REVIEW: FST’s ‘Next to Normal’ is crazy good

From left Ashley Picciallo, Leo Daignault, Stacia Fernandez, Mike Backes in FST's winning production of 'Next to Normal.'

Its finger right on the pulse of the real modern family, the one with madness always bubbling near the placid surface, “Next to Normal” works tremendously well on an abnormal number of levels.

Featuring music by Tom Kitt with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama recipient and winner of three Tony Awards is a rock musical that manages to deftly make the most of melancholy, with sharp satire, smart observations, provocative questions and endearing humor.

Credit Florida Studio Theatre for not just doing an excellent job with an intricate show of often cleverly matched vocals performed from a tight stage and three risers over the rousing sonics of an accomplished live band but taking a chance:

The subject matter is heavy and the characters sing or say just about every dirty word George Carlin ever rifffed on.
But this cussing isn’t without purpose.
Just like nothing in the potent production isn’t without purpose.

Even if at the end audience members are forced to find his or her own definition of “normal” — or decide if it’s OK to just be “next to normal.”
Or maybe conclude “normal” is a silly, way-too subjective and hurtful word, one that deserves banished from the lexicon.

The mother Diana (Stacia Fernandez) grapples with bipolar disorder that manifests itself in a most frightening way at times. Namely in the form of her son Gabe (Mike Backes), resulting in a jolting surprise to anyone not paying close attention.

Natalie (Ashley Picciallo) plays the neglected, good girl daughter who begins to stray from her high school studies after meeting pot-smoking boyfriend Henry (James LaRosa). She quickly leapfrogs his occasional bong blasts for drugs-n-clubs benders largely fueled by Mom’s powerful, prescription stash.

Dan (Leo Daignault) is the father forced to make tough decisions regarding his wife’s well being. Scott Guthrie plays both doctors charged with treating Diana.

The show is sans flat characters — save for the doctor, who makes the most of his relatively perfunctory but often hilarious role — and the other actors shine in their juicy, largely unprecedented parts. The songs interweave wonderfully with just enough spoken lines salted throughout to create an even stronger ebb and flow.

“Next to Normal” might not be for everybody but it’s must-see performance art for anyone interested in what the exciting possibilities are in musical theater.

Details: Nov. 2-Jan. 1, FST’s Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota. Tickets: $29-$39. Information: 941-366-9000 or www.florida studiotheatre.org.

Radiohead to play Tampa

Radiohead performs to a cheering crowd during Lollapalooza 's first day at Grand Park in 2008, in Chicago, Illinois. (Abel Uribe/Chicago Tribune/MCT)

Radiohead will play Tampa during its upcoming 2012 U.S. tour.

The initial 10 date dates of the art rock band's first extensive string of U.S. shows since 2008 will begin Feb.  27 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami with dates currently running through March 15 at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz.

Other Lives will support on these dates.

Radiohead performs at the St. Pete Times Forum Feb. 29.

General on-sales for these shows will begin November 12, with the exception of the February 29 Tampa, FL date, which will go on sale November 19.

There will be a four ticket per person limit.

For further information on ticketing, go to http://radiohead.com/tourdates/

REVIEW/PHOTOS: Sarasota Blues Fest

Ryan Shaw at Blues Fest. Photo by Caroline Sansone.

Thousands attended the Sarasota Blues Fest Saturday for a beautiful day of diverse, movingly performed roots music.

Los Lobos closed the evening with a set that ranged from Mexican-flavored originals off their latest great record "Tin Can Trust" to a terrific Allman Brothers Band-style rendition of "On Way Out."

Ryan Shaw, who performed just before Los Lobos, proved my personal favorite. He's a 30-year-old with two Garmmy nomination to his credit who  brilliantly updates vintage soul. His set opened with a stirring rendition of Jimmy Cliff's reggae classic "Many Rivers to Cross" and never lost momentum.

Shaw completely reworked The Beatles' "Yesterday" into R&B gold and honored Michael Jackson with an emotive rendition of "Man in the Mirror." The most special moment of the night, though, came when Shaw performed the soul standard "Try a Little Tenderness" famously recorded by Otis Redding with backing by Booker T. & the MG's featuring the legendary Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass.

Donal "Duck" Dunn with Ryan Shaw. Photo by Wade Tatangelo.

Dunn, who lives in Sarasota, and Shaw met backstage prior to the performance. Shaw gave a warm dedication to Dunn before bringing chills by channeling the spirit of Redding without aping him. Dunn grinned in approval.

Former Little Feat singer and longtime member of Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet band Shaun Murphy also elated the crowd with her powerhouse vocals when she performed around 4 p.m.

Click for a slew more of outstanding pictures by Sarasota Blues Fest photographer Caroline Sansone.

REVIEW: 'Brothers Karamazov' a struggle on stage

From left: Jacob Cooper (Alyosha),
Brendan Ragan (Dmitry) and Jesse Dornan (Ivan) 

Many books make for great plays. Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s more-lauded-than-read masterpiece “The Brothers Karamazov” isn’t one of them. At least not judging by the FSU/Asolo Conservatory’s staging Wednesday of Roland Reed’s script directed by Andrei Malaev-Babel, a Conservatory faculty member.

The epic novel about a dirty old man and his three disparate sons has never been considered an easy read. Dostoyevsky’s obsession with religious faith and how doubt influences one’s morality permeates the book and play, which reportedly uses only text penned by the original author.

