Thursday, January 16, 1997
THEATER:
Rubinstein’s fresh twist to the stage appeals to younger crowdBy
Nerissa Pacio
Daily Bruin Contributor
While many typical 10-year-old boys rev up the engines of their
toy trucks, composer, performer and poet Donald Rubinstein, 44,
spent his childhood days tuning his poetical mind.
"I started writing poetry as a young child. I’ve always loved
art because it was like an epiphany that embodied my hopes and
dreams," Rubinstein says.
To this day, Rubinstein uses his deep-rooted artistic
inspiration combined with his musical talents and off-the-wall
experiences to drive his one-man show, "Donald Rubinstein: Music,
Road Stories and Poems." The multimedia performance combines
theatrical elements, songs, poetry and spoken words, showcasing a
wide range of his talents. Rubinstein’s show, which runs Thursdays
at Masquer’s Cafe and Dinner Theatre, is anything but typical.
And neither is Rubinstein’s life. He has held jobs ranging from
a massage parlor musician in his early 20s to a film score composer
for "Knightriders," a show produced by actor Ed Harris and directed
by George Romero. His present occupations as a part-time music
director for UCLA’s dance productions and as the star of his own
one-man show, Rubinstein enjoys a well-paved far-stretching highway
of artistic experiences.
The "road stories" he shares with his audience are reflections
of his experiences traveling, encountering difficulties,
elucidations and odd occurrences.
"During my ‘nasty period,’ I even worked as a night watchman in
a whore house until it got robbed– if I can be so blunt," chuckles
Rubinstein. "To me, it was just a way to make a living."
While some of the road stories Rubinstein reveals during his
show are outrageous or on the edgy side  including a bit
entitled "First Fuck" and a rap/tirade against talk show host Maury
Povich  he maintains that other aspects of his show are also
tender and accessible. He may perform an act about serial killers
one minute, but in the next sequence he might sing a lullaby or
reflect about his grandfather.
"I like to play around with the show. It often knocks between
oddities and moving stories. It’s gritty, but also deeply moving,"
Rubinstein says.
Although his performance is always unpredictable since he tends
to improvise, a typical show unfolds in a general format with
Rubinstein appearing in black upon the minimally decorated 60-foot
Masquer’s stage.
He begins with a song, then a poem about angels, followed by a
monologue and a piece on blues harmonica. He may then continue with
a visual sequence of floating heads, contemplating what it might be
like to exchange heads with someone else in L.A. This may be
followed up by a ballad about a girl in a porn shop.
Although the performance relies on many genres to tell stories,
Rubinstein says his music serves as the "umbrella" for the whole
piece. With such influences as Thelonius Monk, Bob Dylan and John
Cage, critics have classified Rubinstein’s music as both jazz and
folk rock.
With a B.A. in music from Washington University, as well as
experiences studying at the Berkeley College of Jazz and Columbia
University in New York, Rubinstein has had both formal classroom
instruction as well as hands-on real-world musical experience.
Rubinstein’s most significant training came from a private
scholarship studying with the world-famous piano teacher Madame
Margaret Chaloff (now deceased), who also taught Herbie Hancock,
Keith Jarret and other famed pianists.
Actor Ed Harris reveals his knowledge about Rubinstein after
knowing him as both a friend and fellow artist for 17 years. "I’ve
heard Donald do everything from classical to pop to avant-garde
jazz. He is a music aficionado," says Harris.
Harris decided to produce two of Rubinstein’s past musical
performances at the Met Theatre in order to give Rubinstein a venue
for his work. "Donald was not in the mainstream in anything. I
appreciated his efforts and wanted him to have a place for his
work," says Harris.
Nevertheless, Art Washington, a writer and the original producer
of Rubinstein’s show "Music, Road Stories and Poems," says that
some aspects of Rubinstein’s work are universal, like "love and
people." Rubinstein’s music interwoven in the show creates what
Washington refers to as a performance that is "fun,
thought-provoking and vital."
"With Donald, there is no compromise  he stays close to
the truth in his work," Washington says.
Rubinstein has always enjoyed working spontaneously in order to
create a sense of excitement for both himself and his audience.
Harris reminisces about a time when both he and Rubinstein created
a scene between them which was not scripted in a performance, as
well as another time when they wrote a country western song
together on a whim. "Of course, at that time, we had already had a
few beers!" Harris jokes.
Rubinstein himself remembers a time when he threw his harmonica
across the stage in frustration at a performance which was not
going as planned.
"Everyone was on the edge of their seats not knowing what was
happening. Then I decided to tell them it was part of the act, and
it got a great reaction. It was my attempt to find color in the
show," Rubinstein says.
Rubinstein reveals that "life" is what runs through his mind as
he stands on stage and looks out into the sea of faces. And if
someone in the crowd is sneezing or rubbing his leg and simply not
reacting, Rubinstein says that he tries to "stay on the horse."
"This basically means staying true, letting the show pick me up
and riding it out until the end," Rubinstein says.
Harris Smith, owner and manager of Masquer’s Cafe and Dinner
Theatre says the audience reaction to Rubinstein’s show has been
marvelous so far, and that Rubinstein has a particular appeal to
the younger crowd.
"Donald is a unique blend of the beat generation with today’s
mentality," says Smith. "He is always right on the ball."
Choosing to explore various paths in his artistic life,
Rubinstein maintains that he has a few key aspirations throughout
his travel.
Stroking his goatee and squinting behind his wire-trimmed
glasses with a trace of a grin, Rubinstein says, "I hope my music
and poetry appeals to the searcher, people communing for sense in
life, people who are simply trying."
Throwing up his hands and turning his smile into a full grin,
Rubinstein asserts, "As for me, I’m just trying to be an
artist!"
PERFORMANCE: "Donald Rubinstein: Music, Road Stories and Poems"
runs at the Masquer’s Cafe and Dinner Theatre Thursdays through
January. TIX: $12 cover charge and one-drink minimum. For more info
call (213) 653-4848.
JUSTIN WARREN/Daily Bruin
Donald Rubinstein has a one-man show at the Masquer’s Cafe and
Dinner Theatre.