Thong for Hope

ReVision Theatre Company's production of The Full Monty will produce A THONG FOR HOPE a benefit concert for Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS on Friday August 29th, 2009 at 11 PM at the Carousel House on the Boardwalk in Asbury Park, NJ. 100% of proceeds will benefit BC/EFA in their mission to fight the AIDS epidemic.

A THONG FOR HOPE will include an eclectic mix of musical theatre, contemporary rock and some fun distractions, including a talkback with Jeanette (Broadway's Jane Strauss), where you can ask your favorite character questions you're dying to know answers to! Also included will be one cast member singing in a thong, but we're not saying who....

ReVision Theatre is a non-profit 501(c)3 professional regional theatre company dedicated to producing invigorating theatre with a fresh new perspective reaching the diverse community of Asbury Park and Monmouth County. ReVision Theatre's Producing Artistic Directors, Thomas Morrissey, David E. Leidholdt, and Stephen Bishop Seely, produce reinventions of previously produced classics, overlooked or forgotten work in a new way, and new work with a fresh voice. The company serves as a home for local artists and writers. ReVision Theatre also believes in the importance of theatre education and teaches children and adult theatre classes. ReVision Theatre produces readings, workshops, cabarets, concerts, and mainstage productions. Equity Fights AIDS was founded in October, 1987 by the Council of Actors' Equity Association. Money raised through the efforts of Equity theatre companies across the country was specifically earmarked for The Actors' Fund's AIDS Initiative.

Broadway Cares was founded in February, 1988 by members of The Producers' Group. Money raised was earmarked to be awarded to AIDS service organizations across the country, including Equity Fights AIDS. In May, 1992, Equity Fights AIDS and Broadway Cares merged to become Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Unlike most other nonprofit, grant making organizations, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS must raise every single dollar of our philanthropic budget, every year, in order to fulfill our mission. In turn, BC/EFA works hard to ensure that the money we raise is spent carefully and wisely, on programs where these hard-earned funds can have the maximum possible impact. www.broadwaycares.org
Single ticket prices are $30.

ReVision Subscribers, students and anyone with a ticket stub from an already played performance of ReVision Theatre's production of The Full Monty pay $25.

Cash or check only at the door, receipts can be made available for tax purposes.

If you would like to donate via credit card, donate online at www.broadwaycares.org and bring a copy of your receipt as your ticket.

For more information visit www.adam-kern.com/thongconcert.html
A Thong for Hope

The Carousel House on the Boardwalk, 700 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park, NJ 07712

Fri August 28th 2009 at 11 PM 

TICKETS:
$30 general admission.
$25 for ReVision subscribers, students and ticket stub holders for any already played performance of ReVision Theatre's production of The Full Monty.

"The Full Monty" - Asbury Park - A Full Night of Fun

August 24, 6:24 PM
Newark Theater Examiner
Karen Nowosad

f you are looking for an evening of fun complete with good singing and dancing, then go down to Asbury Park to see The Full Monty. The ReVision Theatre assembled a marvelous cast and has mounted a first rate production of the show.

The scenery and staging are sparse inside the Carousel House, which is in use for the run of the show as a theatre. But the bare bones look on stage works well with the concept of the show. Times are tough for a group of laid off mill workers in Buffalo, New York. They’re struggling to find work and pay their bills. But they are also struggling to reclaim their manhood as they are denied their right to be the breadwinners of their families. Unfortunately, this is all too common a theme today. But fortunately, the story is told with compassionate humor so the audience does not journey down a path of too much reality.

The group of unemployed men who decide to do a one time only dance routine in the local male strip joint is led by Jerry Lukowski played by Scott Guthrie.  Jerry is going through a divorce from wife Pam played by Erin Evers. Guthrie is very believable as the guy who has a heart of love for his son and  interest still in his wife. The son has a load of common sense, which helps in the plot.  Andrew Newsome played the role of the son; he was an absolute delight to watch.

Guthrie is a stand out in the group of men.  He took the role and made the audience root for him. All the men in the cast were fine actors, but another stand out was “Horse” played by Mark Weekes. His audition is funny stuff but musically he is a true “song and dance man.”

The women were continual sparks of enthusiasm and at times, they stole the show from the men. Stephanie Sine showed lots of fire in her performance as Georgie Butatinsky. Her voice was strong, clear, and energetic; just as we suspect Georgie has to be to keep the home fires burning. Katherine Pecevich’s rendition of Vicki Nichols singing “Life with Harold” brought the house down. And what can be said of Jeanette’s antics and lyrical moments? They are showstoppers. The crowd loved her.

Audiences will not be disappointed – the full monty does take place right in front of your eyes. But of course it is done with the kind of discretion and staging that makes you go “oh yes!” and you want to come back and see it all again.

For more Info:  Visit the ReVision Theatre's website.  This show is running Wednesdays through Sundays until September 6.

Naughty and nice: 'The Full Monty' strips down to raunchy great fun

By Peter Filichia, Star-Ledger
August 18, 2009 11:19AM

The show at the Carousel in Asbury Park sure isn't "Carousel."

