Preview: 'A New Brain'
Theater might not be brain surgery, but gay-themed musical will surely tickle the funny bone
If there's a topic for a musical that doesn't sound the least bit uplifting, it's got to be brain surgery. But a tumor discovered in the brain of Tony Award-winning playwright and lyricist William Finn in 1992 became the inspiration for 1998's "A New Brain," a musical about to make its Michigan professional premiere courtesy of The Actors' Company.
"It's different," admitted director Michael Gravame, "but I like to do new and different things. It's got shtick and humor, pathos and drama; it tugs at your heartstrings. It has everything I like in a musical."
It's also a semi-autographical tale about Finn's diagnosis and recovery.
"A New Brain" chronicles the life-threatening experiences of Gordon Michael Schwinn, a gay, Jewish composer who collapses when he cannot write a song for a children's television show.
"How he gets through it is to envision all this music. Every ordeal in the hospital turns into a musical number. And he's haunted by this green, larger-than-life figure, Mr. Bungee, that represents his boss," Gravame said.
Gravame first heard the soundtrack of "A New Brain" while on tour with The Actors' Company in 1998; he saw its Chicago premiere in 2002. He's wanted to stage it ever since.
"I think it's one of [Finn's] best works. You can tell the progression Finn has made since 'Falsettos.' 'Falsettos' was more dark and dealt more with gay issues."
In "A New Brain," Gordon makes a metamorphosis and writes the music that he was meant to write, according to Gravame.
"I can totally identify with the show, because I'm a struggling artist that doesn't want to wake up when I die and regret I didn't do what I wanted to do. That's what The Actors' Company is all about. I'm never going to give up my dream of 'making it.'"
Gravame also believes it's one of the first major shows to feature a gay male character in a heroic leading role.
"Every time you see a gay lead [character], there's all this drama he has to deal with because he's gay. There's drama in [Gordon's] life, but it's not because he's gay. That's just who he is, and everyone accepts it."
It's that characterization that attracted out, gay actor Jeff Drewno to the role of Gordon.
"This [production] portrays gay characters in a positive light," Drewno said. "There's some tragedy in this show – he has this brain dysfunction – but you find out early on that this is a positive story about a gay family. There's a positive relationship between Roger and Gordon, and the mother is very supportive of them being together. It shows that there is hope, and that things do get better."
It's a role the singer/dancer/actor has wanted to sink his teeth into ever since attending a performance in New York a few years back.
It's also a brutal part for any actor to endure, Gravame claims.
"If he's not singing, he's on stage in a hospital bed or something. Out of the 90 minutes, [Jeff's] onstage probably 86 of them!"
"This roll stretches me a lot," the actor agreed.
Drewno, a teacher in the Walled Lake School District, has appeared on Broadway and in several local productions. Although he's been out for several years, Drewno was initially unsure whether or not to invite older students and colleagues to the show. He has since changed his mind.
"For some people this might take the edge off, that uncomfortable edge that we sometimes feel as gay people. That's what theater does," Drewno said.
In fact, both Gravame and Drewno hope that audiences both straight and gay embrace their quirky 90-minute musical when it opens July 22 at Birmingham Village Players.
"And not only because we have two good looking men in the leads," Gravame laughed.
A total of 10 actors are in Gravame's production, and both men are complimentary of their team.
"It's a great cast," Drewno said. "They're fun to work with."
Both also hope that "A New Brain" won't be the only show of its kind on Detroit area stages this season.
"A lot of theater groups in the area have wanted to do this show, but they're not pushing the envelope, they're not doing it because of the gay themes," said Drewno. "But I have real problems when people sell audiences short and don't allow them to think for themselves. Let the audience think a little bit.
"This is a good play to make people think about things."
"A New Brain" Staged Thursday through Saturday by The Actors' Company at the Birmingham Village Players, 34660 Woodward Ave., Birmingham, July 22 – 31. Tickets: $18. 248-644-2075; also presented as the final show of the 2004 TreeTown Performance Festival at Performance Network Theatre, 120 E. Huron, Ann Arbor, Aug. 26 – 29. Tickets: $20. 734-663-0681. www.performancenetwork.org.
In the News: 'The Home Team'
Ann Arbor theater hits the road to Chicago for national festival
The Performance Network's Wilde Award-nominated production, "The Home Team," is heading to Chicago July 16 to participate in the 2004 National Showcase of New Plays.
The festival is sponsored by The National New Play Network, an alliance of theaters that champions the development, production and continued life of new plays for the American theater.
The Kim Carney comedy was one of 18 plays from 17 different American theaters selected for inclusion in this year's festival.
The weeklong festival of staged readings of new and noteworthy plays runs through July 23.
Each play will receive two readings.
The festival will not only give Carney's comedy broader exposure, it will also offer Michigan artists a chance to perform in front of a national audience.
"We have some of the most talented actors, directors and stage managers in the country living in Michigan, and we're glad that they will be getting the recognition they deserve," said Performance Network artistic director Carla Milarch. "We are so excited to show our stuff in Chicago and bring more awareness of the cultural riches that exist in Michigan. We're proud to represent Michigan on this national level."
"The Home Team" received five Wilde Award nominations this year, including Favorite Local Professional Production with LGBT Themes or Characters. The Chicago reading will feature many of the original cast members and director Jim Posante.
For ticket information, call Chicago Dramatists at 312-633-0630 or visit www.propthtr.org.
