Will-A-Thon at Twenty One – Acting Prowess and Passion

JaQwan J Kelly, Dimitri Carter, Charles E Gerber and Willie Teacher

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On Sunday, April 28th THE WORKSHOP THEATER presented at The Society of Ethical Culture located at 2 W. 64th Street where there was a bountiful and impressive display of acting prowess and passion as Charles E Gerber led the way with his troupe of players in:

“For Thy Sweet Love Rememb’red”

Part II: Sunday, April 28th at 1:30 pm

…an offering of Scenes, Sonnets, and Songs of LOVE.

Charles sings his song to Will’s lyrics of “SIGH NO MORE” from, “MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING”, Act 2, Scene 3

Featuring:

Ademide Akintilo,* Zoe Anastassiou,* Arthur Aulisi,* Ethan Cadoff,* Dimitri Carter,* Tom Luke DiCostanzo, Letty Ferrer,* Charles E. Gerber,* JaQwan J. Kelly, Erik Kochenberger, Mary Lauren,* Orlea Mattson, Jovan Tyler-Graham, and John Concannon (PSM)* NOTE: asterisks after the names of members of AEA (Actors’ Equity Association) indicate membership

Charles directed, produced, acted and composed selections for this outstanding and annual event celebrating the works of William Shakespeare.

It featured Mary Lauren’s beautiful singing in addition to her brilliant renditions of Regan, Portia to JaQwan J. Kelly’s Brutus, and Hermione to Ethan Cadoff’s incisive yet maddened Leontes.

Tom DiCostanzo as Horatio brings some cheer to the mourning Hamlet of Jovan Tyler-Graham “HAMLET”:Act 1, Scene 2

Zoe Anastassiou’s impassioned Calpurnia to Arthur Aulisi’s Caesar was a superb example of concentrated spousal protection. This highly accomplished player later rendered as humorous a Sonnet 138 as the Bard ever could have conjured.

Dimitri Carter displayed remarkable lucidity, ” worthy cogitations”, as Cassius to Kelly’s reluctant to kill, yet determined to protect the Republic, Brutus.

Ethan Cadoff as Leontes and Mary Lauren as Hermione seem to have the perfect marriage, at FIRST, in Act 1, Scene 2 of
“THE WINTER’S TALE”

Letty Ferrer once more rendered a definitive Nurse to Orlea Mattson’s first appearance of Juliet, along with Lauren’s delightful Lady Capulet .

Ms. Mattson was a heartbreaking Cordelia earlier when banished by the incalculably misconstruing King Lear of Gerber. Aulisi’s Kent in that first scene from Lear was a plea for sanity in a realm of Lear’s boundless vanity.

Cadoff as Leontes plays with their son, Mamillius of Orlea Mattson as Lauren looks on in the same scene from ” THE WINTER’S TALE”

Ademide Akintilo’s Polixines was a study of vocal prowess in perfect control as was his and ALL members of the Ensemble when rendering their choice of Sonnets.

Jovan Tyler-Graham showed considerable promise as Hamlet as did Tom DiCostanzo’s Horatio in relating the improbable events of the ghost sightings.

Arthur Aulisi as Caesar tries to assuage Zoe Anastassiou as she’s fearful for his life, Calpurnia in “JULIUS CAESAR”, Act 2, Scene 2

And Erik Kochenberger provided as touchingly amusing a Benedick being gulled by his friends for love of Beatrice as beheld in memory. And this same player spoke Berowne’s excerpt from Love’s Labor’s Lost, first edited by the late, great actor, Ken Welsh originally for his and Ray Leslee’s Off Broadway hit, from decades ago: ” Stand Up Shakespeare”.

Mr. Leslee generously permitted the employment of his music to Sonnet 29: ” When In Disgrace”, to frame these proceedings, along with the recording of the wonderful Thomas Young singing this show’s theme song that was later sung in duet by Lauren and Gerber.

The penultimate line from that Sonnet made the title of this show crystal clear in this paean to Love:

” For Thy Sweet Love Rememb’red such wealth brings,” with the ultimate line being:

“That then I scorn to change my state with kings.”

Charles recites the major theme of the show: Sonnet #29: ” When, in disgrace with Fortune and men’s eyes”

They made it look easy and as words fell trippingly off the tongue I assure you the heightened language was no easy task. Bravo to all ! A special hey dee ho as Charles’s exuberant performance buoyed us all!

Catch it next year !

Photos lovingly provided by Jamie Lorenzo