The Band's Visit: Up Close and Personal with John Cariani

 So happy to have John Cariani

as a guest on 2 On The Aisle this coming Sunday (4/8/18)!

John is an actor, singer and playwright,

currently appearing in The Band's Visit,

on Broadway.

 The music of David Yazbek

is hauntingly Middle Eastern in flavor...

and the ensemble includes (from left) 

John, Etai Benson, Katrina Lenk,

and Tony Shaloub.

 The Band in the title is played

by professional musicians, some of whom act as well.

Above Andrew Polk performs "The Beat Of Your Heart"

with violinist George Abud.

At left...Kristen Sieh, John Cariani, and Alok Tewari.

 John as Itzik

singing "Itzik's Lullaby".

 The musical is based on an Israeli movie of the same name

released in 2007.

 Tony Shalhoub as Tewfiq,

the conductor of the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra.

The orchestra has been  booked to play 

at an Arab cultural center in Petah Tikva, 

 but through a miscommunication, the band takes a bus to Bet Hatikva,

a back-water town in the middle of the desert. 

And there is no bus out til the next morning.

The townspeople respond (after their first wariness) 

with hospitality...sharing their homes and food and lives

(there is no hotel in said back-water).

The mixing of villagers and band members

bares emotions and brings old memories/new ideas to the surface.

 John with Andrew Polk, who plays Avrum.

 Tony and Katrina recording the cast album.

 John, Andrew Polk, Tony Shalhoub, Katrina Lenk, 

Ari'el Stachel, Etai Benson, Adam Kantor, and George Abud.

 Winner of an Obie when it began Off Broadway last year.

Now we await the Tony! :)