Dogfight tonight at 8pm!
The timeless Classic West Side Story Opens at the CAP Center.
For Immediate Release:
July 22, 2014
West Side Story, one of the greatest love stories of all time, opens on the CAP Center Playhouse stage August 1 - August 17. This new production of the timeless classic mesmerizes audiences of all ages from the first note to the final breath. The Bernstein and Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway’s finest and features beloved American musical theatre classics including “Something’s Coming,” “Tonight,” “America,” “I Feel Pretty” and “Somewhere.”, an extraordinary cast and an iconic score soaring throughout, theatre goers will fall in love with West Side Story all over again.
West Side Story tells the tragic love story between lead characters Maria, and Tony, each from different neighborhoods in New York City. The strength of their love cannot overcome the hatred between warring street gangs the Sharks and the Jets. Directed by Bruce Grossman and musically directed by Jon Riss this is a show not to be missed.
Tickets on sale now!!!
Get Your tickets to DOGFIGHT now before it's too late!
See what people are saying about Dogfight.
Steven Abrams Standing ovation all around!
William Davidson Incredible show by a fantastic cast
Patti Weinthal Meyer Don't miss this amazing production!
Mona Friedman Just saw Dogfight tonight and was extremely impressed with the actors' performances and the musical numbers. I highly recommend my family and friends seeing it!
'Dogfight' review: Marines on an ugly mission before leaving the States
Originally published: July 16, 2014 12:41 PM
Updated: July 17, 2014 5:58 PM
By STEVE PARKS steve.parks@newsday.com
Another war. Another American misadventure. But the fallout seems fresh as ever -- except for one crucial difference. This time, Americans don't blame the soldier.
Those who fought on the American side of the war in Vietnam were drafted. The Afghan and Iraqi wars were fought by volunteers, although these warriors were post-9/11 patriots or men and women with no better economic prospects -- or both.
What does that have to do with "Dogfight," the gritty 2012 Off-Broadway musical making its Long Island premiere at Cultural Arts Playhouse? When we meet the Marines who are about to be shipped over as military "advisers" to a country they mislocate as "near India," they have no idea what they're in for. Use whatever euphemism comes to mind -- every explicit term is deployed -- these Marines are single-minded about their last-night-Stateside mission.
Among them are the three Bees, if you go by their matching tattoos: Boland, Bernstein and Birdlace. They, along with company compatriots, ante up for a contest: The Marine who brings the ugliest date wins the pot.
Birdlace -- such a sweet-sounding name -- can't abide this game. On his "recruiting" mission, he lands at a diner where he meets Rose, a waitress who thinks she's too plump to attract men. When Birdlace escorts Rose to the party, he's embarrassed for her. Chaz Ocasio is a plausibly virginal Birdlace, with boyish face and voice, the latter drowned out on lower registers by Jon Riss' onstage orchestra that amplifies the Benj Pasek-Justin Paul score. (Ocasio, whom I saw on opening night, alternates in the role with Chris Saltalamacchio.)
As directed by Bruce Grossman, Alyson Rogers delivers a deeply sympathetic Rose, though we find her an unconvincing "dog." But that works, because Birdlace agrees. Jojo Minasi and Michael Marmann, as Birdlace's Marine buddies, embody the oddly innocent mean-spiritedness of their last night before harm's way, while Ashley Nicastro as the hired "date" who takes the prize exemplifies the cynicism of their endeavor.
For those of us with any sense of Vietnam War history, "Dogfight" is a leap too far. Marines deployed in 1963 did not return to be spit in the face by hippies. Are we to imagine Birdlace's tour was 10 years? Vietnam is still too recent for such revisionist treatment.
WHAT "Dogfight" by Peter Duchan, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
WHEN | WHERE Friday and Saturday nights at 8, Sunday at 7 p.m., through July 27, Cultural Arts Playhouse, 625 Old Country Rd., Plainview
INFO $20-$25; 516-694-3330, culturalartsplayhouse.com