"The Full Monty," the musical that played the Paper Mill Playhouse in June, is getting yet another production, courtesy of the ReVision Theatre Company. While the set here is not just ugly as sin -- rather, it's as hideous as all 12 mortal sins plus 100,000 venial ones -- the cast is great fun in this raunchy show.

How raunchy? There's more than a dollop of profanity in Terrence McNally's (otherwise solid, amusing and tender) book and David Yazbek's lyrics. With a plot involving six out-of-work men stripping in order to raise much-needed cash, there's also more skin on display than in the average musical.

Yazbek provided the quirky music, too, which is an excellent amalgam of pop rock and genuine show music. Though this is mostly an up-tempo, brassy score (nicely played by a 13-piece band), Yazbek makes room for three beautiful ballads, too.

Scott Guthrie excels as Jerry, the flat-broke father who's as far behind on his child support payment as the Mets are in the standings. His young son Nathan is played by Andrew Newsome, an endearing but not sticky-sweet child actor. Such kids neither grow on trees nor on many stages, so Newsome is to be cherished. So is director David E. Leidholdt for not letting the lad overdo it.

All the would-be strippers score, but Andy R. Jobe is the most impressive. He's Malcolm, who must make a journey from namby-pamby mama's boy to a self-actualized man in love. Jobe does just that. Among the wives, Katherine Pecevich's Vicki has plenty of sizzle as a coddled spouse who turns out to have more character than her husband Harold (the impressive Mark Gerrard) would have expected. So does Erin Evers as Pam, Jerry's ex. McNally was careful not to make her any kind of a shrew, and Evers expertly shows the character still has a great deal of love left in her.
And then there's Jeanette, the veteran of eight marriages whom the men have hired as their pianist. Jane Strauss looks like the Wrath of God with her colorful but eye-offending outfit, and her hair piled atop her head so that it resembles an out-of-control tumor. McNally gave her some sharp lines, but on opening night, Strauss not only got a laugh with all of them, but also acquired applause from most of them.
Too bad, though, that Leidholdt occasionally positions an actor so that the audience can't hear an important piece of information, either because someone's blocking him, or because he's in a too-far-removed place on stage.
Granted, the set used on Broadway and Paper Mill was never attractive enough to pass for the Embassy Ballroom in "My Fair Lady." But at least it was specific enough to let an audience know that it was in such places as a men's room and two posh suburban homes. One can't get the point of the scene of the jokes without knowing the location. What's more, the moment when Malcolm attempts suicidal asphyxiation by carbon monoxide in a car isn't clear because there's only a suggestion of a car.

When one considers those liabilities, "The Full Monty" doesn't seem to be the right show for ReVision. However, with all the talent that the company has on hand -- and how right each actor is for his role -- one can understand why the plucky company just had to do this musical.

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The Full Monty
Where: ReVision Theatre, Carousel House, 700 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park
When: Through Sept. 6. Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m.
How much: $25-$50. Call (732) 455-3059 or visit revisiontheatre.org.

"Monty" a flying circus at Asbury Carousel

August 19, 2009
By TOM CHESEK
CORRESPONDENT
 
Theater folk do love to tell stories of their experiences on the live frontlines of show business — so stop us if you've heard the one about the much-ballyhooed musical revival presented inside an old boardwalk carousel roundhouse.

It seems that just prior to the opening night performance, a beach security vehicle with a stuck throttle rammed into the building, reportedly causing a delayed reaction that resulted in the power going out during a big showstopper number just minutes before intermission — a number completed with the help of flashlights, and followed by an unplanned 45-minute break in which the audience enjoyed lemonade and cool ocean breezes (while frantic crews entertained alternatives like science-project batteries made from lemonade-stand lemons).
Ouch. Too soon? Well, the people of Asbury Park's professional ReVision Theater Company needn't apologize, since they managed against some pretty long odds to wrest a successful opening of "The Full Monty" from the jaws of what looked to be certain disaster — as nifty a recovery as anything we've seen, and accomplished largely through the beyond-Monty efforts of a game cast (with all due credit to a patient and supportive audience).
Although it hasn't quite trickled down to the middle-school or church-basement circuits just yet, the Americanized stage adaptation (by Terrence McNally and composer David Yazbek) of the hit British film has been seen on enough community stages to dampen whatever residual shock value remains from a musical about amateur male strippers. It also helps tremendously that the authors have humanized their characters — a set of unemployed factory workers, divorced dads, and lost souls living in a beaten-down Buffalo — in a way that puts the show's gimmicky central conceit into perfect perspective. While the script doesn't run nearly as deep as other McNally efforts, these guys are a pack of underdogs that you can root for from the start.

Between scoring some pertinent points on the psychological effects of joblessness and despair, "Monty" is essentially a fun party — and director David Leidholdt has played up some of the party-atmosphere flourishes in a way that compensates for the generally low-budget look and rough aspects of the unorthodox (but still engagingly funky) venue at the south end of the boardwalk.

