Winner of the 2011 Innovative Theater Award for Original Score, here are the reviews for Pipeline Theater Company's The Caucasian Chalk Circle for which I did the music.
REVIEWS
“Composer Cormac Bluestone’s music is beautifully arranged with texture and layering that enhances dramatic moments and appropriately underscores the comedic spectacle of Chalk Circle, of which there is plenty.”
“Pipeline’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle is a must-see; this non-stop show is sure to keep you laughing and engaged from beginning to end.”
“Cormac Bluestone’s music for the show is a treat.”
“The music is especially lively and transformative with the Pipeline Theatre Company. Composer Cormac Bluestone (whose credits include TV’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) goes above and beyond. The music is engaging, with a folk band that included a banjo, trumpet, fiddle, accordion, harmonica, and keyboard. These musicians were part of the cast, alternating between acting and playing depending on the scene.”
“The production is a must for anyone who wants to see Brecht done well.”
“Cormac Bluestone’s original music manages to be both lush and delicate as it adds to the folklore nature of the play. The songs also help to break the fourth wall. They speak to the audience by renouncing and celebrating the emotional ups and downs of the plot and actions of the characters. But they also carry the plot and action by fluidly connecting scene to scene and the play within a play.”
“Cormac Bluestone’s original music manages to be both lush and delicate as it adds to the folklore nature of the play. The songs also help to break the fourth wall. They speak to the audience by renouncing and celebrating the emotional ups and downs of the plot and actions of the characters. But they also carry the plot and action by fluidly connecting scene to scene and the play within a play.”
“Pipeline Theatre Company’s Caucasian Chalk Circle is one of the best productions I’ve seen all season, if not the best.”
“The other moment that the play highlights, particularly through Cormac Bluestone’s score, is the insanity that is Azdak (Gil Zabarsky).”
“The music, both in the background and accompanying Brecht’s songs suggests Russian folk songs and Kurt Weill — just right.”
“The Pipeline Theatre Company takes up the Brechtian torch in its current revival of the piece at Theater for the New City, rendering a superb production that hits all the right notes in style and stride.”
“...the original music by composer Cormac Bluestone (played by a very capable live band that includes some of the actors) creates a big playing space for the actors to fill with this huge performance.”
“Many of the actors also double as musicians, playing an assortment of instruments ranging from drums and piano to trumpet and banjo. Composed by Cormac Bluestone, the music in the piece is more than just an afterthought; it is at the core of the play and is performed expertly.”