These heavy themes loom large over the small Cook Theatre stage, crushing any momentum that might be generated by the convoluted plot.

The acting by the entire, 12-person class of second year students can’t be faulted. It ranges from solid to superb. If the play weren’t so long — three hours including a single 15-minute intermission — I would recommend attending solely to watch Kelly Campbell’s gripping performance as the play’s Jezebel, Grushenka Agrafena.

Brendan Ragan (Dmitry) Jacob Cooper (Alyosha) and Jesse Dornan (Ivan) are also commendable as the Karamazov brothers, as is Francisco Rodriguez, who plays their drunk dad as well as a police captain.

But the 150 minutes of stage time is too full of characters trading monologues rather than dialogue to engage. The conflicts feel forced because the characters are made to come across as vessels for Dostoyevsky’s musings rather than persons in dire positions.

The costumes by Maxey Whitehead and Kristen Lynne Blossom are excellent but the sparse staging did each scene a disservice. There’s essentially no stage scenery. Props basically consisted of black stools, wine bottles and glasses.

That’s a lot to ask of a theatergoer but it might have worked if 14 audience members were not seated in a semi-circle around where the action took place. One couldn’t help but watch several squirm as a dream sequence dragged or notice that three of the chairs were empty after intermission. Incidentally, the two people seated next to me also didn’t return for the second and final act.

After already investing 80 minutes (and price of admission) they should’ve stayed. The second act flows much better than the first with a strong court scene conclusion. But it was not enough to overcome the many obstacles presented by the play, which has moments of brilliance too often undermined by a snake-like story line and tiresome pontificating.

IF YOU GO

What: Asolo Conservatory presents “The Brothers Karamazov”

When: Nov. 1-20

Where: Cook Theatre in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

Tickets: $28/$27 matinees/students receive 50 percent off with advance ticket purchase

Information: 941-351-8000 or www.asolorep.org

Willie Nelson returns to Sarasota to play Van Wezel; info on new album

Willie Nelson is returning to Sarasota.

After last season's quick sell-out, American music icon Willie Nelson and Family return to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall for another evening of brilliant country influenced by blues, jazz, folk and classic pop.

Tickets for the Feb. 3 show go on sale at 10 a.m. Sat., Nov. 12.

Nelson is scheduled to release the covers album "Remember Me, Vol. 1" on Nov. 21. Here's the track list, courtesy of TheBoot.com:

1. "Remember Me" (Ernest Tubb)
2. "Sixteen Tons'"(Tennessee Ernie Ford)
3. "Why Baby Why" (George Jones)
4. "Today I Started Loving You Again" (Merle Haggard)
5. "I'm Movin' On" (Hank Snow)
6. "That Just About Does It" (Vern Gosdin)
7. "This Old House" (Rosemary Clooney)
8. "Sunday Morning Coming Down" (Kris Kristofferson)
9. "Smoke That Cigarette" (Tex Williams)
10. "Slowly" (Webb Pierce)
11. "A Satisfied Mind" (Porter Wagoner)
12. "Roly Poly" (Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys)
13. "Release Me" (Ray Price)
14. "Ramblin' Fever'"(Merle Haggard)
15. "More and More" (Webb Pierce) *iTunes exclusive

Earlier this year I interviewed Willie's son/band mate, singer/songwriter/guitarist Lukas Nelson:

Willie’s son Lukas keeping it ‘real’

Details: 8 p.m. Feb. 3, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Tickets (on sale 10 a.m. Nov. 12): $30-$75. Info: (941) 953-3368 or log onto www.vanwezel.org.





—Photo at top provided by Van Wezel

SATURDAY (NOV. 5): Sarasota Blues Fest keeps it fresh with Los Lobos, Ryan Shaw and much more

Here's my story on this year's awesomely eclectic lineup:

"Sarasota Blues Fest plays outside box"

UPDATED 11/10: Bonnie Bramlett joins Dickey Betts, others for Dan Toler benefit in Sarasota

UPDATED 11/10: Here's story with quotes from Betts and Bramlett:

Betts, Bramlett, more to play Toler benefit

Bonnie Bramlett publicity photo

Esteemed blue-eyed soul singer Bonnie Bramlett, formerly of the famed duo Delaney & Bonnie, has been added to the Dan Toler ALS Support Benefit Festival.

Dickey Betts & Great Southern headline the Nov. 12-13 event in Sarasota first reported about here.

Bramlett performed with the Allman Brothers Band during the Toler era of the late 1970s (see clip below). She can be heard on the ABB albums "Enlightened Rogues" (1979) as well as "Reach for the Sky" (1980). She also performed with Toler on the acclaimed 1978 Dickey Betts & Great Southern album "Atlanta's Burning Down."

As a member of Delaney & Bonnie, she performed with Duane Allman, Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Dave Mason. 

Bramlett's songwriting credits include the classic "Superstar" (with Leon Russell and Delaney Bramlett), which was a hit in 1971 for The Carpenters and subsequently covered by everyone from Luther Vandross to Sonic Youth; the latter's version heard on the soundtrack for the hit film "Juno."

Bramlett is perhaps best known, though, for playing Bonnie Watkins on the hit TV show "Roseanne" in the early 1990s.

The Allman Brothers Band with Bonnie Bramlett and Dan Toler live at the Volunteer Jam in Nashville Tennessee