While Scott Guthrie and Adam Kern do a fine job anchoring the cast as broke brainstormer Jerry and his "fat bastard" buddy Dave, the show doesn't really spark to life until the "Hot Metal" dance troupe begins to come together toward the end of the first act (unfortunately, right about the time the lights went out on Aug. 14). The audition-scene intros of painfully bad dancer Ethan (Jonathan Gregg) and, especially, the "Big Black Man" known as Horse (Mark Weekes) are comic highlights that are very nearly eclipsed by the presence of Broadway veteran Jane Strauss, as the dance troupe's chain-smoking, wizened old crow of an accompanist (love those hopelessly dated references to Arthur Godfrey and Buddy Greco).

Apart from that surefire crowdpleaser of a role, the capable female performers in the cast (including such returning ReVisioners as Katherine Pecevich and Deidra Grace) necessarily cede the spotlight to the starring sextet of stripping pals rounded out by humiliated former boss Harold (Mark Gerrard) and suicidal lonely guy Malcolm (Andy R. Jobe). Still, one could make the case that the women literally saved the show on that weird opening night, by whooping up the energy level from the audience in the climactic (and briefly full-frontal) "Let It Go" production number.

Struggling to make ends meet in a harsh economic climate; striving valiantly to mount a slick show in what can be called a "quirky" space, the ReVision producers have every right to identify with their underdog protagonists here. While it's ultimately not going to be the sort of legacy-making choice that last spring's "Kingdom" was, their "Monty" is a fun summer show in a dress-down setting (air conditioned exclusively by nature), best enjoyed in that spirit — or with whatever spirits you can take in beforehand.

Continuing through Sept. 6, "The Full Monty" presents performances at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and at 7 p.m. Sundays. Tickets, $35-$50, can be reserved by calling 732-455-3059 or visiting www.ReVisionTheatre.org.

Additional Facts

THE FULL MONTY B Terrence McNally and David Yazbek Carousel building, 700 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park 8 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 7 p.m. Sundays Through Sept. 6 $35-$50 732-455-3059 or www.ReVisionTheatre.org

The Full Monty is Superlative!

By Carlo Durand
The Coaster

August 18, 2009

In 2001 when the musical “The Producers” won its 715^th Tony Award (slight exaggeration) many wondered if the hype surrounding the sold- out comedic romp had gotten a bit out of hand. Granted, the show was a joy with irreverent humor and catchy tunes and all, but a growing number of dissenters (myself included) began grumbling that there was a Broadway show tragically unawarded and overlooked due to the Juggernaut of Mel Brooks’ campy blitzkrieg. “The Full Monty” (based upon the award-winning, 1997 British film of the same title) managed to run two years and earned the reputation of being a great show that should have run longer. If you missed out on the Broadway run or simply miss the show, then you are in luck because Asbury Park’s ReVision Theatre’s production of “The Full Monty” is sensational.

F or the uninitiated, the story (the movie is set in Northern England, the stage adapters ,Music and lyrics by  David Yazbek, book by Terrence McNally, have set the action in Buffalo, NY) concerns a group of six unemployed factory workers who decide to form a Chippendales-esque group and strip for badly needed cash, all for different reasons. Heading the cast as Jerry, a man sorely in arrears for child support and in danger of losing visitation with his son, is the talented Scott Guthrie. Mr. Guthrie establishes his presence from the opening moments with a strong, clear voice. He is the ringleader who dreams up this harebrained idea and convinces others to drop trou with him. It takes an actor of great charisma and conviction to make Jerry believable and likeable; Guthrie succeeds on both fronts. His portly best friend , Dave, is played by the lovable Adam Kern. Dave is much more than the traditional “chubby best friend” role. He is a person in crisis with his life. Unemployment, the assuming of house-husband duties, and the loss of faith  in himself and in his marriage (his wife played by the adorable Stephanie Sine) have made Dave miserable, yet Mr. Kern’s performance shows a fully developed character who the audience grows to love more and more throughout the course of the evening.

These two buddies soon enlist the res t of their crew:  Andy R. Jobe plays Malcom, a suicidal security guard with mother issues. Jobe has an amazing singing voice and a wonderfully cartoonish physicality (somewhat reminiscent of Shaggy from “Scooby Doo”). His performance is hysterically funny and remarkably touching. Mark Gerrard plays Harold, the group’s reluctant dance instructor. Harold is in a pickle due to his cash-strapped status and over-spending spouse (Vicki, portrayed with gusto and glamour by the fantastic Katherine Pecevich). Gerrard succeeds well as a man fighting to keep up the illusion of stability while slowly crumbling under the weight of the pressure. His duet (“You Rule My World”) with Mr. Kern , as they sing of their respective loves in their lives was a highlight. Mark F. Weekes portrays Noah (aka “Horse”) and brings a charged vitality to the role of an older man seeking re-discovering his youthful inner boogie and Jonathan Gregg plays Ethan, a hapless oaf who has a habit of knocking himself senseless. Gregg is a wonderful performer with a beautiful voice and expert comic timing.  These six fellows have the unenviable task of not only needing to sing, act and dance but to be in varying states of undress during part of it. The group does not disappoint , particularly at the end of act one when we see them all begin to gel as a performing group thanks mainly to Connor Gallaghers’s exciting choreography . Ho wever the finale is nothing less than electric as the guys truly go for broke and do go “the full monty” which is British slang for “all the way”, meaning buck naked.  The audience was hooting and applauding every member of this delightful cast. The show was directed with finesse by David E. Leidholdt who kept the action flowing seamlessly and guided every performer onstage to memorable moments (particularly local favorite Bob Angelini in his professional debut whose brief “strip audition” was a comic highpoint of the evening). The superlative musical direction was by Andrew Hertz.  The entire evening was a complete and total joy, yet there was one factor that truly helped in firmly establishing this production as a deluxe success. The factor is a force of nature named Jane Strauss. A Broadway veteran with highly respectable credits, Ms Strauss quite simply stole the show as Jeanette, the group’s musical director.  Line by line, glance by glance, gesture by gesture, Strauss delivered comedic homeruns and had the boys onstage and the audience in the palm of her hand.

