FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM FEBRUARY 21, 2019 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 77
buzz
“The Glass Menagerie” at Secret Theatre
A VIEW FROM
THE CLIFF
BY CLIFF KASDEN
Take an international culinary journey at
the second-annual World’s Fare this spring
BY QNS STAFF
Welcome, all people, all ages, all backgrounds,
all New Yorkers and beyond!
Celebrate NYC’s diversity through cuisine
at the Second Annual World’s Fare at Citi
Field on May 18-19.
Th e festival aims to honor the legacy of
the 1964 World’s Fair by bringing everyone
together around what makes New York
City unique… advocating equality and
diversity in the food industry, and promoting
the incredible male and female culinary
talent throughout the fi ve boroughs.
Come celebrate Ethiopian/Eritrean cuisine
and food from around the world. Chef
Alexandra of AD Catering & Events is
bringing her Eri-tacos to the Fare. Delicious
shiro & pickled jalapeños on top of injera
make for a fun and delicious food to eat,
plus if you’ve never experienced an arepa
from the Arepa Lady, then you’ve been
missing out on this Colombian masterpiece.
When you’re thirsty from all the delicious
cuisine, you’ll be able to have international
brews and cocktails at the World’s Fare Bars
and Beer Garden.
Grab your tickets now while they are at
the LOWEST price of the season! Prices
go up in a few weeks so now is the time
to rally your crew. Citi Field is accessible
by the nearby 7 train at the Mets-Willets
Point station. Th ere is also paid parking
available.
For more information or to purchase
tickets, visit www.worldsfare.nyc.
Th e dark, brooding world of acclaimed
playwright Tennessee Williams is currently
onstage at the Secret Th eatre. Th e
troupe “Pigeonholed” is off ering “Th e
Glass Menagerie” for a limited run.
Although set in the bleak days of the
1930s Depression, its tale of family confl
ict and broken dreams still resonates
today.
Director Justin Fuller paints a portrait
of an impoverished family in the Midwest
that is tortured by a lack of physical
and emotional boundaries. Physically,
clotheslines with laundry are strung overhead
without a ceiling. A metal staircase
leads to a fi re escape without windows
or doors. Th e lack of emotional separation
between an overbearing mother and
her two dysfunctional children is equally
powerful. In addition, a huge portrait of
their absent father dominates the set. Th e
major features of his face are intentionally
obscured.
Katie Sparer plays domineering mother,
Amanda. A veteran actor with impressive
credentials from television, theatre and
movies, she delivers a relentless yet vulnerable
portrayal. Impressively she never
generates our sympathy. Well done!
Painfully timid Laura Wingfi eld played
by Laura Piccoli also rejects our sympathy.
Her crippling limp and emotionally
abusive mother provide reasons for her
lack of confi dence and self-respect. Th e
small, fragile glass animals (the menagerie)
that she collects is a metaphor for the
entire family’s precarious existence.
Frustrated son and narrator Tom
(Justin Cimino) successfully interprets
the playwright’s marvelously poetic images.
Despite his resentment towards his
mother, he reveals unmistakable feelings
of familial love and duty. Not quite an
everyman but not quite an undiscovered
hero, will he truly break away from
his mother’s stifl ing control? Cimino is
also credited as the young company’s
co-founder and artistic director.
Th e gentleman caller Jim (Padraig
Carragher) is the least damaged character.
Even he has mysteriously fallen from
the heights of high school popularity. He
currently holds a mediocre warehouse
clerk’s position. He plays the most likable
role. But are his actions impulsive,
kind or cruel?
Produced by co-founder/executive
director Sasha Lazare, this not for profit
troupe is just two years old. Kudos to
the tireless supporting team including
Lindsey Zinbarg, Sammy Jelinek, Chen-
Wei Liao, Victoria Narayan, Matthew
Steward, Creighton Irons, Emma Simon
and Gabriel Frye-Behar.
For information on this and future projects
surf to www.pigeonholedtheater.org
or call the box offi ce at (718) 392-0722. As
always, save me a seat on the aisle.
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