by Julie Zimmermann
Circles come round. Old stories are retold. Musicals are revived.
But few revived musicals of size and magnitude make it, even on the Great White Way. Which is why this retelling of a much-loved story is a weekend calendar Margaretville must.
This Saturday, June 28th, The Open Eye Theater is hosting a different version of this iconic Broadway show: “Electric’s West Side Story (On The Lower East Side),” a 75-minute family-friendly show, written by one person, with one person playing all the roles.
That person is the enigmatic William ‘Electric’ Black, who takes the original 1957 musical, set on the upper west side, to the lower east side, Black’s own stomping ground.
“Who wouldn’t want to take the classic tale that is West Side Story and have fun with it? It’s a solo performer’s stand-up: acting out all the play’s main characters. Why not infuse all the energy of that show and brew up all the personalities? It’s a zany West Side Story that takes place as I’m onstage by myself. But it’s improvisational, and it’s interactive: the audience gets involved.”
Audiences for Electric’s show include fans of the famed musical— grandparents, parents and kids, as well as musical-comedy buffs who love to join in. Loyal fans of the beloved musical enjoy sharing the show’s message, especially in today’s atmosphere of social unrest. Kids and adults alike are taken back to the 50’s complete with gifted goodies associated with the era. Electric’s energy often has repeat fans returning again and again.
A self-described “long-time theater guy,” and wearer of many, many hats, Electric is a an Emmy-award winning writer, a director, actor, performer, lyricist and educator.
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| William 'Electric' Black |
Ian Ellis James (real name) teaches dramatic writing at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. He inspires his students to stay relevant to the times—and the economy, exploring the worlds of acting, directing, and producing across all mediums.
“Jim Henson had just passed away when I got on board at Sesame Street,” Electric shares. “The Gospel Alphabet” came out of a script I’d written when Patti LaBelle made it her own. Then Queen Latifah recorded, “That’s the Letter ‘O’” and I got to create all kinds of hilarious way-off stuff.”
Black’s garnered seven Emmys for his work on Sesame Street. He’s also a regional Tony award winner in association with his many La MaMa productions. He’s penned more than thirty plays since then that strike a strong stance on social issues, performed in major cities across the U.S. Themes impacting children and community are his forte. By highlighting topics from peer pressure to gun awareness, Electric exposes situational circumstances steeped in strong statistics, creating opportunities for change through the magic of theater.
“If you are writing, you are always ready to work on something that is a potential vehicle for yourself; a solo show. I’ve been inventing characters and doing solo performances for a long time.”
Theater for the New City, under the artistic directorship of Crystal Fields, first produced Electric’s version of West Side Story (On the Lower East Side.) It was there he also gave birth to “Gunplays,” a set of five plays “dealing with gun violence and insolence.”
“I met Open Eye's Artistic Director Amie Brockway some time ago and stayed in touch with the theater’s original people. I used to do readings with them in the city, and so it’s great to catch up to them in Margaretville after all this time with one of my first big musicals.”
The fifties are alive and well this Saturday as Tony, Maria, Riff, Bernardo, Officer Krupke and Anita take the stage. The circle’s come round and everything about it is Electric.
The Open Eye Theater is located at 960 Main Street in Margaretville. The show is Saturday, June 28th at 7:00PM. There will be a brief talk-back after the show.
Pay-What-You-Will ($20 Suggested) Reservations: theopeneyetheater.org
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