Since 2008, Revision has established itself as Asbury Park’s resident professional theatre company and in a short time has become well known=2 0for its professionalism and dedication to quality work. Currently the company utilizes the performance space at the Asbury Park VFW Hall (where their celebrated spring production of the hip-hop musical “Kingdom” was staged to raves) and the Carousel House on the Asbury Boardwalk (where “Monty” is now playing). There is a resonating sense of rebirth here. What was once a vacant shell ready for demolition is now heralding a new era for a city. Peter Allen wrote “Everything Old is New Again”. Asbury is coming alive again and no city can truly thrive without the presence of art.  One can only hope that the Carousel House or another empty theatrical venue can soon become this group’s permanent home. They deserve one and the city needs one. In the meantime, see “The Full Monty” and enjoy a bit of Broadway caliber theater right here on the shore.

“The Full Monty”  runs Wed-Sat at 8PM, Sundays at 7PM through September 6^th at The Carousel House on the Boardwalk, 700 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park, NJ 07712. Call 732-455-3059 for tickets and information or visit  www.ReVisionTheatre.org

Jane Strauss takes a shot at 'The Full Monty'

by Peter Filichia, Star-Leger
August 13, 2009 15:42PM

 

Jane Strauss rehearses for her role as Jeanette in the ReVision Theatre of Asbury Park production of "The Full Monty." (photo credit: Alecia Brooks)

Jane Strauss knows she has a tough act to follow.

Last month, audiences were treated to no less than Elaine Stritch as Jeanette, the tough-as-ivory piano player, in the Paper Mill Playhouse's production of "The Full Monty."

That production is dead and gone, but the new staging of the 2000 Broadway hit musical finds Strauss in the role of the pianist who accompanies some well-meaning amateur strippers. She opens for a three-week run on Friday at the ReVision Theatre in Asbury Park.

"I'm sure Ms. Stritch was very good, but I can't worry about her," Strauss says. "Besides, I'm much too fascinated with the character herself. Jeanette doesn't let anyone walk over her. She's seen it all, done it all and conked out in Buffalo. But she doesn't have regrets -- and I admire anyone who doesn't."

Strauss grew up in Abington, Pa., before coming to New York in the 1970s. "I thought I'd be famous in two years," she says dryly. Looking back, she realizes how naïve she was. "I was a snob about commercial theater. In school, I was fascinated with experimental theater and heavy European theory. I even wound up playing Brutus in 'Julius Caesar.' But how can you make a living doing that?"

So she started auditioning for musical theater. "I said to myself, 'I'm going to be on Broadway -- even though I'm average-looking, and I'm not a charming person. Please God! Just give me one Broadway show!"

She got it, playing "a Londoner" in the 1984 revival of "Oliver!" Recalling that, Strauss lets out a heavy sigh. "These days I tell young actresses, don't say, 'Please God, give me just one Broadway credit!' -- because God might grant that specific wish and never give you a second Broadway show."

Since her break 25 years ago, Strauss has been touring. "That means I've played at least six different maids in six different shows," she says. Other roles have included Carlotta in a non-Webber version of "Phantom of the Opera" and understudying Miss Hannigan in "Annie."

She is still angry with the actress who was playing that role. "My parents were going to be in a town when we were there, so I asked her if she'd let me do the role one night so they could see me," Strauss recalls. "Can you believe she said no? Was she afraid some big producer would be in the audience, and she'd lose her big chance? We were only in Lima, Ohio."

At least she and the actress didn't come to blows. When Strauss did a Neil Simon play with Shelley Berman, she claims, "He kicked me because I touched his props. I cried on that one."

In "The Full Monty," Strauss's character admits to having been married eight times. It's a stretch for Strauss.
"I'm an old maid," says the 59-year-old, without a dot of self-pity. "We have a long line of old maids in my family -- though I do have an aunt who got married for the first time at 74."

She stops and thinks. "There was one man I wanted to marry, and I even proposed to him," she says. "This was Larry David, back when he wasn't anyone yet, when we hung around clubs together. You know, I still wouldn't mind marrying him. But it'd be fine if I just spent the next few years drinking carrot juice, having massages and maybe even adopting a foster child. So in that way, I'm very much unlike Jeanette."

