Long day, buying tickets, "Bernarda Alba" at Lincoln Center

So, today my classes were over by 11. Afterwards, I did some homework and read two plays for European Drama. I had really meant to either take a nap or relax, but that just didn't work out.

Anyway, tonight I went to see Bernarda Alba at the Mitzi Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center. I'm a big fan of the composer, Michael John LaChiusa, so I went into the show with high hopes. The design of the show was great -- a sparse stage with wooden planks on the floor, a terra cotta back to the stage with a big wooden door. Above the back of the stage were the musicians (similar to his See What I Wanna See at the Public in the fall). Ten chairs (and some fabrics) were just about the only props, and most of the costumes were a sullen black.

Despite the great design elements however, the story just didn't trigger too much in me. See What I Wanna See really resonated to me, because I could identify with a lot of its themes, but this is an adaptation of a Lorca play about a woman who shuts her daughters inside and limits their sex lives and marriage opportunities. There were some glimpses of beautiful musical moments, and I liked the Spanish feel, but sometimes the singers' trills were a bit over-the top.

The ambience of the show was set by the actors' stomping of their feet (which is what woke up several of my fellow audience members who fell asleep), which was a nice device. The show had some amusing moments, particularly while the mating of bulls is simulated from across a stage by two women, as the ensemble sings "Open the door/And let me in."

At the end of the show (I'll go ahead and spoil it for you, as I'm pretty sure no one reading this will go see it anyway), Bernarda Alba (played by Phylicia Rashad, the mom on The Cosby Show, who was in relatively fine voice) attempts to shoot the man who wants to marry her one daughter and with whom another of her daughters has just slept. The adulteress daughter locks herself in the room, and melodramatic pounding begins, as all of the women wail and writhe at the door. The stage glows stark white as the women turn around as if the room has been revealed to them. They begin wailing and wailing...and wailing, and then Bernarda Alba, totalitarian head of the house, defying the truth of the situation, sings (over and over and over and over a few more times), "My daughter died a virgin," which I heard some people singing on the street as they laughed to one another.

Anyway, it wasn't horrible, and a lot of the moments in the show were great, but I was just glad it was short (at 90 minutes long). I haven't lost faith in Mr. LaChiusa. I'd rather have have a hundred Bernarda Albas than one jukebox musical, and the show at least made its audience think. One of the best lines, spoken by Bernarda to Poncia -- "It's not what I believe; it's the truth."

Anyway, before the show, I went to buy some tickets for April, which is becoming my Broadway sweeps month. I got a balcony (way up high) seat for Lestat and a rear mezzanine seat for The Drowsy Chaperone. The box office for The Threepenny Opera was closed, but I'll be buying a ticket to that as well. I also hope to rush Tarzan, try to get standing room for Three Days of Rain, and maybe even take in an opera. While I was at Lincoln Center, I got to take in the beauty of the place, and the Met looks really great with its plush red fabrics shining in bright lights. I feel like giving opera a try.

Another interesting tidbit is that the guy who played Michael the transvestite in Camp, Robin DeJesus, was at Bernarda Alba tonight a few rows ahead of me. I love that movie!!!

Anyway, tomorrow is the last day of classes in the week, and I have work tomorrow and Friday. Hopefully all will go well.