177253681
November normally finds folks feeling especially fond of their blessings, with G Bartell able to consider the calendar particularly thought-provoking this year. Through Sunday, the 57-year-old is honoring his heritage and seeking immersion in his new city’s sense of theater as therapy as Nathan, “the cool, single uncle” in “Old Jews Telling Jokes.”
“This is a gift to me,” the Queen Village inhabitant said of executing his Penn’s Landing Playhouse-situated role. “There have been gales of laughter that have given me greater insight on the power that can come from the simplicity of making someone laugh. For that and many other reasons, I could do this play for the rest of my life.”
Addressing what the New York Times has tabbed the “magnificent, enduring rhythm of Jewish humor,” Bartell and four peers, including Passyunk Square dwellers Samantha Joy Pearlman and Jonathan Silver, have received regard as analyzers of contemporary conundrums and comforts for their fellow Jews. He has found patrons’ expressions of thankfulness endearing, as they enhance his appreciation not just for his heritage but also for any opportunity to explore his endowments.
“It taps into everything I can do,” Bartell said of his charges as an actor, physical comedian and pianist. “All those things clicks with me, as does serving the text because in doing that, I am respecting the audience, which is really the sixth member of the cast.”
The performer has been revering theatergoers since early last month, building on a bond with Queen Village-based producer Phil Roy, who courted Bartell for the local production following his recent San Diego-situated turn as Nathan. Holding an undeniable East Coast mentality primarily through his New York upbringing, the eager figure gladly moved to Philadelphia, where he has noticed numerous differences between the turf and his former California digs, even down to reactions to the script.
“There’s nothing to get your arms around,” Bartell said of San Diego. “I haven’t been here long, but Philadelphia is a very real place where the enthusiasm is contagious. The audiences are significantly hipper, too, regardless of age.”
Aiming for consistency and sharpness in reinventing classic jokes, the hire, who adopts many voices through the nearly 90-minute brainchild, takes being comedic seriously, noting that a punch line can prove a perpetual guide to understanding the human condition. Having devoted decades to pondering his interactions with friends and relatives and strangers’ encounters, too, he has observed that far too many instances of resentment occur and that not enough displays of gratitude contribute to society’s upkeep.
“I know which camp I’m in,” Bartell said. “Resentment does nothing. I’m grateful for this time to be on stage. There is that sense among many that our show, because of the title, of course, has an ‘in-group’ feel, but it’s really just about being receptive to our emotions and imaginations. It’s a great vehicle for me to express how much I want to grow and how much I can try to help others to do so, too.”
Born in Milwaukee, Bartell grew up on New York City’s Upper West Side and seemed predisposed to make artistic advances owing to his father’s operatic aptitude and his mother’s piano proficiency. His begetters, however, strayed from touting similar endeavors, with their son saying he felt they behaved so in order to prevent a collision with disappointment.
“I defied them, for sure,” Bartell said of finding any way he could to perform. “I needed that exploration, that exposure to determine how my life might go.”
Music came to resonate along his journey, a path that led Bartell to the prestigious Juilliard School. He has continued to court the discipline for discipline, with his website, afreshcupofmusic.com, noting his diverse approach to capturing quality sounds and writing “straight from his musical insides.” Having made a couple drafts of a show, he intends to have the eventual product contain copious tunes.
“Overall, no matter what I’m doing, I think I have stuff to say,” the artist said of his commitment to his calling. “The fun comes from realizing the importance of imagination in what we do. It’s odd for me to say I’m in my 50s because inside, I’m still 20.”
Bartell has supplemented his composition career with voice work, handling, among other duties, translation narration for the independent film “I Will Not Forget This, My Friend,” which concerns a key conflict in Israel’s history, and character readings for a Shakespeare educational audiobook. That vocation, which he is looking to enhance as he adjusts to life in Philadelphia, has meshed with his acting and musical talent to give him a triumvirate of bankable skills, but no matter the scope of an assignment, he possesses a well-defined mindset to remain passionate.
“Whatever work you’re doing, you should look for it to bring excitement,” Bartell said. “There should be that sense of exhilaration. It has to feel like skydiving each time.”
Thrilled to return to the East Coast, the multifaceted mensch loves that the City of Brotherly Love has kept him in the clouds and has fostered a how-lucky-can-one-guy-be mentality. Having confided that performers must prepare for surprises in exploring their art, he added that real life has hatched its share of unexpected boons, especially his relocation to Philadelphia.
“I’ve really taken to this place,” Bartell said. “People tell you what they think of you, and, most times, it’s positive commentary.”
Set to mark the final weekend of shows, the actor stated he and his colleagues have aspired “to be a little bit better every single minute.”
“That means those who catch us at the end will see us at our best,” Bartell said. “I’ll be sad to see it end because every moment has been rewarding.”
For tickets, call 855-448-7469, or visit plplayhouse.com.
Contact Managing Editor Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
177253681
177253561