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The Full Monty
Where: ReVision Theatre, Carousel House, 700 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park
When: Through Sept. 6. Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m.
How much: $25-$50. Call (732) 455-3059 or visit revisiontheatre.org

James Rado with the Cast of ReVision Theatre's Production of HAIR

“Hair” in Asbury’s Carousel House

NJMonthly
NJ My Way
August 11, 2008 04:47 AM ET Permanent Link

It’s two revivals in one.“Hair,” the rock musical that revolutionized Broadway 40 years ago, is opening Friday as the first event held inside Asbury Park’s newly refurbished Carousel House, the boardwalk landmark that for decades sat empty and falling apart like much of this Shore town.
The show is being produced by ReVision Theater, which was founded in Asbury Park in November by members of the Genesius Theatre Group in New York. Stephen Bishop, one of the founders of ReVision, says he left New York for the Jersey Shore because the renaissance going on in Asbury provides good opportunities for the arts.
He also thinks it’s good for his production that another “Hair” revival recently opened at the Public Theater in New York. “Several people from that “Hair” helped us,” he says. “And lots of people don’t want to drive to New York, so they can come here to see us.”The play explores the hippie counterculture of the 1960s; it scandalized the nation with scenes that included profanity, drug use and sexuality in ways never before seen on the American musical stage. Still, songs such as “Aquarius,” the title song “Hair,” “Easy To Be Hard” “Good Morning Starshine,” and “Let The Sunshine In” became hits.
Bishop hopes staging the play at the Carousel House will be a hit too. “We were looking for alternative spaces, storefronts, garages, parks,” he says. “We had worked with [Asbury’s oceanfront developer] Madison Marquette and they were working on the Carousel House. We drove over and said: This will work, it’s a fantastic venue.”
The Carousel House was built in the late 1920s as part of the Casino entertainment complex on the south end of Asbury Park’s Boardwalk. During Asbury’s glory days as a resort, the building housed amusement rides including a large carousel. As the rides were dismantled through the 1980s the building fell into disrepair.
Madison Marquette has restored the copper roof and green cupola with elaborate trim, and reinstalled ornate glasswork windows. The show will be staged as theater-in-the-round. “It’s perfect for ‘Hair,” a show about hippies who come in and take over a space,” says Bishop. The show runs until August 31. Check here for times and tickets.

Former Carousel House Now a Home for ‘Hair’ - New York Times

By GWEN OREL
Published: August 9, 2008



ASBURY PARK - THE Carousel House has been empty for years, but from Aug. 15 to 31, it will be filled with the sounds and sights of the Age of Aquarius. The recently restored building is the setting for “Hair,” the first fully staged production by the nonprofit ReVision Theater here.



ReVision’s founders, Tom Morrissey, David E. Leidholdt and Stephen Bishop Seely, came to know one another through the Genesius Theater Guild, based in Manhattan and started in 1995 by Mr. Morrissey, 52. ReVision became the new incarnation of Genesius this year. The three men, who share a house as well as the title of producing artistic director, moved to Asbury Park this spring.
They wanted to start a regional theater that could incubate work for Broadway, like the Barrington Stage Company in Massachusetts, where Mr. Leidholdt, 43, had worked as an associate producer. “We opened atlases, picking out cities,” said Mr. Seely, 35.



They sought a town that was developing, diverse and gay-friendly. Mr. Morrissey added: “All the other towns we looked at didn’t need us. We want to make an impact.”



The performance of “Hair” will be in the round; seats will be on risers and on floor cushions, with the cast performing on a platform and on three scaffolding towers. The director is Andy Goldberg, of “Bomb-itty of Errors,” the hip-hop Shakespearean play.



Built as part of the Casino entertainment complex on the Boardwalk, the Carousel House, which dates to 1929, had a carousel in place from about 1932 to 1990, according to Helen Chantal Pike, a historian and author of “Asbury Park’s Glory Days” (Rutgers University Press, 2005). Later occupants included a skateboard park and flea market.



According to Courtney Johnson, marketing director for the real estate company Madison Marquette, one of the owners of the Carousel House, it has been given a new roof and cupola, replacement glass and iron gates. Other performances and art exhibits will take place there in the future, she said.



ReVision’s plans include smaller shows during the year, a holiday show and summer musicals in a variety of places, with both new works and reimagined classics expected.



ReVision has a group, ReScript, that reads submitted plays and is run by Lou Liberatore, another Asbury Park resident. Mr. Liberatore also runs the Jersey Shore Writer’s Studio and was nominated for a Tony Award in 1988 for his featured role in Lanford Wilson’s “Burn This.”
ReVision’s three producers have other jobs: Mr. Leidholdt teaches at a summer theater camp in Manasquan and will be a producer for American Family Theater in Philadelphia in the fall. Mr. Morrissey teaches musical theater at Wagner College in Staten Island and at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. Mr. Seely tends bar in Asbury Park.



At a pool party fund-raiser for ReVision, George Hansel, the lighting designer for “Hair,” said he was happy to see the group in the city. A resident for 25 years — “I’m a townie,” he said — he runs a local performing arts company called the Black Box Theater. Noting that a lot of “carpetbagger” types have come through Asbury Park, he said, “ReVision fills a niche of quality.”
Besides, he added: “They pay everybody, which is rare.”



