'The Miser' comes to the Old Stone House

By Alex Rush

Molière is going modern.

The French playwright’s satirical comedy, “The Miser,” first performed in 1668, gets the 21st-century treatment Park Slope’s Piper Theatre. It’s the same story about a man’s quest for social status, though some references have, of course, been updated.

“People won’t have any trouble seeing themselves reflected in the play,” said Welker White, who wrote and directs the adaptation, which updates Molière’s sharp dialogue with references to contemporary pastimes such as surfing the Internet.

The play, which runs on the lawn of the Old Stone House starting tonight, follows Harpagon, a money-grubbing man who wants to marry his children off to rich families. Not all, of course, goes according to plan, as his children have suitors of their own in mind.

White, who has lived in Park Slope for nearly 20 years, says she was also drawn to “The Miser” because the plot allows for a lot of physical comedy. So expect her actors to be extremely animated — a technique suited for “The Miser’s” outdoor venue.

“We’ll have big emotions and big physical comedy that can be communicated across the big Old Stone House lawn,” said White.

“The Miser” at the Old Stone House [Fifth Avenue at Third Street in Park Slope, (718) 768-3195], July 7–8, 14–15, 21–22, 8:30 pm. Free. For info, visit www.theoldstonehouse.org.

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Edgy writers

By Meredith Deliso

This is for all you moms who are more Peg Bundy than Carol Brady.

Edgy Mother’s Day, a reading series that celebrates writing about motherhood, and the feisty moms who write it, returns to the Old Stone House on May 19 for another evening of witty, serious, touching, satirical, and overall illuminating pieces.

“They’ll rock you, sock you, make you laugh, cry, cheer and look at motherhood in a whole mother way,” said Louise Crawford, who writes the website Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn and curated the series with Sophia Romero.

This time around, the “edgy” lineup consists of novelists Paola Corso and Romero, graphic novelist Jennifer Hayden, and essayist Nancy McDermott, who will give their unique perspectives on motherhood, with a requisite dose of snark.

“I am fascinated by the peculiar culture of parenthood today — it is ripe with comedic potential,” said McDermott, a Park Slope-based writer who’s a regular contributor to the Park Slope Parents website. “Things like keeping journals of every lurid detail of our baby’s bowel movements or talking to our toddlers in public about terribly worthy things, like human rights or Beethoven, in a Stepford Momish voice as if we were being secretly filmed by the selection committee for mother of the year. God knows I’ve done all that — and worse.”

Edgy Moms reading at the Old Stone House [336 Third St. at Fifth Avenue in Park Slope, (718) 768-3195], May 19 at 8 pm. Tickets $5. For info, visit brooklynreadingworks.com.

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Here's something to do on Veteran's Day

By Joe Anuta

Parades are nice on Veteran’s Day, but commemorate the day in Park Slope-style by attending a reading from five authors who know war best.

The veterans-turned-writers will present their prose and answer questions at the Old Stone House tonight at 8 pm.

“These authors can help us understand war in a way that we may not see in the news, or on TV,” said organizer Louise Crawford. “They’ve come back, and are going to tell us something we don’t know.”

But are Park Slope residents ready to listen? 

The neighborhood didn’t support America’s recent wars, but Crawford hopes that the community can set politics aside and look at the conflicts through the soldiers’ eyes.

“They have a lot to say about a war that’s been on our consciences,” Crawford said. “And I think a good writer may make you understand points of view that you can’t even imagine.”

And the vets will do that by personalizing battles that are usually talked about on a scale of troops and battalions, according to Matt Gallagher (pictured), author of “KABOOM: Embracing the Suck in a Savage Little War.”

“It’s a personal story about me and 20 other guys trying to do the best we could in a pretty s—ty situation,” he said. 

Joining Gallagher are:

• Juris Jurjevics, the founder of Soho Press and a Vietnam vet.

• Phil Klay, an Afghanistan vet.

• Roy Scranton, an Iraq war vet who writes for the New York Times Opinionator blog.

• Jacob Seige, an Iraq War vet.

“It’s not going to be pretentious,” Crawford said. “But the question-and-answer session should be the best part.”

“Writing War: Fiction and Memoir by Vets of Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan” at Old Stone House [336 Third St. between Fourth and Fifth avenues in Park Slope, (718) 768-3195], Nov. 11 at 8 pm. Tickets are $5 (suggested). For info, visit theoldstonehouse.org.

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What's on tap? Opera!

Opera on Tap is known for taking opera out of stuffy opera houses and bringing it where it belongs (in bars) — and now the group is going outdoors.

For two Mondays in July, the Old Stone House in Park Slope becomes home to the comedic highs of “Barber of Seville” (tonight) and the dramatic lows of “Carmen” (July 26).

For opera purists, don’t expect the standard three-plus hour performances; both productions will be geared toward children, pared down to less than an hour, with the scripts rewritten for humorous retellings in English and excerpts from the songs sung in the original language.

“ ‘Carmen’ and ‘Barber of Seville’ represent two of the most famous and recognizable pieces in the whole operative repertoire,” said Anne Ricci, general manager of Opera on Tap. “I also like the idea of contrasting a tragedy versus a comedy — I want to give a full spectrum to kids what opera’s all about.”

For the adults in the audience, coming to hear Rossini’s famous cavatinas in “Barber” or Bizet’s “Habanera” aria in “Carmen,” they won’t be left out, either.

“We’ve targeted this to slightly a older kids audience, but we’ve included more veiled adult humor,” said Ricci. “We’re shooting for The Muppets in terms of our humor level.”

Opera on Tap at the Old Stone House [Fifth Avenue at Third Street in Park Slope, (718) 768-3195], with “Barber of Seville” on July 19 and “Carmen” on July 26 at 6 pm. Free. For info, visit www.oldstonehouse.org.

