Adirondack Theatre Festival set to take over Glens Falls
By Bob Goepfert GLENS FALLS, N.Y. » If you are one of the many people who regret not purchasing tickets to “Hamilton” before it opened on Broadway, you might want to be certain to see “Nikola Tesla Drops the Beat” when it opens at Adirondack Theatre Festival on Wednesday, June 21.
According to Chad Rabinovitz, the producing-artistic director of the theater company that puts on the musical that runs at Glens Falls through July 1, insists that “Tesla” is Broadway bound. Indeed their promotional material describes the new material as “Hamilton meets Tesla.”
He says, Adirondack Theatre Festival is dedicated to new work and many of the shows produced by the organization has had an after-life in theaters around the country. “I’m very proud of the work we’ve done in the past but this is special. It’s the biggest show we’ve ever done. I truly believe it is Broadway bound. ‘The electronicpop music is infectious and the story is so rich someone could write a 10 hour play on Tesla’s fascinating life.”
If you are not familiar with Tesla’s life the comparison between the inventor and Alexander Hamilton is valid. Hamilton was an important figure in the development of the United States during and after the Revolutionary War, but was nearly forgotten by history. Tesla was an important figure in the development of electricity and wireless communication around the turn of the 20th century. He too has been neglected by history.
Rabinovitz explains that though Tesla’s many contributions to science have been forgotten most people do remember the theme on which the musical focuses – that is Tesla’s battle with Thomas Edison over the future of electricity. Rabinovitz explains that Tesla, who worked briefly for Edison, was a backer of alternating current (AC) and Edison was a fierce advocate for direct current (DC).
“The issue was how to deliver electricity in an inexpensive safe manner,” says Rabinovitz. “Tesla supported the use of alternating current. Edison’s plan would have meant building expensive power storage centers every couple of blocks. If it weren’t for Tesla proving alternating current was safe, only the wealthy would have had access to electricity.”
Adding to the intrigue of the situation is the involvement of Westinghouse Electric which was the financial power of which would decide which system would prosper. Rabinovitz calls George Westinghouse “the play’s third lead.”
Rabinovitz, calls Tesla “a futurist” and regards him as a hero for the average person. “He only wanted to make the world a better place.”
He has less affection for Edison and finds it ironic that Edison, who was a hard-nosed capitalist who took credit for the discoveries of many scientists who worked for him is the man associated with alternating current. “Edison became an American folk hero while Tesla was relegated to anonymity. But at the end of the day, whose name do we remember?”
Clearly the story of Tesla is fascinating but Rabinovitz is quick to make the point that “Tesla” is not intended to be a simple history lesson. “It’s exciting theater that tells a story that has to be told. What important to understand is it does it in a highly entertaining way and with music that is commercially infectious.”
Rabinovitz is excited about ”Tesla” being ATFs opening show because he feels it will pack the Charles Wood Theater. “If people have a good time, they’ll come back for our other shows,” he says.
And, he believes he has a season worthy of full houses. “Knights of the Sales Office” runs July 11-20. Rabinovitz describes it as “The Office meets Game of Thrones.” “It’s one of the funniest plays I’ve ever read. It asks the question what kind of a society would we create if there were no oversight.”
He pulls out all of the adjectives (“sweet, endearing, charming and heartfelt) as he tries to describe “Boy in the Bathroom.” He settles for “It’s a quirky love story that pulls at your heartstrings.” It plays July 26-August 4.
The final show, “Glitches in Reality” which he calls “a visceral, intimate experience” runs only a week August 7-12. Though it features the world-famous Australian magician Simon Corone, Rabinoviz says the show is about more than the illusions, “It’s the truth behind the illusions that make the show amazing,” he says.
Indeed the ATF season seems to be truth as expressed through the magic of theater. To order tickets call (518) 480-4878, or log on to atfestival.org for more information.