“Hair” runs from Aug. 15 to 31 at the Carousel House on the Boardwalk in Asbury Park, 700 Ocean Avenue at Asbury Avenue. Information: (732) 455-3059 or http://www.revisiontheatre.org/.








LET THE SUN SHINE IN Cast members of “Hair,” from left: Martin Gould Cummings, Julia Arazi, Mike Russo, Marah Meese and Spiro Galiatsatos. (David Hunsinger for The New York Times)

Hair is Here!

ReVision Theatre takes off - and takes it all off - in Asbury

By Steven Froias

TriCity News
August 7, 2008


ASBURY PARK - We can't think of a better way to add an exclamation point to a comeback summer on the Asbury boardwalk than an event musical staged in the newly restored Carousel building.We can only picture it in our mind's eye, however. But ReVision Theatre of Asbury Park can see it through from concept to execution. And that's exactly what's happening right now as they gear up to present their next production, a staging of HAIR in the Carousel opening Friday, August 15 and running through Sunday, August 31. It's certain to add a dash of bold creativity to the scene with it's uncompromising artistic commitment to the original intent of the show - which contains strong language and full nudity - and what's certain to be ReVision's own unique take on this timeless, but timely, piece of theatre. We're not surprised that ReVision isn't afraid to cross new cultural terrain in the triCities. We interviewed the directors back in May and were impressed with their street cred.The guiding lights of the company are Stephen Bishop Seely, David E. Leidholdt, and Thomas Morrissey. The trio first came together in New York at ReVision's precursor, Genesius Guild years ago. After many successful seasons in the Big Apple, they found themselves swimming in critical acclaim but suffocated by New York's tight space and notoriously high operating costs. So they began to search for a new home in which to base their evolving group, which they began to envision as a regional theatre company which would provide opportunities for actors, directors and the like, as well as develop new material for Broadway or Off-Broadway bound productions.They chose Asbury Park and the triCity region - simply fell in love with the possibilities this area afforded them. As we wrote back in May, it's a win-win situation; for Asbury, and the triCity region, it's an opportunity to claim ownership of an organization that could bring national cultural attention to the area.Before planning the coming week's production of HAIR in the Carousel, they set up shop in our funky, little city by establishing an office in the VFW building on Lake Avenue, held acting classes and readings, and laid the groundwork for realizing their potential by staging a few special performances."DayDreaming: Channeling Doris Day" held June 1st at Mattison Park was one. The enthusiasm generated that day helped propel them to their next event - in the most expansive sense of the word. That was a one-night only musical concert of Richard Skipper as Carol Channing in "Hello, Dolly" at the Paramount Theatre on June 14th. It was, both in our view and in the opinions we heard by many in the audience that evening, the night magic returned to that venerable stage. Now, ReVision Theatre is poised to work their spell on another historic Asbury venue. As with everything they've done and everything we hope they'll do, it's an informed and inspired choice - just like the selection of HAIR itself as their next production.Stephen Bishop Seely tells us that he and the other directors of ReVision literally hopped in a car with representatives from Madison Marquette and went on a tour of available performance spaces on and around the boardwalk. But it was a short trip; the marriage of tribal rock musical and the siren call of the somewhat gritty, raw space of the Carousel was a pitch perfect match. Stephen calls the opportunity to stage HAIR there "environmental staging."He says they settled on HAIR as their next project, after initially planning to select and stage an original work, because he and the other directors felt the excitement generated by Asbury Park, particularly the boardwalk, demanded an 'event' show.HAIR is certainly that event - for the times, generally, and for Asbury Park now specifically.Born 41 years ago in another - at the time - somewhat scrappy space, Joe Papp's Public Theater in lower Manhattan, HAIR burst onto the theatrical scene a year later on Broadway pulsing with freshness and vitality. Though the summer of love is 40 years gone, many of the same issues - war, racism, sexism and sexuality - are churning beneath the surface of our society today. "HAIR is more relevant today than in any other time during the past 30 years," Stephen says.ReVision solicited resumes for the directing chores from all over the country and settled on Andy Goldberg, an up and coming theatrical talent who has already made a mark in Berlin, Germany with Boney M., a tribute show to the Australian answer to ABBA, Daddy Cool. Andy tells triCity that he concurs with Seely. "HAIR isn't a museum piece," he says. "The present day will creep into this production, more by implication than by beating people over the head." He leapt at the chance to help re-invent the musical, which coincidently is also being revived in New York this week. It's a testament to the tenacity of the ReVision team that they were able to secure the rights for this production, a mere 60 miles away. It's that determination to push the envelope that Asbury should embrace. Just as it should the more controversial elements of HAIR, including its full frontal nudity. With the success of Asbury's boardwalk this summer comes danger - the danger of creeping conformity. We've always hoped this city would never fall into that abyss. And ReVision Theatre - as all good artistic endeavors should - is helping to prevent that from happening. It's a challenge Asbury should accept gratefully."The cast is excited to take their clothes off!" Stephen told us. Which probably isn't surprising since Andy told us that while they've been rehearsing up in New York City, they're steeping themselves in the time period of the 60s. That's when the raw energy of the young was channeled into a cultural war of their own choosing and making in an effort to effect.change.How much - and how little - has changed from 1968 to 2008 in the country, and in Asbury Park.Hats -and everything else - off to the exuberance of youth. And ReVision Theatre. HAIR will run August 15 through August 31; Thursdays & Fridays at 8:00 pm; Saturdays at 7:00 pm & 10:30 pm; and Sundays at 7:00 pm. At the Carousel on the Boardwalk, 700 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park. All Tickets $35, General Admission. Buy tickets online at www.ReVisionTheatre.org.

