The Vast Difference: Oct. 10, 2008

Today @ the Windfall Theatre - 8 p.m.

Oct. 10, 2008

midnight

Jeff Daniels, best known for his work as an actor in films like Dumb and Dumber and Woody Allen's The Purple Rose of Cairo, deserves more attention as a playwright, as plays like his funny comedy The Vast Difference make clear. That play makes its way to downtown Milwaukee in a modest production by Windfall Theatre at Village Church Arts, 130 E. Juneau Ave., which continues tonight with an 8 p.m. performance. The production stars Thomas Rosenthal as George Noonan, a flight attendant for a small airline in the Midwest. A visit to the urologist turns into a deeply reflective psychotherapy session as Noonan struggles to come to terms with life and the nature of being a man in the modern world.

Comments (9)

Comment Feed

HA! Oh Russ Russ Russ-- love your commentary in yo...

HA! Oh Russ Russ Russ-- love your commentary in your response to "C." I mean-- I see their point and was curious what you'd say in reply, so I'm glad you tackled the points they brought up. There's a truly weird dynamic sometimes in how you can feel towards a show or a genre or an actor or whatever, and yet still look forward to the experience of the show itself.

Also? These tiny comment boxes SUCK! All this scrolling? Yick.

Ruth more than 14 years ago

Thanks so much for this. I look forward to the rev...

Thanks so much for this. I look forward to the review tomorrow.

Peter more than 14 years ago

Although I was never a fan of the vlogs myself, I ...

Although I was never a fan of the vlogs myself, I didn't have a huge problem with them. I find that it's not really about the rehearsal process of RENT [I, personally, think that would be far more interesting], but more about Robert and his friends who are also in RENT. It's not apart of GCT at all, it's just Robert's thing that he likes to do--and that's fine! So what if he posts it on his facebook and on youtube? That's what those sites are for. But I do not agree with the fact that the reviewer missed the show [granted, it happens] and then used a sample of the vlog as an interim review. Perhaps if the vlog either A. was formally associated with GCT or B. talked with the directors and the designers and the rest of the cast, this would be legitimate. But instead it's a let down.

RENT more than 14 years ago

Uhh, okay--I never intended this to be an "interim...

Uhh, okay--I never intended this to be an "interim review" of the show. I was misled by Google Maps. I missed the show. I was upset that I missed the show. Owing to my generally low opinion of the musical (which I hate) I was a bit confused about being disappointed about missing the show. Thinking about it further, it occurred to me that I really like the vlog. So I wrote about it. Because I like it. And I like to write about things that I like.

A review of the show runs tomorrow morning.

Sorry about the confusion.

Anonymous more than 14 years ago

Robert - I absolutely mean no disrespect to you or...

Robert - I absolutely mean no disrespect to you or your cast members. I DID find the content of the couple of vlogs I did see to be as I stated earlier - self-serving and annoying. Your clarification regarding the purpose and nature of the vlogs does make more sense. This does not reflect my opinion on the talent of the cast for the little pieces of the process that was shown, that I was actually quite impressed with. I took greatest issue with some of Mr. Bickerstaff's baffling commentary. I mean lets face it. If you were handed a check at the end of this run would you not take it? I don't think paid performers should be judged any differently from those that aren't. Anyone gutsy enough to take the stage in any type of performance also takes the responsibility to tell a story to the best of their ability - paid or not. You have an impressive voice and Russ wrote that you choreographed this production, as well, am I wrong in assuming you want to go further with your talents? If a year from now someone offered you the role of Mark in a touring production of Rent and you took it...would your performance all of a sudden lack heart? His assumptions on that matter bother me and they've been made before. Despite all...enjoy your run.

C Wazlowski more than 14 years ago

I was there for opening night; Russ you missed a g...

I was there for opening night; Russ you missed a good show. Admittedly I'm biased knowing and liking several of the cast members already, but this is Milwaukee theatre, there's nothing new in that respect. Enjoy the show whenever you make it out there.
P.S. Already loving RENT for a long time I was initially unsure I'd like GCT's production when I first watched one of their vlogs on facebook. I ceased watching them until seeing the show, to be fair to a production that has quite enough expectations stacked up for it and doesn't need mine in addition. It was a good move. I was impressed by what I saw... "especially for community theatre" (yes, I know how much we all hate that expression but I use it sparingly ;-)

Nicole more than 14 years ago

I'm the creator of the vlog and I just wanted to s...

