Kade's Name Graphic Kade Mendelowitz
Lighting Designer
 PO Box 81522
Fairbanks, AK ..... 99708
kade@ldi.nu
Review: Laughter on the 23rd Floor

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner banner
"Though the light design itself is fairly straightforward as called for by the script, the expertise of assistant professor and lighting designer Kade Mendelowitz shows itself in creative subtleties like a beam of “sunlight” coming through the office window in a strategic location and the use of color to mirror the mood of each scene."

Click on a photo for a larger view

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Thursday, October 15, 1998

UAF student director draws strong cast for Simon play
by Amy Taylor, for the News-Miner

..... Angela Brownfield, student director of Theater UAF’s production of “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” delivers Neil Simon’s play like a skillful comedienne telling a good joke.

..... The play follows a team of comedy writers working on a top-rated television show during the McCarthy era. The action centers around the relationships of the writers, and as one would expect, their dialogue overflows with clever jokes and wicked jibes.

..... The cast for “Laughter” is unusually young, even for college theater. Out of a cast of nine, only two are seniors. Of the remaining six, four are freshman, and two are high school students. However, the ensemble is surprisingly strong overall with many outstanding individual performances.

..... Shannon Luster is particularly enjoyable as the flamboyant Milt. As one of the seniors in the cast, Luster’s skillful timing and well-crafted characterization are augmented by his considerable stage experience. His unwavering focus and confidence on stage render his character completely believable and contribute greatly to the steady flow of the entire piece.

..... Freshman Dain Geist gives a dynamic performance as the very intense and very Russian head writer Val. Geist and Luster are especially engaging together as their characters furiously egg each other on with half-serious teasing and well-aimed insults.

..... John Perault is hands-down hysterical as Ira, a hypochondriac with a flair for the melodramatic and a whiney New York Jewish accent that puts Woody Allen to shame. In this role, Perault’s energy and seemingly effortless comic timing are astonishing, causing one to wonder if this young actor is not long for the coast.

..... Jeff Hedges does a fine job with his characterization and overall presentation but is unclear about how his character relates to the others and to the play as a whole. Heather Mass and Nathan Kessey’s performances suffer form a lack of focused attention, with some fine moments, but not enough directed energy to sustain their characters throughout the show. Eric Pierson, Bret Borgenson and Tiffany James are the weakest performers in the cast, with flat line readings and wavering attention. Given that James and Borgenson are the youngest members of the cast, it is easy to forgive awkwardness, while Pierson’s sincerity is charming despite his inexperienced delivery.

..... Dialect coach and seasoned performer Claudia Lively does an amazing job helping actors to master Irish, Jewish and Russian accents. Student sound designer Bert Arnette has just the right balance for the party sounds offstage in the last scene. “Bud Jet Kuts” is credited for the adequate but uninspired set, presumably in protest of the chancellor’s decision not the refill the faculty scenic designer position.

..... Though the light design itself is fairly straightforward as called for by the script, the expertise of assistant professor and lighting designer Kade Mendelowitz shows itself in creative subtleties like a beam of “sunlight” coming through the office window in a strategic location and the use of color to mirror the mood of each scene.

..... Costume designer and assistant professor Tara Maginnis also contributes a strong design with a perfect period look for the entire ensemble. The costumes for Luster’s outlandish character are especially fun, bringing in a laugh each time he appears in a new one.

..... Overall, this is a polished and professional quality production, impressive for a student director. Brownfield’s thesis show is not only worth seeing and a hoot to boot, it really does credit to Theater UAF as a training ground for hard-working theater students.

..... “Laughter on the 23rd Floor” plays in the Lee H. Salisbury Lab Theater this weekend. Show times are [8:15]p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets, $5-$12, are available at the Theater UAF box office. Parents are cautioned that the play contains mature language.

Amy Taylor is a local free-lance writer with a bachelor of arts degree in theater.



My CD Brief Biography My Education Sample Design Portfolio Teaching Experience Home Page