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Theater of the absurd

The Park Slope-based Piper Theatre made a conscious decision to move away from Shakespeare this summer — and it couldn’t have found a better opposite to the Great Bard than the Sedaris Family.

Amy and David Sadaris — one known for her quirky television show, “Strangers with Candy,” the other for his hilariously autobiographical essays — joined forces some years ago to write plays.

One result of that collaboration — “The Book of Liz” — comes to the Old Stone House this month.

“Piper has been doing Shakespeare up until this year, but wanted to move into more contemporary theater,” said Kim Maier, director of the historic Park Slope venue. “The Sedarises are two interesting voices that seemed like they would appeal to a Brooklyn audience.”

That is, if you’re interested in a few choice “-isms,” specifically absurdism and satirism. In “The Book of Liz,” the Liz in question is Sister Elizabeth Donderstock, whose two main character traits are she perpetually perspires and makes fantastic cheese balls — which happens to be the livelihood of her community, the Amish-esque Squeamish. When her cheese ball-making duties are taken from her and given to a sanctimonious new arrival, she decides to leave the comfort of Squeamish and venture out into the “real world.” Once there, she befriends Ukrainian refugees with Cockney accents and gay recovering alcoholic waiters, and finds employment at a Pilgrim-themed restaurant, where they serve items like “I Hate the English Muffins” and “Williamsburgers” (that’s the other Williamsburg).

It’s a manic, hilarious production that’s full of surprises, including some over-the-top costume changes. Because if there’s anyone who could find humor in a feuding Amish-like community, it would be these two cheese balls.

“The Book of Liz” at the Old Stone House [Fifth Avenue at Third Street in Park Slope, (718) 768-3195], July 10–11, 17–18, 24–25, 8:30 pm. Free. For info, visit www.theoldstonehouse.org.

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Scary stories for adults

For those looking for a way to cool down this summer, “Nocturnes” is sure to give you the chills.

John Connolly’s collection of supernatural stories makes its world debut on July 8 at the Old Stone House in Park Slope (read his short story "Nocturne" here).

The Piper Theatre production, directed by Scottish talent Nigel Williams, brings to life Connolly’s witches, demons and other fantastic creatures in a new play inspired by the mystery writer’s otherworldly works.

In one tale, “The Erlking,” there’s a creature that comes from the forest and steals children. In “Deep Dark Green,” a young couple goes swimming in a lake, unaware of the witch who lives beneath the surface.

“They’re good, classic, scary kind of stories about love and loss and things we all feared as children,” said Old Stone House director Kim Maier.

Theater-goers are invited to bring blankets and picnic on the lawn inside Washington Park. With the sun setting as the play begins, that should allow for some interesting lighting effects.

“ ‘Nocturnes’ is going to focus on really interesting lighting because of the supernatural nature of the stories,” said Maier. “We’re looking for a slightly chilling experience.”

Better bring that blanket.

“Nocturnes” at Old Stone House [Fifth Avenue at Third Street in Park Slope, (718) 768-3195], July 8–9, 16 and 21–22 at 8:30 pm. Free. For info, visit www.pipertheatre.org.

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Puppets on parade in Park Slope

This Saturday in Park Slope, you just might think it’s Halloween.

Last fall, 20-foot giant puppets paraded through the neighborhood during the Halloween parade to help mark the harvest festival.

Now, with Brooklyn in the throes of spring, the colorful contraptions return for “Rites of Spring,” a pageant featuring snow dragons, “Where the Wild Things Are”-esque animals, smiling dandelions and other characters.

For over a decade, the annual performance has taken place in Prospect Park, but this year, the Puppeteer’s Cooperative finds a new home at the Old Stone House.

“It’s a look at the triumphant of spring over winter through the tale of Persephone and a crew of dandelions that release spring from the clutches of winter,” said Kim Maier, executive director of the Old Stone House.

Following a parade and performance by the Puppeteer’s Collective, children and adults alike are invited to try the puppets on for size. So maybe it’ll be just a little bit like Halloween.

Puppet Cooperative’s “Rites of Spring” at the Old Stone House [336 Third St. at Fifth Avenue in Park Slope, (718) 768-3195], May 15 at 1 pm. For info, visit www.theoldstonehouse.org.

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Sing your barbaric yawp! Whitman's masterpiece adapted as a piece of musical theater

Who needs to sound your barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world when you can sing it?

This month, Walt Whitman’s masterpiece “Song of Myself” gets the musical-theater treatment, thanks to the troupe Compagnia de’ Colombari, which has rechristened the Brooklyn bard’s beloved poem as “More or Less I Am.”

The production honors Whitman’s celebration of American diversity through an international mix of actors, musicians and children speaking and singing Whitman’s words, with music courtesy of genre-defying string ensemble Brooklyn Rider.

“Whitman intended ‘Song of Myself’ to inspire unity by celebrating America at a time when the country was deeply divided, and today the poem is more relevant than ever,” said director Karin Coonrod.

The show about diversity will travel the borough for performances in the diverse settings as Bargemusic in DUMBO (a benefit launch on May 5), Fort Greene Park (May 6), and the Old Stone House (May 11) in Park Slope.

Audience members are also welcome to play a role in the production. So start practicing those yawps.

“More or Less I Am” at Bargemusic [2 Old Fulton St. at Furman Street in DUMBO, (718) 624-2083], May 5 at 8 pm; Fort Greene Park [Dekalb Avenue and Cumberland Street in Fort Greene, (718) 722-3218], May 6 at 7 pm; Old Stone House [336 Third St. at Fifth Avenue in Park Slope, (718) 768-3195], May 11 at 7 pm. Last two shows are free. For info, visit www.colombari.org.

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