Sunday in the Park with George

Roundabout Theater presents a new version of Sunday in the Park with George. This import from London is truly a gem to experience - a wondrous melding of live theater with projected art. Steven Sondheim (Sweeny Todd, Gypsy) wrote the lyrics and music back in 1984 for this fictional interpretation of how George Seurat created his pointillism masterpiece A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. Act I focuses on the artist (Daniel Evans) and his lover, Dot (Jenna Russell), as he struggles with finding his art and she angsts about their relationship and her status. From 1884 to 1886 Seurat worked on his masterpiece playing with primary colors, light and the science of 'seeing'. To see his excitement at discovering that the mind will interpret spots of blue and red as violet is sheer pleasure to and art and science lover like myself. Through George and Dot's relationship arc, we also get to know around a dozen characters in the painting - two soldiers (although one is projected, literally), two soldier-loving young women, an elderly lady and her nurse, an influential art couple, a young girl, a boatman, a rotund American couple, and a few dogs. Through these people, we know a little more about the society of the times and the frustration and tension created between creating art for art's sake and creating art for markets. As one character expresses this dilemma, "Work is what you do for others, liebschen... Art is what you do for yourself." The songs in Act I were beautifully realized in all their Sondheim strangeness, bumpy cadence and whimsical lyrics. Sunday in the Park With George starts with Dot's attempts and struggles with concentrating as the artists model. By the end of Act I it becomes a more integrated song delivered by the Company. And by the conclusion of Act II is is a fully familiar and enjoyable piece made whole by the process. Act II takes place in 1984 and it is the weaker of the acts. Thematically the play moves more into the market vs. art tension and the songs seem to lack a little luster. But the entire production is saved and elevated to new heights by the superb direction of Sam Buntrock and projection design by Timothy Bird & The Knifedge Creative Network. Through their vision the audience sees the stage transform, through light and color, into the painting - back and forth from the island park to Seurat's studio. Like the best magic, this illusion was whimsical and entertaining while also being reflective of Seurat's own experimentation with visual perception and art. The story was better told with this guiding device and several transitions - an artists studio curtain turning into a tree, a blank canvas turning into a playful dog - had the audience mesmerized. The art direction should be guaranteed a Tony for this production. It is hard to think of a better, more enjoyable way to experience theater; I feel privileged to have seen such a stellar, innovative production.

Just for the gals

Yep, time for the ever-so-fun annual gynecology exam. Not too bad; better than the nasal scraping for cilia my pulmonologist performed in 2005. Ewww! Yes, I just wrote that. So everything looks good and hopefully I get the call back next week that everything is normal. BUT, since I am now 40, my doctor referred me to two labs for the dreaded mammogram :O Yikes! I'm trying to find a lab with digital imaging because recent research shows this type of image is better for younger patients or those with dense tissue. Why the hell can't someone invent a sort of ultrasound approach to testing instead of getting squished like a pancake in some waffle iron? Sidenote - new low bloodpressure = 86/60.