Cast Announced for ReVision Theatre’s Production of HAIR

July 30, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cast Announced for ReVision Theatre’s Production of
HAIR
The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical
At the CAROUSEL on the Boardwalk in Asbury Park
Andy Goldberg (The Bomb-itty of Errors) Directs
Scoop Slone (Lead singer of rock band Maslow) stars

Asbury Park, New Jersey -- Scoop Slone, the lead singer of the rock band Maslow, will perform the role of Berger in ReVision Theatre’s upcoming production of Hair, The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical at the Carousel on the Boardwalk in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The show will run August 15th to the 31st (Thursdays and Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 7 pm & 10:30 pm, and Sundays at 7pm) with additional late night performances on Saturday evenings at 10:30 pm.
Directed by Andy Goldberg (The Bomb-itty of Errors, Nerds, and West End’s Daddy Cool), the performance features choreography by Elisabetta Spuria and musical direction by Andy Hertz.
The cast includes Casey Gensler (Claude), Ephie Aardema (Sheila), Julia Arazi (Jeanie), Mike Russo (Woof), Marah Meese (Crissy), and Kyle Taylor Parker (Hud). The production also features tribe members Keith Antone, Joy Caldwell, Steven Charles, Martin Gould Cummings, Spiro Galiatsatos, Deidra Grace, Iliana Inocencio, Britt Johnson, Hannah Shankman, and Anita Welch.
The design team comprises Russel Schramm (set designer), Dawn von Suskil (associate set designer), George Hansel (lighting designer), Simon Ghezzi (sound designer), and Steven Epstein (costume designer).
The newly restored historic Carousel on the Boardwalk is located at 700 Ocean Avenue in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Tickets, priced $35, are available by visiting www.ReVisionTheatre.org or by calling (732) 455-3059. The show will contain nudity and strong language.
Hair, The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement which include: “Aquarius,” the title song “Hair,” “Easy To Be Hard,” “Good Morning Starshine,” and “Let The Sunshine In”. The musical's profanity, its depiction of the use of illegal drugs, its treatment of sexuality, its irreverence for the American flag, and its nude scene caused much comment and controversy. The musical broke new ground in musical theatre by defining the genre of the "rock musical", utilizing a racially-integrated cast and inviting the audience onstage for a "Be-in" finale.
Hair tells the story of the "tribe", a group of politically active, long-haired "Hippies of the Age of Aquarius" fighting against conscription to the Vietnam War and living a bohemian life together in New York City. They struggle to balance their young lives, loves and the sexual revolution with their pacifist rebellion against the war and the conservative impulses of their parents and society.
After an Off-Broadway debut in October 1967 at Joseph Papp's Public Theater and another run in a midtown discothèque space, the show opened on Broadway in April 1968 and ran for 1,750 performances, followed by a successful London production, which ran for 1,997 performances. Numerous productions have been staged around the world since then, and numerous recordings of the musical have been released. Several of the songs from its score became Top 40 hits, and a successful movie adaptation was released in 1979.
ReVision Theatre is a non-profit 501(c)3 professional regional theatre company dedicated to producing invigorating theatre with a fresh new perspective reaching the diverse community of Asbury Park and Monmouth County. ReVision Theatre produces reinventions of previously produced classics, overlooked or forgotten work in a new way, and new work with a fresh voice. The company serves as a home for local artists and writers. ReVision Theatre also believes in the importance of theatre education and teaches children and adult theatre classes. ReVision Theatre produces readings, workshops, cabarets, concerts, and mainstage productions.

Visit www.RevisionTheatre.org or call 732-455-3059 for tickets or for more information.

CONTACT: Stephen Bishop Seely
Stephen@ReVisionTheatre.org
732-455-3059
Fast Facts:

Who: ReVision Theatre
David E. Leidholdt, Thomas Morrissey, and Stephen Bishop Seely
Producing Artistic Directors
PO BOX 973, Asbury Park, New Jersey 07712

What: HAIR, The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical
Book and Lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni
Music by Galt MacDermot.
Directed by Andy Goldberg
Choreographed by Elisabetta Spuria
Scenic Design by Russel Schramm
Associate Scenic Design by Dawn von Suskil
Lighting Design by George Hansel
Sound Design by Simon Ghezzi
Cast includes Scoop Slone (Berger), Casey Gensler (Claude), Ephie Aardema (Sheila),
Julia Arazi (Jeanie), Mike Russo (Woof), Marah Meese (Crissy), Kyle Taylor Parker (Hud).
Keith Antone, Joy Caldwell, Steven Charles, Martin Gould Cummings, Spiro Galiatsatos,
Deidra Grace, Iliana Inocencio, Britt Johnson, Hannah Shankman, and Anita Welch.

