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Posts tagged ‘Alex Timbers’

14
Oct

On the scene: Opening night of ‘Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson’

I was there when it played off Broadway, then attended the media day, and even was present at its first Broadway preview. So when I was invited to the opening night performance and party of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, despite my excitement, I worried people would start thinking I was a Jackson groupie. And maybe I am! Well, not exactly, but there’s no shame in supporting a show that’s this good or one you believe in. And I believe in Andrew Jackson.

I was the plus one of the very generous Sammy Davis, my friend and the mind behind the self-titled Sammy Davis Vintage, who is a vintage fashion expert and stylist. We arrived at the Bernard Jacobs Theatre early enough to soak up the opening-night flashbulbs and festivities occurring on the street. We first saw Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts walk the press line, followed by the very pregnant Katie Finneran, Eve Best, Keith Powell, and Andrew McCarthy. Bloody Bloody writer/director Alex Timbers and composer Michael Friedman also passed through photographers, looking ebullient for the debut of their creative baby. Getting swept up in all the famous faces and buzz, it was easy to lose track of time, and we realized we should go in and take our seats before we missed the curtain.

The excitement in the theater was palpable. I had already observed Donyale Werle and Justin Townsend’s enveloping set and lighting when I attended the first preview performance, but I swear the ornaments glowed brighter this night. The performance began 15 minutes late, but when it did, the audience gave the cast of Bloody Bloody a warm welcome. Title star Benjamin Walker riffed a little more than usual in his opening statements, warning the audience that their sustained applause was just delaying them all from the open bar at the after party. Read more »

14
Oct

Review: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson

After receiving what was undoubtedly the most kick-ass history lesson of my life last spring when I saw Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson at The Public Theater, I wondered how the show would handle a Broadway transfer. Even now, the emo-rock musical about America’s seventh president still has a more off-Broadway feel to me. Its humor is incredibly specific and the story verges on off-putting and offensive at times. But like its title character, this show doesn’t follow convention.

Now playing at the Bernard Jacobs Theatre, Bloody Bloody has once again opened with commitment. The show’s focused style of humor and aesthetics would not work without pure dedication, and Bloody Bloody has gone whole hog. Or rather whole horse, as one hangs upside down from the ceiling over the audience.

Walking into the home of Bloody Bloody is an instant immersion into another world. Scenic designer Donyale Werle has done stupendous work, expanding beautifully on the setting at The Public. One of the most enjoyable aspects of Bloody Bloody last spring was the all-inclusive set design, with gaudy chandeliers and Christmas lights stretching far out into the audience. Werle has adapted the themes wonderfully for the 1,000-seat Jacobs Theatre. The house is splashed in deep read and painted portraits adorn the walls all the way to the back. The Christmas lights and chandeliers have returned, hoisted high above the audience, stretching back through the mezzanine. The Jacobs Theatre looks like a ghoulish setting for a Halloween party.

Once in the theater, the audience is prepped for all the sights of Bloody Bloody. The creative team for this show is the one to beat come Tony season. Werle, lighting designer Justin Townsend, and costume designer Emily Rebholz have collaborated with such unity. Rebholz’s costumes have done the actors the service of making them look as sexy and radical as they need to portray themselves. All aspects of Bloody Bloody fit together like a puzzle. Read more »

10
Sep

Stage Rush TV: Episode 30

Talking points:

Have you gotten a close-up view of American Idiot, Rushers? Are you marking your calendar’s for Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson’s first performance on Broadway? What did you think of their performance for the press? Did you catch Zach Braff in Trust? Leave your thoughts and questions in the comments below!

Follow Stage Rush on Twitter and Facebook for on-the-go updates, news, and sightings.

9
Sep

‘Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson’ readies for Broadway

Indians and politicians invaded the Playwrights Horizons Theatre on Wednesday when the cast and creative team of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson met with the press to promote their upcoming September 20 Broadway bow. The cast came armed with a medley performance of two of the show’s numbers, and writer/director Alex Timbers offered a sneak peak of what will happen when Jackson takes the stage.

Video: The cast of Bloody Bloody Andre Jackson performs “Populism, Yea Yea” and “Rock Star”

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17
Apr

Review: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson

Being that I was an AP History student in high school, I’m embarrassed to say this: going into Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, I couldn’t remember a thing about this particular president. It’s a good thing there’s nothing like a loud rock musical to pound the facts into your head.
Chronicling the childhood and political rise of Andrew Jackson, our country’s seventh president (I learned this from the show!), this creation of Alex Timbers (book writer and director) and Michael Friedman (music and lyrics) is a random, wild-child piece of genius. Billed as an “emo rock musical,” Andrew Jackson strips the characters of any dense, political verbiage and colonial form. Instead, a rock star ensemble screams a hilarious rock score of the president that is both adored for being a “people’s president” and loathed for genocidal acts against the Native Americans.
Timbers, Friedman, and the rest of the creative team have dedicated themselves to the show’s “look,” and it’s that commitment that makes Andrew Jackson such a standout piece. Upon entering the theater, the audience’s experience begins. Scenic designer Donyale Werle and lighting designer Justin Townsend have strung distressed gold and red chandeliers on the ceiling, extending over the audience to the back row. Single-color decorative string lights pass over the chandeliers, and long neon bulbs (a la Kevin Adams’ designs for Spring Awakening and Passing Strange) hang on the sidelines. I felt as if I had walked into a grungy New York rock hall. The stage bears the same rock-grunge motifs, as well as wilderness clutter, to reflect Jackson’s Tennessee upbringing. There are so many details to look at on the stage that it’s frustrating to realize you can’t catch them all. Read more »