42 The Queens Courier • buzz • July 28, 2016 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com Secret Theatre offers big buzz at “Bee” s buzz For some of us, spelling bees conjure memories of pre-teen terror. For the six finalists at the “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” the event is much more complicated. The Secret Theatre’s current version paints an affectionate and poignant musical portrait of these quirky wordsmiths. They are proud of their eccentricities but yearn for the predictable lives that other kids enjoy. Director Richard Mazda goes deeper. He reminds us that there’s comedy but with unmistakably serious issues. He says, “This is a genuinely laugh-out-loud musical with heart. What is not mentioned sometimes is that there is a strong thread of kids and parenthood from Logainne (Elyse Beyer) and her two gay dads to Olive’s (Chloe Kostman’s) absent parents. Marcy’s (Allessondra Helwig’s) unseen taskmaster parents, William Barfee’s (Justin Phillips’) two moms including the one he refers to as his fake mom and Leaf’s (Phil Gillen’s) aggressive bullying family who do not believe in him.” He continues, “Rona (Hannah Dowdy) is the heart of the show being truly in love with all aspects of the bee and in a sense she is the show’s mom.” As usual, the acting, choreography (Geena Quintos) and singing (Dan Garmon, musical director) is outstanding. Songs are delivered with undeniable wit and emotion. That includes Timothy Fisher playing comfort counselor Mitch (as part of court mandated community service), Tommy McKiernan as pubescent boy scout Chip Tolentino and “My Friend, The Dictionary” sung by Olive and the entire company. A stressed but compassionate Vice Principal Panch is played by Jim Shine. Nods to behind-the-scenes support from Paul Kennedy (lighting design), costumer Antonio Consuegra, stage manager Robert Neapolitan and assistant stage manager Jackie Chasten. “I decided to direct and produce this show because I find the comedy genuinely funny and this show has gorgeous harmonies and it affords a director an opportunity to work with each character to create a show that will make you laugh and cry, Mazda said. “And who doesn’t like a good one of those? Or both? At the same time!” For more info, call 718- 392-0722 or visit www. secrettheatre.com. As always, save me a seat on the aisle. A VIEW FROM THE CLIFF BY CLIFF KASDEN Sofar Sounds, series of intimate concerts beloved worldwide, is expanding to Queens By Angela Matua amatua@qns.com/@AngelaMatua Queens’ popularity is steadily rising thanks to its cultural diversity, great food and relatively affordable housing. One organization, Sofar Sounds, is taking notice of this popularity and has decided to bring its brand of intimate music shows to the “World’s Borough.” Started in 2010 by a group of three friends who wanted to experience performances by their favorite artists in a more personal setting, the organization hosts secret shows in 263 cities across the world. Until July 22, the New York City chapter only hosted shows in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Show-goers sign up for an email list, choose which show they are interested in – the shows are categorized by date and neighborhood – and wait to be selected. Once chosen, attendees receive an address the day before and can attend the show for free. Now, the shows have expanded into Long Island City, where unique spaces such as warehouses and studios act as venues. On July 22, show-goers gathered at SPACES, a co-working space inside The Falchi Building at 31-00 47th Ave. Performers included Second Child, Yori Swart and Fernandito. Sofar Sounds shows have been hosted in churches, living rooms, clothing stores and furniture showrooms. “New York City is a large and vibrant city, filled with unique neighborhoods serving all types of communities,” said Brandy Cerne, assistant director for Sofar Sounds NYC. “We want to reach everyone possible and make our shows more accessible to new audiences that maybe didn’t have a chance to check us out before. So many of our current and potential guests live in Queens, and we saw a demand there for shows like ours.” The artists performing at each show are kept under wraps, which gives attendees a chance to explore new music. There are no seats at these spaces, so fans are encouraged to sit on the floor and listen to the music without talking, texting or filming. Since shows are hosted all over the world, Sofar Sounds has attracted artists big and small including Hozier, Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Leon Bridges. Artists can choose to receive a donation, which is collected from attendees, or a professional video of their performance. Cerne said the organization is always looking for people to donate their spaces or musicians who want to perform. Though they’ve only booked shows in Long Island City, Sofar Sounds is looking to host shows in neighborhoods such as Astoria, Cerne said. “There are interesting spaces for shows everywhere, and we love introducing people both from that neighborhood and farther away to that space and the people who live and work there,” she said. If you are interested in hosting a show or performing, email nyc@sofarsounds. com. To sign up to attend a show, visit https://www.sofarsounds.com/nyc. Photo courtesy of Patricia Lopez Second Child performing at a Sofar Sounds show in Long Island City.
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