Awake and Sing!
The New Jewish Theatre
Supporting Actor (“Moe Axelrod”), 2011
ACCOLADES
- 2012 Kevin Kline Awards: OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR in a Play, Nominee
- 2012 Kevin Kline Awards: OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION of a Play, WINNER
- RiverFront Times: BEST STAGE PRODUCTION OF 2011
- Ladue News: TOP TEN PLAY OF 2011
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch: BEST DRAMA PRODUCTION OF 2011
- Playback STL: BEST SHOWS OF 2011
- Two on the Aisle: BEST SHOWS OF 2011
- BroadwayWorld.com: 11 BEST COMEDIES/DRAMAS OF 2011
REVIEWS
- KDHX: Julie Layton and Jason Cannon electrify the stage as the lovers.
- Ladue News: A heart-wrenching scene between Jason Cannon and Julie Layton, though, as the sarcastic Moe makes one final, desperate attempt to win the love and spirit of the caustic Hennie is exhaustively rewarding and underscores the power of this production. Cannon carefully emphasizes Moe’s seeming indifference, while Layton brings Hennie’s seething unhappiness to the fore with icy glances as well as prickly words.
- Joe Pollack stlouiseats: Cannon is another winner, his underplaying and his attitude stand out in a cast that occasionally goes over the top. It’s a fine, balanced performance.
- St. Louis Theatre Snob: Cannon not only defines the meaning of the word swagger, but also shows you real passion and heart, especially in the plays last moments.
- St. Louis Jewish Light: Moe Axelrod [is] powerfully portrayed by Jason Cannon.
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch: For a more fiery relationship, Odets gives us the Berger’s restless daughter Hennie (Julie Layton) and the boarder, a one-legged war hero in the rackets, Moe Axelrod (Jason Cannon). Verbally sniping, squaring off like boxers, they turn their obvious mutual attraction into a drawn-out quarrel. It’s still hot, though, and Layton and Cannon have rarely been better than they are as these mixed-up lovers.
- St. Louis Magazine: Several of the actors did turn in notable performances including Jason Cannon as Moe who has to be both self-confident and self-loathing, and displays a mixture of anger and tenderness in the final scene that very easily could have become embarrassingly hackneyed if he hadn’t played it to the right pitch.