I'm the creator of the vlog and I just wanted to say something.
This video blog is not produced by GCT and is not a representation of the company.
It has been merely an outlet for me to document my own personal journey leading to RENT.
Granted, my closer friends are featured more in the videos, but that is based on the fact that they surround me more.
The main purpose for these vlogs was to create buzz. Whether that be positive or negative, I wanted people in the viral world to start talking about our show. And I'm glad that the discussion continues.
I also wanted to highlight some of our performers...we truly have a really talented cast. The cast is made up of 17 performers ranging in ages from 18-32, with the median age closer to 25. Producing a production of RENT is a large undertaking and in order for people to see that we have the spunk, drive, and talent to pull off a difficult show like this off, I decided to take to the internet.
I personally have been placing posting on facebook and youtube and in order to market to our core demographic which is young-people in their teens to early 20s.
Yes, my vlogs might focus more on frivolous fun instead of the creative process behind our show, but all that creative soul searching has been achieved throughout our rehearsal process putting forth a production that surpasses any expectation for a community theatre.
And I don't say that boastfully but I say that because every single person who has worked on our production has been professional and dedicated and has made this the best production anyone could ask to work on.
So thank you for keeping the buzz going.

~ Robert Postotnk

P.s. more to videos to come soon.

Robet Postotnik (Mark) more than 14 years ago

Russ one needs to question why you even bother rev...

Russ one needs to question why you even bother reviewing musicals when you have stated on several occasions how you "aren't into" them. For you to state a show is awful YET look forward to seeing it is ridiculous. How are paid professional performing this show any different from the cast of GCC? Who are you to say this cast has more heart than any other? Because there are paychecks involved? Laughable. I've seen these vlogs and if anything they've made me want to see the show even less. I'm sure there were more than the 4 people constantly shown in those vlogs. I would've much rather seen more of then entire cast in the actual process than the same two cast members playing in the parking lot and curling weave. Where was the PROCESS? The vlogs were self-serving and annoying. I'm glad you're so excited to see it, being that the show itself is "awful" and everything. Have fun watching a Broadway copy cat performance down to the choreography and costumes.

C more than 14 years ago

Wow "C"—you’ve caught me on a good day to respond ...

Wow "C"—you’ve caught me on a good day to respond to this, so I think I will point by point:

----“Russ one needs to question why you even bother reviewing musicals when you have stated on several occasions how you "aren't into" them.”

If I ever gave the impression that I “wasn’t into” musicals, I apologize. To clarify: I hate them. (There’s a difference.) The fact that I hate musicals doesn’t mean that I necessarily hate going to them. And I will continue to review them, judging them on their own merits as best I can. Because I love theatre.

--“For you to state a show is awful YET look forward to seeing it is ridiculous.”

I know, Isn’t it? The personality of the cast as seen in the vlogs is appealing to me. I like it. I’m looking forward to seeing a musical I hate: Deliciously ridiculous.

--“How are paid professional performing this show any different from the cast of GCC?”

If you really have to ask this question . . . I don’t have an answer. Seriously: People exploring theatre for the first times in their lives have a dynamic element to them that isn’t there with older, professional actors. I'm not saying that this dynamic is any "better." It's just different. And I happen to think that a very young cast for RENT could make it palatable to me. There’s a genuine vitality in local kids that just isn’t there with people traveling from city to city doing the same musical over and over again I’m not saying it’s any worse or any better . . . okay, maybe I am . . . but it’s a personal preference.

--“Who are you to say this cast has more heart than any other? Because there are paychecks involved?”

Yes, actually. That’s part of it.

--“Laughable.”

Isn’t it?

--“ I've seen these vlogs and if anything they've made me want to see the show even less. I'm sure there were more than the 4 people constantly shown in those vlogs. I would've much rather seen more of then entire cast in the actual process than the same two cast members playing in the parking lot and curling weave. Where was the PROCESS? The vlogs were self-serving and annoying.”

And like I say in the blog, sometimes that’s the way it works. Some people are going to be turned off by ANY kind of marketing. I find the video blogs charming. I’m guessing there are other people who do, judging from the number of hits they’ve registered.Yes, it's possible that these are mostly just friends of the cast, but it IS a pretty large group of people . . .

--“ I'm glad you're so excited to see it, being that the show itself is "awful" and everything. “

Thanks.

--“ Have fun watching a Broadway copy cat performance down to the choreography and costumes.”

I’m hoping to. It looks like fun.

--Russ

Anonymous more than 14 years ago