Where: The Carousel on the Boardwalk in Asbury Park, New Jersey
700 Ocean Avenue at Asbury Avenue
Asbury Park, New Jersey 07712

When: Opens Friday, August 15 thru Sunday, August 31
Performances Thursdays & Fridays at 8pm
Saturdays at 7 & 10:30pm
Sundays at 7pm

How: All tickets are $35.
Buy tickets online at www.ReVisionTheatre.org
Or call 732-455-3059.
Limited seating is available.

Contains Nudity & Strong Language

PRESS RELEASE HAIR opens August 15th at the Carousel on the Boardwalk in Asbury Park, NJ

July 16, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tickets on Sale Now!
HAIR
The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical
At the CAROUSEL on the Boardwalk in Asbury Park
Andy Goldberg (The Bomb-itty of Errors) Directs

Asbury Park, NJ – The newly restored historic Carousel House on the Boardwalk in Asbury Park comes alive again with the American Tribal Love-Rock Musical, HAIR. David Leidholdt, one of the producing artistic directors reminds us “The ReVision Theatre is known for its ‘not-what you-expect’ productions and our HAIR will do the same. While at the same time it promises to retain all the vibrancy, excitement, and immediacy that made the original Broadway production a hit. This will be the first time that the Carousel Building will be utilized since its restoration and we will use its unique characteristics to the fullest. Our plans include creating a very unconventional performance space that will envelop the audience.” The cast will include professionals from both New York and the local area. “This will be an event not to be missed,” adds Mr. Leidholdt.

Tickets on sale now! Performances begin Friday, August 15 and runs through August 31 (Thursdays (8:00 pm), Fridays (8:00 pm), 2 show Saturdays (7:00 pm & 10:30 pm), and Sunday (7:00 pm)). Tickets are available online now at www.ReVisionTheatre.org or by calling 732-455-3059. All tickets are $35.00. Seating is limited.

Hair, The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement which include: “Aquarius,” the title song “Hair,” “Easy To Be Hard,” “Good Morning Starshine,” and “Let The Sunshine In”. The musical's profanity, its depiction of the use of illegal drugs, its treatment of sexuality, its irreverence for the American flag, and its nude scene caused much comment and controversy. The musical broke new ground in musical theatre by defining the genre of the "rock musical", utilizing a racially-integrated cast and inviting the audience onstage for a "Be-in" finale.

Hair tells the story of the "tribe", a group of politically active, long-haired "Hippies of the Age of Aquarius" fighting against conscription to the Vietnam War and living a bohemian life together in New York City. They struggle to balance their young lives, loves and the sexual revolution with their pacifist rebellion against the war and the conservative impulses of their parents and society.

After an Off-Broadway debut in October 1967 at Joseph Papp's Public Theater and another run in a midtown discothèque space, the show opened on Broadway in April 1968 and ran for 1,750 performances, followed by a successful London production, which ran for 1,997 performances. Numerous productions have been staged around the world since then, and numerous recordings of the musical have been released. Several of the songs from its score became Top 40 hits, and a successful movie adaptation was released in 1979.

The Revision Theatre’s production will be directed by Andy Goldberg. Mr. Goldberg’s credits include the critically acclaimed The Bomb-itty of Errors (Off-Broadway), Love Sucks (NYMF), Nerds (NYMF), and Romeo and Juliet (American Stage). Russ Schramm (Scenic Designer), Dawn von Suskil (Associate Scenic Designer), and George Hansel (Lighting Designer) round out the creative team.

ReVision Theatre is a non-profit 501(c)3 professional regional theatre company dedicated to producing invigorating theatre with a fresh new perspective reaching the diverse community of Asbury Park and Monmouth County. ReVision Theatre produces reinventions of previously produced classics, overlooked or forgotten work in a new way, and new work with a fresh voice. The company serves as a home for local artists and writers. ReVision Theatre also believes in the importance of theatre education and teaches children and adult theatre classes. ReVision Theatre produces readings, workshops, cabarets, concerts, and mainstage productions.

Visit www.RevisionTheatre.org or call 732-455-3059 for tickets or for more information.

CONTACT: Stephen Bishop Seely
Stephen@ReVisionTheatre.org 732-455-3059

Fast Facts:

Who:
ReVision Theatre
David E. Leidholdt, Thomas Morrissey, and Stephen Bishop Seely
Producing Artistic Directors
PO BOX 973
Asbury Park, New Jersey 07712

What:
HAIR, The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical
Book and Lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni
Music by Galt MacDermot.
Directed by Andy Goldberg
Scenic Design by Russ Schramm
Associate Scenic Design by Dawn von Suskil
Lighting Design by George Hansel

Where:
The Carousel on the Boardwalk in Asbury Park, NJ
700 Ocean Avenue at Asbury Avenue
Asbury Park, New Jersey 07712

When:
Opens Friday, August 15
Thru Sunday, August 31
Performances Thursdays & Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 7 & 10:30pm
Sundays at 7 pm

How:
All tickets are $35.
Buy tickets online at www.ReVisionTheatre.org
Or call 732-455-3059.
Limited seating is available.