UMTEO ART0TB MOVIES AT THE FALLS UA1 SAW MfT AMC THEATERS MALL OF THE AMERICAS 8 PALMETTO LX PVTY ASS MAifMt WtTfD AHTHTS MOVIESAT HIALEAH TBOWfcST 40TH STREET AMCTHUTERS OMNI 4 OM PfllFPtAriCMAl HBXT TO HLAetRDPS TIMtN pm roke pwy-b arRALCHtMA PEMBROKE PINES CINEMA 8 SW AMU St VD AT TIAAMOO 4S7 77M tCMMO COM4 MWXVvDS TMACMWT COMA SWIM) (WOWfAHO MCV AHAI AAOVtt AT MAJGATt MOO AinAMAtOK MOVOAITOMPAMO A AS NIXAMOK AHArtXOOO nUjurlft iflijiMWfl HANS ZIMMFR 'A! DAVID BROWN RICHARD ZANUCk UU FINI ZANLCK Bl1 KLll' OKI) Wo-m Ohm CAwrrrtjTl instruct itieui row A can Tit 10 fUlMMMMH in-sis uWC tNCJfTSt tamtemm PCMMOKEHttSI irwi-cLrif7 As-Ti it sit Samson Delilah Smith Wesson Romeo Juliet HI Water David Maddie IVfOOflLIGHTiriG BACK ONLY ON LIFETIME Monday through Thursday at 8 PM LIFETIME TELEVISION bjuw srasTO tn1 RACE rm fl4liiilf8inlh ffrillfli llfli I Iltk I iiilininMtli IT lOtli ytkidtk Hfhrii AiIIii.